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Blazing opportunity: Four Twenty Thailand offers franchise programme
Did you know that Four Twenty, Thailand’s premier cannabis brand, has a franchise programme? That’s right, you can now join their efforts to bring high-quality cannabis products and a vibrant community experience to more locations across Thailand. Four Twenty has...
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Khao San Road vendors petition the BMA to postpone renovation
Street vendors in Bangkok’s chaotic ‘backpacker central’, Khao San Road, are lobbying the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority’s (BMA) plans to give the popular tourist street a makeover and clear stalls that have clogged up the sidewalks for decades. Read the earlier Thaiger story HERE. A formal letter has been submitted to Bangkok’s governor Aswin Kwanmuang. Vendors have been resisting attempts by…
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Digital technology is drastically reshaping Thai media
“…journalism has never died despite the disruption. It’s just that media organisations and reporters are unable to survive because they cannot adjust to changes.” The Thaiger is a news and information portal, just one of a growing number of ‘disruptive media’ replacing traditional media and news outlets. It would be a very brave businessperson (with deep pockets) in the 2019…
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Esso’s pumps out cleaner fuels and petrol station makeovers
Esso is launching a new line of gasoline and diesel fuels, produced with its new Synergy Fuel Technology that they claim offers 30% improved cleaning ability and engine protection. Esso says the additional benefits include improved acceleration and engine response. The Thai Esso team also says they are investing in more attractive and brighter service stations. The Synergy Fuel Technology…
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Thai farm grows other crops to disguise marijuana farm
“Officials believe that the other crops were simply grown to disguise the 700 marijuana plants.” Police are trying to locate an enterprising Bangkok businessman who grew 700 marijuana plants in his plantation in Nakhon Ratchasima, north-east Thailand. Polcie discovered that the landed been purchased a number of years ago to establish an “integrated farm”. Police raided the man’s 20 rai plantation…
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Red light cameras start fining Bangkok drivers from September 1
Smile, you’re on the new red light camera. The new CCTV and software systems to catch red light runners and jumpers will be ready this Sunday, September 1. There are 30 cameras now stationed at intersections around Bangkok. Pol Col Kitti Ariyanon reports that “everything is 100% ready” and the cameras are able to catch people violating the red lights at…
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Guest houses caught out in the ongoing TM30 purge
PHOTOS: Naew Na Immigration have continued their purge on home owners, guesthouses and hotels not reporting foreigners at their addresses within 24 hours of their arrivals. This time reports from Koh Samui and Pattaya, according to Naew Na. Yesterday officials from Surat Thani immigration, along with a crime suppression team, visited a house in Bophut, Koh Samui where they fined an…
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Bangkok Airways opens new lounges at Phuket Airport
Bangkok Airways has opened up its new passenger lounge at the Phuket International Airport domestic terminal, offering Bangkok Airways passengers somewhere to sit, relax and snack while waiting for their flights. The popular Bangkok Airways lounge has been missing since the old domestic airport had a man-over in the past two years. There are now three lounges, separating the Premier…
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BTS, Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift and Ariande Grande – winners at 2019 VMAS
In the pop music world you’re on top if you win at the 2019 VMAs, the annual MTV Video Music Awards show. The annual award show has had its ‘moments’ – with Madonna’s onstage kiss with Britney Spears in 2003 and and Kanye West storming the stage in 2009 to tell Taylor Swift that her award should have gone to Beyonce. This year…
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New rules to fine bad practices with tour guides and tour companies
PHOTO: Tiger Tours Thailand The Tourism Department is hoping to fast-track the penalising of unregistered and illegal tour guides and the tour companies using them. The Department will propose amendments to the tourism business and tour guide act so that penalties will be able to be imposed on violators more expediently. Thaweesak Wanitcharoen, director general of the Tourism Department, says…
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Thai architects not happy about plans to build second terminal at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport
