Thailand
- Koh Samui News
Pabuk: Friday awakes with the storm surging up the Gulf coastline
30,000 people are estimated to have been evacuated from coastal districts in Nakhon Si Thammarat whilst some tourists are taking precautions of leaving the Gulf holiday islands, airports close, boats remain at mooring and schools are shut. Thailand’s southern Gulf coast prepares for winds up to 95kph, heavy downpours and floods. From Nakhon Si Thammarat up to Chumpon provinces, emergency…
- Koh Samui News
Pabuk: Heading for Koh Samui, Surat Thani
The projections of ventusky.com show ‘Pabuk’ making its way up the Gulf of Thailand in a north-westerly direction. According to the map model, the storm is likely heading for Koh Samui and likely to make mainland landfall further up the coast around Chumpon. But the fallout from the storm will certainly affect the entire southern coastline from Nakhon Si Thammarat,…
- Koh Samui News
Pabuk: Tourists flee Gulf islands of Koh Phangan, Samui and Koh Tao
“Waves could reach seven meters high in the Gulf of Thailand.” Thousands are departing some of the tourist hot spots including Koh Phangan and Koh Tao as the region’s first tropical storm for January in 30 years heads northwest across the Gulf of Thailand. Tens of thousands of tourists are reported to be fleeing the Thai resort islands of Koh…
- World News
Pabuk: Moving past the southern coast of Vietnam
Vietnam has experienced heavy rainfall and strong winds as Pabuk hovers off the southern coast heading into the Gulf of Thailand. vnexpress.net reports that, as of Wednesday, tropical storm ‘Pabuk’ was stationed around 360 kilometers (223 miles) to the southeast of Con Dao Island off the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, with wind speeds of up to 75 kilometers…
- Chiang Mai News
National road toll – Day Five “Seven Days of Danger”
“Chiang Mai has reported the highest cumulative crashes with 91 cases yesterday.” 314 lives have been lost in 2,761 road incidents over the first five days of the New Year seven day safety campaign. 2,848 people have been injured during the same period around Thailand’s roads. The most cited causes for Monday’s road incidents were drunk driving (44.9 per cent)…
- World News
Six reasons Thailand’s English skills are the lowest in SE Asia
by tastythailand.com An article, compiled by tastythailand.com, chronicles some of the key reasons Thailand’s education system battles with the teaching of English. An unnamed author poses the premise…. “In the last few years, as countries like Vietnam and Laos now have English skills surpassing Thailand’s, it’s become obvious Thailand’s education system is to blame. But why?” Thailand’s education is a…
- Bangkok News
Happy New Year Thailand!
PHOTO: The Nation The Amazing Thailand Countdown 2019 was held at the new riverside shopping hub Iconsiam last night as a “New Year present” for Thais and tourists. It was a joint venture between the capital’s newest luxury shopping mall and the TAT. Large countdown crowds and fireworks kicked off 2019 at dozens of venues around Thailand, and a bright…
- Pattaya News
CAAT probe crash of light-aircraft that killed South African pilot
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has inspected the wreckage of a private light aircraft that crashed in Chon Buri’s Sri Racha district yesterday. The crash precipitated a fire that killed the 60 year old pilot, Mike Romberg from South Africa. The turboprop light aircraft crashed to the ground when it was about to make a landing at Rajamangala…
- Thailand News
Four minors and three men charged with gang rape of 13 year old Thai girl
PHOTO: Ban Kruat Hospital The parents of a 13 year old girl filed complaints that their daughter was gang raped by seven young men who lured her into a schools toilet in tambon Bung Charoen late Friday evening. The town is east of Bangkok near the Cambodian border. Out of the seven men, aged 14-22, four were minors and have been…
- Phuket News
One death in Phuket on Day Four of ‘seven days of danger’ – Total death toll reaches 3
PHOTO: The Phuket PR Office According to statistics issued by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket Office, the island registered seven accidents and one death on Day Four (December 30) of the annual road safety campaign. Total of the first fours day of the campaign in Phuket is now three deaths. The one death yesterday was an…
- Bangkok News
New Year weather around Thailand
It might be the middle of the annual high season but the ‘high season’ weather isn’t co-operating. Although generally fine weather has been the trend in the past few days there are a few unseasonal fronts coming to different parts of the country, according to the Thai Meteorological Department. In the central/southern provinces, including around Hua Hun and Gulf islands…
- World News
Malaysians citizens being warned about travelling to Thailand’s south
The Malaysian Foreign Ministry is advising Malaysians residing in Thailand or travelling to the Kingdom to “remain vigilant and exercise caution at all times”, in the wake of bomb explosions and shooting incidents in the country’s southern provinces. Officials say bomb explosions and shootings had been reported in different parts of Narathiwat and Songkhla. No Malaysians were affected by the…
- Phuket News
Two deaths in Phuket on Day Three of the ‘seven days of danger’
According to statistics issued by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket Office the island saw six accidents on Day Three (yesterday) of the campaign, resulting in 4 injuries and two deaths. Of the 2 deaths, one was a one month old baby girl and the other a 23 year old Thai man in a difference accident. The…
- Business News
Sporting events, meetings and Indian weddings spur Phuket tourism in 2018
PHOTO: WeddingSutra.com by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com Phuket’s surging MICE market is now valued at 10.9 billion baht, as meetings, incentives and exhibitions attracted over 800,000 visitors to resort island in the last year. The islands increasingly prolific MICE market nearly doubled in year-on-year growth in 2017. As revenue for the segment skyrocketed from 5.9 billion baht to a record-high 10.9…
- Phuket News
Foreigner woman caught on video spray painting road in Rawai
PHOTO: Patthama Bruno Facebook A video is being shared on social media of a Russian speaking woman caught red handed spray painting all across a road in Rawai, Phuket. Facebook user Patthama Bruno was out on her morning run when she saw something a little out of the ordinary and decided to share it online. In the video we see…
