THAI.NEWS - Thailand Breaking News

A landslide on August 23 is vividly captured in a picture from the Phuket Info Center, illustrating the dramatic event that unfolded in Phuket, Thailand. This alarming incident spurred immediate action, as the Royal Forest Department (RFD) seized about 5 rai of land at the summit of Nak Koet hill in Phuket’s Muang district. This land is suspected to be intricately linked to the landslides that tragically claimed 13 lives. Sorasak Rananan, the director of Phuket’s Royal Forest Centre, remarked that the concerned land lies within the sacrosanct boundaries of the Wat Phra Yai temple grounds, designated as a reserve forest. During an initial investigation, it was discovered that a car park had been illicitly constructed within the monastery’s domain, provoking more questions than answers. In response, Mr. Sorasak stated that the RFD had filed a formal complaint with Karon police station, and the seizure of the land had been…

It was a picturesque scene in Sukhothai Province last Friday as Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra made her much-anticipated visit. Yet, not everything was serene. What followed unravelled into a heated political discourse loaded with punchy exchanges and simmering tensions. In a blazing retort on Saturday, Ramate Rattanachaweng, a former spokesman for the Democrat Party, didn’t hold back. He directed sharp words towards Prime Minister Paetongtarn in response to her dismay over past actions by some former Democrat executives. “Let me ask [her], has there been any former Democrat Party leader who was jailed for corruption?” he questioned. “Have any of them fled the country to dodge a corruption sentence?” The Prime Minister’s comments came against the backdrop of friction within her own political allies, especially the fervent red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD). This animosity emerged after Pheu Thai’s contentious decision to form an alliance with the Democrat…

Visitors thronged the bustling Sadao checkpoint in Songkhla this past Saturday as Malaysia celebrated its beloved National Day, Merdeka Day. These snapshots, captured by the ever-diligent Assawin Pakkawan, tell a story of vibrant activity and cross-border unity. The southern region of Thailand felt an economic pulse from over 18,000 Malaysian tourists who chose this long weekend to explore its beauty. With more than 13,000 of these spirited travelers streaming through the Sadao checkpoint and around 5,000 more pouring in through the Betong checkpoint in Yala, expectations for a hefty economic impact, estimated at a staggering 100 million baht, soared. Authorities at Sadao checkpoint were quick to respond to the throng, opening two additional lanes to accommodate the influx. Yet, Sadao wasn’t the only gateway to paradise. Padang Besar and Prakob checkpoints too saw a surge in eager Malaysian visitors, with local officials beaming about the anticipated economic boost hovering around…

Ambulances were dispatched promptly to the entrance of the railway tunnel in Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand last Thursday. This urgent response unfolded in the wake of a tragic incident, where the unforgiving earth swallowed a portion of the tunnel, resulting in the untimely deaths of three diligent workers. (Photo: State Railway of Thailand) In the tranquil yet bustling Nakhon Ratchasima province, an air of somber determination enveloped the Pak Chong police station as it took the helm of a critical investigation. The superintendent, Pol Col Veerapol Rabiappho, was resolute in his commitment to uncover the truth. He announced the formation of an investigative team tasked with probing the collapse that rocked the community. Pol Col Veerapol explained, “We will conduct thorough interviews with the workers, scrutinize the contractor’s actions, and liaise with representatives from the Council of Engineers, the Engineering Council of Thailand (ECO), and the Engineering Institute…

As blue-clad Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwon made his way to the party headquarters on August 29, flanked by party stalwarts, a palpable shift in the political landscape of Thailand was brewing. It came on the heels of a major fallout with the Pheu Thai-led coalition government, which had decided to exclude the PPRP from its new cabinet lineup. This decision was not without drama. According to Pheu Thai’s secretary-general Sorawong Thienthong, party MPs felt that Gen Prawit didn’t give Pheu Thai the respect it deserved. The tipping point was his notable absence during two crucial prime ministerial votes — once last year for Srettha Thavisin and recently for Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Srettha’s successor after he was ousted by the Constitutional Court. With the PPRP now ousted, the Pheu Thai Party extended an olive branch to its erstwhile foe, the Democrat Party, marking a significant end to their…

