News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
-
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...
-
Teenager severely burnt in Molotov cocktail attack in Pattaya
In a sudden and brutal attack, a 16 year old teenager in Pattaya was the victim of a Molotov cocktail assault. The incident occurred in the wee hours of today, resulting in severe burns for the young boy. The location of the attack was Soi Khao Noi, situated in the Nong Prue sub-district, Banglamung district, within the province of Chon…
-
Severe drought in Uthai Thani prompts wildlife migration, risks for locals
Uthai Thani’s Huay Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary is grappling with a severe drought attributed to the El Nino phenomenon, prompting elephants and various other species to migrate into nearby regions in search of food, according to an official announcement. The sanctuary’s wildlife breeding station chief, Tonsak Nipanan, stated that wildlife has encroached upon the station’s area and beyond. The breeding…
-
Phuket tuk tuk driver shooting sparks alarm in bustling tourist hub
A rivalry between two tuk tuk drivers escalated to violence today when one of the drivers was shot in the stomach and thigh near the entrance of Bangla Road in Phuket. The incident occurred in the vicinity of TaiPan Nightclub, situated on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road, about 700 metres from Patong Police Station. Shortly after midnight, Patong Police were informed…
-
Indonesia introduces golden visa scheme to attract foreign investors
Indonesia has launched an initiative to draw foreign individual and corporate investors with the introduction of a golden visa scheme, aimed at bolstering the nation’s economy, according to an announcement made by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. The director-general of Indonesia’s immigration Silmy Karim explained the new long-term, high-value visa plan. “The golden visa is granting a residence…
-
Kazakh tourist drowned on Phuket beach after ignoring weather warning
The body of an 18 year old tourist from Kazakhstan, was discovered washed ashore drowned on Nai Yang Beach, Phuket. The man’s body was found two days after he was declared missing. He had reportedly gone for a swim amidst inclement weather on September 1 and failed to return, sparking a search operation. A lifeguard from Nai Yang Beach found…
-
Visa overstay charge lands international visitor in trouble at Phuket Airport
An international visitor was apprehended at Phuket International Airport this week, facing charges of overstaying his visa, according to the Phuket Immigration Checkpoint’s Facebook page managed by the airport division of Phuket Immigration. The arrest occurred on August 30, with the individual now at risk of being blacklisted under the Good Guys In, Bad Guys Out regulation. The man, whose…
-
Phuket Airport expansion to double capacity, costing 6 billion baht
Phuket International Airport is set to undergo a significant expansion, as approved by the Airports of Thailand (AoT). The project, which is currently in the design stage, is estimated to have a price of upwards of 6 billion baht. AoT’s President, Kerati Kijmanawat, highlighted the expansion as a primary agenda during Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s recent visit. The proposed airport…
-
Thai PM’s new weapons procurement plan to boost national economy
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is moving forward with plans to overhaul Thailand’s armed forces, beginning with a significant shift in weapons procurement procedures, a military source has confirmed. The new leader had a meeting with the heads of the armed forces last week, where they discussed the new government’s intended course of action concerning military and security matters. During this…
-
Thai government pledges better conditions for motorcycle taxi drivers
The Thai government has recently taken into account a series of grievances from motorcycle taxi drivers, tasking the Transport Ministry with the job of enhancing their working conditions. The decision was made yesterday, following a meeting between Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and representatives from the drivers’ community. The gathering took place at the Pheu Thai Party headquarters in Bangkok, marking…
-
Chinese developer Country Garden secures bond repayment delay amid liquidity crisis
Chinese developer, Country Garden, has successfully secured creditor approval to postpone a critical bond repayment deadline, narrowly dodging a potential default. This agreement provides temporary relief amidst a liquidity crisis that has significantly impacted the nation’s financial markets. Country Garden gained enough support in a vote concluded yesterday to extend payments on the 3.9 billion yuan (18 billion baht) outstanding…
