Hot News
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Sponsored Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained
Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...
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Biggest fire in 40 years at Mae Hong Son provincial city centre – VIDEO
At around 2.30am today a fire broke out leading to the destruction of an iconic building at the centre of Mae Hong Son province (northern Thailand), including the house of a Phalang Pracharat Party member of Parliament (MP). The blaze started at the Crossroad bar, a 70 year old building made of wood and located in the city centre near…
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Woman cooks and eats Leopard, posts her kitchen skills on Facebook attracting widespread outrage
A disturbing Facebook post went viral this week depicting a woman grilling and eating a young leopard with a caption that read “Tonight’s dinner, fried spicy leopard. Did I get it by accident?”After the post saw wide-scale outrage, it was picked up by local NGO, Watchdog Thailand, who brought it to the attention of wildlife authorities. Leopards are a protected…
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Desperate police officer nabbed trying to rob a bank in Chachoengsao
Police general Krisana Pattanacharoen, dupty spokesman of the Royal Thai Police reports that a serving police sergeant was allegedly arrested in Chachoengsao province (east of Bangkok) for conspiring to rob a bank. Officers from Bangpakong Police Station reported that there was a suspicious-looking man in front of Kasikornbank’s Bangwua branch in Bangpakong district. “The suspect was seen wearing a black…
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Thunderstorms in the South, heatwave in the North
The Thai Meteorological Department forecast for today says that “a thermal low will blanket northern Thailand while winds from the south and southeast will bring humidity to the lower North, the Northeast, the Central and Eastern regions (forecasts for Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Phuket below). Weather continues to be humid and unsettled in the south as the south-westerly monsoon starts to build strength.…
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Taiwan considers rebranding its flag carrier, China Airlines
Taipei is considering changing the name of its flag carrier: China Airlines. Perhaps an opportunistic excuse to distance itself from any anti-Chinese ‘Covid’ fallout or just a political ploy whilst China has, well, other things to worry about at the moment. It seems the Covid-19 pandemic has reignited calls to change the name after the airline sent a series of…
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Loophole closed – more unemployed to receive payments from Thai government
The loophole for employees whose businesses were not ordered to close, but are still affected by Covid 19 pandemic, has finally been addressed. The Thai Ministry of Labor secretary Sutthi Sukosol says that compensation will be similar to what employees whose businesses were ordered to close are paid, which is 62% of daily wage based on a maximum monthly salary…
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‘Ranger’ the civet and friends saved from Chiang Mai forest fires
Twenty wild animals including ‘Ranger’ the palm civet, hawks, yellow throated martens, gibbons and leopards, have been rescued from forest fires in Thailand’s northern province of Chiang Mai. The wildlife conservation department says that although some of the animals have been injured in forest fires, they are all now safe and under the care of the animal clinic. They estimate…
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Police arrest 3 as they crack down on fake mask and gel network
Provincial Police Region 1 officers have arrested 3 people who have been charged with selling a large quantity of fake hand gel dispensers and face masks. The arrests were made in Samut Prakan (south of Bangkok), Pathum Thani (north of Bangkok) and Bangkok. The provincial police believe that all 3 suspects are part of a bigger network of distributors and…
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Thai Health Minister demands apology for inflammatory comments
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has criticised fellow Bhumjaithai Party member Boonkua Pussatevo for a Facebook comment that, according to The Nation, translates loosely to “stupid citizens will lead us to death” and has asked for a public apology over the comments. The remarks follows a computer glitch affecting the distribution of the 5,000 baht assistance many citizens were expecting.…
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Police nab another suspect in notorious Forex-3D Ponzi scheme
Police in Bangkok have arrested yet another suspect in the infamous Forex-3D Ponzi scheme which duped thousands with false promises of high returns and resulted in losses of tens of billions of baht. Department of Special Investigation officials have now arrested 30 year old Sitthanat Pho-ngern on a warrant issued by the Criminal Court. He’s charged with luring people to…
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Australian man arrested over child sexual abuse charge
Thailand’s Crime Suppression Division police have arrested 63 year old William James Petrie, an Australian man living in Central Thailand on sexual abuse charges in his home country. He was arrested at his house in Chachoengsao, east of Bangkok, where he was living with his Thai wife and her family. The man’s wife, whose identity has been withheld, said she…
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Kratom Food Panda-monium in Phuket
Phuket Police have arrested Grab and Foodpanda delivery drivers for transport and possession of kratom. Yesterday morning, two men were riding together on a motorbike with one clad in a Grab delivery uniform while his passenger carried the green insulated Grab delivery bag. Officers stopped and searched the two after suspecting the men were acting suspiciously. Conducting a search, officers…
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Bank robber comes in from the rain, makes off with 106,000 baht
Staff at the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives in Prawet district of southeastern Bangkok got a surprise this week when a lone armed robber came in off the street, out of the torrential rain, and stole 106,000 baht. Brandishing a pistol, the man, caught on security cameras, wore a sky blue cap, a facemask, black shirt, jeans and trainers.…
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Thailand facing double whammy – Covid-19 and worsening seasonal drought
The Office of the National Water Resources says up to 6,255 villages in 24 provinces have already been declared as drought-affected areas, while national dams and reservoirs are only at an average of 49% capacity (only 26% of that water is usable.) It has been predicted that the drought could last until at least July. Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon says…
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AoT, already struggling, deny investing in faltering Thai Airways
