Hot News
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Bangkok crime rates drop 17% in 2025, arrests improve
Bangkok recorded a notable decline in crime rates in 2025, alongside improved arrest rates. This reflected more proactive and targeted policing by the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB). MPB commissioner Pol Lt Gen Siam Boonsom released crime statistics covering the period from January 1 to December 31, comparing the figures with the same timeframe in 2024. He reported a significant year-on-year…
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Phuket Airport sees flight and passenger surge in 2025 recovery
Phuket International Airport recorded strong growth in both flight movements and passenger numbers in 2025, reflecting a continued recovery in the aviation and tourism sectors and renewed traveller confidence, according to airport director Monchai Tanod. Performance over the past year exceeded 2024 levels and approached figures seen in 2019, the airport’s peak year before the Covid-19 pandemic. The results underline…
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Black teen who fatally shoved Thai grandpa acquitted of murder
San Francisco Jury Acquits Man of Murder in Death of Thai Grandfather Vicha Ratanapakdee A San Francisco Superior Court jury has acquitted Antoine Watson of murder in the 2021 death of Vicha Ratanapakdee. Instead, the jury found the 24-year-old defendant guilty of involuntary manslaughter. This is a lesser charge that suggests he may soon be released from custody due to…
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Traffic police arrest three Vietnamese men with guns and drugs in Bangkok
Traffic police in Bangkok have arrested three Vietnamese men after firearms and illegal drugs were found during a routine drink-driving checkpoint in Wang Thonglang district. The arrests took place at about 1.40pm on January 17, 2026, when officers from Wang Thonglang Police Station were conducting alcohol breath tests in front of a petrol station on Pracha Uthit Road, in Phlapphla…
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300kg of crystal meth seized and two traffickers arrested
Authorities have seized approximately 300 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and arrested two suspected members of a drug trafficking network in Mueang district, Sakon Nakhon province, following a coordinated security operation. The arrests took place at about 9.10pm on January 16, 2026, in the parking area of the bypass market in Dong Mafai subdistrict. Officers recovered six sacks containing an estimated…
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Wife opposes bail for former deputy mayor in fatal shooting case
The wife of a man fatally shot in Phatthalung province has formally objected to bail for a former deputy mayor of a sub-district administrative organisation accused of carrying out the killing, following the suspect’s surrender to police. The shooting occurred at about 8.30am on January 16, 2026, on the Ban Hat Khai Tao–Fa La Mi road in Moo 11, Na…
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Search intensifies for second victim in well murder case
Rescue workers in Lopburi province intensified their search on January 17, 2026, after detecting an odour believed to be from a decomposing body inside an abandoned well, where a second murder victim is thought to be buried. The operation centres on the search for Ms Jiraporn, known as “Teacher Lek”, aged 61, who was allegedly killed by her nephew along…
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Nigerian drug dealer arrested on Koh Pha Ngan after skipping court
Police arrested a Nigerian drug dealer on Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani on Wednesday, January 14, after he skipped court proceedings following an earlier arrest. Officers from the Koh Pha Ngan Tourist Police received a tip-off that the suspect, 38 year old Nigerian national Ukoma Jefta Nuzbech, who was wanted in a drug case, was travelling along a road…
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Japanese man arrested after viral reviews on his illegal matcha stall
Online food reviews led to the arrest of a Japanese man for operating a matcha ice cream shop without permission in Chiang Mai. The apprehension later sparked a heated online debate, with some netizens accusing authorities of discrimination. The Japanese man, 39 year old Junichi, was operating a small matcha ice cream stall outside Yang Kwang Temple, located in the city…
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Former PM Thaksin may be released on parole in May
The former Prime Minister (PM) of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, may be eligible for release on parole in May, according to the Department of Corrections. Thaksin returned to Thailand in August and was taken into custody before being transferred to the 14th floor of the Police General Hospital under special detention arrangements. His hospital stay triggered widespread public debate, with critics…
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Steel bar dropped from condo crane pierces through Phuket home
A steel bar reportedly fell from a crane at a high-rise condominium construction site and pierced through a home near Surin Beach in Phuket on the night of Wednesday, January 14. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, despite the close call. The female homeowner shared a video of the shocking incident on social media, showing a long steel bar embedded through…
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PM Anutin orders termination and blacklisting of Italian-Thai Development
Thailand’s Prime Minister (PM) Anutin Charnvirakul ordered the Ministry of Transport to terminate construction contracts with Italian-Thai Development (ITD) and blacklist the contractor, following a series of deadly infrastructure accidents that sparked intense public backlash. The decision comes in the wake of two high-profile tragedies: the crane collapse onto a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima and the crane accident on Rama…
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Bangkok ranked 3rd best city to visit by New York Times
Bangkok was named the third best city to visit in the world today, January 16, in The New York Times’ 52 Places to Go in 2026 list, praised for its green spaces, vibrant art scene, and recent innovations in public transport. According to Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) spokesperson Aekvarunyoo Amrapala, the city is proud to see its urban development and…
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South Korean man and Thai wife die in crane collapse one day after marriage
A South Korean man and his Thai wife lost their lives in the Nakhon Ratchasima crane disaster on Wednesday, January 14, one day after their marriage. Authorities confirmed that a German national and a South Korean man were among 32 people killed when a construction crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train in Korat on Wednesday. While the German man’s…
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3 missing passengers in Korat crane-train collision found alive
A medical official confirmed yesterday, January 15, that three people previously reported missing after a construction crane collapsed onto a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima were found safe and receiving treatment at hospital. The deadly incident occurred on Wednesday, January 14, when a crane from the elevated railway construction for the Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed train collapsed onto a moving passenger…
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What to do in Bangkok this weekend (and the next!)
