Queen Sirikit memorial event/Amateur Charity Golf Classic/Connecting Western Seaboard dinner/Popular fresh vegetables found contaminated/Southern flood crisis deepens/Desperate calls for help in flooded Hat Yai/Floods halt trains, cut highways/Flooded hospitals in need of help/Forest Ranger Dies After Elephant Attack/First Pacemaker Implant in a Cat
- ECONOMY: Thai Property Transfers Plunge/Home seizures spike/Chamber submits economic growth plan/October exports rise 5.7%/Strategies to counter US tariffs
- TOURISM: Malaysians to cancel trips to Thailand
- THAILAND EXPERIENCE: Southeast Asia’s endangered traditional languages
- CLIMATE THAILAND: Chiang Rai Leads the Way
- FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY/INTERNATIONAL/HUA HIN LINKS
Queen Sirikit memorial event to be held in Hua Hin on Dec 1
Preparations are underway for an event titled “Paying Tribute with Loyal Hearts to Her Majesty the Queen Mother”, to be held on Dec. 1 from 3 pm to 7 pm, at Rajabhakti Park in Hua Hin.
The event aims to express deep condolences and pay respects, as well as to remember the royal benevolence of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother. The Prime Minister’s Office has called on all government offices, state enterprises, government agencies, and educational institutions throughout the country to organize activities to express mourning. Continued …
Popular fresh vegetables found contaminated with multiple parasites
A study titled “Survey of Intestinal Parasite Contamination in Fresh Vegetables in Bangkok, Thailand”, conducted by Uthaitip Boonkasem of the School of Health Science at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, and colleagues, has revealed concerning levels of parasitic contamination in commonly consumed fresh vegetables.
The research examined the prevalence of intestinal parasites in fresh produce collected from both local and urban markets across Bangkok. Samples were taken between November and December 2022 and involved 300 specimens from 15 vegetable varieties, analyzed using a sedimentation technique. Continued …
Southern flood crisis deepens: after Hat Yai, Narathiwat now submerged
Severe flooding has struck nine districts in Narathiwat, affecting more than 47,000 households, with one death reported. Authorities have deployed police and district officials to wade through dangerous 2-meter-deep currents to rescue stranded residents.
Authorities today reported that rainfall continues to blanket all 13 districts of Narathiwat, causing water levels to rise rapidly. Three major rivers — the Bang Nara River and the Saiburi River — have overflowed their banks, inundating large areas. The Sungai Kolok River remains below bank level for now, but water levels are rising steadily. Continued …
Desperate calls for help echo in flooded Hat Yai
Screams for help from flood-stricken residents filled the air in Hat Yai of this heavily inundated southern border province last night, leading to a complete evacuation order for the entire district. Historically high rainfall and torrents from higher areas near Hat Yai prompted Songkhla Gov. Ratthasart Chidchoo to mandate the total evacuation yesterday.
However, many residents waited in vain for rescue vehicles. Rescue workers urged the government to expedite evacuation efforts, as they were outnumbered by victims in need of assistance. Continued …
Floods halt trains, cut highways in south
Railway tracks and highways in many southern provinces were blocked by rising, severe flooding yesterday, with persistent rain falling over most of the region.
The State Railway of Thailand said that from yesterday onward it had halted 12 trains and adjusted the routes of four train services in southern provinces. Trains 447 and 448 were diverted to the Surat Thani-Thung Song-Surat Thani route, instead of Surat Thani-Sungai Kolok-Surat Thani. Continued …
Flooded hospitals in need of urgent help
Hospitals in flooded areas of Songkhla Province have pleaded for urgent help to cope with dwindling supplies and a shortage of fuel for their power generators.
Bangkok Hospital Hat Yai, in Hat Yai District, posted a message online pleading for help to move patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) to safer places after its reserve power generator was flooded, causing a complete power shutdown. Continued …
Pioneering Forest Ranger Dies After Elephant Attack
A 45-year-old forest ranger, Bancha Kraisi Baramee, known as “Kru Tu,” was fatally injured by a wild elephant while on duty at Thiku Forest Protection Unit in the Thungyai Naresuan West Wildlife Sanctuary, Kanchanaburi Province, Sunday night.
Kru Tu was a respected figure in wildlife protection and one of the officers involved in the high-profile black panther poaching case in late 2018. He was praised for his dedication, teaching younger rangers and commitment to safeguarding Thailand’s forests. Continued …
Chula Veterinarians Perform Thailand’s First Pacemaker Implant in a Cat
In a groundbreaking medical milestone, veterinarians from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Veterinary Science have successfully performed Thailand’s first pacemaker implantation in a cat, marking a new era in advanced veterinary cardiology. The procedure, led by Dr. Anusak Kijtawornrat from the Department of Physiology, demonstrates Thailand’s growing capacity in high-precision animal healthcare.
The patient, Pepsi, an eight-year-old domestic shorthair cat, had suffered frequent fainting spells— up to four times daily — caused by severe cardiac arrhythmia. After receiving the pacemaker, she made a full recovery and has since regained her normal strength, appetite, and playful personality. Continued …
Thai Property Transfers Plunge 9.3% in Nine Months
The Thai property market recorded a significant decline in activity over the first nine months of 2025, but the industry is banking on government stimulus to drive a strong recovery in the final quarter, according to the Real Estate Information Center (REIC).
