Latest news with #TheThaiger
Independent Singapore
a day ago
- Politics
- Independent Singapore
'Balakrishnan did not intend to question anyone's leadership,' Thai minister defends Singapore over border dispute comments
Thailand's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maris Sangiampongsa SINGAPORE: Thailand's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maris Sangiampongsa, clarified recent statements made by his Singaporean counterpart, Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, during the 17th ASEAN and Asia Forum (AAF). According to a recent story from The Thaiger , Balakrishnan's comments triggered controversy and elicited reactions among Thai netizens. Maris confirmed and clarified that Balakrishnan did not intend to criticize any political leaders after online reactions to his remarks about the Thailand-Cambodia border tensions. Foreign Ministers address fallout from ASEAN forum remarks The forum, held on Aug 5 by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, had Balakrishnan describe the border conflict as 'a major setback' for peace, stability, and ASEAN's credibility. He stressed the need for diplomacy and warned that violence signals a 'failure of diplomacy.' This often arises from domestic instability that makes effective leadership difficult. 'If your home front is not settled, it is very difficult to conduct economic or diplomatic policy,' Balakrishnan boldly said. His comments quickly gained attention online and caused a buzz within Thai circles, with some viewing them as a subtle criticism of Thai political leaders. See also Smuggled parrots stuffed in plastic bottles: Indonesia police Misunderstood intentions prompt diplomatic call To avoid any misunderstanding, Maris personally called Balakrishnan to discuss the public's response. He said the Singaporean minister was open to clarifying his remarks. 'Balakrishnan did not intend to question anyone's leadership,' Maris stated. 'He simply said he wanted to see diplomacy working at its best.' Maris explained that Balakrishnan's remarks were not aimed at any specific country or government but were meant to highlight the broader challenges that arise when diplomacy is limited. He emphasized that the comments were a general observation about the need for stable leadership to resolve regional disputes, not a direct criticism of Thai politicians. As ASEAN continues to deal with ongoing border issues, both ministers reinforced the need for strong, balanced diplomacy that is free from political misinterpretation. () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
The Sun
18-07-2025
- The Sun
Tourist in Thailand allegedly attempts to pay off taxi fare using cannabis
PETALING JAYA: A tourist allegedly attempted to pay his taxi fare with a large quantity of cannabis, prompting the driver to contact the authorities. Thai news portal The Thaiger reported that the incident occurred on Tuesday (15 July). The 54-year-old taxi driver had picked up the foreign man and his wife from Suvarnabhumi International Airport and was taking them to a hotel in Pattaya. The fare was reportedly estimated at 2,000 baht. The driver arrived at the hotel at around 12am. However, the tourist, who had initially assured the driver of full payment upon arrival, was allegedly short of funds, possessing only 900 baht, while his wife had just 50 baht. 'I asked for the remaining 1,050 baht, but instead, he pulled out a massive bag of cannabis and tried to offer that instead of cash,' the driver was quoted as saying. Taken aback by the offer, the driver firmly refused the tourist's alternative form of payment and threatened to call the police. The tourist was reportedly 'unfazed' and walked into the hotel lobby. 'I've helped passengers without money before because I felt sorry for them. 'But this time I felt completely taken for granted. People always talk about bad taxi drivers, but who's protecting us from foreigners who pull stunts like this?' the taxi driver added. He later lodged a police report against the foreigners at around 1.30am.
