Bangkok’s famed Pangcha Thai Tea Café—a renowned spot with four locations spread across the city—has been making headlines recently. It is demanding reparation of a whopping 102 million baht for an alleged copyright infringement of its distinguished name, ‘Pang Cha.’ The target? A local restaurant that shares the same name and even replicates ‘Pang Cha’ in their signature dessert menu, finger-licking Thai tea-flavoured bread. This saga started unfolding earlier this week when a quaint dessert parlour tucked in the Hat Yai district, located in Thailand’s southern province, Songkhla, received an eerily similar notice. Pangcha Thai Tea Café claimed 700,000 baht as damage compensation because ‘Pang Cha’ prominently featured on the parlour’s glowing signboard. The peculiarity of this issue has undoubtedly caught the eyes and keyboards of netizens, who quickly took the matter to social media platforms. Public sentiment seems to be sceptical and questions have begun to spring up—how can…
Posts published by “Editorial Team”
The distinguished forum held at the grand halls of Chulalongkorn University, titled “Thai Foreign Policy Outlook for the Incoming Government,” saw speakers band together in agreement, addressing Thailand’s overbearing foreign policy concerns. These concerns draw roots from the mounting tensions between global powerhouses, the United States and China, and the neutrality issues clouding the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), especially concerning the dilemma in Myanmar. Chulalongkorn University’s esteemed Political Science Faculty’s Institute of Security and International Studies, working in collaboration with the European Union delegation in Thailand, conducted this event on a warm Monday. Reflecting upon the geopolitical transition since the military coup of 2014, former Thai ambassador and a speaker at the forum, Russ Jalichandra, pointed out that due to an uncomfortable relationship with western nations, Thailand’s governing body decided to shift its gaze inward. “They found solace in nations that remain silent on issues of democracy and…
During his outgoing interaction with the media, Prayut partook in a lunchtime feast with reporters on the lush grounds of the compound. The vibrant northeast culinary delights laid out resonated with an outgoing spirit, resulting in a relaxed, warm environment. The taste of traditional Isaan dishes, indeed, elicited an expressive “delicious” from Prayut . The cornucopia was a splendid array of delectable choices: “hoy thod” a delightful dish of fried oysters, the iconic “pad thai,” spicy sensation “somtam”, golden fried chicken, succulent “khao mun kai” (steamed chicken with oily rice), and the fiery “nam tok moo” (spicy pork traditional to Isaan). A blend of deputy prime ministers and ministers connected with the Prime Minister’s Office also partook in this festive repast. In the midst of this camaraderie, Prayut expressed his regrets over instances when his demeanor had been tetchy during their past interviews, confessing that each outburst left a lingering…
Confirming the buzz about the latest updates on Thaksin’s health, Wissanu, who is at the helm of the outgoing government’s legal matters, has told the media that Thaksin is currently under treatment at the Police General Hospital. The grapevine was abuzz that Thaksin was reportedly moved to an elite health care facility based in the Bangkok city. However, this was after he was initially admitted to the facility of the Bangkok Special Prison. This all happened during his first night back in Thailand after a long stay abroad. Thaksin staged a homecoming on the 22nd of August after deciding to stay out of Thailand for an extended period of self-imposed exile that lasted a good 15 years. He took an abrupt exit from the country back in August 2008, only to be given a hard sentence of eight years by the authorities later. The reason? He was implicated in corruption…
Anticipation is high as the Pheu Thai-led government ponders issuing utility tokens to bolster its digital wallet initiative. This innovative step is currently awaiting the green light from the Bank of Thailand, as the regulator presently outlaws the use of tokens as a means of payment, states Asia Plus Securities (ASPS). ASPS, a leading financial services firm, envisions that the government will release Type 1 utility tokens, each pegged at a value of 10,000 baht. These tokens could potentially be issued to Thai citizens who are 16 years and above, thereby potentially necessitating a budget of around 560 billion baht. Active deliberations are in progress with key officials from the Finance Ministry and the Securities and Exchange Commission to identify potential funding sources for the distribution of these tokens, as divulged by the brokerage. An insightful research document composed by ASPS observes that the government will possibly dispense these tokens…
