- Health
Health insurance in Thailand may have just got more expensive
When your health insurance renewal in Thailand lands and there’s an unfamiliar clause about a 30% co-payment on next year’s medical bills, that’s not a mistake or a typo. It’s the result of a regulatory change that came into effect in March 2025, and 2026 is the first full renewal cycle where it shows up in policyholder documents. Most expats…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya CCTV catches man climbing fire escape into woman’s flat
CCTV footage in Pattaya has captured a man climbing a fire escape before breaking into a woman’s fourth-floor apartment while she was out, prompting her to vacate the property over safety fears. Prarthana Thongmali, a 22 year old saleswoman from Songkhla province working at a housing project in Pattaya, filed a report with Nong Prue Police Station after the incident,…
- Bangkok News
Cabinet asked to back MRTA takeover of Bangkok rail lines
Thailand’s Transport Ministry is seeking Cabinet approval in principle today for a plan to place Bangkok’s electric rail network under a single management body, a move intended to replace the current Bangkok BTS fare structure with a unified 40-baht cap across all lines from January 1, 2027. Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat announced yesterday that the ministry would ask the…
- Thailand News
Nationwide ceremonies planned for Queen’s birthday celebrations
Nationwide celebrations marking Her Majesty the Queen’s 4th Cycle Birthday Anniversary are underway across Thailand, with major events planned in Bangkok and at provincial halls, Thai embassies and consulates abroad. Organised by the Prime Minister’s Office in coordination with state agencies, the programme features ceremonies at three marquee venues in Bangkok: Wat Ratchathiwat Wihan in Dusit district, Siam Paragon, and…
- Business News
Co-payment scheme begins, opposition flags borrowed funds
More than 39.2 million people have begun receiving 1,000 baht in government support today, June 1, as the Thais Help Thais Plus co-payment scheme officially launches, according to the Finance Ministry. Permanent Secretary for Finance Lavaron Sangsnit said beneficiaries comprise 13.18 million state welfare cardholders and 26.04 million people registered under the 60/40 co-payment programme. Funds are accessible daily from…
- Thailand News
Thailand aviation hub push drives airport upgrades, flight routes
Thailand is ramping up airport upgrades and expanding domestic and international flight routes as part of a broader push to establish itself as an aviation hub and regional centre for travel, tourism, and investment. Deputy government spokesperson Lalida Persvivatana said the strategy aims to improve connectivity between major cities and emerging destinations while strengthening the country’s long-term aviation and logistics…
- Thailand News
Southwest monsoon drives flash flood risk across Thailand
Thailand’s Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a weather forecast for June 1, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall across much of Thailand as the southwest monsoon strengthens over the Andaman Sea, the South, and the Gulf of Thailand. A monsoon trough extends across the lower North, upper Central, and lower Northeast regions into a low-pressure cell off the coast…
- Thailand News
Police chief tells commanders to rein in officers moonlighting as influencers
Thailand’s national police chief has issued an urgent directive ordering senior commanders nationwide to tighten supervision of Thai police officers who appear on social media in uniform, days after personally cutting a fellow officer’s hair during a station inspection to demonstrate grooming standards. Police General Kittharath Punpetch signed a memo yesterday, May 26, addressed to commanders at all levels. The…
- Thailand News
Thailand train-bus crash compensation paid, motorists charged
Six of the eight families of those killed in the Thailand train bus collision on May 16 have received compensation, with charges filed against the train driver and motorists found blocking the tracks, Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkaskulkiat announced yesterday, May 26. The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) have jointly paid out 2.9…
- Phuket News
Turkish tourist found dead in Phuket residence
A 30 year old Turkish national was found dead in a residence in Kamala, Phuket, on May 26, with police reporting no signs of assault or foul play. Cannabis and drug paraphernalia were discovered in the room where the body was found. Kamala Police Station received reports from rescue workers at around 3.30pm, and officers travelled to a three-storey house…
