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5 best wine bars in Bangkok offering rich and quality wine
It’s wine o’clock! Whether you’re all about fruity reds, sweet whites, or funky naturals, Bangkok has many great spots to sip your favourite varieties. But with an array of options to choose from, and the constant rise and fall of...
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Russian overstayer busted for drugs in Pattaya
Chon Buri Provincial Police arrested a Russian man today in relation to a visa overstay and reports that he was selling narcotics to tourists, predominantly visiting East Europeans at bars and nightclubs in Pattaya’s Walking Street. Russian national Maxim Kurbatov, aged 33, barefoot, shirtless and visibly intoxicated, was swooped on by several officers outside his rented house, along with two…
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Thai stock exchange pulls 30 minute circuit breaker
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) had pulled a 30 minute “circuit breaker” to suspend trade between 9:59 and 10:29am leading to a fall at 11am, when the SET fell by 78.95 points, or 7.08%, to 1,035.96. Foreign investors made net sales of 1.929 billion baht in the stock market and 13.646 billion in the bond market. Most global stock…
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Serial thief who robbed Russian couple at knifepoint in Pattaya re-arrested
Police in Pattaya have re-arrested a thief who was involved in a robbery and knife attack on a Russian couple five years ago. A team of Pattaya City Police arrested 29 year old Thai national “Manat” yesterday afternoon. Another Thai man, 60 year old Niphon Meechaiyo, was also arrested for buying stolen items and allegedly fencing them. Police seized six…
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Tuk-tuk driver assaults Grab driver in Bangkok
Another Thai tuk tuk driver has been caught out trying to defend his ‘turf’. Tuk Tuk driver Ek has been charged with assaulting a grab car driver after dropping off passengers in front of a mall on Ratchadapisek Road, Bangkok. After the incident went viral online, Police Colonel Purit Jintranan invited both drivers for a talking at the Huai Khwang…
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Thai Airways president and Suvarnabhumi chief resign
Two of Thailand’s most prominent aviation bosses have thrown in the towel, citing the Thai government’s bungling of the Covid-19 coronavirus situation. Both resignations happened yesterday. The president of Thai Airways, Sumeth Damrongchaitham, resigned yesterday afternoon. That corporate bombshell was closely followed by the resignation of the director of Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Sutheerawat Suwannawat. At this stage the Thai government…
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Old “falangs” are Pattaya beach vendors’ lifeline in coronavirus downturn
Old expats and Thais are the only thing keeping Pattaya beach vendor in business, through the coronavirus tourism downturn. One vendor, Pha Aree, who has been renting beach chairs and umbrellas for 30 years, says she’s survived more than her share of crises, the tourism downturns during the 2004 tsunami, SARS, political strife and numerous military coups. She’ll get through…
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Thailand News Today, Thursday, March 12. Daily TV News.
