On the enlightening day of August 18, 2023, nestled in the heart of one of Thailand’s culture havens – SEA JUNCTION, at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, a pivotal event was organised. The captains behind this crucial conference were none other than representatives from the Institute for Population and Social Research (IPSR) at Mahidol University, in a synergic collaboration with the civil society wings – SEA JUNCTION, and the stalwart, MIGRANT WORKING GROUP. The event was aptly titled “Policy Recommendation Forum on Inbound Labour Migration and Immigration in Thailand (Reforming the Replacement Migration Policy)”. This gathering wasn’t just a mere gathering, it was an ambition in its entirety to reshape the contours of how Thailand welcomes immigration and immigrants. At the centre of this discourse is to establish a judicious objective – a monthly milestone of integrating at least 20,000 existing immigrant adults and children, those who cherish dreams…
Posts published in “Thailand”
A well-known globetrotter, popular on social media, recently relayed an unusual encounter during her adventure to China. Intent on meeting a man she had interacted with extensively online, she was greeted with a stark revelation – his real-life persona did not match the image he projected online. The intriguing incident unfolded over a series of three TikTok videos posted by the woman, recognized online as thaisuperstarinchina, and piqued a significant amount of critique. The story begins with her getting acquainted with a Chinese man over the internet, where their interactions were filled with vivid chatter and occasional photo exchanges. Excitement bubbled up as she anticipated this human connection on her trip to China. However, what she arrived to was a disconcerting difference between the man she had been imagining and the man standing in front of her – a difference so striking, it caused a ripple of disappointment. During her…
In the wake of her mother’s passing, an unnamed woman was issued an uncompromising ultimatum by her boss: priority should be work over mourning, or she should tender her resignation. Unable to sideline the demise of a loved one, she made the compassionate decision to resign, enabling her to grieve and attend the funeral. A post about this employer’s lack of empathy was disseminated through Facebook, going viral and sparking outrage across the web. This eventually attracted the attention of the Labour Ministry, resulting in a formal investigation to discern whether all labour laws were observed during this dispute. In a statement released by the resort, where the incident purportedly occurred, it was announced that the manager in question had been put on suspension until further notice, pending the inquisition into her behaviour. “We feel an overwhelming sense of sympathy and offer our unwavering support to our colleague who recently…
Since April 2017, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and Krungthep Thanakom (KT) have found themselves in further debt for the operations and upkeep on two extensions of the Green Line, owned by the BTS Skytrain operator, BTSC. In an unexpected turn of events in September 2021, BTSC took the initiative to file a lawsuit against BMA. The lawsuit was over an impressive 12 billion baht debt that BMA had accrued for the operation of the Green Line extension. However, that was not the end of the financial ordeal – an additional outstanding balance of 20 billion baht was also mentioned, attributable to the train operating system. The saga continued into the next year, with the Central Administrative Court stepping in during September 2022. The court issued an order that demanded both BMA and KT clear their debt of 12.6 billion baht tied to the operation of the Green Line extensions.…
In the heart of January 2018, a bastion of maritime healthcare was established. The Khao Lak Medical Corner, a beacon of hope for seafarers and coastal dwellers alike, was founded with the primary mission of responding to marine incidents and delivering emergency medical services. They provide aid when the tumultuous waves turn rogue or when ill-fated accidents occur on the unforgiving sea. Furthermore, they go beyond just immediate emergencies, offering advanced disease diagnosis and arranging expeditious patient transfers to well-equipped hospitals for timely treatments. The core services offered by this illustrious medical centre span a versatile array. Emergency accident care forms the backbone of their services, a safety net for those faced with unforeseen calamities. Radiology forms another major pillar, with the centre providing preliminary CT scan services to accelerate the diagnosis process. They also extend an olive branch to the realm of general health with check-ups for both communicable…
