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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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Sponsored New in July: Save 10% for life on family health plans in Thailand
Cigna has a special offer this July for families in Thailand. When you sign up three or more people on a family health plan, you will save 10% on your premiums for life. This deal helps you get affordable, high-quality...
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Thailand races to avert steep US tariffs with trade deal
Thailand has submitted its latest trade proposal to the United States in a last-minute effort to avoid steep tariffs on its exports, as confirmed by Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira. The move comes ahead of a July 9 deadline when a 90-day suspension capping tariffs at 10% for most nations is set to expire. If no agreement is reached, Washington plans…
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Lao national arrested in Surin for child abuse video distribution
A 20 year old Lao national has been detained for producing and distributing online child sexual abuse material in Surin province. The man allegedly managed covert groups on a widely used chat application, charging fees for access to explicit videos featuring underage boys. The suspect, Chaipol, was apprehended at a resort in Mueang district on July 5 by officers from the…
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FDA plans new standards for bottled water
The Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to propose a draft announcement to the health minister to raise the quality standards of bottled water and ice to international levels. Doctor Surachoke Tangwiwat, Secretary General of the FDA, said the proposal aims to benefit manufacturers, consumers, and the environment. A recent meeting was held to present the draft regulations, which…
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Wild elephants from Thap Lan venture out, sparking concerns
A herd of more than 100 wild elephants from Thap Lan National Park has ventured out of the World Heritage Forest, causing concern among residents about potential crop damage and safety risks. Yesterday, July 6, residents of Wang Ai Pong village near the Naruebodindra Chinda Reservoir, Prachinburi province, reported the elephants foraging near their homes. Local leaders and Thap Lan…
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Thai girl risks brain damage after mistaking cannabis gummies for sweets
A two year old Thai girl in the northern province of Chiang Mai lost consciousness and may suffer long-term brain damage after mistaking cannabis gummies for sweets and eating more than 10 of them on July 2. The girl’s father took to Facebook to warn other parents about the dangers of cannabis gummies after his daughter was hospitalised twice following…
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Thailand investigates mpox case in Chiang Mai amid rising numbers
The Department of Disease Control is actively investigating a mpox case in Chiang Mai, as Thailand reports 40 cumulative cases this year, with a total of 900 cases and 13 deaths since 2022. Sexual transmission is identified as a primary cause of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, prompting advice to use condoms to mitigate risk. Vigilant monitoring of international mpox…
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Arsenic contamination in Mekong River near Thai border
The Mekong River Commission (MRC) Secretariat issued a warning about the detection of heavy metal contamination in the Mekong River, which is suspected to have originated from poorly regulated mining operations in Myanmar. The situation has been classified as “moderately serious.” Recent water quality assessments conducted by the MRC have revealed elevated levels of arsenic in several locations along the…
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Khon Kaen police seize five million meth pills in major bust
In Khon Kaen, police seized five million methamphetamine pills in a single day. Highway police arrested a woman transporting four million pills, while the Border Patrol Police Region 2 pursued and apprehended another suspect carrying one million pills. Border Patrol Police Region 2, under the direction of their intelligence unit, received information about a significant drug operation. They tracked a…
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Van of pilgrims crashes in Sing Buri, multiple injured
A van carrying pilgrims to make merit in Chai Nat was involved in a collision with a truck, resulting in multiple injuries. The truck driver revealed that a spring in the front wheel broke, leading to the accident yesterday, July 6. Police Lieutenant Sataaporn Butrthaka, an investigator from Mueang Sing Buri Police Station, received a report of the accident involving…
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Hash bluff? British teenager’s ‘torture’ tale rubbished by Thai cops
