Thailand
- Crime News
UPDATE: Win motorbike shooter turns himself in
A 55 year old motorbike taxi driver turned himself in after an alleged shootout in front of a Samut Prakan Big C. Witnesses say 2 groups of motorbike taxi drivers, known as win, allegedly fired shots at each other in a so-called turf war, according to Thai media. Somjet Pojaroen, a former assistant village headman who runs a motorbike taxi…
- Business News
Bangkok airport security staff file lawsuit over pay cuts
“They saw us as security guards and looked down on us since we had little education, they thought they could trick us into signing those papers.” Some security staff at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport say they were tricked into pay cuts claiming they were told to sign new contract or they could lose their jobs. 10 staff members filed a lawsuit against ASM…
- Tourism News
Thailand is the fourth most searched-for destination for your next holiday
Since early 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has stopped us from taking our holidays, or doing much travelling at all. But as travel restrictions ease, which destinations are coming out on top for our post-lockdown holidays? Official-esta.com has dusted off the calculator and checked the Google Search Volume data for the search terms “Flights to X” and “Holidays in X” to…
- Visa Information
Plan for long-term visitors set for October
After months of discussing plan after plan, Thailand will have a solid plan for long-term foreign visitors by the end of October. At least that’s what a senior officer says. (We realise you’re sick of hearing about ‘plans’ but whilst the officials keep rolling them out, we’ll keep reporting them) Long-term travellers would need to do a 14 day quarantine,…
- Politics News
Rumours of another coup are false, PM says
Coup? What coup? Rumours have been floating around about an impending coup d’etat by the army. When asked about a possible coup, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha dismissed it, calling the rumour nonsense and groundless. He then abruptly called the press meeting to an end. Some have been saying the army is preparing for the coup by moving its forces and equipment.…
- Central Thailand News
Snake bites teenager using the toilet
An 18 year old university student in Nonthaburi, just west of Bangkok, was bitten by a python while using the toilet. The 1 metre long python was in the toilet bowl when it bit the student’s penis, splattering blood all over the wall and toilet seat. Luckily the student is okay and only needed 3 stitches (which begs the question,…
- Thailand News
No more beer and wine delivery, Thailand to ban online alcohol sales
There’s going to be a new ban on alcohol sales, but apparently just on so-called “electronic channels.” (We think this means purchasing through social media outlets and websites) For those who order craft beer that can’t be found at local stores, you might be out of luck. An announcement on the Royal Gazette says no more online alcohol sales. The…
- Phuket News
Phuket Airport prepares for eventual launch of tourist pilot project
Phuket Airport carried out a trial run yesterday, going over all the steps necessary to admit tourists under the much-discussed, not-yet-happening, off-and-on “Phuket Model”. The plan to use Phuket as a pilot, to test a limited return of international tourists, was set to launch in October but has now been postponed. The brakes were applied when Thailand recorded its first…
- Politics News
Bangkok police prepare for mass university protest on September 19
Police in Bangkok say they’re gearing up for a large-scale student protest, set to take place at the Tha Prachan campus of Thammasat University on September 19. Pakkapong Pongpetra, Metropolitan Police Commissioner, says officials are not sure how many days the rally will go on for, or if those taking part plan to move from the campus to other parts…
- Politics News
Deputy Finance Minister dismisses doubts over his educational qualifications
The President of the Engineering Association of Thailand has called on Kim Chaisaensook, Associate Professor of Bangkok’s Ramkhamhaeng University, to respond to allegations that Deputy Finance Minister Santi Prompat was dismissed from the faculty for cheating. Tortrakul Bunnag made the call in a Facebook post, after a suggestion from Santi that he is qualified to replace former Finance Minister Pridi…
- World News
A Land Bridge or the Kra Canal for Thailand?
OPINION by guest writer Tony P Restall Why the land bridge idea will never work Much has been written about the long-proposed Thai or Kra Canal and the on and off decision to proceed, or not. Over the recent years several high-level committees have examined the economic benefits to establish a water connection by means of a canal linking the East…
- Bangkok News
Hundreds of taxi drivers gather at Government House to present demands
Hundreds of taxi drivers have held a rally outside Government House in Bangkok, calling for 6 key demands to be met. Around 500 drivers attended the rally yesterday, submitting a petition addressed to the Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. It’s not the first time the strong taxi ‘union’ has banded together to push demands to improve their pay and conditions. The…
- Thailand News
Boy dies after 100 squat punishment, school apologises to the family
A student died sometime after being forced to do jump squats as punishment for not doing his homework. The school has ‘apologised’ to the family and said they take responsibility for the death. The 13 year old boy was sick for about a week and was even checked in to the hospital before going back to school last Thursday, according…
- Crime News
Bangkok taxi driver stabbed, crashes into other cars
A Bangkok man has allegedly jumped into the backseat of a taxi and , once the taxi got going, started stabbing the driver early this morning, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash into a motorbike and other cars. A man in the Thonburi district ran into heavy traffic on Charunsanitwong road. He tried opening the…
- Pattaya News
Thailand’s oldest hippo turns 55 – VIDEO
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday Mae Mali, Happy Birthday to you. Thailand’s oldest hippopotamus turned 55 today and celebrated with a party at a Chon Buri zoo. She even munched on a special “birthday cake.” Watermelons, carrots, bananas, pumpkin, dragon fruit and berries were placed in a design over a mound of grass. In the middle,…
- Visa Information
Thai Airways offers special international flights this month