Tourism officials ponder moving Songkran to July, boosting domestic tourism The Tourism Authority of Thailand and Tourism and Sports ministry are examining the postponing of Songkran celebrations to July 4-7 this year. The idea already has the nod from Tourism and Sports Minister but still needs approval from the Culture Ministry and cabinet. Meanwhile, the Tourism Council of Thailand has…
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Body in oil drum discovered in Chiang Rai reservoir
Police in Chiang Rai discovered a dead body stuffed into an oil drum floating in a reservoir. The 200 litre drum has allegedly been floating in the reservoir for over a week. Investigators learned from local villagers that the oil drum had been floating in the middle of the reservoir since last about March 3. Only when the drum brought…
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Gold mining company found guilty for avoiding environmental report
Former director-general of the Department of Primary Industries and Mines Somkiat Phuthongchaiyarit, has been found guilty of colluding with five other parties for trying to avoid the mandatory environmental impact assessment (EIA). Secretary-general Worawit Sukboon of The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) says… “All 6 members had a hand in the unlawful approval of a request by Akara Mining Company (or…
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UPDATE: SCB becomes third bank to stop exchanging foreign cash
Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) today became the third Thai bank to cease exchanging foreign cash, shut down its exchange booths and quarantine booth staff for fourteen days as a result of the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. The move comes after a similar move by Kasikorn Bank over the weekend – see original story below. Yesterday afternoon saw Krungthai Bank follow suit.…
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Grab driver turns himself in over missing wallet: cash still missing
A Grab taxi driver has turned himself in to police in Chiang Mai police after a Dutch tourist lost 500 euros at an exchange booth in the city. The 27 year old Duct national, identified as “Edwin T.” reported to police after dropping his wallet at a booth at in the city’s Saphan Lek on Monday. CCTV showed a Grab…
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200 landmines cleared from old battleground near Burmese border
The army’s Thailand Mine Action Centre (TMAC) has announced that they’ve cleared more than 200 landmines from a former battlefield in the southern province of Chumphon, near the Burmese border. TMAC chief Wisut Uthitwattana says the 6.6 square kilometre area was marked as a potential landmine zone as it was the site of battles between ethnic insurgents and Burmese troops.…
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Businessman murdered in front of family in southern Thailand
A businessman in Thailand’s southern Trang province is dead after being shot down in home Tuesday in front of his family. Police say the murder occurred about 9:35pm. Thai media report that 32 year old Suchart Kongpeng was eating watermelon with his family when hooded gunman in a white shirt broke into the house and opened fire with a 12-gauge…
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Thai stocks tumbles, SET drops nearly 6%
Thailand’s stock exchange, the SET, plunged yesterday along with the region’s other bourses. The index dropped amid concerns over the growing global Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. The SET dived 74.57 points, or nearly 6%, to 1,175.32 points. This all happened shortly after the open in a turnover of 9 billion baht. The SET50 index, Thailand’s top 50 listed companies, faired even…
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Monkey brawl shocks Lop Buri – VIDEO
Central Thailand’s Lop Buri province was a battleground yesterday, with fierce skirmishes raging through city streets. Fortunately no casualties were reported. No human ones, anyway. Rival monkey gangs took to the streets and brawled for hours. Lopburi is home to two monkey clubs, with thousands of members: city monkeys and temple monkeys. The temple monkeys control the area around Phra Prang…
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Thailand News Today, Wednesday, March 11, 2020
400 billion baht stimulus announced to boost Thai economy Yesterday’s Thai cabinet meeting gave the greenlight to a new stimulus package. The government expects the approved 400 billion baht to reduce the impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. Last week’s 2,000 baht cash stimulus proposal, which was largely roasted in Thai social media after being proposed by the economic ministers,…
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400 billion baht stimulus announced to boost Thai economy
“The package will inject an estimated 400 billion baht into the economy in a bid to return growth to positive territory.” Yesterday’s Thai cabinet meeting gave the greenlight to a new stimulus package. The government expects the approved 400 billion baht to reduce the impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. Last week’s 2,000 baht cash stimulus proposal, which was largely…
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Police intercept huge meth shipment and a tonne of marijuana
The Narcotics Suppression Bureau have reported a number of cases in the Chiang Mai province, northern Thailand. Both dugs cases involve a truck and an attempt to hide the illicit drugs in large sacks which were packed with dog food. In the first case, 38 year old Jiradech Isipriya from Chiang Mai as well as 3 other members of a…
