Thai
- World News
Thai Alex Albon scores podium finish in Tuscan Formula One GP
Red Bull will be grateful for the good PR today as British-born, Thai Formula One racer, Alex Albon, thanked the energy drink sponsors for their “faith” after he came third in last night’s incident-prone Tuscan Grand Prix, his first Formula One GP podium finish. The 24 year old finished in third place behind the Mercedes drivers to become the first Thai on…
- Thailand News
Thai schools look to recruit 20,000 English and Chinese language teachers
Thailand’s Education Minister has announced plans to recruit up to 10,000 native English-speaking teachers. Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan says the ministry wants improve Thai students’ English-language proficiency “as soon as the situation is safe to do so”. He also noted that the Ministry also wanted to source up to 10,000 Chinese teachers as well. He noted that there are already 7,000 foreign…
- Thailand News
22% rise in suicide cases indicates links with Thai economy and lockdowns
An apparent rise in Thailand’s suicide rate, related to the country’s current business conditions, restrictions and ongoing world pandemic, is concerning health officials. The data was announced yesterday, to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day, The Mental Health Department has released a report indicating 2,551 people had killed themselves from January to the end of July, 2020. That is up a…
- Pattaya News
American and Thai in critical condition after motorbike incident in Pattaya
A US citizen has been hit by a motorbike around 1am on Pattaya’s Beach Road. The driver of the motorbike was also seriously injured in the incident. The American’s name has not been released by Police at this stage. When Sawang Boriboon Rescue responders arrived they found the American in shock with severe head injuries. But he was conscious at…
- Thailand News
Home-grown cannabis bill ready for parliament review
Cannabis could be grown at home, if a draft revision to the Thai Narcotics Act is passed. Those who want to grow cannabis, both for personal use or to sell, would need permission from the Food and Drug Administration. The bill is ready to be reviewed by parliament. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says he is going to keep pushing…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand is prepared for a 2nd wave of the coronavirus, health officials say
Thailand is prepared for a second wave of the coronavirus, according to the country’s public health officials. While there hasn’t been any local transmissions recently, numbers are on the rise in other countries and Thailand’s hospitals have stocked up on supplies to be prepared for any potential second outbreak of Covid-19. A 29 year old British woman tested positive for…
- Crime News
Phuket man arrested for posing as a monk, asking for money
A man allegedly posing as a monk to solicit donations and 3 others allegedly involved in the scam were arrested by Phuket police. Some complaints regarding the fake monk had reached the governor. Police say they found a man dressed in the orange robe and 3 others sitting in the back of a pickup truck with a bag full of money.…
- Politics News
Thai critics abroad get threatening packages
Threatening packages have been sent to 3 Thai critics of the monarchy that live overseas including well-known Thai journalist Jom Petchapradad and Red Shirt activist Phontip Weeden who both live in Los Angeles in the US. Another who received a package was Andrew MacGregor Marshall, a Scottish journalist and writer of the 2014 book “A Kingdom in Crisis,” which is…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok visa agent arrested for fake extensions
If you’re looking into getting a visa, be careful what agency you choose. A Bangkok visa agent was arrested for allegedly forging visa extensions. Reports say the woman was charging thousands of baht for the fake extensions. The 33 year old woman Thai media reports as Sukanya has a shop in northern Bangkok advertised as a visa agency. A Burmese…
- Politics News
Democrats say ‘no’ to submarine proposal
Democrats give a hard “no” to the proposed plan to go ahead with the purchase of 2 submarines from China said to have a price ticket of 22.5 billion baht. They say the money would be better spent on coronavirus relief efforts rather than on new submarines for the Royal Thai Navy, according to the party’s deputy leader Prinn Panitchpakdi.…
- Politics News
Navy defends their purchase of 2 new Chinese submarines
“…disputes involving territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea have been ongoing, with major powers getting involved” After coming under criticism over the weekend over the decision to go ahead with the purchase of 2 Chinese submarines, the Royal Thai Navy faced the media yesterday. The hashtag #PeopleSayNoToSubs has been trending since the budget allocation was passed by…
- Politics News
Royal Thai Navy front media today to explain purchase of 2 Chinese submarines
After the outcry over a house budget committee’s decision to approve the purchase of another 2 Chinese submarine’s last week, the Royal Thai Navy will front the media today to explain the controversial 22.5 billion baht acquisition. A Royal Thai Navy source has told Thai PBS World that “a clarification is necessary”, because members from the Pheu Thai party had…
- World News
Malaysia returning vehicles left behind by Thais
Malaysia is returning vehicles left behind by Thais who left when Kuala Lumpur imposed a lockdown to combat the spread of Covid-19. The first batch was returned yesterday via the Sungai Kolok immigration checkpoint. They were handed over to Thai authorities about 5pm. The chief of Sungai Kolok district in the southern border province of Narathiwat said Thais living in…
- Crime News
Immigration police nab American, Thai wife for visa forgery, cannabis
Immigration police yesterday announced the arrest of an American, and his Thai wife for allegedly forging visas and other government documents, as well as growing cannabis, at their home. 31 year old Chad Vincent Scira, and his 34 year old Thai wife Grace Scira, were apprehended at their Bangkok home. “The suspects established a company called Thai Visa Centre, offering…
- Pattaya News
Crazed knife-wielding man arrested in Pattaya while threatening others
An unnamed Thai man has been arrested on Pattaya’s Beach Road and charged with causing a public disturbance after wielding a large knife and attempting to cut his own throat while threatening bystanders. The man was shirtless and rambling incoherently, with drugs or alcohol suspected to be involved. The Pattaya News reports that the man stole the knife from a…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand’s tourist magnets deserted and desperate
