Hot News
Stay updated with the latest Hot News in Thailand, featuring in-depth reporting and analysis of local events and goings on! We bring you breaking news, in-depth reports, and exclusive interviews covering a wide range of Thailand-focused topics, from Crime and Politics to Tourism and Business.
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The Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) is a great option for digital nomads, remote workers, and freelancers who want to stay in Thailand for a long time. This multiple-entry visa is valid for five years, allowing stays of up to 180...
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PM Prayut emphasises importance of Thailand-US partnership
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha held a meeting with members of the US Congress yesterday, in which he stressed the importance of the relationship between Thailand and the United States. He also made it clear that he wanted to pursue further cooperation and partnership with the US as the two countries move forward. Members of the US Congress paid a visit to…
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Phuket seafood festival and promotional event aimed at drawing in tourists
In another attempt to draw tourists back to Phuket, a seafood festival with live music is being held at the end of the month, which local tourism officials say will make the island’s attractions and activities more “colourful.” The Phuket tourism office is also holding a promotional event early next month focused on boosting tourist confidence with information on health…
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Uproar among Thais on Twitter after social media attacks on Isaan people
The Thai “Twittersphere” is in an uproar after a group of users on the social media platform Clubhouse began a derogatory conversation about people from Isaan. This discussion gained attention after so many disparaging comments were made that the hashtag #ClubhouseToxic began trending on Twitter. The Clubhouse users allegedly listed the negative stereotypes of those native to Isaan, such as…
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Thai officials seize illegally imported medical goods worth around 5 million baht
The Food and Drug Administration and Thai police have confiscated a large quantity of illegally imported medical supplies, according to a Bangkok Post report. The seizure happened yesterday, during a raid on 2 warehouses in the Bang Kapi district of Bangkok. In total, the authorities seized products worth around 5 million baht, including Covid-19 test kits. Anan Nanasombat, chief of…
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Aide to Thai PM says repealing lèse majesté law would be “impossible”
A representative of the PM’s Secretariat Office has described Thailand’s controversial lèse majesté law as untouchable, amid calls for it to be repealed. According to a Bangkok Post report, Thipanan Sirichana says repealing the law, formally known as Section 112 of the Criminal Code, would contravene the constitution. She says Thailand’s constitution dictates that the king’s position is one of…
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“We’re fixing it” – Government responds to Thailand Pass complaints
A government spokesman says efforts are underway to fix glitches that have affected the Thailand Pass system since its launch. Social media has been awash with criticism from both Thais and foreigners attempting to use the system. Many have complained about delays in receiving the QR code required for travel, while others say they never received it at all. The…
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Burmese, Cambodian jobseekers caught entering Thailand illegally
Unscrupulous people smugglers are taking advantage of Burmese and Cambodian workers who are desperate to find employment in Thailand. With the re-opening of the country to international tourism, migrant workers are paying illegal brokers to secure employment and transport into the kingdom. The Bangkok Post reports that yesterday, police in the western province of Kanchanaburi arrested 97 Burmese nationals who…
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New ferry route Chon Buri-Songkhla, new speedboat Chumphon-Samui
Several new ferry services are launching to connect Thailand, with a long-haul route from Chon Buri to Songkhla and a new boat service launching from Chumphon to the islands of Ko Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao. The new routes will be run by Seahorse Ferries Company for the cross country route, and Marine Passion through the islands. CHON BURI…
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Successes and failures in the Thailand Pass programme
Now that the Thailand Pass has been open for about a week, some successes and failures of the revised system replacing the Certificate of Entry are noticeable. The government has issued a warning against a fake registration site, Hotmail accounts not working, and why you might not receive your confirmation, while at the same time applauding more than 50,000 Thailand…
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Smart city programme to use digital technology to improve lives
In an effort to increase the standard of living for people through digital technology, 15 areas have been earmarked for the government to implement the development of smart cities. A meeting was held of the National Smart City Steering subcommittee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan. Meeting saw attendance from the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, Smart City…
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Banking on a Shinawatra revival – Pheu Thai kicks off their 2023 election campaign
No surprise, despite some conservative media painting it as a shock political move. The official announcement of Paethongtan Shinawatra’s role at in the Pheu Thai election machine as “chief adviser in participation and innovation” has been spoken about for the past month. The return of a ‘Shinawatra’ – the former fugitive PM’s youngest daughter no less – will re-focus additional…
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Vaccinated riders get 20% off on Transport Co interprovince buses
For those who have been fully vaccinated, Thailand’s state-run long-distance bus operator is offering a 20% discount on all fares until the end of November. The Transport Co operate the public buses that travel between provinces across the country, and they are offering the deal the boost ridership as tourism grows. The move is also hoped to counteract the losses…
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Phuket officials prepare for road accidents with 17 new banners
Phuket disaster officials are working on a public awareness campaign to try to reduce road accidents, especially with an expected influx of tourists after Thailand’s reopening on November 1. The plans were drawn up in Phuket Town at the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Center Region 18 headquarters during a meeting of the Phuket Road Safety Committee. The meeting…
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Chiang Mai airport welcomes first international flight, 83 tourists
Chiang Mai has officially joined Thailand’s big reopening launch as the first international flight brought tourists to the “Charming Chiang Mai” programme. After nearly 2 years of being closed to international flights, Chiang Mai Airport welcomed a flight of 83 travellers from South Korea last night. The first flight was operated by Korean carrier Jeju Air and departed from Seoul’s…
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New ABBA album, the 40 year wait and ABBA-tars on the way
