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.

  • Sponsored

    Digital nomading in Chiang Mai? What US$1,000 a month really gets you

    Chiang Mai has become a popular destination for digital nomads due to its low living costs, rich culture, and active remote work community. The city offers affordable housing, tasty food, reliable internet, and many co-working spaces, making it a great...

  • British dad dies chasing fight dream as wife gives birth back home

    British dad dies chasing fight dream as wife gives birth back home

    A British mum gave birth to her third child yesterday, just days after her beloved husband died alone in Thailand while chasing his lifelong dream of becoming a Thai boxing fighter. Ryan O’Connor, from Rossendale, Lancashire, collapsed in a hotel bathroom in Thailand after falling severely ill during a once-in-a-lifetime trip to train at a Muay Thai academy. The father-of-three…

  • Rabies deaths in Thailand triple with dogs as primary source

    Rabies deaths in Thailand triple with dogs as primary source

    The Department of Disease Control (DDC) reported a threefold increase in rabies-related deaths in Thailand this year. Of these cases, 90% were contracted from dogs and 10% from cats. Yesterday, July 7, Dr Phanumart Yanawetaskul, Director General of the Department of Disease Control, announced that seven fatalities have occurred in Chon Buri, Sisaket, Chachoengsao, Nakhon Ratchasima, Tak, and Rayong. This…

  • 50 attackers storm security base in Narathiwat, injuring two officers

    50 attackers storm security base in Narathiwat, injuring two officers

    Approximately 50 assailants, armed with 24 firearms and pipe bombs, launched an attack on a security base in the Mueang district of Narathiwat province on June 28. Two officers, 45 year old Aphisit Srianurak and 36 year old Waehumran Waesamoh, were injured in the incident. Investigations revealed that 702 bullet casings were used during this attack, which have been linked…

  • FDA cracks down on illegal cannabis products in Thailand

    FDA cracks down on illegal cannabis products in Thailand

    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is intensifying efforts to eliminate illegal cannabis products across Thailand. Emphasising the importance of checking labels, they are prosecuting imported goods with THC levels exceeding legal limits. This move follows an incident where a two year old girl accidentally consumed cannabis-infused jelly, necessitating hospital treatment. Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin instructed the FDA and provincial…

  • Cambodia-Thailand scam empire busted in mega police raid

    Cambodia-Thailand scam empire busted in mega police raid

    A notorious crime boss running a luxury scam empire from Cambodia is on the run after Thai police swooped on 19 locations in an explosive crackdown on a sprawling transnational syndicate. Officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) stormed properties across Bangkok, Samut Prakan and Chon Buri today, July 8, in coordinated raids aimed at dismantling the network behind…

  • Nakhon Ratchasima student injured in spear gun attack

    Nakhon Ratchasima student injured in spear gun attack

    A 20 year old technical college student was injured in Nakhon Ratchasima after being shot with a spear gun dart. The victim, Kritin, had arranged to meet his girlfriend to resolve issues regarding infidelity. Upon arrival, he encountered an unknown male accompanying her, leading to a confrontation where the dart pierced his left hand. Yesterday, July 7, Police Lieutenant Sunthiphap Phonsawang,…

  • Aussie tourist found dead after late-night massage on Koh Samui

    Aussie tourist found dead after late-night massage on Koh Samui

    A barefoot Aussie holidaymaker was found dead in a Koh Samui massage parlour, hours after staff assumed he’d simply nodded off following a midnight rubdown. The 43 year old man, identified only as Christopher from Brisbane, was discovered lifeless in the early hours of Sunday, July 7, at a massage shop in Bo Phut, on the Thai holiday island. Police…

  • Thai Lion Air’s Kolkata-Bangkok flight aborted over mid-taxi scare

    Thai Lion Air’s Kolkata-Bangkok flight aborted over mid-taxi scare

    Holiday plans were thrown into chaos in the early hours of today when a Thai Lion Air flight bound for Bangkok was forced to abort take-off and return to its parking bay after a technical snag triggered a mid-taxi scare at Kolkata Airport. Flight TLM243, scheduled to whisk 130 passengers and seven crew members back to Thailand, had only just…

  • South Korean man plunges to death in mystery Pattaya hotel fall

    South Korean man plunges to death in mystery Pattaya hotel fall

    A South Korean man plunged to his death from a Pattaya hotel rooftop in a late-night mystery, just two days before a young Chinese man fell fatally from another building in the city. It’s unsure whether it was an accident or whether he is another victim of the insensitively titled Pattaya Flying Club. Emergency crews from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan…

  • Thai Vietjet launches cheap Mumbai-Phuket flights

    Thai Vietjet launches cheap Mumbai-Phuket flights

    Holidaymakers dreaming of sun-soaked Phuket get ready to pack your bags – budget airline Thai VietJet Air is turning up the heat on the India-Thailand travel scene with a brand new direct flight from Mumbai to the island paradise. The low-cost carrier, part of the larger VietJet Aviation Group, is set to launch the highly anticipated route in August, giving…

