Thailand News
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Thinking of retiring in Thailand long-term? Thailand is a popular choice for retirees because of its beautiful landscapes, warm climate, and affordable living. Cities like Chiang Mai and coastal areas offer a relaxed lifestyle with friendly communities. The country also...
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Drug conflicts likely motive behind murder of five in Yala
Officials examine the blood-splattered scene where five men were shot dead in Yala’s Bannang Sata district early yesterday. Authorities say the killings were probably not related to the deep South insurgency. PHOTO: The Nation By Suriya Patathayo, Nakharin Chinnaworkomol and Parez Lohasan. A conflict over the drug trade is thought to be the motive behind the brutal killing of five men…
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Five shot dead in Yala home invasion
Paramedics remove the bodies of the victims to hospital for autopsy. (PHOTO: Maluding Deeto) Police say five men have been shot dead in the southern province of Yala, the latest killings in a region plagued by insurgency for over a decade. The Bangkok Post is reporting that gunmen stormed into a house and shot five people dead in Bannang Sata district…
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French tourist reports sale of Nazi merchandise in Pattaya
A French tourist has raised concerns about the sale of Nazi paraphernalia in Pattaya. PattayaOne.news reports that 34 year old Alexandre Jandaeng spoke of his shock at seeing the goods, which included pictures of Adolf Hitler, swastika emblazoned scarves and coins, on sale at a market in the popular resort town. Mr Jandaeng reported the sale of the goods to Pattaya…
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Chinese couple trash Phuket apartment
Won’t be the first tenants, nor the last, to leave a room in a disgusting condition. But this one is truly revolting, and bizarre. Coconuts Bangkok report that a Phuket apartment owner took to the internet yesterday to share horrific photos of a room he rented to a Chinese couple for just two nights. The Thai man went so far as to…
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Green turtle found in Chantaburi, full of plastic
The reporting of the deaths of these magnificent marine creatures, found to be riddled with plastic they’ve unfitly consumed as they feed in the seas off Thailand, puts more pressure on the Thai Government. Let’s hope their deaths are not in vain. A green turtle has died in Chanthaburi’s Laem Sing district after consuming a vast quantity of plastic. A Facebook page, ReReef,…
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French man released without charge after rape allegations from UK teen
PHOTO: Daily News Koh Tao, in the news again for all the wrong reasons. This time, a story printed in international media, has taken a turn with the man arrested in Phuket for the alleged rape, released from custody. The French man, arrested in Phuket in April, after a UK 18 year old claimed that she had been raped on…
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10 Hua Hin hotels face closure over Hotel Act infringements
‘Fake’ hotels and other premises being operated as hotels, but don’t have proper licences, are in the firing line at the moment, in just about all the major tourist provinces around the country. There’s clearly a nationwide crackdown on these dodgy guesthouses, hostels and mini-hotels at the moment. The owners say they find it almost impossible to comply with the…
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Lampang pineapple farmers picket City Hall over falling prices
Pineapple prices have been tumbling across the country, not only in the popular southern plantations. Now Lampang pineapple farmers are struggling to sell their products in the Chiang Mai market after another price crash hits the pineapple world. On June 8, over 10 pineapple farmers from Lampang set up shop outside City Hall to highlight the problems with pineapple prices falling…
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Islamic committee chair dies from Friday shooting in Pattani
Pattani Islamic Committee deputy chairman Aduldej Chenae, who was seriously injured from a gun attack in the southern province on Friday, was pronounced dead at 2.45am today (Sunday) in an intensive care unit of Pattani Hospital. The 55 year old Aduldej was leaving a mosque in front of Ban Lalo Witthaya School in Sai Buri district, where he also served…
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High speed road crash in Korat leave two dead
From the sketchy news we’ve received it appears there was a military officer and his wife on one bike, both now dead. A 19 year old student, driving a Mazda SUV, is injured but has survived the crash. Early reports suggest the bike and the car were travelling up to 160 kph. The video is from Channel 8 News. The link…
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A 50 percent cut in plastic garbage in 9 years
Straws, beach trash and plastic bags. Thailand seems to be on a head on collision to tackle these issues, at last. To realise how difficult it will be to turn around a society that uses so much plastic daily – a recent survey suggest that the average Thai uses 8 disposable plastic bags every day – you only have to…
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21 year old Australian Jaydon Sienkiewicz remains in serious condition
Thursday’s stabbing on a young Australian man in a Pattaya night club is making headlines overseas, particularly in Australia. News.com.au is reporting that the 21 year old’s Thai stepmother was ‘horrified’ when he went to the bathroom and returned covered in blood. News.com.au reports that an Australian man is in a serious condition after he was attacked in a bathroom while…
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Latest warnings from Thai Meteorological Department
The Meteorological Department has warned residents in many parts of Thailand to brace themselves for heavy rains and strong winds from Saturday to Monday. In its sixth warning issued at 5am this morning (Saturday), the department said a strong southwest monsoon is now prevailing over the Andaman Sea, Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand while a monsoon trough lies across…
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Surat Thani school director transferred over pathetic school lunches
The Education Ministry is investigating the former director of the Ban Tha Mai School in Suran Thani province for alleged “grave disciplinary offences”. His alleged penny-pinching cuisine options drew the attention of authorities after someone posted a video clip on the internet showing students at the Ban Tha Mai School in the Tha Chana district eating noodles with just fish…
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A wet weekend around the country
Around the country there’s been a surging southern monsoon mixing with a front crossing over the South China Sea, moving north and sucking in moist air from the Gulf of Thailand and the Indian Ocean. The Thai Meteorological Department is reporting “more isolated heavy to very heavy rain will hit all regions of the country from today until June 11…
