News

  • Economy NewsAirline on brink of collapse, TG president warns

    Airline on brink of collapse, TG president warns

    The president of Thai Airways has announced that the national flag carrier is in deep financial trouble and may have to fold unless staff members unite to work harder. He also said that there may still be time, though not much, to save the company. “Otherwise speculation that THAI is going bankrupt will materialize and there is a chance that…

  • World NewsHuman hair trade exploits ASEAN women

    Human hair trade exploits ASEAN women

    Hair extensions have become an essential part of the multi-billion-dollar hair industry, with estimated annual sales of 250 million to over 1 billion USD. Based on a 2018 Research and Markets report, the global hair, wigs and extension market is expected to surpass 10 billion USD by 2023. Raw human hair has significant commercial value: it’s a coveted commodity to…

  • World NewsThai Airways announces cancellation of six routes to four ASEAN destinations

    Thai Airways announces cancellation of six routes to four ASEAN destinations

    The President of Thai Airways International says the airline is set to cancel six flight routes to Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar. The Nation reports that Sumeth Damrongchaitham says the routes in question are all from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport to Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Phnom Penh, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and Yangon. “These routes are all covered by a small number…

  • NewsTax on salt content being considered

    Tax on salt content being considered

    The Excise Department is considering imposing a tax on the salt content of food to encourage food producers to reduce the sodium content of snacks, instant noodles and seasoning cubes. The director of the Office of Tax Planning said that the department is discussing a limit on the amount of sodium food can contain, in line with the standard set…

  • NewsThai government plans to issue guidelines for watching Bryde’s whales in Chonburi

    Thai government plans to issue guidelines for watching Bryde’s whales in Chonburi

    The Director of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources says guidelines are needed for Bryde’s whale watching after more than twenty tourists rode jet-skis on a whale-watching trip in Chonburi last week. The Nation reports that Yutthaphon Ankinandana, who is an adviser to the Minister for Natural Resources and the Environment visited the area shortly after and said such…

  • Hot NewsNoble consort has Royal titles removed

    Noble consort has Royal titles removed

    The Nation reports that Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi has had her “noble consort” (Chao Khun Phra) title removed by King Rama X along with her military rank. Yesterday, The Royal Gazette reported that His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua had recalled Sineenat’s Royal citing undesirable behaviour and disloyalty to the Royal Family. It also reported that Sineenat had been opposed to…

  • Phuket News30 dolphins greet visitors to Similan Islands

    30 dolphins greet visitors to Similan Islands

    Tourists were treated to the sight of a school of dolphins in the Similan Islands off the Phang Nga coast on Sunday. Tour organisers said that around 30 dolphins swam close to the boat six or seven miles offshore, creating excitement for passengers. It was the first time dolphins had been seen in the vicinity since October 15. The Similan…

  • Economy NewsAsia leads the world in medical tourism

    Asia leads the world in medical tourism

    Over the past ten years, Asia has become a favourite destination for medical tourism for people from around the world. Besides the white sand beaches, historic monuments and rich cultural legacy, healthcare in Asia is now a major attraction. From transplants and surgeries to dental procedures and botox, people are turning to Asia. But what makes Asia the most popular…

  • South Thailand NewsWhale freed by drilling team in Gulf of Thailand

    Whale freed by drilling team in Gulf of Thailand

    On Saturday six drilling team members at Erawan offshore field spent about 30 minutes cutting a rope tied to the tail of a Bryde’s whale that apparently swam towards the structure seeking help, according to the Bangkok Post. The rope was believed to have been tied to its tail by fishermen after the whale became trapped in a net, but…

  • News3 killed as car skids into canal

    3 killed as car skids into canal

    A man and two women were killed after a car skidded off a road and plunged into a roadside canal in Phimai district of Nakhon Ratchasima on Sunday afternoon, according to police. Police and rescuers rushed to the scene after being informed of the accident, which occurred at about 2.50pm. At the scene, they found Toyota car submerged upside down…

  • NewsPM will act on opposition’s recommendations

    PM will act on opposition’s recommendations

    Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Saturday that he was satisfied with the deliberations over the budget bill in the previous two days and promised to act on the constructive suggestions offered by opposition parties. Regarding the 400 billion baht allocated for the Central Fund, the Prime Minister admitted that the figure seems high, but it actually isn’t when measured…

