Search Results for: Bangkok
- Covid-19 News
Massage parlours will be allowed to reopen, must track and report customers to government
Post-Covid nightlife in Thailand is likely to be a bit duller than before, but at least “soapie massage” is back on the menu. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced today that massage parlours of every description will be allowed to reopen along with bars, pubs and other venues in the next phase of easing restrictions. But, there will be…
- Crime News
Thai cabinet endorses raising age of criminal responsibility
The Cabinet has approved a draft bill increasing the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 in line with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It also gave the go-ahead to changing the age during which measures other than criminal punishments can be applied, from 10-15 to to 12-15, under the same code. The changes are…
- Covid-19 News
Update on Asia’s quest for a Covid-19 vaccine
Partnerships have formed between some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, as well as collaboration between countries as Asia’s best minds are working together in a bid to be the first to create a Covid-19 vaccine. Here is an update on four leading countries in Asia, in the search to find a cure for the notorious Covid-19 virus which was swept the…
- Crime News
Runner hospitalised, claims his water-bottle was poisoned
A man took a swig from his water bottle after he went on a run at a Nonthaburi park, northwest of Bangkok, and later ended up at the hospital with symptoms of a stroke. He says he believes it was from poison in his water bottle. The man had set his water bottle down at the Makut Rommayasaran Park. After…
- Bangkok News
“The End” for one of Thailand’s last independent cinemas
The Scala cinema in Bangkok’s Siam Square, is set to close its doors for good at the start of next month. Management from the cinema’s parent company, Apex Scala, have announced the theatre’s demise on social media, saying a series of farewell events will be held between July 3 and 5. Khaosod English reports that the cinema has faced threats…
- Politics News
Deputy PM to become leader of ruling Palang Pracharat party
In a widely anticipated move, 74 year old Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan, dubbed Thailand’s “Rolex General,” has accepted the invitation to become the new leader of Thailand’s ruling Palang Pracharat party. The move is seen as a way of strengthening unity within the main coalition party, which has been plagued by factional conflicts, and to provide unity for the government…
- Thai Life
88th anniversary of Thailand’s constitutional monarchy commemorated
Today marks the 88th anniversary of Thailand’s transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy. Activists from several groups are staging peaceful gatherings across the country to mark the anniversary of the 1932 revolt, in what was then Siam. 30-40 demonstrators gathered at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument and played a video reenactment of the speech made by People’s Party leaders after they…
- Tourism News
July Songkran plans pushed back to later in the year
People won’t be throwing or spraying water on each other next month. Celebrations for Thailand’s New Year – Songkran – were rumoured to be moved from April to July, but a 3 day soaking wet holiday might not happen until later this year. The large water celebrations could even be separated to be on non-consecutive days, according to a source in…
- Northern Thailand News
Garbage collectors find a bag full of meth
One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. A black rubbish bag thrown into rubbish bins wasn’t your typical garbage. Police say the bag, picked up by a garbage truck in Northeast Thailand, was full of methamphetamine pills. Along with 78,000 methamphetamine pills, police say the bag contained 2 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, or ice. Police say the bag may have…
- Crime News
Pregnant woman dies in hit-and-run, police search for driver
A pregnant woman was killed in a hit-and-run road accident over the weekend. Bangkok police are looking for the driver of a black Volvo that sped off after hitting a motorcycle from behind. The woman was 5 months pregnant. She was riding on a motorcycle with her boyfriend when the car hit them from behind. Thai media says the woman…
- Crime News
Police arrest man for running motorbike theft operation
The leader of an alleged motorbike-stealing gang was arrested yesterday in Southern Thailand. Police also seized 16 motorbikes that had been stolen from various districts in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Udomchai Sukyoi, who went by the name Sua Om, was arrested at a hotel in the province. Police found vehicle registration books, which Sukyoi allegedly kept as collateral while gang members…
- Bangkok News
Grab teams up with farmers for fresh fruit delivery service
Local produce farmers and merchants are getting some help distributing fresh fruits from Grab Thailand. The company already has a smart phone application for ride-sharing and food delivery. Now fresh produce will be delivered through GrabMart’s Farmers’ Market feature. At the moment, the fresh fruit delivery is only available in Bangkok with distribution centres at the Or Tor Kor Market…
- Crime News
Police arrest 5 allegedly involved in loan shark app
Police have arrested 5 people who allegedly ran a loan shark business in Pattaya. The smart phone app “True Cash Pro” illegally gave out loans whilst imposing excessive interest rates. Authorities say the business had around 10,000 borrowers and over 100 million baht in circulation. Police started investigating the online scam after receiving complaints about the company demanding people pay…
- Hua Hin News
Provincial employee arrested for allegedly stealing millions in government funds
A woman allegedly stole 33 million baht in government funds over the course of a year, using some of it support her gambling addiction. 28 year old Kanitha Hoythong, who worked in the finance and accounting section of the Prachuap Khiri Khan provincial offices, was arrested on charges of misappropriation and forging government documents. Hoythong allegedly forged signatures of authorised…
- Northern Thailand News
Thai teenager dreams of being an architect, sells his artwork to earn tuition fees
A talented teenager in the north-eastern province of Kalasin has taken to painting landscapes of his local area and selling them to earn his university fees. 18 year old Krittamet Saisaen, known as “Earth”, dreams of being an architect, but the prohibitively expensive fees put that beyond his reach. Earth’s mother died 2 years ago, at which point his father…
