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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 Why health insurance costs more each year and how expats in Thailand can save more money
Each year, many expats living in Thailand see their health insurance premiums go up and often without a clear reason. This can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to plan your budget. But by understanding why prices rise and learning...
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Brazil city’s nightmare: Earth crumbles beneath them
In the northeastern Brazilian city of Buriticupu, Deusimar Batista and her neighbours are living in constant fear due to a rare phenomenon: enormous sinkholes that have swallowed streets, and houses and even led to fatalities. This terrifying event is attributed to deforestation and improper urban planning, affecting the inhabitants of the impoverished city of 70,000, located in Maranhao state. Buriticupu…
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Woman cries in cafe after seeing lady resembling her late mother
A young woman burst into tears while visiting a café with her friends, as she found a woman at a nearby table who resembled her late mother. Eventually, she received a comforting hug from the woman who reminded her of her mother. The recently reported online story shared a heartwarming video capturing the emotional moment when the young woman burst…
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Proposal for more free legal advice at Phuket police stations
During a recent visit to Phuket, Chatchawan Suksomchit, the chairman of the Senate Standing Commission on Law, Justice and Police, reviewed a proposal aimed at increasing the availability of free legal advice at local police stations. The proposal was initiated by Rungnapha Putkaew, the President of the Phuket branch of the Lawyers Council of Thailand. Currently, 76 registered lawyers are…
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Teenager kills cousin, buries him and turns himself in after feeling guilty
A teenager killed his 35 year old cousin and buried him in a field after a dispute before turning himself into the police. Yesterday at noon, officers from Laem Chabang Police Station in Chon Buri and the Sawang Prateep Sri Racha rescue unit arrived at a field beside a corn plantation to discover the buried body near Nong Pang Phuay-Nong…
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Devastated mother mourns loss of son, fatally stabbed by mentally ill man
A mentally ill young man with an ankle monitor fatally stabbed a security officer, leaving the officer’s mother devastated. The incident occurred near the Bang Talat Canal in Tha Sai Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nonthaburi Province. The police, accompanied by a forensic doctor and a foundation officer, quickly arrived to investigate. At the crime scene in the Bang Talat community, the…
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Siam Piwat and TAGTHAi team up to boost tourism with integrated Thailand travel platform
Siam Piwat, a leading property and retail developer, the owner and operator of world-class destinations including Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery, and a joint venture partner of ICONSIAM and Siam Premium Outlets Bangkok, is reinforcing its position as ‘The Visionary ICON’ and amplifying its vision to strengthen business ecosystem through ‘Co-creation & Collaboration‘ strategy. Siam Piwat has partnered…
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Thailand accelerates shift to renewables amid global energy crisis fallout
The global energy crisis has prompted Thailand to accelerate its transition to renewable energy after years of hesitation, joining other countries in adopting wind and solar power to reduce dependency on imported fuels. Thailand’s reconsideration of its renewable energy strategy came after a surge in natural gas prices last year caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to Wattanapong Kurovat,…
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Writers strike over Hollywood’s increasing gig economy in the streaming age
Television and film writers in Hollywood are striking as they face more precarious employment conditions due to the rise of streaming platforms. The Writers Guild of America (WGA), representing 11,500 screenwriters, has ordered a strike following a breakdown in talks with studios and streaming services over better pay and working conditions. Sarah Fischer, a writer in her 30s, highlighted how…
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Ed Sheeran’s copyright battle sends shivers down music industry’s spine (video)
As 32 year old Ed Sheeran gears up for a blockbuster tour and album release, he also finds himself defending his songwriting abilities in Manhattan’s federal court amidst a closely monitored copyright case. The trial focuses on claims that the British pop star plagiarised Marvin Gaye’s 1973 soul classic, “Let’s Get It On,” in his 2014 hit, “Thinking Out Loud.” The…
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RTN defends 50 million baht drone procurement amid transparency concerns
