Thailand Braces for Heavy Rain — TMD Warns 50 Provinces, Including Bangkok The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a serious weather alert for September 8: heavy rainfall is expected across 50 provinces — yes, that includes Bangkok and its surrounding areas. Forecasters say intense downpours could cover around 80% of the country in the impacted zones, with some pockets facing exceptionally heavy rain. If you live in eastern Bangkok, Nakhon Nayok, Prachin Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi or Trat, it’s time to get your umbrella, waterproof boots and a healthy respect for puddles. What’s causing this soggy spell? The TMD points to a classic monsoon play: a trough sweeping through the lower northern, upper central and northeastern regions, combined with a moderately strong southwest monsoon blowing over the Andaman Sea, southern Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand. Those two weather players together are signing up for a very wet performance. Tropical…
Posts published in “Thailand”
Bangkok’s latest education forum felt a bit like a cinematic wake-up call: dignitaries in crisp suits, spirited panel debates and, tucked between coffee breaks, a stark reality check — Thailand’s students are drifting toward the lower half of international performance tables. That sobering message came into sharp focus at the Beyond Assessment: Driving Educational Change Forum last week, and it has stirred educators, policymakers and parents into an urgent conversation about what comes next. The numbers that won’t sit still According to the World Population Review 2025, Thailand’s literacy rate sits at 94.1%. It’s respectable, yet it’s trailed by regional peers: Brunei (97.6%), Singapore (97.5%), the Philippines (96.3%), Indonesia (96%), Vietnam (95.8%) and Malaysia (95%). Meanwhile, Thai students continue to underperform in the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which tests maths, science and reading literacy — an issue that can no longer be papered over with platitudes. “We…
What should have been an ordinary afternoon at a Udon Thani shopping centre turned into an unexpected scene straight out of a soap opera when a 39-year-old South Korean man punched an 81-year-old British national in the face on September 7. Security staff intervened, police were called, and a translation service was pressed into action — all over a dispute that began, apparently, with a dog at the entrance. According to staff at the mall and reports to Mueang Udon Thani Police Station, the British man arrived with his pet dog. The security guard stopped him at the entrance because animals were not allowed inside the shopping centre. Shortly afterwards a taxi pulled up and the South Korean man arrived. The guard said he watched the two foreigners speak briefly — and then, without warning, the South Korean struck the British man. The guard didn’t see what happened before the…
Hat Yai Bust: Woman Caught Trying to Deliver Drugs Hidden in Her Brassiere Police in southern Thailand made a striking arrest on September 6 after a 25‑year‑old woman was intercepted while attempting to deliver illegal drugs to customers in the outskirts of Hat Yai. The operation, led by Police Colonel Thammarat Phetnongchum and units from the Royal Thai Police together with Provincial Police Region 9, unfolded in the Saphan Dam community of Khlong Hae municipality, Hat Yai district, Songkhla province. The suspect, identified as Suttikarn from Moo 3, Tha Chamuang subdistrict, Rattaphum district, was standing outside a neighborhood convenience store when officers moved in. What began as a routine stop quickly turned into an unusual discovery: as she reached into her purse, a small packet of crystal methamphetamine tumbled to the ground. That one falling bag prompted a more thorough search. A female officer carried out a body search and…
It was the kind of morning many tourists remember fondly — warm sea breeze, the bright bustle of Second Road — but for 32-year-old Indian visitor Mudasir Ashraf the stroll near Pattaya’s Baywalk project on September 5 turned into a stark reminder that not every friendly face on the street has honest intentions. According to a complaint he filed at Pattaya Police Station in Chon Buri province, Ashraf was stopped by two men who appeared to be foreign nationals and struck up a casual conversation. The chat quickly shifted to a sales pitch: “miracle” hair-growth and beauty products they guaranteed would work wonders. Trusting the recommendation, Ashraf followed the men into a shop inside the Baywalk complex where staff presented him with a bundle of items — two bottles of herb-infused coconut oil, two bottles of shampoo, and two boxes of ginseng soap. What followed was all too familiar in…
