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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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Thailand crackdown on misuse of student visas by foreigners
The Immigration Bureau has enhanced its monitoring of foreign nationals entering Thailand on student visas after uncovering that thousands have obtained these visas without attending the required studies. Police Major General Panthana Nuchanart, the deputy commissioner of the Bureau, reported that investigations revealed many people had entered Thailand claiming educational purposes but did not attend classes. Entering Thailand on a…
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Tropical Storm Kajiki set to bring heavy rain to 55 provinces
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued its seventh warning regarding Tropical Storm Kajiki, highlighting 55 provinces expected to be affected by heavy rainfall. The TMD urges the public to be cautious of potential flash floods due to the heavy downpours. Today, August 24, the department forecasted weather conditions for the next 24 hours, indicating heavy to very heavy rainfall…
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South Korean man held in Thailand for laundering crypto into gold
Thai police have detained a 33 year old South Korean man accused of laundering cryptocurrency for call centre gangs by converting it into gold bars, with transactions exceeding 1.6 billion baht over three months. Officers from the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) and the Immigration Bureau captured the suspect, identified as Han, at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday, August 23. Han was…
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Beach alert: Deadly blue dragons invade Phuket shore
Beachgoers in Phuket are being warned to steer clear of venomous blue dragons after the toxic sea slugs washed up on Karon Beach. Local officials sounded the alarm after several sightings of blue dragon sea slugs (Glaucilla sp) were reported following recent rainfall. The creatures, though small and visually striking with their electric-blue appearance, pose a serious health risk to swimmers.…
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Thailand’s retirement lottery launches with new payment options
Why just save for retirement when you can win your way there? Thailand’s new lottery is making it possible. Deputy Finance Minister Paopoom Rojanasakul has confirmed that sales for the highly anticipated retirement lottery will kick off in the fourth quarter of this year, offering weekly cash prizes while promoting long-term savings. Paopoom referred to the legal green light already…
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Pattaya police slash crime with AI tech, new plans ahead
AI-powered cameras, tough traffic crackdowns, and a touch of ceremony: Pattaya police are busier than ever. The Police Administration Oversight Committee of Pattaya City Police Station convened for its monthly meeting at the station’s Operations Control Room. The session was chaired by Amporn Kaewsaeng and attended by Police Colonel Anek Sarathongyoo, the station’s superintendent, along with police officers, media representatives,…
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Chiang Rai airport gets 5.7 billion baht mega upgrade
Chiang Rai is set to soar with a massive 5.7-billion-baht terminal upgrade aimed at transforming the northern province into Thailand’s next aviation hub. Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) has greenlit a bold expansion plan for Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai International Airport, including the construction of a new passenger terminal to support a dramatic increase in air traffic. Announced by…
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Thailand dials up emergency response with smart tech
Getting help in a crisis just got faster, thanks to a high-tech upgrade that puts police one step closer when every second counts. Advanced Info Service (AIS) has teamed up with the Patrol and Special Operations Division (191) and Google to launch Thailand’s first-ever 191 Emergency Location Service (191 ELS), dramatically improving the way emergency calls are handled across the…
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Pattaya locals turn trash into treasure in DIY workshop
Forget the bin, Pattaya residents are turning garbage into gold thanks to a DIY upcycling workshop that’s sweeping the community. Nongprue Municipality, located in East Pattaya, hosted a creative Upcycling Waste workshop under its Happy Health Centre initiative this week, training locals to turn discarded plastic into useful household items. Led by Deputy Mayor Wanchai Saeng-ngam, the event welcomed more…
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Late-night blaze: Inferno torches bikes in Phuket shop fire
Fire ripped through a Phuket motorbike shop in the dead of night, torching more than 10 motorcycles in a dramatic blaze. Kathu Police are investigating the cause of a fire that broke out in the early hours yesterday, August 22, gutting parts of a motorcycle repair shop and destroying multiple vehicles. The alarm was raised at approximately 2am when officers…
