News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
-
Pregnant woman among three killed in Bangkok motorway crash
A tragic accident occurred when a couple, including a pregnant woman, driving back to Bangkok, collided with a barrier on the motorway due to spilled plastic pellets. The incident, which led to three fatalities, was caused by negligence on the part of a six-wheel lorry driver. Yesterday, on February 7, Police Lieutenant Colonel Sophon Komolsutthi, deputy inspector of Highway Police…
-
Iraqi tourist shot dead in Phuket; police hunt for gunman
A violent incident unfolded in Phuket when a helmeted assailant shot and killed an Iraqi tourist in a shocking attack that has raised serious concerns. The Patong Police Station is actively investigating the case apprehend the suspect. Yesterday, on February 7, Police Sub-Lieutenant Thapnatthon Meejeena of the Patong Police Station received a report of a shooting that occurred opposite the…
-
Pathum Thani launches operation to assist homeless in Rangsit
Officials in Pathum Thani today, February 6, launched a coordinated effort to relocate homeless individuals living in Rangsit, aiming to provide shelter, medical care, and employment support to assist with societal reintegration. Dr Thanakrit Jittareerattana, secretary to the Minister of Social Development and Human Security, joined Rangsit Mayor Police Sub-Lieutenant Dr Treelup Toopgrajank and officials from the Pathum Thani Provincial…
-
Thais warned against wearing numbered shirts on election day
The Election Commission of Thailand has urged voters to avoid wearing football jerseys or any shirts featuring numbers on the back when casting their ballots on February 8, warning that such attire could be misinterpreted as political messaging. The announcement was made just days before the upcoming general election, which is expected to draw a high turnout as citizens head…
-
Thailand’s alcohol ban frustrates tourists, hits restaurant sales
Foreign tourists visiting Thailand during the country’s election period have found themselves caught off guard by a nationwide alcohol ban, leading to frustration at restaurants and bars, particularly in popular destinations like Bangkok and Phuket. On February 1, during the first 24-hour restriction linked to advance voting, diners at a Bangkok restaurant, newly arrived from the United States, were told…
-
French nationals accused of staging theft to scam Thai woman
A Thai woman accused a group of foreigners, believed to be French nationals, of attempting to scam and swindle money from her older sister by falsely claiming she picked up their dropped cash on Phuket road. The woman shared CCTV footage of the incident on her Facebook account, Jedsy Jedsadaporn, on Wednesday, February 4. The incident took place outside her family’s…
-
Thailand News | Thailand’s election endgame: coalition horse-trading meets a make-or-break charter vote, Sbai goes street: traditional Thai draping returns as a viral denim-era fashion trend
Today we’ll be talking about the various possible election outcome scenarios coming this weekend, legendary Thai Action Star Tony Jaa’s ongoing battle with cancer is rallying national support, and a little later Sbai goes street, a viral fashion movement is flexing the muscles of Thai soft power. Thailand’s Election Endgame: Coalition Horse-Trading Meets a Make-or-Break Charter Vote With the 8…
-
Two men caught hunting protected wildlife in Salawin National Park
Two men were arrested on February 4 in Mae Sariang district, Mae Hong Son province, after they were caught illegally hunting protected wildlife inside Salawin National Park during a routine patrol aimed at preventing wildfires. The incident took place around 7.30pm when park rangers from the conservation and protection division of Salawin National Park were conducting an active patrol in…
-
Chachoengsao man dies during livestream as friends hear gasping
A man from Chachoengsao died suddenly while livestreaming late at night on Tuesday, prompting friends to rush to his home after he disappeared from the screen, and disturbing sounds were heard. The incident occurred around 2am on February 6 at a one-storey house in Bang Samak, Bang Pakong district. Officers from Bang Pakong Police Station, along with Chachoengsao rescue workers,…
-
Norwegian man arrested for assault and car theft on Koh Samui
Police on Koh Samui arrested a Norwegian man after the physical assault of a Thai driver, the theft of a pickup truck, and a high-speed chase across the island. Officers from Koh Samui Police Station were alerted to the incident after receiving reports of a physical assault and vehicle theft in the Mae Nam sub-district of Koh Samui. The incident…
