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The campaign to prevent Pita Limjaroenrat becoming Thailand’s next PM continues, with another activist petitioning the Election Commission. Nopparuj Worachitwutthikul has called on the EC to request a ruling from the Constitutional Court on whether or not the Move Forward leader was qualified to run in the May 14 general election. Nopparuj is the former leader of the White Pigeons, an anti-2006 coup group, according to a Nation Thailand report. The activist says he’s giving the EC until June 28 to send the matter of Pita’s eligibility to the Constitutional Court. Nopparuj says if the issue of Pita’s alleged holding of shares in a media company has not been referred to the court by then, he will petition MPs and senators to demand a ruling. The activist insists Pita was not eligible to run in the recent election due to his shareholding in ITV media, which Nopparuj says is still an actively operating firm, despite reports to the contrary. His claims echo those of fellow conservative activist Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, who has petitioned the EC to disqualify Pita for the same reason. By Peter Roche PHOTO: Facebook/Pita Limjaroenrat - พิธา ลิ้มเจริญรัตน์ Full story: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/national-news/another-activist-lobbies-election-commission-to-rule-out-pita-pm-bid/ -- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-06-23 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

UPDATE: Thai repatriation: Rescuing nationals caught in Japanese job scam by Mitch Connor Photo Courtesy of Freepik Efforts are currently underway by the Thai foreign affairs and labour departments to assist in the safe return of six Thai nationals. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1298532-thai-workers-in-japan-fall-victim-to-job-scam-left-stranded-and-penniless/?do=findComment&comment=18161403

Thai repatriation: Rescuing nationals caught in Japanese job scam by Mitch Connor Photo Courtesy of Freepik Efforts are currently underway by the Thai foreign affairs and labour departments to assist in the safe return of six Thai nationals. These labourers were deceived into travelling to Japan under the guise of a fictitious job contract, compelled to undertake illegal work, and then stranded when they declined to take part in these illicit activities. The ongoing efforts are part of Thailand’s repatriation plan. These unfortunate individuals have already been saved by Thai consular officials in a civic precinct of the Ibaraki Prefecture. Currently, they anticipate their Thai repatriation, announced Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin during yesterday’s briefing. He said that they are expected to return to Thailand early next month, Bangkok Post reported. The attention of authorities was drawn to this case when the spouse of one of these unfortunate labourers sought assistance through a Facebook page titled ‘Ban Dung Update’. This page operated from the Ban Dung region within Udon Thani was her platform to reach both the local administrative and labour bodies to probe into her complaint, added Minister Chomklin. The Thai repatriation authorities took notice of this case and started investigating the matter. Forty-two year old Wasana Suwankhram spoke of her husband, 43 year old Saksit Mankep, who fell prey to a deceptive ploy by an illicit job broker. The broker was identified only as Ms. Ruen. She allured him with a promise of monthly earnings ranging between 50,000 to 100,000 baht in Japan, should he agree to pay her a sum of 150,000 baht upfront as a fee for the job positioning service. Succumbing to the deceit, he paid the fee. Full story: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/crime/thai-labour-department-aids-stranded-nationals-in-a-japanese-job-scam -- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-06-23 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

Explosion caused by pigeons engulfs Hua Hin hotel, resulting in fire and 500,000 THB worth of damage By Online Reporter Pigeons were said to have caused a sudden explosion that led to a fire engulfing a hotel room in Hua Hin, resulting in damages amounting to half a million baht. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1298732-explosion-caused-by-pigeons-engulfs-hua-hin-hotel-resulting-in-fire-and-500000-thb-worth-of-damage/

Perverted Bangkok taxi driver caught masturbating to porn while driving by Petch Petpailin Photo by Simple as pie A Thai woman took to Twitter to warn netizens about a perverted taxi driver in Bangkok. She revealed that the driver watched porn and masturbated while transporting her and her friends to their destination. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1298730-perverted-bangkok-taxi-driver-caught-masturbating-to-porn-while-driving/

Crackdown on Illegal Foreigners in Sukhumvit-Asok Area Picture: Siam Rath In response to public complaints and social media uproar, the immigration has taken decisive action to address the covert operations of foreign nationals engaging in illegal sales and running unauthorized food and beverage stalls, directly impacting the livelihoods of Thai citizens in prominent business areas of downtown Bangkok. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1298729-crackdown-on-illegal-foreigners-in-sukhumvit-asok-area/

A huge Chinese gang 'gold' scam, Myanmar isolated by new sanctions : Tim Newton Today - June 23 Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1298726-a-huge-chinese-gang-gold-scam-myanmar-isolated-by-new-sanctions-tim-newton-today-june-23/

