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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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China’s former leader Hu Jintao leaves congress due to illness
China’s former leader Hu Jintao, 79, left the closing ceremony of the Communist Party of China’s congress yesterday after reportedly feeling sick. The meeting of the CCP marked the setting of the third term for current president Xi Jinping. According to The Straits Times, the state-sponsored Xinhua news agency tweeted late last night that the former leader was “not feeling…
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Tono raises 40 million baht in charity swim across Mekong
How much money would it take for you to swim across the Mekong? For actor-singer superstar Pakin “Tono” Kumwilaisak it was 40 million baht – the amount he raised for a charity swim yesterday. The generous celebrity took to the waters in Nakhon Phanom to swim across the mighty Mekong and land in Laos after a journey of over 1…
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Xi Jinping sets record-breaking precedent with third term reappointment as general secretary
China’s president Xi Jinping is breaking the record of term limits by recently being confirmed as the leader of the Chinese Communist Party for a third term. According to The Guardian, Xi was unveiled as general secretary of the party, tilting the country back toward a one-man rule after decades of sharing power among the elite. The long-speculated reappointment signalled…
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Southern Thais prefer PM Prayut over other candidates in recent poll
A new poll is revealing that southern Thais prefer Prayut Chan-o-cha for the post of prime minister over other politicians. The National Institute of Development Administration polled on October 17-20, on 2,001 eligible voters. The voters were from all levels of education, occupations and incomes, and were aged 18 and over. According to Bangkok Post, the poll was summarised as…
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Grand scam – Beware of fake banknotes circulating in Udon Thani
Police are warning the public against counterfeit 1,000-baht banknotes that have been found circulating in the sweaty expat paradise of Udon Thani province. Police spokesman Pol Maj Gen Archayon Kraithong said there had been several reports of counterfeit bills in the province. Two cases were posted to social media, the first involving a barbecue restaurant and another at a grocery…
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Now he has wings – Red Bull boss Mateschitz passes after long illness
Red Bull co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz has died aged 78. The Austrian billionaire, a hero in Thailand and patriarch of Red Bull’s Formula One team, had been battling a long-term illness. Mateschitz was the driving force behind the transformation of Red Bull from a sketchy Thai energy drink to the global market leader in a sector which he created more or…
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Manhole cover in Pattaya explodes, smashes into bus
Authorities are investigating the cause behind a freak accident in Pattaya that shot a manhole cover into the air and damaged a bus. The exploding manhole cover was captured on film yesterday as it popped several metres in the air and crashed down on a local baht bus. The driver of the bus was understandably shaken up by the incident…
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But is it art? Thailand’s NFT makers turn pixels into profit
Visitors to Than Bok Khorani National Park stand at one end of a 3,000-year continuum of creative endeavour that extends from the dusty dank caves of Krabi to the high-class sale rooms of Bangkok. When Pablo Picasso died in 1973 at 91, he is estimated to have completed 13,500 paintings (not sketches and cartoons, actual paintings) and around 100,000 prints…
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Missing Russian woman may be lost at sea
While the 53 year old woman reported missing from her hotel in Phuket yesterday still has not been found, more information about the case has been revealed. New details suggest that the Russian woman with a memory condition may be lost at sea. Authorities updated that the woman reported missing yesterday was last seen around 10am yesterday. She left her…
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Woman waits at BKK Airport for pick-up. For 2 months
You’ve probably felt like you waited forever for a friend or relative to pick you up at the airport. But two months? Authorities have been trying to figure out what to do with a woman who’s been waiting for her mother to pick her up at Suvarnabhumi Airport for two months now. The woman appeared gaunt and disoriented, unable to…
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Police officer shot by pregnant 4th wife
In a wild story full of twists, a policeman was shot just outside his police station in Bangkok late last night. Even more shocking, the shooting was perpetrated by the police officer’s wife. Not his first wife though, she was just one of his four current wives. And she was pregnant. The bizarre story unfolded in the wee hours of…
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Russian woman missing from Phuket hotel
The search is on for a 53 year old Russian tourist who disappeared from her hotel in Phuket. The Russian woman was staying in a hotel in the Thalang district on the island. Police received notification yesterday that she had gone missing and had not been seen since the evening before. The Russian woman has been known to have some…
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Moving to Thailand checklist – What you need to know before your move
There are several reasons why Thailand is one of the most desirable locations for ex-pats. Here, you can get affordable access to modern conveniences and year-round sunny weather. With its laid-back way of life, delectable cuisine, and vibrant culture, it’s certainly a remarkable place to call home. Plus, being close to nature is easy here, with everything from beautiful waterfalls…
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Flaming hot: toxic spicy noodles recalled
Some people like their noodles as spicy as possible. But there’s such a thing as to0 flaming hot, as the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a recall on Mie Sedaap brand Korean Spicy Chicken noodles due to contamination with a flammable pesticide. The instant noodles are being recalled by the FDA after traces of a pesticide called…
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Forever flooded – how do we break the disastrous cycle?
