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Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
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Foreign men caught on CCTV footage stealing guitar in Phuket
A Thai man is seeking help online after two foreign men stole his guitar from a motorcycle in Karon, Phuket, at around 2.30am yesterday, April 23. The 19 year old victim, Kasidit, shared details with the Phuket Times Facebook page and Khao Phuket in the hopes of identifying the two men and recovering his guitar. The theft was captured on…
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Low-hanging cable leaves Pattaya rescue worker with neck wound
A rescue worker suffered a deep neck wound yesterday, April 23, after a low-hanging internet cable caught his neck while he was riding a motorcycle in Pattaya. The incident happened at about 8am in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung. The injured man was identified as 27 year old Panya, a rescue worker with the Sawang Boriboon Pattaya Foundation. Panya sustained a…
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SRT shortens train booking period to 90 days to reduce unused seats
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) reduced the advance ticket sales period from 180 days to 90 days today, April 24, to improve seat management and reduce unused bookings. The SRT announced the adjustment on its official Facebook page today, April 24, saying the revised booking period is intended to make seat reservations more efficient and better reflect current passenger…
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Kao’s NEWTLAC earns Material Innovation Awards 2025 for sustainable asphalt innovation
Kao Industrial (Thailand) Co., Ltd. has announced that NEWTLAC, a chemical innovation that repurposes used PET plastic bottles into an asphalt additive, has won the Material Innovation Awards 2025 at Architect Lanna 2025. The company said the additive is designed to enhance road construction performance while supporting sustainability goals by converting recycled plastic waste into what it described as green…
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Thailand cites Cambodia attacks, scam syndicates in UN reply
Thailand exercised its right of reply on April 22 at the 2026 United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Forum on Financing for Development Follow-up, in response to allegations of Thai provocation by Cambodia during the General Debate. Cherdchai Chaivaivid, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations, reiterated that Thailand has consistently supported peace-building, nation-building, and development in…
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Chinese man found dead in Jomtien condo pool
A Chinese man died earlier today, April 24, after he was found unresponsive at a luxury condominium’s swimming pool in Jomtien, Pattaya. The Sawang Boriboon Pattaya Rescue Centre received a report at 12.30am that a man had drowned at a pool inside a condominium in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung, Chon Buri. Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene. The deceased,…
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No GHB found in Thai woman who claimed Songkran water gun was spiked
Police confirmed that no gamma-hydroxybutyrate, or GHB, was found in the system of a Thai woman who claimed she may have been exposed to the spiked water sprayed from a water gun during Songkran celebrations in Bangkok. The Songkran GHB claim drew attention online after the woman shared her experience on TikTok on April 13. She said she attended an…
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Bang Kwang Prison escapee alleges corruption, phone access for inmates in leaked recording
A Thai inmate, who previously made headlines for a prison break in 2023, accused prison officers at Bang Kwang Central Prison of corruption and giving special privileges to some prisoners, including access to computers and mobile phones. The corruption allegations levied against Bang Kwang Prison were made by Chaowalit “Paeng” Thongduang, also known as Sia Paeng, in leaked voice recordings released…
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Information from over 300,000 accounts leaked as Engineers Council system hacked
A senior engineer warned that the Council of Engineers Thailand’s system has been hacked, potentially placing personal information of more than 300,000 members at risk. It was alleged that the data leak may have allowed criminals to access member details that could be used by call centre scam gangs. A senior professional engineer and high-profile council member, Chulert Jitjuejun, posted…
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Israeli woman allegedly uses nominee company for OnlyFans sales
Police arrested an Israeli woman and two Thai nationals in Krabi yesterday, April 23, during a nominee companies crackdown linked to more than 500 firms across Krabi, Phuket, and Surat Thani. The case began after investigators identified an accounting company allegedly registering businesses for foreigners by using Thai nationals as shareholders. The arrangement was allegedly used to conceal foreign business…
