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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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Experience the essence of fall with new menu at Blue by Alain Ducasse
Fall is the season of rich flavours and sumptuous ingredients. Michelin-star restaurant Blue by Alain Ducasse welcomes the season with a magnificent fall menu that marries tradition with innovation while showcasing the freshest seasonal ingredients. Executive Chef Wilfrid Hocquet curates a surprise menu around the best seasonal produce for those who want to fully surrender to the Ducasse culinary vision.…
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Airline employee accused of molesting teen at Suvarnabhumi Airport
A male airline employee from a famous airline tricked a 15 year old boy into a bathroom at Suvarnabhumi International Airport before the victim’s mother learned of the incident and filed a complaint. The police are urgently pursuing the suspect to take legal action. At 12.30pm today, a reporter was informed about an incident involving a male employee from a…
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Thai express train derails in Phrae due to flooding
Water runoffs between Phrae‘s Kaeng Luang and Ban Pin stations triggered the derailment of Special Express Train 13 early this morning. The train, which was travelling from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, came off the tracks at 5.48am as a result of the runoff. The locomotive, a baggage car, and a sleeper car were the three carriages that succumbed to the…
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Thailand’s fuel consumption rises despite diesel usage drop, reveals report
The Department of Energy Business in Thailand has revealed a 2.3% rise in the country’s fuel consumption to 155 million litres per day (MLD) in the first eight months of the year. This comes despite a decrease in diesel usage by 3.9% to 70 MLD, attributed to escalating prices. A shift in domestic diesel consumption is anticipated in October, following…
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Thai government readies against El Niño impact with daily monitoring centre
The government is preparing to set up a daily monitoring centre and formulate contingency plans to counter the effects of the El Niño weather phenomenon, according to Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. In a meeting held yesterday, the committee responsible for weather phenomena monitoring, chaired by Phumtham, also deliberated on the reallocation of funds from major investment projects which haven’t…
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Thailand’s finance ministry drops plan for financial transaction tax
Paopoom Rojanasakul, secretary to the finance minister, announced a reversal from the Finance Ministry’s initial plan to impose a financial transaction tax. This comes after Sirikanya Tansakul of the Move Forward Party (MFP) claimed the ministry’s mid-term fiscal blueprint for 2024 projected revenue of 14 billion baht from the proposed tax. Paopoom explained that the ministry aims for Thailand’s capital…
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Stark Corp uncovers 15.6 billion baht irregular transactions amid accounting scandal
Stark Corp, a Thai-based company specialising in industrial cables, discovered a staggering 15.6 billion baht (US$426 million) worth of irregular transactions across its divisions, following a mandated special investigation. The transactions were identified after the firm was rocked by an accounting scandal and subsequent debt defaults. Stark’s cable-manufacturing subsidiary, Phelps Dodge International (Thailand) Ltd, incurred damages amounting to 12 billion…
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Thai government’s multi-billion baht transport projects boost Andaman coast tourism
The Thai government has launched multiple transport infrastructure projects in Phuket, a southern island province, aiming to stimulate tourism in the Andaman coast region. rime Minister Srettha Thavisin inspected the ongoing projects on Friday. These are being coordinated by the Transport and Tourism and Sports departments, headed by Suriya Jungrungreangkit and Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol respectively. Government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke reported that…
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Thai police demand transparent probe into online gambling allegations
A transparent investigation into the alleged involvement of Suchanun Sucharitchinsri, known as Minnie, in running online gambling websites has been demanded by Thai police. High-ranking officers, including a confidant of Deputy Police Chief Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, are said to be implicated in the case. The call for an investigation was made at the headquarters of the Royal Thai Police…
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MFP ousts deputy speaker in controversial political manoeuvre
Political manoeuvres have seen Deputy House Speaker Padipat Santipada ousted from the Move Forward Party (MFP), a strategic move that preserves the position for MFP allies while the party transitions into its new function as the primary opposition party. This was the consensus amongst politicians and academics alike. Padipat, having been given an ultimatum by the MFP, made the decision…
