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 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...
-
More than 50 Patong operators releasing untreated wastewater
Patong Municipality is preparing to dredge the Pakbang Canal at the southern end of Patong Beach this week before more heavy rain. Operators who are releasing untreated wastewater into drains are being asked to urgently to solve the problem before legal action will be taken and enforced. Patong’s Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup says, “We are solving the problem of black and…
-
COMMENT: The fall of the Emerald Development Group
Today is Mai Sawit Ketroj’s birthday. He’ll be spending it behind bars after being questioned by police about alleged fraud involving the Emerald Development Group. In a packed media conference yesterday Tourist Police Deputy Commander Maj Gen Surachet Hakpan outlined the unravelling of the prominent Phuket property development company. “The suspect admitted that he has a lack of financial resources…
-
Phuket Town Gold shop thief arrested within five hours
Quick work by Phuket Town police in yesterday’s gold shop robbery case. The Phuket Town Police have arrested 35 year old Sermsin Thepwong from Khon Kaen at 6:30pm last night (Wednesday). Police seized many gold items and a gun during the arrest. He was arrested at a house on Anuphas Phuketkan Road in Phuket Town. Read yesterday’s story HERE. After…
-
Emerald Condo alleged fraud case – CEO arrested
Sawit ‘Mai’ Ketroj arrives at Patong Police Station for questioning this morning The owner of a condominium project development company has been arrested after the condos were sold but the construction had never started. Police say that their current investigation estimates potential losses for buyers could exceed a billion baht. Police commanders have ordered officers to investigate after Patong Police…
-
Huge narcotics haul seized from four major drug operations
Police said four successful recent drug busts had led to the confiscation of a huge haul of narcotics, including more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, three kilograms of highly concentrated hashish oil, over 100,000 methamphetamine pills, some 5,300 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 850 grams of ketamine. Deputy police chief Pol General Chalermkiat Srivorakhan and Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) head…
-
Six Kalasin state officials sacked over alleged drugs involvement
The governor of Kalasin province, north-east Thailand, Kraisorn Kongchalard, has terminated the employment of six state officials and employees while proceeding with serious disciplinary charges against them involving drugs. A monthly meeting of Kalasin kamnans and village headmen on Wednesday also saw participants undergo urine tests for substance abuse as a proactive measure. Kraisorn instructed all 18 district chiefs and…
-
Panwa Boonak crowned 2018 Thailand Optimist National Championship
131 Optimist dinghies competed at the 2018 Top of the Gulf Regatta in Pattaya, all vying for top honours in the Thailand Optimist National Championships, and the three-day competition was fierce, with reigning champion Panwa Boonak (THA) looking to hold off strong challenges from fellow Thai juniors and many of the best young sailors from around Asia. Thailand’s premier youth…
-
British man dies in fall from Pattaya condo
A British man has fallen to his death from the 18th floor of a Pattaya condominium early today (Wednesday), in what is believed to have been a suicide. Pol Lt Col Kamol Uppakarat was alerted at 1am about the death at a luxury condominium in Tambon Na Klua in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district. The body of 68 year old…
-
Planned projects for Karon wastewater treatment
Karon Municipality is planning to construct a sediment trap system or wasteland to prevent black and wastewater flowing into the sea. Today (May 2), officials were inspecting the area. No more black water was found. The Bangla Canal which is about 800 metres long has water flowing into it from the Karon community. Tourists were enjoying the beach as normal.…
-
Bryde’s whales thrill tourists off Chumpon coast
People along the shore of Pathiu district in southern Chumphon province have been treated to the sight of a pair of Bryde’s whales today (Tuesday). The whales – commonly referred to as Bruda whales because of the pronunciation of the Norwegian name Bryde – surfaced repeatedly for about an hour near Koh Ran Ped and Koh Ran Kai, about…
-
Residents complain about pet crematorium in Paklok
Paklok residents have complained that they are facing problems from smoke from a private pet cremation business. The operator has responded to the complaints at the Damrongdhama Centre saying that they have a legal construction license to conduct the cremation services. Residents are opposing the business after the first three months of operation. The new pet cremation business was established…
-
Untreated wastewater flowing into Karon Beach
News has gone viral in social media stating that “Phuket’s Governor must check this”! The Karon Municipality is investigating the black water caused by heavy rain from the local canal that needs to be urgently dredged. Phuket’s Governor also ordered an urgent solution. Yesterday (May 1) a video clip of black water flowing into Karon beach went viral on social…
-
Not this year – PM rejects activists calls for a 2018 election
The Thai PM is playing down rallies by pro-democracy groups planned for this month to press the NCPO to hold the long-delayed election this year. Prayut Chan-o-cha is insisting that the election would have to be held next year following a conclusion by the junta-appointed legislative assembly to delay the implementation of the MP election laws. “I have told the…
-
Pattaya tour boat operators continue to use beachfront
Many boats have continued to use the beachfront area to pick up and drop off tourists despite being ordered to resume using Chon Buri’s Southern Pattaya Pier (Laem Balihai) from today (Tuesday). Boat owners had been using the beach temporarily during the restoration of the pier. They claimed they could not switch back to using the pier as they were…
-
Lights, camera, MONEY – Thailand’s earnings from foreign film makers
PHOTO: PRLog.org. Behind the scenes, filming The Hangover Part II on Phang Nga Bay. Figures are out from the Department of Tourism showing that revenue from foreign film productions shot in Thailand generated 799 million baht in only first quarter of 2018. The Director-General of the Department of Tourism, Anan Wongbenjara, Department Director General Anan Wongbencharat, says that a total…
-
Tenants and landlords. Things change from today.
