VERY LATEST NEWS FROM THAILAND in English (15 August 2023) from Fabulous 103fm Pattaya

VERY LATEST NEWS FROM THAILAND in English (15 August 2023) from Fabulous 103fm Pattaya

– Credit card operators seek rate hikes 
The Association of credit card operators in Thailand is appealing for a rate rise here.  Following a drop in rates during covid, and with covid behind us, they want to return to the 18% charged in most other countries.   This as they also deride a Bank of Thailand plan to up the minimum repayment per month to 10% from the current 5.  Either way, either plan will surely see many slow down on card use and others faced with larger monthly bills.

– Sons of HM the King return to the USA
Two of the 4 sons to HM the King who currently reside in the US but had been visiting here, have returned to America early this morning.  With Watcheresorn telling the media that he wished he could have stayed longer,  and his brother keenly supporting him during the trip, it’s likely we will see more of the duo in the future.  But both are established in their careers in the US, the elder as a lawyer and the younger as a doctor.  This was their first public visit to Thailand in 27 years.

– Lazy local media caught using AI to produce news stories 
Listeners and viewers on Youtube are complaining here after, now proven, reports that some English language media is using AI to write their news.  Lazy for sure but the real issue is of course the factual correctness.  Simply, some are cutting articles from mainstream media and feeding it into AI for a rehash. Funny for some though as the AI programs appear to write in the style of 160 years ago, embellishing them with an over use of elderly adjectives and often losing the real story in an effort to disguise the rehash.  Beware then of fake news.  We, well we don’t use it but here is an example..

‘ In a tragic incident that unfolded in Chon Buri, a captivating coastal town, the serene morning was disrupted by a somber event. A 32-year-old Russian woman met a tragic end, casting a shadow over a condominium building located on the tranquil Soi Na Jomtien 4 Road in tambon Na Jomtien. Local authorities were swiftly alerted to the heart-wrenching scene at approximately 7 in the morning. The woman’s lifeless form, draped in a green T-shirt and a denim jacket, lay motionless in front of the condominium building.’

As said, beware of the rehash.  News may not be pleasant or what you WANT to hear, but it is news, until it’s sugar coated.

– River levels subside following flooding
In Nakhon Phanom, this week has seen a slight drop in river levels following flooding but all may simply be a temporary reprieve as further storms are predicted.   Across the region, paddy fields have flooded to the extent that crops are now damaged but with the levels dropping home and business owners along the Mekong river are returning.

– Thailand reports first Monkeypox death
Monkeypox, now referred to as M Pox, is seeing daily reports of new cases nationally.  This week  a death was reported by the CDC.  According to THEM, the patient was HIV positive and had associated illnesses all which contributed to his inability to fight the disease.   Headache, rashes , sore throat and blisters all appear to be the first indication of M Pox which like other associated poxes, measles, chicken and small, can be passed on by any form of contact with a sufferer, normally it will clear quickly in a similar way to measles.

– Pheu Thai plans public referendum for new constitution
As Pheu Thai reels from rejection from many of its former supporters, after being seen as going BACK on its word to NOT work with those from the previous coup and subsequent governments, so the party now reports that ONCE PARLIAMENT REOPENS, they will allow the public to vote in a referendum on whether or not a new constitution needs to be written.   The current constitution was initiated by the military-run government following the 2014 coup.  The party believes most will want change and they plan to arrange a rewrite quickly, we are told, this despite previous statements that it could take 2-3 yrs.

– Family mart no more in Thailand
Family mart, with its green and white line décor, is to be no more in Thailand. As the franchise agreement between Thailand’s central retail corp and the Japanese parent company expires THIS year, so those remaining stores that are still open in Thailand will be rebranded as Tops Daily.  Until covid, family competed neck and neck with 7-11 for store count everywhere from rural towns to cities, but the past five years has seen more and more close as leases ran out. Leaving less than 400 currently open.

– Hospital fire sees urgent evacuations 
One of Thailand’s oldest hosptials, in Sriracha, saw an emergency evacuation yesterday of all patients and staff following a fire in the 150 year old building.    Currently a 26 floor building the hospital treats up to 8K outpatients and has accommodation for over 700.  No word on the fire cause.

– Russian man released following girlfriend’s fatal balcony ‘fall’ caught on CCTV
The Pattaya provincial court yesterday refused a custody extension for the Russian man who was on a balcony when his female partner fell on Sunday.  Reportedly a less than helpful arrestee, he had been held since emergency services attempted but failed to revive her and CCTV hit the media of HIM on the balcony at the time of her fall.  The court decided that there is insufficient to continue his arrest.

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