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Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
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The new face of Thai politics?
The so-called “new blood” political party to be led by “pro-democracy” billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has promised to be an alternative to lead the conflict-plagued country out of the cycle of political division. The 39 year old auto-parts tycoon admitted that he had been described as “another Thaksin Shinawatra”, but asked for time to prove himself. “There’s no way to prove…
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Tourists arrested over alleged illicit drug use in Ranong
Twenty-seven tourists have been arrested and charged with drug abuse on Koh Phayam in Ranong province (north of Phuket near the Myanmar border) after testing positive for substance abuse. Friday’s raid in the province’s Muang district was part of the authorities’ joint operation to search the island’s three night entertainment venues, Ranong Tourist Police inspector Pol Lt-Colonel Manaporn Likhitmanont told…
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UPDATE: Cause of plane crash believed to be engine problems
The plane, HS-PMS series JABIRU 450 named Butterfly 05, crashed yesterday morning (Saturday) killing the captain, Wattana Tinphang-Nga, and Flying Officer Narin Taweewat, while critically injuring two 18 and 19 year old students from Thalang Technical College. Initial investigations suggest that the plane crashed because of engine problems although aviation inspectors will have to conduct a full investigation by the…
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Rabies survey shows widespread ignorance
Amid a major outbreak of rabies nationwide, including three human deaths so far this year, a survey reveals major misunderstandings among the public about the disease. The Public Health Ministry survey shows that up to 60 per cent of the nearly 12,000 people surveyed wrongly believed that rabies could be cured. Additionally, 34 per cent did not know that death…
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90 arrested, 74 motorcycles seized in crackdown
Bangkok police arrested 90 motorcyclists and pillion riders and seized 74 modified motorcycles in a crackdown on street racing on Bangkok’s streets. At the end of the operation on Friday night, tourist police deputy chief Pol Lt-General Surachet Hakpal held a press conference at 2.30am early on Saturday on the main ground in front of Tesco Lotus Extra on Rama…
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Two dead and two injured. Plane crashes in Paklok, Phuket.
UPDATE: A small plane crashed in a field in front of the Phuket Air Park, in Paklok, at 10.20am this morning. There were 4 people on the plane and two casualties have been confirmed. The two casualties are the pilot and the engineer while the two injured are civil aviation students. Local officials have been at the scene for rescue…
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Nearly 1300 houses damaged after week of ‘freak storms’
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation says that summer storms have damaged 1,293 houses in 24 Thai provinces. And one person has been killed as a result of the storms, primarily in the north-east and central provinces. The storms have hit the 24 provinces between March 5-8. The director-general, Chayapol Thitisakdi, says summer storms have hit 189 villages in 57…
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Re-enactment of brutal street murder
Wichit Police brought the 46 year old ex-husband murderer (he has confessed to the crime), Winit Kumkrong, to the crime scene for a re-enactment this morning (March 9). He said that his ex-wife tried to drive over him with the car which, he says, was the motivation that led to the murder. Read the original story HERE. “After checking the…
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Houses destroyed at Baan Bang Tao School
Two teachers’ houses in the Baan Bang Tao School were on fire last night at about 8pm. The houses are completely destroyed after a furious blaze. No injuries or casualties have been reported. The houses were located behind the school. They were 2 storey buildings made of mixed timber and concrete and built 40 years ago. Firefighters took about 40…
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Ex-husband kills woman on the street
The ex-husband of a head maid stabbed her in the the street almost 10 times in the middle of a crowd in southern Phuket Town. Police found the dead body of 47 year old Lamai Chokkuea, the head maid of a cleaning company, in her uniform with many cuts from a knife, including 4-5 wounds on her neck, 1 on…
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Briton dies on bus from Bangkok to Phetchabun
A Thai passenger was horrified to discover Thursday night that he had sat for hours next to a dead British passenger on board an air-conditioned bus from Bangkok to Phetchabun. 61 year old Michael Richarddeen was discovered dead in his bus seat at 7.30pm when the Bangkok-Phu Rua bus stopped at a Phet Prasert bus parking point on Saraburi-Lomsak…
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Rama X banknotes go into circulation from April 6
The first banknotes bearing a portrait of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn will be issued on April 6, Chakri Day. The Bank of Thailand announced on Thursday that, in accordance with permission granted by the palace, it would release banknotes bearing an image of King Rama X that day in the denominations of 20, 50 and 100 baht 500 baht…
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Accelerating Rabies vaccinations in Trang
There have been three deaths in Kalasin province linked to Rabies. And some suspected cases around Bangkok. The vaccination program in Trang brings it all a bit closer to home. Phairoj Intharasri, chief livestock officer in the southern province, said Muang, Huay Yod, Palian and Wang Wiset districts have been on rabies alerts since late February or March. His office…
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Has Alexa been laughing at you?
Voice recognition personal assistants are all the rage at the moment, sometimes with hilarious results. Alexa is a offering from Amzon and might be having the last laugh. (By the way Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos was found to be the world’s richest man in a Bloomberg article today). Anyway, Amazon is promising to keep virtual assistant Alexa from spontaneously cackling,…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, March 8
Freak storm hits Nakhon Pratom uprooting power poles | 7 Russians arrested in a Phuket kidnapping incident | Re-enactment of Premchai’s alleged bribery conversation | Chinese tourist assaulted in Krabi | New tourism plan for Thailand’s west coast including a high speed train.