How is January already moving this fast? You blink, survive the workweek, suddenly it’s Friday again. If your New Year motivation peaked somewhere around Wednesday lunch, this weekend is here to save you. Bangkok is doing what it does best, mixing slow hangs, cultural gems, food worth leaving the house for, and a few reasons to stay out later than…
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Chinese man spotted roaming around Pattaya after robbing real estate agent
Pattaya police are continuing their manhunt for a Chinese man wanted for robbing a fellow Chinese woman, after the suspect was spotted on CCTV at a convenience store near Jomtien Beach today, January 15. The victim, 35 year old Chinese real estate agent Yang Wang, filed a complaint with Nong Prue Police Station after the robbery occurred at around midnight…
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Suicide suspected after Canadian man dies in Pattaya condo fall
Police are investigating the death of an elderly Canadian man who fell from a condominium in Pattaya today, January 15, with officers suspecting the incident to be a suicide. Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station were called to investigate the death of 86 year old Canadian national George Eugene at a condominium located along Jomtien Beach this morning. Rescuers from…
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China steps in with 90 million baht aid after Thai train tragedy
China has reaffirmed its close diplomatic ties with Thailand today, January 15, by donating 20 million yuan, approximately 90 million baht, in humanitarian aid, in the wake of a crane collapse at a high-speed rail construction site. At 11am today, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jianwei met with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul at the Government House to formally deliver the assistance. The…
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Elusive crested jayshrike spotted on Kaeng Krachan forest trail
A rare crested jayshrike made a surprise appearance yesterday, January 14, on a forest trail in Phetchaburi’s Kaeng Krachan National Park, stunning birdwatchers and park officials. Mongkol Chaiphakdi, chief of Kaeng Krachan National Park, said the elusive bird was seen near the 18-kilometre forest trail known as Ban Chang Yieb, which leads up to Panoenthung mountain. The encounter was captured…
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Thai foreign minister seeks clarity on US immigrant visa halt
Thailand’s foreign minister met with a top United States diplomat in Bangkok today, January 15, to seek clarification over Washington’s recent decision to suspend immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, including Thailand. Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said he had summoned the US chargé d’affaires in Thailand to discuss the move, after Thailand appeared on a newly released list of…
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Royal Thai Army admits 8 drunk soldiers beat conscript to death
The Royal Thai Army admitted that eight soldiers physically assaulted three conscripts at Sura Dham Pithak Military Camp in Nakhon Ratchasima, resulting in the death of one of the victims. The case came to public attention after the family of a 21 year old private, Krittanon Phonchantuek, spoke out on social media to condemn the abuse inside the military camp.…
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Thailand’s conservative parties push back on charter rewrite
Yesterday, January 14, three of Thailand’s conservative political parties reaffirmed their opposition to replacing the current constitution, warning that the move could be costly and politically risky. Key figures from the Rak Chart Thai Party, Thai Pakdee Party, and the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party voiced their stance during campaign activities in Nakhon Ratchasima and Surat Thani, stating they would…
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UAE tourist loses 14,500 baht to foreign pickpockets in Pattaya
A tourist from the United Arab Emirates lost around 14,500 baht in cash after being pickpocketed by two foreign men in Pattaya yesterday, January 14. The victim, 45 year old Mohamed Abdelkaliq Abdalla Khadim Almaazmi, filed a complaint with Mueang Pattaya Police Station at around 7am on Tuesday, January 13, after realising that cash had gone missing from his trouser…
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2 killed as crane collapses onto 2 vehicles on Rama II Road
At least two people were killed after a construction crane collapsed onto two vehicles travelling along Rama II Road in Samut Sakhon province near Bangkok this morning, January 15. The fatal incident occurred at around 9.25am outside the Paris Garden Hotel in the Tha Chin sub-district. The crane was part of a bridge construction project above Rama II Road, one…
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SRT to sue contractor after 100m baht Korat train damage
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) plans to sue the contractor responsible for a crane collapse that struck a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima yesterday, January 14, causing more than 100 million baht in damages and resulting in multiple casualties. The incident occurred at approximately 9.30am yesterday in Sikhio district and involved a high-speed rail construction site for the…
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Thailand among 75 nations hit by US visa processing suspension
The United States will temporarily suspend immigrant visa processing for Thailand and 74 other countries, effective January 21, 2026, as part of tighter immigration screening under its America First policy, the US State Department announced on January 14. The immigration visa freeze targets applicants from countries where migrants are said to disproportionately rely on public assistance after settling in the…
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German and South Korean among 32 killed after crane collapses onto train in Korat
A German man and a South Korean national are among 32 people killed after a construction crane collapsed onto a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima province yesterday morning, January 14. The devastating incident occurred at around 9am on a railway track in the Baan Thanon Kot community in Sikhiu district, also known as Korat. The area is located beneath the…
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SHIELD system unveiled at Thai-led trafficking talks with 18 nations
Thai police have intensified international efforts against human trafficking and cyber scams after officials from 18 countries met in Bangkok yesterday, January 13, to discuss cooperation, data sharing, and tools to tackle transnational crime. The high-level meeting took place at the Royal Thai Police headquarters and was chaired by Police General Thatchai Pitaneelabutr, deputy national police chief and director of…
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Longman’s beaked whale found in Thailand for first time
A rare deep-sea whale has been confirmed in Thai waters for the first time after a carcass washed ashore in Chanthaburi yesterday, January 13, prompting marine experts to investigate its exact species and cause of death. The whale was later identified as a Longman’s beaked whale, also known as Indopacetus pacificus, one of the least commonly observed cetaceans in the…
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