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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Police halt illegal electronic waste transport in Prachin Buri
In Prachin Buri, police apprehended three people on August 15 as they attempted to transport electronic waste to a facility in Chachoengsao province. The detained people included a Thai national, a Chinese national, and a Myanmar national, each driving a pickup truck filled with electronic refuse such as motors, cooling system components, and scrap metal, according to Police Colonel Winyu…
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Thailand urges Cambodia to act on landmines, scam networks
Thailand’s Royal Navy has reported that Cambodia has yet to collaborate on landmine clearance and tackling cross-border scam networks. This conclusion followed a Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting held on Saturday in Trat province. The gathering at Barn Talaephu resort in Khlong Yai district aimed to address border issues affecting the eastern provinces of Trat and Chanthaburi. Vice-Admiral Apichart Sapprasert,…
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Monsoon trough brings heavy rain to 50 Thai provinces
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has announced that a monsoon trough will bring heavy to very heavy rainfall across 50 provinces, significantly affecting three regions including Bangkok, with 80% of the area expected to experience rain. The forecast for August 16 warns of potential flash floods and mountain runoffs due to significant rain accumulation. Residents in provinces such as Phitsanulok,…
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Bangkok–Butterworth rail service to resume in 2025
Thailand and Malaysia have agreed to restore the Bangkok–Butterworth rail link by the end of this year, 2025, in a move set to boost cross-border travel and tourism. The decision was finalised during a joint conference between the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and Malaysia’s Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) last week. The talks focused on strengthening bilateral railway cooperation…
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Suspended PM Paetongtarn to face court over leaked audio controversy
Suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is anticipated to attend the Constitutional Court in person regarding the contentious audio recording involving her and Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, as stated by her secretary. Yesterday, August 15, Doctor Prommin Lertsuridej, the PM’s Secretary-General, commented on the court’s decision to summon Paetongtarn, who also holds the position of culture minister, along with National…
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Pattaya cracks down on nightlife drug use with new curfews
Officials in Pattaya, Chon Buri, have rolled out strict new measures to stamp out drug use and illegal activities in entertainment venues. The crackdown comes under the government’s ‘No Drugs No Dealers’ policy. The initiative was launched during a major meeting yesterday, August 15, at the Alcazar Theatre on Pattaya Second Road. Over 2,000 nightlife operators attended the session, which…
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MPs approve 2026 education budget, but some are sceptic
The House of Representatives has given its approval to the Ministry of Education’s budget proposal during the second reading, as discussions on the 2026 fiscal year budget bill proceeded in a special session. The budget allocations received the support of 253 MPs, while 121 opposed and 26 abstained. The second reading involved a detailed section-by-section review, with the Ministry of…
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Karon Municipality ordered to clear Kata Beach chairs in 15 days
The National Anti-Corruption Commission’s (NACC) Phuket office has instructed Karon Municipality to remove all beach chairs from Kata Beach within 15 days; failure to comply will result in legal action. The directive was announced by Suwat Saowarat, Director of NACC Phuket, during a meeting with the Karon Mayor and local officials yesterday, August 15. Following the meeting, an inspection took…
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High-speed racing crash on expressway causes hefty pile up
In the early hours of today, August 16, an incident involving high-speed racing led to a collision on the Udon Ratthaya expressway, resulting in damage to approximately ten vehicles. The accident occurred at around 1.30am on the expressway in Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi province. The crash, captured by a dashcam, showed several cars racing, then crashing, leading to a multi-vehicle…
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Thailand accuses Cambodia of breaching Ottawa Convention with landmines
Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa has accused Cambodia of consistently breaching the Ottawa Convention and infringing on Thailand’s sovereignty due to recurring incidents involving anti-personnel landmines. During the 10th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Anning, China, Maris addressed the issue via a video briefing. The session, held at the Foreign Affairs Ministry yesterday, August 15, was attended by 67…
