News from Thailand – February 2
A volunteer military ranger was shot dead in Pattani on Wednesday and a Buddhist temple was hit by two shells. The attacks are widely seen as revenge for Sunday night's shooting, in which rangers killed four Muslims and wounded four.
Travel advice to Thailand relaxed
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has relaxed travel advice for Thailand. Travelers to Thailand are no longer warned about terrorism.
French balloon pops up in Thailand
A balloon released in June during a prom in the French village of Limalonges has surfaced six months later on a beach in Thailand. The director of the school reported this to AFP news agency. The balloon traveled no less than 14.000 kilometers.
ArkeFly not to Thailand after all
Contrary to previously planned, ArkeFly will not fly to Thailand, the Maldives and Sri Lanka next summer. A spokeswoman for TUI Netherlands confirms this to Luchtvaartnieuws.nl.
News from Thailand – January 31
Rangers shot dead 4 Muslims and wounded XNUMX others in Pattani province on Sunday night. Leger and one of the injured tell completely different stories about what happened.
News from Thailand – January 30
Don Mueang Airport will open on March 6. The eastern runway will be used first. Passenger terminal building 1 and other buildings are also usable again. Air Nok resumes flights from the airport; Orient Thai Lines has not yet made a decision. Restoration of the western runway that has been under water for longer will cost 135 million baht
News from Thailand – January 29
Drug traffickers and drug runners, you face the full force of the law. Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung spoke those strong words on Saturday in the weekly radio talk he took over from Prime Minister Yingluck.
News from Thailand – January 26
The death toll from Tuesday night's fireworks disaster in Suphan Buri has risen to four. Not 30 houses went up in flames, as the first reports said, but 734. The provincial authorities have banned fireworks displays during the remaining five days of the six-day Chinese New Year festivities.
News from Thailand – January 24
The two topless operators of a gambling establishment have reported to the police. Sun and Bee confessed that they are the ones whose photo is circulating on the internet. They were hired to serve at a gambling den in Sai Mai, Bangkok, at a party on December 31. Gamblers encouraged them to take off their clothes, which they did in hopes of scoring tips. The police fined the two with 500 baht.
Thai News – January 22
The Thai population has little confidence in their own government when it comes to combating terrorism. At least, if we are to believe a poll by Abac. Of the 1.174 residents surveyed in Bangkok, 73,3 percent believe the government is not up to the task of countering terrorism.
Uncle SMS sent text messages, but cannot text
62-year-old Ampon Tangnoppakul, better known as Uncle SMS, has been in prison for a year.
He was sentenced to 20 years in prison for lèse majesté. In May 2010, Ampon is said to have sent four text messages to the then secretary of Prime Minister Abhisit that were insulting to the royal family.
Thai News – January 21
Swedish-Lebanese terror suspect Hussein Atris, who was detained on Thursday at Suvarnabhumi, says he was the victim of an Israeli Mossad trap. The Mossad is said to have placed the chemicals, which were found in a building in Mahachai on Monday. He was also said to have been interrogated by three men who "apparently came from the Mossad." “I am an ordinary trader,” he says in an interview with the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet
Dutch pedophile jailed for 37 years
A Dutchman may admire a Thai cell from the inside for 37 years. No fun, but it's his own fault. Because he assaulted children in the seaside resort of Hua Hin
Thai news in brief – January 18
Wichean Potephosree, former chief of the national police, doubts whether the Swedish-Lebanese terror suspect Hussein Atris is involved in the planning of terrorist attacks. Academics and activists also have their doubts. The chairman of Palestine Solidarity Thailand calls the commotion over Atris' arrest a case of "Islamphobia".
Thai news in brief – January 17
On the instructions of the Swedish-Lebanese man who was arrested on Suvarnabhumi on Thursday, the police have found a warehouse in Samut Sakhon containing chemicals used for making explosives. They were hidden in boxes that were destined for foreign countries.
Many protective agents in Asian vegetables
Imported vegetables from Asian shops sometimes have too many pesticide residues. Research has been carried out into this in the Swiss city of Basel, with more than one third of the tested samples being rejected. Half of the total of 32 samples came from Thailand, one fourth came from Vietnam.
Thai news in brief – January 16
Meanwhile, 14 countries have issued a warning about possible terrorist attacks in Thailand. Prime Minister Yingluck, who met with her cabinet in Chiang Mai this weekend, says the population and tourists should not worry, as police, soldiers, the National Security Council and the National Intelligence Agency are on the case.