Hot News
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Sponsored Pre-existing conditions? These expat insurance plans still have you covered
Many expats feel worried that their pre-existing health problems will stop them from getting insurance in a new country. This fear is common, especially when medical care can be expensive. But the good news is, some insurance, like the plans...
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Koh Pha Ngan springs back into gear with the July Full Moon Party
This holiday weekend hosted the largest Full Moon Party since February of 2019 before the pandemic, with the biggest crowd the beach and venues of Haad Rin on Koh Pha Ngan have seen since the party restarted tentatively in November 2021. Some estimated as many as 20,000 people flooded the island to take part in the festivities – the first…
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Russian billionaire’s superyacht Samui visit spurs hope of wealthy tourists
The arrival of a few mega billionaires to the tourist island of Koh Samui and surrounding islands has sparked hope that Thailand will begin to see a rise in wealthy travellers again. Perhaps now that Covid-19 restrictions are finally mostly lifted, several luxury superyacht vessels have been spotted arriving on the shores of Samui. Most notably, Alexander Alexandrovich Svetakov, a…
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Thailand isn’t the only place in the world that applies tourist taxes
Thailand is about to add an arrival ‘tourist’ tax of 300 baht. But it’s not really a tourist tax because it will apply to ALL foreigners entering Thailand, including YOU. No exemptions, not even your work permit or diplomatic status will help. The proposal, set to come into force in Q4, 2022, will be in the form of a 300…
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Sleeping driver unharmed after seemingly deadly crash
Yesterday morning saw what looked to be a grizzly car crash in Nakhon Si Thammarat but, surprisingly, the driver walked away unharmed. A pickup truck brimming with durian fruit smashed into a power pole on the highway yesterday morning after the driver fell asleep at the wheel. A man from Phang Nga had been driving down Highway 41 in Thung…
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Phuket mayor asks public to stop throwing rubbish in canals
Phuket’s city mayor has asked residents in three target areas of the island province’s main city district to stop throwing rubbish in canals. The mayor, Saroj Angkanapilas, said that city officials have been working to solve flooding problems in the areas. He said… “We ask all residents to use the bins that the municipality has available to reduce the amount…
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Phuket lifeguards save 2 tourists at same beach where another 2 drowned
Lifeguards at Phuket’s Kata Beach saved two foreign tourists from drowning yesterday, the same day that another two people drowned there. The lifeguards rescued a man and a woman around 35 years old. They were choking on water before being taken to the Chalong Hospital in Phuket’s main city district. The tourists have both reportedly recovered in the hospital. They…
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Full Moon Party in South Thailand Tonight, Bangkok Airways flights full
Another Full Moon Party in South Thailand’s island of Koh Pha Ngan is happening tonight (Friday) amidst the country’s five-day holiday. Thai news outlet Naewna reported that all Bangkok Airways flights to Koh Samui Airport were filled to capacity today. Many tourists fly there before making their way to Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province. The tourists are mainly…
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VIDEO: Bangkok taxi driver pulls out knife on Singaporean tourists
Video evidence reveals a Bangkok taxi driver pulling a knife out from the pocket of the driver’s seat door to intimidate two Singaporean tourists, who had accused him of not giving them enough change. Although Bangkok taxis are supposed to be metered, the tourists said they had agreed a price of 400 baht for their journey to Suvarnabhumi airport. However,…
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Former MP faces sedition charge against Thai government
A former Pheu Thai Party MP faces criminal charges of sedition after a complaint was made to police saying he is whipping up hate against the PM Prayut Chan-o-cha government for suggesting the political climate in Thailand is similar to that of Sri Lanka and the UK. In a highly-charged week in global politics, anarchy broke out on the streets…
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VIDEO: Rare footage reveals family of tigers feeding on prey in Thailand
Rare footage of a family of wild tigers feeding on prey in Isaan’s Dong Phayayen – Khao Yai Forest Complex has been captured by Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. With only 250 wild tigers estimated to be left in Thailand, the chances of capturing footage of tigers are next to none. The short clip shows a…
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Thailand’s bottled palm oil price drops slightly
After Thailand’s price of bottled palm oil has kept surging and surging for months, it has now finally come down a bit. Prices in department stores and supermarkets on 1 litre bottles have dropped from 69-70 baht, to 64-65 baht. The director-general of Thailand’s Internal Trade Department, Udom Srisomsong, pointed out that prices may differ between stores, though. Udom stressed…
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Thai Airways’ revenue finally takes off
Thai Airways’ July progress report reveals a promising outlook for Thailand’s flag carrier, which expects to exit its financial rehabilitation plan earlier than planned. The airline’s revenue has shot up due to increased passenger traffic, but cutting costs, selling stock, and chasing debts have been Thai Airways’ secrets to getting back on track. After improving its performance, Thai Airways submitted…
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Thailand’s strong rain expected to mellow out next few days
The intense rain that has been causing chaos throughout Thailand is expected to mellow out from today (Friday), until Wednesday, July 20. According to the Thai Meteorological Department, the monsoon should be weaker from Friday to Sunday. The department’s director-general, Chomparee Chompurat, said the trough will move northwards to Myanmar, upper Laos, and upper Vietnam. Chomparee noted that there will…
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Honeymooning British man drowns in Phuket, Thailand
A British man on his honeymoon refused to acknowledge a red-flagged no swim zone on the island of Phuket in southern Thailand and it cost him his life. Ali Mohammed Mian drowned only two days into his honeymoon after being swept out to sea when he tried to take a dip in choppy waters at Kata Noi Beach. The 34…
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Ferry gets stuck on sand bar near South Thailand island
More than 100 ferry passengers in South Thailand were caught in a sticky situation on Wednesday- literally. A ferry got stuck on a sand bar in Koh Phang Ngan island in Surat Thani province. The ferry was heading to Don Sak district, when it got stuck on the sand bar 10 minutes after departing from Koh Phang Ngan, according to…
