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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Sponsored Top 10 reasons for expats to get a comprehensive health insurance in Thailand
Moving to Thailand offers plenty of excitement and adventure, but the local healthcare system can be complex to navigate as an expat. From unique health risks to high costs at private hospitals, having a comprehensive health insurance plan is essential....
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Pattaya beach vendors pay parking fees to attract visitors
In a bid to attract beachgoers and day trippers, Pattaya’s beach bed, umbrella vendors and boat operators are paying visitors’ parking fees. They say fewer tourists visit Pattaya beach as there are no free parking spaces and traffic enforcement officers are strict compared with nearby Jomtien Beach. 63 year old Nikom Apidet, a boat operator seen placing a sign that…
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TikTok CEO quits amid pressure to sell
Kevin Mayer, the high flying CEO of TikTok, quit today under US pressure for the platform’s Chinese owner Bytedance to sell popular video app, which Washington says is a national security threat. In a letter to employees, Mayer said his decision to leave comes because the “political environment has sharply changed.” Mayer, a former Disney executive, joined TikTok as CEO…
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Bangkok officer under investigation for gambling after video emerges
A Metropolitan Police officer is under investigation for gambling in an illegal casino in Bangkok. A video clip of the casino has been shared online, with mounting pressure on the officer. Royal Thai Police deputy spokesman Krisana Pattanacharoen said the Metropolitan Police chief has ordered the Pathumwan Station to investigate whether a man caught on video gambling at a den…
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Progressive MP raises “3 finger salute” in Parliament
An opposition MP from the eastern province of Chantaburi, along the Cambodian border, raised eyebrows today when she flashed the pro-democracy “3 finger salute” immediately after after speaking about state repression of student protestors. The salute has become the student movement’s trademark gesture of solidarity. Yanathicha Buapuean, an MP for the Move Forward Party said: “These actions are intended to…
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Lop Buri mass shooter gets death penalty
The Court has handed down the death penalty to the school director who shot and killed 3 people before robbing a Lop Buri gold shop in January. He was found guilty on 3 counts of murder and 1 count of attempted murder. The court says 38 year old Prasittichai “Golf” Khaokaew entered the Robinson shopping mall in Lop Buri with a…
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Bangkok visa agent arrested for fake extensions
If you’re looking into getting a visa, be careful what agency you choose. A Bangkok visa agent was arrested for allegedly forging visa extensions. Reports say the woman was charging thousands of baht for the fake extensions. The 33 year old woman Thai media reports as Sukanya has a shop in northern Bangkok advertised as a visa agency. A Burmese…
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PM issues ominous warning as students submit manifesto
Yesterday, leaders of the student movement Free Youth submitted their now-infamous 10 point manifesto on reforming the Monarchy to a House committee for consideration. Panasaya Sitthijirawattanakul, a leader of a group calling itself the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, forwarded the 10-point manifesto, which was compiled at a demonstration on August 10 at Thammasat University, to Move Forward Party…
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PM warns that ongoing political protests will cause nation to collapse
The Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, has accused anti-government protesters of dividing the country, warning that their activities may bring about the collapse of the nation. The words are his harshest yet, as he rebukes those who continue to call for his resignation and the dissolution of parliament. “If we want to overcome each other politically, the nation will collapse. If…
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Government orders social media companies to block more websites deemed offensive
The Minister of Digital Economy and Society says his ministry is asking social media companies to block access to content that breaches Thailand’s Computer Crimes Act. Buddhipongse Punnakanta has confirmed that court orders are in place to block over 1,000 links said to contain offensive content. Of those, 661 can be found on Facebook, 289 on You Tube, and 69…
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No legal action from Facebook: minister
Thailand’s Minister of Digital Economy and Society said yesterday he doesn’t believe Facebook will take any legal action against the government and the ministry in relation to legal requests to take down or restrict access to some of its content, since the platform has cooperated well with previous requests. Buddhipongse Punnakanta was speaking at a press conference at the DES…
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Chon Buri proves most popular in domestic tourism stimulus package
Although the uptake of incentives offered under the government’s domestic travel stimulus package is lower than expected, Chon Buri is proving a hit. The Pattaya News reports that nearly 34,000 room bookings have been made at hotels in the eastern province under the “We Travel Together” rebate scheme. This is more than in other seaside destinations popular with domestic tourists,…
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6 Chon Buri men fall victim to dating app scam
At least 6 men in the eastern province of Chon Buri have fallen prey to a romance scam and police there are now warning men over the use of dating apps. The men bought cars via financing for a woman they met through an unnamed app. The deputy chief of the Samet police told the Pattaya News that 23 year…
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Nakhon Phanom couple “rob” bank
A man and wife in Nakhon Pathom, just west of Bangkok, were arrested yesterday for allegedly robbing a bank there. Police in the downtown district were informed in the morning that the local Government Savings Bank branch had been robbed, and arrived to find shattered windows and glass on the floor. Witnesses told police they’d seen the couple walk into…
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International tourists ‘essential’ to Thai economy, PM says
“If nothing is done, things will get worse. Premises will be shut down. Employees will be laid off. How can the government afford to help them all?” Thailand needs tourists to pick its economy back up, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says, adding that a system needs to be put in place that would both prevent the spread of the coronavirus and…
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Panicked passengers flee Bangkok bus – VIDEO
Panicked passengers of a Bangkok bus could be seen fleeing yesterday after the bus driver careened across the road in a race with a rival driver on the same route to get more fares. A video on social media showed a privately run bus on Route 1 dangerously tailgating and trying to pass another bus serving the same route. The…
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Man confesses to serial rape of mentally challenged 14 year old girl
Police in the eastern border province of Buri Ram said today that a man who confessed to raping a 14 year old girl is out on bail and not considered a flight risk. The victim’s family complained that police dragged their feet in the investigation. 65 year old Somchai Kerdpra confessed to police and the media to assaulting the girl,…
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2 more student protest leaders arrested
A pair of student activists, 2 of 5 facing warrants, were arrested this afternoon on charges related to an anti-government rally they helped to organise on July 18. According to Yaowalak Anuphan, head of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, the latest campaigners to be nabbed by police are Tattep Ruangprapaikitseree and Panumas Singprom. Tattep was taken into custody in front…
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Prominent dissidents arrested, bailed again
A pair of prominent activists, outspoken lawyer Anon Nampa and Panupong “Mike Rayong” Jodnok, have been granted bail after their arrests Monday for sedition in connection with the Free Youth movement’s protest at Thammasat University, north of Bangkok on August 10. Both have been arrested before. Student activist, Panupong was arrested in the eastern Rayong province while waiting to greet…
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“30 day minimum travel for tourists to Thailand” – False news
“Thailand has announced that foreign tourists will have to stay within the island-country (huh?) for a longer duration starting from October. The announcement was recently made by a government official as the government wants to give a boost to the tourism sector, which is the main source of revenue for the country.” This news has been published in Travel and…
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Which country in the world is the most confident to re-open its borders for tourism?
