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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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Sponsored Why retirees in Thailand are choosing long-term health insurance over quick fixes
Retirees in Thailand are increasingly seeing the importance of health insurance in protecting their well-being during retirement. With insurance requirements for retirement visas and rising healthcare costs, many are moving away from short-term plans and choosing long-term coverage. Long-term health...
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Thailand’s aviation authority may lift Nok Air flight suspension
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) is considering lifting the international flight suspension for Nok Air after the airline submitted a safety improvement plan. The CAAT had initially halted Nok Air’s international operations due to safety standard concerns. Nok Air’s management has now provided documentation outlining their commitment to meeting CAAT’s safety requirements. The CAAT will evaluate the submitted…
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Phuket’s Patong Tunnel greenlit with 11-billion-baht budget
Phuket’s much-anticipated Patong Tunnel project has been given the green light, but with a hefty price tag of 11 billion baht and a new set of roadblocks ahead. On August 26, the Cabinet approved a major shift in the project’s investment model, paving the way for the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) to take direct control of the construction. The…
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Cambodian smugglers caught with illegal cigarettes in Sa Kaeo
Yesterday, September 3, immigration police, excise officials, and the 13th ranger task force collaborated to arrest a group involved in the illegal cigarette trade near the border in Khlong Hat district, Sa Kaeo province. The operation followed complaints from locals at Baan Khao Din market about suspicious activities involving untaxed cigarettes. The police conducted a sting operation, which led them…
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Phumtham faces legal heat over House dissolution request
A political uproar has erupted after caretaker Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai sought royal approval to dissolve the House of Representatives. Yesterday, September 3, a list MP and political activist filed a complaint with the police accusing Phumtham of lese majeste. The move has sparked allegations of corruption and malfeasance in office, with accusations that he exceeded his authority. Suratin Pichan…
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2 more victims die in hospital following murder-suicide in Pathum Thani
Two more victims, including a 13 year old girl, died at a hospital following a murder-suicide committed by a Thai man who was caught having a romantic affair with the teenage victim, his sister-in-law. The 35 year old Thai man, Kiattisak, carried out the murder-suicide at the home of his wife, 26 year old Nannaphat, in the Khlong Luang district…
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Political showdown: Thailand’s House to vote on new PM tomorrow
Thailand’s House of Representatives will vote tomorrow to elect a new Prime Minister, following the dismissal of Paetongtarn Shinawatra. The outcome could reshape the country’s political landscape. As stipulated by the Constitution, the entire Cabinet was removed from office, with the caretaker government remaining in place until a new administration is formed. In response to the ongoing political turmoil, the…
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Mystery woman’s body found in suitcase weighed down with dumbbell
A woman’s body was discovered in a suitcase at a reservoir in Huai Yai subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, weighed down with a 15-kilogramme dumbbell. The deceased’s identity and nationality remain unknown, and it’s estimated that she had been dead for at least five days. Yesterday, September 3, at the Huai Yai Police Station meeting room, Deputy Provincial Police…
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Heavy rain warning issued for 35 Thai provinces including Bangkok
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a weather forecast warning for Thailand, highlighting 35 provinces, including Bangkok, which is expected to experience heavy rain covering 70% of the area. Residents in Ranong, Chanthaburi, and Trat are advised to be vigilant against potential flash floods and forest runoff. This is due to a monsoon trough passing over northern and northeastern…
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Chiang Mai tuk tuk driver denies physically assaulting Chinese tourist
A Thai tuk tuk driver in Chiang Mai denied physically assaulting a Chinese tourist after a video of the pair’s confrontation went viral on TikTok. The Chinese tourist, who posted the clip to his account, @ailong165, on August 29, claimed the incident occurred at about 8.45pm on August 28 in Chiang Mai Old Town. According to the tourist, the driver shouted…
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Sri Lanka brews Thai ties with world-famous Ceylon tea
