Under military rule, political stories made the biggest headlines this year, from the government’s attempt to take away free speech to PM Prayuth Chan-ocha’s thoughtless comments about Uighur refugees. The country also suffered the tragic bombing at the Erawan Shrine, one of the worst attacks in its history that killed 20 in the capital’s economic district.
As time went on, at least one ongoing criminal case this year was closed. The infamous hit-and-text teen driver was officially let off the hook without serving a single day in jail, as society continued to raise questions about the country’s ineffective justice system.
On a less serious note, typical Thai love of gossip caused a celebrity scandal to become the most Googled national news this year, and we had the hottest day in a while.
Readers, here are our picks for the biggest news of 2015, listed chronologically.
1) Hot Damn: Bangkok to suffer warmest day in 55 years (April 7)
We begin by looking back at the time where we suffered and sweated buckets. Yes, the scorching heat that surged through Bangkok this summer felt as if the capital could no longer maintain its sensible orbit and decided to fly off closer to the sun. The temperature during Songkran was reported to be the hottest in 55 years. But we all made it through the testing time. Bring on next summer.
2) Honda hit-and-text girl officially off the hook (May 11)
This marked the end of criminal proceedings for an unlicensed underage 17-year-old who in 2010 crashed her car into a public van, killing all nine passengers inside. The rich teen was famously photographed texting on her phone next to the wreckage of her car. Five years on, she escaped with just community service and a slap on the wrist, amid condemnation from society. The rich had got away with it again.
3) Actress ‘Anna Reese’ kills cop in car crash (June 26)
Another day in Bangkok, another fatal car crash, and another hi-so who escaped jail time. Anna Reese, a Thai-English B-list actress, crashed into a policeman’s car and killed him. The actress then dramatically told cops she was too traumatized to be arrested or face questions. She wasn’t tested for alcohol until 12 hours later and has settled compensation for the dead cop’s family.
4) BREAKING: ‘It’s my fault,’ Tono says of Tangmo suicide attempt (July 8)
Some more drama involving an actress, in this case Tangmo who attempted suicide after her breakup with reality singer Tono. As the actress had always been known for her foul mouth and frequent arguments with random people on her Instagram, she caused a national stir when photos and videos of her suffering and breaking down on her hospital bed were conveniently posted on her Instagram, which had almost 300,000 followers.
Google last week announced that the Tangmo and Tono drama was sadly the most searched national news this year.
5) Prayuth likens Uighur refugees to breeding animals (July 10)
In mid-2015, Thailand received international criticism for its forcible deportation of more than 100 Uighur refugees to China. However, our PM went even further when he compared them to animals that Thailand should get rid of before they bred “three litters of offspring.” Prayuth is known for going off-script with his unintentionally hilarious comments, but we find this nasty remark a bit hard to laugh at.
6) Bangkok bombing (August 17)
Thailand and the rest of the world were shocked and saddened by the bombing at the Erawan Shrine, one of the Thai capital’s most popular tourism hubs. Twenty people were killed and a hundred wounded, as the tragic event was dubbed the “worst ever” attack in Thailand.
7) Great Firewall of Thailand? Single gateway plan ‘misunderstood’ says ICT Minister (September 28)
When it was announced that Thailand would be adopting a single gateway plan that would restrict information on the internet, the public rose up in outrage. However, the Minister of Information and Communication Technology said the public had misunderstood the plan and that it was only meant to “serve basic economic needs and not for national security purposes”. Sure.
8) Tallest man in world dies (November 5)
Thailand sadly lost its tallest man Pornchai Saosri this year who passed away at the age of 26. At a height of 2.57 meters, he was unofficially considered the world’s tallest man, although he had been too ill to meet with record officials. Pornchai died after suffering for years from various illnesses related to his height, including high blood pressure. Rest in peace, Pornchai.
9) 88 suspects accused of trafficking Rohingyas in court (November 10)
Human trafficking is not exactly a new phenomenon in Thailand, so it is unsurprising this topic has made it to our list. In this story, around 88 people suspected of human trafficking were brought before a Bangkok court following a crackdown on Thailand’s lucrative smuggling syndicates, which were in response to the discovery of 30 bodies in a mass grave near the Malaysian border.
10) Blankety blank: New York Times censored AGAIN by Thai printer (December 4)
Ever since the military took over, press freedom has gone rapidly downhill. The International New York Times was one of the most affected, with several editions printed with blank spaces, including on the front cover. The Thai printer refused to publish some stories, arguing they were too sensitive to be printed. The paper later said it would cease printing in Thailand by the end of the year, citing rising production costs.
11) Death sentence for Myanmar migrant workers over British backpacker murders (December 24)
After a prolonged and much criticized investigation of the 2014 Koh Tao murders, a Thai court last week found Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, the two migrant workers from Myanmar, guilty and gave them a death sentence, a move that sparked outrage among Myanmar citizens and those who doubt the integrity of Thai police.
The verdict led to protests outside the Thai embassy in Yangon and in towns across Thailand among people who believe the two men were used as scapegoats to close the high-profile case.
