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Thai community enterprise signs 100 million baht deal for Korat’s Golden Bananas export to Japan
A landmark deal worth 100 million baht has been signed between a Japanese buyer and a Thai community enterprise group for the purchase of 5,000 tonnes of Korat’s Golden Bananas. This first-ever export deal, set to greatly benefit local farmers, has been hailed for its potential to open new markets for Thai growers. The contract was signed at the Lamtakong…
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Ex-files: Former flame crashes China wedding over dowry drama
A former girlfriend gatecrashed her ex-boyfriend’s wedding in China after discovering that the bride’s dowry was significantly more than what she had requested during their relationship. The couple had been together for seven years, but differing views on dowry expectations led to their eventual breakup. According to local media reports, the woman had previously been in a seven-year relationship with…
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Thailand leaps in digital competitiveness ranking, claims 35th spot globally
Thailand has made significant strides in its digital competitiveness, jumping five spots from the previous year to rank 35th out of 64 economic territories. This progress is revealed in the World Digital Competitiveness Ranking (WDCR) 2023, published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD). The uplift in ranking is a result of advancements in three pivotal areas: technology, knowledge,…
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Young man arrested for false dietary supplement advertising on social media
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) apprehended a young man advertising dietary supplements of a popular brand on social media, with the products boasting exaggerated benefits. The suspect was charged before being handed over for prosecution today, November 30. On the previous day, the DSI’s investigative operation team, led by Witthawat Sukhantharot, Director of Trace and News Investigation Centre, captured…
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knife-edge escapade: Tourist stirs controversy in Kanchanaburi National Park (video)
A video clip shot by a porter at Thong Pha Phum National Park in Kanchanaburi sparked controversy after it showed tourists climbing down the treacherous Knife Ridge without any park officials in sight. The porter, identified only as Daeng, was later forced to apologise for the video, which he said was filmed while park officials were temporarily assisting a tourist…
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Chiang Mai deputy police chief suspended over sexual assault allegations
The Chiang Mai Deputy Police Chief has been suspended from duty following allegations of sexually assaulting a woman he had met via Facebook. The incident reportedly took place on November 22, according to the case filed at the Muaeng Jee Police Station in Lamphun Province, case number 426/2023. The accused, a police lieutenant colonel and a deputy police chief of…
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Love, lies, loss: Thai woman loses 3 million baht after 1 month with romance scammer
A 65 year old Thai woman lost 3 million baht after a month-long online conversation with a romance scammer she met on a Facebook dating group. The victim’s son urged Channel 3 to share his mother’s experience as a warning to others who use dating applications or engage in online dating. He recently found out that his mother had been…
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Party-hopper: Ex-PPRP MP’s bold Democrat Party leadership bid
Watanya Bunnag, formerly a list MP belonging to the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), recently expressed her intention to run for the leadership of the Democrat Party (DP), following her switch to the latter in August. The election to decide the party’s leader is set to take place on December 9. Watanya, who currently serves as the chairwoman of the Democrat Party’s…
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Singapore and Zurich rank as world’s most expensive cities in 2023
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) recently revealed that Singapore and Zurich share the title of the world’s most expensive city in 2023. Following closely are Geneva, New York, and Hong Kong, maintaining that the worldwide cost-of-living crisis is yet unresolved. The research and analysis division of the Economist Group observed that prices for over 200 frequently utilised goods and services…
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Fatal road accident in Phuket: Pickup truck crashes, driver dies on spot
A fatal road accident occurred in Phuket, where a pickup truck lost control and crashed into the central road divider. The driver was thrown from the vehicle and died on the spot, while his companion, Witya, also 48 years old, was injured. At approximately 1.50am today, Police Lieutenant Thanpisit Mueangchan, an investigative officer at Thalang Police Station, was alerted to…
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Thai organisations face frequent cyberattacks, study reveals
