In a picturesque corner of Thailand, known for its lush landscapes and serene vistas, residents of the Nan province woke up to something a little less tranquil on Thursday morning. As dawn stretched its fingers across the sky, news began to ripple through the community of two early morning tremors that gently reminded everyone of the earth’s unpredictable dance beneath their feet. The Earthquake Observation Division of the Meteorological Department, after perusing the delicate seismographs like seasoned researchers examining ancient scripts, confirmed the happenings—a 1.7 and a 1.5 magnitude jiggle measured on the Richter scale. Both quakes were rather shy, occurring one kilometre underground in the quaint tambon Yap Hua Na of Wiang Sa district. These were not the first quivers of concern, following closely on the heels of Wednesday’s more spirited quake, which boasted a magnitude of 3.0 and left its mark in the southern reaches of Nakhon Si…
Posts published in “Thailand”
In a moment that could have escalated international tension, but thankfully did not, a Myanmar fighter jet nearly entered Thai airspace near the Kanchanaburi province this past week. The incident spurred a swift response from the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), which dispatched two of its F-16 fighter jets to intercept what appeared to be an unidentified aircraft. Thankfully, according to Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, the situation remained under control and never truly infringed upon Thai territory. “The aircraft didn’t breach Thai airspace. It flew close to the border during take-off, but there was no incursion,” Phumtham assured today, May 7, attempting to allay public anxiety following the incident. This tense near miss occurred yesterday, on May 6, when the Myanmar aircraft’s proximity to the border prompted the RTAF to take preventative measures to safeguard national airspace. Nonetheless, Phumtham described the incident as routine military operations by a neighboring country,…
In what’s becoming a saga of structural snafus and buyer’s remorse, a quaint little village tucked away in the Tha Sai subdistrict of Samut Sakhon province seems to be teetering—quite literally—on the edge of a concrete catastrophe. With no less than 30 houses now hitting the market faster than you can say “foreclosure,” mainly due to construction calamities of epic proportions, the small community seems to be caught in a whirlwind of cracks, crumbles, and community concerns. On the sun-dappled day of May 7, the provincial governor, Narit Niramaiwong, clad in his authority-laden attire, gathered a band of key stakeholders in the hallowed halls of provincial policymaking. This wasn’t just another sit-down; it was a convention of construction conundrum handlers, composed of the much-esteemed chief of the provincial public works and town planning, the ever-vigilant Consumer Protection Board, and representatives from every administration from the Tha Sai to the subdistrict…
In an incident so astonishing it could easily pass as a slapstick comedy scene, a Thai truck driver found himself on the receiving end of a gravity-defying fish tale. On May 7, around the bustling noon hour, amidst the salty aroma of Suphanawa Pier at Lock 6 in the Songkhonong subdistrict, Phra Pradaeng district, Samut Prakan province, fate dealt an icy, fishy blow. A 40-kilogram frozen tuna plummeted from the sky, landing squarely on the unsuspecting trucker’s head. The Prakan Rescue Radio Centre’s 1669 hotline blared with urgency as the Por Tek Tung Foundation’s emergency responders rushed to the scene of this maritime mishap. There, sprawled in various stages of bewilderment and pain, lay Prayot, a 41-year-old driver of a formidable 10-wheel truck. A stone’s throw away, his massive Korean cargo ship sat tirelessly, lazily cradling 3,000 tonnes of stubbornly cold tuna. Suffering from a ghastly 5-centimetre head wound, Prayot…
It was a sunny afternoon when a Thai gentleman took to social media, hoping to warn fellow travel enthusiasts about a scam that left him and his friends heartbroken and 240,000 baht lighter. Imagine the excitement that swelled in their hearts when they booked a thrilling package tour to the magical landscapes of Pakistan, only to later realize they had been duped by a dubious travel agency named Auan Tuam. Since then, numerous other victims have echoed their plight, tallying the collective loss to an eye-watering 5 million baht. This cautionary tale unfolded on May 6, as the man, under the social media handle TU RN, penned a poignant warning: “Be warned. This is a lesson learnt. Booked a trip, got dumped, and lost money.” Those words seemed to resonate across the digital realm, a beacon of caution against the shimmering facade of a supposed reputable travel agency. In January,…
