Imagine the lively scene of holidaymakers filling the pedestrian-friendly Old Town district of central Phuket. This quaint, picturesque town is an indisputable favorite among travelers who come from all corners of the globe. (Photograph by Achathaya Chuenniran) The enchanting island of Phuket is poised to experience a significant influx of vacationers towards the month’s end. Predictions made by the local branch of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) point towards an impressive figure exceeding 2 billion baht in tourism income. Anticipated to unfold from Friday through Sunday is a swarm of approximately 234,035 explorers gracing this tropical paradise, thereby injecting an incredible 2.2 billion baht into the local economy. The information was conveyed by Lertchai Wangtrakuldee, who helms the TAT’s local office. Offering a stunning assortment of 1,890 hotels, Phuket boasts an incredible capacity of 101,556 rooms to accommodate the needs of visitors, from backpackers to luxury seekers. As of…
Posts published in “Thailand”
The annals of law enforcement have been marked by another victory as a former entertainer for children, who was extradited from the sunny havens of Thailand to the serious confines of the United Kingdom, was ushered into jail on Monday. The charge: multiple sex offences involving children. The sentence: 30 chilling years. Paul McKee, the 57-year-old man at the centre of these chilling developments, originally hailed from Wallasey Village on Merseyside in the UK. His freedom was curtailed when he was gripped in the hands of the law in Thailand last September 2022, an operation overseen by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB). The chips started falling in place after that arrest, with his consequent extradition ensuring he was brought before a trial in Liverpool. The CIB Commissioner, Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, shed light on the matter, post-sentencing, to the Bangkok Post. He mentioned the integral assistance of the National…
High-ranking officials are gearing up for a series of consequential meetings with non-Asean nations that includes Australia, Canada, China, European Union, Hong Kong, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, marking a strategic move towards a robust economic diplomacy. The significant economic issues that will be advanced under the supervision of Indonesia – as the chair of these meetings – span a broad spectrum from digitalisation, to environmental preservation, and bolstering of Asean’s fundamental industrial frameworks. In focus will be the outcomes of a study related to the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) of Asean, with a plan set in place to present it for negotiation and, subsequently, signing off in September. The evolution of Asean’s strategy towards Carbon Neutrality also features prominently in the agenda, which envisions to catalyse economic opportunities via innovative, low-carbon investments, catalyze the creation of novel…
Leading the way for innovation in agriculture, the Saraburi City Development Co Ltd’s latest brainchild, the highly anticipated Saraburi Food Valley project, is setting things into motion. Noppadol Thamwiwat, chief of research at the company recently divulged various details in an interview, highlighting the support and involvement they’ve garnered from the renowned Program Management Unit on Area-Based Development (PMUA) and the provincial administration in the execution of this ground-breaking project. The pivotal role of PMUA’s affiliation to the Office of the National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO) cannot be overstated. NXPO, an autonomous public organization, is a key player linked with the Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation Ministry. According to Noppadol, the project is currently in an embryonic phase. Initial steps are aimed at drawing up tangible future plans after which 30 key stakeholders, encompassing adventurous food-processing entrepreneurs and farmers interested in embracing smart farming…
Placard-waving activists publicly criticized the senators for their refusal to back the candidacy of Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the Move Forward Party, for the position of Prime Minister. Among the more prominent voices was that of Sombat Boonngamanong, a political activist widely known as “Bor Kor Lai Jud”. He lamented that the senators’ actions were dealing a significant blow to the democratic fabric of Thailand and transforming the electoral process of May 14 into a mere farce. A notable subset of the protesters launched a unique card stunt. The stunt manifested in the form of the Thai alphabet’s consonant “Kho”, an unspoken message directed at the Senate. Its implicit question—just who holds the reins of power in the nation—was a powerful and clear indictment of the Senate’s decisions. At precisely 7:20 pm, Sombat made the call to wind down the protest for the day, urging the steadfast demonstrators to stay…
