Hot News
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Protesters attempt to “wash away” government double standards
Continuing the wave of anti-government demonstrations which has swept the country for nearly 2 weeks, protesters calling themselves “Democracy June 24” gathered outside Government House in Bangkok yesterday and symbolically washed dishes carrying various political messages. The last dish, carrying a photo of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha was dramatically smashed when protesters were “unable” to scrub it clean. (October 24 is…
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Gold shop heist foiled as owner locks thief inside
Police in Bangkok’s Klong Sam Wa district yesterday arrested a woman after she showed up at a local gold shop, dressed in pink Muslim garb and armed with a pistol, evidently intending to rob the place. Unfortunately for her, the caper was foiled when the owner of the “Yaowarat Gold Department Store” locked her in, called police and waited outside…
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Pattaya police say insults led to fatal shooting
2 suspects, arrested early yesterday and accused of the fatal shooting in broad daylight of a motorbike taxi driver in Pattaya, have been charged with murder. Police traced and arrested the 2 prime suspects, named as 39 year old Manat Imamu and 45 year old Niphon Panthong, in Chon Buri’s Bangsaen district, as they attempted to withdraw money from an…
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Nok Air will survive despite bankruptcy: CEO
Thai budget carrier Nok Air is insisting that its business will be able to return to solvency despite filing a business rehabilitation request with the Central Bankruptcy Court, shortly after national flag carrier Thai Airways did the same. Nok Air CEO Wutthiphum Jurangkool said yesterday that the impact of Covid-19 is preventing the airline from flying its 18 international routes,…
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Europe bans US travellers for 2nd time in a month
The EU extended its travel ban on Americans yesterday for the second time in a month, as Covid-19 continues to ravage the US. The EU began lifting its travel restrictions on July 1, welcoming visitors from 14 countries, including Canada, South Korea and Australia. The US was left off of that list, and the EU extended its ban on travellers…
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Police say “Boss” tested positive for cocaine due to dentistry
Police are claiming that illicit drugs, including cocaine, found in the blood samples of Red Bull scion Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya in the infamous fatal 2012 hit-and-run case were for his dental treatment. A parliamentary committee invited officials yesterday for questioning regarding case. A spokesman for the committee told a press briefing that the panel questioned officers who handled the case…
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Tycoon’s prison term for attempted bribery upheld
The 1 year prison sentence for construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta for attempted bribery has been upheld by Thailand’s appeals court. Premchai’s case captured national attention in February when the high profile CEO and 3 associates were found surrounded by animal carcasses and guns in a protected wildlife sanctuary. Premchai, president of Italian-Thai Development Corp, was later released by the court…
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Pro-monarchy activists vow to fight on, refuse to rule out violence – VIDEO
Following weeks of anti-government protests, in which some participants have been accused of making veiled anti-monarchy references, around 100 activists gathered at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument yesterday to show their support for the monarchy. Participants were former polytechnic students, congregating under the banner, “Polytechnic Students for the Nation.” Aged in their 40s to 60s, theirs was the first counter-demonstration since protests…
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Key witness in the Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya case dies in motorbike incident
One of the key witnesses of the 2012 hit and run incident, involving Red Bull heir Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, died this morning as a result of a motorbike incident in Chiang Mai. He was one of two main witnesses identified by police in the case. The incident happened this morning just after 2am in the main city area of Chiang…
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Mayor says half of Pattaya’s security cameras aren’t working
Pattaya’s mayor claims about half of the city’s security cameras aren’t working. In an interview with associated Thai press, Mayor Sonthaya Khunpluem told reporters “There are slightly over 2,000 CCTV cameras in Pattaya in total at this time. We also have a dedicated CCTV control centre that’s manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” “However, some of them…
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Anti-coup activist acquitted of sedition, cybercrime charges
A pro-democracy activist was acquitted today of sedition and cybercrime charges for criticising the ruling junta back in 2014. He was accused of violating Section 116 of the Criminal Code and the Computer Crime Act by posting messages against the 2014 coup that deposed PM Yingluck Shinawatra. The messages were posted between May 30 and June 4, 2015, when martial…
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Ukrainian man in fatal fall from abandoned Surat Thani hotel
A Ukranian fell to his death from the roof of an empty hotel in the central business district of the southern province of Surat Thani this morning. The 36 year old man, identified by Matichon as Tomak Mykola, was found lying face up on the ground in front of the abandoned Southern Star Hotel on Chon Kasem Road. Police were…
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Pattaya murder suspects arrested
2 men have been arrested for the shocking daylight shooting murder of a motorbike taxi driver in Pattaya on Tuesday. The Pattaya News reports the suspects were nabbed in Chon Buri province’s Bang Saen district early this morning. Police found a blue Honda PCX motorbike, which they believe was used in the shooting, in front of an apartment building in…
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Pro-monarchy students plan Bangkok rally
A group of pro-royalist vocational students and their supporters are planning a rally at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument today, possibly provoking a confrontation with pro-democracy students. The student group, calling itself “Vocational Students to Protect the Nation” said on their Facebook page that they will be demonstrating at Democracy monument and voice their opinions on the current surge of pro-democratic student…
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“We Travel Together” campaign may be extended through 2020
The “We Travel Together” government stimulus campaign may be extended to increase domestic tourism through to the end of the year, while travel bubbles for tourists will hopefully be launched by October, according to the Tourism and Sports Ministry. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. He says the slow start of the scheme, launched July 15, can be partly attributed to hesitation among tourists as…
