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Thailand News Today | Surachet sues, The Nude Panda | September 23
Daily TV News from The Thaiger Former immigration chief, “Big Joke” suing Thai PM over transfer The former head of Thai Immigration, and poster boy for Thai officialdom, Surachet Hakparn, is taking legal action against Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, after the PM had him unceremoniously transferred to an inactive post last year. Surachet, commonly known by the nickname “Big Joke”,…
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Woman allegedly shot husband until gun ran out of bullets
A woman allegedly shot her husband multiple times until her gun ran out of bullets, killing him. When police arrived, 33 year old Julalak Longlalerng had a gun in her hand and was holding her 11 month old child. She told police the baby was not near the shooting. The husband’s body was found outside the house in Trang. Police say…
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Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chachoengsao join UNESCO’s learning cities
3 cities in Thailand recently joined UNESCO’s membership of so called “learning cities” which are said to promote “lifelong learning” and sustainable development. Chachoengsao, Chiang Mai and Phuket joined the UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities. Altogether, 55 cities from 27 countries, adding up to 230 cities in 64 countries around the world, according to UNESCO. “These cities are outstanding examples…
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Newborn baby found on bench in Phuket
A newborn baby was found on a bench at a neighborhood by Phuket’s Patong Road. The baby boy was wrapped in cloth and left inside a reusable shopping bag. The bag also had a bottle of milk, diapers and clothing. A woman walking by early in the morning heard the baby crying. She followed the cries and found the baby…
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Former immigration chief, “Big Joke” suing Thai PM over transfer
The former head of Thai Immigration, Surachet Hakparn, is taking legal action against Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, after the PM had him unceremoniously transferred to an inactive post last year. Surachet, commonly known by the nickname “Big Joke”, (a nickname given to him by Thai media) accuses the PM of transferring him without just cause and has been petitioning for…
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Spas could become quarantine facilities, Krabi first in line for the project
Spas could become state quarantine facilities. The Department of Health Service Support is looking into a proposal that would turn Thai massage parlours and spas into quarantine. The project would start in Krabi. A 14 day quarantine at a state approved hotel can cost 30,000 baht to more than 100,000 baht. It’s unclear what the cost would be for a…
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Online entrepreneurs cash in on “People’s Plaque”
After the removal of a commemorative plaque hours after it was installed by anti-government protesters, pro-democracy messaging has found a new home, now appearing on a range of merchandise. Products that bear the plaque’s wording, alongside a graphic of the 3-fingered salute adopted by protesters, are now being sold online by canny entrepreneurs. Those who support the pro-democracy movement can…
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4 Thai banks to be investigated for “suspicious transfers” after FinCEN files report
4 Thai banks are being investigated after an international money laundering report said the Thai banks had “suspicious financial transactions.” The report found 92 “suspicious” transactions in and out of Thailand totalling to $9,558,752 USD received in Thailand and $31,750,000 USD sent out. Files were allegedly leaked from the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, known as FinCEN, and journalists from…
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188 new total of Bangkok clinics accused of defrauding healthcare system
Officials say they have found evidence of fraudulent claims at an additional 106 hospitals and health clinics in Bangkok. This follows an initial investigation by the National Health Security Office that uncovered corruption at 18 Bangkok healthcare facilities, which was then increased to 64 upon further scrutiny. The latest discovery brings to 188 the number of clinics and hospitals accused…
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Thai sex workers push for prostitution decriminalisation
“The Royal Thai Police says just last year more than 24,000 people were arrested.” Prostitution could become further decriminalised in Thailand. A petition is being passed around calling on the government to stop arresting and fining sex workers. The Empower Foundation, which supports sex worker, is trying to collect 10,000 signatures before they send it to parliament. ‘EMPOWER’, aka. the…
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Thai cabinet adds 2 more 4-day long weekends
A holiday-led economic recovery. That appears to be a part of the government’s agenda following yesterday’s meeting of the Thai cabinet. 2 new holiday weekends have been created, one in November, one in December, in efforts to further stimulate the economy. In both cases the extended weekends will be 4 days each, adding the Thursdays and Fridays before the weekend.…
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Thai hotels concerned extra holidays may not benefit all
As the Cabinet confirms two additional long weekends in November and December, the country’s hotels are concerned that not all operators will benefit. The extra holidays, running from November 19 to 22, and from December 10-13, are being introduced to further boost domestic tourism. Although they have been given a cautious welcome by hotel operators, the Thai Hotels Association points…
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Thailand News Today | Protesters face arrest | Phuket “in a coma”| September 22
Thailand News Today with Tim Newton. Daily news from around Thailand. Struggling airlines to get reprieve through small loans, extension to fuel tax cut Airlines in Thailand are being offered a financial lifeline, as the Government Savings Bank announces soft loans for carriers left struggling as a result of the current Covid-19 ‘disruption’. The GSB is offering the loans over…
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PM orders Thai police to collaborate with Interpol to bring Boss back to Thailand
The Thai PM is ordering Thai police to work with Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organisation, to find Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya and bring him back to Thailand for prosecution. The Red Bull heir has been on the run since 2017 and faces charges reckless driving causing death and using cocaine, charges which date back to the incident in 2012 in…
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Bangkok nightclub busted for underage drinking
A Bangkok nightclub was raided last night when police arrested numerous underage drinkers after city officials received a complaint about “unlawful assembly”. Police say many of the 50 people at the nightclub were under Thailand’s legal drinking age of 20 years old. They added that the patrons at the venue did not abide by Covid-19 prevention rules like wearing a…
