- Bangkok News
Bangkok’s Banthat Thong to become global street food hub
Bangkok’s famous Banthat Thong Road could soon rival the world’s top foodie destinations after the Commerce Ministry unveiled bold plans to transform it into a global street food landmark. Once packed with up to 40,000 visitors a day, the bustling stretch has seen numbers dwindle amid rising rents, falling Thai spending power, and tougher competition. Business operators say survival has…
- Business News
Thailand’s tourist numbers slide as 2025 forecast cut again
Thailand’s tourism dreams have hit another bump after the Tourism and Sports Ministry revealed foreign arrivals plunged by more than 7% this year, forcing officials to scale back growth forecasts yet again. From January 1 to August 17, the country welcomed 20.81 million international visitors, down 7.04% compared to the same period last year. Despite the overall decline, China remains…
- World News
Free shots of death: Brit blinded in Laos methanol horror (video)
A dream backpacking adventure in Laos turned into a nightmare when a 23 year old Brit was left permanently blind after drinking poisoned spirits at a hostel in Vang Vieng. The poisoning, which struck in November last year, claimed six foreign lives in total. Calum Macdonald, from the UK, was one of several travellers served free whisky and vodka shots…
- Thailand News
Chinese girl trafficks boyfriend to Myanmar, parties in Thailand
A teenage love story turned into a nightmare when a 19 year old Chinese boy was betrayed by his 17 year old girlfriend and sold to scam gangs in Myanmar for 100,000 yuan (around 500,000 Thai baht). The victim, from Zhanjiang in Guangdong province, endured four months of torture, forced labour, and starvation before his family managed to secure his…
- Phuket News
Thai man pulled to safety in Phuket racetrack drama (video)
Spectators were left horrified after a man casually wandered onto a racetrack in Phuket during the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Thailand 2025 event, in what could have ended in certain death. The shocking incident occurred yesterday, August 18, just after the high-octane races wrapped up at Saphan Hin Public Park, which had hosted the two-day event over the weekend on August…
- Business News
Thailand launches world-first crypto tourist pay scheme
Thailand has thrown open the doors to a digital revolution in tourism, unveiling the world’s first system allowing foreign visitors to convert cryptocurrency into Thai baht for everyday purchases—from pad thai stalls to 7-Eleven counters. The pilot project, called TouristDigiPay, launched yesterday, August 18, under the watch of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira. Unlike crypto-payment models abroad,…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok tops global Gen Z city list
Move over New York and London—Bangkok just stole the spotlight as the ultimate Gen Z city in the world. The Thai capital has clinched the- top spot in Time Out’s 2025 global ranking of the Best Cities for Gen Z, leaving some of the world’s most iconic destinations trailing in its wake. The survey gathered insights from over 18,500 locals…
- Phuket News
Close call: Foreign tourist plunges from Patong hotel
A foreign tourist was left fighting for his life last night after plunging from a hotel in Patong under baffling circumstances. The terrifying incident occurred at 6.36pm yesterday, August 18, when Patong Police were alerted to a man falling from a height at a hotel on Phra Mettha Road. Emergency responders from the Kusoldharm Phuket Foundation raced to the scene…
- Pattaya News
Drunken blunder: Pattaya waitress’s bike stolen outside bar
A bar waitress in Pattaya lost more than just her buzz after a staff birthday party—she lost her motorbike too. At around 5.06am yesterday, August 18, 25 year old Sumitra Saengarun reported that her black GPX motorcycle had been stolen from outside the Red Cat Bar on Pattaya Beach Road, just metres from Pattaya City Police Station. Sumitra, who works…
- Pattaya News
Massive blaze reduces Pattaya recycling plant to ashes
A fierce blaze ripped through a recycling factory in Pattaya yesterday, leaving nothing but twisted metal and charred debris. The inferno erupted at the Banjong Recycling Factory in Village 4, Takhian Tia subdistrict, Bang Lamung district yesterday, August 18, with fireballs lighting up the sky and smoke billowing for kilometres. The cause? A suspected electrical short circuit—though forensic teams are…
- South Thailand News
Chained body found at Phang Nga pier sparks murder probe
