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Weather for February 11
Bangkok Morning thunderstorms. High 32ºC. Winds S at 15 to 25 km/h. Chance of rain 60%. Phuket Generally clear. High 34ºC. Winds E at 25 to 40 km/h. Chiang Mai Generally clear. High 35ºC. Winds SE and variable. Pattaya Hua Hin Morning thunderstorms. High 31ºC. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 km/h. Chance of rain 60%. Ko…
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UPDATE: An ‘engine malfunction’ blamed for boat collision off Phuket
A number of Chinese tourists and boat crew were injured as a result of their speed boat hitting a small oil tanker off the east coast of Phuket on Saturday afternoon. At this stage the investigation reveals that the speedboat’s engine ‘malfunctioned’. (Is that like ‘brake failure’?) The oil tanker’s captain says that he had stopped the tanker to help…
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Khon Kaen faces its second week of crippling air pollution
The north-eastern hub of Khon Kaen heads into a new week still struggling with heavy air pollution that has persisted over the past week. The Air Quality Index peaked at 206 yesterday. All the readings in the region were well beyond safe limits. Smoke haze has also enveloped the main city, Chum Phae, Mancha Khiri, Kranuan, Ubol Rattana and Phra…
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Krabi restaurants fined for dumping wastewater into Ao Nang canal
PHOTO: ‘Thailandia Restaurant’, TripAdvisor.com Krabi health authorities have taken action against two restaurants in Ao Nang, Krabi for releasing wastewater into a canal that drains into the sea. Tourists in the area complained about the foul odours coming from the canal. Authorities say it has adversely affected tourism to the popular tourist spot. Deputy Krabi Governor Somkuan Khan-ngern has responded…
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EC meets tomorrow to discuss Thai Raksa Chart’s controversial PM nomination
The Election Commission is expected to meet tomorrow (Monday) to deliberate the Thai Raksa Chart party’s future following their nomination of Princess Ubolratana as a prime ministerial candidate in the March 24 election. But the EC’s secretary-general, Jarungvith Phumma, has declined to comment on the matter when asked about the party’s surprise Friday PM candidate, saying only that “all issues would…
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Thai AirAsia X flies to Brisbane June 2019. Thai Airways cut services to Australia.
PHOTO: Airbus Today Brisbane Airport announced that the low-cost carrier Thai AirAsia X would start operating from the Queensland capital flying to Bangkok four times a week from June 2019. This will be Thai AirAsia X’s first Australian destination and would be using the Airbus A330-300’s which have 12 premium seats available in a 2-2-2 layout, and 365 economy seats…
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Father and daughter killed traveling to Bangkok to apply for masters degree
A father and his daughter were killed after their car careered off the road in Lampang and hit a tree. Police say 58 year old Rongthep Ratanapipit was driving his daughter 22 year old Latthawan Ratanapipit from Chiang Mai to Bangkok to apply for master degree, when he apparently dozed off behind the wheel. The car crashed into a tree in…
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Yangon International Airport gears up for new flights, new destinations
PHOTO: MYANMORE Yangon International Airport is poised to welcome more airlines and passenger this year as travel demand grows following Myanmar’s relaxation of entry visa requirements at the end of 2018. The Yangon Aerodrome Company Limited, the company that manages Yangon’s international airport, says it’s increasing airport facilities and stepping up marketing to open new direct routes into the Burmese…
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40 year old Burmese woman dies in Nonthaburi car crash
A Burmese woman has been killed when the car she was a passenger in hit a concrete barrier on a road in Nonthaburi’s Bang Yai district, just north-west of the capital. Bang Yai police said the accident happened at 4.30am yesterday (Saturday) on the Bangkok-bound Kanchanapisek road in front of the Boonthong plants market in Tambon Saothong Hin. The…
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Can the Princess be PM?
Analysis The Princess was nominated. Her brother, HM Thai King, objected. Thai Raksa Chart postponed their campaign launch on Saturday morning. The PM and Election Commission have stayed silent. With the weekend allowing cooler heads to sift through yesterday’s events, next week it is hoped some clarity will emerge about the Princess’ nomination as a prime ministerial candidate that threw…
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Twelve injured in boat accident off Phuket – PHOTOS
PHOTOS: มานพ สิงห์ 8823 / Newshawk Phuket Twelve passengers were injured in a boat accident near Koh Rang off the east coast of Phuket. There was also one captain and a crew on the boat The Phuket PR reports that the speedboat’s name is ‘Kor Sainam’ and that it collided with another boat carrying the name ‘Chock Kreangkrai’. 12 passengers…
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14 carat gold necklace re-united with Russian woman in Pattaya
A 14 carat gold necklace has been re-united with its owner after police presented the jewelry back to her at a Pattaya media conference this morning. The 47 year old Russian woman shed tears of joy when police returned the necklace that was snatched from her late last month. She attended the media briefing at the Pattaya police station today…
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Thai Raksa Chart Party cancels China Town campaign launch today
The Thai Raksa Chart Party has cancelled plans today to launch their election campaign in Bangkok’s China Town. This follows a dramatic day yesterday when the party dropped a political bombshell by announcing that Princess Ubolratana was the party’s sole candidate for prime minister. Thai Raksa Chart leader Preechaphol Pongpanit stunned the media when he submitted the name of Princess…
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Two headless bodies found on Rayong beaches near Pattaya
PHOTOS: Sanook Two headless bodies have been found on Mae Rampueang Beach and PMY Beach in Rayong. The area the bodies were found is about 40 kilometres from Pattaya. The first one was a naked male headless body. Cut wounds were found on his neck. On his wrist police found found a distinguishing tattoo written in English alphabet. Police believe…
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North-east wallows in heavy air pollution, Bangkok improves
Bangkok has had a respite in the past week from almost two months of heavy air pollution. Whilst the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority, government and pollution control department dithered around with spurious explanations, the pollution persisted. Water cannons, fire departments spraying water from atop city towers, amateur drones flying tiny ‘clearing’ missions and asking factories to shut down, kept the media…
