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Bang Saphan Beach dog biting/Snake in a toilet/Severe Flooding in Chiang Rai/Floods displace 500 households in Nan/Two gunned down in Yala/Gun-toting schoolkids/New Mpox Strain in Thailand/Economy: Baht poised to reach 34/Cash in lieu of digital wallet/Key Interest Rate at 2.50%/Strong baht to affect exports/Factories in ‘Chonburi-Rayong’/Temu dents Thailand Post/Sansiri shares rise/Tourism: Thai Hotels Report 170-Million-Baht Loss/Hoteliers oppose package for online travel agents/Train travel between Bangkok and Penang/Thailand Experience: Thailand’s best local foods/Best southern Thai restaurants in Bangkok/International/Links: Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/Air pollution index map/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers

Legal action in Bang Saphan Beach dog biting

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Another snake in a toilet

A Samut Prakan man making his morning visit to the toilet was startled on Wednesday by a sudden, sharp pain in his testicles after he sat down. He had been bitten by a python hiding in the toilet bowl, after which the reptile remained firmly attached to his scrotum before he was able to shake it off.

Tanat Tangtewanon posted his experience as a warning to others during the rainy weather. He said he woke up and went to the toilet as usual, flushing it first as he always did. Continued …

Severe Flooding in Chiang Rai Claims Two Lives

Heavy rains in Chiang Rai have wreaked havoc, causing severe flooding that has claimed two lives and trapped 20 individuals in a convenience store. The flooding has also submerged an extensive 15,000 rai of farmland, predominantly rice fields.

Continuous torrential downpours have led to significant water level rises in several rivers, with the Ing River being particularly affected. Originating from Kwan Phayao and flowing through Thoeng and Khun Tan districts before merging with the Mekong River in Chiang Khong, the river’s swelling has resulted in widespread flooding. Continued …

Floods displace 500 households in Nan, severe damage reported

Floods have caused significant damage in the northern province of Nan, affecting eight districts and displacing over 500 households. The heavy rain led to rapid rises in river levels, particularly impacting Thawngpha district where residents struggled to evacuate their belongings in time.

The province of Nan is facing a severe flood crisis, with eight districts now affected. These districts include Chaloem Phra Kiat, Thung Chang, Chiang Klang, Pua, Thawngpha, Ban Luang, Wiang Sa, and Nanoi. The heavy rainfall caused river levels to rise quickly, overflowing into residential areas and farmlands, causing widespread distress and damage to numerous residents. Continued …

At Least 10 Assailants Open Fire on Durian Stall Owner, Killing 2 in Yala

Yesterday, reports emerged of a shooting incident involving a group of at least 10 armed assailants at a durian stall in front of the Kubor (Muslim cemetery) in Ban Saikaeo, Village 3, Taling Chan subdistrict, Bannang Sata District, Yala Province.

According to reports, the gunmen approached the durian stall on foot from the direction of a nearby waterfall. Upon arrival, they called the stall owner outside and then opened fire in a barrage using unknown types and calibers of firearms, resulting in the deaths of two people. Continued …

Gun-toting schoolkids spark East Pattaya chaos

Violence erupted on the streets of East Pattaya as footage emerged yesterday showing school kids from a local public school and a rival private school engaging in brutal confrontations. The disturbing scenes reveal students clashing in a series of chaotic brawls.

These violent altercations have reportedly occurred at least three times between mid-July and early August. However, the conflict took a terrifying turn last week when a group of middle school students from the public school approached the nearby private school armed with a gun. Continued …

European Traveler Suspected of Bringing New Mpox Strain to Thailand

A case of the severe strain of mpox, which is currently spreading rapidly in Africa, has been found as the first case in Thailand. The patient is a foreigner who traveled from Africa.

Dr. Thongchai Keeratihatthayakorn, director general of the Department of Disease Control, held a press conference regarding this case of monkeypox (Clade I) at the Department of Disease Control yesterday. He stated that this patient is a European who traveled from a country with an outbreak of monkeypox Clade I on the African continent. Continued …

Baht poised to reach 34 to the greenback

The baht is on course to appreciate to 34 to the dollar or an even stronger position in the near term after hitting a 13-month high yesterday as the Bank of Thailand held the policy rate at 2.5%, which could spur inflows ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s next meeting in September.

After closing on Tuesday at 34.21, the Thai currency surged to 34.06 to the greenback early on Wednesday, the highest level since July 2023, before easing to 34.13-15. Continued …

15 million ‘fragile’ people to get cash in lieu of digital wallet

An estimated 15 million Thai nationals will likely be granted 10,000 baht in cash each in lieu of a digital wallet with the same amount under a new Pheu Thai-led government, a source said yesterday.

Officially categorized as “fragile” groups of people, the 14.98 million people nationwide will likely become recipients to a sum of 10,000 baht in cash each, given their sustained status as state welfare cardholders earlier provided by a previous government. Continued …

Bank of Thailand Maintains Key Interest Rate at 2.50%

The Bank of Thailand’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided to maintain the key interest rate at 2.50% per annum. The decision came after a 6-1 vote during its meeting on Wednesday. Piti Disyatat, secretary of the MPC, announced this move, underscoring the steady economic growth driven by tourism and domestic demand.

