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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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American man convicted in Thai man’s death released
A court in the United States ordered the release on probation of an African-American man convicted over the death of the 84 year old Thai man Vicha Ratanaphakdee in San Francisco in 2021. The judge ruled he had already completed the custodial portion of his eight-year sentence after receiving credit for time served and placed him on five years of…
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Man sounds horn, shouts for PM outside Government House
An elderly man rode a motorcycle to the front of the Thai Khu Fah Building at Government House on March 30 and shouted for Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, calling for fairness and financial assistance, according to Thai media reports. Reporters at Government House in Dusit, Bangkok, said the incident happened shortly after Anutin left the compound at 10.20am to carry…
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Thai victim loses 25,000 baht after falling for Saddam fortune scam
A Thai man lost 25,000 baht after a scammer persuaded him to pay a tax to secure US$1.5 million, or about 49 million baht, allegedly taken from the vault of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. The victim filed a complaint with officers at Phetchakasem Police Station, saying he transferred the money to a woman on March 20. He told police…
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Phuket airport immigration delay blamed on system fault, paid fast lane denied
Immigration police have denied claims that Phuket International Airport opened a paid “special lane” for passengers, saying recent queues were caused by a temporary system slowdown during an unusually busy flight period. On Saturday, March 29, Police Colonel Phongthon Phongrattanant, deputy commander and spokesperson for Immigration Division 2, said the agency reviewed reports circulating online about operations at the airport’s…
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Family seeks answers after 7 year old boy dies after swimming class
The family of a seven year old student criticised teachers at Saint Joseph Yannawa School in Bangkok after the boy drowned during a swimming class on March 25. The boy, identified as Mon, passed away and was found underwater at the school’s swimming pool. His family shared the case with the Facebook page พระราม 3 ต้องรอด (Rama II must survive),…
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Thailand clinches deal with Iran for safe oil route via Hormuz
Thailand has reached a Strait of Hormuz oil deal with Iran to allow Thai oil tankers to transit the waterway safely, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Saturday, March 28, as the government adjusts its response to energy market volatility. Anutin announced the agreement during a press briefing titled “One month of global crisis: Thailand’s plan for a changed world”…
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Finnish tourist loses Rolex watch and cash to Pattaya bar workers
A Finnish tourist reported the theft of a Rolex watch worth more than 700,000 baht and 5,000 baht in cash after bringing two Thai bar workers back to his hotel in the Jomtien area of Pattaya in the early hours of today, March 30. The victim, 30 year old Kenneth Mikael Konttinen, filed a complaint at Mueng Pattaya Police Station…
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Surin checkpoint stop exposes drink-driving monk in disguise
A drunk monk was arrested at a checkpoint in Surin early on March 27 after police said he was disguised in a wig while driving in a pickup, with a woman passenger and a handgun later found during a search. The pickup truck was stopped at about 12.05am on Krung Si Nok Road in Mueang Surin. Officers reported the driver…
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Bridge linking Lumpini and Benchakitti park set to open on May 1
Bangkok runners and walkers will soon be able to travel between Lumpini Park and Benchakitti Park via the Lumpini Green Bridge. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) officials are expecting an informal opening on May 1. Deputy Bangkok governor Chakkapan Phewngam visited the project site in Pathum Wan district to follow up on work overseen by the Environment Department. He was…
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Thailand PM apologises for fuel issues, lifts price caps
Thailand’s prime minister has apologised for the country’s fuel management issues, blaming prolonged disruptions on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Anutin Charnvirakul said the decision to end fuel price caps was taken to curb oil smuggling and ease shortages. Speaking at a press conference at Government House in Bangkok on Saturday, Anutin addressed the situation following a month…
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Motorway shooting probed after body found in Nakhon Ratchasima
A man was found dead on the shoulder of the M6 motorway in Sung Noen district, Nakhon Ratchasima, late last night, March 28, with police treating the case as a shooting while they work to identify the suspect. Highway Police from Station 3, Sub-division 8, Highway Police Division were alerted at about 8pm after a tow-truck driver reported a man…
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Two women injured after shooting near Pattaya Music Festival site
Two women were seriously injured in a shooting near the Pattaya Music Festival 2026 event site in Bang Lamung, Chon Buri, late on March 27, before police arrested a suspect and seized a 9mm pistol. Police were notified at 10.46pm of shots fired near a restaurant on Na Kluea Road, close to Lan Pho Market in Na Kluea. Tourists in…
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Long queues at Phuket Airport raise ‘special paid lane’ questions
Claims of a “special paid lane” at outbound immigration in Phuket have circulated online after photos showed long queues at Phuket International Airport over the weekend, according to reports yesterday, March 28. Images shared from the Phuket Info Centre page showed large numbers of tourists queuing at the Immigration Bureau checkpoint on the international departures side. The images prompted widespread…
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Thai authorities target fake local businesses in Krabi tourism sector
Thailand’s Department of Business Development has stepped up its crackdown on nominee businesses in Koh Lanta, Krabi, deploying a multi-agency team to investigate foreign-owned operations disguised as local companies. On March 26 and 27, investigators from the department were joined by the Department of Tourism, Krabi’s Tourism and Sports Office, the Tourist Police Bureau, Immigration Bureau, and Krabi’s Commerce Office.…
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Chinese expat faces uncertainty over visa rules in Thailand
A 34 year old Chinese national living in Pattaya is facing an uncertain future in Thailand after his visa application was rejected and the country weighs tighter entry rules for long-term foreign residents. Cui Heng arrived in Thailand in July 2023 on a tourist visa, initially exploring whether the country could become a long-term home rather than a temporary escape.…
