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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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Hidden electrical fault causes boiling ground and shocks central Thai district
A mysterious plume of smoke erupting from the ground yesterday left locals in the Bang Chakreng district perplexed. Residents were especially alarmed when a frog leapt into view, only to be cooked alive in some boiling water on the path. Importantly, it wasn’t until staff at the Electricity Authority switched off the power that the reason for this unusual happening was…
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Yoga attire of a woman on Hong Kong subway sparks online controversy
In Hong Kong, an online community member sparked a debate after he shared a picture of a woman, captured in secret, wearing yoga pants on a subway ride. Said woman, wearing a black top and skin-tight grey yoga pants, was engrossed in her phone when the picture was taken and put up on a public forum for criticism. The post,…
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Vietnamese man inherits 1.4 million baht from elderly mother-in-law’s banknote
A Vietnamese man cared for his frail and elderly mother-in-law at home, fulfilling his wife’s wishes to have her close by. This action yielded unexpected rewards when the woman’s death led to accidental wealth for him and his wife. Minh, a Vietnamese man, and his family welcomed his sick and elderly mother-in-law into their home as per the request of…
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Extramarital affair: Young girl exposes father’s infidelity, triggers divorce proceedings
In an unprecedented twist, a five year old girl found herself in the middle of a domestic fallout after revealing to her mother about her father’s extramarital affair. Jean, in her early thirties, was blindsided by her daughter’s revelation, sparking off an unravelling of their seemingly happy family life built over eight years of marriage. Jean and her spouse lived…
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High drama in Pattaya: Foreigner’s cappuccino turns fatal at ganja café
A foreign man met a tragic end at a marijuana shop in Pattaya, allegedly after consuming what the shop owner claimed was a cappuccino. The unfortunate incident occurred on Sunday, July 30, at a well-known ganja café situated on the bustling Walking Street. The identity of the deceased, Hamad Alblaiher, a 52 year old man of unknown nationality, was found…
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Fireworks fiasco: Narathiwat warehouse woes lead to married Thai culprits
In the aftermath of the harrowing fireworks explosion in Narathiwat province on Saturday, a disaster which resulted in 12 fatalities and left 121 people wounded, local authorities were quick to establish the identities of those accountable for the fire on Saturday, July 29. They identified Sompong Nakul and Piyanut Puengworawat, a married couple, as the proprietors of the warehouse responsible…
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Revving up for justice: RTP launches covert crackdown on rogue motorcycle clubs
A countdown is underway for five prominent foreign motorcycle clubs that have been operating covertly within Thailand‘s borders. This comes as the Royal Thai Police (RTP) intensifies its efforts following a successful crackdown on the infamous Outlaws Motorcycle Club in Pattaya last month. The RTP’s relentless pursuit, initiated on July 21, resulted in the arrest of the alleged Austrian group…
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Shocking surprise: Power interruption leaves Phuket residents in the dark
Residents of Srisoonthorn, in particular those living in the Sri-Suphalak Orchid Villas housing estate, Moo 6, Phuket, should brace for a power interruption this week, as announced by the Thalang branch of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA Thalang). This power interruption, scheduled for Thursday, is expected to last from 9am to 4.30pm. The temporary state of darkness isn’t without a…
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Love scam wheels to a halt: Police nab notorious carjacking temptress in central Thailand
The leader of the notorious Busarakam Gang, renowned for deceiving men into falling in love with members of her gang and then stealing their cars, was apprehended today. The police confirmed that they successfully captured the mastermind, a 33-year-old woman from Ratchaburi province. Based on the warrant 384/2023 issued by the Pattaya court on July 24, she had at least…
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Koh Tao sees record-breaking one-day tourist influx
The island of Koh Tao has seen a record-breaking number of tourists reported to have landed on July 28. The Surat Thani Provincial Governor, Wichuwat Jinto, shared the good news earlier today. Koh Tao, the smallest of the three main southern gulf islands, welcomed a staggering 3,106 visitors, all of whom arrived via boat on the same day. This influx…
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Unbear-lievable scandal at Chinese zoo: Are sun bears actually humans in bear suits? (video)
A Chinese zoo categorically denied its sun bears are humans dressed in bear suits. Hangzhou Zoo finds itself embroiled in controversy as speculations swirl on social media, alleging that its sun bears may not be genuine creatures but humans in bear suits. The uproar erupted when images of one of the zoo’s sun bears, a species native to Southeast Asia,…
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Samui Slam Volleyball tournament coming next month
The Samui Slam Beach Volleyball Tournament & Training Camp will be held next month on the island of Koh Samui in the southern province of Surat Thani. It will run from September 18 to 24 at the stunning SEEN Beach Club on Chaweng Beach. Promising to be a thrilling sporting event, the Samui Slam is originated by organiser Biggs Island…
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Bangkok: The digital nomad’s No.1 destination, says survey
Bangkok earned the prestigious title of top city for digital nomads worldwide, according to a recent survey conducted by CommercialSearch, a renowned platform specializing in working and co-working spaces. The bustling metropolis outshone all its competitors in this year’s rankings of the Best Cities for Digital Nomads. CommercialSearch’s evaluation process involved assessing cities globally with populations exceeding 400,000 residents and…
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Woman’s provocative prank raises questions of public decency
A prank involving a bold young woman trying to generate video content by abruptly sitting on the laps of men on public streets has stirred substantial online debate. In one particularly alarming episode, she approached a man seated with his girlfriend. This audacious act created an intense scenario when she casually asked, “Can I sit for a moment?” The young…
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PEA apologises for 11.8 million baht electricity bill error
In a surprising turn of events, the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) in Koh Samui had to extend an apology to a small hotel proprietor on the island in the southern province of Surat Thani. It seems the PEA’s miscalculated her electricity consumption, leading to them issuing a bill of over 11 million baht last month. The PEA’s Communication Affairs Division’s director-general,…
