Thailand
- Property
Demand for residential property returns to Phuket
After the Phuket Sandbox programme has seen 4 months since its commencement, it seems to have brought some life back to the island after almost 2 years of a stagnated economy. The Tourism Authority of Thailand says a total of 59,689 international tourists have visited the Andaman Sea vacation island under the Sandbox programme from July 1 to October 30.…
- Transport News
How to get a Thai driver’s license as a foreigner
Foreigners who live or travel to Thailand frequently may be interested in the steps needed to get a driver’s license in the Kingdom. For those who are applying for the first time, and do not have an international drivers license, the information below can help you navigate the process. One thing in which to note, is that the process of…
- Crime News
Anti-Corruption Commission says Vorayuth hit-and-run case “completed in 14 months”
The hit-and-run case against Red Bull heir Vorayuth Yoovidhya is expected to be wrapped up within 14 months. Nation Thailand reports that the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission says the case should be complete by the end of next year. The incident is now 9 years old and many Thais wonder why it’s taking so long to prosecute the…
- Thailand News
Constitution Day is today – Here’s what the public holiday commemorates
Today’s public holiday in Thailand is Constitution Day. It commemorates the charters that have been written since the 1932 Siamese Revolution when Thailand ended 800 years of absolute monarchy and transitioned to a constitutional monarchy. Since then there have been 20 different charters with the most recent was drafted by the military junta, the National Council for Peace and Order,…
- World News
Thailand participates in exercise simulating cyber-attack on global financial system
Thailand is one of 10 countries to participate in a simulation exercise that mimicked a cyber-attack on the global financial system. According to a Reuters report, the exercise was led by Israel, with the intention of building on cooperation between countries to mitigate potential damage to global markets and financial institutions. The exercise was named, “Collective Strength” and included officials…
- Covid-19 News
Bangkok residents of all nationalities urged to come forward for vaccine doses 1, 2 or 3
The governor of Bangkok is calling on all residents, regardless of nationality, to come forward for vaccination. Aswin Kwanmuang says it doesn’t matter if people have had no dose, 1 dose or both doses, nor does it matter what nationality they are. Officials are anxious to fully vaccinate as many residents as possible, including administering booster doses to guard against…
- Bangkok News
Possible fourth Omicron case in Thailand, waiting for confirmation
Thailand’s Public Health Ministry today said that a 41 year old Thai man who arrived from Congo via the “Test & Go” quarantine exemption program is likely to be the fourth Omicron case of the kingdom, adding that the results are due in 1-2 days. The Tes & Go entry scheme is for fully vaccinated travellers from select countries. Reports…
- Covid-19 News
Thursday Covid Update: 4,203 new cases; provincial totals
49 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,084 with 20,990 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 4,203 new Covid-19 cases and 7,939 recoveries. There are now 60,415 people in Thailand being…
- Bangkok News
US State Secretary to meet Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha next week
According to Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, US State Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha during his Southeast Asia visit on December 15 and 16. The Secretary will also meet with Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Don Pramudwinai, to discuss bilateral cooperation and have lunch with representatives from the business…
- Bangkok News
PM praises public after Bangkok rating for best city in the world for a “workation”
Bangkok is the best city in the world for a so-called “workation.” At least that’s what Holidu, a website for vacation rentals says. The listing, which had Phuket and Chiang Mai both at number 10, was widely shared in Thai media and touted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. It even caught the attention of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha who is…
- Crime News
Two arrested for allegedly kidnapping a woman, posting video her tied up on TikTok
A Burmese man and woman were arrested for allegedly kidnapping another Burmese woman, and then posting a video of her with her ankles chained and hands tied on the social media platform TikTok. The suspects allegedly abducted the woman, who is said to be a popular social media influencer among Burmese netizens, in Pathum Thani, which is north of Bangkok. …
- Bangkok News
Bangkok officials to pause Skytrain construction, close schools if pollution levels rise
With levels of the air pollutant PM2.5 rising in Bangkok, city officials are considering pausing construction on the BTS Skytrain and closing schools in an effort to improve the air quality if the levels rise to unhealthy levels. Officials plan to also be more strict when it comes to enforcing laws on vehicle emissions and advising the public to carpool…
- Politics News
PM and Prawit put on show of unity over lunch, amid rumours of political infighting
Following murmurings of a rift, the Thai PM has had lunch with deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon in what may be an attempt to dispel such rumours. The Bangkok Post reports that the lunch took place yesterday, at the Five Provinces Bordering Forest Preservation Foundation. Both men had just attended a meeting at the Army Club with Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda.…
- Covid-19 News
Wednesday Covid Update: 3,618 new cases; provincial totals
38 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 21,035 with 20,941 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 3,618 new Covid-19 cases and 5,775 recoveries. There are now 64,200 people in Thailand being…
- Thailand News
Thai government roasted by opposition bloc, Prayut called out for mismanagement
Corruption. An economic meltdown. Budget mismanagement. Opposition parties are calling out the government’s failures under the leadership of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, and a joint statement outlining failures over the past three years, including mismanagement during the Covid-19 pandemic, was released by Thailand’s six-party opposition bloc. In the recent statement, opposition parties highlighted what they say was mismanagement by the prime…
- Thailand News
Police track down suspect in human trafficking case in Narathiwat
