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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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Police say key suspect in macau888 case fled Thailand last month
Police say that a key suspect in the Macau888 gambling network case fled Thailand last month, along with his girlfriend. The suspect, 32 year old Kittipong ‘Big’ Kajornboonthavorn, is the younger brother of alleged macau888 gambling kingpin ‘Benz Daeman.’ Benz was finally arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport upon his return to Thailand on February 14. According to the head of the Cybercrime…
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Trafficker abandons 106 illegal migrants stuffed inside truck in Thailand
Police discovered 106 illegal migrants crammed into a truck in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, western Thailand, yesterday. The driver was nowhere to be found. A concerned forklift driver rang officers at Bang Saphan Police Station to say that he believed that a “suspicious” vehicle parked on the side of Petchkasem Road was carrying illegal immigrants. Police arrived to find a…
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Man arrested 19 times for thefts in Pattaya
Maybe the 19th time is the charm? A man was arrested in Pattaya for stealing a Russian woman’s phone, and, as it turns out, he had previously been arrested for theft 19 times before. The 54 year old Thai man was arrested this time after he was caught stealing a phone from a Russian woman. She reported to the police that…
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Fisherman claims Pattaya beach fire was an act of arson
A fisherman claims that a recent fire on a lesser-known Pattaya beach was a deliberate act of arson. The beach, located on Soi Naklua 18, is mostly used by fishermen who store their fishing gear, tables, and chairs. They later sell their catches in the nearby area. The blaze occurred between 3am to 4am on Monday, burning some of the…
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Tourist films himself smoking blunt while riding elephant in Thailand
A tourist in Thailand has filmed his experience riding an elephant while smoking a blunt and posted it on Instagram. According to Leafly, Mikhail Harrison rolled up some GUMBO and went into the jungle for an exotic experience. He posed the question, “If you could smoke weed with an elephant, which strain would you pick?” on his Instagram page. In…
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Pattaya Police find 5 motorbikes stashed in forest
We’ve all had trouble finding motorbikes in a big, crowded parking lot. But in Pattaya, five stolen Honda Wave 110 motorcycles were found deep in the forest where no one might ever look. According to the vice village headman, the motorbikes were found with broken handlebars and stripped seats and were discovered hidden in the forest. The motorbikes were recovered…
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Thai ambassador to UK attends football captain ‘Dom’s’ funeral
Thailand’s ambassador to the UK joined the funeral service for Duangphet Phromthep, or “Dom,” who was captain of the Thai football team that was rescued from a cave. The Royal Thai Embassy said Ambassador Thani Thongphakdi attended yesterday’s funeral along with students and teachers from Dom’s school, the CEO of Leicester City Football Club and others. The embassy says Buddhist…
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British labradors head to Thailand to sniff out smuggled pangolins
Two sharp-nosed Labradors from England are heading to Thailand to save critically-endangered pangolins from wildlife smugglers. The elusive, nocturnal pangolin – able to roll up into an armour-plated ball when threatened – is the most trafficked animal in the world. Known as “scaly anteaters,” these unique mammals disguised as reptiles are trafficked primarily for their scales, which are used in…
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Thailand’s Cobra Gold war games sees largest US attendance in decade
Thailand’s annual Cobra Gold war games have seen the largest attendance by the US in a decade. The international military exercise started yesterday and runs to March 10. The unprecedented attendance by the US military is thought to be part of Washington’s efforts to build ties with a key security partner as geopolitical competition with China is on the rise.…
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Agoda says these are the most popular vacation spots for Thai families
According to early 2023 search data from the travel platform Agoda, Pattaya is the most popular destination for Thai families looking for a domestic vacation this year. Hua Hin/Cha-am, and Phuket followed in second and third place. The full list of the top 10 most searched domestic destinations by families includes: Pattaya, Hua Hin/Cha-Am, Phuket, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri,…
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Pattaya Police arrest 14 street beggars including nine kids
Pattaya Police are cracking down on street beggars by arresting 14 just last night. The arrests come after many complaints from tourists and residents. The arrests were of migrant workers, nine of whom were aged two to six years old. Patikorn Sornchai, deputy commander of Chon Buri Provincial Police, led the operation while Social Development and Human Security Officers combed…
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Traffic cop delivers 100 babies on the streets of Bangkok
Sporting big bikes, brown outfits and guns on their hips, Thai traffic police officers don’t look like your average midwives. But in gridlocked Bangkok, pregnant women don’t always make it to the hospital in time. In a sprawling city home to nearly 11 million people, sometimes the only way to reach those in need of medical help is on two…
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Chang focuses on the mass-premium beer market
Chang beer’s parent company, Chang International Co., is eyeing the mass-premium beer market to expand its catalogue and profits. The company announced plans to invest 1 billion baht to grow its beer business and strengthen its portfolio with Chang Cold Brew. With the pandemic easing, the economy coming back, and tourism blooming, people are spending more on booze. Chang is…
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Courageous deer survives multiple bullets and finds new home in Hua Hin
A courageous deer, who endured multiple gunshot wounds inflicted by poachers, has been relocated to a rescue centre in Hua Hin. Park rangers found the injured Sambar deer in Thailand’s Kaeng Krachan National Park, Hua Hin Today reported. The park borders the Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces. Officials from the Department of National Parks sought help from the Wildlife…
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Man robbed at gunpoint by prostitute’s husband in Isaan
A man highlighted the dangers of booking a prostitute after he was robbed at gunpoint by the sex worker’s husband in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen. The criminal couple was arrested on Monday, which also led to the arrest of ten other prostitutes, but because the victim did not file a complaint with the police the couple got off…