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Pathum Thani police arrest trio with 422kg of crystal meth
Yesterday, August 15, police in Pathum Thani arrested three individuals for possessing nearly 500 kilogrammes of crystal meth. The arrest took place in a three-storey commercial building in Lam Luk Ka district, where the drugs were hidden. Prior investigations by the Sai Mai Police Station revealed that 27 year old Anawin, also known as ‘Win Chon Buri’, was suspected of…
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Thailand allows drone operations from August 16 to 31
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has issued an announcement permitting the operation of unmanned aircraft (drones) from August 16 to 31, between 6am and 6pm. This follows a suspension from July 30 to August 15, requested by national security agencies to mitigate risks near the Thai-Cambodian border. The announcement stated that drones of all types are allowed to…
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People’s Party opposes 2026 budget bill over economic concerns
The People’s Party (PP) has decided to oppose the 2026 fiscal budget bill during its final reading in Parliament yesterday, Friday, August 15, criticising the government’s spending plan for not adequately reflecting the current economic conditions. PP Deputy Leader Sirikanya Tansakul disclosed the party’s decision at around 1pm yesterday in Parliament. She indicated that the PP planned to reject the…
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AirAsia flight lands at Gimpo due to turbulence, not error (update)
AirAsia has refuted claims that one of its flights mistakenly landed at the wrong airport, which initially headed towards Seoul, explaining that the pilot diverted to Gimpo Airport due to turbulence. The budget airline clarified that flight D7506 from Sepang to Incheon initially landed at Gimpo for refuelling because of adverse weather conditions. AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismali stated that…
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Heavy rain alert in Thailand: 80% of regions under threat
The Meteorological Department (TMD) has forecasted intense to very intense rainfall across four regions in Thailand, which includes 48 provinces, with Bangkok experiencing a 70% chance of heavy rain. TMD authorities have issued warnings for potential flash floods and forest run-off today, August 16, due to a monsoon trough influencing the north and northeast, coupled with a strengthening southwest monsoon…
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Thai-born American man dies in accident after being lured by Meta AI chatbot
A 76 year old Thai-born American man died following an accident after being lured to a meeting arranged by a Meta artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot on Facebook, which he believed was a real woman. According to a Reuters report, the incident took place in March this year when Thongbue Wongbandue, who suffered from brain impairment due to paralysis, packed up…
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3 teenagers arrested for burning disabled dog in Lampang temple
Police arrested three Thai teenagers for burning a disabled dog alive in a temple bathroom in the northern province of Lampang. Locals in the Ko Kha district of Lampang reported the cruel act by the 14 year old suspects to the Watchdog Thailand Foundation (WDT) yesterday, August 14. The incident had occurred the previous week in the abandoned bathroom of…
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Udon Thani lottery thief returns stolen tickets and begs for forgiveness
A thief returned 23 out of 51 stolen lottery tickets to a vendor in the Isaan province of Udon Thani and promised to pay for the remaining tickets within three days. The lottery stall owners, 68 year old Boonmee Bootpho and 43 year old Wannaporn Bootpho, lodged a complaint at Nong Wua So Police Station on Tuesday, August 12, after…
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Phuket bar raid uncovers underage trafficking, three arrested
Yesterday, August 14, police raided a well-known bar in Phuket, arresting three individuals for allegedly trafficking underage girls and a transgender teenager. The suspects face serious charges of human trafficking. Police Major General Songklod Krikkritaya, the commander of the Anti-Human Trafficking Division (AHTD), directed the operation. The arrests took place at a bar located in Mueang district, Phuket province. The…
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Phuket district chief addresses viral altercation over rental motorcycle dispute
A district chief in Phuket clarified details about a physical altercation involving nearly 20 foreigners and two Thai men in a dispute over a rental motorcycle, promising to ensure justice for both parties. Kathu District Chief Akkaraphon Sutthirak, yesterday, August 14, addressed the viral incident between a group of foreigners and two Thai men, one of whom was the owner of…
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Thai man’s calm response to snack theft goes viral on TikTok
