THAILAND LIVE Thailand Live Wednesday 29 March 2023

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Phuket coastal property

 

Russian and Chinese buyers push up property prices, forcing locals out of the market

 

Phuket is seeing strong demand for real estate due, primarily, to the return of Russian and Chinese buyers, according to independent real estate agent and consultancy Knight Frank. Yes, it’s the 2023 property boom.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290523-russian-and-chinese-buyers-push-up-property-prices-forcing-locals-out-of-the-market/

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Pattaya Club at Risk of Permanent Closure for Repeatedly Violating Closing Time Regulations

 

 

A nightclub on Pattaya’s walking street is at risk of being shut down permanently due to reportedly having no license and staying open beyond legal closing times multiple times, say police.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290526-pattaya-club-at-risk-of-permanent-closure-for-repeatedly-violating-closing-time-regulations/

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Iraqi Man Faints Upon Being Caught Overstaying More Than 8 Years
by TNR Staff

 

The Iraqi man upon being arrested today. Photo: Naewna

 

AN IRAQI man who overstayed in Thailand for more than eight years fainted when Chonburi Immigration and Pattaya police showed up at his house to arrest him yesterday (Mar. 28), Naewna newspaper said.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290549-iraqi-man-faints-upon-being-caught-overstaying-more-than-8-years/

 

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Thai Airways accused of favouring foreign passengers over Thais

 

 

A Thai passenger who recently flew from Paris to Bangkok in Thai Airways business class accused the airline of favouring foreign passengers over Thais.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290550-thai-airways-accused-of-favouring-foreign-passengers-over-thais/

 

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How Koh Larn became “Trash Island” and what is being done to fix it
by Nad Bunnag, Thai PBS World

 

 

Koh Larn, an island lying in the Gulf off Pattaya, has been attracting thousands of local and foreign tourists for decades, but this has undeniably led to a mountain of garbage, resulting in an enormous landfill on the small island.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290551-how-koh-larn-became-“trash-island”-and-what-is-being-done-to-fix-it/

 

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The Dangers Of Consuming Toxic Horseshoe Crabs
By Editor

 

 

Health officials have issued warnings to the public after two people died from consuming mangrove horseshoe crabs. Five others have been hospitalised after eating the lethally poisonous crustaceans.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290552-the-dangers-of-consuming-toxic-horseshoe-crabs/

 

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NATIONAL NEWS from Surf 102.5 FM - Wednesday 29 March 2023

 

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290561-national-news-from-surf-1025-fm-wednesday-29-march-2023/

 

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Surly immigration officers and long waits at the airport? : Region 2 IB chief faces investigation

 

Daily News Thai Caption: Secret investigation ordered

 

Daily News reported that the upper echelons of the Royal Thai Police are investigating the activities of Region 2 immigration that is responsible for Suvarnabhumi Airport, the main Bangkok hub.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290562-surly-immigration-officers-and-long-waits-at-the-airport-region-2-ib-chief-faces-investigation/

 

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Thais warned about Northern Ireland trouble after attack threat raised to "severe" - Level Four

 

Royal Thai Embassy, London. Source: Wikipedia

 

The Thai Embassy in London issued a statement early this morning (Wednesday) that warned Thais living or travelling to Northern Ireland to take especial care.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290566-thais-warned-about-northern-ireland-trouble-after-attack-threat-raised-to-severe-level-four/

 

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Pattaya: Woman in agony after metal grille pierces her ankle - calls to crackdown on messy contractors

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

The seemingly never ending mess that are roadworks in Pattaya is in the news once again.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290573-pattaya-woman-in-agony-after-metal-grille-pierces-her-ankle-calls-to-crackdown-on-messy-contractors/

 

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Thaksin behind bars? Experts skeptical over former PM’s latest pledge

 

 

In a surprise move, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra last Friday (March 24) announced he was ready to return and serve his prison term in Thailand regardless of the May 14 general election results.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290577-thaksin-behind-bars-experts-skeptical-over-former-pm’s-latest-pledge/

 

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Phuket Taxi Mafia still out of control: Female foreign tourist terrified after altercation with ride hailing woman driver

 

Daily News Thai Caption: (The Phuket taxi mafia) are still at it!

 

Daily News reported that what they called the "Phuket Taxi Mafia" were still strutting their brazen stuff.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290578-phuket-taxi-mafia-still-out-of-control-female-foreign-tourist-terrified-after-altercation-with-ride-hailing-woman-driver/

 

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Is Thailand really immune to the banking turmoil in the US and Europe?

 

 

The global financial markets are highly interconnected. When Thailand’s banking system suffered a collapse and the baht’s value plummeted in 1997, the contagion effect spread to other Asian countries. Similarly, one saw the global financial crisis triggered by the collapse of Lehman Brothers Bank in the United States in 2008. 

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290580-is-thailand-really-immune-to-the-banking-turmoil-in-the-us-and-europe/

 

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Drunk man found dead in sugar cane field - a day before his ordination after warnings from monk and fortune teller

 

Daily News Thai Caption: A monk did warn him

 

Daily News reported from the district of Song Phee Nong in Suphanburi after Thung Khok police and rescue services were called to a sugar cane field where a man was found dead.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290581-drunk-man-found-dead-in-sugar-cane-field-a-day-before-his-ordination-after-warnings-from-monk-and-fortune-teller/

 

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Chuwit continues his attacks against marijuana legalization - and health minister Anutin

 

 

Whistleblower and former politician turned darling of the Thai public, Chuwit Kamolwisit went on Facebook in his continuing war against weed.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290585-chuwit-continues-his-attacks-against-marijuana-legalization-and-health-minister-anutin/

 

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Flight costs to Thailand remain high, keep your clothes on at Songkran : Tim Newton Today - March 29

 

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290586-flight-costs-to-thailand-remain-high-keep-your-clothes-on-at-songkran-tim-newton-today-march-29/

 

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Can Thailand’s political parties take us out of the middle-income trap? 
By Ken Mathis Lohatepanont

 

In 2016, writing in the Thammasat Economic Journal, Emory University professor Richard Doner described in just a few sentences the problems that plague Thailand’s economy. 