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More than 500,000 people say goodbye to Thai celebrity cat “Maew Askoe”
Over half a million people have gone online to bid their farewell to one of Thailands more celebrated stray cats. “Maew Asoke” meaning the cat of Asoke (a busy business district along Sukhumvit road in Bangkok) shot to stardom after being repeatedly spotted using the BTS in the area. Whether or not the feline paid for tickets is still in question.…
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Two Burmese arrested with 20 kilograms of ‘ice’ in SUV
PHOTO: Three Pagodas Border Pass in Kanchanaburi Two Burmese men have been arrested with 20 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine with a street value of around 30 million baht. The drugs were hidden in the modified gas tank of their SUV in Kanchanaburi’s Sangkhlaburi district yesterday morning. The police followed up on a tip-off about a Ford Everest SUV smuggling drugs…
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HM The King says sister’s candidacy ‘inappropriate’ and ‘unconstitutional’
Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn says his elder sister’s candidacy for prime minister in the March 24 election is “inappropriate” and “unconstitutional”. A strongly worded statement was issued around 11pm last night. It was the second time in less than 24 hours when the Palace had stepped into the murky realm of Thai politics. Earlier yesterday it was announced by the…
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“Princess cannot run for office” – King of Thailand
After a dramatic day in Thai politics yesterday, where the Thai Raksa Chart Party dropped a bombshell into the election campaign by nominating Princess Ubolratana, the King’s eldest sister, as a prime ministerial candidate, the drama continued last night with a statement from HM The King. The Thai monarch issued a strongly-worded statement around 11pm, prohibiting his older sister Princess Ubolratana…
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14 arrested in money-lending network raid
Fourteen suspects are now in custody over racketeering charges after police raided 30 locations in Bangkok and surrounding provinces. The crackdown was targeting the “Yai Jeab” illegal money-lending network. Immigration Police chief Pol Lt-General Surachate Hakparn says they were chasing 28 wanted persons and aiming to collect incriminating documents and seize assets. The simultaneous searches led to the arrest of…
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Election 2019: A challenge to the Princess’ nomination
PHOTO: The announcement this morning by the Thai Raksa Chart Party threw a political bombshell into the campaign – The Nation A leader of the People’s Reform Party has put in an urgent request for the Election Commission to rule whether the nomination of His Majesty the King’s eldest sister as a candidate for prime minister in the forthcoming election…
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Warning: Massage can be dangerous for pregnant women – Health ministry
Massage can be dangerous for women at different stages of their pregnancy. The warning was issued by the Public Health Ministry after a woman suffered a miscarriage and went into a coma after getting a foot massage in the Chiang Mai province. “Women who are less than three months into their pregnancy should avoid massage because it may lead to…
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Thai tourists abandoned at Suvarnabhumi after buying dodgy tour to South Korea
PHOTOS: The Tourist Police Bureau A Thai man has been arrested over the operation of an non-existent tour. He has abandoned five Thai tourists who had bought a tour to South Korea at Suvarnabhumi Airport this week. The Tourist Police report that 32 year old Thai man Puwanart Prakam was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport. He has failed to present a…
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American tourist dies after being found floating face down at Krabi beach
A 46 year old American tourist has died after falling unconscious while in the water at a beach in Ao Nang yesterday. The Ao Nang Police were notified about the incident at the beach between Koh Kai (Chicken Island) and Koh Yawasam by the Krabi Tourist Assistance Centre (TAC). The male tourist was identified as a 46 year old American…
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Two Uzbek women arrested in Pattaya over theft and overstaying visa
PHOTOS: The Tourist Police Bureau The Pattaya Tourist Police have arrested two Uzbek women in Pattaya, Chon Buri after stealing items from a Pakistani man. The Tourist Police Bureau reported that a 29 year old woman, Akhmadiva Nargiza, was charged with theft. Her compatriot, 43 year old Sidikova Nasiba, was also charged with theft and overstaying her visa. Police have…
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Phuket Governor confirms there is enough water in Phuket
PHOTO: Bang Wad Dam, Kathu The Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana has confirmed that Phuket has enough water supplies for residential use without restrictions. The PWA announced start dates for odd/even day water restrictions to start in some areas of the island from today (Friday). But a day after the announcement, the PWA followed up by cancelling the restrictions. Read more…
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Princess Ubolratana running for the March 24 Thai election
The Thai Raksa Chart Party has thrown Thai politics into chaos after it nominated Princess Ubolratana Mahidol as its candidate as prime minister. The princess is His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s elder sister. Thai Raksa Chart Party nominated Princess Ubolratana as its candidate to be prime minister this morning. Today is the final day for political parties to announce candidates and…
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Weather for February 8
Bangkok Generally clear. High 34ºC. Winds S at 10 to 15 km/h. Phuket Thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. High 31ºC. E winds shifting to S at 15 to 25 km/h. Chance of rain 60%. Chiang Mai Generally clear. High 35ºC. Winds ENE and variable. Pattaya Generally clear. High 31ºC. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 km/h. Hua Hin Generally clear.…
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Motorbike driver “flew five metres” in Krabi road incident
A male motorist has sustained serious injuries after a car collided with his motorbike in Krabi. The Krabi City Police were notified of an accident on Krabi – Ao Nang Road in Kabi City yesterday afternoon. Police and rescue workers arrived to find a damaged white Mazda sedan on the road. Nearby found a damaged motorbike. On the side of…
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