Hot News
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Sponsored Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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German man on overstay arrested for guns, drugs
Police arrested a Thai woman and a German man on overstay in Patong with drugs and weapons. They were found and taken into custody on Friday after the man sent a threatening image of a gun on the LINE app. Police did not reveal how long ago the man’s stamp in his passport had expired, only confirming that he had…
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Top Samut Prakan cops transferred in shooting cover up
Four top cops in Samut Prakan province, an area well-known for illicit gambling, have been put on gardening leave following a shooting at an illegal gambling den. Pol Col Termrat Jindawat, the station chief, was among those moved to an empty desk in the police operations centre after he claimed he had not been informed about the incident. The others…
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Aeroflot adds 14 more weekly Russian flights to Phuket
Less than two weeks after Russian airlines made their triumphant return to Phuket, Aeroflot has announced an increase in direct flights to the island. The flagship airline of Russia announced yesterday that it would be adding 14 new flights a week from Russia to Phuket. The exact start date of these new flights has not yet been confirmed, but the…
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What are they smoking? More tweaks to cannabis rules
Small changes to the rules on the sale and use of cannabis have been made in the face of intense lobbying from vested interests about recreational marijuana use. In June, Thailand became the first country in Asia to decriminalise the use of cannabis, while introducing legal controls including banning sales to people under the age of 20. Cannabis liberalisation was…
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Despite poor Republican election showing, Trump expected to announce presidential bid Tuesday
Amidst a host of hotly contested races in the United States midterm elections, former President Donald Trump is expected to announce his run for president in 2024. Longtime advisor Jason Miller said yesterday that Trump is expected to officially throw his hat in the ring for the 2024 race on Tuesday, despite a relatively poor showing for his Republican Party,…
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57k passengers – 49k international – arriving at Suvarnabhumi daily
Tourism is ramping up in Thailand. Bangkok’s primary airport and the main international hub of Thailand, Suvarnabhumi Airport, reported 57,000 international travellers arriving on Thursday. That number is inching shockingly close to 60,000 people a day that was arriving each day before the Covid-19 pandemic. The National reported that 25 international flights arrived, with 49,000 out of the 57,000 total…
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Cannabis flower bud now a controlled substance with restrictions
The walk-backs have begun for the unrestricted cannabis swell in Thailand. In a new edict coming into effect today, the Ministry of Public Health has tightened the rules on who can grow and sell cannabis, and where. The new edict, already published in the Royal Gazette making it official, now supersedes the original announcement legalising and decriminalising cannabis on June…
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Ayutthaya gold robbery suspect is former local politician
Ayutthaya gold robbery suspects involved in the 2-million-baht (US$55,000) raid on a bullion shop at a shopping mall in the Sena district were rounded up by police overnight. In news which will shock many readers, one of the alleged robbers turns out to be a local politician. Investigators from provincial police region 1 and Ayutthaya police swooped on two of…
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Phuket prison cookery contest stirs the taste buds
Inmates at Phuket prison have been learning new cooking skills and taking part in a cookery contest to prepare them for release. Street Food Cooking Contest to Build a Career (Season 2) event, organised by Phuket Provincial Probation Office concluded the food and nutrition department of Phuket Polytechnic College Thursday. Judging the contest, Phiphat Wongteerakijkosol, director of the probation office,…
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More civil servants fall victim to Thailand’s drug ‘war’
Twenty-one civil servants in Khon Kaen tested positive for drugs during a recent campaign in Thailand’s “war” on drugs. More than 760,000 pills, many weapons, explosives and rounds of ammunition were seized during raids at 900 locations in the province in the previous four weeks, said Governor Kraisorn Kongchalard. Some 192 suspects were arrested for firearms offences with 180 weapons…
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Thai Airways considers reviving stored A380s to meet rising demand
Thailand’s flag carrier Thai Airways International is considering expanding its fleet by reviving two Airbus A380 aircraft stored away for years to meet the rising demand for flights. The airline is “studying closely” the cost-effectiveness of restoring the planes and has not yet committed to a decision, says Airline Commercial Chief Korakot Chatasingha. “As you know, to bring them…and return…
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Russians the biggest tourist group in Phuket in November so far
Russians have made up Phuket’s biggest group of tourists so far in November. From November 1-10, Phuket saw 18,370 Russian tourists. The total number of foreign tourists was 75,247, The Phuket Express reported. The next top four countries for tourism in Phuket were: India with 8,939 tourists, Australia with 5,275 tourists, the UK with 4,511 tourists, and Germany with 4,152…
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Disgraced Thai MP refutes illegal activities with Chinese
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) stumbled upon a former disgraced politician as the department’s crackdown on Chinese gangsters operating in the kingdom continues. Thai media made known yesterday that the RTP is investigating the former secretary-general of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), Thamanat Prompow, and his alleged links to Chinese triads. The 58 year old denies the allegations. “I…
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Bullet train in fake “ambassadorial residence” shocks cops
Police were shocked when they searched the “ambassadorial residence” of the fake Chinese diplomat with a false ID card collared in his fake consulate yesterday. As the police seize assets of Chinese gangs operating in Thailand, the arrest of a middle-aged businessman in the heart of the city would hardly make the headlines. Except this businessman is accustomed to being…
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Wife survives husband’s murder-suicide plan in Isaan
A murder-suicide attempt by a man who shot his wife before shooting himself failed. The man’s suicide attempt was successful but his wife survived being shot. She had to remain near her dead husband’s body for five days until help arrived. The mother of the woman shot, 62 year old Sompit (surname reserved), called the police after learning that her…
