Search Results for: lion

  • Covid-19 News400 billion baht stimulus announced to boost Thai economy

    400 billion baht stimulus announced to boost Thai economy

    “The package will inject an estimated 400 billion baht into the economy in a bid to return growth to positive territory.” Yesterday’s Thai cabinet meeting gave the greenlight to a new stimulus package. The government expects the approved 400 billion baht to reduce the impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. Last week’s 2,000 baht cash stimulus proposal, which was largely…

  • Covid-19 NewsWorst case scenario – Thailand loses 10 million tourists this year

    Worst case scenario – Thailand loses 10 million tourists this year

    Thailand’s tourist industry could be decimated in the wake of the world coronavirus outbreak. Tourism accounts for an estimated 16% of Thailand’s total GDP. The Tourism Authority of Thailand governor, Yutthasak Supasorn, says that, in a worst case scenario, Thailand could bleed 10 million of it’s projected 40 million tourist arrivals this year. He says his estimates were based on…

  • Crime NewsAyutthaya mother and son drug gang, police seize 5 million meth pills

    Ayutthaya mother and son drug gang, police seize 5 million meth pills

    A mother and son, suspected to be part of a larger central Thailand drug gang, have been arrested after 5 million methamphetamine pills were discovered inside a rented rooms in Prainracha, Ayutthaya, north of Bangkok. Officials searched the property on March 6, noting that there were two bedrooms in bad repair with sacks of pills strewn around the rooms. Sacks…

  • Economy NewsHelp is on the way: 100 billion baht stimulus package passed

    Help is on the way: 100 billion baht stimulus package passed

    Eyeing the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on the nation’s already battered economy, the government yesterday approved a stimulus package, anticipated to cost more than 100 billion baht. The package was approved in a meeting of the Council of Economic Ministers, led by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, and will be forwarded to the cabinet for approval on Tuesday. After the…

  • Tourism NewsThai tourism ministry proposes 5 billion baht in tourist stimulus packages

    Thai tourism ministry proposes 5 billion baht in tourist stimulus packages

    Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says he will propose new domestic travel stimulus packages valued at 5 billion baht this Friday. The Minister says the aim is to cushion the impact of the coronavirus for the tourism service sector across the country. The Minister says that domestic tourism is “the priority during this difficult time. The government should implement…

  • Business NewsThai Airways announces losses over 12 billion baht for 2019

    Thai Airways announces losses over 12 billion baht for 2019

    Thai Airways International and its affiliates incurred a net loss of 12.017 billion baht last year, that’s 448 million baht more than the year before. The airline has been accumulating losses year on year for over a decade. Speaking about the losses at the announcement yesterday, the vice president of finance and accounting Nattaphong Smit-Ampaisal says that the airline was…

  • Northern Thailand NewsMother and daughter arrested over 7 million baht fortune-telling scam

    Mother and daughter arrested over 7 million baht fortune-telling scam

    Appears the pair weren’t smart enough to predict the police coming to their door. A Thai fortune teller and her daughter have been arrested after charging a customer more than 7 million baht for predictions and forecasts about their life. Normally, fortune-telling sessions, popular in Thai life, range between 100 and thousands of baht, depending on the popularity of the…

  • Crime NewsAbbot who embezzled 69.7 million baht gets fines, suspended sentence

    Abbot who embezzled 69.7 million baht gets fines, suspended sentence

    An ex-abbot of Wat Sa Ket (Golden Mount Temple), found guilty of embezzling 69.7 million baht in temple funds, has been fined 27,000 baht and given a jail term of 36 months, suspended. The sentence was handed down at the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases yesterday. The court found 64 year old Thongchai Sukkho guilty of “malfeasance.”…

  • Northern Thailand NewsFamilies of 27 Korat victims to get 1 million baht

    Families of 27 Korat victims to get 1 million baht

    Families of 27 of the people killed in last Saturday’s mass shooting in Nakhon Ratchasima will receive a million baht in compensation from the government. Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, who chairs a committee to decide such settlements, said today that no money has been earmarked for two of the fatalities, over which there is a “dispute,” or for the…

  • Business NewsMICE sector to get 200 million baht in relief funding

    MICE sector to get 200 million baht in relief funding

    Thailand’s government will provide relief funding for the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) sector after it declined by half due to the coronavirus outbreak. The cabinet approved the extra budget last week. The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), together with the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) and listed companies, will provide 200 million baht in cash incentives to promote…

  • Covid-19 NewsMacau casino group losing .5 million a day over virus closure

    Macau casino group losing $2.5 million a day over virus closure

    Wynn Resorts Ltd. is losing about $2.5 million a day in Macau after the Chinese government ordered casinos there closed to deter the spread of the 2019nCoV coronavirus. The company employs about 12,200 people in the region. Although the casinos were ordered closed for 15 days period that beginning February 5, Wynn CEO Matt Maddox said last week that it…