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Footbridge collapses in East Thailand, crushes trucks (video)
Motorists on a busy Thai highway had a terrifying near-miss after a massive pedestrian bridge crashed down onto traffic, narrowly avoiding disaster. A 100-tonne concrete pedestrian bridge under construction dramatically collapsed onto two vehicles on Highway No.317 in Chanthaburi last night, August 22, causing severe property damage but no reported injuries. The incident occurred at around 10.20pm near Matai Market…
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Thailand’s lese majeste amnesty talks stall in Parliament
Plans to grant amnesty to lese majeste offenders have hit a political wall, as Parliament hesitates on revising the kingdom’s most controversial law. Thailand’s House Committee on Peace Building confirmed this week that the current conditions for granting amnesty under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, commonly known as the lese majeste law, remain unchanged. On Thursday, August 21, a…
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Lost Chinese gran saved by ID bracelet in Pattaya
An elderly Chinese tourist became stranded and confused in the middle of Pattaya traffic until a tiny bracelet saved the day. Thai police successfully reunited an 80 year old Chinese woman with her family after she was found disoriented and alone on a traffic island in South Pattaya yesterday, August 22. The woman, identified only as Zhang, was discovered around…
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Tourist tragedy: Young American washes up on Phuket beach
Police are probing the death of a 28 year old American tourist whose body was found washed ashore on Patong Beach in Phuket yesterday afternoon. The grim discovery was made near the Coral Beach Bridge at the southern end of the popular tourist hotspot at around 1.30pm yesterday, August 22. Patong Police Chief Police Colonel Chalermchai Hirasawat arrived at the…
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Monsoon deluge: Heavy rain continues to batter Thailand
Heavy rainfall is forecasted across Thailand this weekend, with a tropical depression expected to make landfall in Vietnam and Laos, affecting the north, northeast, and eastern regions. Warnings have been issued for 49 provinces, including Bangkok, regarding potential accumulated rainfall. Yesterday, August 22, the Meteorological Department (TMD) predicted that sections of Thailand would experience heavy to very heavy rain, particularly…
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Phuket car dealer takes legal action after Chinese man mocks him in viral video
A Thai owner of a second-hand car dealership in Phuket is pursuing legal action against a Chinese influencer for posting a video in which he mocked him in Chinese. The video gained traction among Thai netizens after it was reposted on the Facebook page ลุยจีน Luijeen on Wednesday, August 21. The page explained the situation and provided a translation of…
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MP calls for review of Land Bridge project assessment report
The House Committee on Land, Natural Resources and Environment has urged the government to reassess the Environmental and Health Impact Assessment (EHIA) for the Land Bridge project, warning that the current report contains incomplete or inaccurate information. Poonsak Chanchampee, an MP from the People’s Party and chair of the committee, said the existing EHIA fails to address concerns raised by…
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Thai woman caught smuggling drugs to boyfriend detained in police station
A Thai woman was caught attempting to smuggle drugs to her boyfriend while he was being held at a police station in the northern province of Chiang Rai. The 36 year old woman, identified as Nantacha, arrived at Mae Chan Police Station at around 7pm on Wednesday, August 20, requesting to deliver food to her boyfriend, Thewa, who had been…
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Thai government approves economic relief for border regions
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has approved a set of economic relief initiatives proposed by the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) to support communities impacted by recent disturbances at the Thai-Cambodian border. The communities in need are located in the provinces of Trat, Chanthaburi, Sa Kaeo, Buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket, and Ubon Ratchathani. After discussions with TCC Chairman Poj…
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Phuket on flood alert as Bang Yai Canal water levels surge
Officials in Phuket have issued a flood warning as continuous heavy rain and high tide threaten to overwhelm the Bang Yai Canal. Today, Friday, August 22, water levels surged in several areas, prompting Phuket City Mayor Suphachok Laongphet to inspect the Bang Yai Canal. He instructed officials to closely monitor the situation at key pumping stations and respond rapidly to…