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Thailand welcomes 50,000 foreign tourists in one day
Nearly 50,000 foreign tourists arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand yesterday. Reassuring statistics reported by immigration indicate a revival of Thailand’s tourism industry, although arrivals are still nowhere near close to hitting pre-pandemic levels. Today, Commander of the Immigration Bureau Pol. Maj. Gen. Choengron Rimphadee confirmed that the picture of a giant queue at immigration posted on social media is…
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Wife’s ex-husband shoots new husband in the penis
A man was arrested yesterday after he shot his ex-wife’s husband in the penis. The man claims that the shooting was an accident. Officers from Mueng Chumporn Police Station investigated a shophouse on Klomma Luang Road in the Mueng district of Chumporn province in southern Thailand after being notified of a shooting. A shophouse can be used as a shop…
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Russian President Vladimir Putin rejects invitation to APEC Summit in Thailand
Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Bangkok next week, despite Thailand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs confirming the Russian leader’s attendance last month. Yesterday, the Russian Embassy informed Thailand’s foreign ministry that Putin would no longer be attending the meeting on November 18-19. Instead, he is sending First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei…
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MPs accused of corruption after report reveals 100 million baht a year spent on subsidised meals
Members of the Committee for the Selection of Catering Operators for MPs and Senators have been accused of corruption after a report revealed over 100 million baht a year is spent on subsidised meals. Former Democrat Party MP, Watchara Phetthong, revealed that there is corruption between the catering company and some MPs and Senators. Watchara claims that because the committee chose…
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Thai woman accuses couple of forcing her to have threesome in exchange for debt forgiveness
A woman contacted police after she says a couple forced her to have a threesome with them in exchange for forgiving a 500,000 baht debt. But, the husband of the couple says the woman was actually having an affair with his wife. The 32-year-old woman’s lawyer took her to the complaint centre at the Central Investigation Bureau to seek legal…
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Putin gets G20 Summit cold feet
Russian President Vladimir Putin may have cold feet as news comes that he may attend the G20 Summit virtually. According to Thai PBS World, Western countries have put pressure on the Summit’s host country of Indonesia to withdraw Putin’s invitation, but it has resisted. The host country says it does not have the authority to withdraw such an invitation without…
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Is your sacking really necessary? Elon Musk’s ship of twits sails on
Head twit Elon Musk told employees your sacking is necessary. What he told Yoel Roth and Robin Wheeler, two ex-members of his new “leadership” team, no one knows. But the word is, they have jumped ship anyway, necessarily. When Musk bought Twitter last month, one of the first things he did was fire most of the board and appoint some…
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Angry Pattaya teens allegedly assault Walking Street nightclub guards
There’s been another report of late-night violence on Pattaya’s iconic Walking Street. Around 30 angry Pattaya teens allegedly assaulted the guards of one nightclub on the street. The youths reportedly attacked the Jannaat club guards for not allowing them to enter the club at 4am on Tuesday, well past the legal closing time of 2am. After being denied entry to…
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Why Thailand is Considered a Luxury Tourist Destination
Thailand, a diverse country known internationally for its spicy food and beautiful beaches, has been attracting travellers for decades. Recent figures show that nearly 40 million tourists visit the country every year. Visitors flock from: China Japan South Korea Russia Australia New Zealand United Kingdom As well as around a million from the United States annually. Thailand was never colonised…
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Man takes 4 Ya Ba pills and rides motorbike with no hands in Thailand
Police arrested a man in Nakhon Phanom, northeast Thailand, yesterday after a video of him riding his motorbike and swerving all over the road went viral on social media. He admitted that he was high on four pills of Ya Ba (“crazy drug”) – a type of methamphetamine – when the clip was taken. Officers from Nakhon Phanom Provincial Police…
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Subsidised Toyota bZ4X finally on sale in Thailand
The long-awaited new electric Toyota bZ4X went on sale in Thailand Wednesday, taking advantage of new government subsidies. In February, the Thai government introduced subsidies of up to 150,000 baht (US$4,000) per electric vehicle (EV). The new Toyota is the first Japanese car to qualify. The tax break for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) covers passenger cars with no more than 10…
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Luxury casino in Pattaya raided before grand opening
Police raided an under-construction building in Pattaya after being tipped off it is to become a luxury casino. The Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, ordered police officers to raid the gambling house at the Chalerm Phra Kiat 6 on the Pattaya Sai Sam Road in the Bang Lamung district of Pattaya. Police met a…
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Phuket man arrested with over 10,000 meth pills
There’s been another methamphetamine bust in Phuket’s main city district this week. Border Patrol Police arrested a man in the Rassada sub-district. They seized 10,504 meth pills from him, in addition to crystal meth. The police arrested Ban at the entrance of Soi Bang She Lao on Thep Kasattri Road, The Phuket Express reported. They then brought him to Phuket…
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A cheap flight to Thailand? Don’t bank on it anytime soon
Looking for a cheap flight to Thailand? Don’t count on it just yet says airline industry executives. The world’s industry chiefs made known, as if we didn’t already know, that airfares are expensive and they expect to remain that way for the time being. Flights are pricey for a number of reasons, ranging from surging fuel costs, labour shortages, and…
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Bangkok police arrest fake Chinese diplomat
Immigration police in Bangkok arrested a 33 year old Chinese man, found with a fake Thai ID card, a fake police motorcycle and a fake military uniform. Shao Xiaobo was arrested at a rented building in Bangkok’s Sutthisarn area on Wednesday, the office of an unnamed commercial association. Pol Maj Gen Phanthana Nuchanart, the deputy commissioner of the Immigration Bureau,…
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