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Bangkok lottery retailer scammed out of 36,000 baht in fake lottery ticket fiasco
A Bangkok lottery retailer filed a complaint with the police after she was tricked into buying 400 fake tickets worth 36,000 baht by a big lottery dealer in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen. The victim, Paiwan, and her husband filed a complaint at Rattanathibet Police Station on February 10 at 3pm after she realised that she had been scammed.…
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Conflicting reports emerge on Canadian man reportedly mugged in Patong
UPDATE Conflicting reports are emerging on the Canadian man who was allegedly mugged in Patong on Friday night. Earlier, Phuket Tourist Police said that the man, 28 year old William Lamarche Saint Louis, told them that five men violently mugged him near Patong Beach. Saint Louis said he had been drinking at a bar before going for a walk at…
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Phuket fishing crew rescued after almost one month at sea
A Phuket fishing crew survived for nearly one month at sea after their boat, the Soi Sakul Petch, suffered engine failure a week after it departed from the island in southern Thailand on January 19. The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) launched a huge search operation after losing contact with the boat, combining marine and air searches, and reached out to…
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Czech Republic star comes out as gay on Twitter (video)
A high-profile Czech Republic international football star yesterday came out as gay. Getafe midfielder Jakub Jankto, currently on loan at Czech side Sparta Prague, announced in a video on Twitter: “I no longer want to hide myself.” The 27 year old who has made 45 appearances for the Czech national side, previously played for Italian clubs Sampdoria, and Udinese. Jankto…
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Phuket police can’t catch foreigner stealing tourists’ credit cards for shopping sprees
A foreign man has made a habit of stealing credit cards from tourists in Phuket, southern Thailand, to go on expensive shopping sprees. He has managed to avoid arrest so far. The same foreign man of unknown nationality is pickpocketing tourists in the Patong area of Phuket and using fake passports to make purchases of expensive items in bulk like…
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Australia and New Zealand best places to survive nuclear apocalypse
As Valentine’s Day casts its mushroom-cloud shadow over ambivalent or forgetful lovers everywhere, it’s heartening to know where the best places to survive a nuclear apocalypse really are. A recent study by the University of Otago, Wellington, reaches the same conclusion as every other such survey in living memory. ‘Continuing’ civilisation It’s probably best not to survive, but if you…
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Thai woman accuses Philippines airport officers of attempted theft
A Thai woman accused customs officers at Manila International Airport in the Philippines of attempted theft. She said the officers tried to steal 40,000 yen (about 10,000 baht) from her bag. The Thai woman, Saruta Jansila, shared her unnerving experience at the Ninoy Aquino Intl Airport (Manila) in the Philippines on a Facebook group named People Who Like to Roam…
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Phuket officials warn tourists to beware of jellyfish
Phuket officials are warning tourists to beware of potentially dangerous jellyfish while enjoying the island’s beaches. The warning issued today comes after more than 30 visitors reported being stung by jellyfish at Kata Beach last week, with most experiencing mild symptoms. In response to this, signs have been placed at over 20 popular tourist destinations around Phuket, including Patong, Nai…
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Man accuses son of drugging him and killing his wife to steal 65 million baht
A Thai millionaire accused his son and daughter-in-law of drugging him and killing his wife to steal 65 million baht. The millionaire claims that he was held captive over a two-year period before finally managing to escape in May last year. The 67 year old man, who was not identified, filed a complaint at Chanchoengsao Police Station on Saturday, February…
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Man cut off his penis after child sexual abuse charges
After being accused of child sexual abuse, a man in Indonesia attempted to end his own life in a cringy, gruesome way. The man got into his shower and cut off his penis. The incident took place in the Sikka regency, an area on the island of East Nusa Tenggara (neighbour to the famous Komodo island) on Saturday. The Bola…
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Thai man accuses Canadian man of murdering his sister in Phuket
A Thai man accuses a Canadian man of murdering his younger sister who was found hanged in a nail salon in Phuket, southern Thailand, last week. He says the Canadian assaulted, held hostage, drugged, and blackmailed his sister just days before her death. She reported him to the police three days prior to being found dead. The Canadian allegedly offered…
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Patong police officer reportedly refused to help Canadian tourist violently mugged
A Patong police officer reportedly refused to help a Canadian tourist who was violently mugged. The victim, 28 year old William Lamarche Saint Louis, said five men violently mugged him near Patong Beach on Friday. Saint Louis told Patong Police he had been drinking at a bar before going for a walk at night. He said five men approached him…
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Report finds most Thais don’t understand climate change
A recent report by the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) has revealed that most Thais have a limited understanding of the impact of climate change on the planet. Only 35% of Thais believe that the use of fossil fuels should be reduced. This reflects a general lack of awareness about climate change and what causes it. Oddly, the…
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UK police go to Thailand to solve woman’s mysterious murder 19 years ago
Nearly 19 years after a Thai woman‘s half-naked body was found in a stream in the Yorkshire Dales, UK police officers have come to Thailand to try and solve the suspected murder case. Police want to question David Armitage, her husband who now lives in Thailand, and the woman’s parents. Hikers noticed the body of Lamduan Armitage, formerly Lamduan Seekanya,…
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Woman steals car of app-based driver in Chon Buri
Police returned a sedan that was stolen by a woman with mental health issues to its 75 year old owner from an app-based ride service. The theft occurred last Friday when the passenger forced the owner out of the vehicle and drove off. Although the car owner forgave the thief due to her condition, police officers stated that they would…
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German tourist snatches Russian woman’s pricey sunglasses at Thai immigration office