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85,000 litres of diesel seized off Sattahip in fuel smuggling case
A suspected fuel smuggling case was uncovered on March 27 off Sattahip, Chon Buri, after the Royal Thai Navy and multiple agencies inspected a tugboat and found 85,000 litres of diesel with no clear origin. The First Naval Area Command, working with Thai-MECC Region 1 and agencies including the Marine Department and the Excise Department, inspected a vessel off Sattahip…
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Thai and foreign residents protest at US Consulate in Chiang Mai
Yesterday, March 28, about 50 Thai and foreign residents gathered outside the US Consulate General in Chiang Mai to protest the United States’ war with Iran and to call for an end to the conflict. The group, calling itself CNX4PEACE, held placards criticising the United States’ military action and urging peace. A representative of the demonstrators read a statement calling…
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Cicada Covid variant prompts caution as cases rise abroad
A Thai health official has warned the public to monitor the new Covid-19 variant known as Cicada, which has been detected in several countries including Japan, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Jessada Boonyawongwiwat, deputy director of Maharaj Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, said the World Health Organisation has urged caution over the variant due to its potential to spread rapidly and…
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Man found dead in Udon Thani field after headshot
A man was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head in a field in Ban Dung district, Udon Thani, on March 27. His wife disclosed his alleged involvement with drug dealers, while police are also investigating a land sale dispute and a missing relative as part of the case. Police Colonel Phongphan Nakwa, along with officers from Ban…
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Teen’s tragic death sparks call for school safety investigation
A 14 year old girl died following a motorcycle accident after her school allowed her to leave campus without notifying her guardian, raising concerns about student safety protocols and prompting calls for a formal investigation. On March 27, the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women received a complaint from a 43 year old aunt, who travelled from Saraburi province carrying…
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Oil company accused of inflating fuel prices by 10 baht per litre
An Ang Thong oil company has been reported to police for allegedly overcharging on fuel, adding nearly 10 baht per litre above the permitted transport cost of 0.16 baht per litre. On March 27, Sikan Fueangfung, the Ang Thong commerce official and secretary of the provincial committee on prices of goods and services, met with Police Lieutenant Colonel Mongkol Pantaa,…
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Bangkok Airways hikes ticket prices amid rising oil costs
Bangkok Airways is raising ticket prices and adding fuel surcharges from April 1 as oil prices climb to between US$170 and US$180 per barrel. The airline is hedging 30% of its fuel costs and is keeping a close watch on the situation, warning that its annual plan could need revising if prices stay elevated. CEO Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth said domestic fares…
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Italian drug user arrested on Koh Chang after argument with Thai wife
Koh Chang police arrested an Italian man for drug use today, March 27, after a caretaker at his rented house called officers to intervene in a violent argument between him and his Thai wife. Koh Chang Police Station officers were called to the couple’s home at about 9.50am and found them arguing outside the accommodation. Police identified the Italian man…
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British mother seeks woman seen with son before his death in Bangkok hotel
A British mother is trying to identify and contact a foreign woman who was seen with her son, Joshua Kershaw, shortly before he was found dead at a hotel in Sukhumvit area of Bangkok in January. The family of 21 year old British man Joshua began searching for him on social media after losing contact on January 12. Joshua spoke…
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Phuket man arrested for groping 4 Thai and foreign women
Police arrested a Thai man for sexually assaulting at least four women in the Chalong area of Phuket throughout March. Chalong Police Station said it received four reports of sexual assault from four victims, including Thai and foreign nationals. Police said the incidents caused fear in the area, and some victims were injured while trying to break free from the suspect.…
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Tourist says they fear dogs, not humans, when walking on Thai streets
A foreign tourist has shared a video comparing walking safety in California and Thailand, saying she felt less concerned about people in Thailand but stayed alert for dogs that might chase her on the street. In the clip, the tourist described what she called the “main differences between California and Thailand” when walking outdoors. She said that in the United…
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DSI ends proceedings against ex-abbot of Phra Dhammakaya Temple
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) announced the terminated legal proceedings against the former abbot of Phra Dhammakaya Temple in Pathum Thani and the owner of the Victoria’s Secret massage parlour in Bangkok. The former abbot, Chaiyabun Suddhipol, better known as Luang Por Dhammajayo, was accused of money laundering and receiving stolen goods after funds described as illegal were found…
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Screams heard during hunt for woman carried uphill, no trace found
Rescue workers and police launched a search for a missing woman at Khao Song Phi Nong in Chon Buri after a resident reported seeing two men carrying an unconscious woman uphill and returning without her on March 26. The Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Pattaya team said locals reported the incident over concerns the woman may have been harmed. Volunteers coordinated with…
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Couple allegedly beaten by 50 men at Samut Prakan gambling den
A man asked the Sai Mai Must Survive page for help yesterday, March 26, alleging he and his girlfriend were assaulted by a group of more than 50 men inside an illegal gambling den in Samut Prakan, leaving them seriously injured. At 2.30pm, 33 year old Somboon filed a complaint with Ekaphop Lueangprasert, founder of the Sai Mai Must Survive page,…
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Thailand News | Thailand to begin tougher nationwide traffic crackdown, Thailand freezes prices on essential goods amid regional tensions
Today we’ll be talking about a new nationwide crackdown on traffic violations set to begin April 1st, a half a million baht Rolex theft from a Porsche in Phuket, and a little later just how effective has Thailand’s vaping ban been? New numbers show that habit is on the rise despite stricter policies. Thailand to Begin Tougher Nationwide Traffic Crackdown…
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