Welcome to the dawn of a new era at Suvarnabhumi International Airport! As the first set of passengers disembarked on Thursday, we witnessed the soft inauguration of a brand-new satellite terminal at Thailand’s principal international transit hub. Known as Satellite 1 (SAT-1), this modern terminal is set to elevate the airport’s passenger handling capacity from 45 million to a whopping 60 million passengers annually, announced Kittipong Kittikachorn, the director of Suvarnabhumi airport. For the past 17 years, Suvarnabhumi International Airport has proven to be the lifeblood of Thailand’s air-based transportation. Despite the dampening effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, passenger traffic has been on a steady rebound. This past fiscal year ending September 30th recorded 268,477 take-offs and landings. That’s a promising 59.4% higher than the numbers from the previous fiscal year. The total number of passengers processed at the airport during the current fiscal year reached an encouraging 44.4 million.…
Posts published in “Thailand”
The quaint province of Lamphun, in the North of Thailand, is currently under scrutiny. It’s not for its rich historical background, or for the pristine beauty that veils the city, but for an uglier wrinkle that has recently come to light, implicating certain members of the local police savings and credit co-operative. Today, we delve into the intriguing saga of the Lamphun police co-op scandal, involving fraud allegations, hundreds of victims, and an escalating sum of about 220 million baht. Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn and Witwisit Phansuanplook, both respected members of the Move Forward Party and representatives of Lamphun in the House of Representatives, has detailed the scandal. According to them, about 423 members have been wronged by the fraudulent actions of the staff at the co-operative. As the story unfolds, we learn that officers who had reported the fraud back in February of this year reached out to Mr Witwisit for…
Amid the peaceful darkness of a late Wednesday evening in Nakhon Pathom province, an act of valor unfolded as four suspects were taken into custody in what is being hailed as the largest single narcotics operation in Thailand’s history. The unfolding of this gripping incident was led by Deputy National Police Chief Pol Gen Torsak Sukwimol. As the clock struck 11:30 pm, the quiet of the night was broken in the Muang district of Nakhon Pathom. Police officers, led by Torsak Sukwimol, swarmed the premises of a two-story dwelling located at 20/15 Soi Lamphaya-Bosco 2 Road. It was a part of their compelling mission targeted at cracking down on drug traders and their illicit activities. The daring operation resulted in the arrest of four individuals and the seizure of colossal quantities of narcotics. The premises harboured Apichart Ekchin, aged 38, along with the Khiaophrai brothers—Chalit, 39 years old, Charan and…
One late August 2023 evening, in the quaint district of Samut Prakan, a grimmer side of reality emerged. In a three-storey townhouse in Bang Phli district, a macabre scene unfolded. A woman and her young sons fatally attacked, and her husband battling both physical wounds and emotional devastation, the remnants of a horrific family tragedy (credit: Sutthiwit Chayutworakan). A connection between a scam gang and this chilling homicide led to the arrest of a young woman, Jirapinya Naeyued, aged 22. On an ordinary Wednesday afternoon, while she was returning home from Cambodia, she was apprehended at the Aranyaprathet immigration check post in Sa Kaeo. A seamless collaboration between immigration investigators, local police, and paramilitary rangers facilitated the arrest at the inbound passenger terminal. She was nabbed moments after crossing the border through the Ban Khlong Luk checkpoint. Reports confirmed that she was involved with a scam gang notorious in the…
Get ready for the biggest sustainability event in the Asean region – the Sustainability Expo 2023 (SX2023) which will include a highly anticipated food festival, a uniquely themed marketplace, and a special zone just for kids. This is all happening at the distinguished Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC), set to commence from Friday. With the principal exhibits and seminars taking off from October 2nd until October 8th on the grand floor of QSNCC, we are promised a memorable event indeed. The premise of SX2023 is “Good Balance, Better World”, a theme specifically chosen to stimulate visitors to investigate and embrace more sustainable practices. The whole occasion situated at the QSNCC in the thriving Klong Toey district is complimentary for all attendees. Guests can look forward to gaining valuable insights from discussions led by specialist speakers about the growing green industry, global green market trends, environmentally friendly lifestyles and cutting-edge…
