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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Sponsored Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Bang Lamung chief warns village bosses to clean up act
Local leaders in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district have been given a blunt warning—follow the rules, protect your reputation, and keep your guns in check. Village headmen and subdistrict chiefs in Bang Lamung were told in no uncertain terms to toe the line during a monthly meeting at the district office’s community hall. The meeting yesterday, August 8, was presided…
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Phuket prepares to host global green tourism summit
Phuket’s power players jetted to Fiji for a high-profile eco-tourism summit, returning with ideas, allies, and a mission to make next year’s event the island’s greenest showpiece yet. A high-level Phuket delegation has returned from Fiji after taking part in the Global Sustainable Tourism Conference (GSTC) 2025—a key step in preparing the island to host the world-class event next year.…
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Pattaya raid busts Malaysian in sex video scam
Immigration police stormed a Pattaya condominium in a late-night raid, arresting a Malaysian man accused of secretly filming Thai women during sex and using the footage to extort cash. The dramatic bust at 12.30am yesterday, August 8, followed a complaint from a woman who said she was lured via the WeChat app by the suspect, 24 year old Malaysian national…
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Phuket cops seize sunglasses stash from illegal Cambodian vendor
Phuket Immigration officers have launched a high-profile crackdown on illegal beach vendors following complaints from residents and business owners that Cambodian migrant workers were openly selling goods without permission. Locals claimed the activity was damaging the island’s tourism image and undercutting Thai vendors who operate legally. Superintendent of Phuket Immigration Police Colonel Kriangkrai Ariyaying ordered Deputy Superintendent Police Lieutenant Colonel…
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Phuket jet ski blitz nets 38 illegal rides in safety push
Phuket’s rogue jet ski operators have been hit with a major crackdown, as police swooped on six locations and seized 38 illegally operated machines. The coordinated operation, led by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and the Phuket Marine Police, was launched to boost tourist safety and safeguard the island’s image. Officials said many operators were running jet ski services without…
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Car wreckage with human skeleton found in Phitsanulok ravine
A rescue team on Wednesday, August 6, unexpectedly discovered the wreckage of a car containing a human skeleton in a ravine in the northern province of Phitsanulok while rescuing a truck driver who had crashed his vehicle at the same spot. The truck driver crashed his vehicle, which was carrying eucalyptus logs, into the ravine in the Chat Trakan district…
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Cambodian PM nominates Donald Trump for Nobel Peace Prize
The Prime Minister (PM) of Cambodia, Hun Manet, announced on his Facebook account that he would nominate the President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump, for the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, on July 26, during military clashes between Thailand and Cambodia, that he would cease all trade talks with…
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WhatsApp wipes out 6.8 million scam accounts in global crackdown
WhatsApp has obliterated 6.8 million scam accounts in just six months, in what parent company Meta calls a major strike against global fraud networks. The social media giant says many of the accounts were tied to organised crime syndicates in Southeast Asia, notorious for running scam centres staffed by people forced into the work. Victims of these centres have been…
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Bangkok ex-boxer sets Malaysian tourists on fire in mall horror
Shoppers in central Bangkok were left horrified after a former Thai boxer allegedly doused two Malaysian tourists in flammable liquid and set them on fire outside a popular mall. Good Samaritans leapt into action to tackle the attacker before police arrived. The attack took place at around 10pm yesterday, August 7, on Ratchadamri Road, Lumpini, in front of a well-known…
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Thai woman suffers 54 stitches after brutal assault by ex-husband
A Thai woman is seeking justice after her ex-husband assaulted her at her home in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok, leaving her with multiple severe injuries which required 54 stitches. The 32 year old victim, Noi, took her case to the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women because she feared delays in the police investigation and was concerned for her safety.…