Thailand News - Another Chinese gang busted, operating out of Bangkok in conjunction with a casino in the Golden Triangle, new tourism businesses opening to take advantage of Thailand's tourist recovery, Bangkok rating #1 in world Agoda bookings, Pheu Thai and Move Forward warned to stop bickering over House Speaker position, Algerian man comes up with creative way to avoid Thai immigration police, Pattaya cracks down on 'beggar' problems, Myanmar is further isolated by latest US sanctions. Tim Newton Today is a daily take on Thai and regional news and issues of interest to expats and foreign tourists. With thanks to our sponsor 5 Star Marine in Phuket for premium, private charters. Click on this link for a special offer for TNT viewers... https://5starmarinephuket.com/tim/

Alarm bells ring in overloaded Thai public health system as exhausted doctors quit in droves Every year, hundreds of doctors leave the government sector after struggling under huge workloads for relatively low pay and with little prospect of promotion. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1298725-alarm-bells-ring-in-overloaded-thai-public-health-system-as-exhausted-doctors-quit-in-droves/

Every year, hundreds of doctors leave the government sector after struggling under huge workloads for relatively low pay and with little prospect of promotion. The numbers exiting the public health service are significant given that the Public Health Ministry employs just 24,469 doctors. Over the past decade, around 450 doctors have left each year, along with at least 150 who have retired from public service. In recent months, several prominent medical professionals – including celebrity medic Dr Napasorn Weerayuttvilai – have spoken up about slavery-like conditions that forced them to quit their jobs at state hospitals. “I couldn’t see any light at the end of the tunnel,” Dr Napasorn said of her decision to resign. She drafted the resignation after working a night shift then checking on nearly 40 hospital patients on her morning round the following day – only to be told by her senior that she should have worked faster. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/alarm-bells-ring-in-overloaded-thai-public-health-system-as-exhausted-doctors-quit-in-droves/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-06-23 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

Healthcare shortage tackled by Thai government with new strategy by Mitch Connor Photo Courtesy of Bangkok Post The Thai government’s Public Health Ministry has laid out strategies to address the ongoing shortage of healthcare professionals in the nation’s state-operated medical sector. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1298723-healthcare-shortage-tackled-by-thai-government-with-new-strategy/

The Thai government’s Public Health Ministry has laid out strategies to address the ongoing shortage of healthcare professionals in the nation’s state-operated medical sector. Within the next three years, these measures aim to expand the country’s cadre of medical personnel according to current legal parameters. The government spokesperson, Anucha Buraphachaisri, indicated the interventions may result in a 40% increase in doctors and over a 50% surge in nursing staff by 2026. The actions respond to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s concerns over the persistent scarcity of medical professionals. The lack of healthcare personnel has placed a considerable burden on new graduates, many of whom opt to leave the high-pressure environment of state-run hospitals for more lucrative and less taxing positions in private institutions. Buraphachaisri added that Prayut Chan-o-cha recognises the driving factors behind the dearth of medical staff. Thus, the government has taken steps to address this pressing issue, targeting both immediate and long-term solutions. Part of the solution involves redirecting a larger share of health personnel to support the rehabilitative needs of the country’s estimated one million drug addicts – an area regarded as one of the Ministry’s highest priorities. Buraphachaisri also noted that Tambon health promotion hospitals, designed to relieve larger urban hospitals by providing healthcare services to rural communities, have yet to reach their full potential. by Mitch Connor Photo Courtesy of Bangkok Post Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thai-government-lays-out-strategy-to-tackle-severe-healthcare-personnel-shortage -- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-06-23 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

Germany’s vaccine donation: A million Pfizer doses to strengthen Thai health ministry by Mitch Connor Photo Courtesy of Bangkok Post Germany has made a vaccine donation of almost one million doses of the bivalent Covid-19 vaccine to the Thai Ministry of Public Health, planning to distribute this significant stockpile to Thai hospitals in the forthcoming weeks. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1298721-germany’s-vaccine-donation-a-million-pfizer-doses-to-strengthen-thai-health-ministry/

Germany has made a vaccine donation of almost one million doses of the bivalent Covid-19 vaccine to the Thai Ministry of Public Health, planning to distribute this significant stockpile to Thai hospitals in the forthcoming weeks. This considerable vaccine donation was welcomed by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul during an official handover ceremony at the German embassy yesterday. The ceremony was conducted by Germany’s ambassador to Thailand, Georg Schmidt. Precisely 999,360 doses of the bivalent Pfizer-manufactured Covid vaccine were given to the Thai Ministry. The gesture was warmly appreciated by Charnvirakul. He expressed his gratitude to the German government, emphasizing that the generous vaccine donation mirrors over a century and a half of friendly relations between the two nations. Germany has continually extended its hand in aid towards Thailand during the pandemic. Beyond contributing to reducing Covid cases in Thailand, Germany has also supported wider Asean region efforts. by Mitch Connor Photo Courtesy of Bangkok Post Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/germany-donates-a-million-pfizer-vaccines-to-bolster-thai-health-ministry -- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-06-23 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