On Wednesday, the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) defended a nearly 50 million baht drone training procurement after critics raised concerns regarding the project’s transparency. Admiral Pokkhrong Monthatpalin, RTN spokesperson, affirmed that the project was above board while elaborating on the Naval Ordnance Department‘s 49.8 million baht acquisition of Phoenix Jet Unmanned Aerial Targets from Air Affairs Australia. Critics questioned why…
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Two men arrested for illegal fishing, possession of baby sharks in Phuket
Two men have been arrested for illegal fishing in protected waters off Cape Panwa, in front of the Phuket Marine Resources Research Centre. One of the individuals was discovered in possession of four baby black-tip reef sharks, the Phuket News reported. Officers from the centre apprehended 22 year old Kasidit Saeju in the early hours of Tuesday. He was found…
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Reckless tenant sparks outrage in Nanjing after throwing fridge from 23rd Floor
A tenant in Nanjing, China, sparked public outrage after he threw a refrigerator from the 23rd floor of his apartment building because his landlord increased his rent. The dangerous act did not result in any injuries, but it left local residents shocked and furious. The incident occurred on Friday, April 28 when the man engaged in a confrontation with his…
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Erling Haaland breaks EPL record as Manchester City defeat West Ham
Manchester City triumphed over West Ham with a 3-0 win last night with record-breaking Erling Haaland on the scoresheet as they returned to the top of the English Premier League (EPL) table while Liverpool secured a 1-0 victory against Fulham. City’s Haaland set a new EPL record, scoring his 35th goal in a single Premier League season and notching his…
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No political vacuum following May 14 election, says deputy PM
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam addressed concerns regarding the potential for political deadlock following the May 14 General Election. Despite foreseeing a delay in the formation of a new government, he dismissed the possibility of a political vacuum emerging. Wissanu’s remarks come as polls indicate that leading parties are continually growing closer in terms of popularity. While he acknowledges that…
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MFP’s popularity rising as election looms, new poll reveals
The Move Forward Party (MFP) is gaining momentum as Thailand’s General Election approaches, according to a recent pre-election poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA). While the Pheu Thai Party continues to lead in terms of constituency and party-list Members of Parliament (MPs), the MFP is rapidly gaining popularity. NIDA’s third pre-election poll was released on Wednesday,…
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Phuket marine office warns boat operators ahead of four-day weekend
Ahead of the four-day weekend, Phuket Marine Office Chief Natchaphong Pranit today released a series of safety notices urging boat operators to adhere to safety regulations. These notices come in the wake of an expected influx of tourists visiting Phuket from May 4-7. Phuket is anticipated to draw significant numbers of visitors due to the Coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn,…
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NHSO seeks funds for additional flu vaccine doses amid rising Covid-19 cases
The National Health Security Office (NHSO) plans to purchase an additional 860,000 influenza vaccine doses, increasing the stockpile to 5.26 million doses to protect vulnerable groups. To expand people’s access to the vaccine, the NHSO is requesting a budget of 105.2 million baht for the supplementary 860,000 doses, according to Secretary-General Jadet Thammathat-aree. Referring to individuals over 60 years old…
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Unhinged Bangkok taxi driver threatens to murder passenger
A Thai woman took to social media to reveal that a seemingly unhinged taxi driver in Bangkok threatened to murder her because her destination was too far. The woman posted a video on her TikTok account, @toeyly.n, to recount her frightening experience with a taxi driver who threatened to kill her. The video caption said… “Warning! Taxi driver threatens to…
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Spirit or doll’s house? Foreign woman goes viral for Barbie doll photoshoot in northern Thailand
Thai netizens were amused by a viral clip of a foreign woman snapping a pic of her Barbie doll inside a spirit house outside the White Temple in Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand on Monday. Spirit houses – which look like miniature temples – are found in abundance all over the kingdom and are intended to appease ghosts by…
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Russian trains hit by explosives near Ukraine