- Covid-19 News
Bars and clubs can re-open soon, but with a list of 22 requirements
“Musicians and performers must wear face shields.” Well, there’s some good news and there’s some bad news if you’re the owner of an entertainment venue in Thailand. You CAN re-open… soon. BUT, the CCSA has put together a list of 22 requirements you’ll have to meet when you re-open your doors. Not surprisingly the owners and representatives are unhappy about…
- Bangkok News
Experts say just arresting teens doesn’t stop street racing
It’s going to take more than simply arresting street racers to stop the so-called ‘dek waen’ motorbike riders from speeding through city streets, police say. The next step in eradicating the illegal races is to crack down on the mechanic shops and garages that juice up the engines. Young dek waen racers took off again last week after the nightly…
- Covid-19 News
Thousands of curfew violators arrested in 72-day span
Police arrested more than 40,000 people for breaking the nightly curfew which lasted 72 days. An average of 582 people were arrested per day during the restriction period, police say. Many people intercepted simply didn’t have a good reason for being out of their home late at night, according to police. They say a common reason for breaching curfew was…
- Covid-19 News
Thai PM expresses condolences after repatriated man dies in state quarantine
Following the death in state quarantine of a repatriated Thai man, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has offered his condolences to the family and ordered a postmortem to establish the exact cause of death. A report in Thai PBS World says the man, named as Pongsak Kidkha, returned from Japan on June 9, and was placed in state quarantine at a Bangkok…
- Environment News
More sea turtles lay eggs on Koh Samui
It’s been years since sea turtles have been seen laying eggs on Koh Samui beaches. But this year more than a dozen sea turtle nests have popped up around the island’s coast. Just over the weekend, 70 eggs were found by villagers at Laem So beach by the Ban Sai Ree Hotel. It’s rare for the turtles to come to…
- Road deaths
3 killed, 2 injured in Nakhon Si Thammarat crash
3 people have been killed, one an 11 year old girl, and 2 others seriously injured, after the pick-up they were travelling in collided with a roadside tree. They were all from the same family, driving in a Ford Ranger heading to a family burial. Police say the pickup they were travelling in ran off the road, hitting a roadside tree…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand’s entertainment venues and bars poised to reopen in July
Pubs, clubs and karaoke bars will be allowed to re-open in July. That’s a promise from the committee which has been rolling out Thailand’s gradual re-openings in staged phases. It will be the fifth phase of lifting the restrictions, originally imposed on all levels of business in Thailand in response to the threats from Covid-19. But, it should be stressed,…
- Covid-19 News
Relaxation on some social distancing measures for travel
The Thailand Civil Aviation Authority has further relaxed the restrictions on domestic airline services by removing the need for on-board social distancing (so that middle seat is now likely to be sold) CCAT Director Chula Sookmanop says that domestic airlines can sell all their seats on each flight Airlines no longer need to leave some of the seats vacant for…
- Crime News
Russian charged with credit card fraud on Koh Samui
Police in Koh Samui, in the southern province of Surat Thani, have arrested a 35 year old Russian man for allegedly using counterfeit credit cards to buy goods on the resort island. When he was arrested there were 8 fake credit cards found on him. The arrest comes after a bank employee told police of suspected irregularities in the use…
- Crime News
10 arrested over spreading ‘fake news’ online
10 more suspects have now been arrested for allegedly spreading fake news by officials from the Anti-Fake News Centre. Seksarn Artasarn, admin for a Facebook page, ‘Bunterm Saikeaw’ with over 200,000 followers, has been arrested on charges of spreading fake news along with a series of drug charges. The suspect was arrested in his home in Pathum Thani province, just…
- Covid-19 News
Thai immigration crackdown on illegal migrants flowing back into the country
Thailand borders four countries. Most of the borders are just jungle or the mighty Mekong River. In all cases the borders are easily crossed if someone wants to avoid the correct border channels. The country’s porous borders have been an ongoing issue with some 5 million+ illegal immigrants floating around Thailand at any one time. There has been recent attempts…
- Thailand News
Partial solar eclipse today, starts just after 1pm
A partial solar eclipse will be visible this afternoon, if your local weather allows. Bu in some other parts of Asia and Africa, residents will be treated to a spectacular total eclipse. If you miss this phenomenon today, the next solar eclipse, a total eclipse, on view in the Thai skies will be on April 20, 2023. For Bangkokians, the…
- Bangkok News
Over 100 arrested for illegal motorcycle night racing in Nonthaburi
Over 100 teens and adults have been arrested for involvement in illegal night motorcycle racing in Nonthaburi, just north of Bangkok city, since yesterday. Those arrested include riders, passengers, and supporters of the illegal races. Nonthaburi police said today that 102 people have been arrested in a collaborative effort between 11 police stations in the province. The operation is in…
- Crime News
Pregnant woman dead, husband wounded over Ratchaburi land dispute
A pregnant woman in the western Ratchaburi province, west of Bangkok, was shot and killed yesterday, and her husband seriously wounded. Police there say a 70 year old man has turned himself in for the crime, claiming a land dispute drove him to open fire on their car. Krit Thanathavornrit surrendered to authorities late last night and handed over the…
- Economy News
Finance ministry to consider incentives to stimulate shopping, retail sector
Thailand’s finance minister says his ministry is ready to consider retailers’ proposals for tax breaks on shopping to stimulate domestic spending. The ministry has assigned related agencies, including the Fiscal Policy Office, the Revenue Department and the Excise Department, to examine the possibilities, Uttama Savanayana said yesterday. His remarks come after retailers asked the government to apply a shopping tax break…
