- Bangkok News
Opposition MPs hit with 300 million baht energy defamation suit
Three senior members of the opposition People’s Party (PP) are facing a massive defamation lawsuit from one of Thailand’s energy giants, accused of smearing its reputation in a row over electricity pricing. PP leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut and list MPs Woraphob Wiriyaroj and Supachot Chaiyasat appeared at the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road yesterday, August 25, for a preliminary hearing in…
- Phuket News
Unlicensed tourists hit with fines in Phuket road blitz
Phuket’s tourist roads are under the spotlight after police revealed more than 17,000 foreigners have already been fined this year for driving without a licence. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Major General Sinlert Sukhum confirmed the staggering figure at a provincial meeting yesterday, August 25, chaired by Governor Sophon Suwannarat at Phuket Provincial Hall. Between August 1 and 22 alone, police…
- Business News
Thai car production slumps as debt and tariffs bite
The Thai automotive sector continues to face challenges this year, with total car production declining by 5.73% year-on-year in the first seven months, impacting employment in car manufacturing plants. Between January and July, 835,331 units were produced. In July alone, manufacturing reached 110,616 units, marking an 11% decrease compared with the previous year, according to the Federation of Thai Industries…
- Aviation News
SmartLynx Thailand lands first jet ahead of big launch
A new player is taxiing onto Thailand’s aviation scene as Thai SmartLynx Airlines has taken delivery of its very first aircraft, an Airbus A320, signalling its ambitious entry into the country’s skies. The 13.4 year old narrowbody jet, now carrying the Thai registration HS-SXA, touched down at Bangkok Don Mueang Airport on August 22. Previously flown by SilkAir, the A320…
- Pattaya News
Pickup’s sudden turn leaves Pattaya bikers in agony
A routine morning ride turned to chaos in Pattaya yesterday when a motorcycle slammed into a pickup truck, leaving two young riders with serious injuries. At around 9am yesterday, August 25, the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Team rushed to the scene of the collision on Chaiyaphruek Road in the Pong-Khao Mai Kaew area. The crash involved a grey Forza 350…
- Hua Hin News
Hua Hin’s old station gets flashy facelift to lure tourists
Thailand’s iconic Hua Hin railway station is on track for a major facelift, with the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) promising a sweeping revamp to boost tourism, jobs, and safety. SRT Governor Veeris Ammarapala visited the historic station this week to expedite the project and inspect the new passenger facilities. He met with Prachuap Khiri Khan Governor Sitthichai Sawatsaen to…
- Phuket News
Beach alert: Deadly blue dragons invade Phuket shore
Beachgoers in Phuket are being warned to steer clear of venomous blue dragons after the toxic sea slugs washed up on Karon Beach. Local officials sounded the alarm after several sightings of blue dragon sea slugs (Glaucilla sp) were reported following recent rainfall. The creatures, though small and visually striking with their electric-blue appearance, pose a serious health risk to swimmers.…
- Pattaya News
Truck driver crushed in horror crash on Pattaya highway
A truck driver was crushed to death by his own vehicle in a horror crash on a wet Pattaya highway this morning. The fatal incident occurred at around 7.30am today, August 23, on Highway 36 (Pattaya-Kratinglai-Rayong) in front of Bee Garden. Police Lieutenant Colonel Aphichet Metheethammaporn of Bang Lamung Police Station responded to the scene, where an 18-wheeler Hino truck…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya police slash crime with AI tech, new plans ahead
AI-powered cameras, tough traffic crackdowns, and a touch of ceremony: Pattaya police are busier than ever. The Police Administration Oversight Committee of Pattaya City Police Station convened for its monthly meeting at the station’s Operations Control Room. The session was chaired by Amporn Kaewsaeng and attended by Police Colonel Anek Sarathongyoo, the station’s superintendent, along with police officers, media representatives,…
- Aviation News
Chiang Rai airport gets 5.7 billion baht mega upgrade
Chiang Rai is set to soar with a massive 5.7-billion-baht terminal upgrade aimed at transforming the northern province into Thailand’s next aviation hub. Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) has greenlit a bold expansion plan for Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai International Airport, including the construction of a new passenger terminal to support a dramatic increase in air traffic. Announced by…
