A stretch of Highway 1195, nestled between kilometre markers 12+725 and 13+600 in the Sawankhalok district of Sukhothai province, faced Mother Nature’s wrath on Saturday and had to be closed to traffic. (Photo: Sukhothai Highways Office) Following days of relentless downpour, the floods showed no mercy, washing away a substantial portion of the road. As such, people planning to travel this route need to be aware that it’s now impassable. Sitthichok Leemingsawat, the director of the Office of Highways 4, confirmed the unfortunate news and urged caution for those traversing the area. For drivers in need of real-time updates on road conditions and traffic, assistance is just a phone call away. The local highways offices are at their disposal, or alternatively, the Department of Highways’ 1586 hotline is operational 24/7 to provide the latest information. On that eventful Saturday, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai stepped up to the plate,…
Posts published in “Thailand”
A spitting cobra slithering up a trainer’s leg is exposed as a colleague carefully lowers the man’s pants during a snake awareness session at a school in Bueng Kan. (Screenshot from Nick Wildlife YouTube) In what could have easily turned into a nightmare, a wildlife volunteer had an exceptionally close brush with danger while teaching young students about reptiles at a school in Bueng Kan province. Nirut Chom-ngam, the head of the Asorapit Wittaya (serpentology) group, recounted the spine-tingling moment when a staff member inadvertently released a spitting cobra during the informative session. Like an escape artist, the cobra swiftly slithered its way up the trainer’s ankle and mischievously disappeared into his pants. Showing nerves of steel, the trainer managed to keep calm under an incredible amount of pressure. He gingerly removed his pants to avoid alarming the venomous intruder, transforming what should have been a standard educational exercise into…
In the early hours of a tranquil Saturday morning, the serene atmosphere of a Pattaya hotel was shattered by a tragic incident. Responders rushed to the scene following an alarming report of a fatal fall. The tragic event occurred at the 38-storey hotel nestled within the bustling Bang Lamung district, around 5am, according to Pol Lt Puttharak Sonkhamhan of the Pattaya City police station. Upon their arrival, police officers and rescuers from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation were met with a sad sight: the lifeless body of Byung Yong Lee, a 62-year-old South Korean farmer. Lying on the fifth-floor terrace, it was evident that he had fallen from the balcony of his 10th-floor room. There were no immediate indications of foul play, the police confirmed with a somber note. Details began to unravel as hotel staff pieced together the preceding events. Byung Yong Lee was part of a group of…
Volunteers from the Rural Doctor Society were seen actively conducting Covid-19 tests at Rangsit University in Pathum Thani on Aug 10, 2021. (Photo: Arnun Cholmahatrakool) The tireless efforts of the rural doctors’ movement in Thailand have not gone unnoticed. This esteemed group has been named one of the five distinguished recipients of the illustrious Ramon Magsaysay Award—often lauded as the Nobel Prize of Asia. The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation made the thrilling announcement on Saturday, acknowledging the doctors’ unwavering commitment to public health and upholding the fundamental rights of citizens. In their statement, the Foundation remarked, “By championing the rural poor, the movement ensured that no one was left behind as the nation progressed toward economic prosperity and modernisation.” Among other luminaries recognized were the acclaimed Japanese anime filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki; Karma Phuntsho, the visionary founder of an educational charity in Bhutan; and Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, a Vietnamese physician…
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s arrival at the Pheu Thai Party headquarters in Bangkok on August 18 has set off a whirlwind of activity and investigation. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb) The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is delving into whether Thaksin received special treatment during his stay at the Police General Hospital. On Friday, NACC Secretary-General Niwatchai Kasemmongkol shared that they have amassed a significant amount of information and are inching closer to determining if there’s enough evidence to launch formal questioning. Despite their efforts, footage from the hospital’s 14th floor, where Thaksin was treated, remains elusive. Mr. Niwatchai stated that both the Department of Corrections and Police General Hospital had been approached for this footage, but nothing has been handed over yet. When questioned about the delay, he suggested the NACC might first need to confirm the footage’s existence and usability. Moreover, the NACC has been hunting down Thaksin’s medical records…