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Tourism ‘insurance’ fee will cover ALL foreigners entering Thailand
Whilst postponed for a few months, the proposed 300 baht “tourism fee” is back in the news with the Tourism and Sports Ministry providing more details about how it will be collected and what it will be used for. Originally planned for implementation at the start of this year, the proposal was shelved because of the onset of the Omicron…
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UPDATE: Sri Lanka president reportedly plans to fly to Saudi Arabia
UPDATE Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa reportedly plans to fly to Saudi Arabia, after he flies to Singapore. The Associated Press reported the development today, citing an unnamed Maldivian official. An unnamed security official in Colombo told CNN that Gotabaya was flying from Maldives to Singapore, as Sri Lanka’s rage has grown over his refusal to formally resign. Gotabaya is expected to reach…
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Hello Kitty Horror Story: Thieves return ‘haunted’ teddy bear stolen from scrapyard
In a peculiar sequence of events, CCTV footage from a scrapyard in Kamphaeng Phet province, central Thailand, reveals a man and a woman stealing a giant Hello Kitty doll from a written-off car… and then coming back to return the doll in the middle of the night. In May, the driver of the car died in a road accident. The…
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Bangkok governor looks for Chinese cash to create smart city
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt yesterday revealed he had a working dinner with the Chinese Ambassador to discuss a number of projects beneficial to the capital, including the city’s upcoming outdoor film festival, Chinese teachers, and the development of a smart city. Developing Bangkok as a smart city comes hot on the heels of an announcement by the Eastern Economic Corridor…
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Bike racing tourists arrested in South Pattaya
South Pattaya locals fed up with noisy bike racing tourists finally got their wish when two racers were arrested in the early hours of this morning. Last month, locals complained about the tourists on Second Pattaya Road getting in the way of other drivers. Between last night and this morning, residents near Soi Yensabai and Soi Sunee complained that bike…
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Police shoot grenade-yielding man holding woman hostage in northeast Thailand
Police shot and injured a man who, armed with a grenade, held a woman hostage for three hours this morning in Khon Kaen province, northeast Thailand. After hours of failed negotiation, a SWAT team was called in, who shot the man in his left shoulder and saved the hostage. At 9am, officers at Muang Khon Kaen Police Station received a…
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Is the Thai Baht falling in value?
Yes. And no. Depends on which currency you want to compare it to. Against the mighty USD, absolutely yes. In February this year, the USD was valued at 32.12 baht to the dollar. Now it’s 36.48 baht to the dollar. Good news if you’ve got USD and heading to Thailand. GRAPHIC: xe.com But the story isn’t the same against many…
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Police search for 3 rogue cops & soldier involved in illegal gun trade
Arrest warrants have been issued for three rogue cops and a soldier for selling illegal firearms to the criminal underworld in the southern province of Phattalung. The Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, reported a huge police investigation is still ongoing to determine the sources of firearms used by the different offenders. In the first…
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Police fire 30 shots at suspected child rapist in central Thailand
Thai police yesterday fatally shot a man wanted under suspicion of raping a child. The police were about to arrest the man when he allegedly fired a single shot at the police. In response, police fired over 30 shots at the man’s car, instantly killing him at a petrol station in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province in central Thailand. According…
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Nearly 1,000 hotels in Phuket are currently considered “illegal”
NB: The photo of this property bears no resemblance to the content of the following story. Phuket is home to 994 small hotels which are facing closure as a result of their unauthorised use on public property. The building control laws were discovered to have been broken by about 53% of the investigated properties. Environmental laws were found to be…
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UPDATE: Mother who pimped out 9 year old daughter jailed alongside 2 pedophiles
UPDATE The Criminal Court of Thailand yesterday jailed a mother of two, who pimped out her 9 year old daughter into prostitution, and two pedophiles. Under Thai indecency law, an offence to a child not yet over 15 years of age, shall be punished with imprisonment of 10 to 20 years, and fined between 20,000 to 40,000 baht, or imprisonment…
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CAAT allows food and drinks to be served on domestic flights in Thailand
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has given airlines the green light to serve food and drinks again on domestic flights in Thailand. Yesterday, the CAAT announced that director Sutthiphong Kongpool signed regulations to allow passengers on domestic flights in Thailand to be served food and drinks again, under strict Covid-19 prevention measures, effective immediately. The measures include that…
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Thailand moves into top 10 of best countries to live for expats
A new survey has seen Thailand climb into the top 10 best countries to live for expats. A survey by InterNations, in the Expat Insider 2022, revealed Thailand has climbed six places to No.8 in the top 10 countries to live for foreigners from last year’s 14th place. But it’s not all good news for the ‘farang’ community in the…
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Ex British squaddie commits suicide at Pattaya shooting range
A former British Army soldier yesterday committed suicide at Pattaya Shooting Park & Adventure in the Huai Yai subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province. The man, reportedly named Ian Joseph, lowered his head, pointed the gun toward his right temple, and pulled the trigger of a 9-millimetre rented gun as staff stood nearby in shock. The 36 year old…
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4 million Thais to travel during 5-day ‘long weekend’ – TAT
The main factors affecting Thais travelling during this long holiday period between July 13 and July 17 continue to be the local high inflation and expensive petrol prices (also affecting airline prices). During the holidays, it’s predicted that there will be nearly 4 million Thais travelling around the country, spending an estimated 14 billion baht. With the current spike in costs,…
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