News
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Phuket Surf Series kicks off in Patong today
Surfing Thailand and the Phuket Surfing Club, is association with the Tourism Authority of Thailand is organising the “Phuket Surf Series 2018+ Khao Lak” that runs from today (June 30) to October 2018. This falls during the annual ‘Green’ or monsoon season in Thailand’s Southern Region, when swells out of the Bay of Bengal are most consistent for both beach…
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Navy officers assist putting out the Phuket furniture warehouse fire
No injuries have been reported as a fire engulfed a furniture warehouse today (June 30) while officers from the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command were also called in to help to put out the fire. The Wichit Police were notified of the fire at 11.30am. About 10 fire trucks and crews have been fighting the blaze at the furniture warehouse…
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Fire guts furniture warehouse in Wichit
Fire fighters, along with about 10 fire trucks, have been fighting a fire at a furniture warehouse in Wichit today (June 30). Officers from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) stationed at Wichit Municipality were notified of the fire in a Soi at the back of a SuperCheap Store, near Kajonkiet Pattana School on Chao Fah West Road,…
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Chiang Mai: Tomato truck overshoots corner in Hod district
Chiang Mai City News is reporting that a pick up delivery truck, loaded up with tomatoes for the market has over-shot a curve in the Hod District, Chaing Mai and ended up right next to a police box. Around 10pm on June 28 the incident occurred in Hod near the Tesco Lotus on the main road. A pickup truck was…
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Bangkok: AMLO seizes bank accounts worth 134 million baht
The Anti-Money Laundering Office has sequestered about 134 million baht in bank accounts of four former senior monks implicated in the temple fund embezzlement scandal. Thai PBS is reporting that, according to the AMLO website, the seized cash deposits and bank accounts included: seven bank accounts worth 132 million baht of Phra Phrommasith, former abbot of Wat Saket; one bank…
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Bangkok: PM calls for support in Government reform agenda
The National News Bureau of Thailand reports that the PM is calling for younger Thais to be sympathetic towards the government’s efforts to implement structural reforms. PM Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha called for the support during a speech to youth participants in the Tree of Love music contest. He said that his administration has come up with a national strategy to…
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Songs of hope
Messages of support are pouring in from all corners of the country as the rescue mission for 12 boys and their football coach missing in a Chiang Rai cave reached its sixth day yesterday. Popular singers, YouTube stars and a national artist have lent their moral support to rescue efforts. National artist and a Sea Write winner Nawarat Pongpaiboon penned…
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Accessing from above. Scientists add their knowledge to the search.
By Pratch Rujivanarom in Chiang Rai Academics, experts in the local geography and local people are pitching in to provide scientific data about the Tham Luang cave network. This local intel will support the official rescue mission for the youth football team believed trapped inside. Those working on the rescue speak of a tough operation, a battle against nature, in…
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Update: Chiang Rai search delves deeper into the caves
PHOTO: The Nation In the sixth day of the operation to rescue the 12 young footballers and their coach trapped in Tham Luang cave. Authorities have mobilised all their resources to reach them with the help of rescue teams from several countries, some specialist cave divers, but have face difficult conditions, rough terrains and poor weather. The Chiang Rai governor…
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Emergency crews battle airport fire during drill
Phuket International Airport emergency crews battled fires near the main runway today (June 29). Firefighters and rescue workers were deployed on the tarmac as part of regular drills aimed at improving response times and emergency response efficiency. This is the third such drill at the airport this year. Observing officials reported that the emergency crews were timely and effective in…
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The first Leopard 50 arrives in Phuket in July
By Joe Lim/luxuo.com The first Leopard 50 has arrived in Asia, and a special partnership event between Yacht Style Magazine and Lux Inc Media will be held at Ao Po Grand Marina from July 7-8. Since the launch of the Leopard 50 at the Miami International Boat Show, she has proven to be one of the most successful products launched by…
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Chiang Rai: Survival boxes being dropped into cave openings
As rescuers use heavy-duty drilling equipment to drill into the roof of some of the Tham Luang caves where the missing 13 are thought to be stranded, officials are sending in food and survival boxes into the flooded waterways coursing through the tunnels. The Nation is reporting that officials are dropping dozens of plastic boxes containing food, maps and mobile phones…
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Four arrested for cable theft in Krabi
Krabi police yesterday (June 28) have arrested two men and two women for stealing communication cabling. They say that they are having to steal cabling as the rubber price is too low. The two men work as rubber tappers from the south. Krabi City Police arrested the four thieves – 38 year old Chartchai Sittidamrong, 27 year old Boonpitak Coonrueang,…
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Chiang Rai: Thai PM visits Chiang Rai search site
PHOTO: Thai PBS The Thai PM has been visiting the search site at the Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district today. He’s offered hope to the families of the 12 teenage footballers and their coach saying that they will all survive the ordeal as search reaches its sixth day. The PM arrived at Tham Luang-Khunnam Nangnon national park this…
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Shisha/Vaping shop raided in Kathu
A team of officers from Phuket Provincial Defense Office and the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command raided ‘@ Moom Mor’ restaurant in Kathu on Wednesday night (June 27). Officers arrived at the shop where 14 tables of customers were using baraku (shisha). Officers arrested a 20 year old Thai man, Feeraskan Akbas, from Narathiwat. Officers seized 960 grams of baraku…
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Midnight shootout in Bangkok lands drug suspect in hospital
