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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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Prominent French retiree and Rotarian passes away in Pattaya
A prominent French retiree and former Rotarian has reportedly passed away in Pattaya at the age of 85, leaving his loved ones to pen an online obituary. The Frenchman, Pierre Yves Francois Andre Eraud, was born on October 16, 1938. He was described as being a great humanist and as being attached to the respect and benevolence characteristics that are…
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Thai police shoot dead Phetchaburi gunman after 14 hour standoff, 3 dead, 3 injured
UPDATE At 4am, SWAT police shot dead the ex-military ranger who went on a gun rampage yesterday killing three people and injuring three more in Petchaburi province in lower central Thailand. Pol. Lt. Gen. Thanayut Wuthiratanayong said that after 14 hours of failed negotiations, the gunman showed no signs of surrender so the police took decisive action to kill him…
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TST pledge to reform military, abolish conscription, a voter winner with Thailand’s youth
The Thai Sang Thai Party (TST) pledges to reform Thailand‘s military and abolish conscription if they are elected in the upcoming General Election on May 14. This move appears to be aimed at attracting young voters who are often reluctant to undergo military service due to the fear of losing productive years, harsh training, poor welfare, and hazing. Under the…
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Potential Thai scammers race to close mule bank accounts as new cybercrime law enacted
Potential Thai scammers, particularly in Nakhon Phanom province, are racing to close suspected mule bank accounts after a new cybercrime law was enacted. According to the Pattaya Mail, the new law took effect on March 17, deeming that those who open a bank account or register a SIM card for a third party for illegal use will face jail time…
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‘Thai Hot Guys’ Malaysian nightclub event during Ramadan cancelled after intense backlash
A Malaysian nightclub has cancelled a ‘Thai Hot Guys’ event after receiving massive backlash from the public as the event was scheduled to occur during the Islamic holiday of Ramadan. Apparently, juicy Thai men parading around half-naked in lingerie wasn’t what those celebrating Ramadan, which is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, had in mind. As Ramadan is a…
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Thailand’s leading Fintech “DeeMoney” unveils new strategy “Owndee” with better rates, faster, and easier transfers
DeeMoney is Thailand’s No 1 money transfer service licensed by BoT DeeMoney aims to be NeoBank offering comprehensive cross-border payment and money transfer services on digital platforms that best address target customers’ demand In 2022, DeeMoney emerged as a dominant fintech player in the non-bank money transfer sector, with overall transactions exceeding 3 million transactions with a volume over 50…
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Safari park in Thailand responds to bungee cord incident that nearly killed Hong Kong tourist
UPDATE Today, staff from Chang Thai Thappraya Safari Park in Pattaya, Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand, commented on the broken bungee cord incident that nearly killed a tourist from Hong Kong last month. The bungee jump operator, 41 year old Natthaphon Yokcharoen, took reporters to see the scene of the incident, a platform about 30 metres high above a lake. Nattaphon…
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Angry Thai man stabs wife to death after dispute over saving water
An angry Thai husband stabbed his wife to death at their home in the northern province of Mae Hong Sorn. The man was reportedly angry after the woman advised him to conserve the water for the upcoming dry season. Police officers and locals are now on the hunt for the murderer who fled into the forest after the incident. Officers…
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Ex-military ranger opens fire in central Thailand, 2 dead 3 injured, standoff with police continues
A frenzied gunman who is an ex-military ranger opened fire in Phetchaburi province in lower central Thailand this afternoon, killing two people and injuring three more. Gunfire continues to erupt from the house where he is hiding in an ongoing standoff with police. More than 40 young children have been evacuated from a nearby daycare centre. Over 100 police officers…
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PM Prayut cuts ribbon on new ferry service to boost tourism in Thailand
Caretaker Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha celebrated his 69th birthday in style yesterday by cutting the ribbon to officially open a new river ferry service to connect Thailand and Malaysia. The ferry service will transport passengers, cargo and vehicles across the Ko Lok River, connecting Tak Bai Customs House in Thailand with Pengkalan Kubor Customs House in Malaysia. The Narathiwat…
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Chinese tourists walk around Chiang Mai in traditional Thai clothes
Chinese tourists in Chiang Mai are walking around in traditional Thai clothes during their sightseeing tours. After three years of travel restrictions due to Covid-19, Chinese tourists have returned to Thailand with a thirst for authentic experiences. This has created a trend in which Chinese tourists stand out in their finery at historical temples and other attractions in the northern…
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Phuket is the backdrop of new season of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip
The famous island paradise of Phuket is the stunning backdrop for the third season of the popular US reality TV series, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. Premiering exclusively on Peacock streaming service tomorrow, March 23, the show will feature a new group of eight fan-favourite housewives from various cities, who will come together for an unforgettable trip to Thailand.…
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Beagles sniff out smuggled Chinese duck at Bangkok Airport
Thailand‘s sharp-nosed sniffer beagles strike again, this time detecting 7 kilogrammes of illegally imported raw duck at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport that arrived on a flight from China. Sniffer dogs from the Department of Livestock’s Quarantine and Inspection Canine Unit were on duty at the airport looking for any illegal movement of live wildlife and animal carcasses when they uncovered the…
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Phuket Food Festival coming up next week
Foodies will rejoice to know that the Phuket Food Festival is coming up next week. This will be the 25th time the festival has been held. The Phuket City Delicious Food Festival 2023 will be held at the Saphan Hin Center Stage area from March 28 to April 3. The festival will be open to visitors from 4pm to 11pm…
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Wash off the dictatorship: Protesters splash for a cause