As part of the south braces for expected seasonal floods, a vast area of the lower north, including Nakhon Sawan, Ang Thong, and Isaan, remains inundated. An editorial in this morning’s Bangkok Post asks what we can do to prevent ourselves from being washed away in the tide. Many people have drowned over the past two months, and yesterday, an…
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Thai Airways refunds possible, reorganisation approved
Thai Airways International’s revised business reorganisation plan was approved by the Central Bankruptcy Court. The plan was submitted last month and the airline will now start on a course of financial restructuring. Does this mean everyone waiting for a refund from the Covid-19 pandemic and before Thailand’s flagship airline declared bankruptcy will finally get their money back? It is reported…
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Free trial of Pink and Yellow monorail lines in December
Though not fully finished and operational, the Thai government declared that the Pink Line and Yellow Line of the monorail system in Bangkok will be opened for a free trial in December. More progress on the construction has been made on the new lines of the rapid transit system and the government hopes to show the public the lines in…
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SE Asia foreign ministers to hold emergency talks over Myanmar
Foreign ministers of Southeast Asian countries are set to hold emergency talks over the current state of Myanmar. The talks will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia next week ahead of next month’s ASEAN leaders’ summit in Cambodia. Myanmar has descended into chaos since the military took over in February 2021. Now, reports say there are more than 2,300 killed during…
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Burmese man drowns in Phuket drain
Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers have retrieved the body of an unnamed Burmese man who fell into a canal and drowned in Chalong. The 47 year old man from Myanmar fell into the canal while watching the flooding, Phuket Info Center reported. The body was found near the floodgate, far from where he fell. According to local media, several people saw the…
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Hong Kong cancels screening of 2008 Batman flick over Chinese antagonist
Hong Kong is scrapping the screening of The Dark Knight after government censors “recommended” against showing it. The concerns stem from the film’s Chinese antagonist as he is portrayed as being violent. According to the Hong Kong Free Press, parts of the film were shot in Hong Kong, but as Batman arrives in the city to pursue a corrupt Chinese…
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Events today in BKK
Today in Bangkok, there are a couple of exciting things to do. Namely, the Tomorrow X Together World Tour 2022 will commence marking the first time the five-member K-pop boy band performs in the kingdom. The concert spans today and tomorrow and is drawing K-pop fans from all around. The band will perform at the Thunder Dome Stadium in Tamon…
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From Retro Blogger to Modern-day Vlogger in Thailand feat. Jeroen Maduro | Thaiger Podcast Ep.9
Owner of Real Estate company Sukhumvit Homes and YouTube channel Global Travel Mate. Jaroen can show you some of the best and hottest properties in Bangkok Thailand, as well as be your guide to where and how to travel around the city. Jaroen is a prime example of a foreigner travelling to Thailand, starting and running a successful business while…
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Secrets of Silicon Valley’s underground Mercedes
California cops are investigating why a person or person unknown buried a Mercedes stuffed full of unused bags of cement in the yard of a US$ 15 million (570 million baht) home in the 1990s. The car was discovered Thursday morning by gardeners in the affluent town of Atherton about 30 miles south of San Francisco, with unused bags of…
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New details emerge on Pattaya pool villa shooting, more suspects caught
More details have emerged on the shooting at a Pattaya pool villa on Tuesday, and more suspects have been caught. After Pattaya Police intensely interrogated the five suspects who surrendered themselves earlier, it was revealed that two of the suspects were hired as scapegoats for another three men. The police have now busted the three new suspects at an unnamed…
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Soldier arrested for stabbing 15 year old at a nightclub
A soldier has been charged with attempted murder after he stabbed a 15 year old boy at a nightclub in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat last weekend. The teenager was stabbed in the back with a chisel in front of a nightclub in the Tung Song district of Nakhon Si Thammarat at about 2.45am last Sunday, October 16.…
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Official says Patong road will need seven days of temporary repair work once rain stops
UPDATE A Phuket official said yesterday that it would take seven days of temporary repair work before the road to Patong Hill is ready to use again. The official said the repair work can start once the rain stops. This news comes after the road suffered two landslides on Wednesday and Thursday. Phuket Highway Director Yutthana Pitak told The Phuket…
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Reimagine with Anantara unveiling the new face of Anantara Chiang Mai Resort
Press Release Anantara Chiang Mai Resort welcomes back travellers from around the world with renovated accommodations and exciting new dining experiences in a prime riverfront setting. With COVID-19 waning, travel to Thailand now back to normal, and Chiang Mai ready to celebrate life once again. Anantara Chiang Mai Resort recently hosted a glamorous evening reception for Lanna royalty, foreign diplomats,…
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Malaysians plan ‘Cannaverse’ on Sukhumvit Road
Malaysian investors want to build a cannabis entertainment centre in Bangkok to open next year. “Cannaverse” will be a private, members-only club with a hotel, swimming pool, weed dispensary, spa, restaurant, and karaoke room on Soi Sukhumvit 33, according to Coconuts. Cannaverse director Aric Ng said that food and beverages will be sold, including both cannabis-infused and weed-free beer. Ng said……
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Bangkok shopping mall will free Bua Noi the captive gorilla for 30 million baht
As famous gorilla Bua Noi nears the end of her expected lifespan inside a decrepit Bangkok shopping mall, Thai government officials are making renewed attempts for her to be released. However, the gorilla’s owner said he will only give her up for 30 million baht. Bua Noi (“Little Lotus”) was brought to Thailand from Germany as a one year old…
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The Brahma statue thief who wants to paint the world blue
A thief with mental health problems stole a Brahma statue from a shrine at a school, in the Cha-am district of Phetchaburi province in the west of Thailand, painted it blue, before returning it to where he stole it from. Why? His favourite colour is blue. A teacher, Nu-sajee Kornrawee, posted CCTV footage and pictures of a thief on Facebook…
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