Sri Lanka is banking on its world-famous Ceylon tea to deepen ties with Thailand, using the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations as the perfect occasion to showcase its prized export. On Monday, September 1, the Sri Lankan Embassy in Bangkok hosted a glittering evening reception titled Ceylon Tea Finest Evening. The event spotlighted the nation’s premium teas while highlighting their…
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Pattaya monks slammed for loitering at markets for alms
Pattaya’s bustling markets are under scrutiny after officials found monks standing outside shops and food stalls waiting for alms, behaviour critics say undermines the sanctity of Buddhist practice. The inspections, led by Bang Lamung District Chief Officer along with subdistrict monks and local agencies, followed complaints that monks were abandoning their traditional morning alms rounds, known as pindapata. Instead of…
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Foreign motorcyclists slammed for risky U-turn on Phuket traffic island
Thai netizens criticised two foreign motorcyclists for making a U-turn by riding onto a traffic island in Phuket, with some suggesting they were simply following the example set by Thai motorists. The Phuket Times Facebook page shared a video of the incident yesterday, September 2, with the caption, “Very dangerous! Foreigners in Phuket at a U-turn near Thai Watsadu on…
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Bangkok hotels face crunch as occupancy rates tumble
Bangkok’s hotel industry is heading into a storm in the second half of this year, with falling occupancy rates, soaring competition and a sharp drop in Chinese arrivals casting a shadow over the capital’s hospitality market. A report by Knight Frank Chartered (Thailand) revealed that average occupancy slipped by 3.7% to 75.1% in the first half of this year, while…
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Thai woman finds missing husband’s skeleton in septic tank
A Thai woman discovered a skeleton in a septic tank at her home in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima, which she believed to be the remains of her husband, who had gone missing three years ago. The 60 year old woman, Thawee Paekratoke, called officers from Nong Boon Mak Police Station to her home in the Laem Thong sub-district,…
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Phuket man wanted after stabbing wife in domestic row
Police in Phuket are hunting a man who allegedly stabbed his wife with a pair of scissors during a row at a motorcycle repair shop in Thalang. The attack happened at around 7pm yesterday, September 2, opposite the Thai Watsadu store in Srisoonthorn. The victim, 38 year old Pornpana Manhan, was stabbed in the back and rushed to Thalang Hospital…
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Woman’s body found in suitcase in Chon Buri reservoir
A disturbing discovery has been made in Chon Buri, where a woman’s body was found in a suitcase weighed down with dumbbells, floating in a reservoir. The investigation is ongoing, as police work to solve the case. Today, September 3, a report was received by Police Lieutenant Mintharatit Thongsai of the Huai Yai Police Station regarding a suspicious suitcase emitting…
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Bangkok Purple Line project probed after dead fish found
Bangkok officials have launched an urgent probe after thousands of fish were found dead in a Thon Buri canal, with the blame falling on the construction of the new Purple Line electric train. Deputy Bangkok governor Wissanu Subsompon led a team of Drainage Department officers and environmental experts to Khlong Samre near Soi Somdet Phra Chao Taksin 21 following alarmed…
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E-motorcycle company accused of dodging responsibility after battery blast
A Thai policewoman accused an e-motorcycle company of denying responsibility after a vehicle’s battery explosion caused damage amounting to about 10 million baht to her and her neighbour’s property. Police Lieutenant Colonel Manchupa Subwilawan brought the case to renowned lawyer Porramate “Kaew” Chaiphatcharakunpong, fearing that she and her husband’s plea for justice would go unnoticed. She stated that the electric…
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17 year old teenage boys gang rape three 14 year old girl in Pathum Thani
Today, 3 September, at 10.30am, Sergeant Kings Taengthim of Saphan Mai brought the parents of three 14 year old girls to file a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), seeking legal action against a group of 5 to 6 teenage boys, around 17 years old, who allegedly committed rape and gang rape in Nong Suea District, Pathum Thani Province.…
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Bangkok Airways warns of U-Tapao airport pull-out
Thailand’s ambitious U-Tapao Airport project may be about to hit turbulence, with the consortium behind the 290-billion-baht development warning it could walk away after years of delays and government inaction. Bangkok Airways CEO Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth confirmed that U-Tapao International Aviation Co Ltd (UTA), in which the airline holds a 45% stake, has asked for one month to decide whether to…
