Hot News
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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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Teacher’s husband apologises after running over schoolboy in a pickup truck
A teacher’s husband issued an apology after running his pickup over a 12 year old schoolboy in Udon Thani, claiming he did not notice the boy sitting at the spot. The 12 year old Thai boy, Tang, suffered a broken pelvis after the driver, 53 year old Phan, ran over him while he was sitting in the activity area after…
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New SIM rules roll out to crush cyber crooks in Thailand
Thailand is cracking down on SIM-swap scams with strict new mobile registration rules, and you’ll need your face to prove who you are. In a major move to curb cybercrime, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has rolled out real-time facial recognition technology, known as Liveness Detection, to verify all new SIM registrations and replacements nationwide. The change, which…
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Thai Commerce Ministry cracks down on illegal steel trade
The Ministry of Commerce has taken action against foreign steel trading businesses in Samut Prakan, suspected of using Thai nominees to hold shares illegally. Deputy Permanent Secretary of Commerce, Chakara Yodmanee, who leads the task force against illegal foreign businesses, reported that the Department of Business Development has intensified efforts to resolve nominee issues, following instructions from Deputy Commerce Minister…
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Car bomb rips through Narathiwat checkpoint, 1 injured
Terror returned to Thailand’s Deep South last night when a car bomb exploded at a security checkpoint in Narathiwat’s Tak Bai district, injuring a defence volunteer and triggering a brief gun battle. The attack unfolded at around 8.15pm yesterday, August 20, in Sala Mai subdistrict, where local volunteers were manning a regular security post. According to police reports, the explosion…
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Officials discover 20 preserved bodies at AIDS treatment temple
Officials from the Ministry of Public Health raided Phra Bat Nampu Temple in the central province of Lop Buri, where they discovered 20 bodies of AIDS patients illegally preserved and displayed in a museum within the temple. Phra Bat Nampu Temple, also known as the AIDS temple, has long been running donation campaigns to raise funds for underprivileged AIDS patients.…
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Bangkok man arrested for stabbing taxi driver amid cannabis delusions
A 30 year old man, Chawin, was apprehended for allegedly attacking a motorcycle taxi driver in Bangkok, resulting in severe injuries. Police acted on an arrest warrant from the Criminal Court, dated August 19, for causing grievous bodily harm. Chawin was taken into custody in Tha Ruea district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, with a folding knife found in his possession.…
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Thailand intensifies crackdown on illegal agricultural imports
Attakorn Sirilatthayakorn, the agriculture and cooperatives minister, has announced a robust initiative to combat illegal agricultural products, including illicit pork, fisheries, and plant goods. The Special Unit Phaya Naga, established in 2023, aims to curb these activities, which have caused direct economic damages exceeding 10 billion baht. The Phaya Naga unit, founded during the tenure of former agriculture and cooperatives…
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Indian businessman faces legal battle over Pattaya hotel rental
An Indian businessman has encountered a legal dispute after renting a hotel with 32 rooms for three years, paying a deposit for three months amounting to 960,000 baht, yet being unable to access the property. Reports were filed with the police in Mueang Pattaya district by 42 year old Wassana (pseudonym), a partner in a real estate company owned by…
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Elderly man killed crossing road in Samut Sakhon accident
A tragic incident occurred when a 79 year old man was unable to use a pedestrian overpass and attempted to cross a road, resulting in his death after being struck by a 10-wheel truck. The accident took place at 4.30pm yesterday, August 20, on Phutthasakhon Road, near the Sakorn Kasem intersection in Samut Sakhon province. Police Lieutenant Tiwatpol Thawitsangkasak, Deputy…
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Gun-toting dad smashes woman’s face in Pattaya diner row
A furious father sparked chaos in Pattaya after pistol-whipping a woman and firing a shot into the air during a restaurant clash. The shocking incident occurred on Sunday, August 17, on Soi Phothisan 8, but the suspect was arrested three days later after police obtained damning CCTV evidence. At 5pm yesterday, August 20, officers from Bang Lamung Police Station raided…