- Thailand News
Chaiyaphum teen arrested over alleged sexual assault on mother
A teenager has been arrested in Chaiyaphum after allegedly sexually assaulting his mother while under the influence of alcohol and methamphetamine. The alleged incident took place on May 25 in Kaset Sombun district and was reported to local police the following morning. The mother told investigators her son entered her room, struck her and carried out the assault. She said she did…
- Thailand News
Israel, Thailand mark 72 years with farm upgrade instead of party
Israel has redirected funds from its national day celebrations to community development projects in Thailand as the two countries mark 72 years of diplomatic relations. The Israeli embassy in Bangkok said it chose to support local initiatives rather than hold a reception, citing the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Israeli Ambassador to Thailand Alona Fisher-Kamm explained the decision at…
- Bangkok News
Mika Salo says he felt nothing, lost nothing, Bangkok trip stays on
Former Formula One driver Mika Salo has told police and media he does not believe he was deliberately attacked after sustaining a leg wound requiring 28 stitches near Nana intersection in Bangkok on May 19, describing the incident as likely accidental. The 59 year old Finnish driver gave a statement to investigators at Lumpini Police Station on May 26 after…
- Thailand News
May 27: Southwest monsoon intensifies as Thailand braces for heavier rain
Thailand’s Meteorological Department has issued a weather forecast for today, May 27, warning of thundershowers and isolated heavy rain across most regions as the southwest monsoon continues to strengthen over the Andaman Sea, the Gulf of Thailand, and the country as a whole. Waves in the upper Andaman Sea are expected to reach around two metres, rising above two metres…
- Guides
Thailand rainy season: When it hits, where it hurts, how to prepare
Thailand’s rainy season has a reputation it doesn’t entirely deserve. Yes, it rains, sometimes heavily, but the idea that monsoon months mean washed-out days and ruined plans is largely a myth. For expats already living here, it is simply a season to navigate. Know when it falls, which regions it hits hardest, and what it means for your health, and…
- Thailand News
May 25: Heavy rain, strong winds forecast across Thailand
The Meteorological Department has issued a Thailand weather forecast for today, May 25, warning of thundershowers and isolated heavy rain across much of the country as the southwest monsoon strengthens over the Andaman Sea, the Gulf of Thailand, and inland areas. The moderate southwest monsoon is driving scattered to fairly widespread thundershowers nationwide. Residents and travellers are advised to be…
- Business News
Thailand’s 2026 GDP outlook firms up on private investment surge
Thailand’s economy picked up pace in the first quarter of 2026, with the NESDC reporting GDP growth of 2.8%, ahead of the 2.5% recorded in the final quarter of last year. Both the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors contributed to the improvement. Farm output grew by 1.2%, more than doubling the 0.6% seen in the previous quarter, while the broader non-agricultural…
- Thailand News
Thailand’s ‘last titan’ confirmed as Southeast Asia’s biggest dinosaur on record
Scientists have identified a new dinosaur species in Thailand, the largest ever found in Southeast Asia, after fossils unearthed beside a pond in Chaiyaphum province were confirmed as belonging to a colossal long-necked sauropod estimated to have measured 27 metres and weighed around 27 to 30 tonnes. The species, named Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis, lived between 100 and 120 million years ago…
- Thailand News
Arab buyers favour Phuket for cultural, religious familiarity
Gulf buyers are increasingly treating Phuket as more than a holiday destination, with the Middle Eastern demographic now accounting for an estimated 10% of off-plan property sales on the island. Thanks to direct flights from Saudi Arabia, new investment-linked residency pathways, and growing instability in the Middle East, all pointing the same type of buyer toward the same property market…
- Thailand News
Most Thai businesses report bribe demands from officials, survey finds
Nine in ten businesses in Thailand have encountered bribe requests from government officials, according to a nationwide survey released this week by a coalition of Thailand’s top private sector bodies, with the Pollution Control Department topping the rankings for the highest average payment demanded per encounter. The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCIB), comprising the Thai Chamber…
