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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…
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Burmese worker arrested for stabbing workmate to death in Surat Thani
A Burmese worker has been arrested shortly after allegedly stabbing another Burmese man to death during an alleged drinking argument in Surat Thani’s Tha Chang district, north of Surat Thani city, police said. 26 year old Hern Gogo was arrested inside an oil palm plantation in a village in Tambon Sawiad where he was hired to work with the victim,…
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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…
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British travellers to Thailand make more insurance claims than any other country
According to a survey, the ‘Travel Smart Insurance Index’ recently released by the UK Post Office, more British travellers to Thailand made insurance claims for medical costs of repatriation after visiting Thailand than any other country. According to the report, the Post Office teamed up with the Centre for Economic & Business Research and analysed 17,295 claims from its Travel…
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Fewer Nordic expats renewing their visas to stay in Thailand
by Gregers Møller Website ScandAsia.com and writer Gregers Møller reports that nordic expats – business people, on retirement or family-based Thai visas, renewing their visas this year – has dropped by around 10% this year. He reports “This is the first decline in 12 years. If the trend continues, there will only be 861 Nordic people on a business visa left…
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Loei teacher accused of sexually assaulting male students
A male teacher in the Loei province, near the Laos border, has been accused of sexually harassing teenagers at the Loeipittayakom School, one of the best-known educational institutions in the northeastern province. The teacher, named by the parents but whose identity has been withheld at this stage, has not yet directly responded to the allegations, but locals allege he has…
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Phuket’s tourist evolution – Diversity is the best option Part 1
by Guest Writer Today’s 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. At the end of the 1990’s into the early 2000’s Phuket saw the drastic…
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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…
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20 smuggled Burmese, including children, found in locked Songkhla warehouse
by Santiparp Ramasutra Songkhla Police, in Thailand’s deep south, have rescued 20 scared and hungry Burmese, victims of traffickers who’d locked them inside a warehouse on the Thai-Malaysian border. Residents say they heard the sound of children crying for several days in the usually deserted warehouse in the Sadao district. Pol General Suchart Thirasawat, an inspector-general in charge of an anti-trafficking…
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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…
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Wayward rocket lands in passenger seat of pick-up in Roi-et during annual rocket festival
A local north-east rocket festival entry has made an unexpected landing, into trees hanging over a road, then dropping straight into the passenger seat of a passing pick-up. The rocket, part of the annual Bun Bang Fai rocket festival in Suwannaphum district of Roi-Et, was a wayward entry that ended up in a tree after being launched. Over the two…
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Two suspects in custody after Surat Thani police officer killed during drug sting
PHOTO: The car that ran over Pol Sen Sgt Maj Poonkrit Buakaeo was found on Friday morning – Supapong Chaolan The body of a police officer, killed on duty during a drug sting in Surat Thani on Thursday evening, was repatriated to his home province of Nakhon Si Thammarat for religious ceremonies yesterday. Meanwhile two suspects accused of killing the officer…
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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…
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Burmese migrants released from Thai prison after murder convictions overturned
By Nyein Nyein – The Irrawaddy | PHOTO: Facebook/Htoo Chit Two Burmese migrants, serving six and eight year sentences for the alleged murder of a Thai woman in Ranong, southern Thailand in 2015, have won their appeal in a Thai court. Sein Kadone and Wai Lin, who received eight and six year sentences, respectively, have been in prison for three years…
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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…
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Police raid Khon Kaen factory over Doraemon copyright violation
Police arrested a business owner and seven employees after they found 300,000 baht worth of illegally-manufactured goods in her warehouse in Khon Kaen’s Chumpae district that violated the ‘Doraemon’ copyright. Doraemon is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Fujiko F. Fujio, the pen name of the duo Hiroshi Fujimoto and Motoo Abiko. The series has also been adapted…
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TAT chief blames high baht for drop in tourists to Thailand
Thailand’s tourism numbers have been dropping over the past three months, against projections and when compared to year-on-year figures. And the blame game has started. TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) chief Yuthasak Suphasorn is blaming the high value of the Thai baht for the worse than expected tourist figures. He admits that European visitors are being more careful over their money and…
