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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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Weekend road trips in Thailand are a great way to enjoy beautiful scenery, local culture, and quick getaways without much travel time. From winding mountain routes in the north to coastal drives in the south, every journey brings new sights...
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Pattaya woman, infant son escape house fire unharmed – VIDEO
A woman and her son in Pattaya’s Nong Prue district escaped an early morning house fire after the boy cried out and woke up his mum. Firefighters were notified of the blaze at 3am today. Firefighters, emergency responders and reporters arrived at the house which was already engulfed in flames. Bystanders, including the home’s residents, were standing outside in a…
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1 new case of Covid-19 reported as a soldier in state quarantine – July 29
One new case of Covid-19 cases confirmed by the government today, as another soldier who was quarantined after returning from a military exercise in Hawaii. Read more on the original story, HERE. Deputy general manager of the Department of Disease Control, says the man arrived on July 22, and was quarantined in the province of Chon Buri. He screened positively…
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Bangkok sees first ever student-led LGBT pride march – VIDEO
After more than a week of anti-government protests across the nation, a different kind of demonstration was held in Bangkok today – Thailand’s first ever student-led “pride march”. Young protesters demanded state teachers stop discriminating against LGBT students, more progressive health and sex education, and a revision of restrictive haircut rules. Students marched along Ratchadamnoen Avenue to the Ministry of…
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Phuket’s killer boat Phoenix ripped apart for scrap metal
OPINION A very sorry sight today as an infamous relic of Thailand’s worst maritime disaster ends up being ripped apart and sold for scrap. Thai authorities will be glad to see the ghosts of ‘Phoenix’ gone once and for all. On July 5, 2018, two tour boats capsized off the south west coast of Phuket, during a sudden storm. 46 people…
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Hat Yai police seize over 20,000 meth pills; suspect escapes, wife arrested
More than 20,000 methamphetamine pills (“yaba”) and 28 grams of crystal meth (“ya ice”) were seized at a house in the southern Songkhla province’s Hat Yai district yesterday morning. A woman, 22 year old Kittima Ronnakan, was arrested, while her husband, the prime suspect, 49 year old Sompop Chaimit, escaped, leaving her alone at the dinner table. Acting on a…
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1 dead, 14 injured in Nakhon Phathom market collapse
A woman is dead and 14 others injured after a steel structure at a market in the central Nakhon Pathom province’s Bang Khaem subdistrict collapsed in a storm yesterday. Police rushed to the scene and found that a 32 year old sausage vendor Supranee (surname withheld) had been killed while 14 merchants and customers were injured with 5 in reportedly…
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Covid-19 found in 3 Thai monks at Las Vegas temple
The Royal Thai consulate-general in Los Angeles confirmed yesterday that 3 Thai Buddhist monks at a temple in Las Vegas have contracted Covid-19. “The temple has 5 monks, who were tested for Covid-19 on July 13. The test results showed 3 have the virus. 2 monks were rushed to the hospital in critical condition and have been on respirators since,…
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Officials declare Rayong “Covid-free”, plan to revive domestic tourism
After the fallout from an Egyptian soldier testing positive for Covid-19 while visiting Rayong, in eastern Thailand, the province is sending out the message that it’s safe to visit once more. Rayong has now gone over 2 weeks with no new case of the virus, with Governor Surasak Charoensirichot confirming over 6,900 residents have tested negative. Chayut Chaitrakulthong, Chairman of…
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Phuket seeks to revive tourism with 3 major events planned
Phuket is planning a series of promotional events in an effort to revive tourism in the hard-hit province. With tourism accounting for 80% of the economy, Phuket is arguably one of the most highly-impacted areas in the country after the economic fallout of the Covid pandemic struck. The Minister of Commerce, Jurin Laksanawisit, is overseeing the staging of 3 major…
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Lopburi police powerless to stop sex-crazed, junk food-addicted monkey gangs
Since March, the city of Lopburi has battled monkey riots, as the Covid-19 pandemic dried up tourism, and thus, the primates’ main food source. Locals, in an effort to appease beasts, began feeding them, largely a diet of sugary junk food, with predictable results. Police, armed with slingshots, say there’s little they can do to stop the sex-crazed macaques who’ve…
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US, Australia take hawkish tone towards China in talks
Australian and US foreign and defence ministers have taken a hawkish tone against China in the latest round of annual talks between the two countries. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo set the tone for the talks saying to the the Australian ministers that the United States “knows the threats that you and the rest of the free world face”. “And…
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Motorbike taxi driver shot dead behind Pattaya school after dropping off teacher
A Pattaya motorbike taxi driver has been shot dead in broad daylight at the back of a school. The driver had just dropped off a teacher in the area, which is close to the city’s Walking Street. The Pattaya News names him as 47 year old Prathum Saartnak, who died from a single bullet wound to the head that pierced…
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Bangkok restaurant refusal to serve foreigners goes viral – VIDEO
The Fullmoon Terrace and Bar, in Lat Phrao in the north east suburbs of Bangkok, is refusing to serve foreigners. It’s not a good look, especially when there have been no locally-transmitted cases of Covid-19 for over 2 months and the man was wearing a mask and being quite pleasant about the whole matter. The Thaiger wouldn’t have been as…
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The big comeback for Big Joke?
