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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 New in July: Save 10% for life on family health plans in Thailand
Cigna has a special offer this July for families in Thailand. When you sign up three or more people on a family health plan, you will save 10% on your premiums for life. This deal helps you get affordable, high-quality...
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Half a tonne of crystal methamphetamine seized – street value 1 Billion Baht
A 30 year old Nakhon Phanom man has been arrested in Nakhon Ratchasima in possession of 508 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine or “ice”, with a reported street value of 1 billion Baht, national police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda said on Tuesday. Thinnakorn Khomsing was spotted walking suspiciously with another man near a temple in Bua Yai district, where they…
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Installation of nine-tiered umbrella atop Royal Crematorium to be broadcast live
Members of the public will be able to watch a live telecast of the upcoming installation of the grand nine-tiered umbrella at the top of the Royal Crematorium for His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. On Wednesday, His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn will graciously preside over the royal cremation ground at Sanam Luang in the raising of the Nine-Tiered…
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Facebook founder heading to BKK for talks with Thai PM
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is heading to Thailand at the end of October to meet with PM Prayuth Chan-ocha. ‘Like’ that! Or maybe a ‘thumbs up’. Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak says Mark Zuckerberg intends to arrive in Bangkok on October 30 to discuss e-commerce and related Facebook issues withe the Thai PM. The Deputy PM also added that an executive…
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New management contract for Hollywood nightclub
The Hollywood nightclub management contract has been revoked after a shooting in the club last week while new management has been put in place. Preechawut “Prab” Keesin, owner of the venue and the head of the Pisona Group of companies, revealed that he has cancelled the management contract of the Hollywood nightclub for ‘damaging the reputation of the business’ as…
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Young dolphin washes up on Kamala Beach
Officers from the Rare Sea Animal Division of the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) have revealed today (October 17) that the dead dolphin found on Kamala Beach washed up ashore yesterday was a young Fraser’s Dolphin, which is rare in the Andaman Sea. The body is 2 metres long and weighs approximately 70 kilograms. The body was still fresh when…
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King to mark completion of Royal Crematorium
After Sunday’s rehearsals, Princess Sirindhorn suggested adjustments of music played during processions. Meanwhile, HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn will tomorrow install the grand nine-tiered umbrella at the top of the elaborate Royal Crematorium for his late father. The umbrella will be placed at the apex of the Royal Crematorium’s principal pavilion. Following the installation of the nine-tiered umbrella, all scaffolding will…
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Thinking of coming to Thailand at the end of October?
COMMENTARY: Tim Newton Don’t come to Thailand at the end of October if you expect things to be the same same. For all the right reasons, it will be very different indeed. Not for Thais or those expats that fully appreciate and understand what’s going on, but for tourists. It’s likely that nothing much will be open on October 26…
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Northern rains – house walls crack and roads open up
Days of heavy rain have caused cracks in the land and pieces of earth have broken away in Lampang’s Mae Mo district affecting eight homes located within an eight-rai (1.3 hectares) radius early on Monday morning. Tambon Mae Mo mayor Chucheep Boonnak led disaster prevention and mitigation officials as well as local bodies and police to inspect the scene on…
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THAIGER TODAY Monday, October 16
A drowning and near-misses at Phuket beaches | Royal rehearsals in Bangkok | Crocodiles escape in Petchabun floods | Myanmar Army about to release a report about alleged atrocities.
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Three locals arrested for drugs and gun’s in Chalong.
Yesterday afternoon (October 15), Chalong police arrested Panya Chidchiew and Kwanjai Kaewbamrung in Soi Chalermprakiet 6 with 351 amphetamine pills and 6 grams of meth amphetamine. Police found that they are connected to another bigger drug dealer who lives in Soi Koktanod in the same area and, after an investigation, police arrested Nopporn Rawanghet on the same day with a…
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Chinese tourist drowns near Koh Racha whilst snorkelling
Yesterday afternoon (October 15), 26 years old He Sixiang drowned during a snorkelling tour near Racha Noi Island. The man and his girlfriend went for a trip with a group of 24 people and when the snorkelling time was up the tour guide found that one passenger was missing. After searching for the missing diver, they found him face down…
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Taiwan seeking visa-free entry for tourists into Thailand
PHOTO: The Nation Taiwan is seeking visa-fee entry into Thailand. A representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand, Chen-Yuan Tung, says visa free entry will attract more Taiwanese tourists and investors to the Kingdom. There were 370,000 Taiwanese visitors to Thailand in the first half od this year, a drop of 3.7 per cent. In stark contrast ,Thai…
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Russian tourist drowns at Karon red-flagged beach
A 42 year old Russian tourist, Parshukov Ole, drowned at Karon Beach this afternoon (October 15). The area of the beach the man was drowning was designated with red flags, deemed unsafe for swimming with big waves and rip currents. Patong Hospital say that the man was sent to hospital after he was swept by strong waves near Karon Circle.…
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Elephants stampede Rohingya refugee camp
Wild elephants have trampled sleeping Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh yesterday, killing three children and a woman in the second such incident since the arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees from Myanmar since late August. Besides those killed, four refugees from neighbouring tents were injured and were in critical condition at Sadar Hospital in Cox’s Bazar. Meanwhile, Myanmar’s de facto…
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Russian tourists in trouble swimming off Karon Beach
Karon Municipality Tourist Centre saved six foreigners off red-flagged Karon Beach this afternoon (October 14). There were initially two Russian tourists drowning 50 metres ashore. The team from the Royal Thai Navy Area 3 and officers of the Phuket Marine Security Centre used jet-skis and speedboats to fetch the duo and return them to shore safely. A little while later,…
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Dead whale and dolphin washed up on Koh Lanta
Sub Lieutenant Nitikorn Chankham from the Royal Thai Navy Area 3 revealed yesterday (October 13) that local fishermen found a dead whale washed up on Had Nui Beach, in Koh Lanta, Krabi. Five navy officers were sent to the scene alongside agents from the Rare Sea Animal Division of the Phuket Marine Biological Centre. The officers presumed that the whale…
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PVC warehouse blaze in Phuket Town
At about 11 pm last night (October 13), officers from the Phuket Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office received a report about a fire at a one story warehouse that belongs to the Modern PVC Co. and the K P Modern Group. The facilities are located on Soi Saensuk 1, Phuket Road. The 3 fire trucks took about 30 minutes to…
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Flooding hits Bangkok and Central Thailand
Heavy rains lashed the capital past midnight on Friday and continued into the early hours of Saturday, leading to flooding on many Bangkok roads. At around 7.30am on Saturday, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Drainage Department issued a plea on its Facebook page, urging Bangkokians who have no urgent business to stay home as many roads are still inundated. At 8am,…
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Mourning period extended to October 29
The mourning period for the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej will be extended two more days up until October 29. This according to a media release from the Prime Minister’s office. The Royal Funeral is scheduled for October 25 – 29, so the Thai cabinet has extended the official mourning period. The official mourning period is now from yesterday up to…
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The 60 million Baht scam. Police make arrests in Bangkok.