- Technology News
Thailand dials up emergency response with smart tech
Getting help in a crisis just got faster, thanks to a high-tech upgrade that puts police one step closer when every second counts. Advanced Info Service (AIS) has teamed up with the Patrol and Special Operations Division (191) and Google to launch Thailand’s first-ever 191 Emergency Location Service (191 ELS), dramatically improving the way emergency calls are handled across the…
- Politics News
Thaksin dodges jail, lawyer eyes travel comeback
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has walked free from a Section 112 trial, and his lawyer now wants his travel ban lifted. Lawyer Winyat Chartmontri announced plans to formally request the revocation of Thaksin’s travel ban following the former premier’s acquittal in a controversial lese majeste case. The Criminal Court cleared Thaksin yesterday, August 22, of charges under Section 112…
- Phuket News
Late-night blaze: Inferno torches bikes in Phuket shop fire
Fire ripped through a Phuket motorbike shop in the dead of night, torching more than 10 motorcycles in a dramatic blaze. Kathu Police are investigating the cause of a fire that broke out in the early hours yesterday, August 22, gutting parts of a motorcycle repair shop and destroying multiple vehicles. The alarm was raised at approximately 2am when officers…
- Eastern Thailand News
Footbridge collapses in East Thailand, crushes trucks (video)
Motorists on a busy Thai highway had a terrifying near-miss after a massive pedestrian bridge crashed down onto traffic, narrowly avoiding disaster. A 100-tonne concrete pedestrian bridge under construction dramatically collapsed onto two vehicles on Highway No.317 in Chanthaburi last night, August 22, causing severe property damage but no reported injuries. The incident occurred at around 10.20pm near Matai Market…
- Bangkok News
Thailand’s lese majeste amnesty talks stall in Parliament
Plans to grant amnesty to lese majeste offenders have hit a political wall, as Parliament hesitates on revising the kingdom’s most controversial law. Thailand’s House Committee on Peace Building confirmed this week that the current conditions for granting amnesty under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, commonly known as the lese majeste law, remain unchanged. On Thursday, August 21, a…
- Phuket News
Prison shock: Myanmar woman hangs herself in Phuket cell
A Burmese woman detained for deportation was found dead in a Phuket immigration cell after hanging herself with her trousers. A 29 year old Myanmar woman took her own life while being held in an immigration detention room at the Phuket Immigration Office early yesterday morning, August 22. The woman, identified as Htike Darlee, was found dead at around 5.03am…
- Phuket News
Tourist tragedy: Young American washes up on Phuket beach
Police are probing the death of a 28 year old American tourist whose body was found washed ashore on Patong Beach in Phuket yesterday afternoon. The grim discovery was made near the Coral Beach Bridge at the southern end of the popular tourist hotspot at around 1.30pm yesterday, August 22. Patong Police Chief Police Colonel Chalermchai Hirasawat arrived at the…
- Thailand Weather Updates
Monsoon deluge: Heavy rain continues to batter Thailand
Heavy rainfall is forecasted across Thailand this weekend, with a tropical depression expected to make landfall in Vietnam and Laos, affecting the north, northeast, and eastern regions. Warnings have been issued for 49 provinces, including Bangkok, regarding potential accumulated rainfall. Yesterday, August 22, the Meteorological Department (TMD) predicted that sections of Thailand would experience heavy to very heavy rain, particularly…
- Pattaya News
Facebook gun dealers snared by tourist cops in Thailand
Facebook gun deals went badly wrong this week after undercover officers swooped in on two suspects accused of selling illegal firearms online. The Tourist Police Command, led by Police Lieutenant General Saksira Phuek-am, executed two coordinated stings yesterday, August 21, seizing multiple weapons and ammunition in Pattaya and Ratchaburi. In the first case, officers tracked a suspect in Bang Lamung…
- Bangkok News
Tempura favourite Tenya exits Thailand after 10 years
Thailand’s tempura lovers are in mourning as popular Japanese restaurant chain Tenya is pulling the plug after nearly a decade in the country. Known for its crispy tempura bowls and authentic Japanese flavours, Tenya will shut its last two branches at Terminal 21 and Samyan Mitrtown on August 31, signalling the end of its run in Thailand. Originally launched in Asakusa,…
