Korea
- Thailand News
Korea aerospace industries proposes to sell FA50 light fighters to Royal Thai Air Force
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has presented a proposal to the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), offering to sell its FA50 light fighters. The RTAF has earmarked 19 billion baht for the procurement of new fighter jets in the forthcoming fiscal year, as revealed by an insider from the Defence Ministry. The pitch was made by the CEO of KAI, Kang…
- Thailand News
Korean Air’s sky-high soar: More flights to Bangkok amid tourism rebound
Korean Air unveiled plans for two more weekly flights from Incheon to Bangkok, reflecting the resurgent appetite for travel as the world emerges from the grip of the pandemic. Kim Jongmin, the airline’s country manager, revealed that the added flights on the Incheon-Don Mueang route are in response to surging demand, particularly from South Koreans seeking reprieve from the winter…
- Crime News
South Korea: Cho Kyu-hyun from Super Junior injured by woman carrying knife
A woman in her thirties stormed into the backstage area of a local theatre, wielding a knife and injuring Super Junior member Cho Kyu-hyun, yesterday in Seoul at around 4pm. The K-pop star was meeting other actors on the show when he sustained a cut on his finger during the altercation. The woman has since been apprehended. Local police are…
- Thailand News
South Korean Immigration issues prompt diplomatic concerns for Thai tourists
The South Korean Foreign Affairs Ministry has expressed regret over reports of its immigration officials denying entry to Thai tourists, causing diplomatic tensions between the nations, as conveyed by the Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry. The annual meeting between the Thai permanent secretary of foreign affairs, Saran Charoensuwan, and the South Korean First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chang Ho-jin, was…
- Thailand News
Tai Orathai, Thai folk singer takes Korea by storm
Renowned Thai folk singer, Tai Orathai, has become a social media sensation in Korea, leading to a spike in curiosity about the identity of this airport fairy. The vocalist, also known as the Queen of Grass Flowers in the music industry, is currently preparing for her first concert tour in the United States this year, titled #TaiOrathaiUSATour2023. Tai’s enchanting beauty…
- Thailand News
Culture ministry plans to boost Thai tourism through Korean TV series popularity
The Thai Culture Ministry voiced its intentions of capitalising on the increased popularity of Thai locations, brought on by their appearance in the latest Korean television series, King the Land. Recognising this upswing in interest, the ministry plans to attract more Korean tourists and fans of the drama to these specific sites, boosting Thai tourism. Culture Minister Itthiphol Kunplome attributed…
- Thailand News
Thailand poised to emulate Korean Wave’s success, Asia Video Summit reveals
In a foreseeable shift, Thailand is emerging as a hotbed for flourishing content on a scale reminiscent of the highly influential Korean Wave. Such a promising outlook was significantly echoed in the recently concluded Asia Video Summit 2023, organised by Asia Video Industry Association in Hong Kong. During this gathering, the attendees comprising 180 participants from 22 different nations engaged…
- Business News
Smart moves by KTO set to boost Korean tourists in Thailand by one million
The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) is on a mission to lure travellers with cutting-edge smart tourism offerings, boosting the number of Korean visitors to Thailand to an impressive one million during the upcoming third quarter. As this thriving alliance between the two countries takes shape, Korean tourism is set to soar to new heights. Tanes Petsuwan, the Tourism Authority of…
- Tourism News
Incheon hosts Thai roadshow to boost tourism and trade ties
Incheon Metropolitan City and Incheon Tourism Organisation recently launched their inaugural roadshow in Thailand, aimed at enhancing trade and tourism between the two nations. The event, titled “Incheon Soft Power Thailand Roadshow 2023,” took place at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel and featured a B2B session involving 50 Thai and 21 Incheon tourism-related businesses, as well as a concert showcasing…
- World News
Thai drug lord ‘becomes Korean’ with plastic surgery to evade the law
Thai police arrested a “handsome Korean man” in Bangkok today who is in fact a wanted Thai drug lord who underwent loads of plastic surgery and changed his name to present as a Korean man to avoid prosecution. Police arrested 25 year old “Jimin Cheong,” formerly Sarahat Sawangjaeng, at a condominium in the Bang Na district of Bangkok under an arrest…
- World News
Thailand offers amnesty to ‘little ghosts’ in South Korea
The Thai government calls for all Thais working illegally in South Korea – known as ‘little ghosts‘ – to return to Thailand before February 28. Any little ghost who does not return to Thailand before this date will face a 30 million won fine (800,000 baht), warned the government. Today, government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek revealed that the South Korean Immigration…
- World News
Two fugitive Korean underwear bosses arrested in Thailand
Police arrested two wanted Korean fugitives – the former and current chairman of the Ssangbangwool Group – on a golf course in Thailand yesterday after eight months on the run. According to prosecutors in South Korea, the pair were arrested by Thai police on a golf course in Pathum Thani province just north of Bangkok at 7.30pm. South Korean prosecutors suspect…
- World News
South Korean man dies from ‘brain-eating amoeba’ upon return from Thailand
Health officials in South Korea confirmed that a Korean national died from a disease known as “brain-eating amoeba.” He had not long returned from Thailand. In the first case of its kind in South Korea, a man “in his 50s” died from a Naegleria fowleri infection, commonly known as brain-eating amoeba, according to a report released by the Korea Disease…
- Northern Thailand News
Body of Thai woman from Korea stampede returned to family
After the tragic stampede at a Halloween event in Seoul, Korea, the body of the Thai woman who died in the crush has been returned to her family in Thailand. Natthicha Makaew was a teacher who had been studying the Korean language before she was crushed in the Halloween stampede in Itaewon. The 27 year old studied to be certified…
- Events
Are people worried about events in Thailand after the Korean stampede?