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Thailand’s oldest hippo Mae Mali prepares for 60th birthday bash
Thailand’s most famous hippo is about to become the star of a birthday party like no other. Mae Mali, the beloved hippopotamus at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chon Buri, will celebrate her 60th birthday with a three-day festival complete with games, exhibitions and a giant fruit cake. The celebrations will run from September 6 to 8 at the zoo’s…
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Phuket Airport stages emergency drill as safety test Friday
Passengers flying through Phuket International Airport this Friday morning can expect to see chaos, but only as part of a full-scale emergency drill. Airport officials confirmed that the exercise, scheduled for 9am on Friday, September 5, will simulate a major incident under the Airport Contingency Plan. The goal is to sharpen safety standards and ensure staff are fully prepared to…
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Phuket man sets ex-girlfriend’s car on fire, blames anger and impulse
A Thai man in Phuket confessed to setting his ex-girlfriend’s car on fire two months after their relationship ended, admitting he acted on a foolish impulse and now regrets his actions. Officers from Wichit Police Station launched an urgent search for the suspect after the red hatchback belonging to 49 year old Thitipha Suppasamran was torched outside her home on…
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Constitutional Court defends ruling that ousted Paetongtarn as PM
Thailand’s political storm intensified today after the Constitutional Court stood firm on its decision to oust ex-Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, rejecting claims that the ruling was invalid due to a judge’s expired term. The court confirmed that its August 29 verdict, which removed Paetongtarn over alleged ethical misconduct linked to a leaked conversation with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, remains…
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Thailand video news “Nan River Reaches Highest Level in 14 Years, Flooding Reported”, Gen-X Business Leader Tops Poll as Thailand’s Preferred Prime Minister, Thaksin backs Prayut”
Thailand’s week has been marked by sharp contrasts—plans for a VAT hike to ease fiscal pressures, polls showing rising support for a Gen-X business leader as prime minister, and the Nan River’s worst flooding in 14 years. Meanwhile, violent clashes, sexual assault allegations in the film industry, and outrage over flag disrespect stirred public debate. Adding to the…
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Military officer arrested for fake flu vaccine scam in Thailand
A military medical officer was apprehended for allegedly deceiving over 200 military personnel in South Sudan with fake influenza vaccines. Yesterday, September 2, Police Major General Witthaya Sriprasert ordered Police Colonel Manoon Kaewgam to collaborate with Jarong Kraomao, director of the Bureau of Special Investigations, and Phairoj Niyomdecha, director of the Investigation and Intelligence Operations Group 2, from the National…
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Thai man attacked, seriously injured by wild bull in plantation
A Thai man sustained serious injuries after being attacked by a wild bull in a pineapple plantation in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan yesterday, September 2. The community leader, Arunchai Sommit, contacted the Luang Phor Nai Kuti Wat Kui Buri Rescue Foundation to transport the injured man, 64 year old Somsak, from the pineapple plantation in the Kui…
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Phuket’s pricey new night market flop shut in 2 months
Phuket’s newest night market has turned into a multimillion-baht flop, shutting its doors just two months after opening in a blaze of publicity. The 30 million baht Plern Pao Night Market, near Surin Circle’s clocktower roundabout, closed abruptly this week. Organiser Plern Pao Co Ltd issued a notice on Monday, September 1, confirming the shutdown and instructing vendors to collect…
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Pattaya woman escapes knife attack in abandoned building
A woman in Pattaya has told how she narrowly escaped a brutal knife attack after being lured into an abandoned building by a man posing as a Good Samaritan. The 47 year old victim, identified only as B, said she feared for her life after being beaten, stripped and threatened with rape and murder before escaping on her motorcycle. The…
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Nigerian dealer and Thai girlfriend arrested in Samut Prakan
Yesterday, September 2, police arrested a Nigerian drug dealer and his Thai girlfriend in their apartment on Srinakarin Road, Samut Prakan. They were found with cocaine and related assets, following a tip-off about their drug activities in the Sukhumvit area. The suspects were identified as 33 year old UKWE Vincent Chisom from Nigeria and 30 year old Thai national Kesinee,…
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