Thailand News
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Malaysia: Luxury items seized from ex-Malaysian PM Najib’s residences valued at over 10 billion baht
Straitstimes.com is reporting that Items seized from six premises linked to Malaysia’s ousted PM Najib Razak as part of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) probe are valued between RM900 million and RM1.1 billion (nearly 10 billion THB) – making it the biggest seizure the police has ever made in the country’s history. Police’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) chief Amar…
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Bangkok: Amnesty International questions Thailand’s commitment to abolish the death penalty
Khaosod English are reporting that Amnesty International Thailand says that it’s unsure whether the government’s fourth national human rights plan will once again commit to abolition as an explicit goal. Uncertainty is looming over Thailand’s commitment to abolish the death penalty in light of massive public support for capital punishment and the recent surprise execution at the Bang Kwan jail in…
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Bangkok: Nine arrests net 70 million baht in drugs and assets
By Khanathit Srihirundaj Five successful drug busts had led to the arrest of nine suspects along with 700kg of marijuana, 2.8kg of cocaine, 306,000 methamphetamine pills, 2kg of crystal meth or “ice”, four vehicles and 12 cell phones. The evidence was worth over 70 million baht. The announcement today from National police chief General Chakthip Chaijinda. In the first case,…
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Chiang Rai: Army chief says ‘hopes remain high’
The Army Commander in Chief, General Chalermchai Sitthisart says hopes remain high in the search for 12 young football players and their deputy coach who went missing last Saturday afternoon in the flooded Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai province. He was speaking during a visit to the operational site in front of the cave in Mae Sai district. “The…
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Songkhla: Teachers, parents and students protest new school director
Teachers and parents have joined students of a school in Songkhla to protest against the transfer to their school of a new director who has been alleged to already have a tainted image. The demonstration was held this morning (Wednesday) at the Nawamintha Chuthit Thaksin School in Muang district. It was attended by about 2,000 students, teachers and representatives of…
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Chiang Rai: HM The King calls for crowd control in the cave search
By Jakrawan Salaytoo The Thai Interior Minister General Anupong Paojinda has told reporters at Government House in Bangkok that the King shares the public’s concern for the missing party. His Majesty the King has instructed officials to ensure that the crowd gathered outside a Chiang Rai cave does not impede the continuing search for 12 youngsters and their football coach…
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Nakhon Phanom: Up in smoke
Nakhon Phanom’s provincial administration has destroyed 8,700 kilograms of seized marijuana to mark the “International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking”. The drugs were destroyed in a massive fire in a local field. Provincial Governor Somchai Witdamrong chaired the ceremony, held at 9am on the field in front of the Nakhon Phanom rangers’ command. Somchai said the marijuana had…
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Chiang Mai: Mission ‘Rabies’
In response to the increased number of human deaths from rabies in Thailand this year, Mission Rabies was keen to work with the government to protect the communities of Chiang Mai. Upon the kind invitation of Chiang Mai Municipality, San Pong municipality and Khi Lek municipality, Mission Rabies, in combination with WVS Thailand (locally known as WVS Care for Dogs),…
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Chiang Mai: Axe-wielding monk attacks abbot and nun at temple
A small quarrel has led to an abbot being attacked by a monk with an axe in Mae Rim, north-west of Chiang Mai city. Chiang Mai City news reports that the assault took place at Huay Pha Pu in Pong Yaeng, Mae Rim, after a quarrel broke out between an 58 year old monk and a newly appointed acting abbot,…
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Pattaya: Chinese and Vietnamese tourists dotting Pattaya landmark with stickers
Pattaya Update News is reporting that they’ve received numerous complaints from angry locals who are furious with Chinese and Vietnamese tourists for defacing a famous Pattaya landmark. They report that the Asian tourists have been pasting stickers, used to identify tour members and tour groups at the temple of Wat Nong Yai in Bang Lamung. Trees, pillars, walls, vegetation and…
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Chiang Rai: Search area becomes crowded with media and onlookers
The ongoing search in Chiang Rai, where 13 members of a football team are trapped inside by rising floodwaters, is starting to suffer from too much media and local interest. The search of Luang Cave in Tham Luang-Khun Nam Nang Non Forest Park is being led by Navy SEAL personnel, who have been joined by teams of experts from universities…
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Chiang Mai: Gas tank explosion kills man, destroys half the house
A faulty gas tank has exploded in the home of a man in Saraphi, south-west of Chiang Mai’s city centre, killing him instantly. The explosion also destroyed half the man’s home. This incident happened over the weekend. Police rushed to the scene at a house in Nong Pheung, Saraphi. Police entered the home and discovered a man who had been…
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Myanmar: Sacked – Top general accused of involvement in Rohingya crackdown
PHOTO: Major General Maung Maung Soe amd defacto Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi Myanmar is accused of a crackdown in Rakhine state that has, so far, forced 700,000 Rohingya to flee. The UN and major western powers describe the crackdown as “ethnic cleansing”. In response, Myanmar’s military now says it’s sacked a top general who was named in fresh EU…
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Phichit: Hundreds affected by Dengue
All 12 districts in the province of Phichit in central Thailand will soon be declared dengue outbreak control zones with 652 cases of dengue fever now reported in the province so far this year. A committee in charge of disease control made the call this week in a bid to integrate efforts by all pertinent government agencies. The committee was…
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Chiang Rai: Search continues for missing teenagers in flooded cave
The desperate search continues today for 12 children and their coach from a local football team who went missing in a Chiang Rai flooded cave on Saturday afternoon. Rescue teams will search to the end of the limestone cave that is believed to be the fourth longest cave in Thailand. So far, searchers have found children’s slippers, footprints and palm…