Tourism officials and industry operators are nervously assessing what effect the Halloween stampede in South Korea may have on travellers’ confidence in upcoming events in Thailand. Operators in the tourism industry have asked police and other authorities to be ready for crowd-related incidents. But the vice-president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, Suthiphong Phuenphiphop, says that he does not think…
- World News
Halloween stampede: 22 foreign deaths, events cancelled
In the wake of the harrowing Halloween stampede in Korea’s capital city of Seoul, the death toll has risen with some sources claiming 153 fatalities. Officials in Korea and abroad are deciding whether to pull the plug on Halloween events tonight. Global leaders are offering condolences as international citizens’ deaths are confirmed, including that of a Thai student. KHAOSAN A…
- World News
One Thai national confirmed among those dead in Halloween stampede
Less than one hour ago, the Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul posted a notification on Facebook confirming that one Thai person died during the Halloween stampede in Seoul Korea last night. The Thaiger’s full coverage of the tragedy can be seen here. The Thai Embassy reported that they are in the process of coordinating with the authorities in South Korea.…
- World News
Halloween stampede in Seoul leaves 149 dead, dozens injured
Pandemonium struck a Halloween event in Korea’s capital city of Seoul with at least 149 people killed in a stampede. Dozens more were injured in the Itaewon district as reports estimate as many as 100,000 people came out last night for a giant Halloween celebration. Crowds quickly overfilled the narrow alleyways that snake through the district and the congestion began…
- World News
Thailand’s drugs operation with Korea hailed a success
Thailand hailed the success of a joint operation with Korea to stamp out drug trafficking between the two nations after their counterparts revealed they had collected a large supply of narcotics. This is the first time the Thai nation has sent agents to foreign shores to take part in such a joint operation. The Korea Customs Service (KSC) sent a team…
- Thailand News
Korean Air to resume flights to Chiang Mai and Phuket
Korean Air will resume direct flights from Seoul to both Chiang Mai and Phuket this October. Both routes were suspended in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The airline’s Phuket flights are scheduled to depart from Seoul Incheon Airport four days per week on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 5.55pm and land in Phuket at 10pm. Phuket to…
- Thailand News
Official assigned to “investigate” anyone who shares Lisa Blackpink’s whisky ads
The director of Thailand’s Office of the Alcohol Control Committee has been assigned to investigate anyone who shares photos of a famous Thai celebrity promoting a whisky brand. He was assigned by the Department of Disease Control, according to reporters. The celebrity, Lisa from Blackpink, is a brand ambassador for the Scotch whisky company Chivas. In Thailand, it’s illegal to…
- World News
North Korea fails to launch suspected ballistic missile
North Korea fired an “unknown projectile” yesterday, which reportedly appeared to fail immediately after it was launched. The United States’ military’s Indo-Pacific Command claimed it was part of a ballistic missile launch. The command did not mention the reported failure, but condemned the launch. It urged North Korea to refrain from further “destabilising” actions. South Korean media reported that disbris…
- World News
Yoon Suk-Yeol wins South Korea presidential election by a hair
South Korea has a new president today after a nail-biting and often nasty campaign, deemed “the unlikeable election.” Conservative Yoon Suk-Yeol will be the nation’s new president, after Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party conceded defeat last night. Speaking at a post-election press conference, Yoon consoled his rival and called for unity, saying… “Our competition is over for now.…
- Thailand News
Thai police raid home suspected of running illegal Korean gambling site
Thai police raided a home suspected of being the headquarters for an illegal gambling website that swindled more than 100 million baht from Korean victims. Officers arrested four South Korean men and a Thai woman who was renting the home in Samut Prakan, just southeast of Bangkok. The suspects face charges of organising, advertising, and inviting people to join gambling without…
- Thailand News
Korean hotel exec found dead in Kanchanaburi, cause not yet known
A Korean hotel executive was found dead in a a hotel in Tha Muang district of Kanchanaburi province yesterday morning. The medical team hasn’t yet found the cause of his death, and his body showed no signs of struggle. The executive, Kim Kyoung Cheon, was 38 years old. The person to find Kim was a hotel cleaner who had knocked…
- World News
Water fights, dancing dragons, and dumpling soup: New Year traditions around Asia
