THAI.NEWS - Thailand Breaking News

In Songkhla province, there’s a silent threat quietly taking over – diabetes. The Health Control Office (HCO), in its recent report, revealed an alarming escalation in the incidence of diabetes among its local inhabitants. The numbers are daunting. In health area 12 alone, the count of diabetic patients has spiraled from 4,980 cases in 2021, to 5,148 the following year, peaking at 5,396 cases this year. Phatthalung holds the dubious distinction of the highest number of cases, reporting 7,555 incidents. Trailing close behind are the provinces of Trang and Songkhla, with a patient count of 6,820 and 6,219 respectively. A similar troubling trend is noticeable nationwide. The Health Data Center (HDC) exposes an upward shift in diabetes cases across the country. From a rate of 7,010 diagnosed cases in 2021, the figure shot up to 7,336 the next year, reaching 7,692 per 100,000 population this year. Alarmingly, the surge shows…

The buzz surrounding the government’s digital wallet initiative has finally been won over by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. On Friday, he announced that the program will kick off in May, with approximately 50 million individuals being eligible for a 10,000-baht handout. The state plans to stimulate the economy with an injection of 600 billion baht – 500 billion from the digital wallet program and an additional 100 billion baht fund to strengthen the country’s economic potential. Srettha spoke at a televised press conference about the ambitious plan. Every Thai citizen above the age of 16 and earning less than 70,000 baht per month, with a bank deposit of less than 500,000 baht will be entitled to receive 10,000 baht in digital currency. This is expected to benefit around 50 million people, slightly fewer than the initial target of 56 million. However, those earning over 70,000 baht a month and having…

In the bustling halls of Chiang Rai’s provincial police office, Paveena Hongsakul, founder of the Pavena Foundation for Women and Children, discussed an urgent matter. Three Thai women, fallen victims to a heart-wrenching trafficking scheme in Myanmar, had been rescued and brought home. Accompanied by her, the anxious mother of one of the victims—a vibrant 23-year-old from Chiang Rai named Mai—waited to be reunited with her daughter. As the chilling details of their ordeal were revealed, Hongsakul shared how a tempting offer on the popular social media platform, TikTok, had led them astray. The unsuspecting Ms. Mai had responded to an advertisement for a trip to Myanmar’s Kengtung state, believing it was a golden opportunity to explore and perhaps find work. A decision she would later deeply regret. On May 18, Mai departed for her ill-fated journey to Kengtung state. To her horror, she was sold in Mong Nawng, a…

The Department of Medical Services (DMS) has launched an appeal that resonates with maternal care and love. The call is simple: ‘Got some surplus breast milk? Share it. Let’s collectively nourish the health of ailing or premature babies who, for various reasons, aren’t privileged to their mothers’ milk.’ The plea resonates with an empathy that serves to solidify this bond we call humanity,” indicated Deputy DMS director-general, Weerawut Imsamran. Dr. Weerawut unveiled alarming statistics that underscore the urgency of the message. Annually, around 15 million babies, approximately one in every ten infants, are born prematurely worldwide. Regrettably, about one million of these fragile lives are lost each year. One of the sobering realities, often ignored, is the inability of some of these infants’ mothers to sufficiently produce breast milk or complications that hinder them from breastfeeding. This is where the excess breast milk can make a life-saving difference. “Breast milk…

In an anticipated announcement closing weeks of conjecture, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin revealed the inception of the government’s digital wallet scheme, which is slated to roll out in May next year. Approximately 50 million individuals aged 16 and over, with earnings less than 70,000 baht per month and holding less than 500,000 baht in bank deposits, are poised to earn a leg-up of a 10,000-baht handout. The prime minister made this landmark disclosure at the revered Government House. Designed to stimulate the economy, the digital wallet initiative, which necessitates a 500 billion baht loan, will be extended to Thai citizens meeting specific qualifications, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin articulated on Friday. The prerequisites dictate individual earnings to be below 70,000 baht per month with bank deposits under 500,000 baht. The altered considerations suggest 50 million people being qualified, a reduction from the original 56 million target audience. No leniencies have been…