A recent study conducted by Cloudflare, a US-based firm specialising in content delivery, networking, and cloud cybersecurity, disclosed that 57% of Thai organisations have been targeted by at least 10 cybersecurity incidents in the past year. The findings revealed that the primary motivation for these cybercriminal activities was to install spyware, followed by financial gain and ransomware. Interestingly, despite the…
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Four Thai workers released from Hamas captivity
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thailand confirmed the release of four Thai workers today, previously held captive by Hamas militants. The release occurred yesterday evening, as reported by the Royal Thai Embassy situated in Tel Aviv, Israel. The freed workers – Paiboon Ratnil, Kong Saelao, Chakraphan Sikhena, and Chalermchai Saengkaew – underwent a medical examination at an Israeli hospital.…
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Mental illness suspected after Thai man kills uncle before suicide
Police suspect a mental illness as the motive behind a Thai man’s killing of his uncle at their home in the southern province of Krabi. The incident occurred yesterday after the uncle complained about loud goat noises. The victim, identified as 65 year old Sunthorn Treekun, was murdered and the incident was reported to Lam Thap Police Station at 4pm…
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Weather warning for northern Thailand with temperatures expected to rise
The Meteorological Department of Thailand (TMD) issued a weather warning for the northern region of Thailand today, as temperatures are expected to rise by 3 degrees Celsius. Some areas may experience rainfall. The southern region, meanwhile, is bracing for a storm with heavy to very heavy rainfall predicted. The sea is also expected to have waves higher than 2 metres.…
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Thai punters get creative: The hunt for December’s lucky lottery numbers heats up
As the December lottery draw approaches, keen-eyed Thai punters are turning to various sources for lucky numbers. Notable figures, personalised car number plates, and even ancient termites are all being scrutinised for potential winning digits. The first unusual source of lottery luck comes from a local shrine dedicated to two elderly women, where villagers have written numbers 70, 558, 625,…
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Urgent efforts underway to return elephant herd causing havoc in central Thailand
A herd of over 100 elephants, currently causing havoc in the Prachinburi region of Thailand, are being urgently ushered back to their natural habitat. These elephants have been devastating crops, causing damage to more than 60 acres of farmland and resulting in losses exceeding 1 million baht. To mitigate this, the state is accelerating efforts to return these elephants to…
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Thailand’s herbal market worth skyrockets to 90,000 billion baht
Minister of Health Santi Prompat highlighted the significant growth in the market for Thai massage and food as a form of soft power for the nation. He also emphasized the rising value of herbal consumption, which has increased to 90,000 billion baht, making Thailand the third highest in Asia. This occurred during a special assembly and policy communication meeting at…
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Devotees flock to restored twin shrines in Ratchaburi following mysterious fire
A mysterious fire at the revered twin shrines of Yaay Niam and Yaay Nom in Ratchaburi province has not deterred devotees, who continue to flock to the site for blessings. The shrines, believed to be nearly 100 years old, were restored after being burnt down on November 2 under unexplained circumstances. Devotees from across the province and beyond are known…
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Former PM Prayut Chan-o-cha appointed as Thailand Privy Council member
Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun yesterday appointed the former Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to the Privy Council of Thailand. The Royal Gazette yesterday, November 29, officially announced that His Majesty deemed it fitting to appoint an additional Privy Councillor at this time. The king has graciously chosen former Prime Minister Prayut for this appointment. The Privy Council is a body…
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Nationwide security guards training initiative kicks off with labour of love from ministry, police, and army
A nationwide training initiative targeting security guards is set to be launched, courtesy of the Labour Ministry, police force, and army. This initiative, aimed at improving the skill set of guards, was discussed yesterday in a meeting convened by Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. Also in attendance were Watcharapol Bussamongkol, ex-president of the Security Services Association of Thailand (SSAT), and representatives…
