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Fishermen say they will protest fishing bans off Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
Fishermen in Nakhon Si Thammarat are warning of mass protests against the provincial governor if he doesn’t act and allow them to fish legally in the seas off the provincial coast. The south Thailand fishermen say they’re being harassed by fishery officials. 500 local fishermen gathered yesterday to air their grievances to the newly elected Palang Pracharat MP for the…
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Sixteen AK-47 rifles found in north-east Thailand water well
by Wijit Choonhakitkajorn – The Nation Sixteen AK-47 rifles in four fertiliser sacks were found behind a palm plantation in a well in Surin’s Buachet district, in Thailand’s north-east, right on the Cambodian border. Police in Cha-ngok village in Tambon Sadao were alerted by the village headman who says that one of his villagers had found the arms cache in…
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Elderly Thai couple die in Krabi road smash
An elderly couple have died after a collision between a speeding pickup truck and motorbike sidecar in Krabi. Plai Phraya Police were notified of the accident this morning at 11am on the Southern Seaboard Road in Plai Phraya. Police and emergency responders arrived at the scene to find the bodies of a 78 year old man Somjit Aolueknua and 79 year…
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21 undocumented Burmese migrants found in Songkhla, alleged Thai trafficker arrested
FILE PHOTO: Malay Mail A Thai man has been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle 21 undocumented Burmese migrants from Thailand’s south across the border into Malaysia. A resort in Tambon Patong of Songkhla’s Hat Yai district was searched by soldiers and police earlier today (Monday) and discovered five Burmese men and two women in two of the rooms. Their account…
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Private sector waits for new economic ministers to raise investor confidence
The private sector says they’re waiting to see the new ministers emerge from the current negotiations that will be in charge of economic portfolios, who may raise the confidence of investors. Meanwhile, the Consumer Confidence Index was at 77.7 in for the month of May, the lowest in 19 months. Thanawat Pholvichai, director of University of the Thai Chamber of…
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Australian dies after falling from hotel balcony in Patong
An allegedly drunk Australian man has died after falling from a hotel in Patong yesterday. Patong Police were notified of the incident at the C&N Hotel on Rat-U-thit 200 Pi Road in central Patong. Police and emergency responders arrived at the scene to find the injured man, identified by police as 33 year old Daniel Jon Partridge, an Australian national. He was…
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Democrats say, as far as they’re concerned, nothing has changed
“Everything is OK. There have been no changes to ministry portfolios. The Democrat seats in Cabinet are secure.” Democrat Party leader Jurin Laksanavisit has been dismissive this morning about weekend reports of factional members within Palang Pracharat wanting to reclaim ministries in the new parliament. He says confusion over the ministerial portfolios in the new government arose after members of…
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‘Phoenix’ fails to attract any bidders at auction. Sits rotting in Phuket boatyard.