Monorail disruption hampers newly launched Yellow Line service in Bangkok by Mitch Connor Photo Courtesy of southeastasiainfra.com Traffic disruption was recently experienced on the Yellow Line monorail after a technical glitch occurred just 20 days into the trial runs. This monorail disruption incident resulted in the temporary closure of five stations from Lat Phrao 101 to Hua Mak for approximately 90 minutes yesterday. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1298720-monorail-disruption-hampers-newly-launched-yellow-line-service-in-bangkok/

Chinese tourism deterred by tourist scams in Thailand, says Atta by Alex Morgan Photo: ATTA's President Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn via ttgasia Fear of being conned by tourist scams poses a bigger concern to prospective Chinese tourists than Thailand’s political ambiguity, advises the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta). Given a sluggish economic recovery on the mainland, the Chinese tourism market could slightly be affected. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1298718-chinese-tourism-deterred-by-tourist-scams-in-thailand-says-atta/

Fear of being conned by tourist scams poses a bigger concern to prospective Chinese tourists than Thailand’s political ambiguity, advises the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta). Given a sluggish economic recovery on the mainland, the Chinese tourism market could slightly be affected. Calling for tougher safety measures, Atta’s president, Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, indicates that improving the country’s image and reassurances over touristic scams would encourage Chinese travellers. He also emphasised the necessity to uplift the quality of services provided in the tourism sector to boost Chinese tourism. Cheewarattanaporn argues that even with the likely political vacuum in the coming two to three months, Chinese tourists wouldn’t consider Thailand’s political instability as a reason for rerouting their destinations. Attaining the government-set target of five million visitors necessitates a footfall of at least two million Chinese travellers in the third quarter, around 12,000 to 15,000 daily. This figure is expected to be followed by more than two million arrivals in the final quarter, resulting in a surge in Chinese tourism. by Alex Morgan Photo: ATTA's President Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn via ttgasia Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/business/tourist-scams-not-politics-deter-chinese-travellers-to-thailand-says-atta -- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-06-23 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

Thai tourism-linked businesses experience booming growth amid economic recovery by Alex Morgan Photo Courtesy of Freepik Amid escalating tourist arrivals and robust economic recovery, Thai tourism-associated enterprises have been reaping lucrative rewards, particularly in the fields of foreign exchange, travel agencies, tour guides, dining establishments, and the accommodation industry. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1298716-thai-tourism-linked-businesses-experience-booming-growth-amid-economic-recovery/

Amid escalating tourist arrivals and robust economic recovery, Thai tourism-associated enterprises have been reaping lucrative rewards, particularly in the fields of foreign exchange, travel agencies, tour guides, dining establishments, and the accommodation industry. Such industries have experienced impressive growth within the initial five months of this year, as revealed by data garnered through the Business Development Department of the Commerce Ministry. Tourism-related businesses emerged as key contributors, making up an 8.10% share in newly-set-up businesses, which marked a 96.6% uptick within the first five months. A spectacular surge of 389% was clocked in the realm of foreign currency exchange businesses, while travel agencies experienced a growth of 281%. Tour guide businesses didn’t lag either, with a notable 225% growth. Meanwhile, with a rise of 67.2%, restaurants reaped substantial benefits. In the property business, hotels, resorts, and condo firms recorded an increase of 49.1%, resulting in a significant boost in Thai tourism. Such market acceleration and surge in Thai tourism are fuelled by the surge in arriving foreign tourists and, crucially, the recovering Thai economy. The Director-General of the Business Development Department, Thosapone Dansuputra, reflected upon these favourable conditions that mirror the upswing in the consumer confidence index. Looking forward, the Department anticipates the registration of new business entities in the range of 42,000 to 45,000 within the first half of 2023 and an upswing to 75,000 to 78,000 entities across the complete year. by Alex Morgan Photo Courtesy of Freepik Full story: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/economy/thai-tourism-linked-businesses-experience-booming-growth-amid-economic-recovery -- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-06-23 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

NATIONAL NEWS from Surf 102.5 FM - Friday 23 June 2023 Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1298715-national-news-from-surf-1025-fm-friday-23-june-2023/

