Latest News in Thailand

22% Fewer Tourists Expected to Visit Thailand Tourism in Thailand is down by 22%, which is the biggest drop in recent decades, says Tourism Council of Thailand chairman Kongkit Hiranyakij. It was the greatest fall in the tourist industry in 49 years, he stated. Political turmoil, such as the airport closings, had contributed to the [...]

Duty Free Scam Warning Transport Minister Sohpon Zarum made an assessment trip to Suvarnabhumi airport and ordered Airports of Thailand, (AoT) take steps to prevent extortion gangs preying on foreign air passengers. News reports on the BBC claim that gangs operating in complicity with Duty Free shop employees and rogue policemen extort money from accused [...]

Election Commission Investigates 44 MPs The Election Commission of Thailand is planning to mull over the shareholdings of an additional 44 Members of Parliament next week to judge if they are in infringement of the constitution, according to EC member Praphan Naikowit. The law disallows MPs from ownership in companies involved in the media business [...]

Asean Embarrassed by Presence of Burma in the Organization Thailand’s Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva spoke about Southeast Asia’s human rights against criticism that Asean, the organization representing the area is powerless to reign in rogue members such as Burma. He indicated his intent to improve the effectiveness of the organization’s human rights agenda. Asean is [...]

Hillary Clinton in Thailand US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in Bangkok for a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. She will also attend the Asean summit meeting in Phuket. Mr Abhisit said the meeting was intended to reinforce the relationship between the U.S. and Thailand. The two countries are trading partners and [...]

Thai Exports Staying Home Thailand’s Chamber of Commerce chairman Dusit Nontanakorn announced today that Thailand’s exports would drop considerably this year. He estimates that exports will be reduced by somewhere between 10% and 26%. He expects a recovery next year. Local media quorted him as stating “However, the country’s exports will likely pick up in [...]

Thaksin to Turn 60 The current chairman of the Puea Thai Members of Parliament, Chalerm Yubamrung, said Thursday afternoon that he will journey to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, to attend the birthday party of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who turns 60 on July 26 this year. Mr Chalerm alleged that he had [...]

Sonthi on Sondhi The Thai army was not involved in the attempt to assassinate Sondhi Limthongkul, a People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leader, Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin former coup leader, asserted to reporters on Saturday. The one time leader of the September 2006 military coup divulged that a high ranking member of the PAD, but not [...]

Abhisit to Visit Red-Shirt Area of Chiang Mai In keeping with his role as Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva maintained on Saturday afternoon that he will take a trip to the northern province of Chiang Mai to scrutinize the realization of the Thai Khem Kaeng (Strong Thailand) system even though he is aware that the red-shirts [...]