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30,000 baht reward offered in search for missing Ayutthaya abbot, last seen in Tak
A missing abbot from Ayutthaya has been traced to Tak and was last seen travelling to Phitsanulok yesterday, April 23, as police continue efforts to locate him. The missing Ayutthaya abbot case centres on 58 year old Sombat Sirisuwanno, abbot of Sanam Chai Temple, who was reported missing after leaving the temple on the night of March 16. Temple staff…
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Thai woman forced to pay 100,000 baht to retrieve her dog from caretaker
A Thai woman today, April 23, reunited with her pet dog after a dispute with a caretaker who allegedly refused to return the animal and demanded 100,000 baht. The 35 year old woman, Pare, sought help from a social media influencer and posted her case on TikTok, explaining that she wanted her white Pomeranian, Kati, returned. The dog had been…
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Thailand launches online map to track cannabis shops nationwide
The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine in Thailand has launched an interactive online map to monitor licensed cannabis shops nationwide, as the government moves to tighten oversight and restrict use to medical purposes only. The system went live as related legal processes remain underway. Deputy Director-General Dr Thewan Thaneerat said on April 21 that the platform, formally known…
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BMW reverses into crowd injuring 5 foreigners in Pattaya
A Thai woman injured five foreigners, including a two year old Australian boy, after her BMW reversed into a crowd outside a massage shop in Pattaya yesterday, April 22. Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station were alerted to the crash outside a massage shop near Made in Thailand Market at about 7.50pm and attended the scene with rescuers from the…
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Rising fuel costs force Lufthansa to suspend 20,000 flights
Lufthansa Group suspended more than 20,000 short-haul flights until October in response to rising fuel prices and the risk of fuel shortages in Europe linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The Lufthansa short flight suspension affects services across six major European hubs, while long-haul operations continue as normal. The airline group announced on Tuesday, April 21, that…
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Brits assault German man after hurling WW2 taunts in Pattaya bar
Two British tourists allegedly assaulted a German man outside a bar in Pattaya yesterday, April 22, following a confrontation that reportedly began with insults about the Second World War. The incident, which occurred at around 2am, was captured on video. The altercation began inside the bar, where the two unidentified British men were drinking. According to the German man’s girlfriend, the…
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Thailand News | Pattaya Bar fight leaves German Tourist hurt, Family turns funeral into farewell celebration in Nakhon Si Thammarat
Today we’ve got a whole lot of misbehaving people in store for you. First, the badly behaving foreigners in the form of Pattaya bar fights and lazy Phuket travelers, Then, the badly behaving monks in the form of a 50-year sentence for temple embezzlement not to mention the ones drinking and sniffing glue! After that we’ve got ladyboys getting naughty…
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Unemployment looms as PTT ‘tests’ self-service fuelling
PTT Oil and Retail Business (OR) has officially launched a self-service fuelling option at PTT Station outlets across Thailand, offering drivers a discount of 40 satang per litre with no minimum purchase required. The rollout, framed under an “easy and smart” concept, is designed to cut waiting times during peak hours and give customers full control of the refuelling process.…
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Thailand could scrap visa-free entry for 36 countries to target ‘higher-quality visitors’
Thailand is considering limiting its visa-free policy as the Ministry of Tourism and Sports looks to attract more long-stay and higher-quality visitors while introducing measures to support domestic tourism. Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworrakun said yesterday, April 22, that the government is currently reviewing Thailand’s visa-free scheme after criticism over its impact. In July last year, Thailand expanded its…
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Thai woman found dead in Nakhon Si Thammarat hotel after meeting her ex
A Thai woman was found dead in a hotel room in Nakhon Si Thammarat yesterday, April 22, after arriving with her ex-boyfriend, who told staff that the woman had fainted and left the scene. Officers from Mueang Nakhon Si Thammarat Police Station were called to the hotel at around 9pm. The woman, later identified as 31 year old Kimyong, was…