Last month’s auction to sell Phoenix, the tour boat that capsized causing the drowning of 47 Chinese tourists on July 5 last year, has failed to secure a buyer. Meanwhile the cursed vessel sits gathering dust and accumulating storage fees of 100,000 baht per month at the Rassada boat yard in Phuket. The boat went up for auction last month…
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Four metre python caught in Koh Kaew, Phuket
PHOTOS: Kusoldarm Foundation A four metre python has been caught in Koh Kaew over the weekend. Kusoldharm rescue workers were notified of the reptile trying to hide in a roof space at a house in Soi Koh Kaew 1. Rescue workers arrived at the home to find the python above the kitchen in the ceiling. Four rescue workers took about one…
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One million come out to protest in Hong Kong over China’s new extradition law
Huge crowds, estimated to be over 1 million, massed in Hong Kong over the weekend to protest against pro-beijing leaders allowing extraditions to the mainland. The demonstrations were the largest in the international finance hub since the 1997 handover when the region was returned from Britain (which ‘leased’ the colony for 99 years) back to China. Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing leaders…
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Taxi drives on wrong side of the road, collides with sedan, injures two
Two people have been injured after a Toyota Camry crashed into a taxi driving the wrong way along a road in Pathum Thani’s Lat Lum Kaew district, just north of Bangkok. The sedan overturned from the impact, injuring both the 38 year old driver Tamisa Pengchaem and front-seat passenger, 31 year old Amorn Yindeemak. The 42 year old taxi driver Weerachai…
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Six killed, three injured at intersection in Prachuap Khiri Khan
by Piyarat Nildee, The Nation Six people have died and another three injured after a pickup truck carrying seven people collided with a six-wheel crane truck at an intersection in Prachuap Khiri Khan province. The incident was reported to have happened at 11am yesterday (Sunday) at the Bo Nok-Dan Singkhon Road intersects Petchkasem Highway in Tambon Ao Noi. Emergency responders…
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Not negotiable. Democrats and Bhumjaithai draw a line in the Thai political sand
PHOTO: Bhumjaithai leader, Anutin Charnvirakul Bhumjaithai want to retain the Transport portfolio, as promised. The Democrats say they will not ‘return’ the Agriculture or Commerce portfolios, as it was promised. The deals were struck with the Palang Pracharat in the final hours before the parliamentary election of the next PM to secure votes for their candidate, Prayut Chan-o-cha. Both Bhumjaithai…
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We cast our eyes into Thailand’s political crystal ball
The new Thai government, still being legoed together after more than two months since the election, is fragile at best, terminal at worst. The government faces serious problems, no matter if you see it as a defacto military rule, a democratic hatchet job or a fair election (cough). • Prime Minister Prayut will now face lengthy debates, and even ridicule,…
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Little Marium growing up in a Dugong Thai nursery
Marium, an orphaned baby dugong found along the Krabi shore two months ago, will remain in the care of a dugong nursery on Koh Libong in Trang for at least six more months. ‘Marium’ means ‘beautiful woman of the sea’. Chaiyapruek Weerawong, head of the Koh Libong Wildlife Preserve, says the female dugong would then be released in the open…
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Facing headwinds in 2019, Thai economy looks better for 2020
The Thai economy is projected to grow 3.8% in 2019, slightly below last year’s 4.2%. The main reason is slower growth in the global economy. thailand-business-news.com reports that this is likely to lead to a deceleration in Thai exports and tourism, which will impact domestic consumption. But the report says that foreign direct investment and government stimulus measures could prop up…
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Grab adds another layer of riding security in Malaysia. Selfies.
If you’ve used the e-hailing alternative ‘Grab’ you’ll know how easy it is to use as it continues to disrupt traditional taxi and tuk tuk services around the region. In Malaysia they’ve just added another level of security for users and it will be applicable for Thais or other foreigners using Grab when in Malaysia. In Malaysia it will now…
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Driver shot at Songkhla checkpoint after shootout with soldiers
PHOTO: ISOC Region 4 Forward Command Soldiers have shot a suspected drug courier as he tried to speed through a checkpoint following an exchange of gunfire with soldiers. The incident took place in the Saba Yoi district, in front of a school, last night around 8pm. Saba Yoi is the southern-most district in the province of Songkhla. 42 year old…
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Two US tourists fined and awaiting deportation for graffiti
The two Americans, who had been arrested in Pattaya after spray painting a pick-up and walls in Sampeng, Bangkok, have been fined and are awaiting deportation. The acting Thai immigration chief Lt-Gen Sompong Chingduang says the pair have been fined 5,000 baht and are likely to be deported in the next two days. The 28 and 24 year old Americans…