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Pattaya ladyboy nabbed for robbing Russian tourist
A drunken night out in Pattaya turned into a nightmare for a Russian tourist after a ladyboy allegedly made off with nearly 1 million baht in valuables—but swift police work brought the suspect down within 48 hours. Pattaya City Police moved in at 10.06pm yesterday, August 7, arresting 43 year old Phutthi Pratthumthong at an apartment not far from the…
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Electrocuted monkey falls onto car, shattering rear window
A monkey yesterday, August 7, fell from an electricity pole onto a sedan parked outside a condominium in Samut Prakan province, shattering the vehicle’s rear window after being electrocuted. Initially, security guards at the condominium, located in the Bang Pu neighbourhood, contacted the Bang Pu Sub-district Municipality Office for assistance in catching the long-tailed macaque, fearing it might cause further…
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Toilet drug kitchen busted in Bangkok cannabis snack raid
Bangkok police have uncovered a cannabis snack production house where toilets were used as mixing stations, seizing nearly a million baht’s worth of illegal products—just days after a toddler was hospitalised from eating one of the jellies. The Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) launched the raid following social media reports that a two year old child had eaten a jelly,…
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Thai monks busted at Phuket temple for meth use
A Phuket temple has been rocked by scandal after three monks and two workers were caught using methamphetamine (meth) during a surprise drug raid. Cherng Talay Police, acting on a formal complaint, swooped on Wat Cherng Talay in Thalang at 2pm yesterday, August 7, in a joint operation with the Phuket Provincial Office of Buddhism, Thalang district officials, public health…
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Thai businessman and activist secures bail after arrest on firearms, drugs and assault
Police released a well-known Thai businessman and political activist on bail of 100,000 baht after his arrest yesterday, August 7, on charges of possessing firearms and drugs, and physically assaulting women. A Thai woman lodged a complaint with the Youth and Women Welfare Centre, alleging that the prominent businessman and activist, Tanat “Luk Nat” Thanakitamnuay, better known as “Hi-So Luk…
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Chinese man surrenders after armed standoff in Pattaya store
A dramatic two-hour standoff unfolded in Pattaya in the early hours of today when an armed Chinese man holed up inside a convenience store, before surrendering to police. Pattaya City Police received the report at 12.16am today, August 8, alerting them to a man with a gun inside a shop near the entrance to Soi Thepprasit 8. Deputy Superintendent of…
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Thailand video news | Thailand and Cambodia ink 13-point border peace accord in Kuala Lumpur, Tomorrowland locked In for Pattaya’s Wisdom Valley Festival site
In Thailand video news, Alex and Jay deliver the latest regional updates — from Thailand and Cambodia’s 13-point peace accord and a mass exodus of Cambodian workers, to a national mental health warning and fresh challenges in the Thai film industry. Other highlights include a Pattaya villa raid over explicit livestreams, a British overstay arrest linked to theft, and Indonesia’s…
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10 year old Canadian girl drowns off Kata Beach in Phuket
A rescue team yesterday, August 7, discovered the body of a Canadian girl who had drowned in the sea off Kata Beach in Phuket. Officers from Karon Police Station and rescuers from the Kuson Dham Foundation were called to Kata Beach after the 10 year old was swept away by waves while swimming with her family at around 4pm. The…
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Pattaya beach blitz on rogue boats and pushy vendors
Pattaya’s beaches are set for a major shake-up as city officials launch a fresh crackdown on rogue boat operators and pushy beach vendors. Yesterday, August 7, a high-level meeting at Pattaya City Hall brought together Deputy Mayor Wuthisak Rermkijakarn, senior city advisors, district officials, marine authorities, and police to hammer out new rules for sea-based activities and beach businesses. Pattaya’s…
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Thai Airways soars with 12 billion baht profit in Q2
Thai Airways (THAI) is flying high again, racking up a staggering profit of more than 12 billion baht in the second quarter of 2025, fuelled by cheaper jet fuel and strong passenger growth. The flag carrier and its subsidiaries reported revenue of 44.83 billion baht (excluding one-time items) for the quarter, up 1.9% on last year. Passenger numbers climbed 4.2%…
