Despite the dazzling slogans cascading from City Hall promising to “reinvent safety one step at a time,” seasoned foreign inhabitants of Pattaya seem to agree that such campaigns are nothing more than a slickly packaged illusion. While authorities proudly wave banners of newly installed CCTV cameras, an increased tourist police force, and freshly painted roads, the expatriate population contends that these surface-level changes are mere band-aids over far more profound, entrenched challenges besetting the bustling city. “The genie is out of the bottle now and casinos are probably not going to help,” one expatriate quipped online, casting a jaundiced eye over the latest public relations gambit. There’s a laundry list of grievances: precarious footpaths, perilous open drains, insidious scams, and constant street harassment. These are just some of the modern-day perils that the city’s smooth-talking officials often overlook. “‘Reinventing safety one step at a time’? One wrong step, and you’re…
Posts published in “Thailand”
In the heart of Thailand’s Chachoengsao province, a mystifying tale unfurled late last week. It all began on a balmy day, May 27, when a young 15-year-old Thai teenager, Krittapas, stumbled upon something out of the ordinary. As he jogged his usual route around a pond in the Saen Phu Dat sub-district, he made a discovery that was enough to make anyone’s blood run cold—a human skull complete with long red hair. Found in a roadside wooded area, the skull lay ominously alongside two black rubbish bags. Such a chilling find naturally sparked an investigation, helmed by the officers from the Saen Phu Dat Police Station. Their initial hunch was that the skull had been swaddled in those very bags, with local stray dogs likely having torn them open to expose the ghastly remains. The skull, presumed to belong to a woman given the luscious red locks, was whisked away…
Underneath the shimmering sunlit skies of southern Thailand, holidaymakers often find themselves gazing in awe at the sublime seascapes. But on the morning of May 30, 2025, nature decided to put on a different kind of show near Koh Khai Nok and Koh Khai Nai, straddling the picturesque border of the Phuket and Phang Nga provinces. A rare and mesmerizing waterspout spun into existence, pirouetting above the Andaman Sea for a heart-stopping 10 to 15 minutes, catching the eyes and sparking the imaginations of everyone from shore-side tourists to seasoned fishermen. The dramatic whirling vortex formed as if staging a private theatre of nature’s raw and untamable power. Those lucky enough to witness this grand performance reported that the waterspout cut a swift path across the sea’s mirror-like surface, a moving marvel that seemed both otherworldly and directly tied to Earth’s frantic weather whims. While its intensity was undoubtedly awe-inspiring,…
Imagine strolling through the storied halls of Harrods, an establishment that has magnetized global luxury seekers since 1905. An extravagant world where dreams are woven with the threads of elegance, luxury, and exceptional service. Now, for Thai shopaholics and global adventurers alike, an elevated experience awaits, thanks to a novel partnership that bridges the gap between the illustrious Harrods of the United Kingdom and Thailand’s own retail giant, The Mall Group. This landmark collaboration promises to be the ticket to a realm of exclusive benefits for discerning M Card members and Bangkok Bank M VISA cardholders. June 2025 heralds a new era, as M Card members, synonymous with luxury shopping, are graced with unprecedented privileges at Harrods in London, all gifted under the canopy of a strategic alliance. Ms. Voralak Tulaphorn, the visionary Chief Marketing Officer of The Mall Group Co., Ltd., shares, “Our collaboration with Harrods is a masterstroke…
On a sweltering May day in the lively corridors of Bangkok’s political theatre, a ripple of anticipation coursed through the dignified walls of the parliamentary chamber. The occasion? The third day of an exhaustive debate on the 2026 budget bill. Armed with a steadfast determination and a penchant for scrutiny, People’s Party MP Pukkamon Nunarnan, colloquially known as “Lisa,” rose to the podium, ready to deliver a pointed critique against the government’s hefty 26.5-billion-baht provincial budget. In her impassioned discourse, Lisa took direct aim at what she perceived as an abyssmal funding strategy by the Interior Ministry. She asserted that the budget not only perpetuates inequality but also neglects the pressing needs of local communities. The budgetary allocations, according to her, were a throwback to an era underscored by centralization of power and lopsided development, where major cities absorbed most of the resources, leaving the rest of the nation languishing…
