As the skies grow heavy with rain during Thailand’s monsoon season, parents across the nation are being put on high alert. A silent adversary is rapidly making its rounds: the Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV. This relentless virus has already made 1,631 individuals its prey this year, with its main targets being the incredibly young and the gently aging. Leading the charge against this viral villain is Dr. Panumas Yanawetsakul, the head honcho at the Department of Disease Control. “From January to July 21, we’ve clocked over 1,600 RSV cases, most of which are in children under four,” he shared, with a gravity befitting the situation. This sneaky virus often masquerades as just another runny nose culprit but is notorious for causing severe pneumonia in tiny tots and the elderly alike. It’s crafty, traveling by way of mucus, saliva, and the innocent-seeming cough or sneeze, clinging to toys and surfaces,…
Posts published in “Thailand”
In a delightful turn of events in the central province of Ang Thong, a five-year-old dog named Cocoa has become an unlikely sensation, charming the socks off both locals and tourists with his surprising knack for cashier duties. Operating alongside his owner at a quaint little restaurant in the picturesque Sam Ko district, Cocoa is not your ordinary dog; his flair for handling money adds a unique twist to diners’ culinary experiences. This fluffy ’employee of the month’ greets patrons with wagging enthusiasm and a look that says, “I’m here for business.” Once the meal has been thoroughly enjoyed, same as a dutiful bell-boy, Cocoa stands patiently beside the tables, awaiting his moment to shine. And shine he does when diners hand over their banknotes, only to witness him scamper briskly to the kitchen, delivering the cash with the precision of a seasoned professional to his owner, the impressive Laddawan…
In the rolling hills of Chiang Mai, a drama unfolded that could rival any Hollywood thriller. Picture this: a luxurious villa with a shimmering pool is the nerve center of a high-stakes scam, blending the exotic with the illegal. This is where a cunning group of con artists bashed out a fraudulent scheme so convincing, they had scores of elderly Chinese pensioners unwittingly handing over their life savings. But their lavish lifestyle was cut short by an unexpected raid from the Thai police, unraveling yet another layer of Thailand’s burgeoning cybercrime saga. The backdrop for this theatrical bust was a high-end villa in the serene district of Hang Dong, a place more accustomed to tourists seeking tranquility than law-breaking debauchery. The Thai Police Cyber Taskforce, led by the astute Police General Tatchai Pitaneelabutr, executed the raid with pristine precision. They arrested three suspected masterminds and detained 17 others, unraveling a…
In the vibrant heart of Bangkok, a bustling market became the unexpected stage for the dramatic conclusion of a high-stakes saga involving dreams, deceit, and a daring capture. A young Thai transwoman, Pornthep, was dramatically intercepted by the diligent forces of Bangkok law enforcement on July 20. Her alleged crime? Orchestrating a colossal job scam that left hopeful individuals with shattered dreams and a collective loss of up to 50 million baht. To understand how the trap was set, we must peel back the layers of this intricate scam. The victims, numbering between 250 to 300, had been seduced by the allure of promising job prospects overseas, specifically in Canada. Each victim seemed to be caught in a carefully woven web, spun by not one, but an intricate operation featuring three recruitment agencies, which ultimately turned out to be phantoms of false hope. The deceit went deep. Prospective job seekers…
In the picturesque town of Chon Buri, a quiet day turned tumultuous for one 70-year-old resident, Phanthong Khampongjai. What began as a peaceful afternoon in the company of neighbors ended in distress when she returned to find her home ransacked. It was July 19 when a thief brazenly broke into her sanctuary in Tambon Khao Mai Kaew, making off with a substantial haul that included precious gold jewelry, an extensive collection of over 100 Buddhist amulets, and a small fortune in baht coins. Phanthong’s heart sank as she assessed the chaos. Among the missing items were a gold necklace weighing 2 baht and a prized gold-encased amulet. Compounding the loss was more than 5,000 baht (about US$154), which had been safely tucked away in a canister, now vanished. The thief, with apparent stealth, had also pilfered a collection of rare banknotes and amulets, a traipsed history ripped away overnight. In…
