Chiang Mai property stirs online debate, selling dream or reality for 80,000 baht?
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THAILAND LIVE Thailand Live Tuesday 1 July 2025
Communities Across Eight Mekong Provinces Raise Alarm Over Worsening River Crisis Picture courtesy of Khaosod. Concerned residents from eight northeastern Thai provinces gathered in Mukdahan to share growing fears over the deteriorating condition of the Mekong River, citing increasingly erratic water levels, declining fish populations and shrinking incomes. The mounting environmental crisis, they say, is being driven by upstream dam construction, riverbed mining, and cross-border exploitation. Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1365301-communities-across-eight-mekong-provinces-raise-alarm-over-worsening-river-crisis/ -
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Breaking down the 90-day report rule
TikTok videos never play smoothly on my phone and seem to push for the app to be downloaded in order to work properly. I doubt most longer stay expats out here with questions about 90 day reporting would be the kind of demographic who'd have much interest in installing TikTok. -
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Community Communities Across Eight Mekong Provinces Raise Alarm Over Worsening River Crisis
Picture courtesy of Khaosod. Concerned residents from eight northeastern Thai provinces gathered in Mukdahan to share growing fears over the deteriorating condition of the Mekong River, citing increasingly erratic water levels, declining fish populations and shrinking incomes. The mounting environmental crisis, they say, is being driven by upstream dam construction, riverbed mining, and cross-border exploitation. The meeting, held on 29 June at the Homel Muk Hotel in Mueang District, brought together over 100 participants including villagers, environmental activists and academic observers. Attendees represented provinces along the Mekong, Chiang Rai, Loei, Bueng Kan, Nong Khai, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Amnat Charoen, and Ubon Ratchathani, with the aim of developing a collective action plan under a shared network. In morning discussions, participants broke into groups based on their regional ecosystems to review the current situation before presenting findings to the larger forum. The results painted a bleak picture. Ecosystem Disruption and Eroding Livelihoods Mr. Channarong Wongla, from Chiang Khan District in Loei, described severe bank erosion and the disappearance of sandbars and backwater pools as a result of unpredictable water levels and intensified currents. The sediment buildup has wiped out over 70% of “krai” trees, vital spawning habitats for fish, leading to a dramatic reduction in native species, such as the pla phia, now reportedly down to just 20% of historical catch levels. In Nong Khai, Mr. Saman Kaewphuang said villagers have lost between 6 to 7 rai of titled land due to bank collapse since 2019. Traditional fishing tools have been destroyed by unmanageable currents and formerly thriving fisheries now yield barely enough for survival. Annual fishing income has plummeted from 200,000–300,000 baht to just 5,000 baht, he noted. Nakhon Phanom residents, represented by Mr. Amnat Traichak, highlighted additional strain from sand dredging operations on both the Thai and Lao sides of the river. The result: droughts in rainy seasons, floods in dry ones and the near collapse of tributary ecosystems like the Songkhram River, now clogged with invasive vegetation. Traditional Ways of Life Disappearing From Amnat Charoen, Mr. Surasing Thananta shared that only 7–8 families in his riverside village still fish for a living. Irregular water levels have made spawning cycles unviable, killing off vital riverside vegetation and displacing entire communities. Boats have been abandoned, and many villagers have had to seek work in cities. In Ubon Ratchathani, Ms. Sompong Viengchan spoke of worsening fish scarcity at the confluence of the Mun and Mekong rivers, worsened by illegal electrofishing by Lao communities, some crossing into Thai territory. Local fishermen have dropped from over 100 households to fewer than 20, with agriculture similarly devastated by unpredictable floods and dry spells. Mr. Anan Taweesuk of Mukdahan explained that even aquatic insect larvae and worms, the base of the aquatic food chain, have disappeared from the riverbed. “No food means no fish. No fish means no livelihood,” he said bluntly. Pollution and Cross-Border Threats In Chiang Rai, Ms. Piyanant Chitjaeng warned of arsenic and heavy metal contamination from mining in Myanmar