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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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Man shot and killed at Isaan rice field
A man was shot and killed at a rice field in the Isaan province Maha Sarakham. Yesterday, a villager walking in the rice field found the man’s body and she called the police. Reports say the man was shot five times. One wound was in the neck, one in the back and three shots in the torso. Officers identified the…
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Fingerroot candy/zinc mix not a Covid cure, says Royal Thai police
Kingrachai/fingerroot flavoured candy mixed with zinc cannot help Covid sufferers and is fake news, says the Royal Thai Police. Further, the Food and Drug Administration and the Ministry of health verified that this candy/zinc mix is fake news as the product belongs to the category of chewing gum and candies. Also, there is no data to support the claim that…
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1 million unemployed by year’s end, suggests Thai think tank
Thailand Development Research Institute, a Thai think tank, estimates that there will be 1 million unemployed people in Thailand by the end of the year if Covid stays “uncontrollable”. Yongyuth Chalamwong, an Associate Professor and director of labour development research from the think tank’s human resources and social development department, tells Thai media today that the partial lockdown measures have…
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Motorbike “mob” protest in Bangkok, police advise drivers to take alternative routes
With another car and motorbike mob protest in Bangkok, honking horns and backing up traffic, Royal Thai Police released a warning early today warning drivers to avoid the Ratchaprasong intersection and advised people to take one of 12 alternative routes. There have been several car and motorbike mob protests over the past several months, many calling on PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to…
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Popular Malaysian singer/new mother dies from Covid
Yesterday, the popular Malaysian singer, Siti Sarah Raisuddin, died from Covid. Just days prior, the singer had given birth to her 4th child, Ayash Affan. Siti Sarah had previously experienced low oxygen levels and had to be put in a medically induced coma to help deliver her baby. The baby was delivered safely, however, the mother never got to hold…
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Sewage into drinkable water, Singapore gets creative at finding water resources
Singapore has created a system for turning sewage into water clean enough for people to drink. The system also reduces pollution in the ocean. The island’s somewhat scarce natural water resources have forced it to rely on Malaysia for water for some time. Thus, the government decided to be more self-sufficient and develop this system which uses a network of…
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Goverment mulls amnesty bill to protect “medical officials” from legal consequences
The government is pondering an amnesty bill that would grant medical officials connected with fighting Covid, legal protection against criminal charges to enable government operations/government officials to deal with the Covid situation. Also, the bill will allow the officials to make “tough decisions” sans legal consequences, says Thai government officials. The somewhat opaque announcement did not clarify what “criminal charges”…
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560 kilograms of cannabis packaged for delivery seized by officers in Northeast
Officers in the Mekong Riverine Unit seized 560 kilograms of dried cannabis and arrested four people in the Isaan province Nakhon Phanom, bordering Laos. Some of the marijuana had been packaged and was ready to be sent out by a delivery service while other 404 kilograms of marijuana was found along the Mekong riverbank. A team from the unit searched…
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Over 14,000 foreign tourists avail of Phuket sandbox scheme during first month
The Tourism Authority of Thailand reports that Phuket welcomed over 14,000 foreign tourists, generating an estimated 829 million baht, during the first month of the island’s sandbox scheme. The Phuket sandbox was launched on July 1, allowing vaccinated foreign tourists from low-risk countries to visit the island without quarantine. Participants are required to stay in approved hotels and remain on…
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US tells citizens to avoid travel to Thailand, upgrades country to highest warning level
While officials rush to restore Phuket’s reputation following the murder of a Swiss tourist, the eyes of the US government are on how Thailand is managing the pandemic (or not). According to a Bangkok Post report, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is warning citizens against travel to Thailand as Covid-19 infections and deaths continue to rise. The…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 19,843 new cases and 235 deaths
19,843 new Covid-19 cases and 235 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Covid-19 Situation Administration. In the latest and most severe wave of the virus in Thailand, the CCSA has reported 767,088 Covid-19 infections. There are currently 211,223 people receiving treatment for the coronavirus. Out of the new cases, 398 were found in correctional facilities. The latest wave of…
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Indigenous Brazilians accuse Jair Bolsonaro of genocide at ICC
President Jair Bolsonaro could become the first Brazilian to be tried at the International Criminal Court (ICC), The court received a request on Monday to investigate Bolsonaro’s alleged crimes against humanity and genocide against Indigenous peoples. It was filed by APIB, a coalition of Indigenous associations across Brazil. The extensive document sent to the ICC was drafted by Indigenous lawyers…
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Out of the Shadows, Into the Light – Ep 04: Sana’s Secret
Things in the Lantaro family just keep going from bad to worse. Jeremy is determined to leave home to escape his family’s hostility, which started after he came out. Will his twin sister, Julie, manage to talk him round? SOURCE: DW News
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India: New temple-mosque conflict brewing in Varanasi
It’s the afternoon call to prayer at the Gyanvapi mosque in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The handful of men there, kneeling, are dwarfed by the massive 17th century structure, their soft words nearly drowned out by the steady hum of the low ceiling fans. It’s a moment of peace and reflection, before the men step back out…
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How nationalism is driving Chinese trolls to target athletes
“I am sorry to you all,” said Liu Shiwen, a Chinese table tennis player who, along with her teammate, lost to the Japanese team in the sport’s mixed doubles’ competition at the Tokyo Olympics. She issued this tearful apology after losing the game, adding: “I feel like I have failed the team.” Liu is not the only Chinese athlete who…