Photo: State Railway of Thailand NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Last Thursday was marked by a somber scene as ambulances lined the entrance of the railway tunnel in Pak Chong district. This came in the wake of a tragic incident that claimed the lives of three workers. Now, a dedicated team of investigators has been appointed to scrutinize every aspect of the tunnel collapse. Their mission: to understand what went wrong and, more importantly, ensure it never happens again. According to Pol Col Veerapol Rabiappho, the superintendent of Pak Chong police station, the investigation will be thorough and multifaceted. “Our aim is to interview all relevant parties,” he explained. This includes workers on site, the contractor, and representatives from esteemed organizations such as the Council of Engineers, the Engineering Council of Thailand (ECO), and the Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT). Rigorous examination of the findings from the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) will…

Ramate Rattanachaweng, the former spokesman for the Democrat Party, issued a fiery retort on Saturday to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s recent comments. She had remarked that she could never accept the wrongful actions of some former Democrat executives against her party. “Has there ever been a former Democrat Party leader who was jailed for corruption?” Ramate questioned. “Have any of them fled the country to dodge a corruption sentence?” The Prime Minister’s comments came in response to discontent among political allies of the Pheu Thai Party, particularly the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), over Pheu Thai’s decision to form an alliance with the Democrat Party. Ms. Paetongtarn emphasized that while the parties might be political bedfellows now, Pheu Thai could never truly forgive what the Democrats had done in the past. She was referring to the notorious dispersal of political protesters, mostly UDD supporters, by a Democrat-led…

The government is gearing up to rejuvenate a 200-billion-baht water management project aimed at combating severe flooding in the Yom River basin up North. In the midst of escalating calls to revisit the contentious Kaeng Sua Ten Dam plan, Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai shared the latest developments just yesterday. He was in Sukhothai province, distributing 200 relief bags to flood-stricken residents in a bid to provide immediate respite. Phumtham announced his intention to pitch this project to the cabinet on Tuesday, with hopes of making water management a national priority backed by a hefty budget of 200 billion baht. Originally rolling out under the Yingluck Shinawatra administration, the project hit a roadblock following a coup. Phumtham’s plan comes in the wake of recent heavy flooding that hammered Chiang Rai, Nan, and Phrae, unleashing torrents downstream toward provinces like Sukhothai and Phitsanulok. The Yom River, birthed…

Ramate Rattanachaweng, a former spokesman for the Democrat Party, sent waves through the political landscape yesterday by hitting back at Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Her remarks insinuated that she could never reconcile with the allegedly wrongful actions of some former Democrat executives against her party. Ramate countered pointedly, “Let me ask [her], has there been any former Democrat Party leader who was jailed for corruption? Have any of them fled the country to dodge a corruption sentence?” The prime minister’s comment came amid growing frustration from her political allies in the Pheu Thai Party, particularly the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD). They were visibly upset over Pheu Thai’s decision to form an alliance with the Democrat Party. Ms. Paetongtarn clarified that despite the two parties joining forces in the new coalition government, Pheu Thai could never truly accept the perceived injustices perpetrated by the Democrats in the…

This year’s National Day festivities in Malaysia, also known as Merdeka Day, have brought a noticeable surge in tourists to Thailand’s southern region. The influx of visitors is anticipated to inject around 100 million baht into the local economy, a much-needed boost according to local officials and tourism experts. In a lively spectacle yesterday, over 13,000 Malaysian tourists were reported to have passed through Songkhla’s Sadao checkpoint, while another 5,000 made their way via the Betong checkpoint in Yala. To manage this wave of merry travelers, local authorities swiftly opened two additional lanes at the Sadao checkpoint to ensure smoother passage and reduce wait times. The checkpoints at Padang Besar and Prakob also witnessed a considerable flow of tourists crossing over from Malaysia, adding to the festive atmosphere. This spike in visitors from across the border is a hopeful sign for the local economy, expected to generate an impressive 100…