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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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Top 10 nationalities buying condos in Thailand
Thailand’s Real Estate Information Centre (REIC) revealed the top 10 nationalities buying condos in Thailand in the first six months of 2022, with Chinese and Russian investors leading the way. In Thailand, foreigners are permitted to own 49% of the units in any condominium building. The remaining 51% must have Thai ownership. The Inspector-General of the Government Housing Bank and…
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First AI crosswalk in Thailand installed in Nonthaburi
The very first artificial intelligence (AI) Smart Crosswalk was installed in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok. Plans for more AI smart systems at pedestrian crossings are in the pipeline at some high-risk spots in Bangkok. According to a study by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, almost 90% of vehicles don’t stop at a zebra crossing in Bangkok. Questions on road safety…
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200 policemen raid 6 entertainment venues in Bangkok
Over 200 police officers took advantage of the seasonal Halloween celebration to raid six entertainment venues in Bangkok to search for drugs, illegal guns, and underage partygoers. The raids weren’t as successful as they hoped with only two people testing positive for drugs. At the order of the Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Torsak Sookwimon, and Surachate…
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Teacher from Thailand killed in Halloween stampede in Seoul
A 27 year old teacher from Phetchabun province, in north-central Thailand, was among the 156 people killed in a stampede in the Itaewon district in the South Korean capital Seoul on Saturday night. The South Korean nation is mourning the lives of hundreds of people killed in a crush in a nightlife area of Seoul on Saturday night. This morning,…
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Dishonest taxi driver keeps 70,000 baht found in his cab
A passenger filed a complaint to the police against an alleged dishonest taxi driver in Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok after he refused to return the 70,000 baht he found in the cab back to its owner. The taxi driver asked his friend to pretend the cash was hers and kept the money for himself. The passenger, 43 year old…
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Thai province to welcome scenic golden flowers
Thailand officially entered its winter season on Saturday, and one northern province expects to be covered in scenic golden flowers soon. The “Mexican sunflowers” in Mae Hong Son province’s Khun Yuam district have been known to create stunning scenic views. The golden flowers, known in Thai as Dok Bua Tong, are believed to have been brought to Thailand by Christian…
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Norwegian man arrested for stealing taxi from Krabi Airport in southern Thailand
Thai police did a double take yesterday afternoon when they saw a Norwegian man driving a taxi out of Krabi International Airport in southern Thailand. The thief made the police chase easy by stopping at a convenience store to buy a drink, where he was arrested and detained. At 3.30pm, officers from Huai Yot Police Station in Trang province received…
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Qantas announces partnership with Bangkok Airways
Australia flag carrier Qantas Airways announced a new partnership with Bangkok Airways today which will allow its frequent flyers to book classic flight reward seats to more than 20 destinations across Thailand and South East Asia. Bangkok Airways climbs onboard the Qantas Frequent Flyer programme with another 45 partner airlines, which will allow members to use their points to travel…
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VIDEO: Nine arrested in connection with pedestrian bridge tragedy in India
Police in India arrested nine people in connection with the collapse of a pedestrian bridge which killed about 140 people on Sunday. Senior police officer Ashok Kumar Yadav made a statement yesterday announcing the suspects arrested are all associated with Oreva, a Gujarat-based electrical appliances manufacturer that did repairs to the 230-meter-long bridge in the town of Morbi in India’s…
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Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend APEC summit in Bangkok, Thailand
Chinese President Xi Jinping has confirmed his attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bangkok next month, according to Thai government spokesperson Don Pramudwinai. Don told the media today that President Xi had officially confirmed his attendance as a “special guest” at the summit as China is not an APEC member state. Other “special guests” who have confirmed…
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The “world’s dirtiest man” dies in Iran
An Iranian villager dubbed the “world’s dirtiest man,” died last week, several news outlets reported. The man, 94 year old “Amu Haji,” or “Uncle Hajj” was known in his village in the southern Fars province for being a soap dodger. Until a few months ago, Haji hadn’t bathed in 67 years, over half a century. When other villagers took him…
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Russian airlines resume direct flights to Phuket
Tourism in Phuket got another boost from Russian tourists as the first direct flights from Moscow to Phuket International Airport resumed. The airport expects to see an average of 30,000 arrivals per day in November. Ikar Airlines was the first to arrive from Moscow yesterday afternoon, with a flight from Russian national airline Aeroflot landing later at 9.10pm. Ikar is a…
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Plastic cup found in stomach of dead Bruda whale in Phuket, Thailand
A dead Bruda whale was found floating in Laem Sai Bay to the south of Koh Racha, Phuket province, southern Thailand, on Saturday. Thailand’s Department of Marine and Coastal Resources conducted an autopsy on the 13 metre whale, which raised more questions than answers. On Saturday, the department sent out boats to inspect the carcass of a female Bruda whale.…
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Largest Indian restaurant in Southeast Asia opens in Pattaya
The largest Indian restaurant in Southeast Asia has opened in Pattaya. The restaurant, named “MumbaiSe,” is located at the Stardice Pub on the Pattaya-Naklua road. The restaurant held its opening ceremony on Saturday night, with many Pattaya officials attending, including Mayor Poramese Ngampiches. The founders are two Indian businessmen who have invested 25 million baht in the restaurant. The restaurant will…
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Pattaya International Bikini Beach Race draws 3,000 runners
Interested in watching a 5-kilometre running race? What if all the runners are scantily clad in bikinis? On Saturday, the Pattaya International Bikini Beach Race was held and welcomed 3,000 participants. The event is thrown each year in Pattaya and welcomes hundreds of tourists. The annual race started in 2015 and is held along the beach in Pattaya. The idea…
