Hot News
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Sponsored How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Tourism Authority of Thailand sticking to target of 300,000 visitors a month
With a glass half-full in one hand, and a calculator in the other, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is confident the country will see 300,000 tourists a month – potentially more towards the end of the year. Yuthasak Supasorn says his agency will meet with tourism operators on April 29, to discuss promotional strategies for the international market. He remains…
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Sun will be directly overhead at noon today in Thailand
Grab your parasols. For a few minutes at noon today, pedestrians in Thailand won’t see their shadows on the sidewalk. That’s because at exactly 12:16pm, April 27, the sun will appear directly overhead in the Land of Smiles. However, the Meteorological Department says this does not guarantee that Wednesday will be the hottest day of the year, due to forecasted…
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Hotels urge government to reconsider collection of land tax as they fight to survive
The Thai Hotels Association is petitioning the government to reconsider collecting the full rate of land and building tax this year. THA president Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi says imposing the levy will have a serious impact on businesses fighting for survival. “The government should carefully look at the context, as hotel revenue remains much lower than the value of properties, especially…
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Taxi driver robs drunk foreigner, steals gold necklace, cash and passport
A taxi driver robbed a foreigner who was passed out drunk on the floor in front of a convenience store in Thailand. The thief grabbed his gold necklace and a bag containing cash, passport and other important documents before fleeing the scene. The exact location of the crime hasn’t yet been reported. The victim’s Thai girlfriend handed the CCTV footage…
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US company opens medical marijuana clinic in Thailand
A US cannabis company has jointly opened a medical marijuana clinic in Thailand, making it the first foreign franchise to do so. The clinic, located on Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Soi 13, treats Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cancer, eating disorders and insomnia. The clinic predicts that changes to Thai laws in July will allow them to give patients THC-dominant products for research purposes. Smoking…
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Tangmo: Police conclude Thai actress died of ‘recklessness’, 6 suspects charged
Following a monthslong investigation into the death of Thai actress Nida “Tangmo” Patcharaveerapong, police have finally charged all 5 of her boating buddies, plus a man who allegedly coached them, with various offences, including recklessness leading to death, lying to police and concealing evidence. At a press conference today at the headquarters of Provincial Police Region 1 in Bangkok, police…
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5 cleaning gadgets to help you do your chores faster
Some people genuinely enjoy cleaning their house from top to bottom, but for the rest of us, even the thought of it tires us out. Fortunately, today, there are lots of products that can make the whole experience more enjoyable. With durable, easy-to-use cleaning gadgets, you can clean your entire home without having to break a sweat in the process.…
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Photographer beaten by ‘royalists’ near Democracy Monument
A photographer called Nattaphon, who works for a media agency, is still waiting for justice after being allegedly attacked by a group of ultra royalists near the Democracy Monument last week. He suffered bruises on his back, neck and upper arms. Just after he finished working and was packing up, he noticed a man wearing a long sleeve shirt and…
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Prinn hands himself in to ‘acknowledge’ sexual abuse allegations
Former Democrat Party deputy leader Prinn Panitchpakdi handed himself over to police at Phetchaburi Police Station today at around 9am to “acknowledge” another complaint of sexual harassment filed against him. At 9am today, 45 year old Prinn handed himself over to Phetchaburi Police Station to be questioned by superintendent Pol. Col. Wanchai Khaoram. Prinn turned himself in to “acknowledge” the…
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Elon Musk buys Twitter, vows to ‘unlock’ platform’s ‘tremendous potential’
The world’s richest man has bought the world’s more divisive social media platform. Elon Musk succeeded in buying Twitter Inc, after the board approved his offer of US$44 billion cash on Monday. The purchase gives Musk total control of the social media platform, which has nearly 400 million users, including influential world leaders. Prior to the takeover, Musk had purchased…
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Tourism Council of Thailand calls for Thailand Pass to be ditched from June
The Thailand Pass should be done away with from June if the country is to have any hope of attracting 10 million foreign tourists this year. That’s the view of the Tourism Council of Thailand, whose vice-president, Vichit Prakobgosol, says ditching the onerous paperwork could bring in an extra 2 million tour group visitors. According to Vichit, even with additional…
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Daughter of former PM calls for ‘landslide win’ in Thailand’s general election
Panthongtae Shinawatra, the daughter of exiled former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, has repeated her call for supporters to vote for the Pheu Thai Party in Thailand’s upcoming general election. Addressing party members at her party’s general assembly on Sunday, she said only a “landslide win” would do. “Pheu Thai is ready to work after a House dissolution. A landslide win.…
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Cyber police work with Thai mobile providers to block scam call centres
The Police Cyber Taskforce in Thailand have been working with the leading Thai mobile operators to prevent contact from scam call centres. From now on, Thai mobile users will be able to report the ‘scam’ phone numbers directly to the mobile operators, and the PCT will ban those numbers within 72 hours. Thai media has been reporting about a series…
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Tourism to Thailand is increasing, but still has nothing on pre-pandemic levels
As entry restrictions into Thailand continue to ease, tourists are trickling back into the kingdom. Numbers of foreign arrivals are high compared to last year, but numbers are still low when compared with pre-pandemic levels. Tourism is expected to increase further from May 1, when tourists will no longer have to undergo any pre-travel or on-arrival Covid tests, and unvaccinated…
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Planets align with crescent moon for early morning spectacle over Thailand
Stargazers in Thailand will be able to catch an early morning glimpse of celestial delight this week, when Mars, Venus, Saturn and Jupiter align with a crescent moon at dawn over Thailand skies. The rare synchronisation of the solar system will occur between 4am and sunrise from April 25 – 27, according the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand –…