The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, bird flu, SARS, political upheavals, passenger boats sinking. None of these have had anywhere near the effect of this year’s Covid-19 pandemic in Thailand. Visitor numbers, even from the usually enthusiastic Tourism Authority of Thailand, are expected to plummet up to 80% for the year. The other 20% mostly visited the Kingdom in the first…
- Economy News
“I already lost heart years ago” – Thailand’s economic Tzar ponders his fate
Thailand’s Deputy PM and leading economic advisor, Somkid Jatusripitak, has acknowledged his fate if PM Prayut Chan-o-cha decides to reshuffle the cabinet. “A decision to shake up the cabinet is the prerogative of the prime minister.” “I have been prepared for a long time. I am old now. I already lost heart years ago.” Mr Somkid has long been proclaimed…
- Environment News
Thai agriculture minister to take a delegation on a coconut harvesting tour
The ‘Monkey Business’ story has drawn a lot of attention following the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ companies about alleged abuse and misuse of trained macaque monkeys to pick Thai coconuts for commercial purposes. After a week of articles, videos and debate about the relative merits of using monkeys to pick coconuts, the Thai Agriculture Minister formerly invited…
- Covid-19 News
5 new imported cases- Covid-19 update (July 6)
The Thai government has reported 5 new imported cases of Covid-19, bringing the Kingdom’s total tally to 3,195 with 58 deaths. Thai nationals made up the new cases, as they reportedly recently returned from Kuwait and are currently in state quarantine. Currently, one person has been added to the total amount of recovered cases in the past 24 hours, bring…
- Economy News
Thai Airways to shed only 5% of employees, while appointing new president
Debt-ridden Thai Airways has confirmed that it will only shed 5% of its 20,000 employees as part of its reorganisation. The former president of the carrier’s labour union says he met with the rehab panel, along with union and airline staff representatives, with the panel now aiming to cut only 5% of the airline’s workforce-down from the initial target of…
- Transport News
Thai Air Asia to resume all domestic routes, flights in July
Thai Air Asia will return to full domestic services in Thailand during July, with all routes and flights back in action for a total of 23 destinations and 25 routes. The announcement was made this afternoon. Thai Air Asia’s CEO told Associated Press that the airline has been slowly ramping up its domestic routes since May and is now ready…
- Covid-19 News
Thai PM concerned about “second wave” of virus when Thailand’s nightlife resumes
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has voiced his concerns about the re-opening the country’s bars, clubs, and other nightlife that may lead to a second wave of the Covid-19 virus. It’s currently proposed, but not finalised, that Phase 5 easing of restrictions would allow pubs, bars, and other entertainment venues to re-open from July 1. The precise guidelines imposed on re-opening…
- Business News
Thai exports hit new low, pandemic to blame
Thailand’s exports have dropped drastically and the Thai Ministry of Commerce blames the coronavirus pandemic for the low levels and the shrinking supply and demand market. In a report released yesterday, exports for May are the lowest they’ve been in 4 years. Worldwide lockdowns have caused production in Thailand to take a plunge, according to the director-general of the commerce…
- Crime News
Thai cabinet endorses raising age of criminal responsibility
The Cabinet has approved a draft bill increasing the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 in line with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It also gave the go-ahead to changing the age during which measures other than criminal punishments can be applied, from 10-15 to to 12-15, under the same code. The changes are…
- Covid-19 News
Covid-19: 1 new imported case, 27 days with no local transmissions (June 21)
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration this morning announced 1 new case of Covid-19 discovered in state quarantine over the previous 24 hours. The case is a 6 year old Thai boy who recently returned from South Africa on a repatriation flight. Thailand has reached 27 consecutive days without a domestically transmitted case. As of today, the total number of…
- Business News
Thai Airways staff balk at cuts in perks and benefits
The Labour Ministry will invite the management of Thai Airways International for talks over a complaint submitted on Friday to the ministry by the airline’s labour union over unreasonable cuts in work benefits, especially healthcare welfare. Nares Puengyaem, the president of Thai Airway’s labour union, together with two representatives of State Enterprises Workers’ Relations Confederation , yesterday submitted to…
- Politics News
Thai LGBT advocates push for equal rights for same-sex marriage
LGBT equality advocates are calling on Thailand to allow same-sex marriage, asking that laws regarding marriage simply change the words “man and woman” so same-sex couples can have the same rights as traditional married couples. A Civil Partnership Bill allows same-sex couples to register in a civil union, but the so-called “partnerships” are not treated the same as marriages. If…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Tuesday, June 16
To register for the Thaiger Flash Property Sale log in HERE. It all start this Thursday at midday! Outrage over 75,000 baht travel allowance for senior execs at Thai Airways The deputy leader of Thailand’s Democrat Party says Thai’s should be outraged by the disclosure that Thai Airways senior management have been getting a 75,000 baht “travel allowance”. He decries…
- Transport News
Thai Airways takes action to protect its planes from seizure
Struggling national flag carrier Thai Airways is petitioning 3 countries to protect its assets, including aircraft, from seizure by creditors. Government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat made the announcement yesterday. The cabinet was informed about the filing of debt rehabilitation requests in foreign countries by Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam, who chairs the committee tasked with coordinating a solution to the airline’s problems.…
- Business News
Thai Airways petitions overseas creditors not to confiscate its aircraft
Thailand’s beloved but beleaguered national carrier is appealing to creditors in Switzerland, Japan and Germany not to seize its aircraft, while a similar request is being prepared for US creditors. If each country’s court approves the petition, Thai Airways assets will be protected against seizure when they fly into their jurisdictions. In particular, the airline will not risk having its…