An unidentified explosive device has derailed a Russian freight train near the border with Ukraine, marking the second such incident in two consecutive days. This comes amid a series of attacks in Russia and Crimea, including a drone strike on an oil depot and power lines being blown up near Saint Petersburg. The explosions and strikes come as Russia prepares…
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Islamic Jihad announces truce around Gaza after death of hunger striker in Israeli custody
A truce has been announced by the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad in Gaza following conflict with Israel, which had escalated after the death of a hunger striker from its ranks while in Israeli custody. Sources from both Islamic Jihad and fellow militant group Hamas have revealed that mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the United Nations intervened to broker a…
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World’s tallest hempcrete building set to open in Cape Town
The world’s tallest building constructed with industrial hemp, a 12-storey establishment boasting a stunning view of Table Mountain, is nearing completion in Cape Town, South Africa. Workers are currently adding the final touches to the 54-room Hemp Hotel, which is set to be completed in June. Constructed primarily with Hempcrete blocks made from the cannabis plant, the building is supported…
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Gas cylinder explosion wreaks havoc, damages 8 houses, a car and injures teenage boy
A gas cylinder explosion damaged eight houses and a car in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok while a 15 year old boy living in the incident house suffered serious burn wounds all over his body. The incident occurred yesterday in a three-storey townhouse owned by a 39 year old man named Weeraphat Chuensomsong. He was not home during the explosion. Unfortunately,…
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Former Yala governor sentenced to 8 years for malfeasance in GT200 bomb detector case
Former Yala governor, Teera Mintrasak, aged 59, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for malfeasance in connection with the purchase of fraudulent GT200 bomb detectors from 2007-2009. The sentence was delivered by the Region 9 Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases. Teera was among 12 defendants involved in the case, with the other 11, all of whom…
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King of Thailand strips Premchai of insignia over outcome of ‘black panther’ case
The King of Thailand has called back Premchai Karnasuta’s royal decorations and insignia due to the final verdict of the famous ‘black panther’ poaching case which resulted in the former construction tycoon’s imprisonment. In December 2021, the Supreme Court sentenced Premchai – the former president of the construction conglomerate Italian-Thai – to more than three years in jail after finding…
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Pattaya gears up for 600,000 Indian tourists this Year
At least 600,000 Indian tourists are anticipated to visit Pattaya this year, returning the visitor numbers to levels similar to those prior to the pandemic, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Anoma Vongyai, director of TAT’s Pattaya office, revealed that over 900,000 Indian tourists travelled to Thailand in the year preceding the pandemic, with approximately 600,000 of them…
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Thai youth vote for reform despite political hurdles
Three years ago, 24 year old Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul was at the forefront of a democracy movement in Thailand as thousands of young protesters clashed with police firing tear gas and rubber bullets on the streets of Bangkok. The movement shook the kingdom with its calls for reform and unprecedented demands to curb the power of King Maha Vajiralongkorn but gradually…
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Press freedom under attack globally, warns UN officials and media outlets
Press freedom is facing challenges in various parts of the world, with harassment, imprisonment, and killings of journalists on the rise, according to warnings issued by United Nations (UN) officials and media organisations. The concerns were raised ahead of World Press Freedom Day, which aims to uphold the importance of a free press in sustaining democracy and human rights. UN…
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Woman commits suicide in car with 11 pet dogs
A Thai woman in Pathum Thani province near Bangkok allegedly committed suicide in her car by using a charcoal stove to kill herself with her 11 Poodle dogs. A rescue team, Ruamkatanyu Volunteer Association, was alerted to the death of the Thai woman and her 11 pet dogs and reported the news on its official Facebook page today. According to…
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Drunk driver kills newlywed bride shortly after wedding
A wedding turned into a tragedy for one American couple. A drunk driver killed a newlywed bride shortly after her wedding in the US state of South Carolina last week on Friday, April 28. The drunk driver crashed into the back of a golf cart that the bride and groom were riding in on a beach road. The bride, 34…
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