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UPDATE: Policeman who killed eye doctor at Bangkok zebra crossing out on bail
UPDATE: The Thai policeman who earlier today was sentenced to 1 year and 15 days in prison for driving his Ducati motorbike into a woman killing her at a zebra crossing in Bangkok, has now been released on bail. Bail was posted this afternoon at 200,000 baht. The 21 year old policeman will now be free whilst his lawyer and…
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Group of Vietnamese stole over 450,000 baht from Uniqlo
Popular Japanese clothing brand, Uniqlo at Gateway shopping centre in Bangsue has been robbed by a gang of Vietnamese thieves, 1 male and 3 females, who allegedly stole 19 polo shirts and 62 long sleeve shirts valued at 64,000 baht. Police told reporters the theft wasn’t the gang’s first time as it happened in 5 department stores between April 17…
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Price of Thai consumer goods might increase due to diesel price hike
The price of diesel in Thailand is set to increase next month, beyond the 30 baht per litre cap, but the Commerce Ministry has promised to do everything it can to keep consumer goods costs under control. The public is now worried about the products being more expensive due to the increase in diesel price. The diesel prices, connected to…
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Top politicians resign from Democrat Party as pressure mounts for changing of guard
Top members of Thailand’s beleaguered Democrat Party have resigned in the wake of a sex scandal that’s rocked that party in recent weeks. Senior politician Kanok Wongtrangan announced on Facebook today that he has quit his role as a deputy leader in the party out of “moral conscience”. His resignation follows that of deputy prime minister Wittaya Kaewparadai, who resigned…
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Officer who killed eye doctor at Bangkok Zebra crossing sentenced to prison
The crowd control police officer who killed an ophthalmologist with his motorbike at a zebra crossing in Bangkok in January, has been sentenced to prison today. The officer will serve a 1 year and 15 day prison sentence and pay a 4,000 baht fine. He has been charged with 9 different counts. On January 21 this year, 21 year old…
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Thailand’s labour ministry hopes to export 50,000 workers
Now that the Covid-19 situation across the world has calmed down a bit, Thailand’s Labour Ministry expects to send about 50,000 workers abroad this year. The Department of Employment’s PR office said now that restrictions have largely eased, Thailand’s labour exports are set to resume in large numbers. So far, labour export agreements have been signed with two countries, Saudi…
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Wildlife workers rescue injured dolphin in Phuket
Tourists and locals at Phuket’s Nai Yang beach, near the Phuket International Airport, spotted a dolphin stranded and grounded in shallow waters this morning. The dolphin had 3 key injuries, one on its tail, one on its side, and one near its mouth. Thalang officials notified the head of Sirinath National Park about the dolphin after the tourists and locals…
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Thailand’s March exports spike nearly 20% year on year
Last month, Thailand’s exports surged at an unexpectedly high rate, jumping by 19.5% when compared to the same time last year. A Reuters poll conducted in March had predicted the country’s exports would only rise by 2.4%. According to the Thai customs department data, 2 major products contributing to the export jump were gold, and electronics. Gold exports in March were…
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Pattaya’s ‘happy water’ drug problem under fire
After Pattaya police busted over 20 teenagers using ‘happy water‘ at a party last month, there’s now an increased effort to crack down on the ‘drug’ cocktail. The chief of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau said happy water is usually made by combining ecstasy, methamphetamine, diazepam, caffeine and painkillers, mixed into a curious liquid cocktail with hot water and mixing it…
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Bangkok taxi driver photographs himself raping 17 year old girl from Myanmar
A Bangkok taxi driver has photographed himself raping a Burmese teenager earlier this month. The girl had been in Bangkok seeking a job, and she told police her aunt made a Facebook post to try to help her find one. Investigators say the alleged rapist, 39 year old Adirek Sae Bae, commented on the post and said he would employ…
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Thailand Pass – Am I fully vaccinated? The fine print.
With the changes to the Thailand Pass, scheduled to kick on from May 1 (after the changes have been detailed and endorsed by Royal Gazette), there will only be 2 categories of people coming into Thailand, vaccinated and unvaccinated. There will be no Test & Go or Sandbox programs. So what is considered ‘fully vaccinated’? • Information about the changes…
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Thailand drops all pre and on-arrival testing, banks on a tourist surge after May 1
The CCSA has approved the biggest easing of entry requirements for fully vaccinated travellers (Thai and foreign) starting May 1, but awaiting official publication in the Royal Gazette, expected early next week. There will be no more Test & Go or Sandbox programs, and there’s now more options for unvaccinated travellers. The only 2 options for arriving travellers will simply…
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Thai commerce chairman welcomes end of PCR test requirement
Following the announcement for major changes to Thailand Pass, a commerce leader is giving the government a great big thank you. Yesterday, the chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Sanan Angubolkul, thanked the government for getting rid of mandatory RT-PCR tests for visitors on arrival, starting May 1. “The private sector believes the decision will help trade, investment, services…
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Thailand’s venues to be allowed to ‘officially’ serve alcohol slightly later
Along with several back-peddles for the Thailand Pass, Thailand’s CCSA announced yesterday it also plans to ease another Covid-19 restriction- the alcohol curfew. Restaurants, and ‘restaurants’, will be able to serve alcohol until midnight, instead of 11pm. Like the Thailand Pass changes, the alcohol curfew change is set to start on May 1. Thailand’s 11pm alcohol curfew has given venue managers…
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Thailand agrees to fund Zinc-ion batteries for electric vehicles
A Thai tech executive director says Thailand’s government has agreed to fund 192 billion baht to asset finding for the development and production of zinc-ion batteries for electric vehicles. The executive director of the National Science and Technology Development Agency says the funding will go to the agency for the project. The Thai government has swung their full support around…
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