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Bangkok woman dies of salmonella poisoning after eating ‘death dumplings’
Following the death of a Bangkok woman who fell ill after eating dumplings, lab tests have come back proving there were detected traces of salmonella bacteria in the snack. Prakit Wongprasert from the Samut Prakan provincial health office confirms that several members of the woman’s family also fell ill after eating the dumplings, which were purchased from a local vendor.…
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No role for Transport Ministry in Thai Airways rehab plan
After initially insisting on having a say in the management of the rehabilitation plan for the beleaguered Thai Airways, the Ministry of Transport has conceded that, with its holding in the airline reduced to less than 50%, it no longer has any jurisdiction over what is now a listed public company. Deputy Transport Minister Thaworn Senneam says the struggling carrier…
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Evidence mounts against “bleach mum”
Officers of the Crime Suppression Division say text messages on the popular Line application show that a woman accused of forcing her two year old “son” to swallow bleach isn’t the boy’s biological mother. This evidence, together with DNA test results expected next week, may lead to human trafficking charges being pressed against the woman as well. A Line chat…
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Deputy PM says politics not involved in Emergency Decree extension
“There is a week to go before entering the third phase of relaxation. Whether a further easing will occur depends on this week. I want to urge everyone to keep their guard up at all times.” With the second month of Thailand’s national state of emergency coming to a close, a deputy PM says fear of second wave of Covid-19…
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Thailand’s economic forecast among Asia’s worst: central bank governor to step down
The governor of the Bank of Thailand will step down when his term ends in September. Veerathai Santiprabhob announced yesterday that he has decided against seeking a second 5 year term for “family reasons.” His departure comes as Thailand sees its economy contracting as much as 6% this year, mostly as a result of the impacts of lockdown provisions to…
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Thai police deny using emergency decree as political tool
Following the arrest of two activists in Bangkok on Friday, police deny using the emergency decree to suppress political dissent. Both activists were arrested at the Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre, where a small group was commemorating the 6th anniversary of the May 2014 military coup that swept PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to power, tossing out the elected government of Yingluck…
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Millions of baht worth of cigarettes seized after smuggled over Burmese border
Illegal cigarettes, valued around 2.6 million baht, have been confiscated by police after they were smuggled in over the Burmese border and into the province of Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thai media reports. Three men were caught by police shortly after they crossed the border, but one was able to run back into Myanmar. Although it was just cigarettes, smuggling of…
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Two brothers shot dead after fight over pickup truck
Three brothers got into a fight over a pickup truck their deceased father left for one of the sons. It ended with two of them shot dead, Nation Thailand reports. A witness says that the pickup truck was left behind for 39 year old Sarayut Mustofadi, but his older brother, Seri, took the truck. Witnesses say Sarayut and his brother,…
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Thailand News Today – Monday, May 25
2 new cases of Covid-19 reported in Thailand with one additional death Today there have been 2 new confirmed cases of the Covid-19 Coronavirus in Thailand with 1 additional death. The 2 new cases consist of 1 imported case from a Thai National being repatriated from Russia last Wednesday. She’s currently under state quarantine in Chon Buri province. The other…
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Thai food giant to provide a million meals priced at 20 baht
Thai food conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Foods says it plans to offer heavily discounted ready-to-eat meals for those facing financial difficulties as a result of the economic fallout of Covid-19. CEO Prasit Boondoungprasert says a million meals will be distributed to Fresh Mart shops around the country and will cost just 20 baht. There will be a choice of dishes on…
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Thousands of people have been travelling between provinces
… but not quite as many as before, so far. The Director General of the Department of Land Transport says that more people have been using the inter-provincial buses services after the government recently easing Thailands’ lock down situation. He says… “Although some long distance services are still not in operation to comply with the night time curfew, many inter-provincial…
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Students to wear mask, get temperature checked at school
Students will need to wear a face mask and have their temperature checked before entering school. The Public Health and Education ministries recently put restrictions in place for the start of school set for July 1, according to Nation Thailand. Schools are categorised as a high risk area for the potential spread of the coronavirus. In general, cold and flu…
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Ayutthaya welcomes visitors after restrictions lift
Ayutthaya is welcoming visitors again after months of empty temple grounds as another set of restrictions were lifted over the weekend, allowing temples and historical sites to open back up. Thailand’s economy is dependant on tourism and officials hope to get at least some domestic trips up and running by June. The Ayutthaya governor says the province is now safe from…
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2 new cases of Covid-19 reported in Thailand with one additional death (May 25)
Today the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced 2 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Thailand with 1 additional death. The 2 new cases consist of 1 imported case, a Thai woman repatriated from Russia last Wednesday who is currently under state quarantine in Chon Buri province. The other is a 49 year old Chinese citizen, the wife of an…
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Cross-border drug trafficking is a “leading concern”
Thousands of people have been arrested since October for drug trafficking in Northeast Thailand. Methamphetamine and cannabis cross the Laos and Cambodia borders into Thailand and make their way down to Bangkok other parts of Thailand. According to Bangkok Post, the issue has now become a leading concern for Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin. 18,360 people were arrested from 17,685 cases…
