The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives in Thailand is exuding confidence these days, and there’s a sweet, pungent reason for it. Thailand’s world-renowned durians are the center of attention as they maintain their dominant hold in the Chinese market. Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat, fresh off a diplomatic trip to China, is optimistic about the Thai durians’ future prospects. In a recent dialogue with Minister Sun Meijun of the General Administration of Customs of China, she discussed the high demand and unwavering love the Chinese have for Thai fruits, with durians taking the lead. It’s not surprising, considering that Thai durians corner a whopping 57% of the market over there! The numbers are as staggering as the fruit itself – with annual exports of durians valued between a striking 130 to 140 billion baht, there’s anticipation and excitement around boosting this figure even further by 2025. The tantalizing aroma of these figures…
Posts published in “Thailand”
A troubling incident took place in the serene province of Rayong, Thailand, that has sparked outrage across the nation. This peculiar tale of misunderstanding and unchecked anger unfolded at Rayong Hospital, involving a diligent nurse, a concerned father, and a family caught in the crossfire of emotions. The story first emerged on social media thanks to Prang Tewika, who took to Facebook seeking justice for her sister, a nurse at the hospital, and to shed light on this unfortunate event. As the clock struck the mid-afternoon lull, the hospital’s bustling corridors were interrupted by an unexpected confrontation. The nurse in question had advised a Thai mother, with a stern but caring voice, to refrain from bringing her young child into the ward. Her intent was pure—to shield the child from catching influenza, inadvertently brought in by the woman’s elderly mother, the patient. Little did she know her words would ricochet…
Hold onto your hats and batten down the hatches, folks! Thailand is gearing up for a weather rollercoaster as the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has forecasted a string of significant storms sweeping across 33 provinces. Adding to the thrill ride are predictions of strong winds, lightning, and a weather smorgasbord that’s bound to keep the locals on their toes, especially in the bustling city of Bangkok where the weather appears to have split personalities – cool and calm in the mornings, then morphing into a sizzle-fest by afternoon. In fact, it’s not just Bangkok under the weather spotlight. The upper northeastern area is also bracing for a slight dip in temperature. With a high-pressure system muscling in from the northeast and the South China Sea, moisture is on a collision course with the lower north, northeast, central regions, and beyond. This atmospheric drama is setting the stage for thunderstorms, boisterous…
Imagine drifting through the tropical paradise of Hawaii, marveling at the cherry blossoms in Japan, and savoring the fiery delights of Thailand, only to return home with an uninvited guest in your cranium. This bizarre and gritty saga unfolded around a 30-year-old woman from New England, USA. Her idyllic holiday turned grim after she discovered her travels had landed her in a sinister struggle with rare parasitic worms taking up residence in her brain. Who would have thought that a dream vacation could spiral into a medical horror show? Upon her return, she was plagued by severe headaches and an unsettling burning sensation crawling from her feet to her arms. A trip to the ER offered little relief; she was sent home with some pills to quell what was wrongly chalked up to anxiety. Little did anyone know, she was harboring Angiostrongylus cantonensis, more ominously known as the rat lungworm.…
In the heart of Phuket Old Town, the vibrant Valentine’s Day atmosphere was interrupted by a flurry of activity that had nothing to do with romance. Instead, it was a tale of intrigue, international law, and a peppering of legal drama. It was here, amid the pleasant clinking of glasses and live music at Michelangelo’s Bar & Lounge Live Concert Music, that the story unfolded – with the arrest of Ronald Ray, a 67-year-old American seemingly more at home with legal loopholes than laughter-filled Valentine soirées. This wasn’t your typical tourist arrest, mind you. No tales of drunken disorderly conduct or minor visa mishaps. No, Ray was at the center of a much deeper saga involving the twisting labyrinth of Thailand’s Foreign Business Act. You see, Thailand has a quirky little law that requires foreign nationals to obtain specific permits to operate certain types of businesses—everything from rice milling to…
