Hot News
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Sponsored Top 10 reasons for expats to get a comprehensive health insurance in Thailand
Moving to Thailand offers plenty of excitement and adventure, but the local healthcare system can be complex to navigate as an expat. From unique health risks to high costs at private hospitals, having a comprehensive health insurance plan is essential....
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Chinese travellers heading to more non-Asian countries for holidays
More Chinese are now travelling further and taking in non-Asian destinations during this week’s Labour Day holidays, according to Hotelbeds, a leading hotel booking website. Monitoring holiday bookings made by Chinese, Hotelbeds said 10 to the top 30 destinations were outside of Asia compared with just three destinations a year earlier. The three day Labour Day holidays, starting on May…
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Large tree crashes onto car in Chalong
A big tree has fallen in Chalong where it has tried to squash a parked Honda Jazz parked in front of a house in Chalong this morning. Staff from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Chalong Office were notified of the big tree collapsing and hitting a car in Soi Kritsada in Chalong in the midst of high winds and rain…
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Warning for boats going to sea off Phuket
The Phuket Marine Office has made another official announcement today for boats that will remain in force until May 10. The announcement was issued yesterday stating that “The weather forecast of strong westerly winds is expected to bring heavy rains to southern Thailand and the Andaman coast from today until at least May 10.“ “The warning is in effect for…
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Second batch of official election results due today
Five weeks after the country’s general election, the Election Commission has endorsed 349 successful constituency candidates for the House of Representatives, of the 350 seats contested. One constituency in Chiang Mai province had its winning candidate disqualified – a bi-election will be held at the end of the month. Today, the EC will reveal the 150 successful party-list MP candidates who…
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Election Commission officially endorses 349 constituency seat winners
Five weeks after the country’s first general election since the 2014 military coup, the Election Commission has now officially endorsed 349 successful constituency candidates for the Lower House of Parliament, minus one. The EC’s deputy secretary-general, Sawang Boonmee says the vacant spot is for a Chiang Mai province constituency that will have a by-election later in May after the March…
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60 NLA members resign to become Senators in the new parliament
About 60 members of the National Legislative Assembly are expected to tender their resignations in the next two days to be ready to join the military-appointed Senate. NLA vice president Phirasak Porchit says that about 60 members of the assembly, himself included, as well as NLA president Pornpetch Wichitcholachai, NLA vice president Surachai Liangboonlertchai, Somchai Sawaengkarn and Klanarong Chantik, had been handpicked to…
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Game of Thrones, with a grande mocha latte thanks
A paper coffee cup has appeared on a table in the great hall of Winterfell in the (spoiler alert) ‘fictional’ (Aghast!), realm of Westeros in the HBO production of Game of Thrones. Sharp-eyed viewers did a double take in Sunday night’s episode, quickly reaching for the remote and asking ‘was that a Starbucks coffee cup’? The latte or grande mocha…
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NCPO and NLA members resign to take up positions as senators in next parliament
Members of the current Cabinet and the National Legislative Assembly, who are hoping to become senators in the new parliament, are expected to resign as the NCPO prepares senatorial appointments for royal endorsement by the end of this week. Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam says that the NCPO will submit its list of 250 appointed senators by this Friday. He said…
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King greets the people in a massive public audience at the Grand Palace
Yesterday’s appearances on the balcony of the Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall of the Grand Palace in Bangkok of HM The King and royal family capped off three days of pomp and circumstance for the coronation of Thailand’s monarch. His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn granted a historic public audience from the main balcony yesterday afternoon. A sea of yellow-clad people of all ages…
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Forest fires very close to a revered shrine in Mae Hong Son
Fires continue to rage in the northwestern province of Mae Hong Son over the weekend. One of them got very close to a revered Guan Yin shrine in Muang district last night (Sunday). A fire broke out in the forest behind the shrine on the Mae Hong Son bypass in Ban Mai Ngae village of Tambon Pang Moo at 7pm,…
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Phuket lifeguard service warning of strong currents along Phuket beaches
PHOTOS: Phuket Lifeguard Service / Newshawk Phuket Phuket lifeguards are warning all swimmer at Phuket’s beaches of strong waves and rip currents. The head of Patong Lifeguard Service Somprasong Sangchart has warned of strong currents, even at Patong beach. Red flags have been set up along the beach. Meanwhile red flags have also been set up on other beaches as…
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Junta and government looking to unwind some orders made since 2014
The junta and the government are scheduled wind back orders and announcements originally issued by the junta but which are no longer considered necessary – some of them issued back in 2014 when the Junta took control in May of that year. Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam passed on the news earlier today. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha said the junta and the…
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Royal Coronation – Monday’s ceremonies
Monday, May 6 has been declared a special public holiday in order for the public to join the celebrations in Bangkok. 4:30pm HM the King grants a public audience on a balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace to present himself as the new monarch and receive the good wishes of the Thai people. 5:30pm HM grants an…
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Saturday’s Royal Coronation ceremonies – PHOTOS
The 66 year old monarch, dressed in a bejewelled golden robe, was handed the Crown of Victory that weighs 7.3 kilograms, which he placed on his head. HM the King then issued his First Royal Command: “I shall continue to protect, develop and reign with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the people.” His Majesty the King then granted…
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Royal Coronation – Sunday’s Ceremonies
9am The ceremony to bestow His Majesty’s Royal Cypher and Royal Title and to grant the royal ranks to members of royalty takes place at Amarindra Vinicchaya Throne Hall. 4:30pm His Majesty the King rides in the Royal Palanquin in the Royal Procession on Land to encircle the city, affording people the opportunity to attend and pay homage to their…