A grisly murder investigation is underway in Phang Nga after the body of a woman was found chained to two concrete dumbbells near a community pier. The chilling discovery was made yesterday, August 8, near the Ban Tha Yai pier in Mueang district. Police Lieutenant Pheerawit Chaichanyut of Khok Kloi Police Station, leading the case, said officers responded with Kusoltham…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok police smash Chinese hacker credit card gang
A Chinese cybercrime kingpin living in Bangkok has been busted after masterminding a multimillion-baht stolen credit card network spanning Asia. Thai police have dismantled a sophisticated Chinese hacker ring accused of stealing thousands of international credit card details, laundering the profits through cryptocurrency, and splurging on luxury goods worth over 10 million baht. Yesterday, August 8, Police Lieutenant General Panumart…
- Northern Thailand News
Yom River floods force urgent evacuations in Phichit
A sudden surge of water from the Yom River, flowing down from Sukhothai and Phitsanulok in northern Thailand, has caused flooding in Phichit, prompting urgent evacuations in low-lying areas. The river’s unexpected early rise has caught residents off guard, forcing many to quickly move valuables and livestock to higher ground. Yesterday, August 8, the Yom River’s overflow was first reported…
- Thailand News
Thai evacuees set to return as tensions with Cambodia ease
Thai officials are preparing to assist thousands of evacuees in returning home as tensions along the Cambodian border subside. Surin Governor Chamnan Chuentha confirmed that stability has returned to most border areas following Thursday’s General Border Committee meetings in Kuala Lumpur, where Thailand and Cambodia agreed on a 13-point ceasefire. Transportation arrangements are being coordinated with shelters and the Department…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok-bound train derails in Prachuap Khiri Khan, 10 injured
Chaos erupted in Kui Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, early this morning when three sleeper carriages of a Bangkok-bound express train detached and derailed, leaving 10 people injured. The incident happened at around 5am today, August 9, when the special express train No. 38/46 from Su-ngai Kolok and Padang Besar to Krung Thep Aphiwat (Bang Sue) was approaching a curved section…
- Business News
Thai court weighs foreign pilot hiring dispute
Thai airlines are not currently hiring foreign pilots for domestic routes, but that could change next year depending on a key court ruling. In March, the Thai Pilots Association filed legal action against the Ministry of Labour, seeking a temporary injunction to halt the use of foreign pilots on domestic services. The case stems from last year’s high tourism season,…
- Bangkok News
7 Chinese barbers arrested in Bangkok salon raid
An upscale Ratchada barbershop in Bangkok became the scene of a dramatic Tourist Police raid, ending with seven Chinese men cuffed for cutting hair illegally. Tourist Police stormed a high-end salon on Bangkok’s Ratchadaphisek Road, arresting the suspects for working without the necessary permits in a profession reserved for Thai citizens. The operation formed part of a nationwide crackdown led…
- Aviation News
Thailand–Hong Kong flight ‘rat pack’ busted in mid-air bag theft
A Hong Kong passenger caught a suspected in-flight thief red-handed on a Thailand–Hong Kong flight, exposing “rat pack” gangs targeting travellers’ bags. What was meant to be a much-needed rest for one Hong Kong tattoo artist turned into a mid-air sting operation when he spotted a man rifling through his bag just 30 minutes after take-off from Thailand. The passenger,…
- Pattaya News
Bang Lamung chief warns village bosses to clean up act
Local leaders in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district have been given a blunt warning—follow the rules, protect your reputation, and keep your guns in check. Village headmen and subdistrict chiefs in Bang Lamung were told in no uncertain terms to toe the line during a monthly meeting at the district office’s community hall. The meeting yesterday, August 8, was presided…
- Phuket News
Phuket prepares to host global green tourism summit
Phuket’s power players jetted to Fiji for a high-profile eco-tourism summit, returning with ideas, allies, and a mission to make next year’s event the island’s greenest showpiece yet. A high-level Phuket delegation has returned from Fiji after taking part in the Global Sustainable Tourism Conference (GSTC) 2025—a key step in preparing the island to host the world-class event next year.…
- Phuket News