The noted Public Health Ministry’s Disease Control Department director-general, Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong, has issued an alarming statement regarding the startling rise in dengue fever cases across the nation. In a span of a week, over 5,000 cases have been registered, bringing the grand total to nearly 40,000 reported cases nationwide. Furthermore, a grim tally of 40+ deaths have been linked with the disease as well. This current development bares a strong resemblance to the previous 2019 outbreak, where an alarming 70,000+ cases and over 70 deaths were reported throughout the year. If the present upward spike in the number of cases persists, it might become necessary to instigate rigorous measures swiftly and effectively to curb the spread of this disease. In the face of this crisis, the representatives of the Department of Local Administration met virtually with the public health teams from 30 districts of 18 provinces. All of these provinces…
In the picturesque border regions opposite to Mae Hong Son’s Pang Moo and Mok Champae subdistricts, an episode of tension and ambition unfolded. According to a source within the Karenni Army, Karenni soldiers took a strategic stance to lay an ambush for Myanmar troopers at their stronghold in Takhaekong. An orchestrated plan by the Karenni forces signaled an escalate in the ongoing conflict, bringing with it a sense of impending encounter. The response from the Myanmar military was as swift as it was forceful. They turned to the skies, making their presence emphatically felt with the roar of FTC-2000G and K-8 aircrafts slicing through the air. The moment from 6 pm on Saturday to the same time on Sunday witnessed a series of four airstrikes as part of a decisive military rebuttal. It was, according to the Karenni Army source, a resounding declaration of retaliation. The aftermath of this aerial…
The harrowing incident unfurled at approximately 12.10pm, ravaging the entirety of the factory and causing extensive damage to both vehicles and residential properties in a 500-metre radius. Those injured in the ordeal were swiftly transported to nearby medical facilities for urgent care and treatment. Satit Khamnorkaew, the esteemed mayor of the San Pu Loei subdistrict municipality, relayed that safety measures were promptly implemented, with firefighters barring access to the disaster-stricken area. Their primary concern was the latent threats posed by the potassium reserves within the factory, which carried the potential to instigate a series of consecutive explosions. To aid those detrimentally impacted by this calamitous event, a help center has been established in the locality. Khamnorkaew added ruefully how history seemed to be repeating itself, given that the factory had fallen prey to another equally devastating explosion six to seven years prior. In a bid to unravel the mystery surrounding…
Credit: vecstock and Freepik Thailand is currently grappling with relentless rainfall that has covered 44 provinces, including Bangkok, as reported by the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD). With a dense 80% rainfall blanketing the area, heavy downpour is expected to continue for the ensuing 24 hours, making landslides and flash floods concerning possibilities, particularly in lower-lying and hillside areas. While the downpour is mainly concentrated in the low northern, northeastern, central, and west provinces, including Bangkok, the eastern and southern regions aren’t entirely spared either. There’s an anticipatory alert of accumulated downpours leading to sudden flash floods and landslides, due to the foreseen heavy rainfall over the eastern region. A moderate monsoon trough intersecting the lower north-central, east, and lower northeastern areas and extending to the low-pressure zone off the southern coast of Vietnam is at the root of the rainfall. A relatively active southwestern monsoon persists over the upper Gulf…
During an enlightening seminar held at the illustrious Eastin Grand Hotel Phya Thai in the heart of Bangkok, Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, the esteemed director-general of Thailand’s Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO) dissected and discussed the potential repercussions of “The Decoupling of Key Industries Between the United States and China for Thailand’s Trade Economy”. This seminar also saw delegates from the Thai Chamber of Commerce in China, the Thai Shipper’s Council, and VISUP Co. Ltd converging in a highly collaborative effort with Thammasat University. Poonpong touched upon the fascinating subject of turning the tide in trade confrontations, explaining how actions such as the passing of the Chip and Science Act 2022 by the US came into play. This Act was a strategic move to incentivise the burgeoning of domestic semiconductor industries. This, along with passing the Inflation Reduction Act 2022, aimed at propelling the auto industry, have resulted in significant knock-on…