In the heart of France’s cosmopolitan capital city, Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron has declared his keen support for the establishment of Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram, a cultural cornerstone and a spiritual lighthouse for Thai Buddhists. On a regular Thursday, Emmanuel Macron’s presidential abode, the Elysée Palace, saw a revered visitor, Somdet Phra Maha Theerajarn, the abbot of Wat Phra Chetuphon, colloquially known as Wat Pho. This official visit wasn’t just any ordinary diplomatic meeting; it came with the goal of initiating the Wat Pho Paris, a socio-religious landmark set to echo the spiritual teachings of Buddhism right in the heart of France. This monumental inauguration ceremony is slated for tomorrow with the respected Somdet Phra Maha Theerajarn leading the ceremonial proceedings. Joining the high-level assembly were additional vital characters. Phra Sri Wichira Thamwithet, the Sangha chairman of Wat Pho Paris, and Boonyarit Vichienpuntu, the acting ambassador of the…

Imagine a ten-wheeled truck, groaning under the colossal weight of its payload, lodged firmly in a collapsed part of one of Bangkok’s busiest roads, Sukhumvit. This shocking sight, causing an unfortunate accident, was the catalyst for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to announce its plans to install cutting-edge weighting technology across the city, a statement made by spokesperson Aekvarunyoo Amarapala on a recent Friday. Mr. Aekvarunyoo took the opportunity to detail the BMA’s plan. The city administrators are thoroughly researching a weigh-in-motion measuring technology. Following completion of the study, the BMA aims to trial the system at strategic ten locations before its comprehensive implementation citywide. Apart from monitoring the load weight, the officials also plan to inspect the 317 construction sites dispersed across the city, with a robust regulation lying ready in the wings. If a construction site permits an overweight truck to enter or exit the premises, it may…

The bustling metropolis of Bangkok, known for its vibrant street life and cultural landmarks, is making leaps towards an environmentally-conscious future. Coming to you from the city government’s quarters, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), in a march towards a cleaner, greener capital, has announced plans to raise the monthly household garbage collection fee from the current 20 to 60 baht by October of the forthcoming year. The diligent whisperings of official news comes courtesy of one of the city’s advisors, Mr. Pornphrom Vikitsreth. As part of the green initiative, citizens now have the option to maintain the existing payment of discarding their waste, provided that they undertake the responsibility to pre-sort their rubbish before it gets collected. This program of sorted collection charges is a strategic move, aimed at encouraging citizens not only to adopt better waste segregation practices but also to curb their dependency on single-use items, a prime…

The tranquillity of a typical Bangkok night was disrupted in the early hours of Saturday when a fire erupted on the 20th and 21st floors of a towering 27-storey condominium located in the city’s Ratchathewi district. Tragically, an elderly woman lost her life due to suffocation in the incident that also left more than 20 others with minor injuries. This unfortunate event, reported to the police around 12:35 a.m. by Phaya Thai police station’s deputy investigation chief, Pol Col Siriphong Phengmanee, threw the city into an inevitable state of chaos and worry. A swift response from the fire department saw about 30 fire trucks racing to the scene, their sirens cutting through the quiet night. It was a battle against time as they worked to quell the raging flames that had seized control of two floors of the condominium located on Soi Phetchaburi 15 off Phetchaburi Road. The heroic firefighters…

The bubbling cauldron of conflict in Israel has sadly claimed the lives of five more Thai nationals who had been employed there. This update was relayed by Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the weekend, bringing the devastating total to 39. According to the Thai representation in the heart of Israel, in Tel Aviv, official recognition of the deceased’s nationalities has been made by the Israeli authorities. The grim reality as of November 10 includes 39 Thai workers tragically losing their lives, 19 more sustaining injuries, and an alarming 25 held captive. Among the injured, four are currently living through hospital care. Echoing a touch of humanity and concern, Pannabha Chandraramya, Thai ambassador to Israel, and Sakdinart Sonthisakdiyothin of the Social Security Office personally paid a visit to three of the injured last Friday. On a brighter note, the medical facilities—Sheba Tel-HaShomer Medical Center and Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh)—have…