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Bitten by bravery: Cobra strikes back in Phuket
A Thai security guard in Phuket ended up needing hospital treatment after being bitten by a highly venomous king cobra moments after capturing it with his bare hands. The shocking encounter unfolded in Kamala yesterday afternoon, August 20, when the guard bravely bagged the enormous reptile. But his moment of triumph quickly turned sour when the cobra lashed out and…
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Thailand braces for heavy rain and storms across 37 provinces
Thailand is experiencing increased rainfall, with heavy showers expected in certain areas. Residents are advised to exercise caution during this period. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) predicts rainfall in 37 provinces, including Bangkok, exceeding 60% coverage on August 21. This weather pattern is due to the strengthening of a mild southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf…
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Pheu Thai shuts down Prayut comeback rumours
Rumours of a shocking political U-turn have been flatly denied by the Pheu Thai Party, following claims they planned to nominate former coup leader and ex-Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha as their next candidate for premier. Slamming the speculation as fake news, Pheu Thai Secretary-General Sorawong Thienthong told reporters the rumour had nothing to do with the party and dismissed…
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Chiang Mai cops bust 700kg Taiwan-bound ‘Durian’ meth haul
A major drug bust in Chiang Mai has sent shockwaves through Thai law enforcement after police intercepted 700 kilogrammes of methamphetamine hidden in sacks marked with the bizarre branding “Durian.” The massive haul was discovered in the early hours of Monday, August 18, at around 1.12am, when police patrolling Ban Pa Bong Ngam in the Chiang Dao district stopped a…
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Free flights frenzy: Tourists lured with 700 million baht giveaway
Thailand is betting big on tourism, with a 700 million baht budget set aside to hand out free domestic flights to foreign travellers. The government is rolling out a bold plan to lure at least 200,000 more international tourists into Thailand’s heartland by offering free domestic air tickets. Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong confirmed today, August 20, that he…
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Bangkok’s ‘green lung’ boosted by Thai-Norwegian push
Bangkok’s “green lung” is breathing easier thanks to Bangchak Corporation’s bold reforestation push, now earning praise from the Thai-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce (TNCC). The chamber, which counts Bangchak as a premium member, has put the energy giant’s environmental mission in the spotlight as it drives sustainability and biodiversity work in Bang Kachao, Samut Prakan province. Bangchak, led by Senior Executive…
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British tourist faces 10 years over Pattaya death crash
A British tourist is staring at a decade behind bars after a Thai woman he allegedly struck while pulling a motorbike stunt in Pattaya died in hospital. The 22 year old British national, Brandon Mills, from Doncaster, was riding a rented scooter on one wheel when he ploughed into 49 year old Churairat Petchraksa outside a bar on Thursday, August…
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EEC Travel Mart puts Thailand’s tourism in the spotlight
Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) provinces have pulled out all the stops to turbocharge the country’s tourism industry, unveiling a high-powered showcase billed as a game-changer for the region. The EEC Travel Mart, staged yesterday, August 19, at the Nong Nooch Pattaya International Convention and Exhibition Centre, brought together hundreds of top names from the tourism sector. Business leaders, hoteliers,…
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Thai Michelin-starred chef Jay Fai fined for unclear crab omelette pricing
The Ministry of Commerce fined the renowned 1-star restaurant owner, Jay Fai, 2,000 baht following a complaint from a YouTuber over the unclear pricing of her signature dish, the crab omelette. The well-known Thai YouTuber based in the UK, Pitchaya “Peachii” Chaychana, posted on X on August 15 that she and her friends were charged 4,000 baht for the crab…
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Pattaya cement scandal: Contractor fined for drain dump
When it comes to environmental blunders, few things anger Pattaya residents more than contractors treating the city’s drains like a rubbish tip. That frustration boiled over this week when municipal officers caught a contractor red-handed pouring cement wastewater directly into a public drain on Pattaya Beach Soi 4. The man was hauled into City Hall and slapped with a 2,000…
