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Sponsored Why retirees in Thailand are choosing long-term health insurance over quick fixes
Retirees in Thailand are increasingly seeing the importance of health insurance in protecting their well-being during retirement. With insurance requirements for retirement visas and rising healthcare costs, many are moving away from short-term plans and choosing long-term coverage. Long-term health...
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Thailand’s new highlands – unravelling the new ‘cannabis’ legislation
by Voice of America Thailand has become the first country in Southeast Asia to legalise medical marijuana, but the fine print of the legislation has left advocates of the drug’s healing potential with mixed feelings. Since the bill was passed on Christmas Eve, some medical marijuana advocates have expressed disappointment the legislation will effectively exclude the private sector from the…
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Two key tests for the Land of Smiles in 2019
Thailand faces two major challenges in 2019 – conducting a general election and chairing the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN). Mishandling either task would invite serious damage to both the country and the wider region, according to a New Year editorial in The Nation. “Junta chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha has made a bad start in tackling the first challenge,…
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Election Commission denies election date delays
PHOTO: EC Secretary General Jarungwit Pumm The Election Commission has been forced to again reiterate that there is no postponement to the February 24 election day. EC Secretary General Jarungwit Pumma said: “There is currently no royal decree for the election but this does not mean the election date will be postponed.” He was responding to widespread rumours that the…
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Lion Air passengers get a New Year surprise at Sepinggan Airport
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Balikpapan. Happy New Year,” Sepinggan Airport general manager Farid Indra Nugraha said with a big smile as he greeted passengers at the baggage claims area. Passengers of the first arrival of 2019 at Sepinggan Airport in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, were delighted by the surprise. The estimated 150 passengers of Lion Air flight JT 858 on…
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“Pabuk” heads towards southern provinces
An unseasonal, and quite unusual, tropical depression is heading towards southern shores including all Thai provinces south of Phetchaburi. The Thai Meteorological Department is issuing regular warnings about the storm’s progress from the South China Sea and into the southern Gulf of Thailand. “On 2 January 2019, tropical storm “PABUK” over the lower South China Sea located at latitude 6.0…
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Lampang serial masturbator caught red-handed
PHOTO: Sanook A Lampang man was reported to police for masturbating at public toilets at a local petrol station. 28 year old Theerasak was taken to the scene at the PPT station with police, hopefully not to re-enact the crime. According to police, the maid at the PTT petrol station in the city district had earlier “shrieked in horror” when she…
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Foreigners frolicking off Jomtien beach attract police attention
Daily News is reporting that two foreign tourists at Jomtien beach have been videoed by a passing Thai who noticed them ‘frolicking’ in the water on New Year’s Day. He asked them “What are you up to?” as the pair suspiciously bobbed up and down just off the beach. He says on the video…. “I don’t dare ask – they…
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Latvian tourist dies after falling from hotel in Karon
A female Latvian tourist has died after falling from the sixth floor of a hotel in Karon yesterday after returning from a New Year party. Karon Police and emergency responders arrived at the scene to find the body of a 29 year old female KRISTINA RESETNIKOVA, a Latvian national, on the ground. Police found no signs of a struggle on…
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Leopard cat rescued after being hit by car in Thalang
PHOTOS: The Phuket Marine National Parks Operation Centre 2 A Leopard cat, which sustained an injury after being hit by a car in Thalang, was rescued and treated yesterday. The Phuket Marine National Parks Operation Centre (MNPOC) yesterday reported that officials were notified by locals that an injured Leopard Cat was found near the Tsunami Memorial Wall in Mai Khao. The…
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Poll shows favour towards Prayut as next PM
• 39 percent of the respondents were satisfied with the efforts in solving ‘dark influence’ problems • 31.9 percent said they were satisfied with the achievement in tackling human trafficking problems Thirty-nine percent of more than 2,000 respondents in the latest Super Poll opinion poll are satisfied with the performance of the Prayut government and the NCPO in peace restoration and…
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Orchard road bans smoking
From The Straits Times – Asia News Network Singapore’s shopping paradise, Orchard Road is now smoke-free. A smoking ban kicked in on January 1 which prohibits smokers from lighting up in public areas. However there are designated smoking areas along the famous shopping strip. Enforcement officers from the National Environment Agency, dressed in white No Smoking Zone polo T-shirts, are on patrol in…
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Unseasonal storms predicted for the South
Southern provinces are under warnings from the Thai Meteorological Department following official notifications yesterday. They’re also predicting that other parts of Thailand will have cooler temperatures during the forecast period. “Downpours and waves up to four metres are expected in the Gulf of Thailand from Thursday, beginning with Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, Krabi, Trang…
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National road toll – Day Five “Seven Days of Danger”
“Chiang Mai has reported the highest cumulative crashes with 91 cases yesterday.” 314 lives have been lost in 2,761 road incidents over the first five days of the New Year seven day safety campaign. 2,848 people have been injured during the same period around Thailand’s roads. The most cited causes for Monday’s road incidents were drunk driving (44.9 per cent)…
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Coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn announced
A three day long coronation ceremony for His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn is to be held from May 4-6. The announcement was made by Palace staff today, nearly two years and three months after the death of his father, the revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX. The announcement was made in a televised special from the Royal Household Bureau. It…
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Day Five Phuket – ‘seven days of danger’
PHOTO: Karon Police / Kritsada Mueanhawong According to statistics issued by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket Office, the island registered seven accidents and one death on Day Five (December 31) of the annual road safety campaign. Total of the five days of the campaign in Phuket is four deaths. A motorbike driver has died at the scene…
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Helping Koh Samui fight the garbage glut
Photos and story by Laurie Maitenaz An article by guest writer Laurie Maitenaz, a resident of Koh Samui, seeks to focus attention on the long-term garbage accumulation problems on the island. Most of his 11-point-plan to reduce garbage are things we can all action around the Kingdom. Let’s make 2019 the year of garbage reduction – think globally but act…
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Six reasons Thailand’s English skills are the lowest in SE Asia
by tastythailand.com An article, compiled by tastythailand.com, chronicles some of the key reasons Thailand’s education system battles with the teaching of English. An unnamed author poses the premise…. “In the last few years, as countries like Vietnam and Laos now have English skills surpassing Thailand’s, it’s become obvious Thailand’s education system is to blame. But why?” Thailand’s education is a…
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Happy New Year Thailand!
