Hot News
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Sponsored New in July: Save 10% for life on family health plans in Thailand
Cigna has a special offer this July for families in Thailand. When you sign up three or more people on a family health plan, you will save 10% on your premiums for life. This deal helps you get affordable, high-quality...
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More protests planned for Bangkok today as activists continue fight to remove PM
Anti-government protesters are planning another “car mob” rally in Bangkok today, as they continue their bid to remove the Thai PM from office. The Bangkok Post reports that yesterday, Red Shirt activist Nattawut Saikuar addressed a rally at the Asoke intersection in the capital, vowing to lead a bigger protest from the Ratchaprasong intersection to Asoke today. According to the…
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No more sandbox: Phuket private sector calls for full re-opening by December 1
The vice-president of the Phuket Tourism Association says businesses on the island need it to fully re-open by December 1 if they are to survive. According to a Bangkok Post report, Nanthida Atiset says fully re-opening the island could generate over 210 billion baht in revenue, adding that the sandbox scheme is simply not enough. “Only over 20,000 tourists have…
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Apple delays privacy-invading child abuse detection software
After huge backlash over their seemingly well-intentioned plan to fight child pornography and child sexual abuse, Apple has backed down and delayed the release of a software update that would include protection tools that many believe would invade privacy and open the door for other infringement in the future. The Silicon Valley tech giant had introduced a plan to release…
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Phuket Sandbox draws 28,000 travellers, 1.634 billion baht
The Phuket Sandbox has been lauded as a success and derided as a failure, but officials have released some raw data over the past few days that indicates the programme falls somewhere in between. Immigration and the Tourism Authority of Thailand have reported on total incoming travellers and their opinions, and the Economics Tourism and Sports Division of the Tourism and…
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Former Deputy Attorney General faces mild disciplinary violation for role in Red Bull heir case
A former deputy attorney general is facing disciplinary action for his decision not to indict the Red Bull hier, Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, over the fatal hit-and-run incident in 2012 where the Boss sped his Ferrari through Bangkok’s Thong Lor district and struck a police officer, killing him. Boss managed to evade justice and fled the country. The deputy attorney general’s…
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Tourists flood Khao Yai Park after viral video of curious bear
Attendance at Khao Yai National Park has boomed so much thanks to a viral video that they are now having to limit the number of people who can visit. People were drawn to the park after a video was posted to Facebook showing an Asian black bear visiting a food stall in the park attempting to eat an omelette and…
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Thitisan refutes murder, argues for assault charges instead
Thitisan “Jo Ferrari” Utthanaphon, along with the other 6 police in custody now for the fatal torture of a 25 year old drug suspect, denies the charges against him and is now claiming he merely assaulted the man which led to his death. Thitisan’s lawyer met with him at Phitsanulok prison last week and dispelled rumours that his client suffered…
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Another missing expat man found safe after being lost in forest
For the second time in as many days, an older expat man has been found after being lost in a forest for a few days. Yesterday a British man in Khon Kaen was found after being lost 3 days in a forest when he wandered off his motorbike for a stroll and couldn’t find his way back. Now today in…
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PM Prayut, 5 ministers win votes to beat no-confidence charge
After 4 days of intense debates in the censure proceedings that called for a vote of no-confidence for PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and 5 top ministers in his cabinet, the group all avoided the no-confidence votes. There was a lot of talk about secret political deals aligning the Palang Pracharath Party and the Pheu Thai party, along with a coalition of…
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Bangkok, Pattaya, and other destinations still planned to reopen in October
Despite Bangkok still classified as a “dark red” zone, and the Covid-19 epicentre with thousands of new infections reported each day, the capital is one of the eight tourist destinations planned to reopen to travellers on October 1. A report from Nation Thailand says the Public Health Ministry has launched preparations for the reopening. Other reopening schemes planned to start…
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Coalition of parties said to be plotting for PM Prayut’s removal
Members of some of the parliament’s smaller parties confirmed the existence of a rumoured plot brewed amongst a coalition of parties to unseat PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. The revelation and confirmation of this plot details the effort of several parties to come together and remove the Prime Minister from power. The New Palangdharma Party said that it will take a coalition…
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80% of condos in Thailand sold to foreigners, 50% China
A real estate firm is predicting that the market for condos in Thailand hot spots like Bangkok, Phuket, and Pattaya will be rebounding soon with the continued trend of foreign investment, a majority of which are Chinese. China has long been a driving force in purchasing condos in Thailand. The business development manager of Saensiri is predicting the uptick once…
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Thai PM defends pandemic management strategy during no-confidence grilling
The Thai PM has come under fire on day 3 of a no-confidence debate against Prayut Chan-o-cha and his administration. In responding to the criticism, the PM has defended the government’s handling of the pandemic and its vaccine procurement policy. According to a Bangkok Post report, the PM says that Thailand’s management of the Covid-19 crisis could be considered above…
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PM Prayut accused of cash bribes to MPs for censure support
On the third day of the censure debate in Parliament, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha responded to charges that he gave cash bribes to MPs to secure their support to vote in his favour at the end of the debate. Pheu Thai MP Visarn Techateerawat levelled the accusation, saying that in a third-floor room of the parliament building PM Prayut met privately…
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Extorted women held in chicken fighting dog kennel by fake police
A woman went out for a shopping trip but ended up at the centre of a bizarre story after she alleges she was arrested by fake police and detained in a dog kennel while being extorted for 50,000 baht. The woman was reported missing on Monday by her mother after she never came home from her shopping trip and today police arrested…
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Police search 2 rooms Thitisan and subordinated used; unknown powder and drugs allegedly found