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Cambodia delays Thailand’s call for landmine clearance and scam crackdown
Despite a ceasefire agreement aimed at bringing peace to the border between the two countries, Cambodia reportedly rejected proposals for landmine clearance and a crackdown on call centre scams, suggesting instead that the issues be postponed to the next discussions. Representatives from Thailand and Cambodia attended an extraordinary session of the General Border Committee (GBC) in Malaysia yesterday, August 7, to…
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Furious dad drags Chon Buri tattoo shop to cops
A furious father marched his teenage son into a Chon Buri police station this week to accuse a local tattoo parlour of illegally inking the 14 year old boy without parental consent. The drama unfolded yesterday, August 7, at Phlu Ta Luang Police Station, where Dr Thirawat Weerawat, better known as Attorney Ice Sai Lui, accompanied the boy’s parents to…
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Loan sharks arrested after shutting down debtors’ phones over unpaid loans
Police raided three mobile phone stores in Pathum Thani province near Bangkok in a crackdown on a loan shark gang that offered high-interest loans and used debtors’ mobile phones as collateral. Officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) reported the successful operation today, August 7. They searched three branches of a mobile phone shop called Nak Leng Mue Tue,…
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Jet ski heroes drag tourist from Phuket rip current (video)
A dramatic jet ski rescue unfolded off Phuket’s Bang Tao-Surin Beach on Wednesday when two quick-thinking lifeguards hauled an unconscious foreign tourist from a deadly rip current. Footage of the daring save, posted by Facebook user Witsarut Saman yesterday evening, August 7, shows the moment the lifeguards tore through pounding surf on a jet ski to reach the struggling swimmer.…
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Tough times hit Thai cinema as viewers cut back
Box office blues could be looming for Thai cinemas as cash-strapped moviegoers become pickier about what’s worth their ticket money. That’s the concern from top Thai studio GDH 559 Co Ltd Content Director Thodsapon Thiptinnakorn, who said the sluggish economy is making audiences more selective—possibly reducing their cinema visits from several times a month to just once. “Viewers may think…
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Tomorrowland confirmed for Pattaya’s Wisdom Valley in 2026
The Tourism and Sports minister confirmed the location for Tomorrowland, a world-class music festival, which will be held at Wisdom Valley in Pattaya. Thailand expects the event to generate 21 billion baht over a five-year contract. Hopes among Thai EDM fans were raised last year when former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had dinner with the organiser of the world-renowned Belgian music…
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Mental health meltdown grips Thailand’s pre-seniors
Thailand’s middle-aged adults are facing an emotional breaking point—and it’s worse than any other age group, according to a new health report. A total of 13.4 million people in Thailand are struggling with mental health issues, and those aged 45 to 59—the so-called “pre-senior” generation 98—report being the least happy, according to the Thai Health Report 2025. Released on Monday…
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Pattaya empowers teens with ‘Happy School’ workshops
Forget boring lectures—Pattaya’s young leaders got hands-on with happiness this week in a workshop-driven celebration of National Youth Day 2025. Yesterday, August 6 at 9am, the city kicked off its official youth programme at Le Bali Resort & Spa, with Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet presiding over the opening ceremony. Themed Happy School, the event encouraged student leaders from 11 local…
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Chinese steel surge pressures Thai manufacturers
China’s continued surge in steel exports is putting growing pressure on Thai steelmakers, according to Tata Steel (Thailand), a subsidiary of India’s largest steel producer. In the first half of this year, China exported 58.2 million tonnes of steel, marking a 9.2% increase from the same period last year. Asia remained the largest recipient of these exports, with Thailand among…
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Busted: Korean-Chinese call centre gang raided in Chon Buri
A South Korean man’s report of assault led officers to uncover an alleged Korean-Chinese call centre operation in Chon Buri, resulting in multiple arrests and the seizure of electronic equipment. In a late-night operation yesterday, August 6 at 11.06pm, Thai Tourist Police, Chon Buri Immigration, and the South Korean Embassy launched a coordinated raid targeting a cross-border call centre scam…
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