Posts published in “Thailand”

As the sun rises tomorrow over bustling Bangkok, the city will witness a poignant moment—a small yet significant gesture towards healing and justice. It marks the beginning of the first wave of compensation for those deeply affected by the catastrophic collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building. This tragic incident left an indelible mark on the heart of Thailand, and after extensive dialogues with the ITD-CREC Joint Venture, involving Italian-Thai Development and China Railway No.10 (Thailand), a plan is finally in motion to extend financial aid to the victims’ families. On the morning of May 9th, Wichien Chubthaisong, the esteemed President of the Lawyers Council of Thailand, will stand before the press. With a composed demeanor, he will unravel the details of the compensation process, already confirmed a day prior. The gathering, scheduled for 10 am, promises to be both a solemn reminder of the tragedy and a hopeful…

The Senate’s special committee, with a meticulous eye on the government’s grand plan to weave casinos into new entertainment complexes, made strides yesterday, rolling out a decision to create not just one, but two dynamic subcommittees. These subcommittees are diving deep into the heart of potential pitfalls that might accompany this ambitious venture. It’s like poised surfers ready to ride the waves of societal impact and economic turbulence. First on the investigative block is the subcommittee delving into societal reverberations. It’s not just about ransacking the societal and legal implications – oh no, they’re donning their investigator caps to scrutinize everything from environmental repercussions, urban planning minutiae, to constitutional nuances. They’re even spotlighting national developmental strategies and the sacred dance of public referendums, as inscribed in the hallowed halls of Section 77 of the constitution. It’s quite the endeavor, likened to piecing together a complex puzzle where each piece could…

In a dramatic twist reminiscent of a courtroom thriller, the Criminal Court recently denied former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s request to journey to the sun-drenched lands of Qatar. This decision unfurled in the presence of Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, who stood by Thaksin as a witness, resembling a supportive sidekick in this legal saga. The morning sun had barely risen when Thaksin, with the confident air of a seasoned traveler, approached the court. His mission was to persuade the legal authorities with a summon from none other than the Emir of Qatar himself. A regal invitation indeed, one would say! However, the courtroom’s bustling atmosphere was soon to be dampened by the court’s final verdict. As the clock ticked, the court refrained from unveiling further details about this high-profile rendezvous, leaving an air of mystery hanging in the corridors of justice. Why, you ask, was his request dismissed? The court,…

In the still, shadowy moments just before dawn, the calm of Nan’s northern province was disturbed by not one, but two playful nudges from beneath the Earth’s crust. Early risers in tambon Yap Hua Na of Wiang Sa district might have been gently rocked awake at 4:04 a.m. and again at 4:52 a.m., as the Earth executed a couple of subterranean pirouettes. These geological whispers registered at a delicate 1.7 and 1.5 on the Richter scale, offering a mild reminder of the dynamic forces at play beneath our feet. Meanwhile, down south in Nakhon Si Thammarat, residents were still reverberating from Wednesday’s slightly more vigorous earth-shimmy. This particular dance, scoring a modest 3.0 on the Richter scale, made its presence known at 5:31 a.m. in the early hours of a busy morning. Originating from the depths of tambon Saira in Chawang district, the quake kindly made itself felt by nudging…

In a classic showdown between progress and preservation, the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation has thrown down the gauntlet against a proposed cable car project set to weave its way through the heart of Phu Kradueng National Park in Thailand’s Loei province. The foundation, a steadfast custodian of the country’s natural treasures, has sworn to protect Phu Kradueng’s awe-inspiring landscapes from the perceived ill-effects of the cable car system—believing it could rival a fairytale gone wrong if left unchecked. The foundation’s ruffling of feathers comes hot on the heels of a move by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) that sanctioned a two-year grace period for expanding feasibility studies and conducting an in-depth environmental impact assessment (EIA). The Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Dasta) has been handed the blueprint duty, complete with a princely budget of 25.7 million baht just for the supporting studies. Not one to…

