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The Melting Clock: A sophisticated spot for Italian cuisine and exquisite wine in Bangkok
It’s no secret that Bangkok has a lot of excellent Italian restaurants and wine bars, so standing out in the crowd is no small task. But The Melting Clock, the Italian restaurant and wine lounge in Ekkamai, has shown that...
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Ships caught trying to smuggle palm oil out of Indonesia after export ban
Following a move by Indonesia’s government to ban crude palm oil from being exported from the country, 2 ships were caught trying to smuggle the product to India and the United Arab Emirates. There has been a palm oil shortage in Indonesia for the past month since the Russia-Ukraine crisis has impacted the supply of vegetable oil in the country,…
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Officials worried about low number of Irrawadday dolphins in Thailand
Thai officials are worried about the low number of dolphins of a particular breed in Thailand. Despite campaigns in past years to preserve Irrawaddy dolphins, only 14 of them were found in Songkhla Lake, and 89 in the Mekong River, according to a 2020 survey. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said that dolphins often die when they get…
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Building collapses in China, 18 people possibly still trapped
A six-storey building collapsed in China’s Hunan province on Friday, with 23 people inside. Rescuers managed to retrieve 5 people alive, who were brought to a hospital and are now in stable condition, according to authorities. But at least 18 more might still be trapped. The disaster happened in the city of Changsha. Meanwhile, the mayor of the city says…
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Thai Navy seamen discharge follows investigation over trainee hazing
The Thai navy has quickly responded to yesterday’s public revelation about a Royal Thai Navy instructor who was dealing out punishments to new Navy recruits by forcing them to drink a cocktail including diluted human semen. The incident happened at the Sattahip Naval Base in October last year. Petty Officer Second Class Thaksin Ngokpilai was first transferred to an “inactive…
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Pattaya drug party busted with Thai, Burmese and Chinese nationals
After Pattaya police cracked down on people dealing the drug cocktail ‘happy water‘ last week, this morning they busted an alleged ‘Ketamine’ party. Officers say the substance needed to be tested before they could confirm exactly what it was, though. Officers from Pattaya Police found 16 people at the party including 5 Chinese men, 3 Chinese women, 1 Burmese man,…
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Russia’s FM Sergei Lavrov warns US not to supply Ukraine with arms
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is urging the US and NATO to stop supplying Kyiv (capital of Ukraine) with arms. “If the US and NATO are really interested in resolving the Ukraine crisis, then first of all they should wake up and stop supplying the Kyiv regime with arms and ammunition.” Months into an invasion, the Russian army is now…
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Days before curfew eases, Pattaya police raid ‘restaurant’ at 11:30pm over alcohol
Just one day before Thailand’s official alcohol curfew goes from 11pm to midnight, Pattaya police raided two ‘restaurants’ last night at around 11:30pm for allegedly serving alcohol past 11pm. The restaurants were on Walking Street, located at the south end of Pattaya beach. Pattaya police yesterday started enforcing a closure of Walking Street from vehicle traffic as the area was…
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Thailand tourism authorities want to attract 1 million tourists a month in final quarter
Things are looking up for Thailand’s tourism sector as several entry restrictions are set to ease tomorrow (Sunday). On April 25, it was reported that 713,183 international travellers had arrived in Thailand this year, more than 50% actual tourists. Now, the Tourism Authority of Thailand reportedly hopes to attract at least 1 million tourists every month heading into the next…
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Phuket police and park officers rescue American lost in jungle
Phuket Tourist Police and national park officers have rescued an American tourist who got lost in a jungle in Thalang district yesterday in central Phuket. The tourist, an unnamed 68 year old man, had become lost in the afternoon, but the team luckily found him in the early evening. He reportedly had some scratches on his leg, and was dehydrated,…
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Woman in northern Thailand allegedly planned to have husband killed
A woman in Thailand’s lower northern province of Nakhon Sawan allegedly planned to have her husband run over by a car, so that she and her friend could share his 10 million baht insurance payout. The woman, 48 year old Pratheep, and her friend, 60 year old Jaemchan, allegedly hired Jaemchan’s nephew to do the deed for them, running Pratheep’s…
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Is Thailand no longer a tourist favourite | Thailand Weekend Update
Jay takes you through Saturday’s main news topics in Thailand’s news and answers your questions live. Your views, comments and lots of Jay time. Today’s question is if the Thailand Pass has done more harm than good, and taken the gloss off Thailand’s favoured tourist destination title.
