All articles tagged with #thailand
Thai authorities say 72 tigers died at two Chiang Mai area tiger parks from canine distemper virus, not bird flu. Autopsies detected CDV and bacterial infections but no avian influenza, and there have been no reported animal-to-human infections; health officials will monitor exposed people and contact tracing if needed as the Tiger Kingdom parks remain closed and investigations continue.
Thai authorities are investigating the deaths of 72 tigers at two Tiger Kingdom Chiang Mai facilities over about two weeks, with samples indicating canine distemper virus and other pathogens; no humans have been infected, the park is temporarily closed for disinfection, and officials have recommended euthanising gravely ill tigers as investigations continue.
Authorities in Thailand are investigating the sudden deaths of 72 tigers across two Tiger Kingdom sites in Chiang Mai. Tests detected canine distemper virus; no human infections have been reported, and the parks have been closed for two weeks while samples are collected and containment is assessed. Wildlife groups warn about the risks of captive wildlife, with euthanasia advised for gravely ill animals.
Quentin Griffiths, a co-founder of the online fashion retailer ASOS, died after a 17-story fall from a luxury Pattaya condo in Thailand on Feb. 9. Thai police said early indications pointed to suicide with no foul play, and CCTV reportedly showed no one entering his apartment, where he lived alone. Griffiths helped launch ASOS in London in 2000, stepped away in 2005 but remained a major shareholder; he later co-founded Achica, EBTM, and Adili. Police also found documents related to ongoing court cases in his apartment.
Thailand's election defied polls as Anutin Charnvirakul's conservative Bhumjaithai party won about 190 seats and looks set to form a government with coalition partners, while reformist Move Forward and its allies faltered. The result reflects Thailand's mixed electoral system, strong rural networks for conservatives, the absence of a unifying issue this time, and legal barriers that hamstring reformists, with turnout dipping to about 65%.
Thailand’s conservatives, led by Anutin Charnvirakul’s Thai Pride Party (BJT), won an outright general election—the first such victory this century—potentially bringing political stability while delaying monarchy and military reforms and leaving key economic policy questions unresolved.
With about 90% of polling stations reporting, Bhumjaithai is on course to lead the next government, ahead in 194 of 500 lower-house seats, but appears unlikely to secure an outright majority. The opposition’s People’s Party and Pheu Thai trail behind. Separately, voters backed a constitutional referendum to draft a new charter by a wide margin, potentially accelerating reforms to Thailand’s political framework.
With about 89% of votes tallied, Bhumjaithai—the conservative royalist party—won 194 seats in Thailand’s 500-seat House, edging out the reformist People’s Party and signaling a shift toward stability. Leader Anutin Charnvirakul’s bloc could control both chambers, aided by a senate favorable to his coalition. The result ends a wave of earlier reformist momentum and comes amid ongoing security concerns, including border tensions with Cambodia, which Anutin leveraged to push a tough-on-security platform. Analysts say voters prioritized continuity and governance over rapid reform.
Thailand's early general election pits the reformist People's Party, Bhumjaithai, and Pheu Thai in a three-way race, with polls showing no clear winner and a likely coalition government; voters also decide on a referendum to start drafting a new constitution amid nationalist sentiment and slow growth.
Thailand is voting to elect a 500-seat House of Representatives and decide a constitution referendum. With no party expected to win a clear majority, coalition talks are likely as reformists led by the People’s Party challenge conservatives such as Bhunmjaithai and the Pheu Thai bloc in a tight race that could shape Thailand’s political future.
A 23-year-old British man, Tiger Duggan from Milton Keynes, is in a coma after a motorbike collision on Koh Samui, Thailand. He was resuscitated at the scene, treated on Koh Samui, and later moved to MedPark Hospital in Bangkok for specialist care. His family has raised about £80,000 to cover medical fees and potential transfers to Australia or the UK, as his insurance reportedly does not cover motorcycle-related injuries. His father said doctors told them he was brain-dead, but the family remains hopeful.
Western backpackers in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand, accidentally gatecrashed a wake, mistaking it for a food court after following the cooking smell. A wake attendee explained the error, the travelers were mortified and apologized, and the deceased's sister even invited them to stay and offered refreshments. A Dutch group reportedly did the same a couple days later, underscoring how a cultural event can resemble a dining space from afar, while Thai hosts emphasized hospitality during lengthy funeral ceremonies.
A wild bull elephant named Oyewan killed a 65-year-old Thai tourist at Khao Yai National Park in central Thailand, the third fatality linked to the same animal; the wife escaped as rangers scared the elephant away. Officials will decide soon whether to relocate or modify Oyewan’s behavior. Thailand’s wild-elephant population has surged toward 800, contributing to more than 220 deaths since 2012, and authorities are using contraceptive vaccines on females to curb growth.
An outbreak of Nipah virus in India’s West Bengal state has led to airport screening at key Asian entry points, with Thailand and Nepal beginning checks on travelers from the region. India has confirmed two cases and is tracing and testing contacts, though no cases have been reported outside India yet. Nipah carries a high fatality rate (40–75%) and currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment, prompting ongoing regional monitoring and heightened public health measures as WHO flags Nipah as a top-priority pathogen.
A crane collapsed onto an elevated road in Samut Sakhon province near Bangkok, killing two people, just a day after another crane fell onto a moving passenger train in northeastern Thailand, killing 32. Rescue work was hampered by dangerous site conditions. The incidents have raised scrutiny of major road and rail projects and the firms involved, including Italthai (Italian-Thai Development) and partners, with investigators reviewing safety and contractor roles.