A Thai grocery store owner shared a video on TikTok showing her husband watching a Burmese thief stealing snacks from their store in the central province of Pathum Thani, delighting Thai netizens. The store owner, Sumalee Wongintawang, posted the video of her husband on her TikTok account, @su.pananchita995, on Tuesday, August 12, with the caption… “#GoodHusbandIsNewHusband #ThisIsMyHusbandLol”. The caption was…
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Thai soldier allegedly commits suicide after shooting 2 civilians in Surin
A Thai soldier in the Isaan province of Surin allegedly took his own life after shooting two civilians with an M16 rifle last night. The Royal Thai Army (RTA) reported this morning, August 15, that the gunfire broke out near Ban Khuean Kaeo Temple at around 12.45am. Ten shots were initially fired, followed by two more shots nine minutes later.…
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MPs question 41 million baht budget for Phayao agricultural market
Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) have expressed concerns over the budget allocation by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, focusing on a 41 million baht investment for a central agricultural market in Phayao. These concerns were raised during a special session of the House dedicated to the second reading of the 2026 fiscal budget bill, which totals 3.78 trillion baht.…
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Thailand tourism faces slowdown amid Vietnam, South Korea competition
As travellers are shifting their sights to Vietnam and South Korea, intensified competition in Asia’s tourism market may lead to a slowdown in Thailand’s tourism sector for the rest of 2025. According to industry experts, the expansion of visa exemptions from the two nations will most likely siphon tourists away from the Kingdom. Additionally, the domestic co-payment subsidy initiative has…
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Thailand video news | Strong baht and safety concerns threaten Thai tourism recovery, Bangkok crowned best city in the world for Gen Z in 2025
In today’s Thailand Video News, Alex reports on stories from across the country. Highlights include the slump in Thai tourism driven by an unusually strong Baht and rising safety concerns among Chinese visitors. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is working to boost visitor numbers, and Bangkok has just been crowned the world’s best city for Gen Z. Strong Baht and…
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Thai man commits suicide on girlfriend’s video call after being rejected by ex-wife
A Thai man commit suicide at a condominium in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok yesterday, August 14, during a video call with his girlfriend, after failing to reunite with his ex-wife. The 34 year old woman, Janejira, contacted officers from Mueang Samut Prakan Police Station, reporting that her boyfriend committed suicide in his room on the fourth floor of a…
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Phuket seeks special status to tackle infrastructure woes
Phuket is seeking a transformation into a special administrative area to address its significant infrastructure and environmental challenges, according to Governor Sophon Suwannarat. At a recent press conference, Sophon highlighted the province’s pressing issues, such as clean water shortages, inadequate wastewater management, waste disposal concerns, and road safety problems. Budget constraints are hampering large-scale improvements, with the administration’s current budget…
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Senate proposes aid reduction for Cambodian students
A proposal by a Senate education committee to reduce funding for undocumented Cambodian students in Thailand has faced criticism from a fellow senator and human rights advocate, who claims it could breach international humanitarian laws and children’s rights. Kamol Rodklai, Chair of the Senate committee on Education, Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, urged the government on Wednesday, August 13,…
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Armed Thai soldier opens fire on civilians in Surin, injuring 2 victims
The Royal Thai Army (RTA) is pursuing a soldier who fled his military base with an M16 rifle and opened fire on civilians in Kap Choeng district, in the Isaan province of Surin, injuring two people. The official Facebook page of the 2nd Army Area reported this morning, August 15, that troops heard a burst of ten gunshots near Ban…
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Heavy rains and floods predicted for 36 Thai provinces
The Thai Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rainfall across 36 provinces today, August 15, including Bangkok, with the potential for flash floods, strong winds, and rough seas. Today’s weather forecast indicates that the eastern and western southern regions will experience very heavy rain in some areas. Northern, northeastern, central, and eastern southern regions are expected to see heavy rain in…
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