The authoritative Thai Meteorological Department rings alarm bells of impending thunderstorms, forecasted to reverberate across a 32-province panorama inclusive of the sprawling metropolis, Bangkok. An estimated 30% of these precincts are bracing for impact, with this tempestuous bout of weather signed, sealed, and delivered courtesy of southern seas in tumult. The warning arrives amidst the backdrop of tumultuous waves that don’t bode well for seafarers venturing into these treacherous waters today. A weather bulletin for the next-day injunction infers the looming shadow of a southwesterly monsoon pulling the puppet strings over the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand, albeit at a diminished magnitude. Concurrently, a low-pressure pocket shrouds the northern reaches of Vietnam. Consequently, these motley elements of weather have thrown a spanner in the works, resulting in a dip in precipitation across the Thai landscape. Nevertheless, a smattering of areas continue to joust with sporadic thunderstorms, with…
Posts published in “Thailand”
Undoubtedly, Thailand’s political landscape is under a significant transformation process, with the coalition government led by the Pheu Thai Party and Srettha Thavisin as the country’s Prime Minister. Encapsulated in the realm of yellow PAD and orange Move Forward supporters, we see this “special government” facing a unique blend of acceptance and skepticism. Yet, the question remains—will this pave the way to a unified political milieu, or will there only be a newer color-coded schism? An intriguing public opinion survey conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration, otherwise known as the Nida Poll, sheds some light on it. The survey asked if the freshly formed coalition government brings hope for the healing of the long-standing political divide. The response was intriguing, with 57.25% believing this unlikely – 36.72% having no hope at all, and 20.53% affirming moderate faith. Conversely, 40.46% expressed optimism – with 20.61% confident and 19.85% carrying…
In the territorial waters of Thailand, a Vietnamese fishing vessel was intercepted and its team of five crew members apprehended on account of their unlawful fishing activities. This incident took place on a recent Saturday. The Navy coastal watch ship, Tor 114, was drafted to an area about 51 nautical miles away from the entrance of the Songkhla navigation channel. This was prompted by reports about the presence of several Vietnamese boats suspected of invading Thai territorial waters to carry out their fishing activities. This information was provided by Vice Admiral Jaraskiat Chaiyaphan, who is at the helm of the 2nd Naval Area and also presides as the director of the Region 2 Thailand Maritime Enforcement Command Centre. Upon reaching the epicenter of the suspected fishing activities, the navy patrol discovered a grup of 15 Vietnamese fishing vessels in operation. This was in a location to the south of Ko…
The tranquility of the Ukedo fishing port in Namie town, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan was slightly stirred on the 25th of August, when the nearby Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant started discharging treated radioactive wastewater into the vast Pacific Ocean, stirring a wave of anxiety across global markets. This image, captured by Reuters, reflects the maelish seen as the first drops of wastewater touched the surface of the Pacific. The Thailand Consumer Council (TCC), being one of the concerned international bodies, took swift action and appealed to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Fisheries for stringent actions. All seafood imports from Japan now stand in the dock on account of potential radioactive contamination. Announced on the 24th of August, Japan began wastewater expulsion from the infamous Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, alarming the global community. Panuchote Thongyang, chairperson of TCC’s sub-committee on food, drugs, and health products,…
Recently, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin made a pledge to boost the tourism industry on the picturesque island of Phuket. He is determined to expand airport facilities in anticipation of a projected rise in global visitor traffic during the much-awaited high season in November. Friday found Mr. Srettha and the Pheu Thai Party’s tourism policy committee, led by Dr. Prommin Lertsuridej, in Phuket engaging with locals, and gathering views from private sector representatives on prospective avenues for bolstering the tourism sector on the island. On their itinerary, a scheduled visit to Phangnga was set for the following day. A flying visit to Phuket airport brought Mr. Srettha and his team across with the airport’s officials for an update on the ongoing expansion of the airport. This expansion is aimed to embolden its capacity to accommodate an escalating number of tourists. Later in the day, Mr. Srettha discussed Phuket’s development strategies with…