- Phuket News
China eyes Phuket as Thailand’s next film hotspot
Phuket may soon be the next big-screen sensation as top Chinese film officials tour the island to explore its potential as an international filming destination. A senior delegation from China’s Hainan Province, led by Chen Jiyang, Deputy Minister of Public Relations and Secretary-General of the Hainan International Film Festival Organising Committee, visited Phuket on Wednesday, August 20. Their mission was…
- Thailand News
Thailand eyes kratom crackdown amid abuse fears
Thailand’s justice minister has vowed to rein in kratom abuse after nationwide reports of users mixing the herbal drink with narcotics. Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong said new regulations may soon be introduced to restrict kratom leaf sales, following talks with Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin earlier this week. “On August 20, I discussed with the public health minister the necessity…
- Bangkok News
Thaksin faces jail as court drops royal insult verdict
Thailand’s political soap opera enters a tense new chapter as the Criminal Court delivers its long-awaited verdict today in the lese majeste case against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, exactly two years after his dramatic return from exile. Security is being ramped up around the courthouse, with media crews banned from entering without prior approval. Reporters will be allowed to…
- Thailand Weather Updates
Thailand drenched in heavy downpour brought on by monsoon
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a warning for heavy rainfall expected in 41 provinces, including Bangkok, where up to 70% of the area is expected to be affected. Residents are advised to be cautious of potential hazards due to the significant rainfall. Heavy rain is anticipated in certain areas across Thailand, with particularly severe conditions forecasted for the…
- Bangkok News
Lumpini Park’s new street food hub to open next year
Bangkok’s famous street food scene is about to get a facelift, as the city races to complete its first official hawker centre next to Lumpini Park. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) confirmed that the Lumpini Park Hawker Centre, currently under construction on Ratchadamri Road, is set to open early next year. It’s designed to tidy up footpaths, raise hygiene standards,…
- Bangkok News
Paetongtarn’s fate fast-tracked in leaked clip scandal
The political heat just got hotter for suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, as Thailand’s top court fast-tracks her potential disqualification over a controversial leaked audio clip. At 10.30am today, August 21, the Constitutional Court began hearing witness testimony in a case brought by 36 senators who claim the prime minister violated ethical standards in a private conversation with Cambodian Senate…
- Finance
New Thai tax plan could cost expats their perks
Thailand is preparing to flip its tax system on its head, and expats could soon be caught in the crossfire. By 2027, the government plans to roll out a negative income tax, a major shift in how financial aid is delivered. Instead of handing out subsidies to broad social groups, the new system will offer direct payments to those who…
- Bangkok News
Fake tower, real scam: Korean man busted in Bangkok SMS sting
A South Korean scammer took mobile fraud to the streets of Bangkok before cyber cops caught him with a fake cell tower in his car. On Tuesday, August 19, 35 year old Kim Do-yeong was arrested at Pracha Songkroah Intersection in Din Daeng district while driving a Toyota sedan loaded with a false base station (FBS) device. The high-tech kit…
- Phuket News
Phuket inmates trained to save lives behind bars
Prisoners in Phuket are learning how to save lives, starting with each other. Phuket Provincial Prison hosted a life-saving training event yesterday, August 20, under the Department of Corrections’ Sharing Happiness project, aiming to equip inmates and officers with emergency response skills in CPR, defibrillator use, and choking assistance. The training was formally launched at 1pm yesterday, where Air Chief…
- Transport News
Suvarnabhumi super expansion to handle 120 million flyers
Suvarnabhumi Airport is about to get supersized. Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) has updated its master plan to double the airport’s capacity. The revised target is to handle up to 120 million passengers annually as part of a bold new development push. According to acting AoT president Paweena Jariyathitipong, over 70% of this year’s master plan study is now complete…
