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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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100,000 people now hospitalised in the US as daily deaths from Covid-19 surpass 3,000 on Wednesday
The US’s single-day toll for Covid-19 deaths passed 3,000 people for the first time on Wednesday. Yesterday the US recorded its 14 millionth coronavirus case, with the local pandemic currently racing out of control. Wednesday’s death toll of 3,157 people came as hospitalisations surpassed 100,000 for the first time. The US has recored 1 million additional cases of Covid-19 in less…
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Severe flooding in southern Thailand kills 7
Heavy flooding in the south of the country has killed 7 people, while many others have been injured. The worst of the flooding, which has affected 9 provinces, is in Nakhon Si Thammarat, which has had over 6 days of persistent rain. In total, the floods have affected over 261,000 households and tens of thousands of people, including a 14-month-old…
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The BTS Law, South Korean parliament amends conscription law to allow Jin to stay with BTS
Many countries still have compulsory military conscription, where young men, usually, are enlisted to serve under their country’s military services. Thailand has it, so does Singapore, Myanmar and Cambodia in our immediate sphere. So does South Korea. That’s a problem for pop kings BTS. Of course the 18 – 24 months becomes a disruption to your life and your career,…
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K-Pop fan-funded billboards move from BTS and MRT stations to tuks tuks to support protesters
K-Pop fan-funded “happy birthday” billboards are moving from mass transit stations in Bangkok to tuk tuks after the BTS Skytrain and MRT Bangkok Metro temporarily shut down services during pro-democracy protests last month. The world’s K-Pop fans are weaponising their huge numbers and online ‘power’ by supporting Thailand’s pro-democracy movement. In 3 days last month, Thai and overseas K-pop fans…
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Man shot and killed outside Bangkok restaurant
A man was shot to death at a parking lot outside a restaurant in Bangkok’s Noi district. Police, accompanied by a doctor from the Siriraj Hospital, arrived at the scene around 2am this morning and found 49 year old Damrong Taweekkhet with 2 gunshot wounds in his chest. Damrong, a fruit vendor, was chatting with his friends in the parking…
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5 people killed in Nakhon Si Thammarat flash flooding
5 people died from the flash floods in Nakhon Si Thammarat after several days of heavy rain, according to Governor Kraisorn Wisitwong. Disaster mitigation officers have rescued locals from several districts who had to evacuate their homes due to the extensive flooding. The 5 deaths were in the districts Noppitam, Phra Phrom, Chalerm Phra Kiat and Chawang. Thousands of households…
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4 years until tourism industry gets back to pre-pandemic levels – Finance Ministry
It could take 4 years for Thailand’s tourism industry to recover after being battered by the lack of travel due to the coronavirus pandemic, the government’s reaction and the economic fallout, according to the Finance Ministry. While local and international experts project Thailand’s economy will continue to recover over the next 2 years, the tourism industry, which directly contributes 12-15%…
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Chon Buri man drives pickup truck into ex-girlfriend’s house in jealous rage – VIDEO
Police in the Pan Thong district of the eastern province of Chon Buri are hunting a 34 year old man who deliberately drove his pickup truck into his ex-girlfriend’s home in a fit of jealousy. His 42 year old ex, Uraiwan Kotsombat, has pleaded with police to find Chalermkiet Osodroob, saying he has previously threatened to burn her house down.…
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2 infected Thai women took domestic flights after illegal crossing from Myanmar
2 Thai women, both infected with Covid-19, took domestic flights after entering the Kingdom illegally from Myanmar and bypassing health checks and quarantine. It’s understood that a total of 10 Thai women have now crossed illegally from Myanmar, without undergoing any health checks or carrying out mandatory quarantine. All 10 have tested positive for Covid-19, with several having worked in…
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Heavy rain wreaks havoc in flood-ravaged Nakhon Si Thammarat
The governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat has put the disaster mitigation office on high alert, following 6 days of heavy rain in the southern province. Large swathes of land are underwater after extensive flooding that has affected tens of thousands of people in the region. The Bangkok Post reports that governor Kraisorn Wisitwong says floods have been recorded in 351…
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Economists say new local Covid-19 cases could slow tourism recovery
Some are concerned about a potential second coronavirus outbreak after 10 Thai women tested positive for Covid-19 after returning from Myanmar’s Tachileik district. Some travelled to Bangkok and Chiang Mai after returning. A second wave of infections will stall the recovery of domestic tourism and Thailand’s overall economy that has been battered by the pandemic, according to the National Economic…
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Cabinet approves extension, upgrade of stimulus measures, welfare payments
The government has given the green light to the extension and refinement of a number of economic stimulus schemes and welfare payments. 43.5 billion baht has been set aside to fund an extension of the current co-payment scheme and the welfare card program. It’s understood 22.5 billion baht will go to phase 2 of the co-payment scheme, with 21 billion…
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Court acquits PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, allowing him to stay on at military residence
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha will be staying in office and at his military residence. Bangkok’s Constitutional Court ruled today that the prime minister and former Thai general and commander of the Thai Army has not violated the charter by occupying a military-owned residence. The court says under military regulations, former officers can remain at their Army residence after their retirement at…
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United Kingdom approves new Covid-19 vaccine, first jabs start next week
The United Kingdom approved the new Covid-19 vaccine by Pfizer-BioNTech for emergency use and will start injections next week. The UK became the first country in the world to license the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which Pfizer says marks a historic moment in the fight against the coronavirus. The UK purchased 40 million doses of the vaccine and 800,000 doses will be…
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Nakhon Si Thammarat hit by floods, more rain expected in the South
Flooding in the southern province Nakhon Si Thammarat has affected thousands of residents with some evacuating their homes due to the rising water level. Heavy to very heavy rain is expected to continue in the South and the Thai Meteorological Department is warning residents in the lower southern provinces to beware of severe conditions that may cause flash floods and…