PHOTO: Shutterstock Thai PBS World reports that The Association of Siamese Architects (ASA) will deliver a letter of protest to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha over the Airports of Thailand’s (AOT) plan to build a second terminal at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. A statement issued by the ASA and other related professional organisations, accuses the AOT of not following the 2010 cabinet…
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Rice traders blame strength of Thai baht for hurting exports
PHOTO: Wikipedia The president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, Charoen Laothamtas, is concerned that the strong Thai baht is having a negative impact on rice exports. He notes that the baht has risen about 6% against the US dollar since January, whereas the Vietnam dong has held steady and the Indian rupee has even weakened. “The stronger baht has…
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Phuket disaster chief says latest precautionary weather warning is “just regular”
PHOTO: Holidayguru.ie A wind and rain storm swept through Phuket around 3.00am this morning, bringing minor damage, causing branches to fall across roads, and waking up residents around the island. Meanwhile, the national Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) office, along with the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a warning of, “a high possibility of flash floods due…
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Abdulloh’s family demands answers from Thai military as hundreds gather for funeral
Relatives of 34 year old Abdulloh Esormusor, who died in a Songkhla hospital after falling into a coma whilst being interrogated at a notorious Thai military camp in July, are demanding an investigation. Hundreds of people attended the funeral of Abdulloh in Pattani yesterday. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch told Reuters that the case has raised serious issues about rights violations in military…
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Burmese drug smuggler shot in northern Thailand shootout
PHOTOS: Manager Online A Burmese drug suspect has been killed in a shootout with Thai police and soldiers while attempting to ship drugs across the border into Chiang Mai’s Mae Ai district early today. The man was believed to be a fighter with the Shan ethnic group in Myanmar and a part of a group of 30 drug smugglers. A…
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Thai architect association wants its award back after demolition of former embassy building
The Association of Siamese Architects is recalling its Award for Outstanding Conservation of Architectural Arts from the British Embassy in Bangkok after the demolition of the former embassy building. The ASA is also demanding the return of the award plaque, which was presented in 1984. The ASA says that the British Embassy building was being demolished without any regard to…
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US-China tit-for-tat rattles Asian markets after Trump’s ‘tariff tantrum’
US President Trump has caused widespread panic in Asian financial markets today after Fridays “tariff tantrum” where he used Twitter to announce new levels of tariffs on Chinese imports after China announced their response to his previous ramping up of the ongoing trade war between Washington and Beijing. Asian shares have headed southward today after the President escalated tariffs in…
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Light plane crash lands in Sukhothai
PHOTOS: ข่าวคนสุโขทัย A private light plane has been forced to make an emergency landing in a rice field in Sukhothai’s Sri Satchanalai district, central Thailand, this morning. The pilot and the passenger were unharmed in the incident. The incident happened at 9.32am in Moo 4 village in Tambon Haad Siew. The pilot managed to glide the plane down to land…
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Thailand plans to become electricity-hub for region
“Thailand’s push for regional energy trading could be a step to increasing security of supply and system resiliency, particularly as falling costs and higher government targets increase the volume of variable renewable energy generation in the ASEAN region.” – Caroline Chua, Bloomberg Finance analyst covering Southeast Asian power markets. Thailand aims to be the power-trading hub as it jump-starts plans to create…
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South Korean President to visit Thailand next week
The South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Madame Kim Jung-sook have accepted an invitation to visit Thailand for three days from September 1. During the visit, President Moon will deliver a keynote speech at the Thailand-Korean Business Forum. The president will meet PM Prayut Chan-o-cha in general discussions to strengthen the strategic partnership between the Republic of Korea and Thailand.…
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Jay Chou fans queue up for four days in KL to grab concert tickets
