Today water reached the end of the runways at Don Mueang International Airport and announcements have been made that it will close and stop operations from 5:00pm (local) / 10:00am (GMT) 25 October 2011. Reports are arriving of passengers trapped in the terminal buildings by flood waters, and that the airfield electrical systems have been [...]
The Thai government cabinet on Tuesday decided to declare 27-28 and 31 October 2011 as official holidays in 21 flood-hit provinces, including Bangkok, so that people in flood-prone areas would be able to brace for the expected flooding of the capital’s central areas. The 21 provinces are central Sukhothai, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Nakonsawan, Uthai Thani, Chai [...]
Thailand’s northern capital Chiang Mai is bracing for a repeat of the devastating flooding that drowned the city in August 2005. Following heavy rains further north, and the flooding of the Mae Tawan Valley and it’s world famous Elephant Conservation Camp, plus large areas of Chiang Dao district are reported as underwater today, with a [...]
News reached me over the weekend (24th/25th January) of a British expatriate found murdered in his home in a gated community (with 24 hour security) late last week.
Unfortunately, the news arrived whilst we were in the midst of the heavy end of relocating the business and household and I’ve not been able to prepare a full story yet. I hope to do so during this week.
I have been reminded that it is four years to the day since the Indian Ocean tsunami event. I have also been pointed at the following Amateur video of the tsunami hitting Phuket in Thailand The video is over 7 minutes long and is a compilation of footage from several people. I lost friends to [...]
CHIANG MAI, 8 Nov 2008 – News reached me this morning that ousted Thai Premiere Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Potjaman have had their UK visas revoked by the British Border Security authorities. The news had originally been communicated to airlines advising them not to allow the couple onto flights bound for the UK, and [...]
Over 110,000 people affected.
CHIANG MAI, Thailand – 16 August 2005 – Torrential rains lashed the mountainous centre of South East Asia on Saturday and led to flash floods in Northern Thailand’s popular tourist destinations.
Casualty estimates vary between 5 and 13 dead, with 11 to 20 reported missing, and around forty injured including two foreign visitors.
Eighteen roads, 44 bridges and around 6,500 hectares of agricultural crops have been severely affected in rural areas.
Current estimates are that floods have directly affected almost 111,000 people over an area the size of Wales, according to officials.
Thailand’s Authorities threaten tsunami aid workers with 3 years jail.
Foreigners told to get work permits or face prison.
By Garry Harbottle-Johnson
THAILAND: 8 Feb 2005 – Just two days after Thai Rak Thai was returned to power in the general election, Sayan Chuaiyjan, Head of Phuket Provincial Employment Service has announced that foreign tsunami-aid workers must obtain Thai Work Permits, or face a maximum penalty of three years in jail, a 30,000 Baht fine, or both.
Enforcement will begin in March with no exceptions.
Admitting authorities didn’t enforce the law rigidly immediately after the tsunami, “because everyone wanted to help”, he added, “But now that the situation is returning to normal, we will have to start taking it more seriously.”
This announcement, coming immediately after the general election, has been criticised as timed to avoid losing votes for Thai Rak Thai in the tsunami affected southern provinces.