Thailand’s economy has been expanding in line with forecasts, showing signs of recovery, particularly in the export sector. The MPC is confident that inflation will return to the target range by late 2024. Continued …

Strong baht to affect Q4 exports

The Thai National Shippers’ Council (TNSC) is concerned that the rapid strengthening of the baht, currently at more than 34 baht to the U.S. dollar, could hinder the growth of the export sector in the fourth quarter of the year.

The sector expanded 2% year on year in the first half of 2024, said TNSC chief Chaicharn Charoensuk on Wednesday, adding that amid the high number of negative external factors, the only supporting factor for this growth is the weak baht. Continued …

Chinese Investors Build Factories in ‘Chonburi-Rayong’, Land Prices Rise

Meesak Chunharakchoti, former president of the Thai Real Estate Assn., revealed that Chinese investors are increasingly buying land outside industrial estates in the Rayong region, such as in Nikhom Phatthana, Bo Win and Pluak Daeng districts, to set up factories to support investment in electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing in Thailand. Land prices in the industrial estates are relatively high, with some negotiations leading to discounts of up to 50%.

As for the real estate business, the situation remains unclear, but some investors have shown interest in partnering with local developers, possibly due to the current slowdown in the real estate market, which presents opportunities for investors. Continued …

Temu dents Thailand Post’s logistics for e-commerce

The entry of Chinese e-commerce behemoth Temu is affecting Thailand Post’s logistics service for other e-commerce platforms as its volume declined by 20%-50% per day from July, said the company. Thailand Post’s logistics activities for TikTok fell by 50% from July to this month, said President Dhanant Subhadrabandhu.

Temu’s entry is a critical challenge to the local e-commerce landscape that affects all related parties, especially online and offline retailers, because of its highly competitive product prices and unique business model, he said. Continued …

Sansiri shares rise after sale of Standard to Hyatt

Shares of Sansiri Plc (SIRI) rose by nearly 5% on Wednesday after Thailand’s leading property developer announced an agreement to sell shares of the U.S.-based lifestyle hotel Standard International to the Hyatt group for US$355 million.

In its filing to the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) on Wednesday, Sansiri board Chairman Apichart Chutrakul announced the sale of 71% of its U.S. subsidiary Standard International Holdings (SIH) to Hyatt Corp. and Hyatt International Corp. Continued …

Thai Hotels Report 170-Million-Baht Loss after German Tour Company’s Downfall

The collapse of the Germany-based travel agency FTI Group has resulted in a total loss of around 173 million baht for Thai hotels, a significant rise from the initially projected 111 million baht in June.

According to the Thai Hotels Assn. (THA), this financial crisis has adversely affected 179 hotels nationwide, mainly in the southern region where the losses are calculated to be nearly 141 million baht. Continued …

Hoteliers oppose Bt280-million package for online travel agents

Thai hoteliers are opposed to the cabinet’s approval of 280 million baht to support tourism packages provided by online travel agents (OTAs), fearing most of the income would flow out to foreign platforms, while local operators cannot reap benefits.

Earlier this month, the cabinet approved an additional budget for the Tourism and Sports Ministry, allocated to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The budget was prepared for cooperation with nine OTAs, offering promotional packages between August and September. Continued …

Train travel between Bangkok and Penang to resume

Thailand and Malaysia are planning to revive the rail route between Bangkok and Butterworth in Penang state to ensure seamless travel between the two countries, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) said on Tuesday. The decision was taken last week when SRT Deputy Gov. Awirut Thongnet and his team attended the joint conference with Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) in Kota Kinabalu.

Ekarat Sriarayanphong, head of the SRT governor’s office, said SRT and KTMB have agreed to establish a working team for the Bangkok-Butterworth route for an initial trial run of six months. Continued …

Thailand serves up a list of best local foods

The Culture Ministry has announced the winners of its annual “The Lost Taste” campaign, which aims to preserve and promote Thailand’s culinary heritage.

Caretaker Culture Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol revealed the list of the best local dishes for each of Thailand’s 77 provinces on Wednesday. The dishes were selected through public votes collected from Aug. 1 to 9. Continued …

The best southern Thai restaurants in Bangkok for that extra kick of spice

Thai food varies a lot throughout the regions, but the spice is what holds us together. The south of Thailand gets a lot of influences from Malaysia and Indonesia, and the abundance of fresh ingredients grown locally also add another dimension to the dishes.

From the rich yellow curry to the heat-filled khua kling, these southern Thai restaurants in Bangkok tbring in all the right notes that have our tastebuds dancing straight to the city. Continued …

Ukraine launches major drone attack on Moscow as battles rage in Kursk

Moscow came under one of the largest attacks by Ukrainian drones since the start of fighting in 2022, Russian authorities reported Wednesday, saying they destroyed all of those headed toward the capital. Continued …

People queue for water, limit usage amid drought in Spain

A severe drought has rendered tap water undrinkable in several towns along Spain’s Costa Blanca, forcing holiday-makers and locals in the Valencia region to queue at distribution points for bottled water to cover their basic needs. Video …

Heat wave impact in South Korea: Algae in tap water

Summer’s relentless heat wave isn’t just driving up temperatures – it’s also affecting tap water. On Tuesday, several cities in the Seoul metropolitan area, including Incheon and Anyang, and Gwacheon of Gyeonggi Province, issued public alerts following resident complaints about an unusual grassy odor coming from faucets. Continued …