A drug suspect has been severely injured in a gunfight with police in Bang Khen district, north of the Bangkok city centre, early this morning. 33 year old Atthapol Phosuwan from Nakhon Sawan was shot in his left cheek, right thigh and right calf . He was apprehended and rushed to Bhumibol Hospital. A team of motorcycle patrol policemen from Bang…
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Tobacco farmers rally at Chiang Mai city hall
Chiang Mai City Life is reporting that tobacco farmers have filed a petition after the Thai Tobacco Authority announced it will cease all purchasing for three years. On June 28 over 300 tobacco farmers and entrepreneurs rallied at the Chiang Mai City Hall to file a petition to the Ministry of Finance regarding an announcement by the Government that the…
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Plans for Phuket pork factory changed to ‘refrigeration and storage facility’
The plans to construct a pork processing factory in Mai Khao have been changed to a refrigeration and storage facility after a three hour discussion yesterday (June 28). Locals in Mai Khao are protesting against the company who was planning to construct a pork processing factory in the north section of Phuket island. Locals at Baan Dan Yid and Baan Dan…
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Thailand upgraded in Trafficking in Persons report
The latest US Trafficking in Persons has been released today with some better news for Thailand’s government. Thailand’s status in the US Trafficking in Persons report (TIP) has been upgraded to Tier 2 for its efforts in combating modern slavery. The TIP 2018 report, launched by the US State Department in Washington, says the Thai government has demonstrated increasing efforts…
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Government fast-tracking Riviera Project to promote southern coastal provinces
PHOTO: Travel notes The provinces of Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon and Ranong will be upgraded under the “Thailand Riviera” scheme to tap their full potential for natural, cultural, historical, gastronomic, sports and community-based tourism. This is the latest grand plan prepared by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will spearhead the marketing push…
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Chinese tourist drowns at Karon beach
A Chinese tourist who ignored the red flags and warnings from lifeguards earlier, has drowned at Karon Beach today (June 28). Karon lifeguards were notified by a beach vendor that a Chinese male had been hit by a big wave in front of the Karon football field, and disappeared in the surf. Karon lifeguards rushed to the scene where red…
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Thai man arrested in dodgy holiday scam
The Nation is reporting that 38 year old Suthathep Rakchart has been arrested under two warrants issued by the Ayutthaya Court on June 26 and Sukhothai Court on June 27. He’s been arrested on charges of public defrauding. Tourist police have arrested him for allegedly deceiving at least 135 Thai tourists to transfer him 1.5 million baht to pay for trips…
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Cave alert issued for Phang Nga
Phang Nga officials, in the wake of the ongoing search for the teenage Chiang Rai cave explorers, have issued a warning about the caves around the Phang Nga region, especially for the wet season. Sayan Kijmano, chief of the Phang Nga Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office is warning tour operators to closely monitor rainfall when they take tourists to visit caves…
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Krabi FC sport scientist fired after carrying kratom on domestic flight
A sport scientist from the Krabi FC football association has been fired from the job after he was found with kratom at an airport on Tuesday (June 26). Police at Don Mueang International Airport arrester 26 year old Teerayut Santiwong who was working as a sport scientist for the Krabi FC football team. He was found with 4 green tea…
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Malaysia: Biggest seizure in history – New Straits Times
PHOTO: New Straits Times “Items included 423 watches worth 78 million Malaysian Ringit, including the most expensive one, a Rolex Paul Newman Daytona worth about 3.5 million Ringit. (1 Malaysian Ringit = ~8 Thai Baht) PBS English is reporting that up to 1.1 billion Malaysian Ringit (about 9 billion baht) worth of cash, jewellery, luxury handbags and watches, as well…
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Chiang Rai: 650 personnel now involved in the search
PHOTOS: The Nation The cave search party grows after another night of rain. Police sniffer dogs have now joined the rescue workers and Border Patrol police looking for access ways to the cave from the mountaintop above. The number of personnel and sniffer dogs involved in the search has reached 650. The search for 12 young footballers and their assistant…
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Man caught by Karon lifeguard stealing from tourist
A Thai man has been caught red-handed by lifeguards for stealing a foreigner’s bag containing cash, a mobile phone and wallet at Karon Beach yesterday (June 27) . The victim of the theft has only identified as a female foreign tourist who was enjoying her day on Karon beach opposite the Tourist Assistance Centre yesterday afternoon. According to the Karon…
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US teacher, accused of student rape in 1982, extradited from Thailand after 36 years on the run
PHOTO: Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger Former Milton Academy theater program director Reynold Buono appeared in Dedham Superior Court on Wednesday. Buono pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape of a child and three counts of rape of a child with force. The Boston Globe is reporting that 72 year old Reynold Buono, a former drama teacher at Milton Academy…
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Chiang Rai: UK cave-diving experts get to work. US providing rescue equipment.
International experts have arrived in the last 24 hours to add to the level of expertise as every effort continues to be made to rescue 12 young footballers and their deputy coach trapped for five nights in the Tham Luang Cave in Chiang Rai province. Three cave-diving experts from the UK arrived on the scene yesterday to help locate the…
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Pakistan ambassador shares concerns over safety of Phuket tourists
Phuket Governor Norrapahat Plodthong welcomed the Pakistan Ambassador Designate in Thailand H.E. Asim Iftikhar Ahmad and his delegation to the Phuket City Hall yesterday (June 27). Topics up for discussion included increasing Pakistani tourism to the island and some of the challenges facing them. The ambassador said he was concerned about Pakistani tourist safety and facilities assisting their comfort and…
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