PHOTO: The Nation The Amazing Thailand Countdown 2019 was held at the new riverside shopping hub Iconsiam last night as a “New Year present” for Thais and tourists. It was a joint venture between the capital’s newest luxury shopping mall and the TAT. Large countdown crowds and fireworks kicked off 2019 at dozens of venues around Thailand, and a bright…
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King Maha Vajiralongkorn wishes Thais well for a prosperous 2019
His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn has offered New Year blessings by wishing everybody happiness, prosperity, good health and wisdom for the coming year. “When you have love, goodwill, wisdom and reason, as well as moderation, patience, perseverance and problem-solving skills, you will be happy and satisfied with yourself. “As a result, there will be happiness within your family, society and…
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CAAT probe crash of light-aircraft that killed South African pilot
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has inspected the wreckage of a private light aircraft that crashed in Chon Buri’s Sri Racha district yesterday. The crash precipitated a fire that killed the 60 year old pilot, Mike Romberg from South Africa. The turboprop light aircraft crashed to the ground when it was about to make a landing at Rajamangala…
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Chiang Mai soldier caught in gun road rage
PHOTO: Sanook Footage from a dash cam shows a soldier advancing on a family of three, threatening to shoot them with a gun in Chiang Mai. The incident is related to a preceding road rage incident in the Mae Rim district. Footage shows the mother and wife of the man trying to prevent them from continuing to argue as the…
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National death toll rises to 236 – Day Four in the “seven dangerous days”
A total of 236 people have killed and 2,265 others injured in 2,194 road accidents after number were released for the first four days of the New Year holiday period’s “seven dangerous days”. The tally includes deaths and injuries from last Thursday up to Sunday night. Chiang Mai and Nakhon Ratchasima had the highest cumulative fatalities of 12 deaths each,…
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Man killed in Phuket road accident
A motorbike driver has died at the scene after colliding head on with a pickup truck in Rassada earlier this morning. The Phuket City Police were notified about the accident at Soi Paneang in Rassada at 01.05am. Police and emergency respondents arrived at a curve in the road to find the damaged motorbike. Nearby they found the body of a…
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Big whale sighted off Phuket – VIDEO
A large whale has been sighted between Koh Racha and Koh Hey, south west of Phuket, yesterday. Specialist believe it might be a Baleen Whale (Bryde’s Whale or Omura Whale). A video clip of the three large mammals has been shared in a LINE group ‘Coral Restoration’ which is an Andaman Sea Conservation network with a message reading “At Koh…
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One death in Phuket on Day Four of ‘seven days of danger’ – Total death toll reaches 3
PHOTO: The Phuket PR Office According to statistics issued by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket Office, the island registered seven accidents and one death on Day Four (December 30) of the annual road safety campaign. Total of the first fours day of the campaign in Phuket is now three deaths. The one death yesterday was an…
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New Year weather around Thailand
It might be the middle of the annual high season but the ‘high season’ weather isn’t co-operating. Although generally fine weather has been the trend in the past few days there are a few unseasonal fronts coming to different parts of the country, according to the Thai Meteorological Department. In the central/southern provinces, including around Hua Hun and Gulf islands…
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Tropical storm ‘Usman’ kills 22 in Philippines
Another tropical storm, this one called Usman has so far killed at least 22 people as it passed through several provinces. The storm has triggered floods and landslides forcing villagers to flee to safer areas. The death toll is expected to rise. More than 6,600 people have been stranded in various locations, while Cebu Air and national carrier Philippine Airlines…
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4.9 magnitude earthquake registered in Kanchanaburi
In the latest of a spate of earthquake reports for the region, principally in Indonesia and The Philippines, a report this morning from the Si Sawat district of Kanchanaburi with a tremor registering 4.9 on the Richter scale. No casualties or damage has been recorded. Seismologists report that the quake was two kilometres underground and was sensed in Kanchanaburi, Chai…
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Malaysians citizens being warned about travelling to Thailand’s south
The Malaysian Foreign Ministry is advising Malaysians residing in Thailand or travelling to the Kingdom to “remain vigilant and exercise caution at all times”, in the wake of bomb explosions and shooting incidents in the country’s southern provinces. Officials say bomb explosions and shootings had been reported in different parts of Narathiwat and Songkhla. No Malaysians were affected by the…
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One month old baby killed in Phuket road accident
PHOTOS: Thalang Police A one month old baby girl has died in a road accident in Thalang. The Thalang Police were notified about the incident in the early morning yesterday on Thepkrasattri Road southbound in Baan Naiklam, Srisoonthorn in Thalang. Police and emergency respondents arrived to find a trailer on the side of the road. The driver was 48 year…
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