- Health
Battle of the Buddha Bulge – Tackling the monk obesity crisis
Or “Too Much Junk for Chunky Monks” “Monks often live an unhealthily, sedentary lifestyle but exercise is a particularly sensitive subject. They must not be seen to be vain, and also cannot wear shoes, two factors that make working out and fitness something of a spiritual minefield.” Contrary to the well-known depiction of a Buddha as a man with a…
- World News
Top 10 party countdowns for new years eve in Phuket 2019
New years eve is just around the corner. Are you ready? There are lots of options for dinner around the island. But what are you doing after that on December 31?– when the kids go to bed and the adults can go out, where there is bubbly to be found and music to dance to. In case you’re not sure,…
- Phuket News
Watch leather back sea turtle eggs on Phang Nga beach via cams
PHOTOS: DMCR Fences have been set up on Kuek Kak Beach in Khao Lak, Phang Nga to prevent thieves and animals from disturbing turtle eggs that were laid there earlier last week. There are now six CCTVs monitoring the area. A mother leather back sea turtle laid 93 eggs at the beach in Khao Lak, Phang Nga last week. The 89…
- Thailand News
Free internet for low income earners with registered welfare cards
Photo: Backyard Travel The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has announced a project where some 1.8 million registered low-income earners, especially in remote areas, will receive internet in their home for three years. As part of a Universal Service Obligation (USO) project, the aim is to close the ‘digital gap’ providing internet access to 2.1 million households or 6.3…
- Health
Medical marijuana approved in Thailand
Photo: South China Morning Post “This is a New Year’s gift from the National Legislative Assembly to the government and the Thai people,” Somchai Sawangkarn, said chairman of the drafting committee. Thailand will be the first country, in a region with some of the strictest drug laws, to approve cannabis for medical use. In an extra-parliamentary session addressing bills before…
- Thai Life
Road toll drops but still 60 deaths a day
The good news is that Thailand is no longer in the top couple of countries for road death tolls in the world. The bad news is the toll is still horrendous with an average of 60 deaths every day. Thailand has seen fewer road casualties this year and is now listed as the world’s ninth-most dangerous nation when road accidents…
- Bangkok News
Bangkokians advised to stay inside until smog clears
• Bangkokians warned that cheap face masks are useless • Weather Bureau says the current smog should clear in a few days PHOTO: Framepool The hazardous ultra-fine dust that has been sweeping through 20 districts of Bangkok will last for a few days, City Hall’s Environment Department warned on Friday. The Bangkok Post say that the warning corresponded with dust levels measured…
- Bangkok News
The Chao Phraya lights up for new years eve
Heading to the capital for new years eve? Looking for some spectacular fireworks? The Tourism Authority of Thailand will host the longest fireworks display ever staged along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok as part of New Year celebrations at midnight on December 31. Called the “Amazing Thailand Countdown 2019”, the spectacular display will last five minutes and is expected to…
- Bangkok News
Thailand’s next football star may come from West Africa – VIDEO
Photo: Facebook/Look e san Al Jazeera has just released their new episode of ‘101 East’, their award winning TV program which gives an in-depth look at weekly current affairs and telling bold untold stories from Asia and the Pacific’. This week’s episode takes a look at Thailand’s football industry and how many West African players are travelling to our capital,…
- Thai Life
Plain tobacco packaging by September 2019
The Thai government has made a new legislative announcement regarding plain packaging for cigarette packets, making it the first country in Asia, and first low and middle-income country to do so. This legislation adds to the 2017 Tobacco Control Act, which currently mandates an individual must be 20 or older to purchase tobacco, bans tobacco advertising in the media, sponsorship,…
- Bangkok News
Political parties throwing extravagant dinners to raise election funds
The pro-Junta Palang Pracharat political party is expecting to raise 600 million baht from a grand fund-raising dinner named “One Thailand”. The event will be held tonight at Muang Thong Thanee in Bangkok. The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) appears to be winning over business leaders and the elite after selling most of the tables for tonight’s event. The event will…
- Phuket News
Number of tourists visiting Phuket still high – TAT Phuket
In response to a number of completely fabricated negative stories about Phuket’s current tourism situation, Kanokkittika Kritwuttikorn, the director of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket Office says, “Number of tourists visiting Phuket is still good when compared to last year’s numbers. We’ve also spoken to many regional tour operators who say that bookings are ‘solid’ for this time of…
- Thailand News
“The Election Commission can decide” – PM on foreign observers for election
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is making it clear that the Election Commission (EC) are the sole authority to decide whether or not to allow foreign observers to monitor the election scheduled for February 24, 2019. But, Gen Prayut insisted that Thailand must solve its own internal problems to ensure transparency and fairness in order to restore international community’s confidence in…
- Phuket News
Big leatherback sea turtle lays eggs in Phang Nga – VIDEO
PHOTOS: Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat | VIDEO: โชติ ครัวโชติรส / Newshawk Phuket A big leatherback sea turtle has laid eggs on a beach in Phang Nga this morning. Officials at the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), Phang Nga, were informed this morning that a big turtle has laid eggs at the Kuek Kak Beach in Khao Lak. Officials went to the beach…
- Koh Samui News
Southern provinces battered by heavy rains and floods
PHOTO: Flooded Samui roads – Facebook/Thunder Road Reporters “The city Mayor says the municipality had arranged for medical staff to be on stand-by to help patients at evacuation centres already set up to deal with potential flood crisis in Nakhon Si Thammarat.” Heavy rain has been battering the southern regions of the Gulf coast for the past few days and…