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Rubber plantation workers severely injured, man’s leg blown off after stepping on bomb
A man’s leg was blown off in a bomb explosion while he was working in a rubber plantation in Narathiwat, a province in Thailand’s Deep South near the Malaysia border where small bombings and attacks happen occasionally due to the religious separatist insurgency. A woman’s face was also injured in the explosion. The two were working in the rubber plantation…
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Media organisations call on government to obey court order on free speech
Following a Civil Court ruling against PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, Thai media organisations are calling on the government to abide by the court’s decision. Last Friday, the court ruled that the PM had overstepped his authority in banning the dissemination of news that could create public fear. In its ruling, the court found that the ban was too vague and therefore…
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Belarus: Women as the drivers of protest
One year ago, on August 9, 2020, Alexander Lukashenko declared himself the winner of Belarus’ presidential elections. Massive nationwide protests ensued, which were followed by a seemingly unending wave of arrests, torture and intimidation of the participants. “I had the feeling that they would soon come for me as well,” says Anna Koval, who, along with other helpers, collected food,…
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Political activist “Penguin” back in prison ahead of large protest tomorrow
Pro-democracy activist Parit Chiwarak, aka “Penguin”, has been re-arrested and imprisoned ahead of an important rally tomorrow. The Bangkok Post reports that Parit was detained on his arrival at Royal Thai Police headquarters yesterday following a summons issued on August 2. Parit faces charges related to graffiti that appeared outside a police office in the central province of Pathum Thani.…
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Report contradicts Thai government’s claim that wild tiger numbers are increasing
A new report from the World Wildlife Fund says Thailand’s progress in doubling its wild tiger population by 2022 could be better. However, the findings are contradicted by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, with department boss Thanya Nethithammakul saying numbers have gone up from 166 in 2020 to 177 this year and that his staff are…
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Belarus protests one year on: Lukashenko in command and striking back
Every year-end review published last December featured prominent images of the largest mass protests in Belarus since the republic gained independence. Led by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Maria Kolesnikova und Veronika Zepkalo, citizens had been protesting the results of the country’s August 9, 2020, presidential election in which incumbent strongman Alexander Lukashenko was declared the overwhelming winner. But the European Union (EU),…
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Bangkok Covid-19 focus: vaccine, medication, treatment plan
Vaccination and Covid-19 treatment are pushing forward in Bangkok as the governor stated that he is confident that by the end of August 70% of the population in the city will have at least the first dose of a vaccine. The statement came as Bangkok Governor Assawin Kwanmuang visited a vaccine centre at the Bang Khae branch of The Mall…
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Couple shocked by random bullet through their window glass
A seemingly freak accident startled and confused a Chon Buri couple when a stray bullet came through their bedroom window. The couple live in a 2 story house in Nong Ree in Mueang Chon Buri and were in bed upstairs in the master bedroom when the incident occurred. Police were called on Thursday about the random bullet and met with…
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Penguin and 3 other activists turn themselves in to police
Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, along with 3 other well-known activists and leaders in the protests against the government turned themselves in at the National Police Headquarters today after arrest warrants were issued for protesting in violation of the Emergency Decree. Sirichai “New” Nathuang, Nutchanon Pairote, and Promsorn “Fah” Veerathamjaree also surrendered to the Royal Police today. They are accused of planning…
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Koh Lipe enacts 1 month lockdown restrictions from tomorrow
After a new outbreak of Covid-19, Koh Lipe will become the latest Thai destination to go into semi-lockdown and harsh restrictions including a curfew. The governor of Lipe’s province Satun has ordered a month-long near lockdown beginning August 9 and ending September 5. The order, officially titled Satun Province 1482/2564 on preventative measures and control of Coronavirus disease 2019, comes…
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Belarus athletes watch Olympics from afar
Andrei Krauchanka was a hero in his home country of Belarus. In a way, he still is. A decathlete, he won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics but years later found himself in direct conflict with the country’s government. He was one of 400 athletes who signed an open letter that will not have amused President Alexander Lukashenko.…
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LATEST: Appeal Court denies Thanapat’s bail request
Actor Thanapat “Toy Toy” Chanakulpisan, who inadvertently killed his girlfriend when they struggled over a knife, has been denied bail. The Appeal Court agreed with the Min Buri’s Court decision yesterday. Thanapat, who acts in the Thai soap opera “It’s because of love, isn’t it?”, which also goes by the title “Why R U” allegedly confessed to killing his girlfriend,…
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Confession and evidence, not a scapegoat, in Phuket murder
More details are emerging as confirmed about the suspect arrested in the horrifying murder of Swiss traveller Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, found dead at Ao Yon Waterfall on Friday. Police have taken Teerawat Thothip into custody and say that he has confessed to the crime amid suspicions that Phuket police would find a scapegoat to quickly “solve” the crime. The 27 year…
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Bangkok Royal Thai Police Office has signage letters altered
Last night, the Royal Thai Police Office had their lettering defaced. The defacement includes the removal of multiple letters from signage, says Thai media. When the Central Police Forensic Science Division was alerted to the letter-altering, personnel were sent out around 9 pm to check out the changes for themselves. They collected evidence including possible fingerprints off the sign in…
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