  • Covid-19 NewsThai Lion Air offers Thais stuck in China free “Fly them back home” flights

    Thai Lion Air offers Thais stuck in China free “Fly them back home” flights

    Thai Lion Air, the Thai subsidiary of the Indonesian budget airline, is saying it will help repatriate Thais living in various cities in China, where air transportation is still allowed, under the airline’s “Fly them back home” project, free of charge. They are planning the flights home between February 5 and 8. “Passengers will be given a thorough examination as…

  • Central Thailand News30 million in lottery windfall to central Thailand winning tickets

    30 million in lottery windfall to central Thailand winning tickets

    There’s been three big winners for last Friday’s bi-monthly Thai Government Lottery in Thailand’s central provinces. The winning numbers for the latest draw on January 17 were 491774 with winnings of 6 million baht up for grabs for every winning ticket. 73 year old Prakob Pansaior from Jaturas District in Chaiyaphum Province was the first winner. As soon as he realised…

  • Crime NewsFormer head of the National Office of Buddhism has assets valued at nearly 600 million baht

    Former head of the National Office of Buddhism has assets valued at nearly 600 million baht

    Nice work if you can get it. Except you’re working for the National Office of Buddhism. Now the former director of the National Office of Buddhism, Nopparat Benjawattananant, has been pointed out by the National Anti-Corruption Commission for being “unusually wealthy”, having “suspiciously” amassed assets worth about 575 million baht during his four year tenure. NACC secretary-general Worawit Sukboon says that…

  • Phuket NewsSmuggled cigarettes seized in Phang Nga valued at 6 million baht

    Smuggled cigarettes seized in Phang Nga valued at 6 million baht

    Cough, splutter, gasp… A former police officer has been arrested in Phang Nga, just north of Phuket, last night for his participation in a cigarette smuggling ring. The former officer was charged with possessing illegal foreign cigarettes worth nearly six million baht – the news from Khao Sod. A total of 74,327 ‘Blue Range’ cigarette packs valued at nearly 6…

  • Northern Thailand News6 million baht lottery winner goes on drug-fuelled rampage, tries to burn down house

    6 million baht lottery winner goes on drug-fuelled rampage, tries to burn down house

    A man who won a six million baht lottery prize in June is now in police custody in Sisaket, northeastern Thailand. His mother reported to police that “he’s become a berserk drug addict”. Police told Thai media that 56 year old Kom Poka called police to arrest her 32 year old son Chainarong in Sisaket after he went on a…

  • Crime NewsSurachat claims shots at his car were related to a 2 billion baht Immigration purchase

    Surachat claims shots at his car were related to a 2 billion baht Immigration purchase

    Thailand’s former immigration supremo, Surachat Hakparn, spoke to the media yesterday about the bullets fired into his car on Monday night. He was not in the car at the time. He speculated confidently that the shots fired at the white Lexus SUV, parked near a massage establishment in Patpong, Bangkok, were connected to a two billion baht purchase of a…

  • Tourism NewsNearly 2 million Thai travellers head overseas for new year break

    Nearly 2 million Thai travellers head overseas for new year break

    Nearly 2 million Thais travelled internationally for this year’s New Year celebrations. That’s a 3.9% increase over the previous year. Thai overseas travellers totalled 1,944,220 people. And although up 3.9% on outbound traffic the year before, it was 2.2% below estimates. Domestic travel between provinces totalled 4,298,626 people. That was down 6.4% from last year and 8% below estimates. Finally, travel within…

  • Crime NewsEssilorLuxottica announces a 6.3 billion baht fraud at a plant in Thailand

    EssilorLuxottica announces a 6.3 billion baht fraud at a plant in Thailand

    EssilorLuxottica has reported a 213 million US$ (6.3 billion baht) fraud in on of its plants in Thailand. EssilorLuxottica is a French-Italian multinational corporation based in Paris with subsidiaries and manufacturers around the world. Essilor Luxottica, a global designer, manufacturer and distributor of ophthalmic lenses, frames and sunglasses, has announced that its subsidiary Essilor International recently discovered fraudulent fund transfers in one…

  • Northern Thailand News2 million baht of gold stolen in Buri Ram, police suspect inside job

    2 million baht of gold stolen in Buri Ram, police suspect inside job

    A thief has made off with 2 million baht in gold necklaces, rings and bracelets from a gold shop at a Buri Ram department store. Police examined CCTV footage showing a man wearing a cap entering the shop in the early morning on Saturday before ransacking several areas. Officers took fingerprints at various locations including the gold shop. Thai media report…