A German tourist snatched a Russian woman’s pricey sunglasses at a Thai immigration office, Thai media reported on Saturday. The two holidaymakers were both getting their visas extended at the immigration office South Thailand’s Surat Thani province. CCTV footage caught the crook, 31 year old Marcel, grabbing the sunglasses that the woman left on a chair at the office while…
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Embassy searches for Thai woman missing in Turkey after earthquake
The Royal Thai Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, is searching for a missing Thai woman in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that hit southern Turkey and northern Syria. The Thai embassy requested clues about the woman, Wilairat Channual, and the rescue team has been notified, Nation Thailand reported yesterday. The embassy is also working with local agencies to repatriate the…
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Price of roses rise, but many express Valentine’s love online
Roses have been the traditional gift of love for Valentine’s Day for several centuries. But modern-day V-Day is bringing new trends in the way couples declare their love for one another, with social media platforms and applications offering creative and personalised digital options for expressing affection. Video calls, for instance, have seen a surge as more couples opt for private…
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Elephant in Thailand dies after tourists feed it wrong food
An elephant camp in Koh Chang, eastern Thailand, is warning tourists not to feed elephants food containing chemicals after an elephant died after eating chemically-contaminated bananas. A few weeks ago, a 20 year old male elephant at Kaebai Meechai Elephant Camp in Koh Chang, Trat province, fell ill with flatulence and indigestion after eating food brought in by some tourists,…
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Small hotels recover in Thailand as foreigners move downmarket
As small hotels recover in Thailand, returning tourists are choosing different options from pre-pandemic staples. A study of small hotels and hostels found booking growth is now higher than before the pandemic, with bookings from overseas tourists exceeding those of local travellers. As small hotels recover in Thailand, bookings are up by a quarter from the pre-Covid levels, according to…
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3 Thais, 1 Malaysian handed death penalty for businessman’s murder
On Friday, a court in Thailand sentenced four people – three Thai and one Malaysian – to the death penalty over the murder of a businessman in Songkhla province seven years ago, despite none of them pulling the trigger. Songkhla Provincial Court sentenced two more defendants, the gunman and his driver, to life imprisonment. In December 2014, 54 year old…
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Unlucky car smashed during fight between two lions
You know that feeling when someone smashes into your car and you just KNOW they don’t have insurance? That was definitely the case for an unlucky car owner in Indonesia whose car got caught in the middle of a fight between two lions. The incident took place in Taman Safari Indonesia II Park in Prigen, East Java. It’s a popular…
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TAT takes part in major tourism exchange event in India
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) took part in a major tourism exchange event in New Delhi, India last week. TAT participated in South Asia’s Travel & Tourism Exchange (SATTE) for the 14th time, heading up a strong delegation of over 40 tourism suppliers. SATTE, which is India’s largest travel fair, was held from February 9 to 11 2023 at…
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Gay-friendly Japanese sauna warns Thai tourists to watch their manners
A gay-friendly Japanese sauna displayed a sign in Thai to remind Thai tourists to exhibit proper etiquette while using the facility. The warning sign’s unique feature of a cartoon penis watermark accompanied by a silent hand gesture attracted significant attention and quickly went viral on social media. A Facebook account named Sa-nguan Khumrungroj posted a picture of the sign with a…
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Building under construction collapses in Bangkok injuring 5
Over 100 Burmese workers fled to safety as a four-storey building under construction in Bangkok collapsed yesterday. Five people were injured. At 4pm, officers at Makkasan Police Station were informed that an unnamed building collapsed onto construction workers on Soi Wat Uthai Tharam, Kamphaeng Phet 7 Road, Huai Kwang district. Police, officials from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation…
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Thai police report over 400 romance scams last month
Thai police say there were over 400 reports of romance scams last month. Royal Thai Police (RTP) said yesterday that 403 police reports in January 2023 were related to love frauds, resulting in substantial financial losses of over 190 million baht. Valentine’s Day is coming up, and RTP is now urging the public to be aware of the issue of…
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Thailand’s lovers warned about ‘sextortion’ ahead of Valentine’s Day
The Thai police have warned women to be wary of “sextortion” scams as lovers throughout the world tomorrow celebrate the most romantic day of the year – Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day on February 14 has become a symbol and celebration of romance and love throughout the world. Couples come together and make an extra special effort to show their love…
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Blaze severely damages Phuket luxury villa
A massive blaze severely damaged a luxury villa in the Cherng Talay neighbourhood of Phuket‘s Thalang district on Saturday morning. Four fire trucks were deployed to the scene to find the fire rapidly spreading. It took firefighters around two hours to fully put out the flames at the villa on Soi Pasak 1. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. However, several…
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Take the slow train to monkey city
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is offering trips on a slow train to monkey city, from Bangkok to Lopburi in the Northeast Thailand, on the refurbished Kiha 183 diesel-powered trains from Japan. The trips this weekend and next will cost 599 baht. Only 200 seats will be available each day. The train leaves Bangkok’s historic Hua Lamphong Railway Station…
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Axing for trouble in Nothanburi
The family of a man killed by his neighbour over a parking dispute in Nonthaburi believes the murder scene was staged. Veera Prasitthong, 54 years old, was killed in his neighbour’s shop in Pak Kret last week. Veera was home when he found his path blocked by neighbour Visit Chanakul, who had parked outside his shop to unload some goods.…
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