Headline News from Thailand and Pattaya (31 October 2022) Fabulous 103fm

Headline News from Thailand and Pattaya (31 October 2022) Fabulous 103fm

Thailand has offered support to Korea following the deaths of  between 150 and 160 people in a halloween celebration stampede. A reported 100K people congregated in the amusement area of Seoul on Saturday night, ramming alleyways like cattle until some collapsed, resulting in  a domino effect.  Mostly Korean nationals but a handful of tourists were listed as dead too, as medical services were put on max standby, seeing all hospital staff called in to work as ambulances collected and transported the uninjured.

Amid other news, the US has confirmed that the VP WILL be attending the Thailand hosted APEC conference mid November.  Adding to speculation of security in the capital area rising to a record scale,   US VIPs usually arrive anywhere with their own security and of course vehicles which often find local routes less passable despite their extreme size, as the president discovered during his visit to the UK, where his monster car got stuck in local rush hour traffic.

The state is eyeing the internet economy as a source of tax revenue VERY seriously right now. With trade up and down globally, the virtual economy here is reported to have risen 17% in the past `12 months to well over 53 Billion DOLLARS.  With much of it, domestic purchases from overseas countries, such as travel booking BUT with rising prices and interest rates globally and domestically, buyers are keenly shopping prices.

A gun purchase subsidy program for policemen has been cancelled indeintaly here in Thailand following the investigation into theft of weapons at government and police facilities and the evidence that in many cases, the disappearances have been as a result of INSIDE JOBS. At a local level, responsibility has been passed to commanders to regularly stock check their arsenals as it’s believed many missing guns are either sold online or exported to neighbouring countries. Moving forward all police weapons will be more easily distinguishable.

A husband and wife team working in the commerce ministry went rogue, along with a local police Colonel and, according to the CIB, stole and sold the personal details accessible BY the ministry of thousands of members of the public to a criminal gang.   Said to have been paid upward of half a million a month, the trio are now under arrest, but the damage is expected to add up to tens of millions as, armed with that information, the gangs made contact, scared their marks and directed them to a fake DSI police website where they were persuaded to part with more personal and banking details which saw accounts emptied.

On Phuket, as engineers try to figure out the safest way to rebuild the damaged Patong hill crossing after storms washed away the subsoil beneath it, leaving it effectively hanging and blocking any crossing from one side to the other, SO, motorbikes and foot passengers ARE now able to cross but to alleviate fears for the future, we are told, a soil auto analyser is to be installed which will send regular readings AND warnings to local officials as it’s supposed to check for soil movement and change in its density.

Plans to require a bank card from people making deposits into 3rd party accounts have been nixed by the BOT.  Designed to avoid money laundering, the plan would have seen people making deposits at ATMs needing a bank card for their own to prove their identity.   Now seen as unworkable  the bank is looking at their methods.

After an average weekend of tourism here, and Saturday seeing halloween celebrated by many businesses to induce custom but NOT by that many visitors, today of course is the real Halloween, but as it’s monday, it’s not likely to see a big impact here either.  BUT.. the weekend’s International Bikini Beach Race was a huge draw, seeing some 3000 people take part in the fun run that first kicked off way back in 2015, but was cancelled during the covid era. Proving that beauty and strength can be combined, runners dressed to impress before the 5KM run and a flowing party atmosphere which competitors and watchers enjoyed.

And as many parents are looking to enrol their children in international schools, with others considering a move too, Regents International has an open evening for prospective parents on Wednesday.  With no registration needed, regents invites YOU from 5 PM onwards to discover the extensive curriculum, find out about the school facilities and opportunities for your child’s future in GCSE, IB and sixth form.

Finally,  there’s a fair coming to town, well it’s here already, at Terminal 21.  Probably the first ever INDOOR temple style fair, catch plays, enjoy thai foods and have fun.. Kicking off today through to November 9th. One for the family perhaps.

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