In the thriving district of Huai Khwang in Bangkok, commonly known as the “new Chinatown”, crime rates involving Chinese nationals, mostly towards their fellows, have been on an unusual rise. An unfolding scenario leading to authorities zeroing in on a Chinese suspect has brought this issue to the fore. The proceeding incidents unraveled in this community point towards an elaborate robbery plot, leading to the arrest of the suspect in Sri Racha district of Chon Buri. 34-year-old, Lui Jian, found himself in the police dragnet on Wednesday after the Criminal Court issued a warrant against him on armed robbery charges and accusation of public gun and knife possession, as reported by Pol Maj Gen Teeradet Thamsuri, commander of the Investigation Division of the Metropolitan Police Bureau. The police report furnishes details about how Mr. Lui along with five of his countrymen, equipped with guns and knives, executed a home invasion…
Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn, once a reputed chief at the Kaeng Krachan National Park took center stage at the court on Thursday. Brought to trial due to his speculated involvement in the vanishing of a Karen rights activist Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen, he experienced a sigh of relief as the court acquitted him of murder charges. However, his victory was short-lived as the court sentenced him to a three-year stint in prison for his carelessness regarding Billy’s apprehension. This rendering has put the spotlight on this case, attracting attention and scrutiny from numerous human rights groups. A trio of allies who faced accusations alongside him were excused from all charges by the court, asserting they merely complied with the instructions of their superior. Seeking recourse, Mr. Chaiwat is prepared to contest his conviction under Section 157 of the Criminal Code. Stemming from this legislation is the exploration of conduct involving public officials. In…
In an incident caught on school surveillance cameras, a harsh encounter between a teacher and her pupil caused an uproar. The teacher, clearly agitated, slapped a student so forcefully that it dislodged his face mask. The reason for her wrath – the student’s refusal to refer to her as “mum”. This overwhelming scenario was subsequently spread all over the internet, sparking a wave of reactions. Thatchapol Polrat, who serves as the Deputy Dean for Ramkhamhaeng University and oversees its demonstration secondary schools, addressed this incident recently. According to him, an in-depth discussion has been held with the student’s guardian regarding the distressing occurrence. The viral video features a shocking sequence where the teacher firmly grasps the student’s wrist, leads him along a corridor, and then halts to reprimand him. She points at his face prior to giving him a strong slap, powerful enough to knock off his face mask. As…
In the heart of beautiful Chiang Mai province, the local tribal leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, along with villagers from the Karen tribe, braved the rain to make a stands against an unfavorable coal mining project. Limjaroenrat, formerly at the helm of the prominent Move Forward Party, led a team of MPs and party members to resonate with the chants echoing from the placard-adorned villagers, matching onward to submit a letter of protest to the district’s chief. The demonstration was more than just a march, instead it was the culmination of a public forum held earlier that day. The gathering had represented a Rolodex of human rights advocates, distinguished legal minds, and devoted environmentalists, all amassed to have their voices heard. Among them were representatives from the small but resilient Kaboedin village and others from a broad network of groups vehemently opposing the proposed mine – all fearing the potential toll the…
One of the key arteries linking the low-lying northeastern regions to the Eastern parts of Thailand, Highway 304, was forced to close down on an unexpectedly wet Thursday morning. The direct cause of this unexpected occurrence was a deluge of floodwater, a consequence of incessant rainfall in recent days. This led to the immediate closure of the highway’s twin tunnels which traverse a significant wildlife corridor in the Nadi district located in the Prachin Buri province. The decision to close down the highway and its twin tunnels was made by Sonthaya Fueangcharas, the Assistant District Chief. At around 9:15 am, he observed the tunnels had been submerged in 30-50 centimetres of floodwater stretching across a length of 80 metres. Similarly, Highway 304 was buried under an even deeper layer of water, reaching up to 40-50 centimetres. Owing to these conditions, the Nadi-Nakhon Ratchasima section of the highway alongside the tunnels…