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Korat men in monk robes filmed drinking alcohol, sniffing glue
Officials in Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) launched an inspection today, April 22, after a video circulated online showing a group dressed in clothing resembling monk robes allegedly drinking alcohol and sniffing glue near a public area. The incident was reported near a Bodhi tree along the city moat behind the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Administrative Organisation, prompting criticism over damage to the…
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Parasailing accident in Phuket caused by boat propeller, investigators say
A Phuket parasailing accident off Kamala Beach in Phuket, on Monday, April 20, was revealed to have been caused by a boat propeller cutting a rope, leading a tourist and an assistant to fall into the sea. The incident gained attention after a foreign witness shared video footage on TikTok, showing the rope connecting the parachute to the speedboat snapping…
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Boxing team member allegedly offers spiked drink to Thai boxer before bout
A Thai boxer poisoning case is under investigation after CCTV footage at a boxing stadium allegedly showed a member of a boxing team handing a drink to a fighter before a bout on March 28. Avatar PK Saenchai Muay Thai gym shared on its official Facebook page last month that one of its boxers, Supachai Sakunwong, also known as Pharuehatnoi…
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Woman says fake police officer ex-boyfriend stole gold from safe
A single mother sought help from a social justice organisation yesterday, April 21, after accusing her former boyfriend of posing as a police officer, borrowing money from her, and stealing gold and cash from her safe. The woman, 39 year old Waraporn, met Ekaphop Lueangprasert, founder of the Sai Mai Tong Rod organisation in Bangkok, yesterday. She accused her ex-partner,…
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MPs push law reform over unlicensed nightlife venues
Concerns over the regulation and licensing of nightlife venues in Bangkok and other tourist areas were formally raised today, April 22, after Members of Parliament highlighted widespread non-compliance under current laws, pointing out Khao San Road as an example. People’s Party MP for Bangkok, Bhuntin Noumjerm, along with fellow Bangkok MPs Paramait Vithayaruksun and Chorayuth Chaturapornprasit, and Nakhon Ratchasima MP Nueng…
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Thai senator calls Parliament’s free meal cancellation an ‘insult’ to her honour
A Thai senator faced backlash on social media after declaring that cancelling free meals in Parliament was an “insult” to the honour of senators, during a Senate meeting on Monday, April 20. The issue follows a March 15 Parliamentary meeting where Members of Parliament (MPs) agreed to end free meals following public criticism over the misuse of taxpayer funds. MPs,…
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Thailand seeks closer cooperation in Myanmar visit
Thailand said talks with Myanmar’s new leadership today, April 22, would focus on key bilateral and regional issues, including border security, pollution and the country’s return to ASEAN. Speaking in Naypyidaw at 8.15am local time, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said the official visit had three main objectives. The first was to congratulate Myanmar on the formation…
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Thai man confesses to fatal assault on pregnant wife in Chiang Mai home
A Thai man fatally assaulted his pregnant wife at their shared home in Chiang Mai on Monday, April 20, and initially attempted to cover the murder with an accident claim. Mae Ping Police Station officers were called to the house on Monday afternoon to investigate the death of 33 year old Yardrung. Officers found her body inside the accommodation. She was…
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Frenchman files counter complaint after his arrest for assaulting Phuket man during Songkran
A Frenchman filed a counter-complaint after he was arrested yesterday, April 21, for assaulting a Thai man during Songkran celebrations in Phuket on April 12. He claimed the Thai man had started the altercation. The incident came to light after the wife of 38 year old Weerasak Madlee contacted the Facebook page โหดจัง จังหวัดภูเก็ต, alleging that police had not acted on…
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Transgender fined over topless Songkran dance in Chon Buri
Police in Sattahip fined a transgender woman yesterday, April 21, after she was filmed removing her top and then dancing topless during Songkran celebrations in Bang Saray, Chon Buri, on April 20. The incident took place during the Wan Lai festival along Bang Saray Beach Road, where festivalgoers, including women and transgender participants, were dancing to loud music. One individual,…
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