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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 Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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St. Andrews International School, joins global event for children’s wellbeing
Press Release On 30 September, St. Andrews International School, Sathorn has planned activities involving the entire school community of children, parents and employees to mark Global Be Well Day, a worldwide event led by Cognita, the group of 85 schools of which St. Andrews Sathorn school is a member. Over 58,000 children around the world will be taking part to…
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Kanchanaburi experiences earthquake so minor hardly anyone notices it
A minor earthquake of magnitude 3.2 was recorded by seismologists in western Thailand’s Kanchanaburi province early this morning. No damage or injuries were recorded and the Bangkok Post says no one even felt the temblor. The Meteorological Department says the temblor happened just before 5am and was centred 6 kilometres underground, somewhere under the Sri Sawat district, and 50 kilometres…
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Thailand’s reopening divided into 4 phases
Thailand is looking toward the future as the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced yesterday its plan to gradually reopen the country. The CCSA’s plan consists of 4 phases that take into consideration tourism revenue, geography, and Covid preventive measures. Pilot phase: October 1 to October 31. Phuket, Surat Thani, including Koh Samui, Koh Pha-ngan and Koh Tao islands. Phang…
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Pattaya mayor confirms Pattaya reopening postponed to November
The Mayor of Pattaya City has officially confirmed the city’s reopening to vaccinated foreign tourists has been delayed to November. The announcement follows a similar one made by the centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, yesterday. The Pattaya City Mayor Sontaya Khunplomek says many provinces have delayed their reopening from October to November, including Chon Buri, the province Pattaya is situated…
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Tuesday Covid Update: 9,489 new cases and 129 deaths
Today, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 9,489 new cases and 129 coronavirus-related deaths. Since April 1, in Thailand’s latest wave of virus, the CCSA has recorded 1,552,552 confirmed covid-19 infections. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 12,805 recoveries. There are now 116,711 people in Thailand currently receiving treatment for Covid-19. Out of…
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Central Thailand told to prepare for possible flooding
Officials from Bangkok and the nearby provinces of Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani are being told to prepare for possible flooding, following the Royal Irrigation Department’s decision to accelerate the discharge rate of water from the Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat in expectation of more rain. Thanakorn Tantikul, director of the Ayutthaya irrigation projects says the move was made to…
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Government urged to clarify tourism marketing plan ahead of high season
Following the government’s decision to re-open a further 10 provinces to international visitors from November, tourism operators are calling for a clear plan ahead of high season. Yesterday, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration agreed a number of measures, including reducing curfew hours in the dark red provinces, allowing a number of businesses to re-open, and extending the emergency decree…
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Police say new approach is needed to fight crime using a combination of technology and community participation
15 police stations across the country are participating in an innovative project that joins technology with an interpersonal approach to tackle crime. National police chief Suwat Jangyodsuk says police must reevaluate how they fight crime. He insists police must be knowledgeable and study modern policing. Suwat says educated police work more efficiently in what can be a fluid social environment.…
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Member of European Parliament wants Bulgarian cops watched
At a press conference in Sofia recently, Sophie in’t Veld, the chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, accused Bulgarian Prosecutor General Ivan Zhev of invoking “extraordinary powers” to target the opposition. In ‘t Veld, who led a European Parliament delegation to Bulgaria in December to investigate reports of official misdeeds, said Zhev had…
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Maria Kolesnikova: A heart for Belarus
The sentencing was a rare opportunity for the public to see Maria Kolesnikova, who had spent nearly a year in pretrial detention. On September 6, a court in Minsk sentenced the opposition politician to 11 years in a penal colony on charges including “extremism.” Her colleague, Maksim Znak, got one year less. The pair, who challenged Belarus’ disputed presidential election,…
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Will China’s move against coal power improve its image in EU?
The Chinese government made the surprise announcement last week that it will stop building coal-fired power stations abroad, a decision that could put it in the good books of the increasingly eco-conscious European Union. The pledge was made by Chinese President Xi Jinping in a pre-recorded address to the UN General Assembly, although he gave few details and questions remain…
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Monday Covid Update: 10,288 new cases; provincial totals
101 new coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 16,369. The country’s latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1, has accounted for 16,275 of those fatalities. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 10,288 new Covid-19 cases and 12,494 recoveries. Thailand…
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Consumer complaints hotline targets rip-off shopkeepers
A nationwide hotline number is now in operation to allow consumers to file complaints against shop owners who overcharge for basic necessities. Nation Thailand reports that the Commerce Ministry has launched the 1569 hotline following complaints of excessive charges for essential goods. Shopkeepers are being warned they face penalties of over 7 years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of 140,000 baht…
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Phuket Car rental business says gang rented cars and then sold them off
The owners of a car rental business in Phuket are out 10 cars and vans after a gang said they wanted to rent the vehicles for business, including work with a large cannabis operation, but failed to return the vehicles. The owners say they are worried the vehicles have already been sold off in other provinces. One of the rental…
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Curfew shortened, Bangkok spas, gyms, cinemas can re-open from October
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has approved the re-opening of 10 business types in Bangkok and other dark red provinces. According to a Coconuts report, from Friday, spas, cinemas, and indoor gyms can re-open, along with pre-schools, museums, and tattoo parlours. The news is not so good for the owners of bars and clubs, which must still remain closed…