The usual time between albums for a music outfit… maybe 1-2 years. Up there in amongst the top 30 artists of all time, ABBA, who couldn’t speak a word of English when they first started recording, have just released their latest album… 40 years after their previous album in 1981 and they split up in 1982. And coming soon they’re touring…
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Department of Corrections fires 10 prison officials for misconduct
10 prison officials have been dismissed by the Department of Corrections after a variety of serious breaches of conduct have been investigated. The dismissals range from smuggling to gross negligence and misconduct relating to 5 murders, and authorities fear that the egregious misconduct has shaken people’s confidence in the Department and the prison system. The Director-General of the DoC detailed…
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Pattaya sees no tourism boost so far, looks ahead to events
The tourism sector in Pattaya is looking to the near future after they say no new international tourists have been seen in the first few days of Thailand’s reopening so far. Tourism businesses say that they’re seeing domestic travellers coming for weekend trips and long holidays, and the heads of the industry say they don’t foresee numbers to increase for…
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Thailand reopening sees 13,000 travellers, 10 Covid-19 infections
After the first 4 days of Thailand’s big reopening, over 13,000 people have arrived with just 10 of those travellers testing positive for Covid-19. According to the Director of Risk Communication and Health Behavior Development Bureau from the Ministry of Public Health Dr Sumanee Watcharasin, 13,229 people have entered Thailand in the last 4 days, and 10 international travellers –…
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Police say there’s enough evidence to convict “Joe Ferrari” on all 4 charges
The Royal Thai Police say they have gathered enough evidence to convict the former police superintendent “Joe Ferrari” on all four charges he faces, including killing by torture, which carries a maximum penalty of death. The officer, Thitisan Uthanapol, is accused of suffocating a suspect to death while demanding a 2 million baht bribe. The police handed over a 2,000+…
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Pattaya Music Festival begins tonight under Covid-19 safety measures
The Pattaya Music Festival is set to begin tonight… but don’t expect packed crowds and beer. Rather than the audiences squeezing tight to get close to the stage, last year, attendees sat in chairs with each seat placed a certain distance apart to prevent the spread of Covid-19. With Thailand still experiencing a wave of the coronavirus, the festival needed…
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Police to crack down on politically motivated crimes during local elections
Local elections are serious in Thailand… So serious that police plan to deploy tens of thousands of officers during the November 28 sub district polls to crack down on politically motivated crimes and violations of local election law as well as to prevent clashes between candidates. In the past, crimes and violations driven by local politics have ranged from destroying…
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Despite errors, over 65,000 have applied for Thailand Pass
Despite a rash of technical issues, in just 4 days since launching the Thailand Pass, over 65,000 people have applied for it in order to reenter Thailand. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported the figures yesterday and stated that 13,000 people have already been approved in the new scheme. From November 1 until yesterday morning, 65,338 applications for the Thailand…
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4 new holidays in Thailand hoped to stimulate domestic travel
Apparently in an effort to boost tourism revenue in Thailand, the Thai Cabinet has approved the creation of 4 new holidays in the middle of next year that allows for extra-long weekends. The government hopes that the creation of these long holiday weekends will encourage domestic travellers to take short getaway holidays around Thailand and stimulate the economy. The move…
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Soft tourism openings expected for Hua Hin and Cha-am in last quarter of 2021
The Tourism Authority of Thailand expects a soft re-opening for the holiday destinations of Hua Hin and Cha-am during the last quarter of 2021. In total, deputy TAT governor Nithee Seeprae says both resort cities are only expected to receive 5% of 2019’s foreign tourist numbers. According to a Bangkok Post report, he says foreign tourists cannot stay in either…
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Nonthaburi man arrested with stolen women’s underwear
In the Bangkok suburb of Nonthaburi, a local man has been apprehended by police for stealing women’s underwear, telling police that the 39 pairs that he had stolen he would wear himself. The 37-year old man was arrested on a warrant for burglary. The man admitted to a string of thefts at night in a housing estate in Nonthaburi called…
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AG’s Office to finish review of “Joe Ferrari” case within the next 2 weeks
A review of the death in custody case involving the now notorious former police station chief known as “Joe Ferrari” is expected to be finished within the next two weeks, according to the Attorney General’s Office. The ex-station chief in the rural province Nakhon Sawan and six of his subordinates are facing several charges, including killing by torture, which carries…
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Fake goods valued at 40 million baht seized in police busts
Pro-tip: If a shop is selling Louis Vuitton pillows next to Doraemon pillows, they are fake. In a series of raids, police impounded 40 million baht worth of counterfeit goods – mostly bedding products – from storage facilities in Pathum Thani and Rayong. The Department of Special Investigation announced the haul yesterday. The bust was made with the help of…
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Police bust counterfeiters selling fake US $100 bills on Facebook
A police raid led to uncovering an alleged counterfeiting ring that is suspected of producing 50,000 fake American banknotes in the Bangkok suburb of Nakhon Pathom. The criminal masterminds were discovered by police as they attempted the move the counterfeit bills in a not so sneaky way: advertising them for sale on Facebook. Police opened an investigation on the operation…
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Bangkok Governor warns of stiff penalty for Loy Krathong fireworks
The celebration of the national holiday Loy Krathong is coming up on November 19, but Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang warns people to avoid the sale and use of fireworks, firecrackers and lanterns this year. The holiday is a modern take on a tradition dating to the 13th-century Sukhothai kingdom where people launch little boats called Krathong on waterways as a…
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PM Prayut urges a new Thailand focused on tourism, sustainability
As the reopening of Thailand cranks the doors open wide to international travellers after cracking it open with Sandbox schemes over the past 4 months, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is focusing on tourism in reimagining Thailand moving forward. PM Prayut has called for all sectors of the nation to come together to transform the country in the “new normal” with tourism…
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