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7 French people arrested over kidnapping of a French woman
Chalong Police and Kamala Police have arrested 7 French men and women, including 25 year old Idriss Sulliman, 25 year old Yann Kimulina, 21 year old Brahim Saifdine, 23 year old Mouhcin Wizkrane, 32 year old Yacine Maatoug, 21 year old Lydia Kouang Nlend and 19 year old Sahra Zerari, for kidnapping and physically abusing a 21 year old French…
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THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, March 7
Outgoing tourism will rise to 10 million this year | Rabies precautions in BKK | Thai Cabinet waters down the fines for illegal foreign workers | Premchai’s wife will be charged for owning elephant tusks | Bank of Thailand has laid down the foundations for banking agents | Aussie firefighter helping out in Lampang | Krabi residents support closing down…
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Chinese tourist assaulted in Krabi
A Facebook user, Jay Boonruang (in Thai language), posted a long story about a Chinese client at her hostel being assaulted by men on the street yesterday (March 6). “The Chinese woman, in her 20’s, couldn’t speak English at all. I could speak a little bit of Chinese so I talked to her. She travelled alone in Krabi. She checked…
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Drugs and weapon crackdown in Krabi
Two drug dealers have been arrested with 1,200 amphetamine pills and 80 grams of methamphetamine alongside a carbine (rifle), a sub machine gun and a pistol. The 2 dealers include 26 year old Suwannarat Thongchit and 22 year old Boonrit Thongluan, and were arrested at a house in Nanua Sub-District Police went to arrest them at the house and found…
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Drugs, weapon and preserved animal carcasses found in Rawai
Phuket police and a team of local authorities have arrested 27 year old Anchalee Pantumat, from Nakhon Sawan province, with a list of illegal items including 113 grams of marijuana, a carbine (rifle) with eleven .30 bullets along with jungle cat fur and a sambar deer skull. At her house in Rawai, Police also found marijuana and methamphetamine paraphernalia, 2…
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UPDATE: Police in Phuket say the man was shot over money owed on a motorbike
PHOTO: Sanook A black Pajero with several people inside had arrived at a rented property in the Rangsiri estate in Muang district, Phuket. A man got out and asked for “Sin”. 30 year old Sinchai was shot then fled inside the house. Original story HERE. The shooter followed holding a 11mm gun and shot him twice more in the chest.…
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E-commerce sites will be blocked if they don’t pay local VAT
Do you shop online? Plenty do, and increasingly retail is heading offshore and the main winners are Thai Post. A legal loophole, allowing foreign e-commerce companies to avoid paying Thai VAT, may soon be plugged with new legislation. But the Thai Revenue Department is threatening to block giant foreign e-commerce websites if they don’t pay VAT taxes in the future,…
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THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, March 6
More details about alleged ‘tapes’ from Belarus escort | ‘Freak storms’ for central and northern Thailand | Latest in ‘furious aunties’ case | Smog ‘very bad’ in north | 69 year Dutchman and 19 year old Thai in custody over prostitution and human trafficking | Labour Department being asked to ‘fast track’ migrant registration | Krabi Airport runway repairs on…
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Robbery fail – thief ended up stabbed to death
Early this morning (March 6), a 33 year old local man, Attapong Treesuk, was robbed while waiting for his girlfriend, by a man identified as 28 year old Wirat Sakkaew, who was carrying a knife and a gun to threaten him and steal his mobile phone. During the robbery, they fought and both were injured by the knife before the…
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‘Freak storms’ on the way – Thai Meteorological Department
The Thai Meteorological Department has issued a warning of freak storms in regions of the country until Friday, with the possibility of hail storms in some parts of the northern and northeastern regions. They say the ‘freak storms’ would be attributable to strong high pressure from China which is moving southward to cover the Northeast and the South China Sea…
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Insurance fraud in Krabi
A 31 year old local chicken vendor, Nattareeya Boonchoo, has spoken about ‘insurance’ she bought for her son that cost her 5,500 Baht. After paying for 2 months, the insurance representative, 35 year old Falipth Wonghan, disappeared – no certificate, no receipt. There are also other 10 other alleged victims from the same case. “The man claimed that he’s the…
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Oscar winners – 2018 Academy Awards
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Mary J. Blige, “Mudbound” Allison Janney, “I, Tonya” *WINNER Lesley Manville, “Phantom Thread” Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird” Octavia Spencer, “The Shape of Water” ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project” Woody Harrelson, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water” Christopher Plummer, “All the Money in the World” Sam…
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Koh Lanta Noi’s dusty road
Local residents of Koh Lanta Noi are calling for a proper road after suffering a dusty, rocky road for 20 years. The 3 kilometre gravel road, route Boklong – Tuek Boran in Moo 4, Koh Lanta Noi Sub-District, is a road that 40 families use routinely and they have been having to put up with the poor road conditions for…
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Conservation group to protest if Premchai charges not pursued
The Seub Nakhasathien Foundation has threatened to stage protests if police fail to pursue the charge of deliberately killing wildlife against construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta. “Definitely, there will be people taking to streets in that case,” Sasin Chalermlarp, the conservation group’s president, said on Monday. He spoke after a perceived delay in the police investigation into allegations that Premchai and…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, March 5
Thai police getting a ‘make-over’ | Outrigger resorts being sold to Singha Estate | New flights, new locations meanwhile Thai Airways struggling | Parents being urged to watch kids while swimming | 79% approve of poll next February | 40 year old hunter shoots relative.
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