Metro
05-07-2025
- Metro
Boy, 8, found being raised by dogs and can only communicate by barking
An eight-year-old boy was found barking like a dog after allegedly being left to live among them in a filthy hut in northern Thailand. The child, who has not been named, was discovered at a run-down shack during a welfare check on Monday, according to local media. Authorities found him living with his mother, 46, and brother, 23, in Lap Lae District, Uttaradit Province. He was allegedly neglected and isolated from human interaction for years. He then turned to his six pet dogs instead and began to mimic their behaviour by crawling on all fours and communicating in barks. The child was discovered after Sophon Seehaamphai, director of the school the boy once attended, alerted that he had not returned for two years, The Thaiger reported. The school informed child rights activisit, Paveena Hongsakul of the Foundation for Children and Women, who escalated the case to local police. Social workers and police officers then visited the dilapidated house on June 30 and found the child living in squalid conditions. His mother and brother were charged with drug consumption after testing positive for illegal substances. Authorities placed the boy under protective care at a local children's home. Paveena Hongsakul said the boy 'didn't speak, he just barked', adding: 'It was pitiful to see.' The English-language Bangkok-based news website Khaosod English reported the boy never attended school but once visited with his mother to collect a government support grant that was meant to be spent on his education. 'After getting the money, she simply kept him at home,' Paveena said, as reported by the South China Morning Post. Neighbours claimed the mother regularly begged for money and food from local temples. Families in the area reportedly prevented their children from interacting with the boy because of his mother's behaviour. Paveena has helped to coordinate the child's education in the future and her foundation will continue to monitor his progress alongside the Social Development and Education ministries in Thailand. She said: 'The boy will be given a chance at a good life. We'll follow up with him to make sure he gets everything he needs.' More Trending The disturbing reports come after two children who were unable to speak were found living in the woods in Italy. Rayan, six, and Noha, nine, were 'filthy' and wearing nappies when discovered by military officers near Lauriano, outside Turn, in April. Their parents never registered the children with health officials or a school and claimed to be home-educating them, despite that they could not read of write. The father, 54, told the Italian newspaper Corriere Torino that he and his wife, 38, brought the children to a remote farmhouse to 'protect them' from the coronavirus pandemic. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Woman charged with murder after man dies in house fire MORE: I veered inland in Vietnam and saw a side few tourists see MORE: Man who urged vulnerable woman to kill herself so he could take pleasure watching is jailed
AsiaOne
04-06-2025
- Health
- AsiaOne
Boy, 4, caught smoking under a Bangkok bridge sent to government-run shelter, Asia News
A 4-year-old boy in Bangkok was caught smoking under a bridge, a Thai Facebook user shared last month. In the video, the child is seen sitting on the stairs with a cigarette resting between his index and ring finger, exhaling smoke and smiling widely. The video has since amassed over eight million views. The boy has since been placed under temporary care of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security due to the unsafe living conditions caused by his parents' homelessness, reported Thai portal The Thaiger. The parents have been homeless for over a year, and the child has been living with them for that duration, Thai media reported. In the video, the man is seen asking the child to throw the cigarette away. "Don't touch it again. Absolutely no more smoking, no. Give it to me. I'm going to tell your father." He takes the cigarette away from the boy, stubbing it out. The man wrote in his Facebook post: "If he were older, I wouldn't have intervened because I've been through that myself when I was young." He shared that his own parents had both smoked, and he did the same. "The boy is the same," the man said in the post. His hashtags shared his concern for the boy.: "This clip is posted to warn your children" and "only four or five years old". The last frame in the video shows the boy's parents resting under a makeshift shelter. They appear to be homeless. According to the Thai portal, a social media influencer, Guntouch Pongpaiboonwet, sent his team to locate the boy's parents. When asked about the video on Facebook, the father said: "My son was probably just copying the teenagers. There were some teenagers loitering around." The parents had said earlier they do not smoke. The boy's mother added that her husband was suffering from health problems, leaving him unable to work. She is the sole breadwinner, often selling fish caught from a nearby river, but her earnings are not enough to make ends meet. The family started living under the bridge because they cannot afford to pay rent and have been relying on charity groups for meals, reports said. The parents added they plan to enroll their son in a school soon. The boy has two siblings who are living with relatives in other parts of Thailand, the parents said. According to Tobacco Control Laws, the legal age to buy and use tobacco products in Thailand is 20 years old. [[nid:718388]]
The Sun
08-05-2025
- The Sun
'My money builds your country' - Israeli tourist allegedly insults Thai cafe worker over shoe removal rule
An Israeli tourist in Thailand has gone viral for her alleged rudeness towards a café worker after she refused to remove her shoes. Currently circulating widely on social media, the viral video shows the woman, seated in the café, arguing with the employee. In the video, the worker can be heard telling the Israeli woman to 'go back' to her country, adding: 'You are not welcome here.' In response, the tourist allegedly retorted: 'I'm sorry, but my money, okay, builds your country.' The video has sparked backlash, with many condemning the Israeli woman's arrogance and disrespect towards the host country. 'No amount of tourist money buys basic respect,' a user on X commented. According to the Thai news portal The Thaiger, the tourist later shared her side of the story, stating that her comments were 'misinterpreted' and explained that she insisted on keeping her shoes on because of her aching feet. 'I was trying to emphasise how much Israelis contribute to the Thai economy, not to belittle the culture,' she was quoted as saying. The Israeli woman also alleged that another customer, not any of the café staff, recorded the verbal altercation, and she maintained that she was allowed to keep her shoes on. 'The person who filmed the video and her friend violently chased me out of the café. Even though I left to avoid the situation, the video is distorted and does not show the violence that happened to me at all,' she was also quoted as saying. Despite her explanation, it fell on deaf ears, allegedly due to Israelis gaining a 'reputation' for their 'unruly antics' across the region, according to the report.