Jay Chou fans have been queuing up for four days before tickets went on sale for the ‘Mandopop’ king’s concert in Malaysia to ensure they get to see their idol. The All New Jay Chou Concert World Tour will be held in Hong Kong Disneyland in December, Singapore on January 10 and 11 and at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium…
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Leonardo’s Instagram post draws attention to Thailand’s dugongs
Hollywood star, environmentalist and Instagrammer, Leonardo DiCaprio, has posted the story of Marium the baby dugong in Thailand who died after ingesting plastic. “A beloved baby marine mammal in Thailand has died after consuming plastic and experiencing shock,” he wrote in his instagram post, referring to Thai officials’ announcement on Saturday of the death of the dugong. “The young dugong,…
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Is it a motorcycle? Is it a delivery? Is it a taxi? No, it’s Line Man
Line Man, part of the Line message App universe of services, is cutting into other well-known brands in the Thai market by providing a variety of services, including food delivery, taxi-hailing, parcel and convenience goods. But Line is able to expand its businesses based on its already huge subscriber base in Thailand. Lin is the most popular messaging App used in…
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Southern insurgency suspect dies after 35 days in coma
PHOTO: Adbulloh Benjakat Abdulloh Esor Musor, left in a coma after being interrogated at a notorious southern Thai detention centre in Pattani, died yesterday, as pressure mounts on the Thai army to release further findings of a probe into the case. The man, a suspected insurgent allegedly tortured during his brief military custody being questioned after his arrest on July 20,…
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New Robinsons Tower in Singapore reaches for the sky with a green thumb
Thailand’s capital could never be accused of having one of the world’s most interesting skylines. Except for maybe the Mahanakorn ‘lego building’, there is little cutting edge skyline architecture in Bangkok. It’s a different case a few hours flight south in the Lion City, Singapore. Pushing all sort of limits is the new Robinson Tower in the CBD. The first impression…
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60 million baht of gold stolen in Songkhla heist
Five people have robbed a gold shop in the city centre of Na Thawee district in Songkhla province yesterday (Saturday). The robbers were dressed in military uniforms and armed with assault weapons, fleeing with gold and jewellery valued around 60 million baht. According to the Thai PBS report, the five bandits arrived at the Suchada Gold Shop in a white…
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Elephant gores German cyclist near Pattaya
PHOTO: Chaiyot Pupattanapong A 69 year old German cyclist is in hospital with serious injuries to his leg after a bull elephant charged at him near Pattaya yesterday morning (Saturday) The incident happened near an elephant village in Pattaya. Bangkok Post reports that Hans Dieter Sherding was found laying on the road near a forest in tambon Nong Prue. Members of…
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Phuket’s water bosses claim there will be enough water
PHOTO: Bang Neow Dam in Thalang, just a few muddy ponds Well into the second half of the Phuket wet season and the three main dams are well below capacity, Bang Wad Dam just over 13% capacity and the Bang Neow Dam in Thalang district around 5%, mostly unusable muddy ponds. The newer Khlong Katha in Chalong is at a…
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Airports of Thailand block entrance to new Central Village at Suvarnabhumi
PHOTO: The Nation Please be seated and fasten your seat belts due to severe turbulence at the front of the almost-open Central Village “luxury outlet” shopping area next to Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok. A dispute between Airports of Thailand and Central Pattana, the owners of Central Village, has hit some mid-air turbulence after AOT officials set up tents blocking the entrance…
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British man arrested in Hua Hin for overstaying his visa
PHOTO: Naew Na A 22 year old British man is in police custody in Hua Hin for having overstayed his visa. An official under the command of the chief of Prajuab Khiri Khan immigration handed the man over to the police, as it is understood that he has overstayed his visa by 143 days. SOURCE: ThaiVisa and Naew Na
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British man stuck in Thailand, facing jail for defending himself
A British man, beaten up by a gang of Thai “thugs”, is facing jail after throwing punches in self-defence. 38 year old Luke Thornton was kicked and punched in the face and repeatedly knocked out in the assault. He was visiting his wife Sayforn Phetkajang in the village of Pai, north west of Chiang Mai. At the time reports in Thai media…
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