  • Tourism NewsYear-end tourism expected to generate over 80 billion baht

    Year-end tourism expected to generate over 80 billion baht

    PHOTO: Kudla/Shutterstock The Kasikorn Research Centre says both domestic and foreign tourists in Thailand are expected to generate over 82 billion baht between December 28 and January 5, aka the ‘silly season’. This is traditionally the busiest time for holiday visitors to Thailand. This is up 1.3% year on year, but growth in 2019 is lower than the 7.4% growth…

  • Crime NewsFakes valued at 50 million baht found in raids in Saraburi

    Fakes valued at 50 million baht found in raids in Saraburi

    PHOTO: INN News That’s another 50 million baht worth of counterfeits off the streets. The Department of Special Investigation has seized counterfeit goods in a series of raids, with a street value of around 50 million baht and including some 158,000 items. In this case, the fakes were mostly brand name eyeglasses and clothing accessories. The DSI, Department of Intellectual Property…

  • World NewsOne billion baht in assets seized during Phitsanulok drug bust

    One billion baht in assets seized during Phitsanulok drug bust

    PHOTO: Bangkok Post Police in the central Thai province of Phitsanulok have seized assets valued around one billion baht from a gold shop and its related businesses. The store was suspected of being the ‘shop front’ to a larger drug trading network. An arrest warrant was issued for the shop’s owner, his son is already in custody. A team of…

  • Crime NewsForeigners and Thais conned out of 45 million baht in Pattaya property scam

    Foreigners and Thais conned out of 45 million baht in Pattaya property scam

    Police in Pattaya are hunting for a 49 year old real estate agent, Jidapha Sirikhong, who is alleged to have scammed both Thai and foreigner residents in a 45 million baht property scam. The Pattaya News reports that Jidapha is the owner of Som Property, with an office in an unnamed condominium building near Jomtien beach, where she took deposits for…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya hotel fire causes over a million baht in damages

    Pattaya hotel fire causes over a million baht in damages

    PHOTO: sanook.com When a hotel in Pattaya caught on fire 400 foreigners, who were stating in the hotel at the time, evacuated without injury. The blaze remained isolated in the front section of the building and didn’t have time to spread to guest rooms inside the hotel. Chonburi Police were notified at 4.30am yesterday morning, December 6, about the fire…

  • Bangkok NewsThai bank returns 10 million out of 13 million stolen. “Sue us for the rest”

    Thai bank returns 10 million out of 13 million stolen. “Sue us for the rest”

    PHOTO: khaosod.com 13 million baht was stolen from a grandmother’s bank account by a bank employee. The bank has now returned 10 million baht and told her that if she wants the rest she’ll have to sue for it. The Thai language story didn’t announce the name or location of the bank although The Thaiger has ascertained it is in…

  • Northern Thailand NewsDriver busted with 3 million methamphetamine pills from Chiang Rai

    Driver busted with 3 million methamphetamine pills from Chiang Rai

    SCREENCAPTURE: YouTube Police in Northern Thailand have arrested a lorry driver for trafficking almost 3 million methamphetamine pills from Chiang Rai province, destined for Bangkok. Police told the media they arrested the man after a tip at a checkpoint in Lampang province. The driver was identified as 25 year old Poramet Ruaysoongnern from Nakhon Ratchasima in north-eastern Thailand. Police said, after…

  • Economy NewsThailand to export additional 1 million tonnes of rice to China

    Thailand to export additional 1 million tonnes of rice to China

    PHOTO: asia.nikkei.com The Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister says he aims to increase exports of Thai rice to China by another 1 million tonnes. The Nation reports that Chalermchai Sri-on says a second list of approved Thai rice manufacturers has been provided to China, with officials there pledging to finalise the country’s import scheme registration as soon as possible. Minister Chalermchai…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya man wins 12 million baht in lottery

    Pattaya man wins 12 million baht in lottery

    A Pattaya area man has scored a 12 million baht win in the national lottery drawn on November 16. When reporters travelled to Lamung District, Chonburi Province, they met 39 year old Niran Manaram, his mother and daughter, all celebrating. Niran won the lottery on Saturday, with winnings totalling around 12 million baht. Niran is the owner of an audio…

  • Crime NewsBank clerk sacked for allegedly stealing millions, bank reimburses customer

    Bank clerk sacked for allegedly stealing millions, bank reimburses customer

    A 34 year old Bangkok Bank clerk has been sacked amid claims she stole millions of baht from a wealthy customer. The woman denies the charge and says she plans to fight the matter in court. Earlier in the week Hia Maa, the owner of a well known restaurant in Samut Prakan province, south east of Bangkok, went to the police…