Police tracked down a 29 year old suspect in a human trafficking case after he reportedly transferred wages to people who were smuggling Burmese migrants into Thailand. The suspect, identified as Arnas Oo-ma, was tracked down and arrested by the Crime Suppression Police in Narathiwat’s Su-ngai Kolok district, an area in Thailand’s Deep South by the Malaysian border. Back in…
- Covid-19 News
Results for 2 travellers infected with Covid-19 in November come out positive for Omicron
The test results for two travellers who tested positive for Covid-19 last month have now come back positive for the Omicron variant, but health officials say the patients have already recovered. Following the emergence of the Omicron variant, Thai health officials started reviewing the of the Covid-19 cases involving travellers from overseas during the month of November. The two cases…
- Thailand News
BBC plans to reproduce Thailand’s hit TV show “Block Out” for British television
Following the successful take of the South Korean show “The Masked Singer,” BBC is eyeing Thailand for its next big television show. The network plans to pilot its own version of the Tetris-style smash “Block Out”, a hit TV show among Thais, cashing in on the rising popularity of Asian TV shows. The original “Block Out” was created by Japanese…
- Crime News
Wounded man flees to police station, says employer beat him, forced him to drink urine
A man, badly bruised and face swollen, reportedly showed up to a local police station claiming his employer has been abusing him for more than a decade, beating him with a PVC pipe and forcing him to drink dog urine. The 29 year old worker, identified as Fah, told police he managed to escape. Welts, wounds, and bruises were all…
- Environment News
Authorities warn of “unhealthy” levels of air pollution in Bangkok, elsewhere this week
Authorities have warned that particulate matter 2.5 levels in Bangkok and other parts of Thailand will reach an unhealthy stage this week. According to a Pattaya News report, the Centre for Air Pollution Mitigation says PM2.5 pollution levels are exceeding safe standards in many central parts of the country, including the capital. The CAPM operates under the authority of the…
- Thailand News
17 people in close contact with Omicron-infected traveller test negative
Thai health officials now say all of the 17 people who came in close contact with the Omicron-infected traveller during his a hotel have tested negative for Covid-19, although one person is in quarantine after inconclusive test results. The American, who travelled from Spain and entered Thailand under the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme is the first in Thailand…
- Thailand News
Crane collapses in Samut Prakan, killing a man and injuring 2 others
A crane collapsed at a condominium construction site this morning and landed on a row of rental rooms, killing one person and injuring two others. The engineer overseeing the project in Samut Prakan’s Bang Po district, southeast of Bangkok, is being called in for questioning by police. Motorbike taxi driver 48 year old Chalerm Chanong was leaving a som tom…
- Crime News
Chiang Mai street vendor with busty top files sexual harassment complaint with police
The Chiang Mai street vendor who went viral for her revealing cardigan-style top just filed a sexual harassment complaint with Thai police. The 23 year old known as Nong Olive is known for wearing an open chest shirt, showing her cleavage and midriff, while making Thai-style pancakes, which is a popular street food known in Thai as “khanom Tokyo.” Nong…
- Thailand News
Three arrested in human trafficking crackdown near Myanmar border
Three people are accused of being involved in a transnational human trafficking operation where Burmese migrants were promised help entering Thailand for jobs and later forced into labour, even prostitution. The suspects were arrested in Tak’s Mae Sot district, which borders Myanmar. The suspects allegedly lured migrants into Thailand by helping them cross the border illegally, evading immigration checks and…
- Thailand News
168 Thai soldiers apparently forced to finish masturbating before showering
More than 160 Thai soldiers were apparently forced to masturbate… and climax… before they were allowed to take a shower. At least that’s what a social media user claims. Numerous Thai media outlets have reported the story, but there has been no confirmation or statement from military officials. On Facebook, a screenshot was shared, and picked up by Thai media,…
- Covid-19 News
Hotel staff in close contact with Omicron confirmed to be negative in second test
The 44-year-old hotel staff member who was in close contact with the first Omicron case in Thailand and tested positive for Covid-19 has now been confirmed negative for the virus, health officials say. The hotel staff member was one of 17 people who came in close contact with the American who travelled from Spain to Thailand through the Test & Go quarantine…
- Thailand News
Thailand deploys “King Cobra” unit at Myanmar border to monitor illegal crossings
The lifting of restrictions on Covid-19 in Thailand, which culminated with its reopening on November 1, sparked a surge in demand for foreign labor, making it very difficult to control the illegal border crossings. To deal with it, Thailand’s “King Cobra” special unit team under the Surasee Taskforce is now actively searching for unauthorised migrants along its western border with…
- Phuket News
Thai Airways offering round trip Sydney-Phuket flights
To boost tourism and promote Phuket’s island quarantine “sandbox” scheme, Thai Airways will run round trip flights between Phuket and Australia with three flights a week starting on today. The flights will be offered until January 25. The flight from Phuket to Sydney is available on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Flights depart from Phuket at 6:50pm and arrive at 7:30am.…
- Covid-19 News
Hotel staff in close contact to Omicron case tests positive for Covid, variant not confirmed
One of 17 people in close contact with the first Omicron case in Thailand tested positive for Covid-19, but lab tests are still being done to confirm the variant. Thai health officials announced yesterday that the first Omicron case was detected in Thailand after an American travelling from Spain, via Dubai, entering under the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme…
- Covid-19 News
No need to panic over Thailand’s first Omicron case, says PM
The Thai PM has called on the public not to panic over the emergence of the Omicron Covid-19 variant in the kingdom. According to a Thai PBS World report, Prayut Chan-o-cha says everyone should remain on their guard and the unvaccinated should get vaccinated as soon as possible. Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana says health officials will continue to check for…