Chon Buri province witnessed a dramatic turn of events on Friday evening, as immigration police swooped in on a serene neighborhood with a rented luxury house nestled on a sprawling four-rai (1.58 acres) land plot in tambon Pong of Bang Lamung district. The mission? To dismantle an elaborate fraudulent investment scheme allegedly masterminded by fifteen Chinese nationals. This picturesque corner of Chon Buri, often associated with its idyllic landscapes, became the epicenter of a high-stakes raid led by Pol Maj Gen Phanthana Nutchanart, the deputy chief of the Immigration Bureau. As the sun began to set, creating a visually cinematic backdrop, the police officers converged on the house. The result? Fourteen men and one woman, caught red-handed, allegedly in the midst of defrauding their fellow countrymen. The foyer of the rented mansion was soon filled with the sounds of 18 computers whirring to a stop and 90 mobile phones rendered…
The Caretaker Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister has sparked an intensive investigation into 12 durian exporters after Chinese authorities detected cadmium in their shipments. Capt Thamanat Prompow has instructed the Department of Agriculture (DoA) to suspend these exporters and initiate thorough probes to trace the contamination back to its source. Capt Thamanat made it clear that any export agents from Thailand found to be circumventing or forging the Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) certification will face criminal charges. China mandates GAP certification for 22 Thai fruits, durians included, to ensure the highest standards of quality. As of early this year, a ministry report revealed that Thailand had issued GAP certification to 218,922 farms and 2,038 packaging plants. Capt Thamanat emphasized that these measures are designed to safeguard the quality of Thai agricultural exports, which significantly benefits local economies and communities. This order followed the discovery of contamination in 16 shipments linked to…
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, newly endorsed by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn on August 18, has officially become Thailand’s youngest prime minister. The new cabinet’s line-up awaits royal endorsement this coming weekend, bringing a wave of excitement and anticipation across the nation. (Photo: Government House) The newly formed coalition between the former opposition Democrat Party and the ruling Pheu Thai Party is set to boast a stronghold of 322 MPs within parliament. Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who stepped into the role after Srettha Thavisin’s dismissal by the Constitutional Court, emphasized the meticulous vetting process Pheu Thai is conducting to ensure each minister is aptly suited for their role. “Pheu Thai is trying to ensure each cabinet minister is a good fit,” Phumtham stated, embodying the careful deliberation behind every decision. “The cabinet line-up is almost finalised. After it is royally endorsed, it will get straight to work.” Prommin Lertsuridej, the…
Amid the unyielding deluge sweeping the northern provinces of Thailand—Chiang Rai, Nan, Phayao, and Phrae—the Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) makes unrelenting efforts to ensure the well-being and safety of residents. Tasked with a mission to bring relief during this challenging period, the PWA has ramped up its operations to supply essential resources, including bottled drinking water emblazoned with their iconic logo, indispensable supplies, and clean water trucks, all to make sure that no one is left thirsty or in dire need. Mr. Chakapong Kamchan, the stalwart Deputy Governor (Operations 2) and Acting Governor of the PWA, shared some heartfelt words, “Due to the severe flooding in the upper northern region, which affects Chiang Rai, Nan, Phayao, and Phrae provinces, we are seeing an ebb in heavy rains; however, we remain vigilant regarding the water mass navigating through various river basins. It is in these trying times that we at the…
This week, Phitsanulok’s Muang district became the epicenter of an electrifying crackdown. In a dramatic operation led by the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), two sisters found themselves in handcuffs, exposing an elaborate network entangled in document forgery. Poised for justice, Pol Col Anek Taosuphap, the CSD’s astute deputy commander, briefed us on the captivating details of this high-stakes mission. Meet the suspects: Kanokwan Nonwisit, 25, and her slightly older sister, Amornrat, 27. Their arrest unfolded like a scene from a crime thriller, as part of an ambitious sting operation spanning a jaw-dropping 30 locations nationwide. These two sisters had no inkling that their world would soon come crashing down. What did the authorities uncover? Quite the treasure trove of incriminating evidence. Among the seized items were a notebook computer, a PC, a printer – the usual suspects. But then, things got even more intriguing: a book meticulously listing their alleged…