Thailand & Pattaya News, from Fabulous 103fm (1 April 2022)


Arrivals in Thailand are no longer required to have completed PCR testing prior to their departure from foreign countries to come here. Now confirmed in the royal gazette, the only testing will be ON ARRIVAL as part of the Thai pass system. Passengers are advised, however, that some airlines may still require PCR testing as a part of THEIR Covid controls and all should check with their airlines in advance.

A second autopsy on drowned actress Tangmo, who fell from a party boat on the Chao Phraya river and drowned HAS been completed by experts who have sealed their reports, forwarding them only to the woman’s mother. Most details will NOT be released to the press, however they HAVE confirmed some 22 wounds to the woman’s legs, whilst she showed no other sign of major facial injury. Pathologists from the justice ministry WILL make their findings available to police, upon request however it’s highly unlikely that the full report will be published. At least two men have been charged with involvement in her death but due to mishandling of the boat, a sharp turn, and not physically causing her to die.

On the TRAT coastline a Thai tourist got the needle whilst swimming, literally, on Thursday. Seems a Needlefish, often referred to as Long Toms, stabbed him in the neck. Seriously injured he was helped to shore and medics called, who rushed him to a local hospital. The fish, which can jump up and back into the water and is carnivorous with long narrow jaws and sharp teeth has in the past inflicted fatal injuries albeit rarely. Locals state that they have never seen the fish in the region before and marine teams are expected to TAKE A LOOK today and over the weekend. Likelihood is that they were driven into the coastline during storms and will leave as the waters calm.

Close to 1.4 BILLION bahts worth of assets were seized this week during 3 police raids on the homes of suspected narc0tic kingpins in Chiang Rai. Initial checks of bank records showed close to two Billion baht being circulated and in all some 250 bank accounts were frozen, with police expecting to charge arrestees with money laundering and tax evasion.
In the South of Thailand, at SONGKHLA: today sees the land border reopening with Malaysia. After a two year closure during the covide era, the crossing will re open but with the standard requirement of arrivees spending time in quarantine hotels whilst PCR tests are done. Application on arrival for the Thailand pass will be accepted, and all will need proof of vaccination.

Construction of a floating helipad has been completed by Thai Mesopotamian company in Sri racha company and following inspections it will be towed, by tugs to the Pattaya bay area. Once anchored, opposite soi 6 beach road, the helipad will be operational, and served by chopper air by may, offering free flights for business passengers arriving in Thailand at the main airport and serving as a city link to Utapao too, as part of a concentrated effort to make the city a tourist and business hub. For economy class arrives, the price for the quick flight here will be just 1000 baht, less than a taxi. Trips to and from the helipad will be via a ferry to bali hai pier where baggage, flown in by drones, will already be awaiting arrives. Chopper air, which will operate the helicopter fleet, is also advertising for trainee pilots.

As election day looms for Pattaya and Bangkok, here 4 candidates for the mayor’s office have registered ahead of voting on May 22nd. We can expect a month or more of each promoting their own ideas over the others, and the usual promises for a better future. Truth is that whoever gets the corner office will inherit numerous projects already underway or in planning stages for the city, including the completion of underground cabling, drainage projects and of course the planned monorail service.
And the reminder that today is the start of a new month, specifically april AND that the reports of a floating helipad may be slightly exaggerated.
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