If you rent property in Thailand there are new guidelines for tenants and landlords that come into effect from today. Mostly good news but there are a few exceptions that you will need to be aware of. The days of the unscrupulous landlord may be partly over. With thanks to Thailandproperty.news and Tilleke & Gibbons, leading south east asian lawyers, here’s a…
-
WARNING: Shocking accident between motorcyclist and pick-up
WARNING: Graphic photos Gruesome pictures of an accident in Phuket show the aftermath of a collision between a female motorcyclist and the rear of a pick-up truck. The woman was impaled on the back bumper suffering severe injuries to her left leg and losing a lot of blood. Rescue organisations used cutting equipment to get her free then she was…
-
Seven year old Trang Twins marry in a big ceremony
Translated from Thai Tharaporn and Tharapong – seven year olds – are the children of Natthapong and Pilanthana Pankhong who own a big agricultural equipment supply firm in the southern Thai town. The twins were married in a lavish ceremony. Some 1000 guests turned up for the ceremony that is held to satisfy old beliefs that by so doing the…
-
Brits behaving badly
British nationals are more likely to be arrested in Thailand than in any other overseas country, official figures reveal. However, it’s in Spain and the USA where the highest number of arrests of British nationals were recorded. According to the most recent stats available, which record the period from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016, a total of 194…
-
Day Three: Top of the Gulf Regatta 2018
PHOTOS: Guy Nowell All the fleet are playing catch-up in their respective series after two days of unseasonal weather in the Gulf of Thailand and race officers on the keelboat and multihull, dinghy and Optimist courses were eager to get going today. Two quick windward/leewards for all in classes 1-6 (keelboats, multihulls) and two quick races for the dinghies (classes…
-
Officials raising the yellow flags on Krabi beaches
Officials raised yellows flags at two popular beaches warning tourists against swimming following strong winds and high waves that kicked up from Sunday evening. Champen Phomphakdee, chief of two national parks – Mu Koh Hong National Park and Than Bokkhoranee National Park – said officials put up yellow flags on the beach in front of Koh Hong beach to warn…
-
The Good Shepherd Phuket Learning Centre requires urgent funding
The fate of the Good Shepherd Learning Centre Phuket is a matter of concern. The Centre has an urgent need to obtain sustainable funds to continue operations as its initial period of regular, committed funding will cease in May 2018. At The Good Shepherd Learning Centre they provide basic education i.e. science, mathematics and language skills in Thai, Burmese and…
-
Police look into deaths linked to Lyn-brand weight-loss products
Fresh on the heels of an investigation into Magic Skin beauty products, police are now looking at another well-known brand, Lyn, after its weight-loss products were allegedly found to contain two dangerous substances. Deputy national police chief Pol General Weerachai Songmetta says the products might contain the appetite suppressant Sibutramine and the laxative Bisacodyl. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)…
-
Phuket’s Nepalese community commemorate the Buddha’s birthday
Buddha’s Birthday celebrations vary from place to place according to the different schools of the faith that have developed over the years, but regardless, the birthday of Lord Buddha remains one of the largest Buddhist festivals wherever and whenever it’s celebrated. In Nepal, Myanmar and India the Buddha’s birthday is being celebrated today. In Thailand, South Korea and Hong Kong,…
-
Dutch tourist falls from ladyboy’s condo balcony
PHOTO: Ivy Residence Pinklau, Hipflat.co.th A Dutch tourist has fallen to his death from a condo room of a ladyboy he had just met at a drinking party on Khao San Road, Bangkok early this morning. The tourist has been identified by his driving licence as 21 year old Salmans Rik W F. Police say he fell from the room of 37…
-
A Chinese-speaking man dies in bike crash near the Klong Kata Dam
Chalong Police received a report about a motorcycle crash last night (April 28) on the road behind Klong Kata Dam that killed a man whom the police are yet to positively identify. Ruamjai Rescue Foundation and Chalong Police believe that the 35-45 year old man might be a Chinese language tour guide as they found information in his mobile phone…
-
Huge rally in Chiang Mai protesting judges’ homes on Doi Suthep mountain
PHOTO: Chiang Rai Times Around 1,000 people have rallied in Chiang Mai yesterday to protest the homes being built for Thai judges on forested land on Doi Suthep mountain. The protest is one of the largest protests against the government ever staged. Public frustration has been mounting over the project since aerial images started circulating on social media earlier this…
-
A man killed by a boar in Kathu
A 48 year old man Somsak Pengsata was attacked by a boar after kicking it. After the attack, he bled to death. According to witnesses who are fellow workers there in Kathu area, there were 4 boars, each of them has a pair of 2 inch long tusks living in the same sty. The workers were sitting in front of…
-
Half a ton of marijuana seized in Mekong sting
A total of 490 kilograms of dried marijuana worth 15 million baht in street value has been seized by Thai authorities in Bung Kan province in the far north-east of Thailand on the Mekong River, Saturday, but the suspected Laotian smugglers managed to flee. Bung Kan Customs checkpoint head Prasongsak Boonma said the four Laotian smugglers, who were bringing sacks…
-
Two mysterious objects found in Mai Khao
Thachatchai Police received a report about an items that looked like ancient cannons at an old house in the Mai Khao area. The house, which belongs to a local man Dam Jitchamnan, was being demolished for renovation and the objects were found among the debris as workers were clearing it away. The police found that the rusty items were about…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.