Uncertainty over the post of house speaker continues Pheu Thai has 141 seats, while the Move Forward Party, has 151 . The party's six other coalition allies have a total of 22 seats. Pheu Thai’s leader Chon-lan Sri-kaew suggested all Pheu Thai MPs abide by their own party’s resolution to endorse the naming of a Move Forward candidate for House Speaker early next month. The police arrested a 32 year old chinese national suspected of being behind a Chinese call center scam syndicate, along with 10 others wanted for deceiving people into investing in gold. The scammers used fraudulent claims of a connection with the Crown Property Bureau to lure victims. Operating from the Kings Romans casino at the Golden Triangle in Laos, they managed to swindle some 500 million baht from victims. Four Thai individuals will be charged today in a Malaysian court regarding the 2015 uncovering of mass graves and suspected human trafficking camps near the Thai-Malaysia border. The dense forests in the south served as crucial transit points for smugglers transporting refugees, particularly Rohingya Muslims escaping persecution. Following the discovery of camps and graves on the Thai side of the border in 2015, Thai authorities intensified their efforts against human smugglers, causing traffickers to abandon thousands of migrants at sea. Germany has donated almost one million doses covid 19 vaccine to Thailand. The bivalent covid vaccine produced by Pfizer was presented to Thailand's minister of health by Germany’s ambassador George Schmidt. The vaccines will be distributed to hospitals nationwide in the coming weeks. The Ministry of Public Health plans to attract new doctors and nurses to state run hospitals; The department noted many new doctors face high work loads and stress then leave for the private sector, their plan could see an increase of new medical personnel by around 40% over the next 3 years. Around the Region: Indonesians will get to enjoy a five-day weekend at the end of the month after the government announced extra holidays in a bid to boost domestic travel and consumption. The weather: Sunny Chiang Mai and the north: Sunny with isolated showers 34C Bangkok: Sunny partly Cloudy isolated showers 38C Pattaya, Sunny 34 Phuket and the south: Sunny partly cloudy 31C ‘Hua Hin’ :Sunny partly cloudy 34C Credits: Bangkok Post, The Nation, Asean Now, Khaosod English, Hua Hin Today, Royal Coast Review, Kulsawek Sawekwannakorn, Thainewsroom.com, The Pattaya News, Phuket News, Channel News Asia, South China Morning Post, The Straits Times. The Irrawaddy. Windy.com. Wunderground.com Listen Live: Surf 102.5 Facebook: Surf 102.5 -- © Copyright SURF 102.5 FM 2023-06-23 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

Thailand tourism thrives as it ranks second in global travel, Bangkok tops city list by Alex Morgan Photo courtesy of Kenny Teo, Flickr Thailand tourism continues to thrive, as online travel platform Agoda recently revealed that the country holds the title of the second most popular destination for travellers worldwide, with Bangkok topping the list of favourite cities for global travellers. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1298713-thailand-tourism-thrives-as-it-ranks-second-in-global-travel-bangkok-tops-city-list/

Thailand tourism continues to thrive, as online travel platform Agoda recently revealed that the country holds the title of the second most popular destination for travellers worldwide, with Bangkok topping the list of favourite cities for global travellers. The ranking came from an analysis of booking data collected from January to May of the current year, shared by government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri. Outperforming Thailand, Japan emerged as the leading destination for tourists during the same period. Early reopening of the country’s borders has undoubtedly contributed to Thailand’s tourism sector rebounding at a faster rate compared to other nations. In addition to this, Agoda’s findings disclosed that Thailand tourism ranked fourth in terms of domestic trips, coming after the United States, Japan, and Malaysia. Discussing regional travel trends, Anucha announced the recent collaboration between Asia’s travel booking platform Klook and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in launching the “Let Your Journey be THAI” campaign. by Alex Morgan Photo courtesy of Kenny Teo, Flickr Full story: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/economy/thailand-ranks-second-in-global-travel-bangkok-tops-city-list -- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-06-23 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

Laotian Man Arrested for Fatally Stabbing Comrade at Noodle Shop In an unfortunate incident at a noodle shop in Pathumwan district, Bangkok, the police have apprehended a Laotian man responsible for a fatal stabbing. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1298705-laotian-man-arrested-for-fatally-stabbing-comrade-at-noodle-shop/

Rescue Team Mobilizes Over 10 Men in a Thrilling Pursuit of an Elusive "Troublemaker" On June 22, 2023, at 7:00 PM, the Kun Ratana Wut Foundation in Kanchanaburi province received a request from the public for assistance in capturing a large water monitor lizard that posed a potential threat to the residents of Don Rak Village, Kanchanaburi province. In response, a team of over 10 men was swiftly deployed to the area. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1298703-rescue-team-mobilizes-over-10-men-in-a-thrilling-pursuit-of-an-elusive-troublemaker/