A British teenager accused of smuggling cannabis into Georgia sparked an international row, after Thai cops rubbished her tearful courtroom claims that she was tortured and forced to carry drugs. Bella May Culley broke down in a Tbilisi courtroom, sobbing. “I was forced by torture… I just wanted to travel.” Thai immigration chiefs say her dramatic story is pure fiction…
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Thailand claims first-ever victory in FIA Formula 3 history
The Prime Minister of Thailand, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, congratulated the country’s first-ever race car driver to win a round of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile Formula 3 Championship (FIA F3). The historic win took place on Saturday, July 5, at the iconic Silverstone Circuit in the United Kingdom. The currently suspended Paetongtarn, who also serves as Minister of Culture, posted a…
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Ice, ice baby-faced! Teen dealer nicked in Phuket drug bust
Phuket’s drug crisis took another grim turn as cops busted a baby-faced teen dealer and two accomplices in a major meth raid, with over 3,400 pills, a crystal stash and illegal ammo seized in a Thalang sting. Police swooped on a house in Moo 1, Thepkrasattri, on Saturday (July 5), arresting three suspects during a coordinated drugs operation led by…
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Bhumjaithai dismisses Anutin’s PM ambitions
The Bhumjaithai Party refuted claims by the Pheu Thai Party that its leader, Anutin Charnvirakul, is aiming to become the next prime minister amid political uncertainty following Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s suspension. Boonyathida Somchai, the party’s spokesperson and MP for Ubon Ratchathani stated yesterday, July 6, that Anutin has not shown any ambition or intention to pursue the premiership, despite…
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Man kills ex-partner in Surat Thani, flees in modified truck
Following the breakup of a three-month relationship, a man fatally shot his former partner at her home before fleeing in a modified pickup truck. The incident, which took place in Surat Thani province, occurred yesterday, July 6, at 7.41pm. Police Colonel Charindej Sukpradit from the Kanchanadit Police Station, along with his team and rescue services, responded to the shooting report…
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Elderly fisherman falls into Pattaya car park elevator shaft
An elderly fisherman yesterday morning fell into an automatic car park elevator shaft in Pattaya, suffering serious injuries. The man cited his impaired vision from recent surgery as the reason for not seeing the shaft opening. At 7.06am yesterday, July 6, the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Unit responded to an emergency call at the automatic car park of Bali Hai Pier.…
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Steel structure collapse in Bangkok injures workers at construction site
A steel structure collapsed at a construction site on Soi Nimitmai, Bangkok, last night, resulting in injuries to several workers and triggering a rapid response from emergency services. The collapse occurred around 7.45pm yesterday, July 6, when a substantial steel frame fell onto workers at the site, creating a chaotic scene as some people became trapped beneath the debris. Emergency…
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Thailand weather: Rainfall alert for 39 provinces, floods possible
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a weather advisory for today, July 7, warning 39 provinces of severe rainfall affecting 70% of these areas, particularly in northern, northeastern, eastern, and southern Thailand. These regions are expected to experience heavy rain due to a low-pressure area over northern Vietnam and a moderate southwest monsoon affecting maritime regions of the Andaman…
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Spare us change! Thai minister begs tourists not to feed beggars
Instead of tackling Thailand’s growing homelessness crisis head-on, a top Thai minister has urged the public to stop giving handouts to beggars, especially in tourist hotspots like Phuket, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Chon Buri. Varawut Silpa-archa, the Minister of Social Development and Human Security, claimed well-meaning generosity was actually making the problem worse. “Begging has existed for years but it’s…
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Doggone disaster as pensioner gets skewered in Pattaya crash
A Thai pensioner was left skewered by her own sidecar after a dog launched a surprise attack, sending her smashing into a wall in Pattaya. Rescue workers from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation rushed to Soi Huay Yai, near Wat Thung Kha School, around 4.30pm, yesterday, July 6 after reports of a motorcycle accident involving an elderly woman. They arrived…
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Samut Sakhon warehouse fire contained after two hours