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Patong Police swoop on street racers
Patong Police swooped on street racers on Monday night, following the area’s numerous problems with foreign motorbike racers. Officers were stationed across Patong after 10pm. Meanwhile, Patong Traffic Police set up a checkpoint at the bottom of Patong Hill. Patong Police did not specify how many people were caught dangerously speeding, The Phuket News reported. Last week, the Thai government…
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Thai man prints banner thanking court for imprisoning his sons for 33 years
An attempted murder survivor from Udon Thani in northeast Thailand had a huge banner printed thanking Udon Thani Court for imprisoning his two sons for 33 years. His sons tried to kill him over a land dispute, the court ruled. The banner reads… “Thank you to Nong Han Police and prosecutors at Udon Thani Court for sentencing my ungrateful sons…
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Phuket police arrest Swedish man on drug production charges
Police arrested a Swedish man in Phuket, southern Thailand, on drug charges today and are preparing to revoke his permission to stay in the kingdom, reports Matichon. On December 15 last year, police initiated the project, “White Residence for Foreigners (Free From Crime and Drugs) Project” in Phuket province. The ongoing project aims to weed out drug crimes and criminal behaviour among…
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Thailand gears up to welcome more cruise ships
Thailand is gearing up to welcome more cruise ships. The country is making efforts to improve existing ports, and building new ones, according to government spokesperson Anucha Buraphachaisri. Today, Anucha cited data from the Tourism and Sports Ministry, revealing that cruises are becoming increasingly popular among tourists. Some 1,800 to 2,400 tourists arrive in Thailand on cruise ships every year…
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Married man murdered and dismembered mistress in Japan
A gruesome murder has shocked Japan after the dismembered body of a 33 year old single mother, Ayumi Ito, was discovered in the home of a married man with whom she was allegedly having an affair. Ito’s body parts were found on the balcony of the suspect’s home as well as more parts in his car. Police believe 31 year…
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Bangkok gambling den bust sees five police officers transferred
The Metropolitan Police Bureau Division 5 transferred five police officers from the Khlong Tan Police Station to work at the metro police headquarters after 48 gamblers were arrested on Sunday at a gambling den in their area of supervision in Bangkok, Thailand. The officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau raided a gambling den in Soi Pattanakarn 54 in the Suan…
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Thailand to resume cockfights and other animal sports, gambling allowed
Thailand is resuming cockfighting and other animal fights, with gambling allowed under strict conditions, the Ministry of Interior announced on Friday. Secretary of the Ministry of Interior Suttipong Junjaroen officially announced that cockfighting, horse racing, Siamese fighting fish battles, bullfighting and cow racing may all resume now that the pandemic has subsided. Betting will be permitted under strict conditions, so long as…
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Thailand’s Phetchaburi immigration office to move next month
Thailand’s Phetchaburi Immigration office is set to move to a new location next month. The office will move from its current location in Tha Yang to a new office in Cha-am, with the opening date scheduled for March 20, 2023. The new location will be situated in Khao Yai sub-district, near Khao Nang Phanthurat Forest Park, and is expected to offer…
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Alcoholic Drink Control Act has reduced drinking 2%
Some news we shouldn’t drink to: alcohol consumption is down 2% after 15 years of Thailand’s Alcoholic Drink Control Act. The law banned alcohol advertisements and placed limits on when and where booze can be sold. A seminar entitled “Different Views on 15-year Enforcement of the Alcoholic Drink Control Act” was held on Sunday at Bangkok’s Asia Hotel where the…
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Collapsed crane kills Cambodian worker at Bangkok construction site
Tragedy struck at a construction site in the Chatuchak district of Bangkok yesterday when a tower crane collapsed and killed a Cambodian worker. Thai news outlet Channel 7 reported that the crane’s sling was broken, causing the crane’s arm to crash down on the worker, 31 year old Sophanna. Two other Cambodian workers were injured in the incident. One of the…
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Chinese and Indian investors buying up Pattaya
Pattaya has been attracting foreign investors for years, but now Indian and Chinese investors are leading the way, buying up businesses in the area and catering to people from their home countries. Business people in the Chonburi province have commented on a rise in businesses specifically by and for Indian and Chinese tourists. Indian investors were the first to strongly…
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Tuk tuk driver punches foreign tourist in the face in Bangkok (video)
A tuk tuk driver was caught on camera punching a foreign tourist in the face, twice, at the entrance of Khao San Road in Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday night. On Sunday morning, the citizen journalism page ‘Social Hunter Reborn V‘ posted a chaotic four-minute-long clip on Facebook of a heated argument at the entrance of Khao San Road in Bangkok,…
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Songkran returns to Pattaya amid Covid concerns
Pattaya is set to welcome back Songkran after a four-year absence due to pandemic restrictions. The festival, which is known for being the biggest and wettest party in Pattaya, will culminate on April 19 with Wan Lai, or the “Big Day.” However, health officials fear that the unbridled celebration could also bring a new spike in Covid-19 infections, as it…
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Bangkok police help Chinese tourist get phone back after she left it in a cab
Bangkok police helped a Chinese tourist get her phone back after she accidentally left it in a cab. The incident happened on Friday at around 5.45pm near Bangkok’s Ratchaprasong intersection. Chinese national Wang Chunhua notified Lumpini Police Station about her missing phone through the SOS system under the Smart Safety Zone initiative. After receiving the report, officers went to the…
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Juvenile court releases Nong Tor’s mother on bail for 9,000 baht
UPDATE A juvenile court in central Thailand released “Nim”, the 17 year old mother of missing baby Nong Tor, on bail for 9,000 baht yesterday after she confessed to dumping the body of her eight month old son in the Tha Chin River on February 5. Police interrogated Nim for more than six hours before charging her on three counts:…
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