Body: Spread across thousands of acres, primarily in the iconic provinces of Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Amnat Charoen, and Yasothon, lies a digital gold mine of carbon credit-bearing forests. This expansive terrestrial asset is set to provide an innovative income stream for an estimated 12,000 families, who will serve as guardians of these invaluable ecosystems. The Mae Fah Luang Foundation, an advocate of sustainable development, has been at the fore of these game-changing initiatives since 2020. Through a dynamic collaboration with 14 prestigious corporations and an array of community groups countrywide, they’ve paved the way for Thailand to become a major player in global carbon credit trading. Furthermore, this groundbreaking framework empowers local communities, guiding them toward sustainable economic growth. When the veil was drawn on this project in its embryonic stages between 2020 and 2022, 52 communal forests encompassing just over 50,000 rai took centre-stage. This action signed on…
Situated in the flourishing pastoral expanse of northern Thailand, Pai, the dreamy tourist hotspot found itself in the thick of action, as a team of 85 law enforcement officials stormed two local communities. This daring operation saw an assemblage of various personnel right from local police and civilian officials to the Border Patrol Police and the Central Investigation Bureau’s (CIB) elite Hanuman Commando Unit, combining their expertise and resources. The endeavor that put these picturesque villages at the epicenter was a serious matter of drug-trafficking and substance abuse involving local inhabitants. This multi-agency crackdown was initiated against a backdrop of shocking revelations involving the prosaic ethnic Pai villagers. It was reported that these individuals were implicated in a nefarious business scheme involving the sale of hard drugs, which included heroin, methamphetamine, and “Ice,” a commonly-known term for crystal meth. The customers of this illicit business ranged from foreign tourists seeking…
Steeped in the heart of bustling Bangkok, a mammoth four-metre tall statue stands resolute on private property, catching the attention of the city’s officials and the curiosity of its inhabitants. The statue, a resemblance of Khru Kai Kaeo—a mythical character with the cryptic allure of a winged gargoyle, complete with razor-sharp fangs and striking crimson talons—was erected by a hotel owner, quickly becoming a head-turner on the buzzing Ratchadaphisek Road. This enigmatic effigy has not only sparked intrigue among motorists and pedestrians but has also made its way into the headlines of Thai media, fuelling discussions among web-based communities. Whispers of the legend attached to the Khru Kai Kaeo – a character who was ostensibly once the tutor of an ancient Khmer empire king- have swirled around. Notably, a handful of these discussions marvel at the mythology of Khru Kai Kaeo as a ‘god of wealth.’ However, not all reviews…
The tranquility of Thailand’s picturesque hub for holidaymakers, Hua Hin in the Prachuap Khiri Khan province, was recently disturbed, as a 48-year-old American known only as “Bass” found himself entangled in a police sting operation. Concurrently, his Thai compadre, 34-year-old Kanya whose surname remains undisclosed, was apprehended at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. The heart of their alleged violations was centered around orchestrating illicit dealings in prostitution. Uncovering the seeds of their grand scheme was no easy task. It began following a series of lodged complaints made by a handful of unsuspecting tourists, claiming that their evenings had taken a nefarious turn. They alleged having been drugged and dispossessed of their belongings by ladies of the night who were connected to a suspicious platform known as Absolute Angels Bangkok. The truth, as it turns out, could be hidden in plain sight. The aforementioned website brandished overt advertisements of what it termed…
In the rapidly changing landscape of Thailand’s insurance sector, the power of digital technology is being harnessed to tackle emerging challenges such as artificial intelligence, cyber threats, as well as to manage healthcare costs for Thailand’s ageing populace. Under the leadership of the Office of the Insurance Commission (OIC), significant strides have been made to augment industry resilience and elevate the customer experience. Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn, OIC secretary-general, proudly stated that the insurance industry experienced an unexpected growth of 4.81% in the first quarter of 2023, emphasizing on the amplified consumer cognizance of the significance of safeguarding health and property. However, he warned that certain companies followed unsustainable strategies, particularly those offering lump-sum payouts for Covid-19 insurance, which had the lure of large-scale sales but were eventually forced to discontinue as sales surpassed their underwriting capacity. Suthiphon further elucidated on OIC’s commitment to reinforce the insurance industry by harnessing technology to…