Pol Gen Sompong Chingduang, a primary advisor to the Royal Thai Police, is cautioning the public about a fraudulent mobile application promoted by virtual fraudsters. Bearing a striking resemblance to the Pheu Thai Party’s projected 10,000-baht digital wallet scheme, this unauthorized app is engaging in an online scam, fooling people heeding its fake advertisements. The scam circulates around an ersatz ‘Digital Wallet’ application which deceives its users into thinking they can avail themselves of a generous 10,000 baht digital reward upon its installation. Followers of this illusory promise soon find themselves victimized through a link that directs them to a disguised malware operating under the disguise of a Line mobile app. Subsequent to this manipulative maneuver, the fraudsters gain access to potential financial data available on the victims’ mobile phone,” Pol Gen Sompong revealed earnestly. “In a shocking turn of events, the Public Relations Department corroborated the fraudulent nature of…
Exciting news hitting the travel industry is Air Japan’s proclamation of its decision to cater to the Thai travel audience, launching a new direct route between Bangkok and Tokyo in the forthcoming calendar year. The recently introduced Air Japan, a financially-friendly subsidiary under the umbrella of ANA Holdings, is gearing up to launch a maiden voyage from the illustrious Narita International Airport in Tokyo to Thailand’s bustling Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok. The noteworthy flight is set to lift off the runway on 10th February 2024, illuminating the sky. Air Japan appears poised to take to the skies with a state-of-the-art Boeing 784-9 at its disposal, a machine equipped to seat up to 324 passengers in a single journey. Interestingly, the flights have been fashioned with an economy-only setting to accommodate and cater to a diverse audience. The airline’s President, Minekuji Hideki, unveiled plans to set in motion six flights…
The Thai Immigration Bureau (IB) is being lauded for their powerful crackdown on a multinational motorcycle gang and a prominent Indonesian drug outfit that had sought refuge on their soil. The operation, which cast its net far and wide, also swept up key players of a sinister human trafficking loop rooted in the Sa Kaeo province. The Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, Police Lieutenant General Roy Ingkapairoj, handed this task to the Chief of the Immigration Bureau, Police Lieutenant General Phakphumpipat Sajjapun. Sharing the responsibility were Police Lieutenant Colonel Pattana Nutchanat, Police Lieutenant Colonel Thanit Thaiwatcharamas, and Police Lieutenant Colonel Woritsiri Lelasiri, reported KhaoSod. In an exhilarating turn of events, the operation scored its first major capture with the arrest of ‘Den’, a German national. This proved to be a significant addition to the mission’s success, given that Den had unfavourable notoriety in his homeland. His offences ran…
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has sounded an alarm for severe weather conditions enveloping the entire nation today. As per their predictions, 32 provinces will witness heavy downpours and thunderstorms. Bangkok seems to be on track for an approximate 70% rainfall commencing from the afternoon and potentially extending till dusk. Such a scenario raises the potential threat of flash floods in the city. Concurrent advice has been issued to boat operators, particularly those plying the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. These regions are prone to storms, capable of escalating the sea waves up to 1 to 2 meters high. It’s a direct consequence of the monsoon trough hitting Myanmar and Laos, resulting in a low-pressure zone over northern Vietnam. Simultaneously, the dominant southwest monsoon is affecting the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand. Given these weather conditions, Thailand is headed towards wide-spread thunderstorms, with regions in…
In an effort to reestablish the balance in fuel prices, the government plans to re-implement the 5-baht reduction of diesel excise taxes. A decision taken by the previous government saw this deduction exercised for two full years, ending recently. The initiative relies on subsidies from the Oil Fuel Fund to cap the retail price at a threshold of 35 baht per litre. However, it is crucial that the timing of this measure’s reinstatement aligns with the global oil market situation. This is to avoid imposing an untenable strain on the fund. The goal is to ensure the fuel fund’s capacity to sustain subsidies without being overwhelmed, highlighted a governmental source. The next step in the plan involves lowering contributions from diesel and benzine retail prices towards the Oil Fuel Fund. By successfully achieving this, a subsequent decrease in these fuels’ retail prices would be witnessed. To implement this effectively, enhanced…