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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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Thai monk charged with attempted murder after leaving policeman in need of urgent brain surgery
A Thai policeman underwent urgent brain surgery after being attacked by a Buddhist monk at a temple in Phitsanulok province in northern Thailand on Wednesday. Police have charged the monk with attempted murder. At 2.30pm, officers of Matum Patrol Police Force were informed that a monk was displaying manic behaviour, harassing people and destroying property at Wat Tha Chang temple…
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5 police officers transferred over child prostitution ring at Patong bar
Five officers from Patong Police Station were transferred after they were connected to the child prostitution scandal at a bar in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket. The Operation Underground Railroad anti-trafficking organisation, the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA), found evidence to implicate the officers involved in the child prostitution racket at the Velvet bar, which saw the eventual rescue of…
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Thailand to celebrate 241st anniversary of Bangkok as its capital around Rattanakosin Island
Thailand will celebrate the 241st anniversary of Bangkok serving as its capital around Rattanakosin Island. The Ministry of Culture and more than 30 other agencies are teaming up to hold the event between April 21 and 25, just a week after the Thai New Year of Songkran. Organisers are hoping to promote tourism and create awareness of the history of…
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SRT on right track to lead Thailand’s green recovery
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is on the right track after announcing plans to build a hospital and develop land around Thon Buri Railway Station into an environmentally friendly zone, to lead the way in Thailand’s green recovery. The transit-oriented development (TOD) project is the first of its kind in the country, designed to bring people, human activities, residential…
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6 Bangkok restaurants make the 51-100 list of Asia’s 50 Best
Six Bangkok restaurants made the 51-100 list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for 2023. The list was decided by the votes of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, which comprises over 300 leaders made up of food writers, critics, chefs, restaurateurs, and regional culinary experts. The list features restaurants from 17 cities across the region, with Hong Kong leading with eight…
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Human skeleton found in sewer near Bangkok
A human skeleton was found in a sewer along a motorway in Nonthaburi province, just north of Bangkok, in central Thailand yesterday. Police believe the skeleton belonged to a man who died at least seven months ago. At 11pm, officers at Mueang Nonthaburi Police Station were informed that a human skull and other human bones were discovered by employees inside…
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Man arrested after robbing 6 convenience stores in 90 minutes
A 22 year old man was arrested yesterday after robbing six convenience stores in the Thon Buri neighbourhood of Bangkok. The suspect spent only ten minutes in each shop and managed to steal 3,500 baht. Officers from three police stations, Ratburana, Bukkhalo, and Wat Praya Krai, worked together to track down the suspect, later identified as 22 year old Thawee…
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Koh Samui needs more direct flights to boost post-pandemic recovery
Koh Samui Tourism Association chief is urging authorities to enhance the island’s tourist infrastructure and increase flight capacity to boost a full post-pandemic recovery of the popular holiday resort. Association president Ratchaporn Poolsawadee revealed that only 70% of independent hotels with three or four-star have resumed operations following the pandemic. This is due to slow cash flow in comparison to…
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‘Don’t whiten teeth with nail polish’ Thai medical technologist warns
A Thai medical technologist is warning people not to whiten their teeth with nail polish. A popular Facebook page, Doctor Lab Panda, warned against using nail polish to whiten teeth due to the dire health risks associated with it. Medical technologist Pakphum Dejhassadin, who runs the page, cautioned the public against the practice. He said that some make-up artists still…
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Power plant in Thailand ups reward for missing radioactive cylinder to 100,000 baht
UPDATE A power plant in Prachin Buri province in central Thailand has upped the reward for information on the whereabouts of a missing radioactive cylinder containing Caesium-137 from 50,000 to 100,000 baht. The Office of Atoms for Peace have checked CCTV and scoured second-hand shops in the Si Maha Phot district to no avail. The radioactive cylinder was noticed missing…
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Thai OnlyFans star arrested after posting explicit image with monk
A Thai OnlyFans creator was arrested today after she posted an explicit picture with a monk on Twitter and promoted a pornography video of herself having sexual intercourse with the monk. However, she later revealed that the video was fake and had just posted it to promote her platform. On March 3, the Twitter account, juniijune6969 posted a picture taken…
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Thai AirAsia boosts flights from Chiang Mai to 6 international destinations
Low-cost carrier Thai AirAsia will soon boost flights daily from Chiang Mai Airport in northern Thailand to six international destinations including Hanoi and Da Nang in Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Flights will run to these Asian tourist hotspots every day starting Sunday, March 26, 2023. The budget airline is celebrating the boost in flights…
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Pattaya Police find knife and gun in car with group of teens
Pattaya Police found a knife, gun, and bullets in a car with a group of teens during a routine traffic checkpoint in the early hours of this morning. The checkpoint, located on Pattaya Second Road, was set up at 2am to search for drugs, weapons, and illegal items. Officers were checking vehicles when they noticed a group of teenagers acting…
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TAT welcomes inaugural Chinese flight, with tour groups headed to Phuket and Phang Nga
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) welcomed an inaugural flight from Guiyang to Phuket on Tuesday, on the Chinese airline 9 Air. The flight was almost full with 172 people, a good sign for TAT’s goal of drawing five million Chinese tourists to Thailand this year. The airline is carrying tour groups headed to Phuket and Phang Nga. The airline is…
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Malaysia bans foreign male performers from cross-dressing on stage
Performing artists who are male and foreign are no longer allowed to “cross-dress” or dress up like women while performing in Malaysia, according to updated guidelines on live shows and concerts. The Central Agency for Application for Filming and Performing by Foreign Artistes (PUSPAL), under Malaysia’s Ministry of Communications and Digital, recently published some stricter rules regarding live performances by…