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290587-can-thailand’s-political-parties-take-us-out-of-the-middle-income-trap/

 

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Thailand and Japan Make Progress in CAR T-Cell Cancer Immunotherapy

by Paul Rujopakarn

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University and Japan’s Nagoya University are collaborating on the development of a form of immunotherapy designed to cure cancer.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290588-thailand-and-japan-make-progress-in-car-t-cell-cancer-immunotherapy/

 

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Govt Orders Agencies to Step Up Haze Response

by Paul Rujopakarn

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - The government has instructed relevant agencies to escalate their forest fire responses in an attempt to mitigate the air pollution crisis.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290589-govt-orders-agencies-to-step-up-haze-response/

 

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Cabinet Acknowledges Guidelines for Preserving and Globalizing Songkran
by Paul Rujopakarn

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Cabinet has acknowledged guidelines for preserving and globalizing the Songkran festival this week, as it pushes for the tradition to be included on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290591-cabinet-acknowledges-guidelines-for-preserving-and-globalizing-songkran/

 

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Rooster Reports 8: Bangkok needs taxi apps like a hole in the head - Phuket and Pattaya it's not!

 

 

Full report: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290592-rooster-reports-8-bangkok-needs-taxi-apps-like-a-hole-in-the-head-phuket-and-pattaya-its-not/

 

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Phuket’s Freedom Beach remains ‘free’ of sun lounge and umbrella vendors

By Peter Roche

 

 

A team of Phuket officials, led by Chief of the Phuket Natural and Environment Office Wattanapong Suksai, recently inspected remote Freedom Beach on the west side of the bluff at the southern end of Patong Beach, wrongly reported in some media as being part of Karen Beach.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290594-phuket’s-freedom-beach-remains-‘free’-of-sun-lounge-and-umbrella-vendors/

 

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Revenue Department defends ฿200m spending on defective air-con system

 

Photo from Facebook page Watchdog.ACT

 

Thailand’s Revenue Department has explained that its 200-million baht procurement of a new air-conditioning system for the department’s building back in 2018 was strictly in compliance with the e-auction system, according to Vinit Visessuvanapoom, deputy director-general of and spokesman for the department.

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290611-revenue-department-defends-฿200m-spending-on-defective-air-con-system/

 

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Court orders company to recall Mazda 2 Skyactiv D1.5 vehicles

 

Photo from Thailand Consumers Council

 

Mazda Sales (Thailand) has been ordered by the Bangkok South Civil Court to recall all Mazda 2 cars with diesel engines produced and sold between 2014 and 2018 for modifications, at the expenses of the company.

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290612-court-orders-company-to-recall-mazda-2-skyactiv-d15-vehicles/

 

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Health Ministry Launches Campaign to Encourage Less Sugar Consumption

 

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - A campaign by the Ministry of Public Health has been launched to encourage people in Thailand to consume less sugar in order to prevent health issues.

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290613-health-ministry-launches-campaign-to-encourage-less-sugar-consumption/

 

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“Ease of Traveling” Roadmap Aimed to Provide One-Stop Services to Tourists

 

 

BANGKOK, March 28 (TNA) – The cabinet acknowledged the progress of “Ease of Traveling” roadmap, implemented by Ministry of Tourism and Sports to better facilitate foreign tourists, said Deputy Government Spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul.

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290614-“ease-of-traveling”-roadmap-aimed-to-provide-one-stop-services-to-tourists/

 

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FDA Warns of Smuggled Cannabis Cookies After Children Hospitalized

 

 

BANGKOK, March 29 (TNA) – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns parents to beware of their children eating cannabis –infused cookies, smuggled into the country.

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290615-fda-warns-of-smuggled-cannabis-cookies-after-children-hospitalized/

 

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Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Award for 2023 – the winner is in Bangkok

 

Le Du in Bangkok - Best Asian restaurant 2023

 

Bangkok has again proven to be Asia’s foodie central taking out four of the top 10 spots in the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Award for 2023 (along with Tokyo restaurants).

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290618-asia’s-50-best-restaurants-award-for-2023-–-the-winner-is-in-bangkok/

 

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Foreign ‘tour guides’ taking jobs that are reserved for Thais only

 

Foreign tour guides in Thailand

 

The caretaker Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, has ordered strict legal action against foreigners who are working as tour guides, which is a profession exclusively reserved for Thai nationals.

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290619-foreign-‘tour-guides’-taking-jobs-that-are-reserved-for-thais-only/

 

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Q1 tourism target exceeded, but what about 45 day visa exemption?

 

Tourism in Thailand 2023

 

Thailand has exceeded its target for tourist arrivals in the first quarter of 2023, with a total of 6.15 million visitors from January to March 27. The numbers were announced in a statement by government spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul today. The government had initially aimed for 6 million arrivals during this period.

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290620-q1-tourism-target-exceeded-but-what-about-45-day-visa-exemption/