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Street vendor on-selling community pantry donations
One vendor seems to be using the pop-up “pantries of sharing” to their advantage, taking the donated grocery products and then on-selling them at a market in Rangsit, outside Bangkok. In a photo shared on Twitter, the products, like soy milk and instant noodles, have a label showing that they are from the community pantry. The community pantries have been…
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Horse riding makes a comeback on Hua Hin beaches
From next Friday, horses are expected back on the beaches of Hua Hin, on the Gulf of Thailand. It follows the easing of more Covid-19 restrictions last week as Prachuap Khiri Khan officials allowed some businesses, including horse-riding operations, to reopen. It’s understood that hotels, department stores and shopping malls are also back in business. Hua Hin is starting to…
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Curfew violators made to volunteer at temples
As Thailand’s already crowded prisons struggle to cope with an influx of a new type of criminal, the “curfew violator”, the Department of Probation has come up with a novel solution – send them to the temples. Thailand has had a national curfew in place since the establishment of the country’s emergency decree on March 26. Initially it was from…
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Relatives claim British pensioner was mistreated and starved by Thai family
Relatives of an 86 year old British war veteran claim he endured starvation and mistreatment at the hands of his Thai family in Samut Sakhon, central Thailand. After receiving medical clearance, the man was flown home to the UK yesterday on an Eva Air flight. A report in Thai Visa says the man, named only as “Ron”, was rescued after…
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Phuket’s lost summer – looking to 2021 for tourism recovery
In a solemn recognition of the reality of Phuket’s stalled tourist industry, a spokesperson for the southern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association is saying most of the west coast hotels are unlikely to reopen until the last quarter of this year. And that’s just the start of the problems for the popular island beach resort. For now, Phuket’s International…
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Phuket firefighters rescue dogs from blazing home
Firefighters in the southern province of Phuket today rescued 2 dogs from a burning house in the island’s Kathu district. Police say emergency services were called to the scene at the Sing Thao Thani housing around 2:30pm. When police and firefighters arrived, local residents were already trying to put out the fire themselves, according to police. Firefighters took command and…
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Chon Buri, Pattaya pass coronavirus milestones
Chon Buri province passed a milestone today: 30 consecutive days without a new confirmed case of Covid-19. The Chonburi Communicable Disease Committee made the announcement this morning. Pattaya, which is part of the province, has reached 40 days. Not a single locally infected patient remains under treatment in the province. There is a state quarantine centre in the province (Sattahip)…
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Thai-made vaccine could be available sometime next year
Human trials of a locally manufactured Covid-19 vaccine could begin as early as the end of the year, according to Thailand’s Minister of Higher Education. Thailand is currently testing several vaccines. This one involves the government, Chulalongkorn University’s Centre of Excellence in Vaccine Research and Development, the National Vaccine Institute, the Department of Medical Sciences and the private sector. “If…
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Thailand depending on Chinese travellers for tourist reboot
Thailand is looking to China to rebuild its battered travel industry. As the Covid-19 pandemic subsides in Asia, countries are discussing the idea of “travel bubbles,” in which reciprocal nations establish guidelines that enable their citizens to move freely across their borders. The wider tourism industry accounts for 18-20% of Thailand’s GDP and provides jobs for almost a tenth of…
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Chon Buri police hunting man for shooting ex’s new partner
Police in Chon Buri province’s Saensuk district say they’ve applied for a warrant for the arrest of 38 year old “Adisorn P.” after he used a 9mm handgun to shoot his ex partner’s new young lover in the head. The warrant is for attempted murder and weapons offences. 26 year old “Thanachok”, the victim, is unconscious and fighting for his…
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Pattaya hoteliers complain about alleged “quarantine kickbacks”
Hoteliers in Pattaya have made an official complaint about a group of people, claiming to be officials who can ensure their properties will be chosen as quarantine centres, are demanding kickbacks of up to 40%. They are urging the government to look into the issue, but officials have been quick to deny any involvement by legitimate authorities. Government spokesperson Narumon…
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Pattaya Council mulls a mass transport monorail system
Nothing like the middle of a pandemic to announce a new monorail project. Undeterred, the Pattaya City council have announced a new 9 kilometre monorail as part of its Eastern Economic Corridor projects. They cite the need to ease traffic congestion caused by rapid urban growth in the seaside party town. They say the inner city area is in desperate…
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Education Ministry urged to tackle sexual abuse of students
92 organisations have demanded the Education Ministry ramp up proactive measures to stamp out sexual abuse of schoolchildren, following recent scandals in 3 provinces. Representatives yesterday handed a letter to the education minister, urging him to take action. They also submitted a list of some 10,000 people who signed a petition via change.org supporting the call. The manager of the…
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New Thai Airways board will nominate 4 ‘professionals’ to execute restructure
Thai Airways first took off as the national airline on May 1, 1960 with its first passenger-carrying flight. 60 years later it’s now poised for a massive dissection as it enters bankruptcy proceedings and restructuring. It’s 60th birthday passed without fanfare or announcement as the pride of the nation scrambles for survival – a victim of a global pandemic, years…
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Gas explosion in Pathum Thani destroys garage, 10 cars
Fire ravaged a garage in Pathum Thani, just north of Bangkok, last night, causing a massive explosion of gas cylinders stored inside. Damage was extensive but, fortunately, no injuries were reported. Police at Khu Khot police station were notified at about 8pm, and say the bush fire broke out in tambon Lat Sawai of Lam Luk Ka district. More than 10…
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