  • Northern Thailand NewsEarthquake could hit Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai

    Earthquake could hit Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai

    A magnitude 4.1 tremor shook seven districts of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai on Friday night, prompting the Department of Mineral Resources to warn that the two northern provinces could face a magnitude 5 earthquake within ten years. The prediction is based on analysis of movements in the Mae Tha fault lines, including the 5.1 ML quake in December 2006,…

  • NewsForeigner arrested for exchange counter robbery

    Foreigner arrested for exchange counter robbery

    A foreign man was arrested after robbing a currency exchange counter in a Bangkok bank on 16 October. Police worked with Immigration officers and the tourist police to arrest the man, whose nationality has yet to be confirmed. The man walked to a Government Savings Bank Currency Exchange Counter before pulling out a knife and threatening a clerk. He then…

  • Things To DoTop 10 most boring news stories

    Top 10 most boring news stories

    In the media we have ‘slow news days’. These days are when you scroll through countless feeds and articles to find something, anything, worth writing about. Then the deadline looms and you have to publish something. Then there are those glorious moments when something get published that really should never have been. But being the internet. these magic moments will…

  • Northern Thailand NewsSoi Dog assisting displaced animals in flood-ravaged north east Thailand

    Soi Dog assisting displaced animals in flood-ravaged north east Thailand

    PHOTO: Fox News The record flooding in September in the province of Ubon Ratchathani, north east Thailand, lead to the destruction of many homes, the fleeing of hundreds of people to safe areas and the subsequent leaving behind of many owned pets, as well as the displacement of a large number of stray animals who live in the area. The…

  • Business NewsThai Airways under pressure to deliver workable business plan

    Thai Airways under pressure to deliver workable business plan

    Thai Airways is coming under more pressure, after being given 30 days to deliver its new rehabilitation and business plans. Thaworn Senniam, the Deputy Transport Minister, gave the instruction yesterday while meeting with the executive of the national carrier for an update on its financial status. He says the business plan must provide clear information on how the fortunes of…

  • Crime NewsNorwegian out on bail following death of British man at Centara Grand Resort in Phuket

    Norwegian out on bail following death of British man at Centara Grand Resort in Phuket

    SCREENSHOT: bbc.com The bbc.com are reporting that a British man died at the Centara Grand Hotel in Phuket in a fight after telling another guest to “keep the noise down” as his wife and son tried to sleep, according to the man’s family. The details in the BBC report conflict with earlier local reports out of Phuket. The BBC report…

  • Technology NewsHuawei technology working with the ‘smart city’ project in Phuket

    Huawei technology working with the ‘smart city’ project in Phuket

    Huawei Technologies impressed participants at this week’s ASEAN Smart Cities Network Conference & Exhibition in Bangkok with its white paper on smart city development in Phuket. The paper aims to drive Thailand 4.0 initiatives to pave the way for major digital and infrastructure development in Phuket, one of Thailand’s pilot smart cities, and to provide insights and guidance on an…

  • Road deathsTwo people and 1,000 chickens die in Pathum Thani collision

    Two people and 1,000 chickens die in Pathum Thani collision

    PHOTO: คนช่วยคน จ.ปทุมธานี สายด่วน 1669 Two trailer trucks have collided in Pathum Thani, to the north of Bangkok, killing two people and around 1,000 chickens. The driver and a female passenger were heard screaming for help as their vehicle burst into flames. The chicken were being transported in the back of the truck. Police were alerted at 3.10am about the…

  • Tourism NewsProposal to offer 15 day visa-free travel to Chinese and Indian visitors steam-rolled

    Proposal to offer 15 day visa-free travel to Chinese and Indian visitors steam-rolled

    The new Thai Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn’s proposal to provide 15 day visa-free travel to Chinese and Indian tourists, was steam-rolled yesterday by Cabinet. The cabinet resolved instead to extend the fee waiver on visas for visitors from China, India and other countries in the program. The program will now be extended beyond October 31 this year to…

  • Thailand NewsThai GM’s diesel plant in Rayong builds 500,000th engine

    Thai GM’s diesel plant in Rayong builds 500,000th engine

    GM Powertrain Thailand has produced its 500,000th four-cylinder Duramax turbo-diesel engine, a production milestone since production officially started in 2011. GM announced that the Rayong plant is the first GM facility in the world to produce the engine. Hector Villarreal, president of GM Southeast Asia says the Duramax engines serve as the heart of the company’s ‘Colorado’ and ‘Trailblazer’ models. “They…