affecting the Kok and Sai rivers, which feed into the Mekong. Recent “rain bomb” events have also caused major flash floods, while blocked river discharge points during high Mekong levels have triggered large-scale inundation. Mr. Montri Janthawong, coordinator of the advocacy group The Mekong Butterfly, added that sediment data from Chiang Khong shows the Mekong is now twice as turbid in the dry season compared to just three years ago. This turbidity, possibly from upstream mining, threatens aquatic biodiversity across the lower Mekong. He also noted a dramatic and irregular pattern in water level changes, caused by dam releases from China. Between February and April this year, dam discharges submerged 70–80% of key sandbanks and rocky areas used by waterbirds for nesting, severely damaging breeding cycles and contributing to the collapse of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Calls for Action and Further Investigation In the afternoon session, participants discussed the energy policies tied to dam construction, including concerns over Thailand’s Power Development Plan (PDP) and questionable electricity purchasing agreements. The forum also addressed official complaints submitted to the National Human Rights Commission regarding the cross-border effects of hydropower projects and controversial water diversion schemes like the Khong–Loei–Chi–Mun project. As the Mekong’s communities continue to bear the brunt of ecological disruption, the assembled network pledged coordinated efforts to preserve what remains of their river-dependent way of life and push for greater accountability from both domestic and regional stakeholders. Adapted by Asean Now from Khoasod 2025-07-01 -
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THAILAND LIVE Thailand Live Tuesday 1 July 2025
Surin: Crane Operator Electrocuted After Hitting High-Voltage Line Picture courtesy of Naewna. A construction site incident has claimed the life of a 30-year-old man after a crane mounted on his truck made fatal contact with a high-voltage power line. Full story:https://aseannow.com/topic/1365299-surin-crane-operator-electrocuted-after-hitting-high-voltage-line/ -
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Immigration problems with DTV?
I've had my LTR for almost 2 years now and still have issues sometimes with very long wait times while the officers process it. With the amount of flip-flopping and changes the government pushes on the immigration officers, I pity them. Not only do they have to navigate constantly changing and sometimes archaic rules and laws, they also have to deal with entitled people that think they shouldn't have to show certain requirements or even their visa in order to enter. -
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Accident Surin: Crane Operator Electrocuted After Hitting High-Voltage Line
Picture courtesy of Naewna. A construction site incident has claimed the life of a 30-year-old man after a crane mounted on his truck made fatal contact with a high-voltage power line. The incident occurred at approximately 14:00 on 29 June, along Highway 215 between Tha Tum and Suwannaphum, in the Phon Khrok subdistrict of Tha Tum district, Surin Province. According to reports, the victim, Mr Phongsakorn Kanmalai, a native of Don Chedi district in Suphan Buri Province, was operating a 10-wheeled Isuzu flatbed truck equipped with a crane and used two extended stabiliser legs. The truck was loaded with steel and other construction materials for roadworks underway in the area. Tragedy struck when the crane, which Mr Kanmalai was using to offload materials, swung into a high-voltage overhead cable, resulting in an immediate and lethal electric shock. Emergency responders from the Asadindra Rescue Foundation’s Tha Tum branch were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, they found Mr Kanmalai’s body near the truck. He had suffered extensive burns to both arms and legs, consistent with high-voltage electrocution, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr Kamon Kanmalai, the victim’s 64-year-old uncle who witnessed the incident, said he had been standing nearby and tried to rush to help his nephew but was unable to reach him in time. He recounted that his nephew had been carefully manoeuvring the crane when it came into contact with the power lines overhead. Officers from Tha Tum Police Station, along with a forensic physician from Tha Tum Hospital, conducted an on-site investigation and the body was sent for an autopsy. Authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. Adapted by Asean Now from Naewna 2025-07-01
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