- Phuket News
Ice, ice baby-faced! Teen dealer nicked in Phuket drug bust
Phuket’s drug crisis took another grim turn as cops busted a baby-faced teen dealer and two accomplices in a major meth raid, with over 3,400 pills, a crystal stash and illegal ammo seized in a Thalang sting. Police swooped on a house in Moo 1, Thepkrasattri, on Saturday (July 5), arresting three suspects during a coordinated drugs operation led by…
- Phuket News
Spare us change! Thai minister begs tourists not to feed beggars
Instead of tackling Thailand’s growing homelessness crisis head-on, a top Thai minister has urged the public to stop giving handouts to beggars, especially in tourist hotspots like Phuket, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Chon Buri. Varawut Silpa-archa, the Minister of Social Development and Human Security, claimed well-meaning generosity was actually making the problem worse. “Begging has existed for years but it’s…
- Pattaya News
Doggone disaster as pensioner gets skewered in Pattaya crash
A Thai pensioner was left skewered by her own sidecar after a dog launched a surprise attack, sending her smashing into a wall in Pattaya. Rescue workers from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation rushed to Soi Huay Yai, near Wat Thung Kha School, around 4.30pm, yesterday, July 6 after reports of a motorcycle accident involving an elderly woman. They arrived…
- Thailand News
Doll and chain: Randy pensioner duped in 50k silicone sex doll scam
A lonely 70 year old man from Udon Thani has been left red-faced and out of pocket after splashing 50,000 baht on what he thought was the love of his life, a high-end silicone sex doll he spotted online. But instead of romance, he got rinsed by scammers, and is now warning others not to fall for the same saucy…
- Thailand News
Quake fake! Thailand tsunami terror just a cartoon cliffhanger
Holidaymakers were left rattled this week after a bizarre social media frenzy warned of a massive tsunami hitting southern Thailand tomorrow, July 5. But the country’s top weather experts have poured cold water on the scare, insisting the “quake prophecy” is nothing more than a comic book fantasy. The bogus warning claimed that deadly waves would smash into Chumphon and…
- Thailand News
From pests to baht: Thailand’s monitor lizards set to make a killing
Monitor lizards, one of Thailand’s most fearsome protected reptiles, are set to go from wild pests to wallet-fillers, after the government announced plans to flog them for just 500 baht a pop. Officials confirmed that only licensed buyers will be allowed to buy the parent stock, which will be sold by the Department of National Parks (DNP) and come complete…
- Thailand News
Thai massage slammed after tourist breaks out in pus-filled bumps
A US doctor has slammed Thailand’s backstreet rubdown scene after a tourist’s cheap Thai massage turned into a festering medical horror show. Dr Joe Whittington, an emergency physician from California, issued a stark warning to travellers after a man paid just US$5 (around 180 baht) for a leg massage in a grimy alleyway and woke up the next morning covered…
- Business News
Thai exports in firing line as Trump dumps trade talks for tariffs
Donald Trump has fired the starting gun on a global trade showdown, ditching complex negotiations in favour of one-size-fits-all tariffs that could hammer dozens of economies, including Thailand. From today, July 4, the US will begin sending formal letters to countries across the world, listing fixed tariffs on their exports into America. The blanket rates will range from 20% to…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya bar workers fed as tourist drought bites hard
Struggling bar workers in Pattaya were served a dose of comfort this week, in the form of steaming noodles and basic supplies, as tourism dries up and bar owners face mounting bills. Lisa Hamilton, President of the Pattaya Nightlife Business Association, yesterday, July 3, led a charitable drive on Walking Street, handing out dry food, eggs, instant noodles, and over…
- Pattaya News
Masked burglar robs gran as family dog wags tail at thief in Pattaya
A bold daytime robbery has rocked a quiet Thai village, with a knife-wielding masked burglar stealing gold and jewels worth over 130,000 baht while the victim’s pet dog wagged its tail at him. The shocking heist happened between 10am and 11am on July 3 in Huay Yai, Chon Buri, when 67 year old Siriporn Kerdkum popped out for groceries, only…