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Thai hotel group sues over 400 baht wage hike challenge
The Thai Hotels Association (THA) is planning to file a lawsuit against the tripartite wage committee in the Administrative Court, aiming to challenge the 400 baht minimum wage increase, which it argues burdens hotels in secondary tourism areas. THA president Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun stated that the association’s committee has already agreed to proceed with the legal action, pending a consensus from…
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Thai man arrested for 8 million baht gold robbery in Samut Prakan
Police yesterday, August 19, arrested a Thai man who stole over 8 million baht worth of gold accessories from a shop in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok. Only about 4.5 million baht worth of gold was recovered. A male thief dressed in a delivery rider’s uniform robbed a gold shop in a shopping mall in the Bang Bo neighbourhood of…
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Phuket’s power shift: New governor steps in
Phuket is bracing for a major leadership change. From October 1, Saransak Srikruaneth will take the reins as governor, replacing Sophon Suwannarat, who bows out after a turbulent two-year term. The Cabinet confirmed Saransak’s appointment on Monday, August 18, following his transfer from the Ministry of Interior’s Inspector General’s office. For Sophon, whose retirement begins on September 30, the end…
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Foreign tourists involved in Patong assault await medical report for charges
Patong Police are currently awaiting a medical report before proceeding with charges against foreign tourists involved in a violent incident with a Thai motorbike rental operator in Patong. The assault, which occurred on August 10, involved six people identified as Arab. The suspects were reportedly arrested by August 14, following a video of the attack being shown to Nirat Phongsitthaworn,…
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Phuket masseuse claims Egyptian employer forces daily oral sex
A Thai masseuse in Phuket accused her former Egyptian employer of forcing her and other female workers to perform oral sex on him daily. The 36 year old masseuse urged the Phuket Times Facebook page to share her story publicly as a warning to women considering relocating to work in Phuket as she once did. She stated that she now has…
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Thai hospitals probed over fake migrant health certificates
Private hospitals in Thailand are facing a scandal after allegations surfaced that they have been issuing fake health certificates to migrant workers without carrying out proper medical checks. Deputy Public Health Minister Chaichana Dechdecho announced yesterday, August 19, that two to three hospitals are under investigation, with early evidence suggesting doctors signed off on the fraudulent certificates without conducting blood…
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Paetongtarn skips Cabinet again as court date looms
Thailand’s suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is facing the fight of her political life—and she’s staying silent. For the second week running, Paetongtarn skipped yesterday’s weekly Cabinet meeting, fuelling speculation as she prepares to take the stand in an explosive ethics case linked to a leaked phone call. The 38 year old leader, who also holds the post of culture…
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Two monks defrocked in Koh Samui after drug, fraud violations
Police in Surat Thani inspected a prominent temple and discovered two monks in violation of the law. One monk tested positive for drugs, while another faced an arrest warrant. Both monks were defrocked in accordance with monastic discipline before being handed over for legal proceedings. Jarae Tungkaew, the district chief of Koh Samui’s security division, along with local defence volunteers…
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Ayutthaya vendor defends against teen robbers with fruit knife
In the early hours at Wang Noi Market, Ayutthaya, two teenagers attempted to rob a vendor at knifepoint, demanding 1,000 baht. The vendor, however, defended himself with a fruit knife, causing the assailants to flee. The incident, captured on CCTV and shared on social media, occurred at 4.43am yesterday, August 19, in Lam Sai subdistrict, Wang Noi district. The footage…
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Rogue app drivers face tough Pattaya clampdown
Chaos on Pattaya’s streets is finally facing a clampdown, after city police and transport chiefs joined forces to tackle rogue taxis, illegal ride-hailing apps, and traffic gridlock. On Monday, August 18 at 4.45pm, top brass gathered at Pattaya City Police Station’s Operations Centre for an urgent summit on transport reform. The meeting was co-chaired by Police Lieutenant Colonel Phanuphong Nimsuwan,…
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