Phuket cops seize sunglasses stash from illegal Cambodian vendor
Phuket Immigration officers have launched a high-profile crackdown on illegal beach vendors following complaints from residents and business owners that Cambodian migrant workers were openly selling goods without permission. Locals claimed the activity was damaging the island’s tourism image and undercutting Thai vendors who operate legally. Superintendent of Phuket Immigration Police Colonel Kriangkrai Ariyaying ordered Deputy Superintendent Police Lieutenant Colonel…
- Thailand Weather Updates
Thailand deluge: Bangkok braced for mega storm chaos
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a weather forecast predicting thunderstorms across 45 provinces, focusing on two regions, with Bangkok expected to experience the heaviest rainfall. Residents are urged to exercise caution due to potential dangers from thunderstorms yesterday, August 8. The forecast, for 6pm yesterday to 6pm today, August 9, indicates that the southwest monsoon is currently affecting…
- Phuket News
Phuket jet ski blitz nets 38 illegal rides in safety push
Phuket’s rogue jet ski operators have been hit with a major crackdown, as police swooped on six locations and seized 38 illegally operated machines. The coordinated operation, led by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and the Phuket Marine Police, was launched to boost tourist safety and safeguard the island’s image. Officials said many operators were running jet ski services without…
- World News
WhatsApp wipes out 6.8 million scam accounts in global crackdown
WhatsApp has obliterated 6.8 million scam accounts in just six months, in what parent company Meta calls a major strike against global fraud networks. The social media giant says many of the accounts were tied to organised crime syndicates in Southeast Asia, notorious for running scam centres staffed by people forced into the work. Victims of these centres have been…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok ex-boxer sets Malaysian tourists on fire in mall horror
Shoppers in central Bangkok were left horrified after a former Thai boxer allegedly doused two Malaysian tourists in flammable liquid and set them on fire outside a popular mall. Good Samaritans leapt into action to tackle the attacker before police arrived. The attack took place at around 10pm yesterday, August 7, on Ratchadamri Road, Lumpini, in front of a well-known…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya ladyboy nabbed for robbing Russian tourist
A drunken night out in Pattaya turned into a nightmare for a Russian tourist after a ladyboy allegedly made off with nearly 1 million baht in valuables—but swift police work brought the suspect down within 48 hours. Pattaya City Police moved in at 10.06pm yesterday, August 7, arresting 43 year old Phutthi Pratthumthong at an apartment not far from the…
- World News
Cathay Pacific’s LA to Hong Kong trip turns into 29-hour nightmare (video)
What was supposed to be a routine 13-hour hop across the Pacific turned into a 29-hour ordeal for almost 300 Cathay Pacific passengers, leaving some calling it the world’s longest commercial flight in terms of sheer misery. Flight CX883 left Los Angeles at 12.55am (local time) on Monday, August 4, bound for Hong Kong. But as the 15 year old…
- Bangkok News
Toilet drug kitchen busted in Bangkok cannabis snack raid
Bangkok police have uncovered a cannabis snack production house where toilets were used as mixing stations, seizing nearly a million baht’s worth of illegal products—just days after a toddler was hospitalised from eating one of the jellies. The Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) launched the raid following social media reports that a two year old child had eaten a jelly,…
- Pattaya News
Chinese man surrenders after armed standoff in Pattaya store
A dramatic two-hour standoff unfolded in Pattaya in the early hours of today when an armed Chinese man holed up inside a convenience store, before surrendering to police. Pattaya City Police received the report at 12.16am today, August 8, alerting them to a man with a gun inside a shop near the entrance to Soi Thepprasit 8. Deputy Superintendent of…
- Phuket News
Motorcycle rider killed on Phuket’s deadly Coconut Grove curve
A Phuket motorcyclist has died after a high-speed crash at a notorious curve on Thepkasattri Road in Mai Khao, sparking renewed concerns over road safety in the area. The accident occurred yesterday evening, August 7, near the Coconut Grove Curve—a stretch long feared by local riders. Police say the 41 year old victim, later identified as Mai Khao resident Samreong…