You’ll be surprised by the answer. Cooped up in our offices and homes, we’re all yearning to travel again. Whilst the suitcase is gathering dust, travellers around the world are wondering when and how they’re going to be able to return to their favourite holiday destinations. A comprehensive international survey has come up with some surprising results about the confidence…
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Thai police find 1.6 billion baht worth of drugs hidden in truck
Police found 1.6 billion baht worth of illegal drugs, including methamphetamine and heroin, inside a 12-wheel truck trailer at a checkpoint in Kanchanaburi near the Myanmar border. The national police chief says it’s the province’s biggest drug bust. The 59 year old driver, Sakchai Kaerod, was arrested. Thai PBS did not mention the charges the driver is facing. Sakchai says…
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Watana stands by decision not to touch certain chapters in proposed charter re-write
A prominent member of the Pheu Thai Party has defended the decision to leave unchanged the chapters which relate to the Monarchy and to Thailand’s sovereignty, in its proposed re-write of the Constitution. Speaking in response to recent criticism from the Kao Klai Party, Watana Muangsook says any proposed changes will require majority support in order to be implemented, and…
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Bangkok man arrested for selling e-cigarettes, vaping fluid
A Bangkok man is facing 3 years in prison and/or a 600,000 baht fine for selling e-cigarettes and vaping fluid, which are legal in many countries and even encouraged by some people as an aid to giving up actual cigarettes, on Facebook. Trading standards officers and police, acting on a tip, went to a house in Bangkok’s Nong Khaem subdistrict,…
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PM Prayut says rewriting Thai constitution has always been on his to-do list
Rewriting Thailand’s constitution is on his to-do list, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says. He told the media yesterday that he has no problem with amending it and it has always been a priority, he’s just had other tasks he’s needed to take care of first. The prime minister’s comments regarding the constitution come after a series of protests where pro-democracy activists…
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Students mock Culture Ministry guidelines on how to talk to elders
As political differences continue to divide the generations, Thailand’s Culture Ministry has weighed in on the matter, issuing guidelines on how the younger generation should interact with their elders. “Stand straight, hold hands below your waist, bow slightly. Do not stand too close or too far from pooyai. If receiving orders, stand straight, with arms by your side. In other…
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Democrats say ‘no’ to submarine proposal
Democrats give a hard “no” to the proposed plan to go ahead with the purchase of 2 submarines from China said to have a price ticket of 22.5 billion baht. They say the money would be better spent on coronavirus relief efforts rather than on new submarines for the Royal Thai Navy, according to the party’s deputy leader Prinn Panitchpakdi.…
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Thai PM not fazed by Facebook lawsuit threat
The Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, says he is prepared to take on Facebook in the courts if necessary, while refuting an accusation from the social media giant that he used dictatorial power to have an anti-Monarchy group shut down. The PM says everyone in Thailand is obliged to follow Thai law and as the Facebook group in question violated the…
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Thai court issues a new arrest warrant for ‘Boss’ Yoovidhya
A new arrest warrant has been issued for Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya over the fatal crash in 2012 where he allegedly ran over and killed a 47 year old police officer. The grandson of the co-founder of the Red Bull empire is facing charges of reckless driving, refusing to help an injured person and possessing illicit drugs (cocaine). The court recently…
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Thai exports low, expected to improve over time
Thai exports have significantly dropped, but the Thai Ministry of Commerce seems to have high hopes that it will get back on track. With the coronavirus prevention measures easing up and businesses getting back to normal, the ministry says the it is on the “path to recovery.” Thailand’s exports dropped by over 11.37% and imports plummeted by 26.38% when compared…
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I flew home to get a new visa – one person’s experience with the “new normal” in Thailand
Theo, from The Netherlands, flew back from Thailand to arrange a new visa in his home country. When he returned he had to stay in an Alternative State Quarantine hotel in Bangkok. What were his challenges? How much did it all cost? I am from the Netherlands, I am 44 years old, married with my Thai wife for over 5 years…
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