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PHIST – Asia’s largest online tourism event, returns this September
PHIST, the Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism, is set to break down boundaries again with a “virtual” version of Asia’s largest sustainable travel and hospitality event on September 7. Over 1,200 of the industry’s leading figures are expected to attend this socially-distant online gathering. The online event will include keynote addresses, interactive sessions, educational workshops and a green exhibition.…
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Thai baht getting stronger
The Thai baht continues to strengthen, coming in at 31.41 against the US dollar. Nation Thailand reports that Jitipol Puksamatanan, Head of Markets Strategy at SCB Securities, predicts the currency will fluctuate between 31.35 and 31.85 against the US dollar, which continues to weaken. xe.com/currencyconverter Meanwhile, the Standard & Poor 500 Index has dropped 0.6%, which is being blamed on…
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80 year old Phattalung woman allegedly raped by former neighbour
A woman in the southern province of Phatthalung has allegedly been raped by a former neighbour, who claimed to have been attracted to her “since he was young”. She was given a saline injection and instructed to rest in bed at home. The woman is 80 years old. She reports that she was selling steamed sticky rice and banana snacks…
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Central bank mulls severing baht’s gold link to weaken gains
Thailand’s central Bank is mulling breaking the baht’s link to gold as a way to weaken it without being labelled a “currency manipulator” by Washington. According to US Census Bureau data, Thailand’s trade surplus surpassed US$20 billion in the 12 months up to the end of November 2019. That exceeds a $20 billion cap the US Treasury sets for bilateral…
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Pattaya murder well planned, police after 2 suspects
Police now say yesterday’s shocking daytime murder of a motorbike taxi driver in South Pattaya appears to have been well planned and say they’re already tracking down 2 suspects. 47 year old Prathum Saartnak was shot once in the head around noon yesterday behind Pattaya School 8, near the famous Walking Street area. He had just finished dropping off a…
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Bangkok sees first ever student-led LGBT pride march – VIDEO
After more than a week of anti-government protests across the nation, a different kind of demonstration was held in Bangkok today – Thailand’s first ever student-led “pride march”. Young protesters demanded state teachers stop discriminating against LGBT students, more progressive health and sex education, and a revision of restrictive haircut rules. Students marched along Ratchadamnoen Avenue to the Ministry of…
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Prosecutors and police to investigate decision to drop Red Bull “Boss” charges
Following nationwide outrage at the news that billionaire Red Bull heir, Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, has had all charges against him dropped, the Office of the Attorney-General has promised an urgent probe into the decision. Vorayuth is accused of murdering a Bangkok policeman in 2012, by dragging him and his bike under his Ferrari, allegedly while under the influence of drugs…
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Phuket seeks to revive tourism with 3 major events planned
Phuket is planning a series of promotional events in an effort to revive tourism in the hard-hit province. With tourism accounting for 80% of the economy, Phuket is arguably one of the most highly-impacted areas in the country after the economic fallout of the Covid pandemic struck. The Minister of Commerce, Jurin Laksanawisit, is overseeing the staging of 3 major…
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Lopburi police powerless to stop sex-crazed, junk food-addicted monkey gangs
Since March, the city of Lopburi has battled monkey riots, as the Covid-19 pandemic dried up tourism, and thus, the primates’ main food source. Locals, in an effort to appease beasts, began feeding them, largely a diet of sugary junk food, with predictable results. Police, armed with slingshots, say there’s little they can do to stop the sex-crazed macaques who’ve…
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All foreigners will have to serve 14 day quarantine “in the foreseeable future” – Minister
Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports, Pipat Ratchakitprakan, is reassuring Thais by explaining that all foreigners, regardless of their status or origins, will have to serve a mandatory 14 day quarantine, at least “in the foreseeable future”. Thailand officials are currently prepares phase six of the re-opening of the country, loosening the restrictions imposed in April when the country closed…
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The big comeback for Big Joke?
Former police poster boy and Thai immigration Chief, Surachat Hakparn, aka. “Big Joke” says he wants to return to police duties and “come back in from the cold”.. He participated in 2 hours of prayers at the Wat Bueng Kradan in Phitsanulok city in Central Thailand, praying for a return to his roles in the Thai police force. At the…
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Chiang Mai performance artists demonstrate for free speech
PHOTOS by Will Langston With anti-government protests dotting the nation for over a week, performance artists in Chiang Mai took to the streets yesterday evening with a different type of demonstration – in favour of free speech. As the sun began setting, artists at each corner and junction of the old city’s moat could be found waiting to perform. At…
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Tourism council urges Chiang Mai hotels to open up to meet domestic tourism demand
The chair of Chiang Mai’s branch of the Tourism Council of Thailand says the city’s hotels and tour agencies are showing little interest in reopening, despite the province expecting a surge in domestic tourism as a result of the government’s stimulus offering. Nation Thailand reports that tourism chief Punlop Sae-Jew says many properties continue to keep their doors shut as…
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Room rates drop as Thailand’s hotels feel the Covid pinch
The devastating economic effects of the Covid-19 crisis continue to make themselves felt as hotels are forced to reduce their rates significantly in an effort to lure guests. Speaking to the Bangkok Post, James Kaplan from asset investment and management company, Destination Capital says that, unlike the economic crash of 1997, hotel revenue took a hit at the height of…
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Best wishes to HM King of Thailand on this auspicious occasion
Today is the 68th birthday of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn. The Thaiger wishes His Majesty another year of continued good health and service to the Thai people. His Majesty has been the King of Thailand since October 13, 2016. He is the only son of former King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit, the beloved monarchs who served Thailand from 1946…
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