-
PM candidate Mongkolkit challenges election secretary to fistfight
A fiery political exchange has erupted as a prime ministerial candidate publicly challenged Thailand’s election secretary to a physical fight at the country’s Election Commission headquarters. Mongkolkit Suksintharanon, 42 year old secretary-general of the New Alternative Party, announced via livestream that he plans to gather supporters at 10.30am today, February 6, at the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) headquarters on…
-
Russian man found dead on beach below Koh Samui viewpoint
A Russian tourist was found dead on a beach below a viewpoint on Koh Samui in Surat Thani province, with police believing the incident was most likely an accident. The body was discovered on yesterday, February 5, after another foreign tourist encountered the remains on a beach beneath Na Phralan Viewpoint on Koh Samui. The witness immediately contacted officers from…
-
Swedish man arrested in Phuket over alleged rape of fellow tourist
Police arrested a Swedish man at a hotel in Phuket for the alleged rape of a woman from the same country, following a complaint filed earlier this week. The arrest was confirmed on Wednesday, February 5, after officers from Patong Police Station tracked down the suspect at a hotel on Na Nai 8 Road in Kathu district, Phuket. The 32…
-
Wild elephants alarm locals and campers in Nakhon Nayok and Tak
Officials in Nakhon Nayok and Tak provinces were called into action today, February 5, after wild elephants emerged from nearby forests and startled both residents and tourists in two separate incidents. In Nakhon Nayok, residents of Moo 8 in Nong Saeng subdistrict, Pak Phli district, alerted wildlife officials after a large male elephant known locally as “Phlai Thongkham”, roughly translated…
-
Thai TikToker claims followers can visit Mars and Japan through meditation
A Thai man sparked widespread online controversy after claiming he possesses supernatural abilities and trains children to perform spiritual practices for “out-of-body travel“. The man shared multiple videos on his TikTok account @ongdum, where he presented himself and his followers practising meditation techniques for out-of-body experiences. In each clip, he claimed participants were able to leave their physical bodies and…
-
Lopburi teacher under investigation for 800 squat punishment
Thailand’s Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) today, February 5, launched an investigation into a teacher in Lopburi province after confirming that a student was indeed ordered to perform 800 squats as punishment. The case gained national attention after the boy’s father revealed that his son had been hospitalised with severe leg pain after being punished with 800 squats…
-
Rare dugongs observed in Trang marine habitat survey
Marine researchers in Trang province teamed up with wildlife defenders yesterday, February 4, to survey dugong populations near Libong Island, using drone technology and direct observation to assess the condition of these rare sea mammals. The survey was led by staff from the Marine National Park Research Centre 3 (Trang) in collaboration with the Dugong Conservation Group, and it was…
-
Construction site manager claims gun accident in worker’s death
A construction site manager fatally shot a worker in Ubon Ratchathani and claimed the shooting was accidental, saying the gun discharged when he tried to slap the victim with the firearm. Officers from Mueang Ubon Ratchathani Police Station were called to investigate the fatal shooting at a construction site on Tuesday, February 4, after receiving a report from workers at the…
-
Thai action star Tony Jaa battling stage 3 gallbladder cancer
A close friend has revealed that Thai action star Tony Jaa is undergoing treatment for stage 3 gallbladder cancer after being diagnosed in 2024 and is currently continuing chemotherapy. The update came from a source close to both the actor and his wife, who shared the information with Thairath. According to the source, the condition was first discovered in June…
-
Foreigner seen relaxing on SUV roof during Phuket traffic
A foreign man surprised onlookers on the road as he relaxed on the roof of a moving SUV, casually using his mobile phone while the vehicle crawled through heavy traffic on a busy road in Patong, Phuket. The incident, caught on video and shared by the PhuketTimes Facebook page today, February 5, shows the man lying face down on the…
-
American man speaks out after Pattaya security guards attack