  • Man electrocuted, another injured in Udon Thani tree accident

    Man electrocuted, another injured in Udon Thani tree accident

    A 49 year old man died, and a 58 year old man was seriously injured while cutting eucalyptus trees for sale yesterday, July 7, in the Udon Thani province. The accident occurred when the tree’s branches came into contact with high-voltage power lines. Police Colonel Fasatan Laosen from Sangkhome District Police Station, Udon Thani, received a report of the incident,…

  • Thailand Video News | Thai government withdraws casino bill amid political crisis and public pushback, Thailand sees 34% drop in Chinese tourists, forcing revised outlook

    Thailand Video News | Thai government withdraws casino bill amid political crisis and public pushback, Thailand sees 34% drop in Chinese tourists, forcing revised outlook

    In Thailand, cannabis advocates are protesting potential recriminalization, fearing economic fallout for small businesses, while the government simultaneously retreats from a controversial casino bill amid political upheaval. The country is also reeling from a sharp drop in Chinese tourists, viral concerns over road safety, and heated conversations around marketing ethics, all while launching new efforts—like Phuket’s night market—to revive local…

  • Bloodied man staggers from Pattaya alley after savage attack

    Bloodied man staggers from Pattaya alley after savage attack

    A bloodied man staggered out of a Pattaya alley screaming for help after a suspected booze-fuelled blade attack, with police now hunting the mystery knifeman behind the brutal ambush. A middle-aged Thai man, known only by the nickname “Mr Brave,” was found drenched in blood with horrific facial wounds in Soi Banglamung 13/1, Moo 5 yesterday, July 7, following what…

  • Five Thai men caught trying to cross border from Poipet

    Five Thai men caught trying to cross border from Poipet

    Five Thai men were apprehended attempting to illegally cross the border back into Thailand from Poipet yesterday, July 7. The Burapha Task Force, along with the Aranyaprathet Special Unit and the 1201 Ranger Company, intercepted the group. Initial inquiries revealed they were gamblers who had pawned their passports in an attempt to continue betting but eventually found themselves penniless. Four…

  • Burmese family in Phuket apologises after viral motorcycle photo

    Burmese family in Phuket apologises after viral motorcycle photo

    A Burmese family in Phuket issued a public apology after a photo of all seven members travelling on a single motorcycle went viral and sparked controversy on Thai social media. The image, showing a family of seven riding a motorcycle through the Sam Kong Tunnel in Phuket, was widely circulated on social media yesterday, July 7. In the photo, the…

  • Child’s mishap sparks fire panic at Phatthalung shopping mall

    Child’s mishap sparks fire panic at Phatthalung shopping mall

    A fire incident occurred in a well-known shopping mall in Phatthalung, when a 10 year old child, while waiting for their guardian to pay, lit a cardboard box with a lighter, causing smoke and panic. Employees and customers fled the scene. The incident happened at 7pm yesterday, July 7, with Phatthalung Municipality fire officials receiving reports of the fire at…

  • Suspect in Phatthalung shooting caught in Songkhla rubber plantation

    Suspect in Phatthalung shooting caught in Songkhla rubber plantation

    Police have apprehended a 35 year old man, the suspect in the shooting of 54 year old man in Phatthalung. The suspect, Teerapong, also known as Boy, had evaded capture by hiding in a rubber plantation after a bounty of 100,000 baht was placed on his head. The arrest operation was carried out by the Centre for the Prevention and…

  • Tsunami fears rattle Phuket as officials urge calm

    Tsunami fears rattle Phuket as officials urge calm

    Thailand urged the public to “stay aware, not scared” after a spate of offshore earthquakes sent social media into meltdown and raised awkward questions about tsunami preparedness in Phuket and along Thailand’s Andaman coast. The call for calm came during a high-level emergency briefing chaired by Deputy Interior Minister Thirat Rattanawanich yesterday, Monday, July 7, as Phuket officials joined a…

  • Thai royal award celebrates Vietnam’s top teachers

    Thai royal award celebrates Vietnam’s top teachers

    Vietnam’s star educators are basking in the royal spotlight after a Thai delegation arrived to celebrate their achievements and ramp up educational ties across Asia. From July 6 to 8, a high-profile delegation from the Princess Maha Chakri Award Foundation (PMCAF), led by Chairman Dr Krissanapong Kirtikara, visited Vietnam to meet past award winners, promote regional cooperation and prepare for…

  • Fire devastates commercial building in Pathum Thani

    Fire devastates commercial building in Pathum Thani

    A fire erupted at a three-storey commercial building selling electrical appliances on Pathum Thani-Lat Lum Kaeo Road, Pathum Thani province, around 4am today, June 8. The incident prompted Deputy Police Inspector Supakorn Chammanee from Khu Bang Luang Police Station to investigate, accompanied by local officials, including Nipon Khaokham, the mayor of Khu Kwang subdistrict, and Theerachai Silakhaw, the village headman.…

