News
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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Many expats feel worried that their pre-existing health problems will stop them from getting insurance in a new country. This fear is common, especially when medical care can be expensive. But the good news is, some insurance, like the plans...
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Thai journalists deny fake news and suspend ties with Cambodian media
The Thai Journalists Association (TJA), the Society for Online News Providers (SONP), and the National Union of Journalists Thailand (NUJT) denied allegations of spreading fake news made by Cambodian media. The organisations also announced the suspension of their media partnership with Cambodia until border tensions subside. The Club of Cambodian Journalists (CCJ) yesterday, July 31, issued a statement accusing Thai…
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Ice cream raid: Cambodian sellers busted in Udon Thani
An illegal ice cream empire run by Cambodian migrants melted away yesterday after a dramatic raid in Udon Thani uncovered a secret stash of freezers and sidecar motorcycles. The suspects, who were hoping for a sweet escape from poverty, now face deportation. The raid took place at 1.40pm yesterday, July 31, in the Don Udom community, after District Chief Chawit…
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Ang Thong locals seek lottery luck from ancient Buddha statue
Forget scratch cards and lucky coins—Ang Thong residents have discovered a far more sacred way to seek fortune. The town is gripped by lottery fever as hundreds flock to Wat Thong Luean to seek blessings from Luang Por Daeng, an ancient Buddha statue believed to be over 700 years old and famed for granting miraculous good luck. The revered sandstone…
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Thailand video news | US slaps 19% tariff on Thailand, Dead sea turtle on Phang Nga beach renews pollution alarm
In Thailand video news, Jay covers the latest stories from across the country, ranging from economic shakeups to local incidents and environmental concerns. The U.S. has imposed a 19% tariff on Thai goods in a global trade realignment, raising questions about future export strategies. In the South, public outcry prompted police to charge a local official who allegedly robbed a…
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Thai hospital denies blocking Cambodian patients amid border clashes
Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital in the Isaan province of Ubon Ratchathani denied rejecting Cambodian patients amid heightened border tensions, following the circulation of an official document with unclear wording on Thai social media yesterday, July 31. Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital, located near the border, were among the institutions affected during recent clashes. Several hospitals in the area sustained damage and were temporarily closed, leading…
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Cambodia conflict sparks tourism collapse in Thai border provinces
Thailand’s tourism hotspots are in crisis as growing border tensions with Cambodia drive tourists away in droves, leaving hotels empty and holiday islands deserted. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Thapanee Kiatphaiboon confirmed the devastating impact of ongoing hostilities, which have steadily escalated since early May. Travellers, fearing for their safety, have cancelled thousands of bookings, delivering a crippling blow…
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Bangkok crackdown targets rogue motorcycle taxis
Bangkok’s motorcycle taxi riders are facing a massive crackdown as city officials roll out an ambitious campaign to transform the capital’s thousands of taxi stands, targeting unruly drivers and unsafe practices. From this month until December, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will overhaul all 5,365 registered motorcycle taxi stands across the city. The sweeping initiative aims to boost safety standards,…
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Cement truck flips in dramatic crash near Phuket café
Lunchtime diners at a trendy Kathu café were left shaken yesterday when a cement mixer truck overturned, smashing through an elevated walkway before landing upside down just metres away. The terrifying crash occurred at approximately 12.30pm yesterday, July 31, near the Coffee In Farm café on Route 3030, a busy road connecting Koh Kaew and Kathu. Eyewitnesses described hearing a…
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Trump slashes Thai tariffs to 19% – but is there a catch?