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Thailand News Today, Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Thai road toll, worst of the year yesterday Yesterday 90 people, including 2 foreigners, died in Thailand. This was the year’s single worst death toll day on Thailand’s roads this year. 3,200 lives have already been lost this year. 69 deaths were motorcyclists, 2 were foreigners and 2 children died as well. Hotting up in northern Thailand Hot, damn…
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Thailand CP Group’s take over bid for Tesco Asia
The 332.6 billion baht deal between the UK’s Tesco-branded Asian interests and Thai conglomerate CP Group, is coming under scrutiny as there are fears it could lead to a mega-retail monopoly. In the deal, the Chareon Pokphand Group will acquire all of Tesco Asia. CPAll and CPF informed the Stock Exchange of Thailand of their surprise investment in Tesco Asia…
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Cabinet meets today to discuss power costs stimulus
Amongst other pressing issues at today’s cabinet meeting, the Thai PM and ministers will consider four economic measures proposed by the Energy Ministry that would assist low-income earners, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises. The measures have been collated and endorsed y the Energy Policy Management Committee for consideration at today’s meeting. The four measures for consideration include a…
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Frenchman found hanged at Patong hotel
A 47 year old Frenchman was found hanged from a hotel balcony in Phuket’s seaside party town Patong yesterday afternoon. Police say they are investigating the grisly incident. Initial reports indicate the man may have been a member of a motorcycle gang, and involved with drugs, though this remains unverified. Officers were called to the scene, in Soi Patong City,…
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Worst case scenario – Thailand loses 10 million tourists this year
Thailand’s tourist industry could be decimated in the wake of the world coronavirus outbreak. Tourism accounts for an estimated 16% of Thailand’s total GDP. The Tourism Authority of Thailand governor, Yutthasak Supasorn, says that, in a worst case scenario, Thailand could bleed 10 million of it’s projected 40 million tourist arrivals this year. He says his estimates were based on…
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Thai PM Prayut quashes 2,000 baht handout package
Easy come, easy go. Well that was quick. Last Friday’s announcements for 2 x 1000 baht handouts to poorer Thai citizens has been quashed by the PM. Prime Minister Prayut officially shelved plans to hand out the cash to low income earners. Last Friday the Finance Ministry made the announcement for a new round of stimulus packages to prop up…
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Kitten killer arrested in Chiang Mai
The internet is abuzz with outrage and indignation as netizens and animal lovers express their outrage over a man in arrested in northern Thailand for adopting kittens, then killing them. Officers in Chiang Mai arrested the man, identified as Waitaya Kadpab, on animal cruelty charges for adopting and killing up to 12 kittens. Authorities told Thai media that several people…
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Pattaya cop, volunteers busted for extortion, abduction
A police officer and four local police volunteers been arrested for extortion and abduction in Pattaya. Captain Wuttikorn Plodprong, a deputy investigator of the Pattaya City Police and the four volunteers for police were arrested Saturday, and are now in custody at the local remand prison. The arrest comes after relatives of an accused drug dealer reported to the Chon…
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Government looking at ways to lower public electricity bills
The ministry is also studying ways to lower the price of cooking gas and fuel. Thailand’s Energy Ministry is examining ways to lower electricity bills for the general public to ease their burden in response to the impact of Covid-19 on the economy, according to Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong. The ministry’s permanent secretary has been asked to call a meeting…
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Thai minister says aide not involved in massive mask-hoarding
Responding to a report on Facebook, the Thai Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thamanat Prompow admitted today that his assistant met a man who was reported to be hoarding face masks, but he denied they discussed the mask trade. The post alleged that Thamanat’s close aide had a hoard of 200 million medical masks for resale to China. He said…
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Thais reject the Government’s cash giveaway scheme
A new Super Poll survey shows that 71.2% of respondents disagree with the Government’s recently announced plans to hand out two 1,000 baht monthly cash give-aways to low income earners. The new economic stimulus package was announced last week by the finance ministry to help cushion the impact of the sagging economy and threats from the COVID-19 outbreak. A spokesperson…
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Lost at sea: Thailand – A study from ISLA
By Daren Jenner, Thailand Section Chief, Marine Safety Officer, International Surf Life Saving Association The International Surf Lifesaving Association has just released an alarming study it calls “Lost at Sea: Thailand”. The study highlights the stark reality of the dangers of the two-faced Andaman Sea that surrounds the famous holiday Island of Phuket, Thailand. During the dry season (November to…
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