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Thai police chief seeks clarity after deputy’s home searched amid appointment rumours
The newly appointed national police chief, Police Genera; Torsak Sukvimol, sought clarification from deputy national police chief Police General Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, following a police search of the latter’s residence earlier this week. Pol. Gen. Torsak addressed inquiries after a photo of him shaking hands with Big Joke gained attention on social media yesterday. Reports in the media suggested…
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Thap Lan tunnels face disruption after heavy rainfall and flooding damage
The recent flooding in Prachin Buri have left a trail of damage in their wake, particularly impacting Thap Lan tunnels. The Department of Highways has been assessing the aftermath now that the waters have subsided. The twin tunnels, integral parts of Highway 304 connecting Khao Yai and Thap Lan national parks, were rendered impassable due to heavy rainfall over several days.…
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Thailand central bank raises policy rate, reduces 2023 GDP forecast
Following the Bank of Thailand‘s decision to increase its policy rate and reduce the GDP forecast for 2023, the bank’s governor, Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput, will meet Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Sethaput did not disclose the specifics of the meeting’s agenda, scheduled for Monday, but assured readiness to address any queries. Contrary to circulating rumours, the 61 year old prime minister, who…
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Thai universities shine in Times Higher Education World Rankings
Nineteen universities in Thailand have made their mark on the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2024, drawing commendations from Thailand’s Minister of Higher Education Science Research and Innovation, Supamas Isarabhakdi. This year’s list included 1,904 universities from 108 countries and regions, with THE evaluating more than 134 million citations from over 16.5 million research publications and survey responses…
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Chiang Mai airport’s 24/7 operation boosts hopes for tourism rebound
The tourism sector is gearing up for an influx of foreign visitors as Chiang Mai Airport prepares to operate round-the-clock from November. This move is expected to open up the northern region to more international tourists arriving on direct flights. Sittipong Wongsomboon, general manager of Northern Smile Travel, stated that the average hotel occupancy rate for September had dipped to…
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Experience a ‘Holistic High’ at the second Phuket Cannabis Cup
Welcome to the second Phuket Cannabis Cup, where the worlds of holistic health and cannabis under the theme “Holistic Health, Holistic High” are united. Join a transformative experience that celebrates the intersection of wellness and cannabis culture, fostering a deeper connection between mind, body, spirit and nature. Get ready to explore a harmonious blend of wellness practices, conscious consumption, and…
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Acid attack survivor scammed out of motorbike by brutal loan shark
In a recent incident, a 26 year old woman from the Ban Ngang district of Buriram province found herself victimised twice over. Initially, the woman, Wunpen, suffered facial disfigurement and blindness from an acid attack by her ex-husband in 2020. Recently, she has been defrauded by a loan shark who refused to return her mortgaged motorbike, allegedly selling it to…
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LINE to LY-nk with Yahoo Japan: App’s big transformation creates a buzz
Starting from Sunday, the widely-used application LINE is set to undergo a significant transformation as it merges with Yahoo Japan, resulting in a name change to LY. The announcement of these substantial changes has generated quite a buzz among users. In light of this merger, LINE will integrate into Yahoo Japan and adopt the new identity of LY Corporation. As…
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Five dead, 15 injured in collision ahead of Mid-Autumn Festival
A tragic multi-vehicle collision on an expressway in Guangxi’s autonomous region, in the city of Wuzhou, China, resulted in the unfortunate death of five individuals, with a further 15 sustaining injuries. The incident occurred in the early hours of September 27, local time, as reported by local law enforcement. The authorities are currently conducting a swift investigation to determine the…
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Rainy rampage: Flash floods turn northern Thailand province upside down
Heavy rain and flash floods have wreaked havoc in two districts, five sub-districts and 31 villages in Phrae Province, Thailand. Rampu Chantapatu, the Assistant Head of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office in Phrae, reported that the torrential downpour caused flash floods, inundating local homes and agricultural areas. However, no injuries or fatalities have been reported. Affected areas in Wang…