US President Donald Trump has stunned Thailand and the wider ASEAN region by announcing a sharp cut in import tariffs on Thai goods, slashing rates from 36% to 19%. The decision, made public yesterday, July 31, via the former US president’s Truth Social platform, came just hours before an executive order was signed, locking the deal in from today, August…
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Thailand braces as heavy rain persists in several regions
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts a reduction in rainfall for today, although heavy rain is still expected in some regions. Residents in the upper northeastern areas are advised to remain cautious due to potential heavy rainfall and accumulation. This weather pattern is influenced by a low-pressure area over northern Vietnam, coupled with a weakened southwest monsoon over the Andaman…
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Thai man allegedly assaults delivery worker and steals 500 baht from victim
A Thai parcel delivery worker accused a male customer, an official at a sub-district administrative office in the southern province of Songkhla, of physically assaulting him and stealing 500 baht. The delivery worker, 42 year old Pongsiri, shared the details of the alleged assault with Hat Yai Focus news agency in a plea for justice. He reported the incident to…
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Dead sea turtle found on Phang Nga beach sparks pollution fears
The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has launched an investigation after a decaying sea turtle carcass was discovered washed up on the sands in front of The Sands Khao Lak by Katathani Resort in Phang Nga’s Takua Pa district. The grim find was first reported to the Phang Nga Provincial Marine Office yesterday, July 30. Officials from the…
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Thai man fatally stabs former father-in-law and confesses crime to mother
A Thai man fatally stabbed his former father-in-law at a house in Chon Buri in the early hours of today, July 31, after failing to reconcile with his wife. He later confessed to the violent act to his mother. Officers from Huay Yai Police Station were called to investigate the death of 54 year old Siwapong at a house in…
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Austrians eye Pattaya paradise as mayor rolls out red carpet
Pattaya may be famous for sun, sea, and nightlife—but now it’s setting its sights on schnitzel-loving tourists from Austria. Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet recently welcomed Austrian Ambassador Wilhelm Maximilian Donko to City Hall in a high-level diplomatic meeting aimed at boosting long-term Austrian tourism to the city. The talks focused on expanding cooperation in tourism and cultural exchange, with both…
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Thailand snubs Hun Manet’s plea to release troops
Thailand has flatly refused to send home 18 captured Cambodian soldiers, defying a direct appeal from Cambodia’s prime minister. The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has rejected Hun Manet’s public request to immediately repatriate Cambodian troops detained after a deadly border clash, insisting all 18 soldiers must face legal proceedings first. “All detainees are being treated in line with international standards,”…
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2 Cambodian women wanted after viral video of trampling Thai flag
Thai police are searching for two Cambodian women who shared a video on social media showing them behaving provocatively, raising their middle fingers and trampling on the Thai national flag. The TikTok video went viral amid rising tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border. In the footage, the two women are seen holding Thai flags, pointing their middle fingers at them, then…
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12 Chinese nationals arrested for operating call centre scam in Chiang Mai
Police arrested 12 Chinese nationals yesterday, July 30, for operating a call centre scam from a pool villa in the northern province of Chiang Mai. Officers from Provincial Police Region 5 and the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau raided the villa in the Mae Rim district following a tip-off that it was being used as a base for the scam. According…
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Indian weddings could fuel Thai FDI boom
Thailand could soon be cashing in on Indian love stories—with luxury weddings fuelling a fresh wave of foreign investment. HSBC highlighted Indian wedding tourism as a key opportunity to boost foreign direct investment (FDI) into Thailand, pointing to stronger economic links and rising investor confidence between the two countries. During a recent visit to HSBC Thailand, HSBC India CEO Hitendra…
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Bangkok doctors perform scar-free baby ops
Thai doctors are now performing life-saving surgery on newborns using tools smaller than a pencil tip—without leaving a scar. The Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health has become the first medical centre in Thailand to perform advanced minimally invasive surgery on newborns, according to the Department of Medical Services (DoMS). DoMS Deputy Director-General Thanin Wechapinan announced the breakthrough this…
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Jungle ordeal ends in rescue for 19 Thai rangers (video)