  • Thai man admits killing 2 year old stepson for crying too much

    Thai man admits killing 2 year old stepson for crying too much

    A Thai man confessed to killing his two year old stepson at a house in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok, claiming the child’s crying irritated him. The boy, named Kong Beng, was rushed to Sai Noi Hospital in Bang Bua Thong district at around 10pm on Sunday, July 6, after being found unconscious in the family home. Despite medical efforts, he…

  • Cat-astrophe in Pattaya: Faulty bug zapper blamed as fire guts bar

    Cat-astrophe in Pattaya: Faulty bug zapper blamed as fire guts bar

    A racy late-night basement bar in Pattaya went up in flames in the early hours, with shocked punters and neighbours jolted awake by the acrid stench of smoke and the sound of sirens. The fire, which tore through Cat Flaps on Soi Phratamnak 4 just after 2am, yesterday, July 7, marked the third bar blaze in Pattaya in as many…

  • Government warns Thais: Nominee roles risk jail time

    Government warns Thais: Nominee roles risk jail time

    The government issued a warning against acting as nominees for foreign investors in business ventures, particularly in tourism-related sectors, highlighting the risk of severe legal repercussions. Sanctions include imprisonment, substantial fines, asset confiscation, and the revocation of business licences. Deputy Government Spokesperson Anukul Pruksanusak stated that many are either unknowingly or willingly being used as fronts or nominees by foreigners…

  • Thailand braces for heavy rain with 39 provinces at risk

    Thailand braces for heavy rain with 39 provinces at risk

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts continuous heavy rainfall across Thailand, identifying 39 provinces at risk. The northeast, north, and east are expected to be most affected. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Danas is projected to make landfall on July 7. Over the next 24 hours, Thailand is anticipated to experience sporadic heavy rainfall, prompting a warning for residents in areas like…

  • Last farewell: Thai-Swedish couple arrested in Phuket for selling cocaine

    Last farewell: Thai-Swedish couple arrested in Phuket for selling cocaine

    A Swedish man and his Thai girlfriend bid farewell to each other after they were arrested at a condominium in Phuket yesterday, July 6, for selling cocaine. Officers from Patong Police Station reported the arrest of the two suspects, a 41 year old Swedish man and his 31 year old Thai girlfriend, yesterday. The names of the suspects have not…

  • Thailand struggles to revive Chinese tourism as arrivals drop 34%

    Thailand struggles to revive Chinese tourism as arrivals drop 34%

    Thailand’s tourism sector is grappling with a sharp decline in Chinese arrivals, forcing tourism agencies to lower expectations and step up efforts to attract more visitors. In the first half of 2025, Chinese tourist numbers fell by 34% compared to last year, with only 2,265,556 arrivals recorded. This downturn has pushed China into second place behind Malaysia, which saw 2,299,897…

  • Manchester gets Thai’d up with new direct flight to Bangkok

    Manchester gets Thai’d up with new direct flight to Bangkok

    Manchester Airport is flying high after bagging a brand-new direct route to Bangkok, making it the only airport outside London with a non-stop flight to the Thai capital. The weekly service, operated by Norse Atlantic Airways on a Boeing 787-9, will take off in November, offering northerners a hassle-free ticket to the most-visited city on the planet. Tickets have just…

  • Family of 7 on motorcycle sparks safety outrage in Phuket

    Family of 7 on motorcycle sparks safety outrage in Phuket

    A couple in Phuket sparked online criticism after a photo showing them dangerously transporting five children on a motorcycle circulated on Thai social media. Phuket Hotnews, and Newshawk Phuket, shared images of the family of seven riding on a single motorcycle yesterday, July 6, accompanied by a caption reading, “How many people can you count?” According to the pages, the…

  • Police investigate toddler’s death with bruises in Nonthaburi

    Police investigate toddler’s death with bruises in Nonthaburi

    A two year old boy has died with bruises covering his body, prompting an investigation by police in Nonthaburi province. The child’s biological father fainted upon arriving at the hospital, while the mother suspects her new partner of four months. At 10.20pm yesterday, July 6, police from Sai Noi Police Station were informed by Sai Noi Hospital that a man…

  • Phuket’s got night fever as new market hits the spot

    Phuket’s got night fever as new market hits the spot

    Phuket Town has a new reason to stay up late, a sprawling night market has officially opened near Surin Circle, giving a boost to small businesses and offering a fresh hotspot for locals and tourists alike. The Plern Pao Night Market was launched with a flourish on Saturday, July 5, with Phuket MP Thitikan Thitiphrutikul presiding over the opening ceremony.…