The aftermath of the catastrophic collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building last March has spiraled into a full-blown legal and political tempest, with everyone from engineers to local officials, to shady foreign businesses now under intense scrutiny. Picture this: on March 28, an entire building came crashing down, claiming lives and sending shockwaves through the community. Now, the Metropolitan Police Bureau is poised to slap charges on the engineers and SAO officials held accountable for this devastating construction failure. A police source disclosed that these charges would be distinct from the high-stakes inquiries conducted by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), which have been dominating headlines. At the heart of the DSI’s probes are allegations of bidding rigging, the clandestine involvement of a Chinese contractor using Thai nominees, and tax dodging by a linked Chinese steel company. Authorities have already interrogated over a hundred witnesses, including SAO insiders,…
In a scene right out of an action movie, a female passenger pulled off a daring taxi heist in the bustling province of Samut Prakan, Thailand, on May 7, 2025. The story, complete with twists worthy of a thriller, began at a seemingly ordinary petrol station in the Bang Na area. It was here that she managed to make off with a conspicuous green and yellow taxi, setting her course eastward towards the province of Rayong, leaving a trail of bewilderment and police reports in her wake. The unsuspecting taxi driver, who remains anonymous, detailed the unusual series of events to local authorities and called on the quick-thinking team at JS100 Radio. They engaged the vigilant eyes of fellow motorists to keep an eye out for the runaway vehicle and its audacious driver. Reports suggest that the driver originally picked up the woman from a road in the Bang Bua…
In the wee hours of a seemingly routine night in Pattaya, chaos erupted in the vibrant yet notorious nightlife hub, culminating in a scene that could’ve been plucked straight from a blockbuster movie. Just minutes past 3 a.m. on May 7th, the tranquil atmosphere was shattered by an unruly brawl at a popular beer bar nestled in Soi 6, off Pattaya Second Road. By the time the dust had settled, the incident left behind a trail of destruction — blood-spattered floors, injured staff, and one very bewildered Irishman who would later insist on his innocence. It all began when the Sawang Boriboon Rescue Centre received an urgent SOS call about a violent fracas. Responders and local authorities raced to the scene, only to find the alleged instigator, a heavily inebriated foreigner, had taken flight into the shadows of the nearby Runway Market — thought to be eerily deserted at the…
Amidst the tropical tranquility of Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Chawang district, the serenity was shaken—literally—on a seemingly unremarkable Wednesday. At the epicenter of this unexpected geological mischief was none other than the distinguished Chawang Crown Prince Hospital. A pillar stood cracked, its structural pride slightly bruised but boldly refusing to falter. With unwavering dedication, hospital staff efficiently moved into action, as if they had rehearsed nature’s unpredictable dance routine. This story, however, took a riveting plot twist the very next day as the earth, seemingly with a mind of its own, decided to jolt the northern province of Nan just as the sun began its ascent. The double tremors were like a sneak preview to what had been a rather unshaken narrative. At precisely 4:04 am and again at 4:52 am, the Richter scale tickled the nerves of seismologists with readings of 1.7 and 1.5. Underground, deep beneath the feet of…
In the picturesque rural landscapes of Thailand, an economic storm is brewing, endangering the livelihoods of hardworking farmers across the nation. As the calendar pages of 2025 turn, farmers from Phichit to Mae Hong Son are facing unprecedented challenges, driven by a stunning collapse in crop prices. The echo of their plight resonates through bustling markets and silent fields as communities deeply steeped in tradition grapple with modern economic realities. Amidst this unfolding drama, they are fervently calling for support, hoping for a lifeline from the government. In the fertile land of Phichit, watermelon farmers find themselves staring at fields teeming with unsold, luscious melons. Once, the lifeblood of their community thrived under a robust market with watermelons fetching 7 to 9 baht per kilogramme. Yet now, the haunting figures have plummeted to a disheartening 2 baht for the smaller, and even the largest, juiciest melons can only garner 5…