Northern Thailand’s skies just got a dose of new metal and a lot more purpose. In Chiang Mai this week the Royal Thai Air Force quietly — and not so quietly — introduced a fresh fleet of US-built AT-6TH light attack aircraft, a move Commander Panpakdee Pattanakul says will sharpen the service’s edge on border protection and the long-running battle against illicit drugs. The AT-6THs replace the ageing L-39ZA/ART trainers that have been doing heavy lifting well past their prime. Acquired under an Integrity Pact with Textron Aviation Defense LLC in November 2021, the deal was designed to keep procurement transparent and accountable — a nice PR bow on top of an otherwise strategic upgrade. Small plane, big role Don’t let the AT-6TH’s compact size fool you. These are purpose-built for missions where top-tier fighters like Gripens or F-16s would be overkill — or simply the wrong tool for the…
Thailand’s tourism engine hit a patch of turbulence this year as the Ministry of Tourism and Sports revealed a drop in both visitor numbers and tourism revenue. Between January and August, the Kingdom welcomed 21.88 million international arrivals — respectable, but down 7.16% from the same period last year. Revenue followed suit, slipping 5.4% to 1.014 trillion baht, a reminder that even travel powerhouses can wobble when key source markets hesitate to book their next flight. Who was missing from the party? Largely China and Malaysia. China, historically Thailand’s top feeder market, delivered 3.09 million arrivals, while Malaysia closely trailed with 3.04 million. Both figures dipped substantially year-on-year and were the principal drags on the national tally. The ministry has pointed to this heavy reliance as a vulnerability — when two major markets cool, the whole sector feels the chill. Not all markets are sliding. India held firm as a…
Thailand’s streets are about to get a little more robotic and a lot more nostalgic — Doraemon and his whimsical crew are making their Thai TV debut. MCOT Plc confirmed that the special episode titled “I Want to Meet That Cat in Thailand” will air at 9:00 a.m. on Channel 30 this Saturday, September 6, giving fans both new and old a charming reason to gather around the screen. Episode 865 — which first aired in Japan on TV Asahi on May 31 — has finally hopped from Tokyo to Bangkok after a little over three months of travel through syndication and translation. It’s been worth the wait: the storyline transports Doraemon, Nobita, Shizuka and the gang into the heart of Thailand, letting viewers tag along as the blue robotic cat discovers tuk tuks, temples, and tasty street food. A cartoon trek through Thai classics The animation plays like a…
If you’ve been dreaming of swapping city sirens for bird calls and misty mornings, Agoda has given you a nudge in the right direction: Khao Yai National Park has been crowned Asia’s second most popular rural getaway. The announcement—made on September 5 by Deputy Government Spokesperson Sasikarn Wattanachan—puts Khao Yai just behind Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands in a list that reads like a nature-lover’s bucket list: Puncak (Indonesia), Fujikawaguchiko (Japan), Kenting (Taiwan), Sapa (Vietnam), Munnar (India), and Pyeongchang (South Korea) also made the cut. Agoda’s ranking targeted rural destinations with populations under 50,000 across eight Asian countries, using accommodation search data collected from February 15 to August 15 this year. In plain English: more travellers are leaning into slower-paced trips that serve up forests, waterfalls, local culture and that blissful “off-the-grid” feeling. Khao Yai, with its rolling hills, wildlife-rich forests and dramatic waterfalls, fits the bill perfectly. “The fact that Khao…
Phuket is famous for sun, sand and smiles — but right now the island urgently needs something less glamorous and infinitely more vital: blood. The Phuket Red Cross Blood Centre (PRBC) has issued a high-priority appeal after type O supplies dropped to dangerously low levels. Hospitals across the province are feeling the squeeze, and donors — both residents and visitors — are being asked to roll up their sleeves and help keep the lifeline flowing. Why the rush? The numbers you should know As of 9:30 a.m. on September 4, the National Blood Service in Phuket reported a daily requirement of 390 units to meet demand. That breaks down to: 200 units of type O 100 units of type A 70 units of type AB 20 units of type B Type O is especially critical because it’s universally compatible in emergencies — when every minute counts, O+ and O- packs…