  • Business NewsIndustry minister says exporters will still need help to work-around strong Thai currency

    Industry minister says exporters will still need help to work-around strong Thai currency

    The strong Thai baht is still a big problem for Thailand’s industries, exports and tourism, key drivers of the Thai economy. The baht’s strength has been partly driven by Thailand’s high current account surplus of US$17 billion this year, attracting investment in the currency as a ‘safe haven’. Industry Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit says the ministry will continue to support exporters…

  • Thailand NewsThai couple spend 1.5 million baht on tomb for their pug dog

    Thai couple spend 1.5 million baht on tomb for their pug dog

    PHOTOS: khaosod.co.th A couple in Kanchanaburi Province has spent 1.5 million baht to build an elaborate ‘romanesque’ mausoleum for their pug dog who died of old age. In a rather macabre attempt at preservation, they have arranged two refrigerated coffins to ‘preserve’ their beloved woofer. Defying Buddhist convention for the deceased, the owners are keeping their dog on ice instead…

  • Tourism NewsThai tourism will be badly hit if Hong Kong airport mayhem continues

    Thai tourism will be badly hit if Hong Kong airport mayhem continues

    The mayhem at the Hong Kong airport could cost Thailand tourism 1.4 billion baht in lost income according to the Kasikorn Research Centre. The centre estimates the Thai tourism industry would be adversely hit if flights from Hong Kong are disrupted for more than seven days and notes that the number of flights cancelled, heading to Thailand, have already cost…

  • Phuket NewsThree injured in motorbike accident in Phuket Town

    Three injured in motorbike accident in Phuket Town

    PHOTOS: Phuket Volunteer Rescue Three people sustained injuries in a motorbike accident last night at Nimit Circle in Phuket Town, on the east of Phuket. The roundabout has eight lanes of traffic feeding into the same circle of traffic. Emergency responders were notified of the accident at ‘Seahorse Circle’ at 9:05pm last night. Phuket Volunteer rescue workers arrived to find…

  • Bangkok NewsThai mother abandons newborn baby next to rubbish bins

    Thai mother abandons newborn baby next to rubbish bins

    PHOTO MONTAGE: Sanook A 29 year old Thai woman has been arrested after she drove with another son on a motorcycle and dumped her newborn baby boy next to rubbish bins, in a bag. The mother told police she already had four children and couldn’t afford another. Sanook reports that Pho Kaew, Nakorn Pathom police were called after the baby was…

  • Technology NewsPhuket’s media shuffles – the news leaders

    Phuket’s media shuffles – the news leaders

    Phuket’s media is going through a minor revolution. A lot of work is going into spreading local news for an island of some 450,000 locals and 12 million annual tourists (who are unlikely to read any local news media anyway). Roll back 20 years and the local leader in the media was the Phuket Gazette which lasted as an English-speaking…

  • Koh Samui NewsFrench man nabbed on suspicion of operating a taxi

    French man nabbed on suspicion of operating a taxi

    PHOTO: Manager Online Koh Samui police interviewed a foreign man who had been accepting money after taking tourists to the port on Koh Samui. The man denied he had been running a taxi service saying he was just helping friends. Thai operators, particularly taxi services on Samui, are claiming that foreigners were increasingly taking jobs reserved for Thais. Locals say Europeans,…

  • Pattaya News25 year old arrested over theft of gold jewellery valued over 2 million baht in Pattaya

    25 year old arrested over theft of gold jewellery valued over 2 million baht in Pattaya

    PHOTOS: The Nation An employee of a hotel in Pattaya has been arrested over the alleged robbery of a gold shop in Pattaya. He netted 1.65 kilograms of gold jewellery with a value of 2.18 million baht at the weekend. 35 year old Sornchai Nilsonthi is accused of robbing the Suppatra Yaowaraj gold shop at the Big C shopping mall…

  • Thailand NewsHappy National Elephant Day – March 13

    Happy National Elephant Day – March 13

    The annual National Thai Elephant Day was held yesterday, March 13, to celebrate and draw public attention for more concerted efforts to save the species and protect its habitat including showcasing how important the species is to the country. Thailand has witnessed a severe decline in elephant numbers with less than 3,000 wild elephants now remaining in the kingdom. Here’s…