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Purr-fectly unexpected: Cat-astrophe as nail tech invades cat café
In a fur-midable twist, ‘a Daily‘ cats café found itself in a bit of a ‘purr-dicament’ when a customer decided to ‘pam-purr’ themselves with nail services right alongside the resident feline friends. The café, typically a meow-sterpiece of tranquillity, suddenly found itself with nail equipment ‘paws-ing’ for attention and tables ‘claw-sing’ a bit of chaos.” The owners expressed concern for…
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‘I’m lovin’ it: Couple’s McWedding fast-food feast goes viral (video)
A wedding reception featuring fast food as the main course stirred an online debate, with the bride quickly explaining the reason behind this unconventional choice. The video of the event, featuring 27 year old groom Thomas and 25 year old bride Ophelia serving McDonald’s to their guests, has garnered over 2.3 million views on TikTok. The video shows Ophelia picking…
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Bangkok Governor warns residents near Chao Phraya River of potential floods due to unexpected storm
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt issued an alert for communities living near the Chao Phraya River to be on guard against high water levels due to the storm surge effect at around 7pm today. The 57 year old city chief revealed at Bangkok City Hall that the volume of seawater was significantly higher than forecasted, leading to a 30% surge in…
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Thailand’s Purple Line: Ticket to ride gets a price plummet
The board of The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) voted yesterday to reduce the fare for the Purple Line electric train service to no more than 20 baht. Initially, this fare rate applies only to those paying with standard EMV credit or debit cards, identifiable by their four overlapping curved lines symbol, similar to a WiFi symbol. However,…
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Beggar’s sordid secret: Elderly pervert exposed in online scandal
A 70 year old professional beggar in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, became a hot topic in the Chinese online world after he was exposed as a pervert. The deviant appeared in the top searches on social media following a woman’s expose of his indecent photography of women. Residents explained that the man, regardless of whether he is unable to work due…
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Teen’s heartrending showdown: Schoolgirl stabbed in heroic act (video)
A 15 year old British schoolgirl was tragically stabbed as she tried to intervene in a fight between a friend and her ex-boyfriend on the way to school on Wednesday. Eliyanna, a student at the Old Palace of John Whitgift School in Croydon, met with a devastating fate as she was fatally stabbed on her way to school in a…
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Plastic fantastic: UK scientists serve up world’s first ice cream from plastic waste
Scientists in the UK have innovated the world’s first food made from plastic waste, specifically vanilla ice cream, to highlight global environmental issues and raise awareness about the potential future of food and overflowing plastic waste. The so-called ice cream is actually an art installation named Guilty Flavours by 27 year old Elena Ortolani, aimed at prompting the public to…
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Undercover operation hits Jackpot: 50 busted in illegal gambling den in northern Thailand
A high-stakes illegal gambling den, operating for nearly two months in the heart of Rom Klao’s bustling Kriangkrai Market, was stormed by a special operation team from the Department of Provincial Administration (DPA) yesterday. The crackdown at about 5pm yesterday, September 28, resulted in the arrest of 50 gamblers and 17 gambling organisers. The fallout from the illegal gambling den…
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Rotterdam shooting spree: Erasmus student storms hospital resulting in three fatalities (video)
A shocking incident unfolded in Rotterdam, the Netherlands’ second-largest city, as a 32 year old man carried out a shooting spree. The assailant targeted a home, setting it alight, before storming Erasmus Medical Center, a university-affiliated hospital where he had been a student. The tragic events, which took place yesterday, resulted in at least three fatalities, including a 39 year…
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Fishy business: Tyre blowout flips lorry in east Thailand
A lorry transporting fish suffered a tyre explosion in Rayong, causing the vehicle to flip and crash into a tree, seriously damaging the entire vehicle. The driver, 29 year old Sunthorn Yotdam, sustained injuries, while the fish, primarily tilapia numbering in the thousands, were scattered across the road, resulting in an estimated loss of no less than 100,000 baht. Police…
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