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Bangkok MP’s challenge to Computer Crime Act dismissed by Constitutional Court
Bangkok MP Rukchanok Srinork, representing the main opposition Move Forward Party (MFP), faced a setback yesterday when the Constitutional Court dismissed her petition concerning the constitutionality of Section 14 of the Computer Crime Act. The court’s decision came via the Criminal Court, which is currently presiding over a case against Rukchanok. The charges against Rukchanok, stemming from a tweet she…
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Unforeseen transfer of DSI chief prompts investigation into pork smuggling
The abrupt transfer of Department of Special Investigation (DSI) director-general Police Major Suriya Singhakamol has prompted the House Committee on Agriculture and Cooperatives to seek answers from the government. Pol. Maj. Suriya’s reassignment came into the limelight immediately after he conducted a search related to the smuggling of pork at the CP Axtra Plc headquarters, previously known as Siam Makro.…
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Thai finance ministry considers beverage tax restructure to boost tourism
A proposed restructuring of the beverage tax framework is under consideration by the Finance Ministry, as revealed by the permanent finance secretary, Lavaron Sangsnit. The restructure aims to bolster tourism and domestic spending. This Friday, Lavaron plans to engage in a discussion with officials from the Customs Department and the Excise Department. The proposed measures align with Thai governmental policies…
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Thailand’s export sector sees recovery with third month of growth
The Director-General of the Fiscal Policy Office, Pornchai Thiraveja, announced that the export sector is showing signs of recovery, marking its third month of consecutive growth. Despite a year-on-year contraction of 2.7% in the value of exports between January and October, monthly figures indicate a resurgence, with an 8% rise in October to US$23.5 billion. Quarterly analysis shows a decrease…
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Hamas releases two more Thai captives, 19 now freed
The release of two additional Thai captives from the Israel- Palestine conflict occurred on Tuesday night, bringing the total number of freed Thai citizens to 19, with a remaining 13 still in custody. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced via the Twitter social media platform that Pattanayut Tonsokree and Owat Suriya had been liberated at 11pm local time and were immediately…
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Southern Thailand battles surge in whooping cough cases
A surge in pertussis cases, commonly known as whooping cough, has prompted public health bodies to urge individuals, particularly in southern Thailand, to get vaccinated. So far this year, almost 100 Thai residents have been diagnosed with the infectious disease. The Disease Control Department disclosed yesterday that there have been 93 confirmed cases of pertussis between January 1 and November…
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Thailand’s shrimp exports forecasted to surge by 10% next year
A 10% surge in Thailand’s shrimp exports is on the horizon for the upcoming year, brought about by a minor uptick in local shrimp production and bolstered demand primarily from the United States. Thai Shrimp Association President Ekapoj Yodpinit disclosed that shrimp production in Thailand this year mirrored the previous year’s figure of 280,000 tonnes. Meanwhile, the country’s shrimp exports…
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Long-beaked echidna not extinct, rediscovered after 62 years
The long-beaked echidna, a mammal thought to be extinct for over 62 years, has been unexpectedly spotted in the Cyclops Mountains of Indonesia. This discovery was reported today by the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation on their Facebook page. This elusive creature, also known as Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna, was named after English naturalist David Attenborough, who last encountered it in 1961. The…
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Motorcyclist dies in accident, rider a suspected drug dealer
A fatal accident unfolded on Motorway 7 inbound to Chon Buri in the early hours of today, resulting in the death of a motorcyclist, suspected by Banglamung police to be a drug dealer. The incident occurred near the 4-kilometre marker in the Nong Pla Lai sub-district of Banglamung district, Chon Buri province. The first team on the scene, led by…
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TikTok user’s edible Krathong attracts catfish swarm during Loy Krathong Festival (video)
An unusual celebration of the Loy Krathong Festival was made memorable by TikTok user @sweeteiei18. The user decided to float her Krathong, a traditional Thai floating lantern, in a pond filled with catfish at her home today, November 29. However, what was meant to be a serene moment quickly turned into a hilarious spectacle as the school of catfish rapidly…
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