Thailand is gearing up to cater to the booming Chinese demand for the king of fruits, the durian, as the annual durian season sweeps the country into full productive gear, announced the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives yesterday. In a bid to ensure that Thai durians make their way into Chinese markets without a hitch, Agriculture Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat highlighted the robust collaboration between Thailand and China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC). The two nations are collectively tackling potential barriers such as registration intricacies, stringent laboratory accreditations, and a noted scarcity of trained personnel, which could potentially disrupt durian exports to China. Addressing bubbling concerns from China regarding the aesthetic enhancements using Basic Yellow 2 (BY2) synthetic dye, which reportedly gives the already fascinating durian an extra allure, Ms. Narumon confidently assured that these succulent fruits destined for international markets would undergo stringent checks by accredited labs within Thailand itself.…

In the latest twist of events following the disastrous collapse of the State Audit Office’s under-construction edifice during the seismic jolt on March 28, the upcoming week appears set to usher in significant legal proceedings. With arrest warrants on the horizon, three distinct factions have emerged under scrutiny for their alleged involvement in this unfortunate fiasco, a true conundrum for the architectural and engineering elites. Pol Maj Gen Noppasin Poolsawat, standing tall as the deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, shared insights from the intensive investigation. To date, a remarkable 193 individuals have been quizzed, painting a broad canvas of perspectives that includes everyone from esteemed SAO officials to the resilient families of those impacted. The fellowship of contract designers, diligent construction overseers, and hard-working laborers have all added their voices to this tale of intrigue. The investigation unfurls like a detective novel, with an emphasis on amassing a…

In a world where the gears of industry turn faster than ever before, Thailand’s Labour Minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, has drawn a line in the sand with an ambitious target aimed at minimizing workplace tragedies. Speaking at the kickoff of the National Occupational Safety Day 2025 on May 10, the visionary leader unveiled his master plan, “Safety Thailand,” a bold initiative to slash the statistics of severe work injuries. Being a man with a mission, Minister Phiphat has pledged to reduce the current rate of serious workplace injuries, dropping from the present 2.13 individuals to a svelte one per 1,000 workers. Furthermore, he aims to streamline work-related fatalities, trimming the number from the unsettling 5.3 to a modest three per 100,000 workers by the year 2030. To Phiphat, safety within the workplace isn’t merely an obligation dictated by law but an intrinsic right—one that should be safeguarded fiercely and treated with…

Ah, the tales of border-town intrigue! Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai recently declared victory in the government’s campaign against call centre scams in Myanmar. This strategic operation, dubbed the “3 Cuts” strategy, aimed at cutting electricity, fuel, and internet access to notorious scam hotspots, seems to be working wonders. Launched on the 5th of February, the initiative targeted various bustling locations along the Thai-Myanmar border, including the hustle-bustle spans of Mae Sai in Chiang Rai and Mae Sot in Tak. Let’s put this daredevil operation under our magnifying glass, shall we? The five critical locations caught in the swoop were the Second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, Ban Huay Muang in Myawaddy, Three Pagodas Bridge in Payathongzu, and the illustrious duo—Ban Mueang Daeng and the First Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in Tachileik, Shan State. “These measures have disrupted the infrastructure sustaining these criminal networks,” announced Mr. Phumtham with a hint of victorious pride.…

The budgetary brawl brewing over Bangkok’s gleaming new parliament complex is something akin to a political thriller, replete with fiscal controversy and a hefty dollop of architectural intrigue. A contingent of 30 senators has banded together to vehemently oppose a proposed 956-million-baht allocation earmarked for renovations, raising eyebrows and temperatures in the process. At the forefront of this fiscal fracas is the impassioned Senator Nantana Nantavaropas. With an emphatic flourish, she unfurled her critiques at a recent press conference, meticulously dissecting the renovation blueprints. “Excessive,” “poorly prioritized,” and “not in the public interest” were just the opening salvoes in her arsenal of accusations. The parliament complex, an extravagant exemplar of modern Thai architecture, came with an eye-watering price tag of 22 billion baht. Yet, vexingly, it seems to have aged less like a timeless monument and more like a breadbasket full of woes. Leaky walls, overburdened ceilings collapsing under the…