In the enchanting land of Chiang Mai, where lush landscapes stretch as far as the eye can see, a team of intrepid park rangers aren’t just soaking in the picturesque views. On a bustling Monday, these guardians of nature rose to the occasion, battling a blazing forest fire, their silhouettes framed against a backdrop of towering flames and a turquoise sky. (Photo: Panumet Tanraksa) Fast forward to Tuesday morning, the mystical North and portions of the tranquil upper northeastern provinces of Thailand came under an unexpected veil—not of mist, but of ultrafine dust. According to the diligent number-crunchers at the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda), these airborne particulates, PM2.5 in technical parlance, were playing hide-and-seek across the skies. Picture this: in the wee hours at 8am, Gistda’s meteorological detectives unveiled a tale of three provinces—Phrae, Lampang, and Lamphun—wrapped snugly in ‘red levels’ of PM2.5, a state deemed hazardous…
In a spate of budgetary scrutiny, the main opposition People’s Party (PP) has raised quite the storm around the Social Security Office’s (SSO) spending habits. The focal point of their discontent? Alleged extravagant expenses on overseas junkets, training programs that never seem to hit the mark, and a public relations strategy that’s more fluff than substance. If you think that sounds like a political thriller, hold onto your seats, because Bangkok MP and tireless watchdog, Ratchanok Srinok, is digging deep into the numbers. In a fiery Facebook address following a satirically named “Hack the SSO Budget” forum, Ms. Ratchanok unwrapped six juicy tidbits of fiscal intrigue. She unflinchingly pointed out how the SSO’s budget seemed to have grown not just legs, but wings over the last few years. The spending spree skyrocketed from 4 billion baht in 2020 to a jaw-dropping 6.61 billion baht in 2023. That’s a two-year financial…
On a typical morning in bustling Bangkok, where the symphony of early traffic tunes resonates with the city’s vibrant energy, the air quality report delivered an uplifting message. Across all 50 districts of the Thai capital, air quality fluctuated between the “green” and “yellow” spectrums, signifying conditions ranging from good to moderate, according to the Air Quality Information Centre of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). This encouraging data had city residents breathing a sigh of relief, quite literally, as the average PM2.5 levels hovered at a comfortable 24.6 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³). This figure sits comfortably below the national standard threshold of 37.5 µg/m³ based on a three-hour average taken from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. To put it in perspective, just yesterday at the same time, the readings climbed to 34.9 µg/m³, presenting an improvement that the city dweller can’t help but cheer for. But what’s the deal…
Imagine this: the sun is warmly casting its golden rays over Thale Noi in the Khuan Khanun district of Phatthalung. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is casually feeding a buffalo, her soft smile mirroring the gentle tranquility of the scene. This seemingly idyllic moment, however, is much more than a picturesque pause in a busy schedule—it’s part of a comprehensive plan to propel Thailand’s southern provinces towards a horizon where potential meets reality. On a bustling Monday, amidst the welcomed murmurs of anticipation from the local crowd, the Prime Minister stood committed to transforming the South into a powerhouse of progress. Her itinerary was packed, beginning with an insightful visit to inspect a pivotal water management scheme for Songkhla Lake. It seems that water management isn’t the only flow she’s interested in cultivating. There’s a larger stream—a strategic cascade of improvements earmarked for every corner of these flourishing regions. Brimming with…
The anticipation is palpable as Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone gears up for a landmark journey this Thursday to the vibrant land of Thailand. This inaugural official visit marks a significant chapter in the diplomatic saga between Laos and Thailand, and all eyes are set on the promising exchanges that are poised to unfold. This highly-anticipated event was set into motion when Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra extended a warm invitation, now graciously accepted by Mr. Sonexay. The diplomatic stage is set for the dynamic duo to convene and delve into meaningful discussions designed to fortify the ties that bind these neighboring nations. Topics on the table are as diverse as they are crucial, spanning the realms of trade, connectivity, and deepening people-to-people interactions. As the curtains rise on this diplomatic dance, both leaders are expected to turn a focused lens on pressing mutual challenges. The specters of narcotics, the relentless…