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Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Bangkok braces for a thunderstorm as heavy rains roll in
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has forecast thunderstorms in 39 provinces tomorrow, with Bangkok expected to experience the heaviest rainfall. Strong gusts of wind and high waves in the Gulf of Thailand are anticipated, prompting cautious navigation advice for sailors. Yesterday, February 19, the TMD issued a 24-hour weather forecast. Thunderstorms are expected in parts of northern Thailand, the western…
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Thailand launches new luxury bus service to Pattaya and Hua Hin
Thailand is about to rescue those arriving in the Land of Smiles lost in a sea of taxis with a new first-class bus service that’s set to redefine airport transfers from Bangkok, to Pattaya and Hua Hin. Thailand’s state-run Transport Co., is ready to roll out a swanky first-class bus service starting on March 8, promising to make the dreary…
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Bangkok to adopt Beijing’s air pollution solutions in landmark deal
Bangkok is set to benefit from Beijing’s expertise in tackling air pollution, as the two capitals signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Air Quality Monitoring and Management Cooperation. The agreement, signed via video between the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Environment Department, marks a major step in the fight against toxic smog.…
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Phuket urges waste separation as incinerator shuts down
Phuket’s waste crisis is escalating as the island’s only public incinerator shuts down for a month-long renovation, forcing local government operatives to dump hundreds of tonnes of excess waste into overflowing landfills. Deputy Mayor Suphot La-ongphet visited the Phuket Solid Waste Disposal Centre at Saphan Hin on Monday, February 17 to discuss emergency waste management measures with municipal engineers and…
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Fatal collision claims young man’s life in Chachoengsao province
A tragic accident occurred when a young man, on his way home after work, collided with a parked truck and was subsequently run over by a pickup truck, leading to his death. The incident took place at 6pm yesterday, February 18, on Suwinthawong Road, heading towards Mueang Chachoengsao, in Sala Daeng subdistrict, Bang Nam Priao district, Chachoengsao province. Police Lieutenant…
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Thai Union hosts PM in Songkhla to boost seafood industry
Executives from the Thai Union Group Public Company Limited, a global leader in the seafood industry, hosted Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and her Cabinet yesterday, February 18. The visit took place at the Thai Union Seafood Company’s frozen seafood processing plant in Songkhla province. The aim was to understand challenges and explore strategies to enhance the competitiveness of Thailand’s fisheries…
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Customs seizes over 46 million baht in counterfeit goods
The Department of Customs, led by Theerach Atthanavanich, has successfully seized 602,600 items in violation of customs, intellectual property, and related laws. The confiscated goods, which include cigarettes, e-cigarettes, counterfeit branded products, and other illicit items, are valued at over 46 million baht. The legal processes have concluded, and these items are now the property of the state. The Ministry…
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Sisaket woman takes child hostage after mental health meltdown
A 28 year old woman with a history of psychiatric issues held her three year old daughter hostage and attacked her mother in Sisaket’s Mueang district. Emergency services responded promptly, securing the woman and taking her to a hospital for treatment. Upon arriving at the residence in Ban Chan, Sam subdistrict, police from Mueang Sisaket Provincial Police Station, along with…
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Intoxicated man jumps into temple pond to cool off, drowns
A 36 year old man drowned in a temple pond in Chachoengsao after reportedly jumping into the water to cool off while intoxicated. The incident occurred at Ban Noen Sawang temple’s pond in the Sanam Chai Khet district today, February 18, when residents had warned him of the dangers but were unable to prevent the tragedy. Village headman Thanachok Prakongsuk…
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Mother and daughter arrested in Buriram for online prostitution
Police in Buriram province arrested a mother and her 17 year old daughter for allegedly engaging in online prostitution. The police set up a sting operation to apprehend the pair, despite the daughter claiming her actions were consensual. Yesterday, February 18, the investigative team from Buriram Provincial Police was alerted to online posts advertising sexual services via an application. Reports…