Need to leave the country? Just as that visa amnesty is coming to an end (September 26 if you forgot), Thai Airways is offering 1-way flights to 7 international destinations this month. The flights leave from Bangkok and are destined for Munich, Frankfurt, London, Paris, Copenhagen, Taipei and Hong Kong. The special flights are for foreigners needing to go back home…
- Tourism News
Holiday weekend boosts tourism, brings in 8.8 billion baht
The extended 4 day holiday weekend circulated 8.8 billion baht in revenue after months of limited travel due to the coronavirus pandemic… the upbeat report from the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The drop in international tourism has crippled local economies dependent on the industry. The holiday weekend was a major boost. The Friday and Monday public holidays were announced as…
- Northern Thailand News
Ubon Ratchathani teacher charged with sexual abuse
An Isaan teacher is facing sexual harassment and abuse charges after he allegedly paid young students in exchange for sexual acts. The practice is being frequently reported in Thai media these days as the taboo of reporting these cases is slowly raised. The Ubon Ratchathani teacher allegedly sexually abused 5 boys, ages 11 to 12, on numerous occasions, paying them…
- Northern Thailand News
2 Burmese nationals arrested while crossing river into Thailand
Border forces have arrested 2 Burmese nationals as they were crossing a river in the northern province of Chiang Rai in an attempt to enter Thailand. There has been an increase in security patrols along the border with Myanmar in recent weeks, as the country experiences a spike in Covid-19 cases. There have been reports of Burmese nationals attempting to…
- Eastern Thailand News
Family hospitalised after elephant attack in eastern Thailand
A Cambodian family was hospitalised after a wild elephant attacked them at a rubber tree plantation in eastern Thailand. The parents and their 1 month old baby were camped at a Rayong plantation when the elephant passed by. The baby started to cry, startling the elephant. It apparently went into a panic and started to trample, according to the family’s…
- Politics News
Activist vows university rally will take place, with or without permission
The political activist Parit Chiwarak, aka. “Penguin”, says a rally planned for September 19 at Thammasat University will go ahead, even if permission is refused from the University’s management. The gathering is set to take place at the university’s Tha Phra Chan campus in Bangkok, with Parit saying he expects around 50,000 people to attend. Khaosod English reports that the…
- South Thailand News
Monkeys take over Songkhla home while family away for holiday
Monkeys took over a Songkhla home in Southern Thailand while a family was away during the 4 day long weekend holiday. Monkeys were on the roof, in the trees and on the fence while trash was scattered across the yard and driveway. Luckily, the monkeys couldn’t get inside the home (although we bet they tried). Monkeys frequent the area near the…
- Politics News
Protest leaders Anon and Panupong freed from jail on court order
Two prominent anti-government protest leaders have now been released from Bangkok Special Prison, where they were being held on charges of violating their bail conditions. The human rights lawyer, Anon Nampa, and political protester Panupong Jaadnok, have been in and out of prison in recent weeks and, while out on bail, addressed the crowd at an anti-government rally, thereby breaching…
- Politics News
Foreign Ministry refutes Amnesty allegation that Thai government is gagging protesters
Thailand’s Foreign Ministry has hit back at an Amnesty International statement that accuses the Thai government of violating citizens’ rights to free speech and freedom of assembly. The statement, sent to Amnesty’s 8 million members worldwide, calls on followers to petition Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to drop all charges against 31 leaders of anti-government protests. Amnesty is also calling on…
- Tourism News
Chinese official rules out return of China-Thailand tourism anytime soon
China is not yet ready to welcome international tourists, says a senior embassy official in Bangkok. Speaking to Nation Thailand, Yang Xin from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to Thailand, says that, while domestic tourism has resumed in China, the country is not yet ready to open its borders to foreign tourists, nor is it encouraging its…
- Covid-19 News
Bringing Thai nationals home is a team effort
As the world ground to a crawl thanks to Covid-19, things began ramping up at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with staff working tirelessly to help Thai citizens abroad get back home. MFA staff are based both in Thailand and overseas and are tasked with assisting Thai nationals during emergencies such as natural disasters or indeed, a pandemic, wherever they…
- World News
3 returnees to Thailand reported as “re-infected” with Covid-19
There has been 6 new cases of Covid-19 announced in Thailand today. But 3 of the men, all Thais, were previously infected but had been certified “virus-free” before their flights from Singapore on Friday. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration today announced that the men, aged 43, 53 and 56, tested positive for Covid-19 after arriving in Thailand just 2 days…
- Tourism News
Phuket launches app, passengers rate taxi drivers
How was your taxi ride? Passengers will soon be able to rate their Phuket taxi drivers using a new smartphone application. The province’s project “Hello Taxi Happy Phuket” involves 300 drivers aimed at maintaining standards like fair pricing. Customers will be able to rate their ride experience on the app and driver’s will be scored on their service. So, if…
- Visa Information
The end of the visa amnesty – get your house in order
Up to 500,000 foreigners are now thought to have been part of the Thai government’s visa amnesty which was introduced in April for foreigners, both on tourist and other visas, who were stuck in Thailand and unable to leave. Around the world, planes had been grounded and Thailand closed its borders at the time. Six months later, and following 2…
- Phuket News
Phuket re-opening could be postponed
The Tourism Authority of Thailand says plans to re-open Phuket to foreign tourists could be delayed as a result of the country’s first local case of Covid-19 in over 3 months in Bangkok. TAT governor, Yuthasak Supasorn, was speaking as officials visited the island to meet with local businesses and discuss disease prevention measures and preparations for a scheduled October…