Pattaya police have summoned three security guards for questioning following a viral video showing an American tourist being assaulted on Pattaya Soi 6. The incident, which took place on the evening of February 2, has drawn mixed opinions online. Footage shared on social media captured multiple men repeatedly kicking and punching the foreigner on the roadside. At the time, little…
-
Thai teen shoots neighbour dead over alleged affair with mother
A 17 year old Thai boy fatally shot his neighbour in Pathum Thani province, blaming the victim for having an affair with his mother and causing ongoing conflict within his family. Police from Thanyaburi Police Station were alerted to the shooting at around 1pm yesterday, February 4, by a local community leader, Thanee Suekui. The incident occurred in the Thanyaburi…
-
Thailand News | Thailand’s economy branded “Asia’s Sick Man” as growth slows, Thai taxi driver praised after sharing traditional desserts with Australian tourists
Today we’ll be talking about Thailand’s newly dubbed status as being the ‘Sick Man of Asia,’ allegations of election tampering and vote buying ahead of this weekend’s vote, and a little later, Thai influencers weigh in on the prospect of Disney in the land of smiles. Thailand’s Economy Branded “Asia’s Sick Man” as Growth Slows Analysts are labelling Thailand the…
-
Foreign mum fights off attempted child abduction in Samut Prakan
A three year old boy narrowly escaped a kidnapping in Samut Prakan yesterday, February 4, when a man allegedly targeted him on a roadside in Phra Pradaeng district. The child’s foreign mother screamed for help, causing passersby to intervene. The attempted abduction occurred at the entrance of Soi Suksawat, in front of a local food stall. According to witnesses, the…
-
Indian man’s langur smuggling attempt busted at Suvarnabhumi
An Indian passenger was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport late on February 3 after allegedly attempting to smuggle live wildlife out of Thailand. Two endangered langurs were reportedly discovered hidden inside a suitcase bound for Mumbai. The passenger, identified as 28 year old Karthick, was intercepted during a joint operation involving wildlife checkpoint officers, customs officials, animal quarantine staff, airport security,…
-
15 year old boy arrested over 2.4 million baht gold theft in Hat Yai
Police arrested a 15 year old boy for a gold shop robbery at a supermarket in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province, in which gold accessories worth more than 2.4 million baht were stolen. The robbery occurred at around 6.30pm inside a gold shop located within Lotus’s supermarket in Hat Yai. CCTV footage showed the suspect dressed entirely in black and…
-
Wild elephant’s cause of death revealed, public demands justice
Public anger is mounting after a wild elephant named Phlai Sidor Hoo Phap died during a relocation attempt in northeastern Thailand on February 3. The animal collapsed en route from Khon Kaen to Loei, and the public is calling for accountability from officials. Around 10 kilometres into the journey, Phlai Sidor Hoo Phap collapsed, shortly after being sedated by a team…
-
Israeli and El Salvadoran men rescued from Koh Pha Ngan forest
Tourist Police officers, together with local administrative officials, successfully rescued two foreign tourists, Israeli and Salvadoran men, who became lost in a forest on Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province last night, February 4. According to authorities, Koh Pha Ngan Tourist Police received an emergency call via the tourist police hotline 1155 from two foreign men who reported that…
-
Thai businesswoman and influencer questions Disneyland Thailand plan
A well-known Thai businesswoman and social media influencer publicly questioned the possibility of bringing Disneyland to Thailand, accusing the Bhumjaithai Party of using an uncertain proposal as part of its election campaign and selling dreams to Disney fans. Amid the uncertain and faded hope on an entertainment complex and legal casino from Pheu Thai Party, the present Transport Minister from…
-
Thai taxi driver wins hearts after sharing desserts with Australian tourists
An Australian couple shared a video of a friendly service from a Thai taxi driver, who warmly welcomed them despite a language barrier and treated them to traditional Thai desserts during their journey. The video was shared on January 9 via the couple’s TikTok account, TikTok user @whatamidoing.retired. In the caption, the couple wrote… “We met the kindest taxi driver,…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.