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Chaiyaphum: 35 year old man stabbed 30 times
A 35 year old Chaiyaphum man has stabbed to death in his bedroom in the Chaturas district, north-east of Bangkok, early today (Tuesday). Police said there appear to have been signs of fighting in Wutthichai Wamin’s room and that he had been hit on the head with a blunt object and stabbed more than 30 times. Chaturas police station was…
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Election date delay mooted
Dates for the forthcoming election, earmarked for February 2019 for the last year, are now in flux again following yesterday’s meeting between potential future political players and the NCPO. The election is likely to take place some time between February 24 and May 5 next year, this from the Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam at yesterday’s meeting. It is the first time…
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Deputy PM Prawit calls the Time Magazine article ‘factually innacurate’
It hasn’t even landed on the magazine stands yet and already the Time magazine article is causing controversy. Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan is denying that the government or the NCPO has banned the distribution and sale of Time magazine’s Asia edition for July 2 issue. Read our story about the Time Prayut feature HERE. Prawit is reported by Thai PBS…
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‘Clean.’ Overcrowded Krabi prison declared drug-free
A random inspection at Krabi prison has turned up no drugs. Officers, led by Phang Nga Prison Chief Soonthorn Detrak and Krabi Prison Chief Yingpinyo Morapan, began the search at 4:30pm last Friday. Chief Soontorn says, “This is a special raid by the Region 8 Prison. Areas searched included personal lockers of all inmates as well as sleeping quarters, the…
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Khon Kaen: Playtime turns into horror with 9 yearly girl shot
PHOTO: File Photo By Kritmet Loho The shooting took place while the girl was playing with two boys, ages 10 and 11, at a house in Tambon Moung Wan. A Khon Kaen physician is pleading with parents to keep weapons away from children after a 10 year old boy accidentally shot and seriously wounded a nine year old yesterday (Sunday).…
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Pattaya: Thai woman falls to death from apartment building
A Thai woman has died after falling from a room on the fifth floor of a Pattaya apartment early on today (Monday). Police are holding her Australian boyfriend for questioning following the incident at 2.30am at Min Mansion in Tambon Nong Plue, Bang Lamung district. Police say 28 year old Wilawal Poolsukserm fell from her room and died on the way…
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Krabi student killed outside school
VIDEO. A student in Krabi has died after driving on a motorbike and colliding with a parked SUV in front of a school in Krabi. The accident happened in front of Khlong Thom Ratrangsan School in Krabi at 4pm on Friday (June 22). The driver was 17 year old Pichai Phusit Songguea, a student of a college in Krabi. Pichai…
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Bangkok: Abhisit urges NCPO to lift ban on political gatherings
PHOTO: The Nation Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva is urging the NCPO to lift their ban on political activities and gatherings. He notes that the junta shouldn’t be worried that national security could be compromised as a result of the lifting of the ban as it has all the powers to deal effectively with anything deemed a security threat. Abhisit points out…
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Update: Rescue in Chiang Mai – 11 teenagers and their coach missing in cave.
The 11 missing teenagers and their football coach are still believed to be still alive but remain trapped inside the innermost sections of the cave where they’re believed to be safe but separated by flooding waters. Chiang Rai Governor Narongsak Osotthanakorn headed to the Thamluang-Khunnam Nang non park in Mae Sai district to supervise the continuation of the search and…
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Search continues for 12 teenagers and their football coach
A post-football training visit to a Chiang Rai cave by a group of 12 teenagers and their football coach has turned into a nightmare with all of them still missing. As the search operation continued into Sunday for the 12 youths and their 25-year-old football coach, who are missing after visiting a cave in the Tham Luang-Khunnam Nang Non Forest…
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Indonesia: Selamat Datang. Work here? Then learn the language.
Living as an expat in south east asia has enough challenges, with paperwork, immigration demands, visas, visa runs, cultural differences. For businesspeople it can be increasingly demanding with requirements for ‘owning’ and running a business. Imagine, in Thailand, if having to learn the Thai language was an actual requirement. Many of us living here enjoy learning the local tongue, but…
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Bangkok: Invitation accepted – 30 political parties will meet for talks Monday
Thirty Thai political parties have accepted the invitation to meet Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan at tomorrow’s (Monday) meeting hosted by the government. The government promised this ‘getting to know you session’ as part of the roadmap towards the next election, scheduled for February. Gen Prawit says the meeting scheduled for June 25 will be attended by representatives of at least…
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Chiang Rai: Rescue operation looking for 11 footballers and a coach trapped in a flooded cave
11 teenage footballers, along with their coach, have been stuck in a flooded Chiang Rai cave since last night (Saturday). Rescuers have been trying to get to the team who are trapped in a flooded cave in the region’s Mae Sai district. The cave is located in the Tham Luang-Khunnam Nang Non national park. The footballers are all from the Tambon…
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Bangkok: Crackdown on Grand Palace scammers
Another crackdown. This time, on one the oldest tourist scams on the books. Bangkok Post reported that 87 people were rounded up in an operation around the Grand Palace in Bangkok following complaints of foreign visitors being pressured into purchasing unwanted services. “A total of 87 people were arrested in the operation of which 68 were booked for violating traffic regulations…
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Pattaya: Russian on overstay, and his wife, arrested for stealing motorbike
Pattaya Police have arrested a Russian man after stealing a motorbike from a Hungarian in the seaside party town earlier this month. 26 year old Vladimir Zhulabrev allegedly stole a motorbike belonging to retired Hungarian doctor 71 year old Gabor Tamas Pethoe while it was parked outside a condo in the Nong Prue area on June 10. Police arrested Zhulabrev…
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