For those who love the splashing water of Songkran but wish it was far more serious and political, a protest held yesterday fits the bill. More than 20 protesters from the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, a pro-democracy group, gathered outside the Parliament complex to symbolically “wash off the dictatorship” with water. The rally took place the day after…
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Really Cool Airlines to fly by 2023 close, schedule in June
New carrier Really Cool Airlines is set to take off in Thailand by the end of this year, according to its CEO, Patee Sarasin. The airline will focus on international flights and is expected to help boost the country’s aviation industry, which has been hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. The company will announce its flight routes by the end…
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Thai businesses expect minimal effect from US Bank collapse
Thai businesses are optimistic that they will experience only minimal impact from the collapse of US banks. A recent survey by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) interviewed 600 business owners to gauge the economic damage of the US banking turmoil. The survey found that 73.5% believe the effects of the US banking crisis will have only…
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Passport rip leaves TikTok creator unable to fly to Thailand
A passport rip left a TikTok creator unable to fly to Thailand. Arabella Leat’s holiday plans to Thailand with her mum were ruined due to the small rip on her passport, the UK tabloid Daily Star reported. The young woman was left disappointed and unable to board her flight after airport staff deemed her passport unfit for travel. Arabella posted a TikTok…
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Thai influencer arrested after promising over-valued gift boxes to customers
Thai influencer Nara Crepe Katoey is under arrest for public fraud over online sales of gift boxes that she promised would be worth more than the prices paid. Nara, whose real name is Aniwat Prathumthin, was picked up in Ayutthaya after the Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for her alleged advertising or encouraging illegal acts, defrauding the public, fraudulent…
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Angry Thai man crashes car into PPRP election poster
An angry Thai man was prosecuted for damaging an election campaign poster belonging to the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP). He deliberately crashed his pickup into the poster. The suspect’s family revealed he was angry at the party because his request for unemployment compensation was rejected. With the General Election set to take place on May 14, every political party has begun…
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Russian man arrested in Koh Pha Ngan for overstaying visa 993 days
An unidentified Russian man has reportedly been arrested on the island of Koh Pha Ngan for overstaying his visa by 993 days or over 2.5 years. According to TPN National, the 34 year old man was arrested and taken to the Koh Pha Ngan Police Station to face charges of overstaying and will be deported. The arrest followed the Surat…
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First charter flight from Mahan, Iran makes its way to Phuket
The first charter flight from Mahan, Iran, made its way to Phuket on Monday. Mahan Air flight W557/IRM057 landed at Phuket International Airport at 2.30pm. As tourism from the Middle East continues to be a major target market for Thailand, the new charter flight network was warmly welcomed. Officials and staff were on hand to greet passengers as they walked…
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Chinese woman in Pattaya abducted, 4.7 million baht ransom demanded
A Chinese woman has reportedly been abducted in Pattaya as she went to get her child from school. The suspects have allegedly demanded a 4.7 million baht ransom in exchange for her freedom. Her husband, Ma Mingshan, filed a complaint with the police, saying his 33 year old wife, Shan Qi Qiang, was abducted. The 33 year old man said…
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German pedophile arrested for producing child pornography in Pattaya
Thailand’s Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) arrested a German pedophile for shooting and distributing child pornography involving his teenage stepdaughter from his home in Pattaya. The 76 year old perverted expat, Wilfried Wilms, was taken into custody on Saturday, March 18 following an alert from the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, which traced child pornography back to Wilms’s Meet4U and…
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Bear intrudes village in northeast Thailand
A sun bear wandered out of the forest and into a village in Chaiyaphum province in northeast Thailand yesterday. It took rescue workers five hours to trap the wild animal. Atnoonm, residents of Ban Huai Ruam village in Moo 2, Wang Thong subdistrict, Phakdi Chumphon district reported that a sun bear (“bear-dog” in Thai language) had strayed out of the…
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Former German police officer found dead in his house in Chon Buri
Police conducted an investigation at a house in the Satthip district of Chon Buri yesterday after the body of a 66 year old former German police officer was found dead in the kitchen. It is believed that the man succumbed to a chronic disease more than 10 days before being discovered. The deceased was identified as German man Scutt Axel,…
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Teacher’s physical punishment causes bruises, outrage
Parents in Samut Prakan reached out to Thai media to bring attention to an alleged incident of excessive physical punishment by a male teacher at a primary school. The incident, which occurred on Monday in the Bang Bo district, sparked outrage among parents and education authorities in the area. An 11 year old boy in P5 recounted to reporters from…
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Phuket Marine Police bust jet ski operators over licenses
Jet skiing is a popular activity for tourists in Phuket, but not all operators seem to be following the rules. The Phuket Marine Police last week busted jet ski operators for crimes involving improper licenses. This news comes as the police have been ramping up jet ski inspections at popular tourist beaches. The six operators on Bang Tao Beach were…
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Regents International School Pattaya announces new school principal
Regents International School Pattaya is delighted to announce that Ms. Amos Turner-Wardell, the current Head of Secondary School, has been promoted as the new School Principal effective February 2023. For the past 5 years at Regents International School Pattaya, as the Head of Secondary, Ms. Amos has been central to the development and success of the school and her international…
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2 killed and 3 rescued in boat collision near Koh Samui
A fishing boat and an oil tanker collided near Koh Samui, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani. Three of the five fishermen were rescued, while the other two died. The Fisheries Checkpoint Management Centre Region 7 in Surat Thani notified the relevant departments at 2.20pm yesterday that the fishing boat named Talay Nam Chok 8 (Lucky Sea…
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