Police investigating the now-infamous case of the man who died in police custody in Nakhon Sawan, a northern Thai province, have searched a condominium room used by former police station chief, Thitisan Utthanaphon, and a subordinate’s apartment, today. The search was conducted by local police and investigators from the Crime Suppression Division. The investigators say they found a suspicious powdered…
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Hat Yai immigration officer investigated for alleged extortion
Immigration police are investigating an officer in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district for alleged extortion after an audio clip of an officer asking an immigrant for a monthly fee was shared on a watchdog Facebook page. A committee has been set up by Immigration Division 6 to investigate the case and to determine whether an immigration officer was involved. The division says the…
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Russian man on Koh Samui arrested for possession of illicit drugs for sale
Police in Koh Samui arrested a Russian man on drug trafficking charges and seized various kinds of illicit drugs including methamphetamine, cocaine, ketamine, and ecstasy. The man, 47 year old Konstantin Savosin, was apprehended yesterday at a house in Tropical Villa Eagle Nest housing estate on Koh Samui, an island in the Gulf of Thailand off the Surat Thani coast.…
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Move Forward MP accused of falsifying documents in complaint filed by Thai army
The Thai military has filed a complaint against Nattacha Boonchaiinsawat, an MP from the Move Forward Party. In the complaint, which was filed at a police station in the north-eastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, Nattacha is accused of producing fake documents during the ongoing no-confidence debate. The debate against the PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and his government got underway on Monday.…
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Man allegedly killed a man for reporting him for visa overstay
An Indian man was arrested allegedly killing a man and then dismembering the body because he thought the victim reported him to immigration for overstaying his visa. Officers found the mutilated remains of 52 year old Mahesh Singh, also an Indian national, in Pathum Thani’s Thanyaburi district around 11am yesterday. His body had been cut into two pieces. 29 year old…
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Pattaya officials concerned high costs of Covid tests will deter foreign tourists
Tourism officials in Pattaya are concerned that the demands being made of foreign tourists, including multiple costly Covid tests, will put people off visiting. Pattaya hopes to re-open quarantine-free under a sealed route scheme, but Thanet Supornsahasrungsi from the Chon Buri Tourism Council has expressed concern about the costs involved for visitors. The Bangkok Post reports that Pattaya is eyeing…
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Tourism Minister defends PM’s re-opening plan on day 3 of no-confidence debate
Thailand’s Tourism Minister has defended the PM’s promise to re-open the country, pointing out that Bangkok and another 4 provinces should be in a position to welcome tourists from next month. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says the re-opening of those 5 provinces will be followed by a further 21 provinces around the country. He was speaking during yesterday’s no-confidence debate against PM…
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PM Prayut accused of embezzlement in Sinovac vaccine purchases
Complex, tricky accounting, embezzlement or a government going about its work in the middle of a pandemic? Accusations by the Pheu Thai opposition party are demanding Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha explain a 2 billion baht gap between what was allocated for Sinovac vaccine purchases and what was actually spent. The charges, made under parliamentary privilege in this week’s no-confidence debate,…
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Anutin speaks in defence of handling of Covid-19 and vaccines
On the first day of the 4 day censure debate where multiple cabinet members as well as PM Prayut Chan-o-cha are facing a vote of no-confidence, Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul spoke in the evening in defence of himself and in praise of the government’s competent handling of the Covid-19 crisis. The minister walked through the Covid-19 crisis and…
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2 international schools in Bangkok busted for allegedly breaking various laws
2 international schools in Bangkok have been busted for breaking various laws. The Secretary of the Office of the National Primary Education Commission, Attaphol Treuktrong, said that his office is pursuing legal actions against the 2 international schools after it was determined the schools broke laws. The schools are the Foster International School in Thon Buri and the St. Mark’s…
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Poacher arrested in Pathum Thani for allegedly catching and selling macaques
An alleged poacher was arrested by the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department officials today. The suspect and another man would allegedly shoot wild macaque monkeys with tranquilising darts and later sell the monkeys for 1,000 to 1,500 baht each. Officers say 40 year old Pitak Thongsu was found with 6 macaques in his possession. Head of special operations for…
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Prosecutor says Nakhon Sawan district police intended to kill the drug suspect
The head of a regional prosecutor’s office is claiming the now-ousted Nakhon Sawan district police superintendent intended to kill the drug suspect. Video footage of the interrogation early last month shows the suspect with a plastic bag over his head. A recently released autopsy report says the man died from suffocation, but police earlier wrote off the cause of death…
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More anti-government protests in Bangkok today, day 2 of no-confidence debate
Police in Bangkok are preparing for more anti-government protests today, with 2,250 officers on duty to patrol rallies by 3 different groups. Today is day 2 of the no-confidence debate against the government, with protests planned by Ratsadorn Taliban, Ramkhamhaeng for Democracy, and Thalugas, with each group meeting in different areas of the capital. According to a Bangkok Post report,…
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Calls for former police chief’s wealth to be investigated
An activist from the Association for the Protection of the Thai Constitution has petitioned the Anti-Money Laundering Office to look into the wealth acquired by former police chief, Thitisan Utthanaphon. Thitisan has been fired as police chief in the northern province of Nakhon Sawan and is being investigated for his alleged role in the death of a suspect in custody.…
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Phuket officials look to vaccinated domestic visitors for tourism lifeline
Officials on the southern island of Phuket are pinning their hopes on vaccinated domestic tourists to revive the flagging economy. A proposal to attract vaccinated local tourists is being submitted for approval and if granted, would replace current restrictions, says deputy governor, Pichet Panapong. According to a Bangkok Post report, Pichet says the current measures on Phuket are damaging the…
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