- Thailand News
Viet’s all, folks: Thailand left in digital ID dust by Vietnam
Thailand has been caught napping again, as Vietnam surges ahead with yet another bold move to woo foreigners, slashing red tape and rolling out sleek new digital IDs for its growing expat population. On July 1, Hanoi launched a 50-day campaign to hand out free electronic identification to foreigners living, working, or studying in the country, and it’s already being…
- Pattaya News
Shafted again! Pattaya elevator traps Burmese man
Another late-night lift drama reignited fears over building safety in Thailand’s seaside city of Pattaya, after a Burmese man was rescued from a stalled elevator during a blackout. Shortly after midnight yesterday, July 2, 19 year old Burmese national Gopal Dhal became trapped inside a lift on the fourth floor of a condominium in Pattaya. A sudden power outage plunged…
- Phuket News
Phuket double whammy leaves locals with no water and no power
Locals in a swanky corner of Phuket are set for a scorching Friday as power and water supplies are cut off simultaneously, thanks to scheduled maintenance works by the island’s utilities overlords. The Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) Phuket warned that the entire Kamala area and parts of Cherng Talay will go dry from 9am to 4.30pm tomorrow, July 4, all…
- Pattaya News
Boozed-up Burmese builders in bloody bust-up at Pattaya site
A boozy bust-up between two Burmese builders turned into a blood-soaked machete brawl at a luxury housing estate in Pattaya, leaving one man with a gaping head wound and the other under arrest. The late-night violence erupted just before midnight on July 1 at a high-end property under renovation on Thung Klom-Tan Man Road in Nong Prue. Rescue teams and…
- Pattaya News
Drunken Cambodian fisherman drowns after stumble off Thai jetty
A drunken Cambodian fisherman drowned after plunging into the sea from a pier in Thailand while staggering back to his boat after a heavy night on the sauce. The body of 33 year old Rikian was found floating near the end of Jarinth Pier in Sriracha around 10pm on July 1, after he reportedly lost his footing and tumbled into…
- Thailand News
Thailand beach break ends in blistering agony for British teenager
A British teenager has told how her dream trip to Thailand turned into a painful nightmare after she was left “traumatised” by severe sunburn on her very first day, leaving her with blisters, facial swelling and in need of hospital treatment. Emilia Azarova had flown to the popular island of Koh Samui on June 13 for a Muay Thai fighting…
- Thailand News
Cannabis cargo: British teen’s ‘snake-like’ scar tale in Georgia
A British teenager accused of smuggling a £250,000 (11.2 million baht) haul of cannabis into Georgia broke down in tears in court, and showed a snake-like scar she says proves she was tortured and forced into the crime. Bella Culley, from Billingham, County Durham, in the North-East of England, could face life behind bars if found guilty of trafficking nearly…
- Phuket News
Shocking victory: Russian fighter’s electrifying celebration (video)
A Russian MMA fighter got more than just a buzz from the crowd after winning a bizarre cannabis-fuelled fight in Thailand, he got electrocuted while celebrating. Ivan Parshikov, a former ONE Lumpinee contender, had just won his bout at the controversial Weed Boxing Championship, where fighters are allowed to blaze up before stepping into the ring. But as Parshikov clambered…
- Thailand News
Lights out in Bang Tao: Friday blackout warning for Phuket locals
Hundreds of homes, hotels, and businesses in Phuket’s Bang Tao area are set to be plunged into darkness this Friday, July 4, as part of a planned power cut to upgrade the local grid. The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) Thalang Branch says the blackout, scheduled from 9am to 4.30pm, is needed to safely carry out high-voltage upgrades and install new…
- Phuket News
Bomb scare patrol: Phuket orders crackdown on abandoned motors
Local government officials in Phuket have been ordered to hunt down abandoned cars and motorbikes, over fears they could be used to hide bombs. The sweeping directive came during a high-level security briefing yesterday, July 1, chaired by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat at the Provincial Hall. “All agencies must take this seriously,” the governor warned. “We need to ensure the…
