Search Results for: Bangkok
- Transport News
Thai PM heading to Phuket to officially open the Chalong Underpass
PHOTO: Guy (Charlie) LIDUREAU The Thai PM is heading to Phuket to officiate at the opening of the long-awaited Chalong Underpass next week, as well as attend some other meetings during the day. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha will open the Chalong Underpass on Monday, July 8. Both lanes of the new underpass will be closed during the ceremony from 7-10am. The construction…
- Tourism News
Thai authorities moot compulsory travel insurance for travellers
PHOTO: South East Asia Backpacker Magazine The Thai Office of the Insurance Commission says they expect to introduce compulsory travel insurance for visitors to Thailand by the end of 2019. It would be charged to tourists who arrive without travel insurance and go into a ‘fund’ to be used to pay for repatriation costs in the event of misadventure. The…
- Crime News
Deputy PM expresses ‘regret’ over the brutal attack on political activist ‘Ja New’
Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan has expressed regret over the brutal attack on political activist Sirawith Seritiwat, or Ja New, and ordered the national police chief, Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda, to hold an urgent meeting with the metropolitan police commissioner to discuss the incident and to intensify efforts to track down the perpetrators, as well as the mastermind behind the assault,…
- Tourism News
Phuket’s tourist evolution – Diversity is the best option Part 2
by Guest Writer Our guest writer has been managing resorts around Phuket for two decades and has represented his brand at international expos along with promotions for Phuket over the years. His knowledge is first-hand and steeped in local experience. He has asked to remain anonymous. Read Part 1 of the report HERE. In Part 1 of the article we…
- Opinion
What to do with Thailand’s elephants?
The goring of an Italian tourist in February 2019, whilst elephant riding in Phang Nga, was just another sad example attracting focus on the practice of providing elephants for tourists to ride. Plenty of elephant rides remain popular for tourists around Thailand and there is still plenty of demand, particularly from some international travellers. There is a long history and…
- Transport News
Thai PM to visit Phuket for the opening of the Chalong Underpass
PHOTO: Happy memories for residents in the south of Phuket during the construction phase of the underpass. During this period the Chalong Circle was nicknamed by locals as the Chalong Car Park. The Thai PM is heading to Phuket to officiate at the opening of the long-awaited Chalong Underpass, as well as attend some other meetings during the day. PM…
- Crime News
Future Forward MP uncover new ‘Ja New’ assault video
PHOTOS and VIDEO: Facebook/Rangsiman Rome A Future Forward Party MP says they’ve got their hands on CCTV footage which shows four men violently attacking Thai political activist Sirawith “Ja New” Seritiwat. The anti-Junta activist has been the subject or earlier assaults and many threats. The attack happened on a main road in Bangkok yesterday. Rangsiman Rome, a Party-list MP for Future…
- Business News
A new beginning at 48 – The Nation prints its last newspaper today
The Nation daily newspaper, known for its independent and aggressive news reporting, publishes its last print edition today. After 48 years on the newsstands, one of Thailand’s only two English dailies, goes the way of many good banners before them. The Nation will continue as an online news source. The newspaper is the latest victim of the disruptive technology that…
- Business News
Somkid blames sluggish formation of Thai government for GDP downgrading
Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak is saying the delay in forming Thailand’s next government caused the downgrading of the country’s GDP projections from 3.8% to 3.3%. The Bank of Thailand downgraded their forecasts at a meeting this morning. But Somkid noted that he was confident that Thailand’s GDP growth will pick up again once the new cabinet had been announced and…
- Business News
Trying to find a pulse in Thailand’s economic health
Thailand’s economy is south-east Asia’s wounded soldier as the newly elected Thai government tries to boost confidence and stimulate the economy after five years of military rule. Certainly the past 12 months have been the most challenging. GDP growth hit a four-year low of 2.8% for Q1 2019 and exports remain weak. Despite having unlimited power for half a decade,…