Accumulated residential ownership transfers across Thailand from January to September fell by 9.3% in volume (227,106 units) and 12.4% in value (617.7 billion baht) year-on-year (YoY), reflecting persistently sluggish consumer purchasing power. Continued …
Home seizures spike on bad debt
The state planning unit has raised concerns about mortgage borrowers, as new data shows a significant increase in homes being seized and put up for auction.
According to Onfa Vejjajiva, secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), data from the Real Estate Information Center shows in the second quarter of 2025 residential properties seized and put up for auction reached 67,600 units, up 210% year-on-year. Continued …
Thai Chamber of Commerce submits economic growth plan
The Thai Chamber of Commerce submitted a white paper outlining strategies to boost the country’s economic growth to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul yesterday, which it hopes the government will incorporate into a national economic strategy.
TCC Chairman Poj Aramwattananont said the paper includes conclusions from discussions during the 43rd annual seminar of the nation’s chambers of commerce, held at Prince of Songkla University’s Hat Yai campus. The seminar was convened under the theme “Unlocking New Growth: New Potential for National Development”. Continued …
Thai October exports rise 5.7% y/y, below forecast
Customs-cleared exports rose 5.7% in October from a year earlier, the Thai Ministry of Commerce said today, coming in below analysts’ expectations. The reading for October compared with a forecast 6.3% year-on-year increase in a Reuters poll, and followed a jump of 19% in September.
Imports rose 16.3% from a year earlier, much higher than a forecast rise of 7.5%, leading to a trade deficit of $3.44 billion in October, wider than the forecast $0.5 billion deficit. Continued …
ASEAN strategies to counter US tariffs
Is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ready for a new era of trade coercion? The answer will depend on each nation, but ASEAN members want to look unified and pragmatic.
Last week in Melbourne, at the ministerial meeting of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the 12-member free trade pact, made it clear that the global trading system is being turned upside down due to growing malpractice and a lack of cohesion. Continued …
Flooding forces Malaysians to cancel trips to Thailand
Inbound trips from Malaysia to southern Thailand are expected to be completely canceled this week due to severe flash floods, particularly in Hat Yai, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
TAT Gov. Thapanee Kiatphaibool said concerns over prolonged flooding, with more than 4,000 Malaysian tourists stranded in hotels and at Hat Yai airport, are likely to result in a full cancellation of trips from the Malaysian market this week. Continued …
Southeast Asia’s endangered traditional languages
The large number of languages used in Southeast Asia showcases the region’s wide diversity, rich heritage, and colorful history, serving as effective tools in passing down the traditions and customs of ethnic communities. Sadly though, some of these traditional languages face the threat of extinction each year.
According to a university lecturer in Bangkok, “The official language of Thailand is Thai, but we also have around 70 ethnolinguistic groups using languages that belong to the southwestern-Thai family of languages.” Continued …
Chiang Rai Leads the Way in Responsible Travel
Chiang Rai, in the heart of northern Thailand’s Golden Triangle, is redefining what it means to travel responsibly. While other destinations struggle with overcrowding and environmental strain, Chiang Rai has embraced a model of tourism that nurtures both nature and local communities. Visitors can experience ethical elephant sanctuaries, stay in traditional hill tribe villages, explore organic farms, and visit temples powered by renewable energy — all while keeping their environmental footprint minimal.
Chiang Rai has become a sanctuary for Asian elephants, creating opportunities for visitors to engage with these gentle giants responsibly. Traditional rides and performances have been replaced by hands-on experiences such as preparing herbal food, walking alongside the animals, and joining them in river baths. Tourism revenue is channeled into veterinary care, feeding, and forest restoration, demonstrating that wildlife conservation and tourism can go hand in hand. Continued …
Thai Ladyboys Urge Action Against Foreigner’s Unlawful Videos
Thai ladyboys are urging authorities to address actions by a foreign man who recorded them without permission, posing questions about their gender. The man shared these videos on social media, prompting offensive comments. Continued …
- US man indicted for alleged sex crimes involving minors in Phuket – Continued …
- Libyan Woman Detained for 897-day Visa Overstay – Continued …
- Chinese Man Held for Drugs & Paying Smuggler to Enter Thailand – Continued …
- Chinese Gang Tricks Thai Teen into Stealing From His Mother – Continued …
- 6 Vietnamese nationals arrested in illegal and unhygienic ice cream factory – Continued …
- Indian man allegedly hires Pattaya nightclub guards to assault taxi rider – Continued …
Chinese airlines cancel flights on 12 Japan routes as tensions continue to rise
As a political dispute between Beijing and Tokyo continues to inflame relations, Chinese media reports indicate some domestic airlines have canceled flights on 12 of their routes to Japan – including paths to popular tourism destinations Kyoto and Osaka – with analysts predicting cancellations to rise within the week. Continued …
US judge dismisses cases against Trump political foes
A federal judge yesterday dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, dealing a blow to US President Donald Trump’s efforts to prosecute his political opponents. Continued …
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Students from Thailand Win ‘Best in World’ Cambridge Schools Science Competition