Firefighting teams successfully contained a fire at a furniture warehouse in Samut Sakhon after more than two hours. The blaze, which broke out at around 8.45pm on July 5, is under investigation for its cause and the extent of the damage. Police in Samut Sakhon received reports of a fire at a company offering storage, weighing services, and docking facilities…
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Cambodia seeks UN intervention over border tensions with Thailand
A letter from Cambodia’s permanent representative to the United Nations has surfaced, revealing a request made on June 16 for the prevention of armed conflict with Thailand to be included in the United Nations General Assembly agenda. The letter, available in the UN database, highlights Cambodia’s approach to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on June 15 to resolve the…
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Thai men arrested for 12 million baht call centre scam
Two Thai men, part of a call centre gang in Poipet, were arrested for scamming Thai victims out of a total of 12 million baht. They claimed they were coerced into their roles within the group, which operated from Pu Li Casino and was led by a Chinese national. Yesterday, July 5, at the Mueang Thong Thani headquarters, several high-ranking…
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Teen clash in Ayutthaya leaves one dead, investigation underway
A violent clash between two rival groups of teenagers from the Ban Chang and Huai Chorakhe communities erupted at the Rojana Road intersection in Wang Noi district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province. The incident involved firearms and explosives, resulting in the tragic death of a 16 year old named Thankhun, who was shot in the head and later succumbed to…
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Narathiwat unrest: suspicious sedan fire follows explosion
Chaos continues in Narathiwat as a suspicious sedan is set on fire in Rueso district, luring rangers to inspect the scene after a morning explosion. At 8.56pm yesterday, July 5, paramilitary rangers from Company 4608 were alerted by the village head of Moo 5, Bue Cho village, Sao subdistrict, Rueso district, Narathiwat province, about a sedan being set ablaze along…
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Police officer shot dead in Yala while on duty
A police officer was fatally shot while on patrol in Yala province yesterday, July 5. The incident occurred as the officer was exiting a convenience store in the Mueang Krong Pinang district when an unidentified assailant opened fire from across the street. According to a report from the Yala Public Relations Department, the shooting took place at approximately 7.40pm outside…
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Nonthaburi teacher found dead in mall car park fall
A 35 year old computer teacher from Nonthaburi was found dead after falling from the fifth floor of a well-known shopping centre’s car park yesterday, July 5. The incident, which occurred around 1pm, was reported to Police Senior Sergeant Major Chairat Thamsima of the Thung Song Hong Police Station. Medical professionals from Chulabhorn Hospital and forensic experts investigated the scene,…
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Man falls from pylon onto road off Vibhavadi Expressway
A man climbed a pylon along the Vibhavadi Expressway before falling onto the road in the Din Daeng area. Emergency services provided first aid before transporting him to the hospital. The incident occurred at 3.45pm yesterday, July 5, as reported by the Amarin Radio Centre. The event took place near Rajamangala University of Technology East, within the Chakraphong Phuwana area…
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Student dies after consuming kratom juice in Udon Thani dormitory
A 19 year old vocational student was discovered deceased in her dormitory room in Udon Thani yesterday morning, July 5, after reportedly consuming a 1.5-litre bottle of kratom juice before sleeping, according to friends who informed the police. Police, along with rescue and medical teams, responded to a report of a death at the dormitory located in the Khlong Charoen…
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Former UK Asda manager jailed for smuggling cannabis from Thailand
Louisa De Marco, a 53 year old former Asda manager, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison, half to be served behind bars, for attempting to smuggle over 31 kilogrammes of cannabis into the UK via Manchester Airport. She was offered £10,000 (440,835 baht) for the job, allegedly orchestrated during a trip to Thailand, but pocketed nothing after losing her…
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Tropical storm Danas intensifies monsoon, heavy rain in Thailand
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a warning regarding Tropical Storm Danas, which is intensifying the monsoon over Thailand. Weather forecasts predict heavy rainfall across 38 provinces tomorrow. As of 5pm yesterday, July 5, the TMD announced the sixth warning on Tropical Storm Danas, located in the northern South China Sea at latitude 20.6°N and longitude 117.7°E, with maximum…
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