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Announcement of election results this Tuesday and Wednesday
The Election Commission is, as promised, poised to announce the final election results next Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday’s initial round of results are sure to spark off a new round of political dramas – no matter who is considered the ‘winner’ from the results. The announcements come at a time when tensions are running high over lawsuits and the uncertainty over…
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Royal Coronation – HM The King grants grand audience
His Majesty the King has granted a grand audience to members of the Royal Family, the Privy Council and the Cabinet, as well as foreign dignitaries. At 2.59pm, King Maha Vajiralongkorn grants grand audience. They gathered to offer their best wishes to His Majesty at Amarindra Vinicchaya Throne Hall. HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn led the group to congratulate the King…
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Royal Coronation – Saturday Highlights – PHOTOS
“I shall continue, protect and reign with righteousness for the benefit of the people.” 11.50am: The King goes to the Bhadrapitha Throne and sits under the Royal Nine-tiered Umbrella, where the Chief Brahmin presents him with the Royal Golden Plaque of His Majesty’s official title, the Royal Regalia, the Ancient and Auspicious Orders and the Weapons of Sovereignty. 12.40pm: Their…
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Royal Coronation – Saturday Afternoon ceremonies
After the Crowning and Investiture Ceremony, HM presents the First Royal Command. 1.19pm The ceremony of Assumption of the Royal Residence takes place at Chakrabat Biman Royal Residence. The purpose of the ceremony is to symbolically take up the royal residence. 2pm HM the King grants an audience to members of the Royal Family, the Privy Council, and the Thai…
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Royal Coronation – Saturday morning’s ceremonies – PHOTOS
Today, May 4, is day one of the three-day Royal Coronation ceremony in Bangkok. Today, His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn has been anointed and officially enthroned as the 10th monarch of the Chakri Dynasty. 10.45am: The Royal Purification ceremony completes. The King proceeds to Baisal Daksin Throne Hall where the Anointment Ceremony takes place. 10.09am: His Majesty the King attends…
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Royal Coronation – Saturday Morning ceremony – VIDEO
The Royal Purification, or the “Song Muratha Bhisek” Ceremony, takes place at Chakrabat Biman Royal Residence. “Muratha Bhisek” refers to the action of pouring holy water over the head of the king. It is followed by the Anointment Ceremony at Baisal Daksin Throne Hall. Then His Majesty the King proceeds to the Bhadrapitha Throne and sits under the Royal Nine-tiered…
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Royal Coronation – Schedule of events
The Coronation of HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun will run over three days from Saturday, May 4 to Monday, May 6. The actual coronation takes place on the first day. Here is the latest LIVE link to the ceremony, mostly in English… The Coronation ritual so far The collection of sacred waters from different sources around the Kingdom, followed by the consecration…
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Future Forward candidates deny claims of media shares, again
Future Forward party candidates have again denied a pro-Junta activist’s accusations that some of their members have shares in media companies. Srisuwan Chanya, describing himself as a social activist, earlier this week asked the Election Commission to take legal action against 11 candidates of the party, claiming they owned shares in media firms. If a candidate is found guilty of the…
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HM The King pardons thousands of prisoners
Six former leaders of a political group which was active over a decade ago, the People’s Democratic Alliance (PAD), are among thousands of inmates pardoned by His Majesty the King on the occasion of the Coronation Ceremony which started today and continues through the weekend and Monday. The pardons were announced in the Royal Gazette today. It said that HM King…
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Bangkok resplendent in yellow for this weekend’s Royal Coronation
Decorations are adorn houses and buildings around Rattanakosin Island, lining the route of the Liap Phranakhon Royal procession, as people prepare to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. The last time Bangkokians welcomed a newly-coronated King was on May 7, 1950. With help and funds from City Hall for renovation and decoration, properties along the route look new and lively. Portraits of…
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Huawei grows 41%, Apple tanks in China
PHOTO: Huawei remains a popular brand in Thailand with models at both ends of the price spectrum Huawei has dominated the Chinese smartphone market in Q1 2019, taking a record 34% share as rivals Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi and Apple all struggled. Huawei may feeling the heat from a US-led campaign against the Chinese tech company, but in China its smartphones are outselling…
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Thai property startup FazWaz heads overseas
FazWaz, the Phuket startup that has built a tech-first platform to take on Thailand’s real estate giants, is announcing its overseas expansion today. The move underscores just how far and fast the company has moved since being founded in 2015 in the small beach town of Kamala in Phuket. While real estate markets go up and down, FazWaz has definitely…
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EC reassures Thai voters the results will be announced by May 9
Thailand’s Election Commission is confident that it will be able to announce official results from the March 24 general election by May 9. This reassurance came from the commission’s chairman, Mr. Itthiporn Boonprakong. He says official results of the election have been delayed mainly by the EC’s indecision on the method of calculating the allocation of the 150 party-list seats…
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Cabinet announces 13.2 billion baht handouts, also property and tourism stimulus
The Thai Cabinet has given the go ahead to 13.2 billion baht in social welfare spending to low income-earners. The payments would go to parents with children still in school, disabled people and farmers. The same meeting also announced tax packages to boost the real estate and tourism sectors. A spokesperson for the PM’s Office says that under the welfare card…
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His Majesty marries Suthida and names her Queen, days before coronation
FILE PHOTO: Queen Suthida with His Majesty the King and Prince Dipangkorn Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn announced earlier this evening that he has married his bodyguard, Gen. Suthida Vajiralongkorn na Ayudhya, and named her Queen Suthida, just days before the Royal Coronation this weekend. The announcement was made tonight in the Royal Gazette. In 2014 HM appointed Suthida Tidjai, a…
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