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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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Thai immigration chief asks reporter, ‘Do you have a husband?’ to dodge question
In an interview about the macau888 gambling case, Thailand’s Chief of Immigration dodged a female reporter’s question by responding, “Do you have a husband?” The interview followed the interrogation of police officer Kunakorn “Bright” Khajohnboonthaworn who was accused of being one of four brothers operating the illegal gambling website macau888. According to the police force, Captain Bright proved his innocence…
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Septic tank drained in search for missing baby boy
Parents of the 8-month-old baby boy missing in Nakhon Pathom province were questioned separately by police for about nine hours Tuesday. Early in the day, the order was given for a septic tank to be drained in the search for the missing baby boy. The parents of the missing child, 16 year old Philaiporn Korcharoen and 19 year old Sittichok…
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UNICEF appeals to Thai public to help child victims of earthquakes in Turkey and Syria
The recent earthquakes in the border region of Syria and Turkey have caused widespread devastation, leaving thousands of people dead and many more injured. Among those affected are countless children and their families, who are now in dire need of assistance. In response, UNICEF Thailand has launched an emergency appeal to the Thai public, calling for people to help provide…
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Plant-based Thai food tours NSW
“My message on plant-based Thai food is simple – if you can, try to incorporate more vegetables in your weekly routine, because it will change your life.” Thomas Thong and his wife run a food stall serving contemporary, plant-based Thai food. The stall travels throughout Australia’s New South Wales regularly. Thong’s parents lived in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge and…
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Mitsubishi SpaceJet grounded to a halt
Japan has finally admitted that building the Mitsubishi SpaceJet, the nation’s first passenger aircraft, was not a good idea. The project appears to have been grounded forever. Japan abandoned plans to build its first passenger jet after years of technology setbacks and costs running out of control. According to the Guardian, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will cancel the public-private SpaceJet partnership,…
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Tarmacked forest in Thai conservation area sparks outrage
Netizens are scratching their heads at the Department of National Park‘s decision to tarmac a forest inside a conservation area at a wildlife sanctuary in Chiang Mai province in northern Thailand. No space at all was left around the tree trunks to allow the trees to breathe and grow. An outraged Facebook user posted a picture of the newly tarmacked…
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Khaosan Road businesses told to cut noise pollution, or else!
Businesses in the backpacker haven of Khaosan Road have been warned to cut noise pollution otherwise, they will suffer legal consequences, due to complaints received from nearby residents. City Hall says businesses have 15 days to get their houses in order and regulate noise levels, or else! After a gathering that brought together 30 members of the Khaosan Road Business…
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Ministry of Culture to promote 16 Thai festivals internationally
Thailand’s Ministry of Culture is taking steps to promote the country’s cultural heritage and boost local economies by promoting 16 Thai festivals internationally. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Yupha Taweewattanakitborvon, announced the move as part of the government’s “5F” initiative, which seeks to promote Thai soft power through the food, film, fashion, fighting, and festival industries. The selected festivals represent…
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Drunk police officer crashes car into restaurant in Bangkok, 3 in ICU (video)
Three people are seriously injured in intensive care after a drunk police officer crashed his car into a restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday night. The owner of the “Mala” (Chinese spicy hotpot) restaurant in Bang Khen district said they are scared justice will not be served because the drunk driver is a police officer. At 10.55pm on Monday, officers…
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Two children killed in Canada after bus driver rams into daycare centre
Two children were killed near Montreal, Canada after a bus driver rammed into a daycare centre. Police arrested the driver after suspecting him of deliberately causing the accident. One child reportedly died at the scene and another while in the ambulance. Several children were trapped under the bus when it slammed into the building in the suburb of Laval at…
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PLTO focuses on foreigners using rental cars as illegal taxis
The crackdown on illegal taxis – those operating outside their jurisdiction or without proper licenses or permissions – continues in Phuket. Authorities have turned their attention to a new target: foreigners using personal rental cars as taxis. In response to numerous complaints, Phuket officials launched an investigation into reports of foreign tourists acting as illegal taxi drivers. A joint team…
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Family of 5, including 3-month-old baby, brutally murdered in northern Thailand
Police are investigating the brutal murder of five members of an indigenous Hmong family in the northern province of Tak. The culprit behind the crime remains at large. The youngest victim was a mere three months old. The community leader of Baan Sirirak in the Wang Chao district of Tak promptly informed the police after making the grim discovery of…
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Suspect in US hit-and-run fatal accident flees to Thailand
A US woman suspected in a deadly hit-and-run has reportedly fled to Thailand. The FBI says the woman, Tubtim “Sue” Howson, from Oakland Township, Michigan is suspected of hitting and killing a 22 year old man on New Year’s Day. According to WXYZ, the FBI filed a criminal complaint alleging that the 57 year old fled to Thailand two days…
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Japanese photographer revives Bangkok nostalgia with film pics
Photographs of Bangkok from the past, captured by Japanese photographer Doi Kuro, have gone viral on Thai social media in response to the return of the Y2K fashion. The images have evoked a sense of nostalgia for those who recall the good old days. The Y2K (Year 2 Kilo) or Year 2000 fashion trend is sweeping across Thailand and teenagers…
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Authorities investigate mass haircut punishment at northern Thailand school
Thai authorities are investigating after a video surfaced on social media showing a school teacher in the northern Phetchabun province cutting the hair of over 100 students on Tuesday as punishment for violating haircut rules. Education Minister Trinuch Thienthong ordered state agencies to investigate the school director and teacher involved in the incident. Trinuch said the behaviour of the teacher…