-
Human trafficking victim rescued from Myanmar ring by Thai officials
Chiang Rai officials have successfully executed a rescue operation, saving a 29 year old Udon Thani woman, known as Nam, from a human trafficking ring in Myanmar. It was revealed that she had been coerced into providing sexual services to call centre employees in the Shan state by Chinese perpetrators. The incident was initially flagged by a citizen journalist from…
-
JKN Global reassures investors after bond payment rescheduling
JKN Global Group Plc (JKN), the owner of the Miss Universe Organization (MUO), reassured investors that its financial status is robust, despite a recent bond payment rescheduling caused by a liquidity mismatch. Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip, the chief executive and managing director, said at a briefing that the company is set to meet its revenue target of over 3 billion baht this…
-
Thai rice body urges government to focus on new rice strains
The Thai Rice Exporters Association is calling on the new government to avoid manipulating rice market prices and instead focus on the strategic production of new rice varieties. Chookiat Ophaswongse, the association’s honorary president, emphasised the importance of developing new rice strains to maintain competitiveness with other exporting nations. “This is crucial for the future of Thai rice. Following roadshows…
-
Bangchak acquires Esso Thailand bolstering network and refining capacity
In a significant move in Thailand’s petroleum sector, Bangchak Corporation secured a resounding acquisition of Esso Thailand. ExxonMobil Asia Holdings’ relinquishing of a 65.99% majority stake to Bangchak marks the completion of this transaction. As a consequence of this development, around 700 Esso petrol stations throughout the country will commence operations under Bangchak’s brand, starting tomorrow. Chaiwat Kovavisarach, the Group…
-
Blue Strike-2023: China and Thailand’s joint naval exercise
The Gulf of Thailand and the Sattahip district of Chon Buri will serve as the training grounds for the Blue Strike-2023 joint naval exercise, involving China and Thailand. Participation from Chinese warships and submarines has been confirmed for this annual drill. The exercise, which will extend from tomorrow to September 10, will take place in the upper reaches of the Gulf…
-
Phuket Blood Bank and Thai Red Cross launch donation drive for rare blood type
The Phuket Regional Blood Bank (Phuket RBC) in partnership with the local chapter of the Thai Red Cross and 20 local businesses, have initiated a campaign in September to restock their depleting blood reserves. This campaign invites the local populace to provide their valuable donations at any of the 20 mobile blood donation stations scattered across Phuket, commencing from 2pm…
-
Thai research probes herbal solutions to PM2.5 dust-related chronic diseases
In promising scientific research, experts are exploring the potential of three herbal plants in combatting chronic diseases connected to PM2.5 dust. The focal point of this collaborative project is to address the health challenges arising from prolonged exposure to harmful PM2.5 dust particles, a pressing concern in regions affected by air pollution. The collaborative efforts have seen researchers from Chaophraya…
-
Chiang Mai University launches Builds platform to boost student entrepreneurship
Chiang Mai University (CMU), in collaboration with the Stock Exchange of Thailand, has unveiled an entrepreneurial platform named “Builds”. This initiative is designed to assist students in transforming their research projects into profitable enterprises. Pongruk Sribanditmongkol, a CMU rector, expressed the institution’s ambitions to become an entrepreneurial hub, aiming to bolster its economic contribution to 60 billion baht within the…
-
Thai GPO’s Covid-19 vaccine set for 2023 launch, targets 10 million doses annually
Thailand’s National Vaccine Institute (NVI) is making significant strides with its first domestically produced Covid-19 vaccine, HXP-GPOVac. The vaccine, currently in its third stage of clinical trials, is on track to conclude this phase by the end of the month. This development represents a crucial step forward for Thailand’s efforts to continually combat the pandemic. The vaccine’s production is overseen…
-
Siriraj hospital offers free joint replacement surgeries to Nepal’s underprivileged
Free joint replacement surgeries will be offered to the underprivileged population of Lumbini, Nepal, courtesy of Siriraj Hospital. The groundbreaking initiative, dubbed ‘The Buddha’s First Step’, is a collaborative effort between the hospital and Love for Humanity, a corporate social responsibility project. Apichart Asavamongkolkul, the dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, revealed that the project…
