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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Leave the monarchy alone – Thai Minister warns protesters
Protest peacefully, but keep the Thai monarchy out of it – that’s the gist of a warning from the Digital Economy and Society Minister referring to recent political protests that have been raising questions about Thailand’s revered Head of State. Rallies by royalist students and opposition parties have ended without incident at this stage although there have been a number of…
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Political activists taken to jungle for “attitude adjustment” lecture from officials
Anti-government protesters in the northern province of Phitsanulok say they were detained by plain clothes officials and taken to a jungle where they were questioned and made to listen to an “attitude adjustment” lecture. The incident is alleged to have taken place hours before a planned protest. The local protest group, known as Brave Phitsanulok Will Not Bow to Dictators,…
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Police remain tight-lipped on existence of “wanted activists” list
Thailand’s law enforcement officials are keeping schtum when asked about a list of “marked” political activists singled out for possible arrest. A claim circulating on social media says the list has been drawn up by police and contains the names of 31 activists. The allegation has been doing the rounds since the arrests of human rights lawyer, Anon Nampa, and…
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Air Asia and VietJet add some extra domestic routes
Whilst much of the world waits to get back into Thailand, the local airlines are starting to flex their domestic muscles and add new routes. Thai AirAsia is launching 2 new routes from Chiang Mai, starting yesterday, offering a one-way fare for as low as 790 baht on flights to Hua Hin, and Udon Thani in the northeast. The cheapie…
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Jailed Thai activist Anon Nampa speaks in Chiang Mai whilst on bail – VIDEO
by guest writer Will Langston By 4pm late yesterday afternoon, the historical Tha Pae Gate in Chiang Mai was packed with uniformed and armed police officers as they prepared for a speech from Anon Nampa, who was released on bail just a day before after his arrest in Bangkok over “sedition” charges in dramatic circumstances last Friday. Anon Nampa was arrested…
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Trending upwards, but consumer confidence in Thailand still at a 22 year low
A leading academic says that despite an upward trend, consumer confidence in Thailand still sits at a 22 year low as a result of the economic impact of Covid-19. Thanavath Phonvichai from the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, says the pandemic’s devastating effects on tourism, employment, and exports, is mostly to blame, coupled with concerns over the ongoing…
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Decision to allow traffic on Pattaya’s Walking Street comes under fire on social media
The decision by local officials to give cars and other vehicles 24 hour access to Pattaya’s Walking Street is coming under fire on social media. Here’s a few of the comments… “Should be completely rebuilt possibly as a Casino Gambling Street fully licensed and controlled by the government, especially for upmarket tourist, complimented with classy night clubs, champagne, cocktails etc.”…
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Academics and opposition say government must listen to protesters’ demands to end unrest
Leading academics and members of the opposition are warning the government that they must listen to protesters and agree to their demands in order to end the current political unrest. Anti-government protesters continue to gather around the country, demanding a stop to the “intimidation of activists”, the “dissolution of Parliament”, and “constitutional reform”. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has already agreed to…
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Outcry as Pattaya’s Walking Street opens to vehicles
Pattaya’s famous Walking Street nightlife district is now open to vehicular traffic around the clock, but not everyone is pleased. Business owners in the Walking Street area are reportedly asking the Pattaya City government to extend a current trial allowing vehicles onto the street at all hours of the day. The trial was proposed as international borders are still closed…
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Poll: majority doubt constitutional reform will improve Thai politics
The government of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, in an apparent nod to widespread student protests, has agreed inprinciple to amend Thaland’s Constitution. But according to a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll, a slim majority of Thais are not confident that constitutional amendments will improve Thai politics. The poll was conducted August 3-4 on 1,255 people…
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Leading Thai epidemiologist warns against opening borders
A leading epidemiologist on the faculty of medicine at Chulalongkorn University is calling for the government to suspend any plan to allow foreign tourists for 6-18 months. Dr Thira Woratanarat, who makes daily updates on his Facebook in the Thai language and is well followed in the Thai media, has been delivering regular warnings about the risk of Covid-19 to…
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Authorities say religious conflict not behind beheading of Pattani Buddha image
The beheading of a revered Buddha image in the Muslim-dominated southern border province of Pattani was the work of a temple boy and not a religious conflict, according to a statement issued yesterday by the Region 4 Internal Security Operation Command. The head of “Phra Chao Ong Dam”, showing Buddha sitting under the Bodhi Tree or “tree of awakening”, inside…
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Army captain charged in knife attack on 83 year old neighbour
An army captain in the south central province of Chachoengsao has been charged in connection with a knife attack on her 83 year old neighbour in Bang Pakong district yesterday morning. The victim suffered numerous serious wounds. Police rushed to the scene after being alerted at around 7am.The accused attacker, a 45 year old Pansamon Yuenyong, was waiting in the…
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Police in Chon Buri announce crackdown on loan sharks
Police in the eastern Chon Buri province held a large rally to announce a crackdown on loan sharks, in which they’ve already seized luxury cars, motorbikes, illegal weapons and ammunition. On Thursday, 709 police, led by the Chon Buri provincial police commander, attended a rally at the Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya to report on the ongoing crackdown. Earlier in…
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Bangkok casino shooter insists he acted alone: police
A man who confessed to killing a gunman, who had already shot dead 3 people at an illegal Bangkok gambling den on Monday night, insists he acted alone, police announced today. Authorities took 61 year old Phiphit Srisuwan, alias “Boy Baan Khrua” to the Bangkok South Criminal Court to seek his detention in connection with the fatal shooting in a…