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Heavy rain leads to over 50 accidents in one hour in Loei
Loei province was thrown into chaos as the season’s first heavy rainfall triggered a catastrophic wave of accidents, leaving over 50 vehicles wrecked in just one hour. The sudden downpour turned the roads into slippery hazards, catching drivers off guard and resulting in a series of crashes across multiple districts. Yesterday, February 17, intense rainfall lashed several areas, including Phu…
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Thailand prisoner rights debate scrapped amid backlash
A heated debate over equal healthcare rights for prisoners was abruptly shut down in Thailand’s Senate yesterday after Senator Angkhana Neelapaijit withdrew her motion, sparking backlash from fellow lawmakers. The motion aimed to highlight discrepancies in medical treatment between prisoners and high-profile figures like former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who spent six months in a VIP hospital ward instead of…
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Border patrol seizes 700kg of crystal meth after smugglers flee
Border patrol officers seized over 700 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine following a clash with a smuggling gang, who abandoned their vehicle and fled. The increased drug flow has prompted heightened police vigilance as the price of crystal meth dropped significantly to 10,000 baht per kilogramme. At 4.30pm, yesterday, February 18, Police Colonel Worapat Boonma, commander of the Border Patrol Police…
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PM urges fast-track completion of Songkhla-Malaysia border road
Thailand’s long-delayed new border crossing in Songkhla is finally set to open, with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra ordering urgent action to complete the missing road link to Malaysia. During a mobile Cabinet meeting in Songkhla yesterday, February 18, PM Paetongtarn inspected several development projects and was shocked to learn that the 2nd Sadao Border Checkpoint, built in 2019, remains closed…
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Thai hospital maid suffers brain bleed after brutal assault by colleague
A Thai maid working at a hospital in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok is seeking justice after a male colleague, who brutally assaulted her, remains at large and continues working as usual, while she suffers from bleeding on the brain. The younger sister of the victim, Weelyn Issarangkul Na Ayuttaya, took to social media to seek assistance for the 54 year…
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Elderly woman found dead in Nakhon Si Thammarat canal
A 66 year old woman was found dead in a rubber plantation canal in Mueang district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province, after being missing from home for several hours. Initial autopsy results indicated she had been dead for at least six hours before her body was discovered yesterday, February 18. Police Colonel Kittichai Kairnara, along with investigators, a doctor from Maharaj Nakhon…
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Thailand battles flu season as cases soar and fever pitch rises
Thailand is facing a major influenza outbreak, with 107,570 cases recorded this year and nine deaths, the Public Health Ministry confirmed yesterday, February 18. Flu infections are surging at 15,000 new cases per week, a sharp rise from the 10,000 per week reported in early 2024. Dr Jurai Wongsawat, spokesperson for the Department of Disease Control (DDC), stated that children…
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Tragic hunting accident in Doi Phu Kha National Park Nan
Two men were involved in a tragic hunting incident in Doi Phu Kha National Park, Nan province, resulting in a fatality. Mistaking his companion for a wild boar, one man accidentally shot and killed him. The incident was reported by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation on Facebook. The shooting occurred on February 17 at 11.38am in the…
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Pakistani men arrested for aggressive sales tactics in Pattaya
Two Pakistani nationals were arrested in Pattaya for working illegally at a local herbal shop, where they allegedly harassed tourists with aggressive sales tactics. Acting on multiple complaints, Tourist Police swooped in on Sunday, February 16, catching the pair in the act. The operation, led by Police Colonel Songwut Chueaplakit, Superintendent of Investigation at the Tourist Police Bureau, took place…
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Wife’s dream predicts husband’s end in wall collapse tragedy