As the early stages of the rainy season paint Thailand with a watery brush, a car braves the floods of Bang Phli Industrial Estate, creating ripples that seem to echo the relentless showers. However, like any good drama, the weather narrative is promising a plot twist that will ease the minds of the waterlogged residents. The Meteorological Department, our trusty weather prophet, has declared that the wet saga enveloping the entire nation—including the bustling metropolis of Bangkok—will start scaling back its intensity from this coming Sunday. Yes, you heard it right! Our weather seers have envisaged a respite—a streak of days from June 1 to 6 or 7 when the rain gods might just take a breather. “We are experiencing the infancy of the rainy season, marked by persistent drizzles and deluges,” explained Somkhuan Tonjan, the department’s deputy spokesman, with a wry smile. “We’ve been weathering the storm, but rest…
Hold on to your racing helmets, folks, because Thailand is fast-tracking its way into the high-octane world of Formula One! The buzz is that instead of constructing a brand-new, multimillion-dollar racetrack, Thailand’s playbook is adding a twist of its own. Picture this: a thrilling Formula One World Championship zooming through the bustling streets of Bangkok. Yes, you heard it right. Minister of Tourism and Sports, Surawong Thienthong, just put the pedal to the metal with this electrifying announcement. Surawong, steering Thailand on this exhilarating ride, has shared plans for hosting the F1 race on Bangkok’s bustling downtown roads. That’s right, the same streets that sizzle with street food vendors, tuk-tuks, and high-energy traffic are set to witness the world’s speed demons in action. This bold vision aligns perfectly with Formula One’s penchant for exciting street circuits, and it certainly seems private sector moguls in Thailand are revving in unison to…
The business arena of Thailand is embroiled in a whirlwind of challenges as nearly 4,000 companies have bid farewell to the marketplace in the first four months of 2025. This marks an 8.3% rise from the previous year, casting a somber shadow over the Department of Business Development’s (DBD) latest reports. In a twist of irony, while there have been 30,148 new businesses making their debut on the stage, the enthusiasm seems to have waned ever so slightly, with registrations dipping by 4.4% compared to last year’s figures. The hesitation amongst budding entrepreneurs is palpable, a testament to the prevailing economic uncertainty. Yet, the DBD has kept a poker face, not divulging which industries have been most affected by this turbulent dance of closures and start-ups. Could it be the mom-and-pop shops, or are the tech wizards feeling the heat? Against this dramatic backdrop, lawmakers are engrossed in a fiery…
The morning began just like any other day for the employees of a local company in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. As dawn broke on May 30, 2025, the energy was palpable as workers eagerly awaited their shuttle bus, ready to embark on another busy day. However, an unusual silence and a disconcerting absence marked the start of this ill-fated morning—a tragic twist awaited just past sunrise. In the quiet pre-dawn darkness, the shuttle bus, a familiar blue vessel of daily commutes, sat immobile along Pathon Road. It was positioned ironically opposite the very place designed to investigate such grim occurrences: the Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Police Station. Inside, an unsettling discovery lay waiting to unfold. As the clock ticked past 5 a.m., employees’ puzzled expressions turned into worry and then into action. The bus wasn’t there to whisk them away, and so a swift call was made—an inquiry that led…
In the heart of Thailand, a silent but speedy adversary is making its presence known. Meet NB.1.8.1, the latest variant of the notorious Covid-19 virus, which is swiftly gaining momentum and is poised to become the dominant strain in the country. Spearheading the local scientific response is Dr. Yongyot Thummavudhi, the esteemed director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences (DMSC). On May 29th, he illuminated the public with insights straight from the trenches of viral research. As per Dr. Yongyot, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is keeping a vigilant eye on several Omicron variants, with the NB.1.8.1 being among six notable ones under intense scrutiny. The curious cast of variants under watch includes KP.3, KP.3.1.1, LB.1, XEC, LP.8.1, and, of course, NB.1.8.1. According to data proffered by the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID), the numbers are telling an interesting tale. For a brief stretch between March 31…