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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Phuket restaurant accuses foreigners of stealing designer watch
A restaurant in Phuket is searching for a group of foreigners after one of them allegedly stole a watch from the premises on Friday, August 16. The restaurant owner shared brief details of the incident on the Phuket Times Facebook page yesterday, August 19, along with CCTV screenshots and a picture of the stolen watch. The owner stated… “A foreign…
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Ayutthaya vendor defends against teen robbers with fruit knife
In the early hours at Wang Noi Market, Ayutthaya, two teenagers attempted to rob a vendor at knifepoint, demanding 1,000 baht. The vendor, however, defended himself with a fruit knife, causing the assailants to flee. The incident, captured on CCTV and shared on social media, occurred at 4.43am yesterday, August 19, in Lam Sai subdistrict, Wang Noi district. The footage…
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Rogue app drivers face tough Pattaya clampdown
Chaos on Pattaya’s streets is finally facing a clampdown, after city police and transport chiefs joined forces to tackle rogue taxis, illegal ride-hailing apps, and traffic gridlock. On Monday, August 18 at 4.45pm, top brass gathered at Pattaya City Police Station’s Operations Centre for an urgent summit on transport reform. The meeting was co-chaired by Police Lieutenant Colonel Phanuphong Nimsuwan,…
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Migrant workers caught in Aranyaprathet sugarcane fields
Yesterday, August 19, border patrol units apprehended 21 migrant workers hidden in sugarcane fields along the border in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province. The group, divided into nine Cambodians entering Thailand and twelve Myanmar nationals crossing to Cambodia, was intercepted by the Burapha Task Force and the 1204th Border Patrol Company, collaborating with the 2nd Infantry Regiment. The first group…
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Pattaya car scam swindles Indian owner, vehicle vanishes
A luxury rental car has vanished without a trace in Pattaya, leaving its owner—an Indian businessman—crying foul and calling it the work of professional scammers. Yesterday, August 19 at 11.30pm, 54 year old Prem Kumar walked into Pattaya City Police Station to file a complaint. He reported that a white-and-black Toyota, bearing licence plate JPH 9160 Chon Buri, had been…
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Shooting injures student in Trang romantic dispute
A 19 year old man and a 16 year old boy engaged in a physical confrontation over a romantic dispute, resulting in a school shooting that injured an 18 year old female student. The incident led to the swift arrest of two people and the recovery of the firearm used. The incident occurred on August 18 at 1am in Mueang…
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Business tycoon jailed for land forgery in Saraburi scandal
The Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Region 1 sentenced Prachai Leophairat to eight years in prison over a land document forgery case in Saraburi. The veland forgeryrdict was delivered yesterday, August 19 at the mentioned court, with case numbers Aot98/2567 and Aot.84/2568. The prosecution was led by the Office of the Special Prosecutor for Corruption Suppression 1, Region 1,…
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Teacher’s husband runs pickup over schoolboy, leaving child in critical condition
The husband of a teacher in Udon Thani province ran over a 12 year old schoolboy in his pickup truck, leaving the boy with broken bones and a critical condition. The victim was reportedly waiting for his parents at the time of the incident. The boy’s parents shared details of the incident with Channel 7, as the parents were concerned…
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Patong police stalled as ‘Arab’ tourist gang walks free
Patong Police are under mounting scrutiny as they continue to delay charges against six foreign tourists, described in official reports as “Arab,” who were allegedly involved in the brutal beating of a Thai motorbike rental operator. The attack, which took place on August 10, left the victim hospitalised with a broken jaw and broken ribs. The case only gained traction…
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Reduced rainfall forecast for Thailand, thunderstorms in 26 provinces
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts reduced rainfall for tomorrow, though 26 provinces may still experience thunderstorms. Coastal areas could see waves up to 2 metres high, prompting caution for seafarers. The TMD predicts a decrease in rain over Thailand due to weakened southwesterly monsoon winds covering the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand, along with a low-pressure…
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Thailand pushes for UNESCO glory with ancient shadow play
The Ministry of Culture confirmed yesterday that nang yai, a spectacular shadow puppet performance dating back to the 15th century, will be proposed for UNESCO’s Register of Good Safeguarding Practices by March 2026. Suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, currently overseeing the ministry, said the campaign is officially titled the Community-based Revitalisation of Nang Yai Tradition in Thailand (CRNT). She described…
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Thailand goes all in on AI—but can it be trusted?