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Sleeping on the job – NLA members caught napping
Two legislators caught nodding off during a serious discussion involving the 3 trillion bah national budget were actually hardworking lawmakers who fell asleep because of their poor health, National Legislative Assembly (NLA) vice president Peerasak Phochit said yesterday. Peerasak, who is in charge of NLA’s professional ethics, said their behaviour was not a serious enough breach of professional ethics to…
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30,000 methamphetamine pills seized, drugs rife due to decreasing prices
Four drug dealers have been arrested with more than 30,000 methamphetamine pills. The use of methamphetamine pills is on the rise in the region, indeed right around Thailand, due to decreasing prices and increased availability. At a media briefing held yesterday (June 7) at the Krabi Provincial Police Station, Krabi Provincial Police Deputy Commander Col Tharatcha Tommapat said, “the four…
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Police going to visit 3,900 members of ‘organic marijuana’ Facebook group
Pol Maj-General Panumart Boonyalak, commander of the Patrol and Special Operation Division 191, has threatened a Facebook group promoting ‘organic marijuana’ during a press conference held at 8.30pm last night (Thursday). He also announced the arrest of three suspects. Police are vowing to trace and take legal action against over 3,900 members of a closed Facebook group that encourages members…
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Crazy school songtaew driver slapped with 5,000 baht fine and suspension
CCTV footage from an intersection near Kabinburi, east of Bangkok, showed a fully loaded school songtaew almost collide with other vehicles as the driver plowed through a red light. Thai Rath reports the songtaew almost topples over, such is the speed and swerve. The children came from three area schools – Kabin Withaya, Jiamin School and Ruksasap School in Prachinburi. Following…
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The final straw – say NO to plastic straws
You walk into your nearest convenience store. You grab a drink and go to pay for it. You’re offered a straw (packaged in a plastic wrapper), or maybe two straws, thrown into your carry bag (also plastic). Or maybe you’re grabbing an iced coffee on your way to work from the roadside vendor. The coffee, in a plastic cup, carried…
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Help on the way for Lampang woman who cares for 400 stray dogs
There’s been a lot of interest in the story from yesterday about the woman in Lampang, Pongrueduee Rasi, who had been caring for 400 stray dogs but was in despair because she’d run out of money. We’ve tracked down the account number of her Foundation that cares for the dogs. Pongrueduee Rasi told several TV channels yesterday that she had only…
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Premchai wants to move the case to another court. The Prosector’s not happy.
Haven’t heard much about the Premchai Karnasuta case in the past month? There have been moves behind the scenes to have the case moved to the Region 7 Criminal Court in Samut Songkhram province. Thai PBS is reporting that the public prosecutor in charge of the Thungyai illegal hunting case has objected to the request of Italian-Thai Development boss Premchai Karnasuta…
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Krabi elephants reporting for treatment at animal hospital
Many elephants have been brought to receive medial treatment at the elephant hospital in Krabi province after they fell sick, Benjatham Thaitham, a veterinarian at the Krabi elephant hospital, says the arrival of the rainy season has caused many elephants to be brought to the hospital by their mahouts for treatment. She says she’s worried that the elephants may been…
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Ban on political activity to stay, for now
Despite the roadway being cleared by the Constitutional Court on Monday, putting the February 2019 election back on track, the Thai PM is still being cagey about forthcoming meetings between the NCPO and political parties and scrapping of the ban on political gatherings. The PM said yesterday that bans on political activities will remain in place despite all the legislation…
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Last hurdle to Thai election cleared
FILE PHOTO: The Nation Activists sceptical over a promise of a poll next February, say they’re still insisting on Thailand going to an election this year. After several postponements, the Thai PM has promised Thailand’s first election in five years is set to be held next February. All legal hurdles were finally cleared yesterday with the approval by the Constitutional…
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Thailand Event Round-Up – June 2018
by Paul Poole, PAUL POOLE (SOUTH EAST ASIA) June is the month for runners in Thailand. One of Thailand’s most hotly anticipated sporting events take place on June 9 & 10, the popular Laguna Phuket International Marathon. Now in its 13th year, the race is one of the most well-attended races in Asia with runners flying to Phuket from all…
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Thai industry declares war on plastic pollution
It seems the relentless media reporting, photo evidence, social media and horrendous stories about sea creatures being washed ashore consumed by plastics, has now forced Thai leaders to push the issue of plastic use to the top of their priority list. 20 ministries and the private sector have launched a campaign to reduce the use of plastic bags to mark…
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Paraquat and other farm pesticides to be phased out – PM assures protesters
The Thaig government is promising to phase out the use of Paraquat as an farm chemical. The PM was responding to a ramping up of protests outside Government house and in social media where opposition was growing following a decision not to ban the use of Paraquat and two other agri-chemicals. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says the government will now set 2019…
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Kalasin pagoda collapse – Initial investigation points to three factors
The collapse of an ancient pagoda under restoration at Wat Kud Wa in Kalasin’s Kuchinarai district yesterday morning, resulting in the death of one worker and four others being injured, stemmed from three main causes. Authorities begun a probe into the Pagoda’s collapse almost immediately yesterday. Kalasin’s public works and city planning officer, Weerachai Kaewhawong, cites three factors: construction work…
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Two rangers injured in grenade attack – Yala
Two para-military rangers in Yala have been injured after two M79 grenades, launched by suspected militants, exploded in their barracks. The attack took place near a village in Bannang Sata District of Yala province last night (Monday). The two rangers, Cpl Thoranin Insuan and Witthaya Sriraksa, were on duty in the barracks when the two grenades were fired into…
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