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Father killed, daughter injured in Banglamung crash
A man is dead and his 15 year daughter old seriously injured after their motorbike collided with a pickup truck on the way to school in in Chon Buri’s Banglamung district yesterday. Police were notified of the incident on Road No. 36 in the morning. Police, reporters and rescue workers arrived at the scene to find a 15 year old…
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Demonstration called against arrests of protest leaders
Police in Bangkok are under pressure from protesters both on- and offline after yesterday’s arrest and detention of student protest leaders. Prominent activist and human rights lawyer Anon Numpa and protest leader Nutchanon “Mike” Payakaphan were taken into police custody for 7 charges, including sedition. 30 more student protesters are wanted by police and arrest warrants have been issued. The…
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No ammonium nitrate stored in Bangkok – BMA
The spokesman for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, aka. City Hall, has confirmed that no ammonium nitrate is stored in the capital. His remarks come after Tuesday’s devastating explosion of the chemical in Beirut that killed more than 150 and injured over 5,000. Pongsakorn Kwanmuang sent condolences to those affected in the tragic blast and said that no ammonium nitrate is…
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After outcry, foreigners will be allowed to run in Bangkok Midnight Marathon
The Bangkok Midnight Marathon and its organisers were scorched online yesterday after banning foreigners from entering the race, for reasons not made clear. BMM’s Facebook page and social media accounts were inundated with angry comments. The Thaiger, alone, accumulated some 20,000 people seeing the post and around 170 comments, mostly unhappy with the ban. The BBM – which Thai authorities…
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Investigating officer changes his evidence AGAIN in “Boss” hit-and-run case
In another abrupt U-turn in the ongoing hit-and-run case of Red Bull heir Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, a forensic police officer who recently changed his mind and said Vorayuth was probably driving below the 80 kilometre per hour speed limit during his deadly crash in 2012, has now returned to his original testimony and declared the actual speed was indeed 177…
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Activist lawyer arrested after questioning Monarchy’s role
34 year old Thai activist and civil rights lawyer and Arnon Nampha was arrested this afternoon for “sedition” and “breaching the emergency decree”. He was apprehended in front of his Bangkok condominium at around 2pm, according to the head of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, Yaowalak Anuphan. He is currently in police custody. “Arnon can only be detained no more…
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The phone of a key witness in the “Boss” case was stolen and destroyed
It’s now been revealed that the phone of a key witness in the Boss Yoovidhya hit-and-run case was stolen and destroyed after the witness died in a Chiang Mai traffic incident last week. It’s the latest in a long list of wtf moments in the botched 8 year long investigation. 40 year old Jaruchat Madthong died last Wednesday after colliding…
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Deputy PM: 2 ways to amend Thai Constitution
As the government has agreed in principle to amend Thailand’s Constitution, Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam says there are 2 approaches to amending it – with or without a referendum. Wissanu, a legal expert, said yesterday that amendments which require a referendum are changes to Chapter 1 (which contains general provisions), Chapter 2 (which deals with the Thai monarchy), and Chapter…
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Bangkok Midnight Marathon 2020 bans foreigners
It’s official. The Bangkok Midnight Marathon 2020 is closed to foreigners. Popular blogger and Samut Prakan school employee Richard Barrow posted the news last night saying… “For some reason, the organisers of this year’s Bangkok Midnight Marathon have decided not to allow foreigners to run. I hope this doesn’t become part of the ‘new normal’.” Unsurprisingly, the social media outrage was…
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Alleged “Arab mafia” members arrested in Bangkok
The chief of the Thai immigration police today announced the arrest of two Arabs in Bangkok’s Nana area. INN reports that they’re “local mafia”, running protection rackets and committing robberies and assaults. The case began when a Thai salon owner filed a report with Lumpini police claiming that her husband and 3 year old son were assaulted by 2 men…
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Bangkok police nab illegal Nigerian 2 year overstayer with cocaine
A Nigerian man who entered Thailand illegally 2 years ago has arrested in Bangkok’s Suan Luang area and found to be in possession of cocaine. Thailand’s immigration chief says immigration officers were keeping tabs on a drug distribution network and soon had a black man in their sights at a condo building in the Suan Luang area of the capital.…
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Thailand’s GDP forecast to fall up to 9% this year
Thailand’s GDP is set to fall 7-9%, year-on-year, according to the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking. The fall is, not surprisingly, being fallout from the catastrophic drop in tourism and lower exports. Kalin Sarasin, chairman of the Board of Trade of Thailand, says the expected contraction was revised downwards from 5-8%. The committee also predicted exports would drop…
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Human trafficking and drugs suspects nabbed using airport biometrics
2 suspects have recently been arrested using the biometric security system recently installed in international airports across Thailand. In the first case, a suspected human trafficker was apprehended after returning to Thailand during the Covid-19 crisis. Immigration officers received information from Chiang Mai police about a person travelling into Thailand from Japan. On July 14, a Thai citizen returned to…
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10 new 5G towers going up in Nong Prue, Pattaya
The Nong Prue tambon, to the east of Pattaya City, will be the home of 10 new 5G WiFi “Smart Poles” . The installation starts this month. The announcements were made by the Nong Prue Mayor Mine Chiyanit and the team from United Technology Enterprise who are installing the new towers and technology. The Smart Pole set ups will be installed…
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Bangkok casino gunman’s killer surrenders, confesses
In the ongoing saga of Monday’s fatal shooting a Bangkok gambling den, a suspect surrendered to police today for shooting dead a gunman in the illegal casino in Bangkok’s Yannawa district. A man calling himself “Boy BanKrua” turned himself in to police and handed in the gun he allegedly used. The suspect says he shot 61 year old Taworn Sisot,…
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