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500k baht stolen from Singaporean family in Phuket villa
A Singaporean family’s vacation in Phuket was spoiled after their villa was burgled of over 485,000 baht worth of valuables, including two Louis Vuitton crossbody bags. The family of eight were visiting the beach destination from January 22 to 29 and were robbed at the tail end of their holiday. They had moved into a private seven-bedroom villa they booked…
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Wild boar creates chaos in Pattaya, still on the loose
A wild boar created chaos in Pattaya yesterday, attracting widespread attention on social media. The massive animal, estimated to weigh between 200-300 kilograms, was spotted roaming around the city at 7.30pm on February 7. The beast was also seen swaggering around Big C Extra in central Pattaya as if it owned the joint. Despite the best efforts of Sawang Boriboon…
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Swedish ‘plogging’ trend reaches Koh Lanta, Thailand
Koh Lanta – an island along Thailand‘s Andaman coast – saw its first ever plogging event last week, according to the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok. There’s nothing worse than a beautiful landscape spoiled by plastic waste and debris. A movement in Sweden has come up with a solution. ‘Plogging’ is an activity that combines jogging with picking up litter.…
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Teenage mother accused after 8 month old baby vanishes
Residents in the central province of Nakhon Prathom pointed the finger of blame at a teenage mother for the mysterious disappearance of her eight month old baby. The mother’s ex-boyfriend was also accused but pleaded he is innocent. The parents of the missing child, 16 year old Philaiporn Korcharoen and 19 year old Sittichok Choksaengsawang, reached out to Thai netizens…
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Say “I do” in style: The Top 5 Bangkok wedding venues to make your big day unforgettable 2023
Thinking about tying the knot in Bangkok? Then you’ve come to the right article! Bangkok has a wide range of wedding venues to fit every theme and budget. From botanical gardens to luxury hotels, you’re sure to find the perfect location to exchange your vows. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the top 5 Bangkok wedding venues! The Botanical…
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‘Rave for Maddi’ raises £5000 for British woman after balcony fall in Thailand
A charity fundraising event entitled ‘Rave for Maddi’ held in Coventry, England, raised 200,000 baht (£5000) to help the recovery of the young British woman who fell from a second-floor balcony in Koh Pha Ngan in southern Thailand on New Year’s Eve. A GoFundMe appeal raised over 3 million baht (£73,500) from over 1,400 donors to pay for 21 year old…
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Thailand Volleyball Association says players in Turkey are safe from earthquake
The Thailand Volleyball Association released a statement yesterday saying that two volleyball players competing in Turkey are safe from the earthquake there. This was after a 7.8 magnitude quake and its powerful aftershocks toppled hospitals, apartment blocks, and buildings in Turkey. Yesterday’s statement from the Thailand Volleyball Association said the association’s president had contacted both players who were in Turkey.…
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Thai Bonnie and Clyde arrested after hitting 32 petrol stations in Isaan
More than 50 police officers joined forces to arrest a Thai Bonnie and Clyde who robbed 32 petrol stations after the scoundrels ran circles around officers in several provinces of the Isaan part of Thailand. One of the suspects worked as a PT Petrol station manager and used insider information to rob other branches under the same brand. They stole…
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PLTO continues crackdown on illegal taxis
The Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) and Sakhu Police have apprehended four more drivers for illegally operating their vehicles as taxis in Phuket. The joint operation took place at a checkpoint set up at the Sakhu-Nai Yang intersection on Thepkrasattri Rd in Mai Khao and resulted in the stop of two taxis registered in Bangkok with green plates and two…
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Phuket Police help Russian woman get her pricey diamond earrings back
Phuket Police helped a Russian woman get her pricey diamond earrings back yesterday after she accidentally left them at a guesthouse at Nai Yang Beach last month. The woman, 42 year old Elena Zholobetskaia, realised that her 70,000 baht earrings were missing while she was travelling in Koh Samui, after she had already checked out of the guesthouse, The Phuket…
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Thailand rejects Thai princess Pfizer reaction claim as fake
A controversial claim that Thailand is abolishing its Covid-19 vaccine contract with Pfizer because it caused Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha to fall into a coma following a booster shot has been dismissed as false. Contradictory statements made by a retired microbiology professor, Sucharit Bhakdi, have been dismissed by the Thai government as “fake news.” Professor Bhakdi claimed that the Thai government…
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M81 Nonthaburi-Kanchanaburi highway testing next year
The Nonthaburi-Kanchanaburi highway, also referred to as the Motorway 81 or M81, will undergo testing in 2024 and be fully operational by the start of 2025. The 96.4-kilometre motorway is part of Thailand’s public-private partnership (PPP) fast-track scheme. The program aims at accelerating the most important investment projects under the Ministry of Transport. So far, the government sank 61 billion…
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Police shot dead in high-speed chase with suspect
A patrol officer from Pak Chong Police Station in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima was shot dead on duty while chasing a motorcycle rider who looked suspicious last night. The search for the gunman is underway. The body of 28 year old lance corporal police officer Autthapon Boonme was found on the side of Khao Thai Sayan-Pak Chong SAO…
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Turkey, Syria earthquake death toll nears 8,000
The earthquake death toll in Turkey and Syria is nearing 8,000 as rescuers struggle in harsh weather conditions. One UN official says the death toll is likely to rise considerably with the expected number of child deaths to be in the thousands. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan issued a three-month state of emergency for 10 provinces in the country. But, residents…
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Convicted South African drug trafficker writes letter from inside Thai prison
A 23 year old South African woman serving a long prison sentence for drug trafficking wrote an eloquent letter offering a glimpse into how it feels to be locked away in Thailand. Ashley Oosthuizen was found guilty of international drug trafficking after she signed for a package containing MDMA at the restaurant she worked at in Koh Samui, ‘Hot in…
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