A tragic accident occurred in Nakhon Phanom when a wall collapsed, killing a man wearing the exact clothes his wife dreamt about. A man was crushed under a bathroom wall at his home yesterday February 18, despite scepticism about his wife’s premonition. At the residence located at 94 Ban Phon Ngam, Mueang district, relatives, including 64 year old Tula Phokapanit…
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Elderly French tourist’s journey cut short in tragic Rayong road crash
A tragic accident occurred yesterday when a 78 year old French tourist was fatally struck by a 10-wheeler truck while cycling in Mueang district, Rayong province. The incident took place yesterday, February 18, at a red light junction in Rai subdistrict, as the French victim, Guillaume was en route to a restaurant before his planned return to France. Police Lieutenant Thanakorn…
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Electrician dies after being ran over by lorry in Samut Prakan
A 50 year old electrician in Samut Prakan was hit by an unidentified vehicle, causing him to fall and be fatally run over by a lorry. The incident was witnessed by a taxi driver who promptly alerted the lorry driver. Police Lieutenant Isara Saengsawang, Deputy Inspector of Phra Samut Chedi Police Station in Samut Prakan, received a report yesterday, February…
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Ex-Thai actress accuses British husband of swindling 350,000 baht
A former Thai actress accused her British husband of infidelity and swindling her out of her 350,000 baht life savings. The 40 year old ex-actress, Ladda Khantiphok, reached out to several news agencies to publicise her story and to help her find a lawyer to take legal action against her British husband, Ian. Ladda said she is struggling to make a…
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Russian tour guide arrested in Pattaya crackdown
A Russian man working illegally as a tour guide in Pattaya was caught red-handed during an early morning police sting. The Tourist Police Bureau’s Investigation Team swooped in on Sunday, February 16, arresting the suspect at Bali Hai Pier in South Pattaya. Police received reports of a foreign national illegally conducting tours, prompting Police Colonel Songwut Chueaplakit, Superintendent of Investigation,…
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Gold thief busted after high-profile heist in Sattahip
A wanted fugitive has been captured after leading police on a month-long chase following a high-profile gold heist. The seasoned thief, notorious for his criminal exploits, was arrested at dawn yesterday, February 18, in Ban Chang, Rayong, after officers raided his hideout. The sting operation, spearheaded by Police Colonel Khomsan Khamtunkaew of Supphaluang Police Station and his deputy, Pol. Lt.…
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2 men filmed engaging in sexual activity on Bangkok footpath
A Thai Bolt motorcycle rider shared a video on a Facebook group showing two men engaging in sexual activity on a footpath in Bangkok‘s Bang Khen district, prompting widespread criticism. The Facebook account, พชรดนัย ฯ., posted the explicit dashcam footage yesterday, February 18, in the group Bolt Drivers Thailand. The post was captioned, “Stabbing incident in Bang Khen area…” The…
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Over 100 foreigners arrested in Phuket police blitz
Phuket police sent a strong message to law-breaking foreigners after arresting over 100 people and issuing 1,625 traffic citations in a sweeping week-long crackdown. The operation, running from February 10 to 16, targeted illegal businesses, visa violations, drug offences, and reckless driving, according to Phuket Provincial Police Commander Police Major General Sinlert Sukhum. The coordinated effort, involving Phuket Immigration and…
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Pattaya thief slashes Russian tourist’s bag, steals 100,000 baht
A Russian tourist’s dream holiday in Pattaya turned into a nightmare after a brazen thief slashed open his suitcase, making off with over 100,000 baht in cash and valuables. The victim, Vladimir Tulayev, has been left frustrated after security cameras failed to capture the suspect. Tulayev, who was staying at a hotel in South Pattaya, reported that the theft occurred on February 12 while…
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Thai nationals arrested for trafficking methamphetamine worth 3 million baht
Two Thai nationals were apprehended in Amnat Charoen province for their involvement in trafficking methamphetamine, known as frung fring pills, mixed with crystal meth. Police Colonel Nipon Boonkert and the relevant officials arrested 39 year old Suriyan Wongchaiya and 21 year old Akkaraphon Saengphet as they attempted to deliver the drugs at designated locations. Police confiscated 106,000 pills, valued at…
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