The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has confirmed the successful rescue of 19 army rangers stranded for nearly six days in dense jungle during the recent Thai-Cambodian border conflict. The soldiers had embarked on a high-stakes reconnaissance mission on July 23, tasked with verifying the location of a Cambodian BM-21 artillery position. But the very next day, border skirmishes erupted between…
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Fatal crash sparks fury over ‘death trap’ roadworks in Pattaya
A fatal motorbike crash in Pattaya has reignited outrage over hazardous road conditions after a Laotian man was killed yesterday in what residents describe as a “death trap” stretch of road. The accident happened around 8pm yesterday, July 30, on a road running parallel to the railway in Soi Nong Hin. Emergency responders from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Unit…
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MP blasted for ‘disrespecting’ Thai military during border clash
Prominent political activist Srisuwan Janya has filed a petition with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), demanding an investigation into what he calls “serious ethical misconduct” by a Chon Buri member of Parliament. The complaint targets Sahassawat Kumkong, an MP with the People’s Party (PP), whose now-deleted Facebook post criticised the Thai military amid the tense border conflict with Cambodia. The…
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Pattaya drug raid: Major dealer arrested, drugs seized
In Banglamung District, Pattaya, on July 30, a significant drug bust led by District Chief Patcharapat Sritanyanon resulted in the arrest of a well-known drug dealer, Ratthaphong Phananuson, known by the alias Got Soi Noen. The operation successfully seized 438 methamphetamine pills and 62.61 grammes of crystal methamphetamine, commonly referred to as ice. The investigation began after a tip-off from…
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Phuket taps run dry: 12-hour water cut hits Rawai
The Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) has warned residents and businesses in Rawai, Phuket, to prepare for a full-day water outage tomorrow as essential pipework shuts down the supply for 12 hours. The disruption will run from 10am to 10pm tomorrow, August 1, and affects a large section of Rawai, including Soi Mittraphap, Saiyuan 1, Soi Laem Ka, Soi Wirachot, Soi…
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Cambodian man arrested for robbery of Russian tourist in Pattaya
Pattaya police have detained a Cambodian man named Chid Jan in connection with the robbery of Daria Smirnova, a 28 year old Russian tourist. The incident unfolded on July 28 at 8.06pm in Soi Chalermphrakiat 14. The suspect, who was on a motorcycle, allegedly threatened Smirnova with a screwdriver and took her bag, which contained valuables worth roughly 5,000 baht…
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IndiGo slashes fares to Thailand despite border bloodshed
As Thailand and Cambodia attempt to hold together a fragile ceasefire after the bloodiest border fighting in more than a decade, India’s largest airline is offering a travel bargain to the Land of Smiles. IndiGo announced a special promotion for passengers flying to Thailand. Travellers can now use the promo code “6ETHAI” to get up to 10% off bookings to…
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Former son-in-law charged with fatal stabbing in Chon Buri
A former son-in-law allegedly attacked and fatally stabbed his ex-father-in-law in Chon Buri province. The victim’s wife described the sudden and shocking event, while police apprehended the suspect at his residence. Relatives confronted him during his arrest. Police Colonel Sitthikas Thonsawat, deputy inspector of Hua Yai Police Station in Chon Buri, received a report on July 31 of a violent…
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Thailand failing its youth? Grim report warns of future crisis
Thailand’s future is in danger—and the warning signs are coming straight from the classroom and job market. A damning new report has revealed that Thailand’s human capital development is hitting major roadblocks, with children and young adults falling behind in education, health, and job readiness. The findings suggest the country’s long-term economic ambitions could be seriously undermined if urgent action…
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Thai Air Force denies link to old bomb found in Cambodia
Today, July 31, the Royal Thai Air Force clarified that the MK-84 bomb, weighing 2,000 pounds, recently discovered in Cambodia, is not linked to any Thai Air Force operations targeting Cambodian military sites. The bomb, showing signs of rust and age, appears to have been unearthed from beneath a residential area and is commonly used by Western nations. Air Force…
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Thailand grounds all drones as border tensions flare
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has imposed a nationwide drone ban from July 30 (yesterday) to August 15—or until further notice—as tensions rise along the Thai–Cambodian border. The drastic move is part of heightened national security measures. The ban applies to all unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Offenders risk up to one year in prison, a fine of 40,000…
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