Recently in Thailand, the first cases of the novel Omicron variant, denoted as the HK.3, have been confirmed by the Department of Medical Sciences (DMS). This subvariant of Covid-19 was detected in two individuals belonging to the same family, although their current health status has not been officially stated as yet by DMS. The severity and transmissibility associated with this strain in contrast to its predecessors remain under review. Providing further context on the emerging situation, the head of the Department of Medical Sciences, Dr. Supakit Sirilak, shed light on the affected individuals. The variant was found in a 65-year-old male and an 11-year-old female, both from the same household in Bangkok. While the symptoms they experienced were mild, both have since made a successful recovery. Despite the onset of this new sub-variant, Dr. Sirilak cautions against making any hasty judgements regarding whether the HK.3 strain will be more harmful…
Thailand Privilege Card (TPC), a venture under the management of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Thailand Elite Card Project, has embarked on an innovative journey to woo high-net-worth foreign travellers seeking prolonged stays in the country. In line with this initiative, TPC has transformed its brand, introducing a sleek new logo, contemporary uniforms, and ingenious card schemes spread across four bespoke packages to serve the varying tastes of international lifestyles. With a rich legacy of more than 20 years, TPC’s success story is nothing short of extraordinary. It has delivered revenue well exceeding the handsome figure of 50 billion Thai baht, fashioning an elite membership body of more than 31,500 individuals. The organization’s leadership team, not resting on these laurels, aims to uphold this growth trajectory by luring luxury tourism enthusiasts and broadening its horizons in existing and potential fresh markets. Underlining the sterling progress and forward-looking objectives of his…
Esteemed TV personality Kanchai Kamnerdploy recently found himself at the centre of controversy facing charges of defamation. The accuser, esteemed university lecturer Weerachai Phutthawong, is resolute in his decision to vindicate himself in court. This contentious issue, which caught the public’s attention yesterday, is primarily derived from constant online derision and claims of mobster-like conduct. Weerachai is an honoured faculty member of the Chemistry Department within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at the prestigious Kasetsart University. His stern determination to exonerate himself is evident in his endeavour to challenge the lawsuit in court. The disagreement first came to public light when Kanchai, a highly popular TV presenter, announced on a public platform that he was facing defamation charges. He pointed out an unidentified renowned professor, accusing him of incessant online mockery that included offensive remarks and allegations of mob involvement. This unexpected revelation intensified the pre-existing tense environment, shocking…
In an anticipation-filled ambiance, locals congregated, harboring hopes of cashing in on good fortune traced back to an extra-ordinary, mysterious eel-like creature discovered by a 53-year-old Mukdahan local, Somchai. Exhibiting a striking yellow-white hue and arresting black eyes, the bewitching entity has effortlessly transformed the life of its owner by leading him to a remarkable four consecutive, lucky lottery triumphs. Somchai introduced the enigmatic fish to the villagers, putting the approximately 75 cm long creature with its entrancing white body shimmering with an elaborate matrix of veins and gleaming black eyes on display in a rustic bamboo cage. Reflecting on his serendipitous encounter with the fish, Somchai reveals that he crossed paths with the puzzling creature two months prior while on a nocturnal fishing excursion in a nearby rivulet. Initially, caught off guard by the creature’s resemblance to a snake, he was pleasantly surprised to realize he had stumbled upon…
The tranquilizer drug identified as flualprazolam is quickly garnering widespread use in the far-reaching southern provinces of Thailand, assert the local governing authorities. This popular use of the drug springs from its detection in a particular variant of pills called nimetazepam, by Songkhla’s distinguished Regional Medical Sciences Centre 12. Alarmingly, this uncovers the initial penetration of the drug flualprazolam onto Thai shores. The Regional Centre was commissioned by Thailand’s reputable Department of Medical Sciences, under the experienced leadership of director-general Supakit Sirilak, to critically scrutinize nimetazepam pills. Commonly referred to as Erimin 5, this drug sits under the category of Category 2 psychotropic drugs. During the scholarly analysis, the tranquilizer flualprazolam was found to be present in these pills. Flualprazolam falls under the benzodiazepine class of tranquilizers that are predominantly used in therapy for panic disorders and insomnia, as well as in the mitigation of anxiety. Official documentations dating back…