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Some patients experience side effects from medicinal marijuana in Krabi
PHOTO: Medical News Today Some medicinal marijuana users are developing side effects such as nausea, vomiting and hallucination. Krabi Public Health Office revealed yesterday that medical professional in the area report that, out of the registered 158 medical marijuana users , many had developed side effects. Thailand legalised medical marijuana in response to findings that is helpful to in some…
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Europe’s searing heatwave breaks temperature records
Europeans have their umbrellas out but not for the rain. This time they’re trying to protect themselves from record heat that is sweeping across continental Europe. Many European cities are not designed for the high heat with air-conditioning not a common addition to most homes. Whilst the temperatures, exceeding Fahrenheit 100 degrees, are not uncommon in other parts of the…
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UPDATE: GrabCar driver sacked over assault of two Chinese in Bangkok
UPDATE: Grab Thailand says it has fired one of its drivers who allegedly assaulted a Chinese passenger on a roadside in Nonthaburi on Thursday. Grab noted they’d received a complaint against the driver and terminated his contract. The company apologised for the incident and said the driver’s alleged behaviour was unacceptable and violated its rules. Grab said it gives priority to…
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Thailand tops the poll for countries offering travellers the ‘host’ factor
“The perfect destination for travellers seeking to experience a warm welcome and immerse themselves in the local culture.” A recent poll by booking.com across 29 countries has found Thai people to be among the top nationalities who consider their country to be more hospitable than others. Thailand, along with Indonesia, Mexico, Taiwan and India, are the top five countries where…
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Students and driver injured in Petchabun bus incident
PHOTOS: Sawangbueang Sampan Thammasatan Rescue Eight people have sustained injuries after an incident between a motorbike and a bus carrying students in Petchabun, north-central Thailand. Emergency responders were notified of the accident in Baan Bueang Sampan, Petchabun this morning. Rescue workers arrived to find an overturned orange school bus on the road. Nearby was a damaged motorbike. Seven students and the…
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Injured sea turtle rescued from fishing net in Phang Nga
PHOTOS: Jalert Jesadawal A sea turtle has been rescued from a fishing net off the coast of Phang Nga. Khao Lampi Hat Thai Mueang National Park officers were notified that a sea turtle was tangled in a fishing net on the shores of Natai Beach in Kok Kloi, Phang Nga yesterday afternoon. They arrived to find the male Olive Ridley…
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Thailand’s auto manufacturing expects to reach 2.2 million
PHOTO: Autoinfo Car sales for 2019 are likely to increase thanks to the improved purchasing power of Thais as the agricultural sector returns better prices. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Phasu Loharachun, say the automotive industry is the main economic activity generating revenue for the country. Meanwhile, the total number of cars to be manufactured this year is expected…
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OPINION: A sad, but inevitable, farewell to The Nation daily
Sad news that after 48 years, The Nation Multimedia Group is shutting up shop on its daily newspaper. It’s final edition hit news stands around Thailand today (June 28). It wasn’t entirely unexpected and is a decision that every newspaper has either already made, is constantly reviewing or will have to make in the future, probably soon. The Nation Multimedia…
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One Thai, six Burmese arrested in northern Thailand
PHOTO: ThaiVisa A 36 year old Thai man has been arrested for allegedly smuggling six Burmese migrants across the border into Mae Hong Son’s Khun Yuam district. District officials stopped Pimarn Kannikar at a road checkpoint at 5pm on Wednesday night. He was riding a motorcycle. His Burmese passenger failed to present any travel documents. Following questioning, Pimarn later led…
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Manhunt for drug suspect who ran over policeman in Surat Thani
PHOTO: ThaiRath Surat Thani police are hunting for a drug suspect who allegedly ran over and killed a policeman while fleeing arrest in Ban Ta Khun district, west of Surat Thani, last night. The deputy provincial police chief says 46 year old Pol Sen Sgt Maj Poonkrit Buakaew was killed as he was shooting the tyres of a car that was…
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Huawei reassures customers that its roll-out is unaffected by US sanctions
Despite Huawei’s challenges posed by the US ban, the Chinese telecom firm says their 5G network momentum plunges forward around the world. Huawei is assuring governments and customers that its 5G equipment roll out and development will not be affected by the US sanctions. Huawei continue to challenge the US sanctions saying they are unfair and the allegations “lack substantial…
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Mariam Live – the Trang baby dugong show
Mariam LIVE. Coming soon to your laptop or smartphone. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) is preparing to live stream the daily life of the orphaned baby dugong Mariam currently being nursed at Koh Libong in Trang province. Mariam, now six months old and weighing 30 kilograms, is the latest internet star after being rescued in Krabi on…
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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…
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