News
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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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DSI says enough evidence, testimony to pursue case of vanished Karen activist “Billy”
Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation has announced it will challenge prosecutors’ decision to drop charges against 4 men allegedly involved in the presumed murder of a Karen land rights activist. Department director Korawat Panprapakorn said there is sufficient evidence and eyewitness testimony to press murder charges against the 4, including the former chief of Kaeng Krachan National Park, for the…
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Authorities deny stalking student activists, deny arrest imminent
Student activists said today they were stalked by what they believed were plainclothes police officers at their residence overnight. Pro-democracy campaigner Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, who is the spokesperson for the Student Union of Thailand, said on her Facebook that she saw several men loitering around her dormitory near Thammasat University’s Rangsit Campus, while another activist, Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, reported that several…
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2 killed, 4 injured in separate bomb attacks in Deep South
2 men are dead and 4 injured after security forces, protecting teachers in the southern border provinces of Pattani and Narathiwat, were attacked in 2 roadside bomb blasts this morning. The attacks come on the first day of the resumption of in-person classes in schools across the nation. The dead have been identified as paramilitary ranger Emlookman Hayilamae, and soldier…
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Auckland cluster grows with 13 new Covid-19 infections reported
Health officials in New Zealand announced yesterday that the new coronavirus cluster in Auckland has risen to 17 cases, raising the prospect of an extended lockdown in the country’s biggest city. National health chief Ashley Bloomfield said there are 13 new confirmed infections, all linked to 4 family members found on Tuesday, ending New Zealand’s record of 102 days without…
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US dollar denominated gold trade to be allowed
Ending decades of regulations limiting gold trade in Thailand to the baht, the US dollar will now be allowed as well. 2 weeks ago, in a bid to slow the rapidly rising baht and avoid landing on the US list of “currency manipulators”, the Bank of Thailand announced a policy to allow trading gold products in US dollars. Market players…
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Study finds smartphone addiction among Thai children on the rise
A study by the Thai Health organisation shows that Thai children spend an average of more than 35 hours a week on smartphones or the internet. It indicated that children who spend most of their time on smartphones and computers are at risk of developing gaming addiction and even violent behaviour. The director of the Healthy Child, Youth, and Family…
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At least 76 homes evacuated in Bangkok blaze
A fire at a two-storey apartment building in the Khlong San district of Bangkok, has led to the evacuation of at least 76 households. The families were given shelter at local temples, according to a Facebook post from Phongsakorn Kwanmuang, spokesman for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. He adds that locals in the area have rallied round, providing sleeping bags and…
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Protesters add more demands as academics defend manifesto
Pro-democracy demonstrators yesterday called on schools and colleges to allow on-campus rallies as pressure grows on them to ban “risky” political activities. The leader of the opposition Move Forward Party posted on Facebook that safe places for students to air their views are dwindling and that youngsters “should be allowed to carry out activities there”. Pita Limjaroenrat’s remark came after…
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Appeals Court upholds 6 month sentence for Premchai on weapons charge
The Appeals Court has upheld the 6 month prison term handed down to construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta for illegal possession of firearms. Premchai, the president of Italian-Thai Development Plc, appeared on Tuesday to hear the verdict. The court ruled to uphold the lower court’s decision. Premchai was granted release on unconditional bail, with 500,000 baht cash placed as bond. His…
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Flights into Thailand – “It’s an indefinite ban”
A ban on international scheduled flights into Thailand remains in force “while the pandemic situation remains critical in many countries.” “It’s an indefinite ban.” This was further confirmation from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand yesterday in response to clarification of the country’s ban on allowing foreign tourists back into Thailand. CAAT director Chula Sukmanop and the Centre for Covid-19 Situation…
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Priceless ivories stolen a second time, recovered in Myanmar
A pair of priceless, centuries old engraved ivory tusks was stolen from a local hermitage of the Ban Loy Tong Ku hill tribe village in the Umphang District Isaan’s Tak province last night. Locals residents reported the incident to the Border Patrol Police after they reportedly saw the 2 thieves riding a motorcycle and heading towards the Thai-Myanmar border. The…
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CCSA to allow sports gatherings, exempt Chinese fruit traders from travel ban
The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration announced on Monday that will allow fans to attend sports events, and allow Chinese traders to enter Thailand for fruit export. The CCSA said that as Thailand approaches 80 days without a local Covid-19 transmission, it’s believed to be safe for spectators to attend large sports gatherings, although measures will be tighter for events…
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Korat mother found with throat cut
A mother in the lower northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province was found dead at her home with her throat slit today, in what police believe is a murder stemming from an extramarital romantic affair. 29 year old Nattarika Shibahara lived with her 6 year old daughter, who was at school when the crime happened. Her Singaporean husband was also away. A…
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Allegedly drunk woman tries to run down Bangkok pedestrians
A 37 year old businesswoman tried to run over pedestrians with her car near Bangkok’s Khae Rai Intersection and Tao Poon MRT station, after learning her business was embezzled out of millions of baht. She was allegedly drunk at the time. Bang Sue police were notified of the incident in the early hours of this morning and tracked down the…
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3 Chinese men arrested in Chon Buri operating porn, gambling site
3 Chinese men have been arrested for illegal entry, living in Thailand without a visa and allegedly operating a pornography and gambling website. The Immigration Bureau began an investigation after a tip from locals that some Chinese men had illegally entered the country 8 months ago and were working illegally Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung District. The arrest was at their…