Former police poster boy and Thai immigration Chief, Surachat Hakparn, aka. “Big Joke” says he wants to return to police duties and “come back in from the cold”.. He participated in 2 hours of prayers at the Wat Bueng Kradan in Phitsanulok city in Central Thailand, praying for a return to his roles in the Thai police force. At the…
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Vietnam in new virus scare as 15 cases emerge
Vietnam, which recorded its first locally transmitted case of Covid-19 since April, has now closed the coastal resort city of Da Nang to tourists after 15 new cases were recorded there over the past 5 days. Tourists cannot enter the city for 14 days and up to 80,000, mostly domestic visitors, are being flown home. Vietnam, along with Thailand, has been…
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Chiang Mai performance artists demonstrate for free speech
PHOTOS by Will Langston With anti-government protests dotting the nation for over a week, performance artists in Chiang Mai took to the streets yesterday evening with a different type of demonstration – in favour of free speech. As the sun began setting, artists at each corner and junction of the old city’s moat could be found waiting to perform. At…
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Malaysia and Singapore to test re-opening of maritime border for business travellers
The Malaysian and Singapore governments have agreed to re-open the Straits of Johor border (the land bridges linking Malaysia and Singapore) from August 17, initially only for those travelling on business. The move comes after Malaysia closed its border 5 months ago in mid-March, at the height of the Covid-19 crisis. Now the Foreign Affairs Ministers of both countries, Hishammuddin…
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Phuket seeks to diversify after Covid-19
The Covid-19 pandemic continues to cripple Thailand’s vital tourism sector, with provinces that rely the most on tourism revenue, being hit the hardest. Thailand may have managed to contain the Covid-19 virus, but at the expense of its economy going into a free fall with the southern resort province of Phuket exemplifying the downturn. Phuket businesses, which rely almost exclusively…
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Hong Kong re-introduces tough restrictions as virus numbers rise
Hong Kong is toughening up on restrictions as it is experiencing what many are calling a 3rd wave of Covid-19 infections. From tomorrow, customers can no longer dine in at restaurants as eateries will be allowed to open for takeaway service only. This expands an existing rule that banned dining in from 6pm, now making it an all-day stipulation. In…
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Best wishes to HM King of Thailand on this auspicious occasion
Today is the 68th birthday of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn. The Thaiger wishes His Majesty another year of continued good health and service to the Thai people. His Majesty has been the King of Thailand since October 13, 2016. He is the only son of former King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit, the beloved monarchs who served Thailand from 1946…
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Pattaya police seize 8 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine in Bangkok
The Pattaya City Police have seized 8 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine in green tea bags in Bangkok follow a tip-off and sting operation. Pattaya City Police arrested 26 years old Preecha ‘Bang Reen’ Soamonta last night. (That’s a LARGE haul of crystal meth from a single person) Police seized the 8 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (aka. ice) which were reportedly found…
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Vietnam evacuates 80,000 following 3 new Covid-19 cases in Da Nang
After the surprise appearance of 3 new Covid-19 cases, Vietnam officials announced they are evacuating 80,000 people from the central coastal city of Da Nang, mostly tourists. Any festive activities, celebrations, religious ceremonies, sports activities and crowded events in public places, stadiums and large venues are now banned. “The evacuation will take at least four days with domestic airlines operating…
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Travelling domestically in Thailand brings Covid-style hotel accommodations
As Thailand remains closed to international tourists with travel bubbles being postponed indefinitely, the country has shifted to relying on domestic tourism to close some of the gaps in profit losses. As it heavily relies on tourism, which accounts for around 15% of its GDP, hotels are adapting to welcoming domestic tourists by offering Covid-conscious accommodations. But as the popular…
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No let-up in anti-government protests as activists call for constitutional reform
Anti-government protests are intensifying in Thailand, as activists call on officials to stop intimidating people, insisting that Parliament be dissolved, and the country’s constitution re-written. Their demand for constitutional reform is being backed by the Deputy PM, Anutin Charnvirakul. Yesterday evening, protesters walked around Democracy Monument in Bangkok, with some making mocking comments that they were doing so to admire…
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Elderly British man killed, monk injured, in Isaan collision
A 70 year old British expat has died, and a monk has been seriously injured, after the motorbike and sidecar they were travelling on was hit from behind by a pick-up truck. The collision happened in the north-eastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, and is the second such accident over the weekend. A report in The Chiang Rai Times says the…
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Elderly man escapes with minor injuries as motorbike hit by 10 wheeler truck
An 88 year old man is most likely counting his blessings this morning after surviving a collision with a 10 wheeler truck. Chamnong Ketkaew was driving his motorbike sidecar in Phanat Nikhom district, in the eastern province of Chon Buri, when he was hit from behind by the truck. A report in The Pattaya News says the force of the…
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Foreigners on short-term visas warned they must leave Thailand by September 26
Don’t overstay your welcome… Thai Immigration officials are warning foreigners on short-term visas that they must make arrangements to leave the country before September 26. A visa amnesty in place as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic was recently extended until that date, but it looks like authorities want to make clear there will be no further extension, except in…
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Phuket anti-government protest attracts up to 400 people
Between 300 – 400 people from the Phuket Liberation Group rallied last night in Sapan Hin, Phuket Town, an east coast public park on Phuket. Around 50 police, army officers and security personnel also attended the event to ensure that everything ran smoothly. The demonstration lasted for about 2 hours. The gathering of the young protesters began around 5.30pm. They…
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Hope among Pakistan’s elderly as 103 year old man recovers from Covid-19
Pakistan’s elderly population is finding hope in the news that a 103 year old grandfather in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province has recovered from the Covid-19 virus. Aziz Abdul Alim, from the Chitral sub-district, was diagnosed with the coronavirus in early July and hospitalised for treatment. Given his age, his family say they were very concerned about his chances of survival, but Aziz…
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Thai PM orders investigation into dropping of “Boss” charges
Responding to a massive outpouring of outrage, Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is ordering an official inquiry into the Attorney General’s prosecution team and their decision to drop a reckless driving charge against Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, an heir to the Red Bull fortune and grandson of the company’s founder. A spokesperson claims that the PM is “following the issue closely” and…
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