- Business News
Thai car manufacturers upbeat about sales
PHOTO: Chevrolet’s proposed SUV ‘Blazer’ to replace the Captiva Car sales for the first five months of this year stood at 437,722 equating to a year-on-year rise of just over 9%. Sales for May alone were 88,097 units, up 3.7%. But May’s growth slowed from the double-digit rise that the sector experienced between January and April, 2019. • By brand sales…
- Phuket News
Progress on Phang Nga’s new international airport
by Bill Barnett, c9hotelworks The AoT (Airports of Thailand) planned international airport in Phang Nga, set to be part of a triangle of international airports serving the Phuket, Phang Nga, Khao Lak and Krabi tourist zones, is poised to move past another development milestone. The mooted private airport has now been binned and the AoT-operated airport project is now forging…
- Crime News
Police raid Soi 6 bar in Pattaya, undercover prostitution and underage sex
Police in Pattaya have raided the Coming Bar in Soi 6. They allegedly uncovered evidence of prostitution and underage sex on the premises. Authorities noted that prostitution was available at the venue and had 18 women available to service customers, one girl was found to be 17 years old. The venue had rooms available above the bar for customers. A…
- Thai Life
Surachate won’t be returning to Royal Thai Police
Thailand’s deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon has dissed rumours that former Immigration chief Surachate Hakparn is poised for a return to the Royal Thai Police. Read The Thaiger’s weekend story HERE. Over the weekend Thai media reported that the former high-profile policeman and eventual Immigration Chief, was set for a sensational return and was about to be appointed to a senior…
- Northern Thailand News
Thai Air Asia pulling the plug on its Chiang Rai-Singapore service?
from ttrweekly.com The Thai AirAsia’s direct flight between Chiang Rai and Singapore is unlikely to survive. That’s the outlook of travel website ttrweekly.com Launched early 2019 with little fanfare, the new international route was one of four direct services that use Chiang Rai as a hub. The others were direct flights to Kuala Lumpur, Macau and Phuket. So what’s gone…
- Transport News
Tougher laws and bigger fines for taxi drivers who reject passengers
Mai dai! Taxi drivers who say ‘no’ to passengers will soon be liable to a fine of 5,000 baht. That’s up from 2,000 baht. Taxi drivers, especially in Bangkok, are notorious for rejecting fares when the passenger’s travel plans doesn’t suit the driver’s, especially at times near the change of shifts. The owner of the taxi will now face a…
- Northern Thailand News
Truck carrying 30,000 bottles of beer rolls over
PHOTO: INN News A 22 wheeler truck has flipped on its side in Chachoengsao, east of Bangkok. The truck was carrying 30,240 bottles of a famous brand of Thai beer. The driver was 53 year old Tas Nirankum from Chaiyaphum Province. Tas reported that he was on Suwinthawong 304 Road delivering 2,520 boxes of beer to Chonburi from Khon Kaen Province.…
- Politics News
Polls show Thai voters sick of endless bickering over Cabinet posts
Exactly three months now since the national election for a new parliament and still no announcement of a parliamentary majority, government or ministries. But two surveys are a strong indication of Thai voter weariness over the drawn-out process of establishing a ministerial Cabinet. A NIDA (National Institute of Development Administration) poll shows most people (46.4%) complain that their elected representatives…
- World News
ASEAN’s bid for the 2034 World Cup
Today’s last day of the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok is considering a proposal, from the foreign ministers of the ten member nations to submit a bid to host the football World Cup in 2034. The only Asian hosts of the World Cup so far have been Japan and South Korea, in 2002. Thailand’s Foreign Minister, Don Pramudwinai, says the proposal…
- Phuket News
Phuket’s perfect plane-spotting selfie
Mai Khao Beach, any day day of the year. People are assembling, not to swim, but to take photos of planes taking off from the Phuket International Airport. Every 5-10 minutes planes will come and go making Mai Khao Beach one of Asia’s top plane spotting locations. For now, you can still capture your special moment with a plane, taking…
- Thai Life
Surachate Hakparn, your friendly neighbourhood crime-fighter, is back!