Thais are embracing artificial intelligence (AI) like never before, with new research showing it’s become an “invisible” part of daily life—but concerns over fairness, bias, and safety are growing just as fast. A report launched in Bangkok yesterday, August 18, by telecoms giant Telenor Asia revealed that 91% of Internet users in Thailand now rely on AI, up from 77%…
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Police accused of embezzlement during gambling raid in Nakhon Si Thammarat
Gamblers in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat accused police officers of taking 50,000 baht in cash, which should have been presented as evidence in a criminal case. A member of the Thung Song District Office, Chanin Jaidee, shared details of the alleged corruption with Channel 8 in the hope of seeking justice for gamblers arrested on August 13.…
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Thailand taps Polish Airlines to lure big-spending tourists
Thailand is stepping up its campaign for European tourists with a bold new partnership with LOT Polish Airlines, spearheaded by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool. The deal targets high-spending Eastern Europeans, with Poland leading the charge, and aims to reinforce Bangkok’s ambition to become Southeast Asia’s aviation capital. The push comes as overall foreign arrivals…
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Phuket fights against HIV: Bold plan to end AIDS by 2030
Phuket has declared an all-out war on HIV/AIDS with the launch of a high-powered workshop aimed at making the island Thailand’s first Province of Ending AIDS by 2030. The two-day event, which opened today, August 19, at the Bukitta Hotel in Phuket Town, gathered 50 representatives from health, government, and community groups. It was chaired by Phuket Provincial Chief Administrative Officer…
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Thai man surrenders after fatally shooting alleged lover of friend’s girlfriend
A Thai man fatally shot an alleged lover of his friend’s girlfriend on the roadside in the southern province of Trang on Sunday, August 17, claiming he was taking revenge on behalf of his friend. The fatal attack occured as the victim was with her boyfriend, 24 year old Jiramate was along the Trang–Phatthalung Road in Mueang Trang district. She immediately called…
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Surin woman attacks son-in-law with knife for allegedly making sexual advances
A Thai woman in the Isaan province of Surin attacked her son-in-law with a knife after he allegedly made sexual advances towards her while intoxicated. A local rescue team was called to a house in the Sri Narong district of Surin on Sunday, August 17, to provide first aid to a Thai man and transfer him to the hospital. The man,…
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Thailand’s tourist numbers slide as 2025 forecast cut again
Thailand’s tourism dreams have hit another bump after the Tourism and Sports Ministry revealed foreign arrivals plunged by more than 7% this year, forcing officials to scale back growth forecasts yet again. From January 1 to August 17, the country welcomed 20.81 million international visitors, down 7.04% compared to the same period last year. Despite the overall decline, China remains…
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Free shots of death: Brit blinded in Laos methanol horror (video)
A dream backpacking adventure in Laos turned into a nightmare when a 23 year old Brit was left permanently blind after drinking poisoned spirits at a hostel in Vang Vieng. The poisoning, which struck in November last year, claimed six foreign lives in total. Calum Macdonald, from the UK, was one of several travellers served free whisky and vodka shots…
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Missing Burmese girl rescued but rejects parents over alleged abuse
A 15 year old Burmese girl, who was previously reported missing from her home in Nonthaburi province, refused to return home, claiming that her parents physically abused her. The Burmese parents, 45 year old Mamat Ye Hinn and 40 year old Asha Bwe, sought help from Thai news agencies on August 12 after their daughter, Bee, disappeared from their Nonthaburi…
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Village fund fraud suspect arrested for 8 million baht scam
Today, August 19, police from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) launched the Village Fund Zero Fraud operation, arresting a suspect accused of defrauding a village fund of nearly 8 million baht. The suspect, 57 year old Jiranat or Noi from Nakhon Pathom, was apprehended under a warrant issued by the Criminal Court on August 16. He faces charges of fraud,…