In Western countries, the start of a new year is usually celebrated with fireworks and parties – and often topped off with drunken renditions of Auld Lang Syne. Not so in Asia, where traditional New Year celebrations are a little bit different. As we welcome 2022 (and plead with it to go easy on us), here’s what New Year festivities…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand to get Covid-19 foreign aid from China and Korea
While a government spokesperson announced that Thailand expects to have 140 million Covid-19 vaccines received in the country by the end of the year, many wondered with the slow rollout so far exactly where all these vaccines are coming from. Today we received a hint as foreign aid was offer by both China and South Korea who announced donations of…
- World News
Balding, once a Caucasian problem, grows in Asian men
While around half of Caucasian men will experience hair loss by middle age, Asian men had largely escaped balding, until now. In Korea only 14% of men experience hair loss, in China, 13% of 30-something men will lose hair, and Japanese men start losing their hair 10 years later than Europeans. But these figures are changing, not due to genetics,…
- World News
Christmas across Asia: How Thailand’s neighbours celebrate
Those of us living in Thailand (and those who holiday here in more “normal” times), are familiar with what Christmas looks like in the Land of Smiles. But what about other Asian countries? Here’s a round-up of what the festive season looks like for some of our neighbours. Indonesia Despite being a primarily Muslim nation, Christmas is celebrated by many…
- World News
Second wave of Coronavirus hits South Korea
Despite reporting relatively low cases, health officials from South Korea claim they are in the midst of a second wave of Covid-19. Although the nation was previously referred to as a success story for Covid-19, they now say they are expecting the pandemic to continue for the next few months. Jung Eun-kyeong, Head of the Korea Disease Control Centres, said that the…
- Covid-19 News
13 return from South Korea with high fever, rushed to quarantine
A Korean Airlines flight arrived at 9:25pm yesterday at Suvarnabhumi Airport bringing 194 Thais from South Korea. Screening officers found 13 of the passengers with high fever and immediately sent them to hospital. Most of the rest took a bus to a 14 day state quarantine area according to state measures, while 18 went to “alternative state quarantine” at a designated…
- Covid-19 News
South Korea reverses reopening amid new Covid-19 outbreaks
Less than a month after relaxing physical distancing requirements on May 6, South Korea is restoring the measures in the greater Seoul area, including Incheon and Gyeonggi provinces, until at least June 14, as new flare-ups of Covid-19 emerge across the metropolitan region. Its daily tally jumped to 79, the highest since early April. Making the announcement yesterday, South Korea’s…
- Covid-19 News
A few more flight cancellations and K-Pop curtailed
Airlines around the world are battling to re-assess and refine their flight schedules in response to the dive in passenger bookings following the outbreak and impact of the covid-19 coronavirus at the start of the year. In recent weeks the restrictions on travel, to many parts of the world, have started to bite. Thai AirAsia announced today that it will…
- Covid-19 News
China reports further reduction in new coronavirus cases, down to 397; Korea has a second death
China’s National Health Commission announced today that the country had 397 new confirmed cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus infections as of yesterday, down from 889 cases a day earlier. That brings the total number of confirmed cases in mainland China so far to 76,288. The death toll from the outbreak in mainland China had reached 2,345. Hubei province, the epicentre…
- World News
South Korean President in Thailand to sign trade agreements
PHOTOS: The Nation PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and his wife Naraporn Chan-ocha, have welcomed South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his wife Kim Jung-sook to Government House in Bangkok this morning in the midst of an official state visit that continues tomorrow. A government spokesperson says that this was President Moon’s first official visit to Thailand since assuming his post in May…
- World News
Thailand and South Korea partner on development of electric buses
Original story by Shin Ji-hye An all-electric bus sits on the campus at King Mongkut’s University of Technology in Thonburi, Bangkok. The electric bus is a joint project between Korea and Thailand, led mainly by Korean automaker Edison Motors, which currently provides public transport services with eco-friendly buses at Namsan in Seoul and on Jeju Island. The project involves 11 organisations from both…
- World News
The Korean Wave – a tsunami of cultural opportunity for ASEAN
BTS, Blackpink, ASEAN, K-Pop by The Star Online – Asia News Network TV drama, pop music, culture, food. The ‘Korean Wave’ is on its way. The Korean Wave was the hot topic at the ASEAN-Korea Media Forum held in Seoul recently, with experts saying that it has, in fact, enhanced cultural exchanges between the republic and the entire region. Korean…