A 45 year old Taiwanese man wanted for a high-profile electronic card information theft linked to a “call centre scam” has been arrested in Nakhon Ratchasima. Suspect Chi Min, wanted on a Sikhiu Court-issued arrest warrant since September, was arrested at a Muang Nakhon Ratchasima restaurant late on Thursday afternoon. Police also seized 270,000 Baht in cash, five bank account…
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New legislation: Foreigners can’t own guns
The National Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed the third reading of amendments to the 1947 Weapon, Firearm, Explosive and Firework Act. The amendments were proposed to keep the legislation abreast of weapons’ technology and the changing conditions in society. Weapon silencers and electric darts will also come under the legislation. As well, the amended rules cover fireworks, Bang Fai (locally-made…
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UPDATE: Police interview two men over assault in Pattaya
Thai Visa reports…. Not 72 years old and not Australian The ‘Australian’ pensioner who was floored by a left hook in the parking lot of a Pattaya school on Wednesday after a road rage incident is really British national 77 year old George Collins Thaivisa can reveal. Mr Collins admitted that despite living in Brisbane for many years he considers himself…
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Baggage handler caught stealing from luggage
Airport baggage handler, 27 year old Abdullah Hayee Mayeh, was arrested with a bluetooth speaker on October 12 after his robbery was recorded on video. CCTV cameras caught him trying to open the luggage of a passenger of Jetstar Airways flight on October 10 at Bay 15 at Phuket International Airport while loading luggage onto the aircraft parked on the…
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It’s not a torpedo. It’s not a bomb. It’s a….
The mysterious object found in the sea of Nai Yang Beach has been revealed as “Oropesa”, a buoy from a naval minesweeper from World War II. The object is not harmful. The team from the Mine Squadron and Explosives Ordinance Division of the Royal Thai Army Area 3, Phang Nga base officers visited the scene this morning (October 12) to…
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THAIGER TODAY Thursday, October 12
Pheu Thai and investors welcome election date confirmation | Owners with drones have 90 days to register, or else | Soi Cowboy in BKK told to close down | More flights from Thai Airways | An 84 year old academic being indicted over a famous Thai 16th century battle.
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Chalong police arrest two with 100 kilograms of Kratom leaves
Two men, 28 year old Thanachai Ngakaew and 18 year old Ratthapong Tingnui, have been arrested with 42 kilograms of Kratom plants and 60 kilograms of fresh Kratom leaves on October 10. The two were arrested at their rented house in Chalong area after police tracked them for a while after they had allegedly traded the drugs to local…
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Injured turtle found at Nai Harn Beach
Yesterday at 4pm, swimmers at Nai Harn Beach found an Olive Ridley sea turtle near the shore. Its front left leg was severely injured from a trawler or motorboat propeller and its right front leg was mildly cut as well. The lifeguards at Nai Harn Beach contacted Rawai Municipality and the Rare Sea Animal Division of Phuket Marine Biological Centre…
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Poll welcomed by political parties and investors, but…
While the planned election in November next year announced by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has been welcomed, politicians say controls on political activities should be relaxed and investors still view the situation as uncertain. The heads of the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) and National Legislative Assembly (NLA) have jointly echoed the junta leader’s promise and assured that organic laws would…
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More Phuket – Bangkok flights on offer during Royal Funeral week
Thai Airways and Thai Smile Airways will increase their roundtrip daily flights during the Royal Cremation of His Majesty the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The additional domestic flights will be operated from October 23 to 31 to meet the transport needs of passengers attending the ceremony. Thai Airways will add 11 flights between Bangkok and Phuket and five flights between…
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Political activities may be allowed after October
The junta would discuss loosening its grip on political activities after this month, once the Royal Cremation had passed, said secretary-general of the National Council for Peace and Order General Chalermchai Sitthisart. Chalermchai, also the Army Chief, said the junta would discuss to what extent politicians would be allowed to carry out political activities, given that the political party law…
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