NATIONWIDE: Counter-corruption police launched raids on 14 locations in seven provinces as the agency expands its probe into allegations of corruption involving B140 million from a state grant-in-aid scheme for temples across the country.
PHUKET: Three of the seven boat drivers called in by national park officials for dropping their anchors on a coral reef at Phi Phi Island last week have been fined just B1,000 each for damaging corals after returning to the scene with more tourists on Wednesday (Sept 20).
PHUKET: Lifeguards have opened safe areas for tourists to swim at three beaches along Phuket’s west coast today (Sept 22), after all beaches were closed yesterday (Sept 21).
PHUKET: Disaster officials and local civil defence volunteers were deployed to provide assistance throughout Thalang District as heavy rains battered the northern half of Phuket yesterday (Sept 21).
BANGKOK: The Royal Household announced today (Sept 22) the temporary closure of the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The venerated sites will be closed from Oct 1-29 for preparations for the Royal Cremation ceremonies for the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The Grand Palace will re-open on Oct 30.
PHUKET: The floods that devastated huge swathes across Phuket last week were the “worst on record”, officials have confirmed, with thousands of homes damaged, two bridges rendered unsafe and unusable and the total cost of the damage done by floodwaters yet to be estimated.
VOLLEYBALL: Thailand defeated Southeast Asian rivals Vietnam 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-17) on Thursday (Sept 21) for their second win of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship Japan 2018 Asian qualifiers in Nakhon Pathom.
LONDON: More than a third of migrant fishermen in Thailand clearly were victims of trafficking over the past five years and even more workers in the industry were possibly trafficked as well, according to a report published on Thursday (Sept 21), reports the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
BANGKOK: Organisers of the sixth Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show expect more than B2 billion (approx US$60 million) of trade to be generated by the show while supporting the government’s policy to make Thailand the “Marina Hub of Asean” and showcasing the marine leisure credentials – onshore and off – of the Gulf of Thailand.