In a city that never sleeps and always seems to be under construction, the collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building in Bangkok sent shockwaves far beyond the structural rubble it left behind. It was a catastrophe of such magnitude that had both literal and figurative reverberations, rocking the foundations of Thailand’s construction standards and legal frameworks. The 30-storey tower, which was an embodiment of rising ambitions, came crashing down on March 28, 2025. This was not just another day in the vibrant chaos of Bangkok. On this fateful morning, a 4.5-magnitude earthquake originating from Nakhon Nayok province, approximately 100 kilometers from the city, unleashed its seismic energy, reducing the building to nothing more than a scene of devastation. In the aftermath, five workers tragically lost their lives, and dozens were left with injuries. The crumbling tower, meant to serve as a paragon of public accountability once completed, became…
In an inspiring tale of bravery and quick action, five souls found themselves rescued from the relentless embrace of the Andaman Sea, caught off the coast of sunny Phuket. This dramatic sequence of events unfolded on July 20, 2025, when a charming longtail fishing boat, a staple of Thailand’s seafaring life, suffered a calamitous engine failure. Set afloat on the unpredictable waves without any life jackets, the passengers were at the mercy of the sea. The thrilling rescue commenced when the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre Region 3—dubbed Thai-MECC 3—received a startling distress call at 4:00 PM sharp. A woman named Nu alerted the center about a fishing boat amiss in troubled waters, her voice carrying urgency against the backdrop of a brewing maritime mishap. The boat, which drifted north off the stunning Koh Maithon, was a mere 6.1 nautical miles southeast of the Third Naval Area pier at Cape…
It was a day that would forever haunt the memories of Nakhon Ratchasima, a typically serene part of Thailand’s Isaan province, where joy turned into tragedy in a blink of an eye. On a seemingly ordinary Saturday, July 19, a heart-wrenching incident unfurled, capturing both local and international attention. Akin, an energetic and delightful two-year-old boy, was cycling with his friends by a school in the tranquil district of Bua Yai. The innocent laughter of children at play was abruptly overpowered by chaos when a swarm of wasps descended upon them. The sudden attack was as unexpected as it was devastating. Young Akin, at the tender age of two, bore the brunt of the wasps’ fury. In those frantic moments, as the swarm barraged him with relentless stings, he fell unconscious, his small frame succumbing to the venomous onslaught. His father, in an act of sheer bravery fueled by parental…
As the bustling city of Bangkok hurtles towards a brighter, more affordable future, a monumental change to its metropolitan electric train network is on the horizon. Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister, Suriya Jungrungreangkit, has announced that by October 1, 2025, the maximum fare for the city’s extensive train network will be capped at a mere 20 baht per journey. This landmark initiative will encompass an impressive eight lines, stretching across 13 routes, totaling 276.84 kilometers and stopping at a staggering 194 stations. In a strategic move to improve accessibility and ease the financial burden of commuting, Suriya recently convened a meeting with Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt and private sector stakeholders. This pivotal discussion sought to ensure that all parties were aligned in their understanding and committed to smoothly implementing the 20 baht fare policy. With these crucial collaborations, the public is poised to reap the anticipated benefits seamlessly. Central…
Thailand, once a beacon of Southeast Asian tourism and renowned as the Land of Smiles, finds itself teetering on the edge of an identity crisis. Gone are the golden days when Thailand’s tourism thrummed with an infectious energy, welcoming flocks of international visitors. While its regional peers like Vietnam and Malaysia ride high on the winds of post-pandemic recovery, Thailand struggles to reclaim its former glory. By 2024, the nation had rolled out the welcome mat for 35.5 million foreign tourists, a commendable 26% surge from the previous year. Yet, the numbers still haven’t quite touched the nearly 40 million record set in 2019. Fast-forwarding to the halfway mark of 2025, a mere 16.6 million arrivals echo the sobering truth that breaking old records is rapidly slipping into the realm of wishful thinking. To cope with these challenging tides, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has embarked on a bold…