“We’ve got enough problems of our own.” Airports of Thailand is denying claims that it is interested in acquiring a stake in the financially floundering flag carrier Thai Airways, saying that they too are struggling with the sharp drop in revenue after airlines and airport shutdowns related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Thai Airways, once considered one of Asia’s most luxurious…
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Bangkok temple develops hygienic face mask from recycled plastics
During the nationwide closure of temples and festivities during the Songkran holiday this week, some are taking the opportunity to improve hygienic practices. To help protect members of the temple and the community from contracting Coronavirus, the Abbot from Chak Daeng temple, on the banks of the Chao Phraya just south of Bangkok, has been busy crafting recycled plastics into face…
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Up to 10 million Thais out of work in next three months – CCSA
As many as 10 million Thais could be out of work in the next few months if the current Covid-19 epidemic drags on. Supant Mongkolsuthee, the president of the Federation of Thai IndustriesGovernment, says the Thai government needs to provide timely support for businesses. As head of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s working committee, tasked with overseeing small and…
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Chon Buri police raid late night ‘ladyboy’ cam show, arrest dozens – VIDEO
The show must go on! But not at the moment. Police in Chon Buri province southeast of Bangkok, acting on a tip, arrested dozens of people in a raid on an underground “cam show” at a Pattaya area luxury home at about 12:30 am yesterday. The raid was led by local police units along with a transnational crime unit and…
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Chiang Mai hiking spots go up in flames
Wildfires in Thailand’s north have made plenty of news in recent months, and now, Chiang Mai’s Doi Mon Jong mountain, one of northern Thailand’s most popular hiking spots has become the latest victim. Doi Mon Jong, in the province’s Om Koi District, is considered a legendary “unseen” destination for its breathtaking views, beauty and nature. Nearly 20 rai (3.2 hectares)…
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PM urges Thailand to observe Songkran at home on April 13
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is calling on all citizens and residents to refrain from celebrating Songkran, cancel their trips home and avoid all gatherings during the 3 day festival, which kicks off on Monday. The government announced last month that the Songkran holidays would be postponed to later, unspecified dates, in line with efforts to curb the spread of the Covid-19…
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Chon Buri struggles with severe drought
As Thailand faces its worst drought in 40 years, officials in Chon Buri met yesterday to discuss a solution regarding lack of water and low water pressure in the province’s Sattahip district, south of Pattaya, also the home to a naval base. Responding to many recent complaints, Sathira Pueakprapan, a member of the council in Chonburi, told reporters that Sattahip…
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Burmese pair arrested at border for smuggling 16.5 million baht
Police in the Tak province, northern Thailand, yesterday arrested two Burmese nationals for trying to smuggle 16.5 million baht in cash into Thailand. Authorities say the two, identified as 29 year old Ded Paioou, and a 24 year old woman called “Namitu” were arrested in tambon Tha Sai Luad, following a tip-off. Officers say the pair were driving a pickup…
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Village headman fires 8 bullets into an officer at a check point in northern Thailand
A ‘Phu Yai Barn’ or village headman in Phayao province, just south of Chiang Rai, got into a row with other local officials last night, allegedly ending in a shootout, seriously injuring a local official at a checkpoint. Last night at 8pm local police were informed of the shooting incident at Ban Na Nun Community Checkpoint Village No 2. They…
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Facebook page advocates violence against ‘shit tourists’ in Phuket
Following up from yesterday’s report there has been no action taken to remove a Facebook page advocating violence against “shit tourists” stranded in Phuket. ‘Spotlight Thailand’, usually a ‘whistleblower’ for local corruption and fuelled by the admin’s political views, has nearly 600,000 followers. Now this week’s posts are going viral, spreading a disturbing message from local Phuket ‘vigilantes’, commenting about…
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Police hunt Burmese man accused of killing Chon Buri boy
Police in Chon Buri have launched a manhunt for a Burmese worker who is a suspect in the murder of an 11 year old boy. The boy’s body was found in a cassava farm in the province’s Sri Racha district on Sunday. Police believe the 49 year old Burmese national known only as “Wan,” may still be hiding in Chon…
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Trio arrested with 47 kilograms of marijuana they were selling on Facebook
Pattaya police have arrested 3 people on Saturday who were caught with 47 kilograms of marijuana that they’d been selling around Chonburi and Bangkok 20 year old Nakarachai or Pon-noon, 21 year old Muay Subboonto and 20 year old Nawee Cherndecha were arrested after police received a tip-off. The enterprising trio had also been brazenly selling their ‘consumables’ through a Facebook…
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World body bans Thai weightlifters from Tokyo Olympics
Thai and Malaysian weightlifters will be barred from the Tokyo Olympic Games, whenever they’re held, over their high numbers of doping cases. The sport’s governing body, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) said in a statement that the two countries’ lifters can’t compete at the Tokyo Games, regardless of the change of date. Previously there had been some hope in Thailand…
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Chiang Mai firefighters chased up a tree by wild elephants
Firefighters in Thailand’s North were chased up a tree by a herd of elephants yesterday. The group were on patrol searching for fires in Chiang Mai province’s Omkoi district. The men told reporters they were patrolling for fires when they ran across a small herd of wild elephants. Fearing for their safety, the fled up a nearby tree and stayed…
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Paramotor crash in Chonburi kills British man
A British man, aged 60, has been killed in a flying incident. He was flying when the paramotor developed engine troubles and plummeted into the ground in Bang Saray Tambon in Sattahip district, south of Pattaya. Bang Saray police and rescuers from the Sawangrot Thammasathan Foundation were called to the crash site, that occurred in a grassy field near Moo…
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Thailand’s reservoirs and dams reaching critically low levels
The start of the annual wet season isn’t far away, maybe this month, but Thailand’s water sources are running on empty. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported today, that Thailand has seen a large drop of useable water in dams and reservoirs by an average of 30% of their capacity, due to the lack of rain in the…
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