- Pattaya News
Splash ‘n’ grab: Floods wreak havoc as Pattaya bikes washed away
Tourists and locals in Pattaya were left soaked and stranded yesterday as a torrential downpour turned Thailand’s Sin City into a sodden swamp, with over 20 bikes washed away in raging floodwaters. The heavens opened for more than two hours last night, July 1, swamping Bang Lamung district and bringing traffic to a watery standstill. Water levels surged to between…
- Thailand News
Barking mad: Boy rescued after being raised by dogs in drug den
An eight year old Thai boy has been rescued from a squalid drug den where he was raised alongside six dogs and ended up barking instead of speaking. The boy, who had not been to school in two years, was found living in filthy conditions in Laplae district, Uttaradit province, with his drug-addicted mum and older brother. With no friends…
- Thailand News
Paetongtarn on pause: PM suspended amid leaked audio storm
Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been temporarily suspended from office after the Constitutional Court voted 7 to 2 in favour of an investigation into a leaked audio clip that has rocked the nation’s political landscape. At 9.30am, today, July 1, a panel of judges met to deliberate on the petition submitted by Senate President Mongkol Surasak, which was backed…
- Thailand News
Thai woman demands luxury lifestyle: A million baht and a watch
An entitled Thai woman boldly declared on social media today that she’s looking for a man to support her with 1 million baht a month, and oh, a luxury watch or two wouldn’t hurt either. But it’s her unapologetic attitude that’s really getting tongues wagging. The post has taken social media by storm, sparking serious debate, and left users both…
- Thailand News
Welshman fights to come home after brutal attack in Thailand
A Welshman left clinging to life after a brutal attack in Thailand has woken from a coma and, in heartbreaking words, told his family: “I just want to go home.” Ashton Jones was viciously assaulted by unknown assailants while out partying in Bangkok. The father of two was found hours later, unconscious and connected to life-support machines, 55 miles from…
- Bangkok News
Slithery surprise: Indian caught smuggling live snakes into Mumbai
An Indian passenger arriving from Bangkok was arrested at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on June 27 after customs officers uncovered a shocking stash of 16 live snakes concealed in his luggage. Yes, you read that right—live snakes! It’s a case that’s leaving everyone wondering: what exactly was he trying to scale his way through? The incident unfolded when…
- Cannabis
Weed out competition: Thailand’s cannabis shops face crackdown
Thailand’s once-thriving cannabis industry is about to face its biggest shake-up yet, with new regulations that could see up to 12,000 cannabis flower shops shut down by the end of the year. The country’s Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM) revealed a wave of stringent rules that could spell the end for many who have jumped on the…
- Bangkok News
Canadian man caught trying to ‘bag’ heroin at Bangkok airport
In a bizarre bid to ‘bag’ a fortune, a Canadian man was arrested at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok, after attempting to smuggle over three kilogrammes of heroin hidden in women’s handbags. The suspect, on his way to Taiwan, was caught in the act yesterday, June 30, after sharp-eyed customs officers became suspicious of his luggage. When they ran the bags…
- South Thailand News
Earthquake swarm rattles Andaman amid tsunami rumblings
A flurry of undersea earthquakes off Thailand’s southern coast has put experts on high alert and locals are being urged to brush up on their evacuation plans, just in case. A popular Thai science page has warned that over 15 moderate tremors have rocked the Andaman Sea in the past few days, sparking fears of an underwater volcanic eruption —…
- Thailand News
Husband hides in pineapple field after Sri Racha knife rampage
A newlywed’s flat turned into a house of horror after a blazing row between a young couple ended in bloodshed, with the husband fleeing into a pineapple field to dodge arrest in Sri Racha. Police were called to a rented room in Moo 5, Khao Khansong, Sri Racha, just after 7pm, Monday, June 23 where they found 21 year old…