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Chinese probe collects rock samples from surface of the Moon
The Chinese, like the rest of us, are mostly prohibited from travelling at the moment, but it hasn’t stopped them travelling to the Moon. A Chinese space probe has landed on the surface of the Moon to bring back the first lunar samples in nearly 5 decades. Since the US dropped its Apollo missions to the Moon in 1972, the…
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Thai Airways to resume flights from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and Phuket
After nearly 9 months on the ground due to the coronavirus pandemic, along with problems balancing their accounts, Thai Airways will resume flights between Bangkok and Chiang Mai as well as Bangkok and Phuket later this month. The flights will start back up on Christmas day. Flights from Bangkok to the 2 key tourist provinces have been grounded since April…
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97 police officers investigated for fiddling Covid-19 payments
97 police officers, from 41 police stations, are currently being investigated for an alleged scam involving Covid-19 payments meant for officers who worked extra shifts during the crisis. The case was assigned by national police chief Suwat Jangyodsuk in November, when it came to light that some officers may have fraudulently claimed allowances meant for others. In one incident, an…
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Speed limit on Thailand’s highways to be increased to 120 kilometres an hour
The government has approved an official increase in the upper speed limit on Thailand’s national and rural highways, with the aim of improving traffic flow. The new maximum speed limit of 120 kilometres per hour has been confirmed by spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul, after the Cabinet approved a draft regulation proposed by the Transport Ministry. If you’ve ever driven on a…
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6 million baht lottery winner chose ticket number after a dream
A grand prize Thai government lottery winner, taking home 6 million baht, says she chose the ticket number after a dream she had. 56 year old Ratri Kadnok, the Krabuangnoi village chief in Nakhon Rachasima, had a dream that she was driving her motorbike and the key broke. When she woke up, she told her son to find a ticket…
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“ASQ… Paradise?” TAT launches search website to find hotels for a “happy quarantine”
“Quarantine paradise” sounds like an oxymoron, but the Tourism Authority of Thailand put the two contradictory words together for the new project “ASQ Paradise.” Under the project, a website was launched allowing users to search for alternative state quarantine hotels in Thailand for a “happy quarantine.” TAT partnered with the Thailand-based company Locanation for the website which features 107 ASQ…
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Court to deliver verdict on PM’s military residence this afternoon
Security is expected to be extremely tight at Bangkok’s Constitutional Court today, as the ruling in the matter of the PM’s residence is delivered. Prayut Chan-o-cha is accused of violating army rules by occupying a military residence rent-free, despite having retired from the army in 2014. Critics say his tenancy represents a conflict of interest. Should the court agree with…
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Bangkok is the best leisure city in the Asia Pacific – Business Traveller Asia-Pacific
Despite few travellers actually being able to visit Thailand’s capital, including ‘business travellers, readers of Business Traveller Asia-Pacific have again named Bangkok the ‘Best Leisure City in the Asia-Pacific’. The Big Mango retains the top ranking on the list for the 5th consecutive year. Bangkok also got third place in the ranking of the Best Business city in the Asia.…
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Protesters switch today’s rally venue, will now take place at Lad Phrao intersection
A planned protest outside the Constitutional Court in Bangkok this afternoon will now take place at the Lad Phrao Intersection, in the Chatuchak district. The Ratsadon (People’s Party) group have announced the change on the Facebook page of fellow activists, the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration. The rally is expected to kick off at 4pm. It was originally due…
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Thailand News Today | No ‘tourism’ until Q2, Tiger smuggling, Win drivers jailed | Dec 1
Thailand will remain closed to general tourism until at least the 2nd quarter of 2021 Kiss any resemblance of general tourism to Thailand goodbye, at least until march next year, at the earliest. That’s the outlook for Thailand’s beleaguered tourism industry from the usually optimistic Minster for Sports and Tourism. So, apart from the STV and the modified 60 day…
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Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce to propose Guangzhou-Phuket tourism route
A tourism route from Guangzhou, China to Phuket could help the island province recover from the recession brought on by the pandemic and lack of foreign travel, according to the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce. The president of the organisation, Narongsak Puttapornmongkol, says they plan to submit a letter proposing the route under a travel bubble scheme to the Centre for…
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Ferry operators offer discounted trips to Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao
Tourist boat operators, Seatran Ferry and Lomprayah High Speed Ferries, are offering discounted trips for groups travelling on the weekdays to the Surat Thani islands Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao. From now until December 31, groups of at least 4 people can purchase discounted tickets for inbound trips from Sunday to Thursday, excluding public holidays. 30 baht…
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Isaan woman saves her husband from elephant attack
A woman saved her husband from a wild elephant attack by screaming and banging objects together, driving the elephant away with the loud noises. 33 year old Supat Klonsalab, a rubber tapper in the Isaan province Bueng Kan, is being treated at a local hospital. Luckily, his injuries from being stomped by the elephant are not severe. 37 year old…
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Doctors warn against internet claims that popular herb cures cancer
Medics from the National Cancer Institute are urging Thai netizens not to fall for internet claims that a herb known as Khao Thong can cure cancer. The herb, with the scientific classification, Houttuynia cordata, is also known as fish leaf or heart leaf, but Jida Rojanamethin from the National Cancer Institute, says social media users shouldn’t believe unsubstantiated claims about…
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Suvarnabhumi expansion being reviewed in line with “new normal” expectations
The 44 billion baht northern expansion of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport is being revised, to meet “new normal” requirements, according to Airports of Thailand. AOT president, Nitinai Sirismatthakarn, says the process will take 1 or 2 months to complete. Nation Thailand reports that the airport’s new northern terminal will have the capacity to handle 30 million passengers a year, with Nitinai…
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