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No tourists until 2021 – Thailand shuns travel bubbles and general travel
Thailand is currently caught in a number of quandaries that will continue to threaten the economy and stability of the country. Meanwhile the borders remain largely sealed, with the prospect of general tourist travel being pushed forward until at least 2021. There have been a number of official comments to support the prediction that Thailand’s borders will remain closed to…
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Malaysia returning vehicles left behind by Thais
Malaysia is returning vehicles left behind by Thais who left when Kuala Lumpur imposed a lockdown to combat the spread of Covid-19. The first batch was returned yesterday via the Sungai Kolok immigration checkpoint. They were handed over to Thai authorities about 5pm. The chief of Sungai Kolok district in the southern border province of Narathiwat said Thais living in…
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Crane, “toppled by ghosts,” destroys southern wat – VIDEO
A boom crane toppled in the southern Nakhon Si Thammarat province yesterday, taking down a wat ‘temple’ that it sat atop, along with its crematorium. Temple officials had hired a contractor to dissasemble the structure, because they’d already outlaid 3 million baht to build a new one nearby. But they couldn’t take down the shrine before removing its towering smokestack.…
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British embassy in Thailand issues advice over student demonstrations
The British Embassy has issued travel advice that applies to all foreigners living in Thailand. The ‘advice’ refers to the escalation of the student and activist anti-government protests. In the past, generally, these situations don’t end well once there is a critical mass and the government, via the Army, decide to step in.But at this stage the tone of both…
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Officials deny plans to make elderly drivers re-take tests in order to keep licences
The Department of Land Transport says there are currently no plans to make elderly drivers re-take a test in order to keep their licences. The statement comes after rumours began to circulate that drivers over 70 and in possession of “lifetime” driving licences, would need to re-take both a driving test, as well as hearing and eyesight tests. Despite Thailand’s…
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University protesters may be prosecuted over comments
Monday night’s anti-government rally at Thammasat University is said to have risked “offending the Monarchy”, sparking fears that it could trigger violent confrontations between royalists and their opponents. Comments made by protesters at the university’s campus in Pathum Thani may have violated Section 112 of the Criminal Code, also known as the lèse-majesté law. Students announced a set of 10…
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Deputy AG in Vorayuth case resigns
The deputy attorney-general who endorsed public prosecutors’ decision not to prosecute Red Bull heir Vorayuth Yoovidhya in the controversial hit-and run case which took the life of a senior police officer, has handed in his resignation. A statement released today from the Office of the Attorney-General announced that Deputy AG Nate Narksook has tendered his resignation letter to Attorney-General Wongsakul…
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Joe Biden appoints Kamala Harris as running mate in race for the White House
Joe Biden has chosen Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate in the race for the White House, making her the first woman of colour to run for vice president. The appointment of Senator Harris comes at a time of significant racial unrest in the US, with Harris widely seen as the candidate who will help win the hearts and…
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Happy birthday to Her Majesty Queen Mother Sirikit
Thailand celebrates Mother’s Day and the birthday of the Queen Mother, HM Queen Sirikit, today. A lot of Thai people will be heading down to their local temples, district and provincial offices to join in ceremonies and other activities to mark her 88th birthday. Many will ‘tam boon’ (make merit) for the Queen Mother on this auspicious day. Queen Sirikit was…
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Pattaya’s Walking Street. Will it return to high rents and high heels?
Now that Pattaya’s infamous Walking Street is open to traffic along with parking for the first time in many, many years, what’s next? Thai officials and the local constabulary have long had a love-hate relationship with the red light district. It has attracted tourists but perhaps to the tourists the bosses in Bangkok were hoping for. It was a hive…
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A Covid-19 vaccine “within 6 months”
Countries around the world are battling to be first out with a sustainable, reliable and cheap vaccine for Covid-19. If they are successful it will be the first time a successful vaccine has been developed for a coronavirus. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause sickness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as…
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Thai cooking blogger in hot water after burying a chicken alive to force-feed it coconut milk
YouTuber Sahawat Chopchingchai, aka Momm Tanaddak, is being investigated by Watchdog Thailand after posting a ‘recipe’ where he tortured a chicken by burying it alive for 2 weeks and force-feeding the poor bird, before killing it and eating it. Momm Tanaddak claims he didn’t actually torture the chicken but merely “simulated” a traditional technique in a rural Chiang Mai province.…
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1 drowned, another missing in storm off Nakhon Si Thammarat
A tourist has drowned and a 63 year old man remains missing, presumed drowned, after a tour boat capsized during a sudden rainstorm in Thong Nian Bay, off Khanom district in Nakhon Si Thammarat yesterday. The incident happened around 3pm when a sudden storm, over-turning the boat and dropping everyone in the water. A search was quickly organised after the…
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Leave the monarchy alone – Thai Minister warns protesters
Protest peacefully, but keep the Thai monarchy out of it – that’s the gist of a warning from the Digital Economy and Society Minister referring to recent political protests that have been raising questions about Thailand’s revered Head of State. Rallies by royalist students and opposition parties have ended without incident at this stage although there have been a number of…
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Abbot arrested and defrocked after taking “up-skirt” videos of teenage girl
The abbot of a temple in northeastern Thailand has been arrested and defrocked after being accused of taking “up-skirt” videos of a teenage girl. The incident is understood to have taken place while the 16 year old girl was visiting the temple on a merit-making trip with her family. The abbot has been named as 48 year old Thanachai Srisuriyawong…
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