All the latest news from Thailand and around the world.
Driving without a license will no longer be a minor offence as it can land you in jail for up to three months with a maximum fine of 50,000 baht, according to a new penalty being proposed by the Land Transport Department. The department is also seeking to toughen the traffic law in order to
A huge landslide has blocked a highway between Bo Klua and Chalerm Phra Kiat districts of Nan province in the far North, preventing people of 11 villages from travelling to Chalerm Phra Kiat district town. The landslide has dumped more than 30,000 cubic metres of earth, about 4 metres high, on Highway 1081 at Ban
Starting on October 1, teachers of public schools will not be required to do general affairs work so they can focus on teaching, said Education Minister Thirakiat Charoensatthasilp at the mobile cabinet meeting in Chumphon province on Monday. The meeting was also attended by directors of regional and provincial educational offices. The minister told the
The government plans to stiffen penalties for traffic violations as a means to deal with traffic gridlock in Bangkok, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said today. Gen Prawit said the traffic law will be amended to so that heavier penalties on traffic violations will be imposed. Responding to media questions on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s
Residents in Phetchaburi are bracing for water that is expected to be spilled over from Kaeng Krachan dam tomorrow noon. The dam is currently holding 777 million cubic metres of water or 109% of its full capacity, the highest level in 10 year, and discharging water at the rate of 286 cubic metres per second.
As many provinces throughout the country are awash with rain and facing flooding, there are 13 provinces in northern, northeastern and central regions which are scarce of water and need help from artificial rain-making operations. Mr Surasee Kittimonthon, director-general of Department of Royal Rain-making and Agricultural Aviation, said there are rain-fed farming areas in northern,
Hundreds of South and North Koreans torn apart by the 1950-53 Korean War met for the first time in over six decades in a tearful, long-dreamed-of family reunion on Monday, Yonhap News reported. Eighty-nine South Koreans, mostly in their 70s and older, met about 180 long-separated family members, including brothers, sisters and other relatives living
BEIJING (Reuters) – Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Monday he has asked China for help with his country’s “internal fiscal problems” as he seeks to renegotiate, or possibly cancel, more than $20 billion in Chinese-funded projects. Mahathir said after meeting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing he did not believe in confrontation with
His Majesty the King has sent a message of condolence to United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres over the recent death of Mr Kofi Annan, former UN secretary-general. The message reads as follows: “Thailand joins the international community and the member states of the UN in mourning the demise of Mr Kofi Annan, former secretary-general of
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam today reiterated the time frame set for the general elections, which is between February 24 and May 5 next year, and suggested that political restrictions will be soon eased to allow political parties to carry out political activities. After an informal meeting with the newly-appointed members of the Election Commission,
Election Commission secretary-general Charoongwit Poomma clarified on Sunday that the earliest election day on February 24 floated by the EC chairman was just a “model” as the final say would rest with the National Council for Peace and Order. He said EC chairman Itthiporn Boonprakong set the February 24 timeline as the earliest election date
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his entourage left Bangkok this morning for an inspection trip to the southern provinces of Ranong and Chumphon before attending a mobile Cabinet meeting in Chumphon. At the government offices complex at Tambon Bang Rin in Muang distict of Ranong, Gen Prayut was to preside over a ceremony to hand
Sukhuthai, the ancient city that hosts some of Thailand’s most important historical ruins, has been warned of possible flooding as northern run-off is running down the Yom river a massive volume, Royal Irrigation Department director general Thongplew Kongchan said. As of this morning, run-off was running past Song district of Phrae province at the rate
Her Majesty Queen Sirikit has been admitted to Chulalongkorn Hospital, the Royal Household Bureau announced this morning. The announcement said the Queen was admitted to Chulalongkorn Hospital on Sunday morning after having a fever and cough. Doctors conducted a microbiological examination on her and found that she has been infected with flu. After the doctors
Narcotics police seized 14.8 million meth pills hidden in a container at a warehouse in Bang Pa-in district of the central province of Ayutthaya on Sunday. Pol Maj-Gen Tanai Apichartseni, deputy commissioner of Narcotics Suppression Bureau, said that the huge drug haul was contained in 1,700 fruit boxes each carrying 200,000 meth pills. He said
At least five people were killed in multiple earthquakes – including a powerful and a shallow 6.9-magnitude tremor – which rocked the Indonesian holiday island of Lombok on Sunday, according to AFP report and the New Straits Times Malaysia Online. A series of quakes were recorded by seismologists throughout Sunday, the first measuring 6.3 shortly