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Thai army asserts Baan Nong Chan is within Thai territory
The Royal Thai Army asserts that Baan Nong Chan, situated near the Thai-Cambodia border in Sa Kaeo province, is within Thai territory, countering claims by Cambodian officials and residents. In response to Cambodian complaints regarding the army’s installation of barbed-wire fences near Ban Nong Chan in Khok Sung district, Royal Thai Army spokesman, Major General Winthai Suvaree, clarified yesterday, August…
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Ancient cave unearthed in northern Thailand jungle
Thailand’s archaeological map has just grown richer after forest rangers stumbled upon a mysterious cave in the remote wilds of Phitsanulok province. The three-day patrol, carried out from Thursday, August 14, to Saturday, August 16, in the Khwae Noi forest watershed, was initially intended to monitor wildlife in the Phu Khat Wild Animal Protection Area. But instead of just tracking…
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Illegal cosmetics factory in Chachoengsao shut down
A clandestine cosmetics manufacturing factory in Bang Pakong district, Chachoengsao province, was dismantled after police discovered unlicensed production activities. Approximately 234,699 items worth over 20 million baht were seized, allegedly intended for export. Today, August 19, Police Major General Pattanasak Bubpasuwan, the chief of the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD), directed Police Colonel Weeraphong Klaihong and Police Lieutenant Colonel Anusara…
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Father urges army to uncover real motive behind soldier’s fatal rampage
The father of a Thai soldier who shot two civilians before taking his own life in Surin province dismissed an emotional breakdown as the motive for the shooting and urged the Royal Thai Army (RTA) to conduct a further investigation. Private Ratthapoom Thepsiri was found dead in a forest in Kap Choeng district on August 15, after he shot two men…
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Thailand video news | Fatal Pattaya Crash, ‘TouristDigiPay’ crypto-to-baht pilot initiative to boost tourism spending
In Thailand video news, Alex reports on a range of stories from across the country. Highlights include an investigation into Jay Fai’s crab omelette pricing, a fatal motorbike stunt in Pattaya, and a Dutch-Thai couple’s escape from border clashes. Other stories cover public outrage over a tourist assault in Patong, the arrest of an Australian drug smuggler, and a crypto-to-baht…
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Thailand launches world-first crypto tourist pay scheme
Thailand has thrown open the doors to a digital revolution in tourism, unveiling the world’s first system allowing foreign visitors to convert cryptocurrency into Thai baht for everyday purchases—from pad thai stalls to 7-Eleven counters. The pilot project, called TouristDigiPay, launched yesterday, August 18, under the watch of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira. Unlike crypto-payment models abroad,…
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Pheu Thai backs Paetongtarn amid court ruling on leaked audio
Yesterday, August 18, the Pheu Thai Party expressed unwavering support for the suspended Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, ahead of the Constitutional Court’s decision concerning a leaked audio clip. The party also dismissed the likelihood of the Bhumjaithai Party rejoining the coalition, even if there were changes in leadership. Visuth Chainaroon, a Pheu Thai list-MP and chief government whip, stated that…
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Judicial misconduct cases addressed by Supreme Court in Thailand
On August 18, a meeting of the Committee of Judicial Affairs was held at Ratchaburi Direkrit Room, Justice Court Building on Ratchadamnoen Road. Presided over by Supreme Court President Chanakarn Theeravejpolkul, the committee addressed several significant judicial misconduct cases. The committee reviewed a report on a judicial official accused of violating ethical standards by filing an unjustified lawsuit against a…
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Bangkok tops global Gen Z city list
Move over New York and London—Bangkok just stole the spotlight as the ultimate Gen Z city in the world. The Thai capital has clinched the- top spot in Time Out’s 2025 global ranking of the Best Cities for Gen Z, leaving some of the world’s most iconic destinations trailing in its wake. The survey gathered insights from over 18,500 locals…
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