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Groom assaults bride at wedding over alleged texts with ex
An extraordinary incident at a wedding in the Guandong province of China left attendees astounded as the groom assaulted his bride over the discovery of texts from her ex-boyfriend. This unexpected scandal happened yesterday, fracturing an event that was meant to be a joyous celebration. The surprise attack during the wedding happened after the groom, while waiting for his bride…
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Police and extortion: A case of ‘break-in’ hearts in Thailand
In a striking turn of events, an alleged victim reported that a police officer attempted to extort 100,000 baht in exchange for not pursuing a break-in case. The officer also offered to help dissolve her case if she entered into an intimate relationship with him. The victim revealed that the unsettling incident occurred in October last year, in the province…
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Cathay Pacific highlights Bangkok’s crucial role in aviation recovery
Southeast Asia, particularly Bangkok, is showing promising signs of growth in terms of flight traffic, according to Cathay Pacific, which has ranked the Thai capital as one of its stronger-performing flight routes. Post-Hong Kong’s reopening, Cathay has reported a steady ascent, keeping pace with global passenger traffic. One of the airline’s senior executives, Dominic Perret, highlighted Thailand as a key…
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Ice delivery man keeps cool after sweeping 6 million baht in Thai lottery win
A sudden stroke of luck has befallen a 36 year old ice-delivery man as he struck the first prize lottery, bringing home a staggering 6 million baht. The single man plans to continue with his ice delivery job and invest his newfound fortune in building a house for his family. An officer at the Sangkhla Buri Police Station in Kanchanaburi…
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Thai automotive industry under threat amid political uncertainty and loan concerns
The Thai automotive industry is under threat due to a potential delay in forming a new government, following a marked decline in domestic car sales in the first half of this year. As noted by Toyota Motor Thailand, the ongoing political uncertainty is likely to postpone car purchases from potential customers both domestically and in the business sector. Individuals and…
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Monsoon warnings issued across Thailand: Heavy rainfall and flash floods expected, says TMD
The northern and northeastern regions of Thailand are set to experience heavy rainfall, warns the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD). Across the country, 45 provinces, including Bangkok, have been alerted to be prepared for sudden flooding and flash floods, particularly in low-lying areas and near waterway passages. According to the forecast, it seems that an approaching southwestern monsoon which is becoming…
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Thai tourism seeks visa fee waiver to attract Chinese and Indian visitors
A plea for the revival of a visa fee waiver programme has been issued by Thailand‘s tourism industry, seeking an influx of visitors from populous nations like China and India. The request follows a lukewarm recovery in numerous essential markets and is viewed as vital for enhancing arrivals this year. President of the Thai Hotels Association, Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, emphasized…
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Couple find rare pearl in dinner, turn it into unique engagement ring
An exceptional one-in-a-million encounter occurred when an American couple discovered a precious pearl in their seafood dinner, an event so rare it makes their subsequent decision to encase this fortune into an engagement ring even more significant. In a twist of fate, an American duo, known as Sandy Sikorski and Ken Steinkamp, was dining with their family and friends in…
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Trang beach tragedy: 20 year old student missing as group ignores red flag warning
A 20 year old university student has gone missing while swimming with school friends on a beach in the southern province of Trang, Thailand. The incident occurred on the beach in Libong subdistrict, Kantang district, where the young man and three other students were swept away by a 3-meter wave. Locals and friends were able to save three students, but…
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Pattaya police crack down on Kuwaiti street racers disrupting traffic
In the busy streets of South Pattaya, the rising clamour of Middle Eastern street racers revving their engines late into the night has become a troublesome traffic disturbance for locals and businesses alike. The continual uproar has driven some hotel guests to cancel their stays, according to hotel operators in the area. Early this morning, law enforcement officers from the…
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Delayed delight: Thai lottery results finally unveiled, Buddha-tinged draw
The Thailand Government Lottery Office this afternoon announced the much-awaited results of the August 1 draw, which was put back a day to avoid the latest Buddhist holiday in Thailand. Those who purchased tickets were able to check their lottery results quickly and conveniently via several various sources. The live Government Lottery draw was available from around 2.30pm today. This…
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Lost in translation: Foreign women turn Thai rice steamers into hilarious hats
Thai netizens expressed their admiration and laughed at two foreign women who mistook Thai-style bamboo sticky rice steamers for hats. They bought them from a local vendor who could not communicate very well due to the language barrier. A Thai man named Surat Seehabut shared pictures of the two European women wearing hats which looked like weaving baskets. The caption…
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Police deny involvement with taxi mafia in viral video scuffle
Confusion swirled around an incident captured on a viral video with speculation of whether certain Bangkok taxis were registered or not, and whether Thong Lor Police were involved with an illegal taxi mafia. Phansa Amraphitak, Police Chief of Thong Lor Police, today stated that the group of seven accused taxi drivers appeared for interrogation based on the summon notice. They…
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Missing Bangkok contractor’s body found in canal
A tragic missing person incident has concluded with the discovery of the man’s body in a canal. Two days ago, a construction contractor mysteriously disappeared. Now, the man’s body was found in the Lam Kret Canal, along with his moped. His wife mournfully identified the body and explained that her husband had driven his moped to get more washed sand…
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Restaurant owner confronts negative reviewer at their home
Following an online uproar when a restaurant owner confronted a customer who had left a negative review, the owner herself sought to clarify events. She states she did not intend to cause distress but rather to understand the customer’s complaints. The owner identified only as Tum elaborated on what happened regarding the negative review. The customer accused the unnamed Thai…
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