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Monk & nun squat in protest for world peace near Russian Embassy
A Buddhist monk and a nun squatting on a pavement in front of the Russian Embassy in Bangkok in protest over the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, hope President Vladimir Putin will acknowledge their world peace vigil from space. The couple’s campaign may be seen as honourable in the eyes of many citizens but the same can’t be said of…
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Buffalo gores 4 siblings in northeast Thailand
A buffalo went on a rampage and gored four siblings today in Uthai Thani province in northeast Thailand. Three are seriously injured and one sustained a minor injury. At 10am, officers from Thap Than Police Station were called by residents of Ban Nong Ya Sai village who said a buffalo (kwai) had “gone crazy” and gored four people. Villagers told…
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Investigation reveals Narathiwat police protected weapon and drug suspects
An investigation into the southern Narathiwat provincial police department has revealed its police chief and subordinates protected weapon and drug suspects. According to the Bangkok Post, the commander of police, Waesamae Salae, and his subordinates are accused of taking bribes in exchange for helping drug and weapon suspects. The national police chief, Surachate Hakparn announced the news yesterday. Surachate says…
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Krabi officials catch stray dog on Ao Nang beach after attack on tourist
UPDATE Krabi officials caught a stray dog on Ao Nang Beach on Tuesday, following a vicious dog attack on a tourist on March 11. The tourist, 60 year old Thai national Daniel Sudjai Kutrakun, had been walking on Ao Nang Beach when a stray dog ran over to him and bit his left leg. Daniel’s medical expenses cost over 20,000…
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Phuket hit with petty crime after money boxes stolen
Petty crime has hit Phuket as police charge a couple for stealing a tip box from a Karon resort. According to a report by the Phuket Info Centre, the tip box was stolen from the Kata Tranquil Villa Hotel reception desk on Soi Patak 12, Karon, at around 11pm last Friday. The Phuket News reported that Karon police checked CCTV…
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Thailand responds to incoming Russians with extradition treaty
Thailand is responding to the flock of incoming Russians fleeing their home country with a new extradition treaty. The Cabinet approved a draft extradition treaty with Russia that is similar to agreements with other nations. According to The Star, the treaty would boost collaboration to help curb crime and does not need Parliament’s approval. The mass exodus of Russians from…
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In Phang Nga, 165 baby sea turtles hatch and venture into the sea
In a heartwarming event, 165 baby hawksbill sea turtles hatched and ventured into the sea in Phang Nga on Tuesday. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) reported that a mother hawksbill sea turtle had laid a total of 190 eggs on January 15 this year. The successful hatching of the baby turtles took place at Chong Khao Kad…
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Tourist police crackdown on overcharging on Khao San Road
Bangkok Tourist Police on Khao San Road yesterday were approached by several angry foreign tourists after they had been ripped off. The victims told officers that tuk tuk and taxi drivers in the area had tricked them into buying expensive products and services. According to the Bangkok Tourist Police, some tuk tuk and taxi drivers near Khao San Road reportedly…
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Three suspected Burmese migrants found brutally murdered in southern Thailand forest
Police have launched a murder investigation after the bodies of three men were found dumped in a forest in Songkhla province in southern Thailand yesterday. Police suspect the men were migrant workers, possibly from Myanmar. At 7.30am, officers at Bang Klam Police Station were informed that three men were found dead at a fly-tipping spot in the forest, around 200…
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Thai tourism officials to monitor impact of SVB collapse
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will monitor the long-term impact of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) on Thailand’s tourism. However, TAT believes that the situation is unlikely to cause an immediate slowdown in long-haul markets. The bank’s closure last Friday raised concerns about possible economic turbulence, especially given the number of startups and tech companies it served.…
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Nigerian catfish arrested for romance scamming Thai women via Facebook
Police arrested a Nigerian man in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, yesterday under suspicion of catfishing and romance scamming several Thai women online, with damages amounting to 300,000 baht. The catfish, 34 year old Ndubuisi, posed as someone else on Facebook and convinced several Thai women that he was in love with them. He deceived the women into thinking he was in…
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Patong bar raided for child prostitution, 6 teenagers rescued
The special operation unit from the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) conducted an undercover raid on Velvet bar on Bangla Walking Street in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket yesterday after being notified of child prostitution involving teenagers under 18 years old. The international anti-trafficking organisation, Operation Underground Railroad, complained to the DOPA that Velvet bar on Bangla Walking Street lured…
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Windsurfing and paddleboarding competition coming up in Pattaya
An exciting windsurfing and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) competition is coming up in Pattaya from March 16 to March 26, in a bid to promote tourism and boost the economy. The competition will take place in Jomtien near the Beach Sports Service Center. The event is divided into two categories, with windsurfing taking place from March 16 to 19, and SUP…
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Thailand to adopt stricter firearm controls amid rise in gun-related crimes
Thailand is adopting stricter firearm controls amid a rise in gun-related crimes. The Cabinet is set to draft a firearms act which deems all privately owned firearms and ammunition must be registered with a government agency. According to The Star, the draft act was approved on Tuesday. Government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek confirmed the news adding that the current measures in…
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Bangkok police officer shot by SWAT team dies in hospital
UPDATE #4 The mentally disturbed police officer who was shot by SWAT officers at his home in the Sai Mai district of Bangkok after a 27-hour standoff passed away from his injuries in hospital yesterday. After firing more than 50 shots over the course of the siege, Pol. Lt. Col. Kitikarn Sangboon was shot three times by the SWAT team…
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