- Business News
Thailand hits 60-year investment record as Amazon, Google, BYD and others bet big
If you only looked at the investment scoreboard for Southeast Asian economies last year, chances are you would probably want to skip over Thailand. While Vietnam was sprinting ahead with 7% growth and Indonesia held steady at 5%, Thailand was limping with a meagre 2.4%. With the IMF recently cutting its 2026 projection to a dismal 1.6%, the narrative that…
- Thailand News
BYD dealership axes staff after footage exposes camera tampering, unsafe test drive
A BYD service centre in Chon Buri has dismissed all staff involved after dashcam footage showed technicians disconnecting a customer’s cameras and conducting a test drive without a seatbelt while on a mobile phone. The customer, Suriya Sudsanit, who initially made a Facebook post about the incident, brought his BYD to the centre for a routine service and to investigate…
- Economy News
Thailand Labour Day march targets rising costs, job insecurity
Hundreds of workers marched to Government House in Bangkok today, May 1, on Thailand Labour Day 2026, pressing the government for fair wages, job security, and expanded social protections as part of International Workers’ Day events held worldwide. Labour groups led by the State Enterprises Workers’ Relations Confederation and the Thai Labour Solidarity Confederation gathered at Democracy Monument on Ratchadamnoen…
- Thailand News
Thaksin and family question EM bracelet ahead of prison release
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been approved for parole and is set to leave Klong Prem Central Prison on May 11, though his lawyer says Thaksin has questioned a requirement to wear an electronic monitoring (EM) bracelet given his age and health condition. Lawyer Winyat Chatmontree told reporters yesterday, April 30, that a Justice Ministry sub-committee had included Thaksin’s…
- Thailand News
Thailand’s royals join world leaders in Stockholm for Swedish king’s 80th
Their Majesties the Thai King and Queen are in Sweden this week for the 80th birthday celebrations of King Carl XVI Gustaf, attending a series of royal engagements at the Royal Palace in Stockholm as part of a four-day state visit from April 29 to May 2. Yesterday morning, April 30, the Thai monarchs joined a thanksgiving ceremony at the…
- Thailand News
Fists fly after man causes disurbance at Phuket restaurant
Patong police took a foreign man into custody on April 26 after he disrupted a restaurant in Phuket and was involved in a physical confrontation with the manager, with video of the incident spreading on Facebook. The man, whose nationality has not been released, was filmed walking in and out of a hot pot restaurant in Patong on multiple occasions…
- Thailand News
Udon Thani nurse calls police after delivery rider lingers outside dorm, asks to see her ‘cat’
A nurse in Udon Thani called police after a food delivery rider refused to leave her dormitory and sent messages asking to come up to her room, following a lunchtime delivery on April 26. The woman, a 24 year old nurse at a public hospital in Udon Thani, reported the incident to Mueang Udon Thani Police Station. Officers responded to…
- Business News
Thai AirAsia halt nine routes from Don Mueang due to fuel crisis
Thai AirAsia has revised its summer 2026 flight schedule, temporarily suspending nine international routes from Don Mueang Airport and reducing services on others, as rising jet fuel costs linked to the Middle East conflict put pressure on airline operations. The carrier has halted services on several routes, with some suspensions running through to late October 2026. The following routes have…
- Guides
Expat healthcare in Thailand: Costs, coverage, limited-time offer
Expat healthcare in Thailand is a bit more nuanced than what initially meets the eye. The private hospital network is world-class, but most foreigners have no access to subsidised public care, medical inflation is running at over 14% a year, and private hospitals will ask for up to 800,000 baht upfront before major surgery begins. The point here is not…
- Thailand News
Thailand launches online map to track cannabis shops nationwide
The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine in Thailand has launched an interactive online map to monitor licensed cannabis shops nationwide, as the government moves to tighten oversight and restrict use to medical purposes only. The system went live as related legal processes remain underway. Deputy Director-General Dr Thewan Thaneerat said on April 21 that the platform, formally known…