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Illegal abortion ring busted after woman left in critical condition
Police arrested seven suspects in Lamphun and Chiang Mai provinces on Wednesday, August 20, for conducting illegal medical abortions that left a Thai woman in critical condition. Officers from the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) launched the crackdown after a Thai woman ordered abortion pills online and suffered a uterine rupture after consuming them. She lost a significant amount of…
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Thai court acquits Thaksin in royal defamation case
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been acquitted of lèse majesté (royal defamation) and computer crime charges stemming from a 2015 interview with South Korea’s Chosun Media. Today, August 22, the Criminal Court delivered its verdict on the case filed by the Office of Criminal Litigation 8. Prosecutors had accused Thaksin of violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code (Thailand’s…
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Frontline soldier returns home after mother fatally stabbed by her customer
A frontline soldier returned from duty at the border to attend the funeral of his mother, who was fatally stabbed by a female customer at her restaurant in Kamphaeng Phet province on Wednesday, August 20. Police arrested the 32 year old suspect, Jaruwan Jaifai, at her family home on Wednesday after she stabbed 62 year old restaurant owner Meena Pattatha.…
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Facebook gun dealers snared by tourist cops in Thailand
Facebook gun deals went badly wrong this week after undercover officers swooped in on two suspects accused of selling illegal firearms online. The Tourist Police Command, led by Police Lieutenant General Saksira Phuek-am, executed two coordinated stings yesterday, August 21, seizing multiple weapons and ammunition in Pattaya and Ratchaburi. In the first case, officers tracked a suspect in Bang Lamung…
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4 Vietnamese arrested for turning Bangkok house into drug factory
Police arrested four Vietnamese nationals for transforming a rented house in the Lat Phrao area of Bangkok into a drug production facility. The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) disclosed details of the arrests during a press conference yesterday, August 21, following the apprehension of the suspects in mid-August. The operation stemmed from discussions during the Thailand-Vietnam Bilateral Meeting…
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Tempura favourite Tenya exits Thailand after 10 years
Thailand’s tempura lovers are in mourning as popular Japanese restaurant chain Tenya is pulling the plug after nearly a decade in the country. Known for its crispy tempura bowls and authentic Japanese flavours, Tenya will shut its last two branches at Terminal 21 and Samyan Mitrtown on August 31, signalling the end of its run in Thailand. Originally launched in Asakusa,…
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Chinese man caught selling ketamine ‘K-vapes’ in Chon Buri
A drug sting in Chon Buri exposed a black market operation selling ketamine-laced vape pods, ending in a car chase and arrest. Bang Lamung Police, led by Police Colonel Sarawut Nuchanart, launched a sting operation yesterday, August 21, at 8pm in the Huai Yai area, targeting Yu Shizhone, a Chinese national allegedly running an online black market for so-called “K-vapes.”…
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2 Chinese men hunted after holding Thai woman captive in Pattaya
Two Chinese men are on the run after holding the Thai wife of a compatriot captive at a house in Pattaya earlier today, August 22. Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station were called to a house in a village on Soi Bongkot, South Pattaya, at around 3am to assist the woman, whose identity was not disclosed. The victim was reportedly…
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Thailand eyes kratom crackdown amid abuse fears
Thailand’s justice minister has vowed to rein in kratom abuse after nationwide reports of users mixing the herbal drink with narcotics. Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong said new regulations may soon be introduced to restrict kratom leaf sales, following talks with Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin earlier this week. “On August 20, I discussed with the public health minister the necessity…
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Russian man sacrifices life to save girlfriend in Phuket waters
A Russian man drowned after saving his girlfriend’s life during a late-night swim between Banana and Nai Thon beaches in Phuket yesterday, August 21. The Russian woman, 24 year old Kamila Sharipova, sought help at about 12.30am after her boyfriend, 35 year old Denis Nonenkov, disappeared into the dark waters at a Phuket beach. The incident occurred outside the Andaman…
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