PHOTO: posttoday …well, according to enthusiastic reports in the Thai media. Thailand’s favourite police poster boy and friendly neighbourhood crime-fighter, Surachate Hakparn, is poised to make a return to the front line. Thai media are reporting that he may be about to be appointed to the post of Assistant Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police. In April he was side-lined from…
- Crime News
BKK taxi driver arrested after scamming British tourist with ‘turbo-charged’ meter
PHOTO: 77kaoded Tourist Police have arrested a Bangkok taxi driver who charged a British tourist nearly 4,000 baht for a trip from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Khao San Road in Bangkok. Mr Loakes was taking the taxi from Suvarnabhumi Airport on June 19, a journey of about 34 kilometres. James Alexander Loakes made a formal complaint to the Tourist Police that he…
- Tourism News
Thailand’s Ayutthaya Elephant Palace says they will fight eviction orders
The Ayutthaya Elephant Palace and Royal Kraal, an elephant ride business at the Ayutthaya Historic Park north of Bangkok, says it will fight an order to leave the park. The business manager for the company, Ittiphan Khaolamai says the attraction is ‘nationally recognised’. “We will petition the Central Administrative Court next week. We can’t accept the order requiring us to…
- Expats
478 mostly-illegal foreigners rounded up in immigration raid
FILE PHOTO – One of the regular round-up of illegal foreigners Police have netted another 478 mostly-illegal foreigners during surprise raids in more than 200 locations around Thailand yesterday (Wednesday) – most illegal immigrants. The assistant national police chief cited the 34th ASEAN Summit being held in Bangkok (that started today) as part of the security crackdown. Police and immigration…
- Thailand News
Norwegian man seriously injured after van collides with a truck in Lopburi
PHOTOS: Motorlance Lopburi A 50 year old Norwegian man has sustained serious injuries while four other Thai passengers sustained minor injuries when a van collided with a truck in Lopburi, north of Bangkok, this morning. Rescue workers say that they were notified of the accident this morning on the Saraburi – Lomsak Road in Chaibadan, Lopburi. The left hand side…
- Tourism News
How many tourists visit the real Thailand?
PHOTO: Sarah Lazarus – CNN Thailand is best known for its beaches, astonishing street food, markets and diverse south-east Asian culture. But how many people get out of the cities and tourist traps and get to experience the real Thailand? How many expats, living in Thailand, even get to experience the real Thailand? Thailand is the fourth most popular holiday…
- Bangkok News
Thai woman’s body found in home six months after her death
The body of a woman has been found in her house in Pathum Thani just north of Bangkok. Police estimate she has been dead for at least six months. Khukot police were alerted last evening (Wednesday) that the body of 46 year old Thiphaphat Phaksuk, who lived alone in the Lam Luk Ka district, had been found at the door…
- Politics News
41 Thai MPs facing investigation over alleged media shares
… and 27 of them are from the pro-Junta Palang Pracharat Party. Latest rumblings out of Bangkok as rival parties ramp up the rhetoric in the lead up to an announcement of the new Cabinet. Meanwhile the current PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is trying to keep the situation calm during this weekend’s ASEAN Summit being held in the capital. A Future…
- World News
Suu Kyi attending ASEAN Summit amid regional storm over Rohingya
PHOTO: ASEAN members will be piling pressure on Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi over the regional Rohingya crisis. Myanmar ‘State Counsellor’ Aung San Suu Kyi is heading to Bangkok to attend this weekend’s 34th Summit of the ASEAN. It’s believed the Rohingya refugee crisis will be a hot topic for discussion at the Summit. Myanmar’s state-run media report that Suu…
- Politics News
PM cannot legally attend cabinet meetings or ASEAN Summit – Future Forward
…but we bet he will. Future Forward’s secretary-general says the PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has violated the Constitution by chairing cabinet meetings both last week and yesterday. He also cast doubt over Prayut’s capacity to host next week’s ASEAN Summit in Bangkok as Thailand’s PM. Piyabutr Saengkanokkul claims that PM Prayut was appointed the post-election prime minister by a Royal Command dated…