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Government set to clampdown on overcharging in the pet medical care industry
Not content with just clamping down on some of the excesses of the Private Hospital system for humans in Thailand, the government is now planning to keep an eye on the prices of medication, medical supplies and medical services at pet clinics and pet hospitals as well. As with the Thai private hospital system a swell of complaints about high…
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Chinese tourists found dead in a Chiang Mai five-star hotel
Chiang Mai police are investigating the deaths of two Chinese tourists found in the same room at a five-star hotel on Chiang Mai’s Chang Khlan Road. Police reported yesterday that the men died days apart. The first tourist was believed to have died in his bed two or three days before being found, and the second was believed to have…
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Dumped shredded Thai baht notes found on the Trat roadside
by Poonsak Boonloy Confetti? Leftovers from a paper cannon? No, shredded and dumped Thai bank notes in far eastern Thailand. A large amount of the shredded banknotes, with denominations of 20, 50 and 500 baht, were found dumped on the roadside in Ban Khok Moo 5 of Tambon Nong Samet in Trat’s main city area yesterday. Pol Captain Somphok Srichuchit…
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Overstaying Russian tries to change his Thai visa stamp with a pen, badly
PHOTO: Naewna.com It seemed like such a good idea at the time. A Russian man has been caught on overstay at the Klong Leuk border checkpoint in Sa Kaeo, directly to the east of Bangkok on the Cambodian border. Trying to enter Cambodia, the man told immigration he changed the last visa stamp with his own pen. 32 year old…
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‘Ministry deals’ in tatters – Palang Pracharat revoke cabinet post promises
“One source, a core leader in Phalang Pracharat, confirmed the previous deals had been revoked.” Thailand’s hosting of the ASEAN Summit from June 20 to 23 is forcing Palang Pracharat members to stitch together its government and sort out key ministerial posts before the event. More than two months after the election, and following the election of a PM that…
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Bangkok tackles heavy rain in the lead up tonight’s peak hour
PHOTOS: JS100 Radio Bangkok has been hit by localised strong winds and heavy rain this afternoon, causing floods and traffic jams around the Chatuchak Weekend Market, Kasetsart, Ramkhamhaeng, Phaholyothin, Ladphrao, Prachacheun, Prachanukul and Ratchadapisek. https://www.facebook.com/js100radio/videos/473356473408786/ Jor Sor 100 traffic radio was also inundated with images of flooded roads and damage caused by the downpour. Some cars parked in the Rama…
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Final design for Phuket Light Rail wrapped up next week
A final design of light rail (tram) project in Phuket should be concluded by next week as a dispute over how the rail structure will be laid is close to being settled. Deputy Transport Minister Pailin Chuchottaworn says recent talks have been focussing on the design of tram track construction along some of the densely populated areas from the airport…
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Phuket warned of flash flood and land slides – VIDEO
PHOTOS/VIDEO: Phuket Traffic Report / Newshawk Phuket A warning was issued yesterday for Phuketians to be aware of flash floods and potential landslides after long hours of rain yesterday, especially in the central areas of the island, including Thalang. The announcement was issued yesterday by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket Office to the Phuket Governor and the…
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Is Airbnb taking over the Thai hotel industry?
Airbnb is posing a less significant threat to hotels in Thailand than expected, but its influence in the longer term should not be underestimated, according to real estate company JLL Offering new alternatives to travellers, Airbnb is certainly taking some of the wind out of the sails of the traditional hotel accommodation model. However, findings from Jone Lang Lasalle (JLL) shows…
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Phew! No prostitutes in Pattaya’s Walking Street – Police
PHOTO: Pattaya Update News A contingent of 20+ officials, police, soldiers and tourist police have done a walk-thru inspection of Pattaya’s red light district, Walking Street. They were glad to report that there was no prostitution being conducted in the area. Pattaya Update News reports that the taskforce joined with Department of Provincial Administration to inspect the infamous area for…
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Sex toys, fake Viagra and e-cigarettes rounded up in Bangkok raid
SCREENSHOTS: TNA-MCOT Sex toys, fake Viagra and Kamagra pills, e-cigarettes and vaping fluids have been rounded up in a raid by the Internal Security Operations Command in Nana markets last night. Officials report 20,000 items valued at more than 5 million baht were seized during the raid between Sois 3 and 17. Officials also say they confiscated fake brand-name shirts being…
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