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Win driver allegedly ran red light, hits teenage motorbiker
A Thai motorbike taxi driver, known as a ‘win’ driver, allegedly ran a red light and ran into a teenage student driving on Sukhumvit Road in Chon Buri’s Sattahip district. The 58 year old win driver and the 18 year old student were both taken to the hospital. Emergency responders did not report on the extent of their injuries. The student,…
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Navy divers find captain’s body after boat sank in weekend storm
The body of a fishing boat captain trapped in sunken wreckage was found by Royal Thai Navy divers. The man’s boat sank during a weekend storm at the Surin Islands National Park, an archipelago of 5 islands in the Andaman Sea around 55 kilometres from the Phang Nga province coast. The “Chan Udome Sombat 8” fishing boat reportedly sank around…
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Phuket’s governor calls for help in restoring island’s economy
The governor of Phuket has likened the southern province to a “patient in a coma”, as he pleads for help to restore its devastated economy. According to a report in the Bangkok Post, Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew was addressing a Public Health Association forum, where he highlighted the economic crisis caused by the ongoing ban on international tourists. The island’s…
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10 million baht in damages from alleged wholesale pajama scam
A wholesale online shopping scam allegedly tricked dozens of people who wanted to start a pajama business. People spent around a total of 10 million baht for pajamas that were never shipped out. A large group of victims filed complaints together against a Facebook page advertising wholesale packs of pajamas at the Ministry of Justice. They wore matching white shirts…
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Heightened security at Thai parliament ahead of Thursday’s pro-democracy protest
Security is being tightened to the highest level around Thailand’s new parliament building, in advance of Thursday’s planned anti-government protest. The protest was announced on Sunday as the weekend’s anti-government rally came to an end around Sunday lunchtime. Additional measures to beef up security include the readying of an evacuation helicopter, in the event that officials need to “take flight”.…
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Sri Panwa Phuket getting social media flak after owner criticises pro-democracy protest leader
The owner of a luxury resort on the Thai island of Phuket is facing a social media storm after condemning the current pro-democracy movement and one of its main organisers. Taking to Instagram, Vorasit Issara, owner of the five-star Sri Panwa Phuket Resort, singles out protest leader, Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul for his disapproval, saying “she should be in prison”. “This bullshit has…
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Police officer allegedly shot and killed a woman at a Bangkok temple
A police officer allegedly shot and killed a woman making merit at a Bangkok temple yesterday. The 35 year old police officer, Siriwan Sumredsilpa, turned herself in to police. Siriwan allegedly approached the 39 year old woman from behind and shot her 4 times in the head. She was making merit that morning at the Nimmanoradee Temple in Bangkok around 7am…
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Thai beauty queen victim of racist slurs for siding with anti-government protesters
The winner of the 2020 Miss Grand Thailand competition has become the target of racist online attacks after declaring her support for the ongoing anti-government protest movement. Nation Thailand reports that Pacharaporn Chantarapadit, aka, “Nam”, took the title of Miss Grand Thailand on Sunday evening, in a televised competition shown nationwide. While being interviewed on stage on Saturday, the same…
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Myanmar’s Covid-19 spike causes mass lockdowns as Thai authorities scramble to seal the border
Myanmar is currently suffering a wave of Covid-19, causing concern in Thailand as its western border authorities bump up security measures and patrols. Burmese authorities have been introducing increasingly draconian restrictions to control the sudden spread of the virus over the past 4 weeks. Whilst the case load is still relatively small, the concerns are focussing on the porous western borders…
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Thailand News Today | Amnesty finishes, protest round-up | September 21, 2020
Daily video news about Thailand with Tim Newton Get a visa or go to jail. Thai Immigration Tourists, and anyone else with a lapsed visa, ha ve only 5 days to renew their visa or they could get arrested. The current visa amnesty ends on September 26 and there isn’t going to be another sudden announcement for another grace period,…
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MP files complaint against 3 opposition MPs for allegedly joining the protest
A member of parliament filed a complaint against 3 opposition MPs for allegedly joining the weekend’s pro-democracy protest where activists demanded reform of the Thai Monarchy. He’s also putting together a legal team aimed at dissolving the members’ 3 opposition parties. Palang Pracharat MP Sira Jenjakha says he has a photo of the 3 members raising their hands in a…
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Border police find 160 kilograms of marijuana hidden in fertiliser sacks
Border police found 160 kilograms of compressed marijuana near an Isaan roadside. Police say they believe the marijuana was trafficked across the Mekong River. No suspects were found and no arrests were made, at this stage. Police suspect the marijuana was smuggled in on long tail boats from Laos to the Isaan province of Nakhon Phanom during the tropical storm…
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4 people drown after SUV careers into canal in Chon Buri
4 people died after a driver allegedly hit a curb and lost control of her Toyota Fortuner SUV, running it off the road and into a Chon Buri canal. The driver, 38 year old Sukanya from Bangkok, survived and told police she was driving 6 friends from Bangkok to Rai Lak Thong, a subdistrict in Chon Buri. She says the…
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Thailand Post to upcycle parcel boxes into furniture for Border Patrol Police School
The Thailand Post is going to turn its parcel cardboard boxes and paper envelopes into tables and chairs for students at the Border Patrol Police School. The postal service says they’ve already received 10,000 kilograms of used boxes and envelopes for the upcycling project. People can send used parcel boxes and envelopes back to Thailand Post to be collected for…
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Woman shot and killed at Bangkok temple
A woman was shot and killed at a Bangkok temple today. Police say 39 year old Linlada Phattanphan was found inside the temple, covered in blood. Her head had been shot at 4 times. Linlada went to the temple this morning to make merit, according to her maid, 52 year old Maneerat Srithornrat. The maid told police that the 2 of…
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