-
Chalong underpass closure in Phuket tonight for essential pump repairs
Phuket’s Chalong Underpass will be inaccessible to all traffic tonight due to closure to perform critical repair works on the tunnel’s pump system. The Phuket Highways Office has issued a statement detailing the closure timings, which commence from 9pm today and extend until 5am tomorrow. This is not the first instance of such a closure; the region’s ongoing rainy season…
-
South Korea aims to boost Thai tourism with new campaign
South Korea, marking its 65th year of diplomatic relations with Thailand, is all set to attract more Thai tourists. This comes as part of a bilateral effort to revive the tourism industry in both countries, which shares a robust relationship economically, socially, and culturally. Covid-19 restrictions saw a decline in international tourism, with South Korea welcoming about 570,000 Thai tourists…
-
Surrogacy ring arrest in Bangkok linked to missing toddler case
A series of raids and an arrest have been carried out against an international surrogacy ring, suspected to be tied to last year’s missing toddler case in Bangkok. The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) this week searched three clinics in Bangkok and a building in Nong Khai, with a man apprehended for suspected involvement as an agent in the operation.…
-
Thailand’s free visa initiative to boost Chinese tourist influx by 700,000
Thailand‘s government’s initiative to issue free visas to visitors from China is expected to boost visitor figures by 700,000 during the high season, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). TAT governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool noted that Thailand typically receives between 350,000 and 400,000 Chinese visitors monthly, totalling 2.1 million in the first eight months of this year. Thailand accounted…
-
Thai motorcycle production to exceed 2.1 million units amid tourism rebound
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) is forecasting that motorcycle production this year will surpass the initial target of 2.1 million units. The revival of the tourism sector and the easing of the global semiconductor shortage are cited as the primary factors for this optimistic outlook. Surapong Paisitpatanapong, the vice-chairman and spokesperson for the FTI’s Automotive Industry Club, attributes this…
-
Thai Prime Minister pledges to tackle fisheries industry woes
Srettha Thavisin, the Thai Prime Minister, promised to address the issues plaguing the fisheries industry in his visit to Samut Songkhram yesterday. This move came after representatives from the industry called upon the newly formed government to revise laws to mitigate the effects of restrictions put in place to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Srettha stated that the…
-
Ratch Group earmarks 35 billion baht for business expansion
Thailand’s leading private power producer, Ratch Group Plc, remains steadfast in its decision to allocate a capital expenditure of 35 billion baht for the expansion of its operations in both the power and non-power sectors this year. Chief Executive Choosri Kietkajornkul said that out of this capital allocation, 29 billion baht is for investments in power generation. She further revealed…
-
Bangkok’s ‘Beautiful Roads’ project aims to enhance cityscape
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) initiated a new endeavour to enhance the city’s traffic islands, lands under expressways, and public pavements. The project, dubbed Beautiful Roads, aims to augment the overall landscape of roads, including road surfaces, traffic lights, light poles, on-road utilities, and the reorganisation of street food vendors, and roadside surroundings. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt revealed that the…
-
Miss Universe 2023 Official After Party: A glittering tribute to Studio 54
The glamour, the glitz, and the electric energy of an era gone by came alive once again at the Miss Universe 2023 Official After Party held at Escape Bangkok. This sensational event is hosted jointly by Megatix Thailand and TPN with an iconic Studio 54 theme, a name synonymous with the golden age of disco and extravagant nightlife. The night…
-
Toothpaste review uproar: 1.7 million baht lawsuit gets brushed aside
A legal case involving a young woman who reviewed a toothpaste brand and was subsequently sued for 1.7 million baht has been dropped, causing a stir on social media. The young woman had earlier requested justice after developing an allergic reaction to the toothpaste, leading to the brand’s owner suing her for damages, sparking widespread debate across various social media…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.