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Thai officers uncover police corruption & drug use
Several Thai officers from the Lad Yao Police Station in the central province of Nakhon Sawan sent a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Torsak Sookwimon, revealing mass corruption and drug-related activities in their department. Last Saturday, October 29, Thai media reported that a non-commissioned police officer from Lad Yao Police Station sent five complaints…
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Royal Caribbean Cruises to dock weekly in Phuket, Thailand
Earlier this month, Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas cruise ship docked in Phuket, southern Thailand, for the first time in several years. At an event in Phuket yesterday, Royal Caribbean revealed that the Spectrum would be visiting Phuket once a week in the coming months. Phuket is a ‘core destination’ on Royal Caribbean’s four- to seven-night Southeast Asia cruises,…
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Death toll up to 98 in Philippines, more storms predicted
The death toll in the Philippines has risen to almost 100 after Tropical Storm Nalgae hit the island nation over the weekend. Reports say 98 people have died as a result of the storm sweeping across the Southeast Asian country. The Philippines disaster agency reported that about half the deaths were recorded in the southern autonomous region of Bangsamoro because…
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Thailand to experience total lunar eclipse during Loy Krathong Festival
Thailand’s annual Loy Krathong Festival will be even more magical than usual this year as a total lunar eclipse will grace the sky on the same day, making the moon appear brick red, according to the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT). The total lunar eclipse will take place on the same day as Loy Krathong Festival on November…
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After devastating floods, Phuket students step up to help with haircuts and repairs
Following Phuket’s devastating floods, some students are stepping up to help victims. The student group from Phuket Polytechnic College launched an initiative called “Fix It Community Renovation Center- Volunteer Spirit.” The initiative involves helping repair motorbikes for free, as well as electronic appliances such as microwaves. The students are also offering people free haircuts. Phuket Governor Narong and other officials…
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Koh Samui sees influx of Russian tourism
With flights increasing from Russia to Thailand, Koh Samui is seeing an increase in European travellers. The holiday island expects to see a surge in Russian tourism in particular, especially in December to close out the year. Russian tourism has been a big revenue-producing staple of Koh Samui but was stymied by the Covid-19 pandemic and then the Russian invasion…
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Chinese man and his Thai wife arrested for illegal possession of guns
A Chinese man and his Thai wife were arrested for illegally possessing several guns in their Phuket luxury home. Police searched the house of the Chinese man and his Thai wife in the Kathu district on Friday after the man had reportedly shown off his weapons on social media. The police found 18 firearms, most of which were BB guns. However,…
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Thai-Scottish man swims 30 kilometres to and from an island in southern Thailand
A half-Thai half-Scottish man made headlines in Thai media this weekend after swimming 30 kilometres from Ao Nang beach in Krabi province, southern Thailand, to Poda Island and back again. The 26 year old “merman,” Siranat, swam from Thailand’s West coast to Poda Island and back on Saturday. He said it took over six hours in total. Siranat posted pictures…
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Halloween stampede: 22 foreign deaths, events cancelled
In the wake of the harrowing Halloween stampede in Korea’s capital city of Seoul, the death toll has risen with some sources claiming 153 fatalities. Officials in Korea and abroad are deciding whether to pull the plug on Halloween events tonight. Global leaders are offering condolences as international citizens’ deaths are confirmed, including that of a Thai student. KHAOSAN A…
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Thai man cooks and eats wild snapping turtle that bit his finger
Yesterday, a Thai man attempted to capture a wild snapping turtle from a river in Kanchanaburi province in western Thailand. The feisty turtle bit the man’s middle finger and wouldn’t let go, causing a serious injury. When the injured man returned from the hospital, he cooked and ate the turtle for dinner. Rescue workers rushed to Tha Maka district yesterday…
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Murderer surrenders after stabbing wrong man in Phuket
A murderer surrendered to police after stabbing a man to death in front of a grocery store in Phuket on Saturday. The killer claimed that he stabbed the wrong person, thinking that the man he murdered was his enemy. The alleged murderer, 35 year old Pannawit, stabbed 49 year old Charoen Panngen on Saturday morning in front of a shopping…
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A man in South Thailand causes floods by stealing drainage equipment worth 2 million baht
A man in the Trang province of South Thailand has caused floods by stealing public drainage equipment worth 2 million baht, Thai media reported yesterday. The man, 30 year old Permpol, allegedly stole the equipment in Trang’s main city district. He reportedly stole parts including gears, gate valves, water drainage screws, and panelboards. Residents complained to Trang police, who gathered evidence…
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Thailand is not ‘selling off’ the country by letting foreigners buy land, says govt
The Thai government is defending its plan to allow foreign investors to buy up to one rai of land after an opposition party claimed that they are “selling off” the country. Foreign land ownership in Thailand comes with strict conditions and the plan will benefit the country’s economy, a government spokesperson said yesterday. The Cabinet recently voted to allow four…
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VIDEO: 130 dead in pedestrian bridge tragedy in India
The death toll is rising after a century-old pedestrian bridge collapsed in India yesterday with over 130 people reported dead. Officials reported it collapsed because of overcrowding. The pedestrian bridge in Morbi in the western Indian state of Gujarat collapsed at about 6.40pm with hundreds of people gathered on it as they celebrated the Diwali festival. The 230 metre bridge…
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The history of Thailand’s lottery
Almost all forms of gambling are illegal in Thailand with one exception – the country’s lottery. The bi-monthly lottery draw has brought great fortunes to many people. The next draw is tomorrow, and you might be interested to learn some fun facts about its history. The lottery first began in 1874 on King Chulalongkorn’s birthday. The king had given the…
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