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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 police strangled in Bangkok traffic dispute, suspect still at large
A Thai man remains at large after strangling a police officer during a road rage incident in the Don Mueang area of Bangkok on Thursday, January 8. The injured officer, Police Sergeant Satawat Seirattanapong, shared CCTV footage and details of the incident on his Facebook page on Friday, January 9, one day after the altercation. The confrontation reportedly occurred on…
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Filipina slams English skill in Thailand, Thai teacher responds
A Thai English teacher responded yesterday, January 11, to a Filipina tourist’s rant about English not being understood in Thailand, saying respect and cultural understanding matter more than language fluency. The tourist posted a blunt complaint saying… “I’m Filipina. Of course my English is good but when I arrive in Thailand it’s f***ing useless. Even if I speak…
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Thai man and 9 foreigners arrested during Chon Buri gambling den raid
Immigration Bureau officers raided an illegal gambling den at a luxury housing estate in Chon Buri on Saturday, December 10, arresting 10 suspects, including one Thai national and nine foreigners. The raid followed information obtained from a Chinese man identified as Dahua, who had previously been arrested for illegally selling laughing gas, or nitrous oxide. Dahua reportedly sold the substance…
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Orange cat’s meows lead to bridge pillar rescue in Samut Prakan
An orange cat stuck more than 10 metres above ground on a concrete bridge pillar in Samut Prakan was safely rescued last night, January 11, after locals heard it meowing for two days. At around 7pm, the Dan Samrong Subdistrict Municipality deployed a cherry picker truck to rescue the cat from a pillar beneath the Si Thepha overpass along Srinagarindra…
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Drug suspect escapes after police officer grants ‘farewell’ release
A police officer in Nakhon Si Thammarat was dismissed from government service after releasing his friend, a detained drug suspect, who later escaped from custody. The officer claimed the suspect deceived him by saying he wanted to say goodbye to his family before imprisonment. The suspect, Ekkaluck Datepalit, was arrested on Saturday, January 10, for possession of a Category 1…
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Narathiwat imposes curfew after attacks at 11 petrol stations in Deep South
Narathiwat province is under a nightly curfew following a series of bombings and fires at petrol stations across three Deep South provinces on Saturday, January 10. Explosions and fires were reported at 11 petrol stations in the provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat late on Saturday night. All of the affected petrol stations belong to the same operator, PTT. According…
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Chinese real estate agent robbed at scissor-point in Pattaya
A Chinese woman working as a real estate agent in Pattaya was robbed at scissor-point early today, January 12, while driving a man she believed to be a potential buyer to view a property. The victim, identified as 35 year old Yang Wang, told police that the incident occurred after she picked up a man who had contacted her earlier…
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Lost British cyclist safely rescued from Chiang Mai forest
Thai rescue teams yesterday, January 12, successfully located a British cyclist who became lost in a forest while cycling towards Chiang Mai city centre. The Chiang Mai Provincial Police Office coordinated with the Phrao Wang Hin Rescue Foundation after the cyclist, 63 year old British national Gordon Dewar, contacted authorities to request assistance. Rescue teams quickly mobilised volunteer motocross riders,…
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Russian teen killed after speedboat hits fishing boat in Krabi
A Russian tourist lost her life and at least 11 others were injured after a speedboat collided with a fishing boat in the sea off Krabi yesterday, January 11. Authorities later found methamphetamine (Yaba), cannabis, and kratom aboard the speedboat, and the driver tested positive for drugs. Officers from the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre were alerted to the collision…
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British-Australian man found dead on yacht off Phuket coast
A man holding both British and Australian citizenship was found dead aboard his private yacht anchored off Khao Khad beach in Phuket yesterday, January 11, with the cause of death still under investigation. The discovery was made around 12.30pm when a German friend, 54 year old Matthias Lepke, who had been moored nearby, became concerned after not seeing the man…
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Mobile grocery scandal: woman arrested in 300 baht fraud case
The mobile grocery trade has been thrown into turmoil following the arrest of a woman accused of acting as a so-called ‘money mule,’ a case that has drawn widespread attention and concern. The woman claims she was deceived by a vendor into scanning her face and allowing the use of her state welfare card, after being promised free groceries and…
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Pheu Thai aims to transform Chiang Mai into inclusive growth model city
Pheu Thai has introduced policies to transform Chiang Mai into a model city for inclusive growth, integrating creative industries, cluster tourism, diversity, and educational reform. Prime ministerial candidates Yodchanan Wongsawat and Suriya Jungrungreangkit from the Pheu Thai Party visited Chiang Mai on Saturday. They conducted a public forum to gather opinions from the LGBTQIA+ community, creative workers, cultural professionals, and…
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Phuket police tighten drug checks for Electric Daisy Carnival
Phuket police are set to intensify their measures to prevent drug entry at the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) concert, in response to two fatalities at last year’s event. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Sinlert Sukhum announced that more than 200 officers will be deployed to safeguard the venue, with stringent drug checks at all entry points. Authorities stressed that these checks…
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Bombings and arson hit 11 petrol stations in southern Thailand
In the early hours of January 11, a series of bombings and arson attacks targeted 11 petrol stations across the southern border provinces of Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat. These incidents are believed by security forces to be orchestrated by insurgent groups to create unrest in the region. Reports indicate that an explosion and subsequent fire at one petrol station caused…
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Thailand mourns public health pioneer Dr Prawase Wasi’s passing at 93
Thailand mourns the loss of Dr Prawase Wasi, a distinguished public health scholar and civil society leader, who passed away peacefully at his Bangkok residence on Saturday night at the age of 93. His passing was confirmed at 8.53pm. Dr Prawase, an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Thailand, was revered as a senior figure in Thai civil society.…
