News
At-cost power bills get ministry nod
The Energy Ministry approved a plan on Thursday to charge mid-sized and large businesses for electricity at cost instead of mandatory minimum pricing from April to June, another relief measure to help shuttered companies with their power bills. The decision came after calls from the Federation ...
YUTHANA PRAIWAN
PM’s letter to Thailand’s 20 richest people (English translation)
The following is a translation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s letter sent to Thailand’s 20 richest people following a special 10-minute speech broadcast on national TV at 6pm last Friday. The letter was dated April 20. “Thailand is facing a Covid-19 outbreak which is one of ...
Delay mulled for personal data law enforcement
The Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry is seeking to postpone the enforcement of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), due to take effect late next month, saying state and private organisations will be too burdened to comply during the pandemic. The PDPA was published in ...
KOMSAN TORTERMVASANA AND SUCHIT LEESA-NGUANSUK
Deserted Thai beaches lure rare turtles to build most nests in 20 years
Thailand has found the largest number of nests of rare leatherback sea turtles in two decades on beaches bereft of tourists because of the coronavirus pandemic, environmentalists say. From wild boars patrolling the Israeli city of Haifa to deer venturing into London suburbs, virus closures are ...
Jiraporn Kuhakan
Anti-drug campaign aided by pandemic checking
More than 5,800 suspects have been arrested and 233 million methamphetamine or “speed” pills seized during a regional anti-drug campaign that has benefited from the Covid-19 pandemic. Niyom Termrisuk, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), said the mushrooming number of checkpoints due ...
KING-OUA LAOHONG
National forest reserve encroached in Mae Sot
Three large tracts of woodland — about 45 rai altogether — were found to have been encroached on inside the Mae Sot National Forest Reserve in Phop Phra district, according to a local media report. The encroachment was reported to the 6th Forest Protection Unit in ...
ASSAWIN PINITWONG
A miracle as turtles return to Thailand's empty beaches, closed due to virus outbreak
Popular beaches in southern Thailand, empty of tourists due to closures and restrictions related to the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, are seeing the return of rare wildlife, officials said on Sunday (April 19). “As we fight the Covid-19 outbreak, nature is also rejuvenating and creating balance,” Warawut ...
Thailand’s marine life is rebounding during Covid-19 crisis
The Marine National Park in the southern province of Trang spotted 4 dugongs, 4 dolphins and 8 sea turtles offshore near Hat Chao Mai National Park. The MNP and Hat Chao Mai National Park conducted the observation by sea and air covering the areas abundant ...
Sean Kelly
Forest fires rage in northern Thailand
While the world’s attention has been focused on the Covid-19 pandemic, northern Thailand has been experiencing the worst forest fires in decades. Already raging since mid-March, the fires are projected to continue well into May. With the news of the pandemic dominating international media, the choking ...
Sonia Sambhi
7 million jobs at risk in post-Covid-19 Thailand
Shutdowns from the pandemic could trigger a tsunami of job losses in Thailand especially for employees who don’t have a regular salary, low-paid workers and people without a written contract. The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) says that as much as 7 ...
Olivier Languepin