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TAT pushes for Indonesia, Malaysia to be added to approved list for Phuket sandbox
The Tourism Authority of Thailand says there is demand in the Malaysian and Indonesian markets, but both countries are currently off the approved list for the Phuket sandbox. The Bangkok Post reports that Sophon Tantayotai from the TAT’s Jakarta office says Indonesians are allowed to travel abroad but cannot avail of the Phuket sandbox, instead having to quarantine for 14…
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OnlyFans arrest sparks calls for reform of prostitution and pornography laws
Following the arrest of an OnlyFans content creator on pornography charges, there have been renewed calls in Thailand for sex work to be legalised. A woman, known as Nong Khai Nao, who is a content creator for the subscription platform, and her boyfriend, were arrested for filming sexual acts and posting it on OnlyFans. The site allows people to pay…
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DSI says land documents were illegally issued for the Phuket “Sri Panwa” resort
The luxury resort in Phuket accused of land encroachment will now be investigated by the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the Department of Land, and the Anti-Money Laundering Office. Thailand’s Department of Special Investigations looked into the “Sri Panwa” project in Phuket and said that the resort illegally acquired land rights documents. According to Nation Thailand, the DSI found that Sri Panwa…
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More than 3,000 houses affected by severe flooding in Chaiyaphum
Over 3,000 houses across 23 villages in the northeastern Thai province of Chaiyaphum have been affected by what is considered the most severe flooding in a century. Kittipong Thamsoparat, the Tambon Ban Phet Municipality mayor, says a massive volume of water has surged into the Bamnet Narong district by way of the nearby Thep Sathit district in Chaiyaphum, as well…
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12 Burmese migrant workers arrested in Kanchanaburi
12 Burmese migrant workers have been arrested near a border village in the Muang district in western Thailand’s Kanchanaburi province. Police say the group was arrested yesterday for illegal entry. The group of 5 men and 7 women were arrested by an army patrol from the Lat Ya Task Force around 4pm. The Bangkok Post says the group was hiding…
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CCSA to review curfew hours and allowing more businesses and venues to reopen
The nighttime curfew might be reduced by an hour and 11 types of business and venues might be able to resume service as the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration will review a proposal for such requests, today. If all goes well with the CCSA, the curfew would shrink back 1 hour to 10pm to 4am, compared to the now 9pm…
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Study says Covid has reduced life expectancy the most since WWII
The Covid pandemic has slashed life expectancy in 2020 by the greatest amount since WWII, says a study published today by Oxford University. The report says the life expectancy of American men has been reduced by over 2 years. The report goes on to say that life expectancy dropped by over 6 months juxtaposed with 2019 in 22 of the…
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Monday Covid Update: 10,288 new cases and 101 deaths
Today, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 10,288 new covid-19 cases and 101 coronavirus-related deaths. Since April 1, in Thailand’s latest wave of the virus, 1,543,063 confirmed Covid-19 cases have been reported. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 12,494 recoveries. There are now 120,156 people in Thailand currently receiving medical treatment for Covid-19.…
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PM surveys damage from floods, says government needs better plan to handle floods in the future
In light of recent heavy flooding that has swamped Thailand, including in Chaiyaphum where a hospital was forced to evacuate 40 patients, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has conceded that the government is at a loss on how to solve the country’s annual flood problems. The PM did say compensation for flood victims will be on the way shortly. Prayut’s comments come…
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Flooded hospital in Chaiyaphum had to evacuates 40 patients
Around Thailand, heavy rains and flooding have ravaged the country. Earlier this morning, 40 patients were emergency evacuated from Bamnet Narong Hospital in Chaiyaphum by rescue workers as the facility flooded. The hospital suffered severe damage as floodwaters caused the urgent evacuation as one of the buildings on the hospital campus was flooded up to 80 centimetres. An X-ray room…
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300,000 more AstraZeneca vaccines donated from Japan arrived
In a well-timed shipment, 300,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines have arrived in Bangkok today, a donation from Japan. Today is the anniversary of a milestone for Thailand and Japan, as September 26 is the anniversary of the original establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Today marks the 134th anniversary of the relationship between Japan and Thailand, a perfect…
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Extremely rare earthstar mushrooms found in Phetchabun
In Phetchabun, a local villager was clearing a forest area when he discovered what is believed to be earthstar mushrooms, one of the rarest species of fungi in the world. The extremely scarce mushroom is rumoured to cause a sensation of intoxication similar to being drunk if someone were to consume it despite technically being classified as inedible. The mushrooms,…
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Flood warnings below Chao Phraya Dam, and across Thailand
Authorities are warning of possible overflows and floods downstream from the Chao Phraya Dam. The rate of flow that is allowed to pass through the dam will increase in anticipation of a surge in water from the North and Northeast of Thailand where the weather systems are expected to dump heavy rains. The Royal Irrigation Department of Thailand put out the…
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10 Burmese migrant workers arrested in Songkhla
10 Burmese migrant workers were arrested this morning at a rubber plantation near the Malaysian border in the southern Thai province of Songkhla. Police say 7 migrant workers managed to evade capture. A combination of provincial and immigration police went to the plantation that is near the Dan Nok Village, opposite Malaysia’s Kedah State, in anticipation of a van full…
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Over 50 million vaccine doses administered in Thailand
Over 50 million Covid vaccines have been administered in Thailand after a record-setting 1.4 million doses were administered on Friday, which was set as a goal to commemorate Mahidol day. Of the doses administered on Friday, over half of them represent the first dose for the patients. The remaining doses were a booster shot, says government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana. The…
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