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Tourists warned: Monkey bites pose rabies risk in Phuket
A British volunteer in Phuket, Vinnie Modell, who founded the Rescue Team Volunteers Phuket, is urging tourists to exercise caution around local monkeys due to risks of injury and potential rabies transmission from bites. Modell reported that at least ten tourists received treatment for monkey bites during the recent Christmas and New Year holiday period. These incidents underscore ongoing risky…
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Pattaya alley disputes distress cancer patient’s family
In South Pattaya, a typically quiet residential alley has been the scene of multiple disputes, leaving a homeowner and her seriously ill father in distress. Yesterday, on January 10, a CCTV clip from a house in Soi Kaophai 2 gained attention on social media. The footage shows transgender women gathered in the narrow alley to resolve a personal issue, which…
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Thai woman alleges forced labour after scam led her to Cambodia
A Thai woman has reported to police that she was deceived into travelling to Cambodia, where she was detained, forced to work for a scam operation, and later released after her bank accounts were frozen. The account was given on January 10, 2026, at 6.22pm, when the woman, identified as Ms. Aim, 35, met officers at the Technology Crime Reporting…
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Border traders delay investment amid fears of renewed clashes
Border traders and farmers in areas near the Thai-Cambodian border are delaying investment and selling produce early amid fears of a renewed military clash, according to reports from local communities in Buriram and Ubon Ratchathani provinces. Residents in Ban Kruat district, Buriram province, said uncertainty remains high despite a ceasefire agreement signed between Thailand and Cambodia. Villagers described ongoing concern…
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Children’s Day military displays draw crowds nationwide
On January 10, 2026, Children’s Day events across Thailand featured large-scale military displays organised by the armed forces, drawing families to army camps and air force bases to view equipment demonstrations and aircraft flyovers. At 3.21pm, crowds gathered at the football field of the 6th Infantry Division at Somdej Phra Phutthayodfa Chulalok Maharaj Camp in Si Somdet district, Roi Et…
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Taxi robbery suspect arrested after knife attack under bridge
A man has been arrested in Samut Sakhon Province following a late-night taxi robbery under the Tha Chin River bridge, while a female accomplice who allegedly planned the offence remains at large. The incident occurred on January 7, 2026, at around 11.30pm, when a taxi driver was robbed at knife point at a U-turn beneath the bridge in Tha Chin…
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Retail tycoon dies after Mercedes crashes and caused blackout
A retail business owner died at the scene after losing control of his Mercedes-Benz and crashing into multiple power poles in Bueng Kan province, triggering a city-wide power outage in the early hours of Friday. Police from Seka Police Station said the crash occurred at about 3.00am on January 10 on Highway 2026, the Seka–Bueng Khong Long road, near Ban…
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Police arrest 15 motorcycle gang members in Surin crackdown
Police in Surin Province have arrested 15 members of a motorcycle gang following a coordinated crackdown on illegal street racing, seizing 14 motorcycles and securing prison sentences without suspension for several offenders. The operation took place on January 10, 2026, after repeated complaints from residents about large groups of motorcycles racing through central areas of Mueang Surin District. The activity…
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Motorcycle theft suspect arrested within one hour after CCTV tracking
A 25-year-old man was arrested within an hour of stealing a motorcycle that had been left with its key in the ignition, after police traced the vehicle using closed-circuit television footage across central Bangkok. The incident occurred on the evening of January 9, 2026. At 10.44pm, a motorcycle owner reported the theft to Pathumwan Police Station, stating that the vehicle…
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Brother arrested after bridge death video reveals homicide
A case initially believed to be an accidental fall has shifted to a homicide investigation after video evidence revealed a fatal assault by a family member in Udon Thani Province. Police from Saeng Khom Police Station confirmed that a 52-year-old man, identified as Jaroon, was found dead beneath a bridge in Saeng Khom District on the morning of January 8,…
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Nine landmines found during border clearance in Surin
Authorities conducting humanitarian clearance operations along the Thai-Cambodian border have discovered nine anti-personnel landmines in Surin Province, according to official reports released on January 10, 2026. The National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Center stated that mine clearance activities are continuing as part of efforts to create safe access routes for military personnel and local communities in border areas affected by…
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NocNoc to shut down platform in Thailand by May 2026
Thai home services platform NocNoc announced today, January 9, that it will permanently shut down operations and stop accepting orders from February 9, citing economic challenges and a highly competitive market. The announcement was made via NocNoc’s official Facebook page, where the company confirmed that it would halt all orders for goods and services starting at midnight on February 9,…
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Russian extortion suspect caught relaxing at Koh Samui luxury hotel
Police arrested a Russian man on the resort island of Koh Samui in Surat Thani yesterday, January 8, for extorting 1 million rubles, or nearly 400,000 baht, from a car dealership chief executive in Russia. The arrest followed a request for cooperation from the Russian Embassy in Thailand, which asked Thai authorities to help locate and detain the suspect, identified…
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Foreign motorcyclist clashes with Thai rider during traffic jam
A video of a heated road argument between a foreign motorcyclist and a Thai rider has gone viral, showing them exchanging pushes during heavy traffic congestion. The dispute came to public attention after the Facebook page เจ๊ม้อย v+ shared footage of the incident yesterday, January 8. The exact location of the altercation was not disclosed, and the identities of both…
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RTAF explains Thai-Cambodian border actions to 22 countries
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) briefed foreign military attaché assistants from 22 countries today, January 9, regarding recent military operations along the Thai-Cambodian border, reaffirming its commitment to restraint and civilian safety. The session, held by Air Chief Marshal Sakesan Kantha, Commander-in-Chief of the RTAF, aimed to clarify Thailand’s position and ensure transparency about its air operations near the…
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