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Employers in Thailand object to raising minimum wage
In the midst of Thailand’s worst worker’s debt in 14 years, Thai employers are opposing a new proposal to increase the country’s daily minimum wage. The currrent minimum daily wages range from 313 baht to 336 baht, depending on which part of the country you’re in. In Bangkok it’s 331 baht. Earlier this week, the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee and…
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A solution for infected people to vote during Bangkok’s governor election
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health insists that the voice of even Covid-19 infected people won’t go unnoticed. The ministry says they’ve got a solution for infected residents to vote for their new Bangkok governor. The 11th election for the governorship of Bangkok will be held on May 22. It will take place 9 years after the last Governor election in…
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Inspections reveal 12 Thai prisons serving rotten food to inmates
Spot-check inspections conducted at prisons across Thailand reveal that a total of 12 prisons were serving rotten food to inmates. The prisons were serving chicken, pork, vegetables and condiments all past their use-by-date. Prison officers in the 12 prisons are thought to have profited from the scandal, according to Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, who publicly addressed the results of the…
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Scalpers resell Justin Bieber concert ticket at more than one million baht
Justin Bieber Justice World Tour tickets have been scalped and resold for more than one million baht. The promoter’s official account says… “This is too much!” and warns of the cancellation of scalped tickets. Justin Bieber announced his Justice World Tour in Bangkok, and it will hit Rajamangala National Stadium on November 6. The ticket prices started at 2,500 baht,…
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Thailand’s police warn, don’t fall for ‘deepfake’ scams
A Thai deputy police spokesman warned people today that scammers are using so-called ‘deepfake’ technology to pretend to be police on video calls, and pressure people to transfer money to them. The spokesman pointed out that Royal Thai Police does not have a policy of making video calls to anybody involved in a criminal case, be it the defendant, suspect…
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Freight trains between North Korea and China suspended due to Covid-19
A South Korean media agency said today that freight train services between China and North Korea have been suspended. The agency said services were suspended due to Covid-19 infections in the Chinese border city of Dandong. Meanwhile, South Korean authorities say they are keeping an eye on the situation. An official from South Korea’s unification ministry said the government is…
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Senior Thai naval officer allegedly forces marines to drink semen
In a video circulating online, a senior naval officer is seen forcing trainee marines to drink what he says is semen mixed with fish sauce. Today, a naval base in Chon Buri province confirmed that the clip is real and happened at Sattahip Naval Base in October last year. The Royal Thai Navy has launched an investigation into the incident…
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Officials warn of upcoming storms in several regions of Thailand
Officials are warning of thunderstorms, gusty winds, and even hail in Thailand’s north, northeastern, central, and eastern regions. This includes the Bangkok area. Last night parts of the city were presented with an impressive thunder and light show to welcome in the start of the annual wet season. The Thai Meteorological Department says that from May 1-2, a moderate high-pressure…
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Chon Buri authorities reorganise vendors at Na Jomtien Beach
Municipal and traffic police are reorganising vendors on Na Jomtien Beach to give tourists more space to enjoy beach vibes after they received complaints that food carts are blocking the traffic and parking areas along the beach. Na Jomtien Beach had been improved to prevent coastal erosion and draw more tourists with a budget of 600 million baht. The beaches…
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UPDATE: Police arrest taxi driver who robbed drunken foreigner asleep on sidewalk
Following the report of a drunken foreigner who got robbed by a taxi driver while sleeping on the sidewalk in Bangkok, police have already arrested the suspect. The taxi driver said he meant to just wake the foreigner up, but the man’s assets ‘enticed’ him. Last Sunday, a local Thai news Facebook page reported that a taxi driver had robbed a…
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Friday Covid Update: 14,053 new cases; provincial totals
129 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 28,400 with 6,702 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 14,053 new Covid-19 cases and 16,782 recoveries. There are now 155,910 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…
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American consulate in Chiang Mai accused of covert military operations
US officials in Thailand are denying allegations that a new American consulate in Chiang Mai is supplying weapons to rebel groups in neighbouring countries and is being used for covert military operations. A local Thai group wrote an open letter requesting US President Joe Biden rethink the purpose of the consulate, which is scheduled to be completed by the end…
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Thailand’s Department of Health reveals 5-10% of population refuse to wear face masks
Thailand’s Department of Health says a survey on face masks conducted during Songkran reveals that more than 90% of the population in Thailand wears face masks in public spaces. However, another 5-10% “refused” to wear face masks, saying they are “uncomfortable”. Deputy Director-General of the Department of Health Ekkachai Piensiwatchara reported that 5-10% of the Thai population didn’t wear face…
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Chon Buri residents believe woman behaving bizarrely ‘possessed’
Chon Buri residents believe a woman is “possessed” after she jumped out of her car near a gas station in Mueang district, and started acted strangely. The 31 year old woman reportedly started acting with a number of bizarre behaviours, according to police from Chon Buri Police Station. These behaviours included rubbing her body with a Chinese talisman, and chanting…
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Overhead traffic sign strikes car, passengers escape unscathed
As if Thailand’s roads weren’t dangerous enough, now drivers have another hazard to watch out for: falling objects from aging highway infrastructure. In recent weeks, there have been numerous reports of signs and concrete striking vehicles. The latest incident happened on Thursday, when a massive overhead traffic sign fell and struck an SUV on Phahonyothin Highway in the central province…
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Squabble over 50 billion baht beachfront land in Phuket
Beachfront land in Phuket valued at 50 billion baht remains occupied, despite the Supreme Court’s orders for 9 claimants to vacate their plots. The Thai government, locals and companies have squabbled over the 178 rai of land – which covers 3 kilometres of Layan Beach – for 30 years. Officials from the Department of Special Investigation, or DSI, inspected the…
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Airlines worldwide ordered to follow new entry measures for Thailand from May 1
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has instructed all airlines to follow the new entry measures applicable from Sunday, according to a Nation Thailand report. The notification follows the decision by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration to drop the Test & Go entry scheme. This means overseas arrivals no longer need to undergo PCR testing on arrival or book…
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Death of elderly actor in quarantine raises concerns over Hong Kong’s Covid rules
The death of Hong Kong actor Kenneth Tsang while in mandatory hotel quarantine has raised concerns about the territory’s strict entry requirements. Tsang was found dead in his quarantine room having recently returned from Singapore. While tributes have been pouring in for the late actor, many, including renowned columnist Chip Tsao, have lambasted Hong Kong’s quarantine policy. “If it weren’t…
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Domestic tourism stimulus campaigns to be extended
The government will extend its “We Travel Together” domestic tourism stimulus campaign, as well as the less popular “Tour Teaw Thai” campaign, until the end of 2022, according to a Bangkok Post report. Yuthasak Supasorn from the Tourism Authority of Thailand says phase 5 of “We Travel Together” will offer 1 million room nights, after phase 4 ends next month.…
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