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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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RTP unveils strict checkpoint measures, officers must wear bodycam at all times
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) has tightened checkpoint regulations in a bid to stamp out cop corruption amid the Taiwanese actress scandal. RTP officers have been ordered to be courteous and professional and to wear body cameras while working at checkpoints in the future. The Commissioner of the RTP, Damrongsak Kittipraphat, held an online conference with police officers across the…
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No one responsible for Service Hall collapse at Don Mueang Airport, confirms AOT
No one is responsible for the partial collapse of the newly-built Service Hall at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport in April last year, confirms Airports of Thailand (AOT). Excessive rainfall was blamed for the incident. Tomorrow, February 8, the repaired Service Hall will open for use, some ten months after its collapse. On April 17, 2022, parts of the roof and…
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New law allows foreign talent to thrive in Thailand
The government of Thailand has taken a huge step forward in attracting highly skilled foreign workers to the country, with the release of a new law that allows foreigners to work or invest in 18 select industries. The Royal Thai Gazette website published a notice from the Ministry of Interior outlining the special permit for migrant workers, signed by Prime…
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Malaysian influencer solicits free kebab for ‘being pretty’
A Malaysian social media influencer is catching heat for her pompous attitude about hustling free kebabs just for being sexy. It seems that the age-old adage of “beauty gets you everything” has been proven once again, this time by TikTok user @_erynamira. Or was it? The influencer recently went viral for a video showcasing her ability to get free kebabs…
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Thai child buys grandma gold ring with money saved selling kanom pang ping
A giving and entrepreneurial Grade 5 student from Chai Nat province in central Thailand has won over the hearts of the nation by buying his grandma a gold ring with money he saved up selling ‘kanom pang ping.’ On Sunday, 11 year old “Ice” went to a gold shop in Chai Nat with his mother with 4,700 (US$140) baht in…
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Turkey earthquake death toll rises to over 4,000
As of 9am this morning, the death toll from the massive earthquakes in Turkey surpassed 4,300, with Turkish authorities reporting 2,921 fatalities and Syria reporting 1,444. Yesterday, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck near the Turkey-Syria border in the province of Karamanmaras. The number of deaths is expected to keep rising significantly as search and rescue teams continue to examine collapsed buildings…
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Overworked Thai TV man found dead at work, no one noticed
A Thai News Network (TNN) worker died at his office desk at the weekend and no one noticed until the following day. The man’s colleagues reported that he died from overwork, suffered a heart attack, and passed away on duty. The dead man’s colleagues reported that he used to shout at the TNN management… “When will you hire more people?…
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PIL launches weekly service to link key ports in Thailand, Philippines, Singapore
Pacific International Lines (PIL) is set to revolutionize Southeast Asian shipping with its new weekly direct service, the Thailand Philippines Straits Service (TPS), launching on February 15, from Manila, Philippines. This service will bring the key ports of Thailand, the Philippines, and Singapore closer together and enhance PIL’s connections in the region. A consortium of vessels with an average capacity…
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13 Thais skipped flights home from South Korea
The Korean Justice Ministry reported that 13 out of a group of 174 Thai tourists who arrived in South Korea have gone missing. The group arrived via a chartered flight at Muan Airport last Monday but 13 individuals did not show up to board their return flight on Sunday. Muan Airport is located in South Jeolla Province, on the southern…
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Thai woman slashes Chinese tourist in row over Phuket tour package (video)
An angry Thai tour company owner slashed a Chinese tourist’s arm after a row over a tour package in Phuket. As a result, the woman’s tourism license has been suspended for six months from today and she faces imprisonment and a fine. The Chinese victim revealed the story of her horrific trip to Phuket on TikTok. In the victim’s video…
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Pattaya records yet another unwanted suicide statistic
The popular tourist resort of Pattaya recorded yet another unwanted statistic this morning when a man plunged to his death in what some expats somewhat heartlessly refer to as the “Pattaya Flying Club.” The insensitively named Pattaya Flying Club is the term given to troubled foreigners who commit suicide by throwing themselves off a Pattaya hotel balcony and to their…
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Car fire stops traffic on central Bangkok motorway
A car on the Ploenchit exit ramp of the Chalerm Maha Nakhon Expressway in Din Daeng, Bangkok, briefly caused traffic to come to a halt in the bustling central business district when it burst into flames. The Expressway Authority of Thailand Police and the rescue unit of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department were prompt in reaching…
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Chinese tour groups begin landing in Thailand again
The first direct tour group flights from mainland China to Thailand marked a milestone in the recovery of the Thai tourism industry. One flight landed at Don Mueang International Airport yesterday morning with 40 Chinese tour group members and 90 other travellers. The second landed in the afternoon in Phuket. In total, 13 flights with tour groups from China landed…
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Indian man attacked by 3 fellow nationals in Thailand over business dispute
An Indian man filed a complaint with the Thai police after he was attacked by three fellow Indian nationals in the central province of Prachin Buri after a business dispute. The 33 year old Indian man named Rantusa filed a complaint at Kabin Buri Police Station that he was attacked by three other Indian men in front of the laundry…
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One year old rescued from 15-metre-deep hole in Thailand
UPDATE At 10.40am, the one year old girl trapped in a 15-metre-deep hole in Tak province in northern Thailand was successfully rescued. The young child was immediately rushed to the hospital for a medical examination after being stuck in the muddy, narrow hole all night. ORIGINAL STORY Rescuers have been working for over 16 hours to attempt to rescue a one…
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Gareth Bale impresses at Pebble Beach Pro-Am as Justin Rose wins for first time in 4 years
Gareth Bale left his mark on one of the world’s most prestigious golf tournaments on his pro-am debut at Pebble Beach which saw Justin Rose secure his first win in four years. The 42 year old Rose, who led the pro event by two shots, hit three birdies to card a six-under round of 66, making him the winner by…
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RTA soldiers and Muay Thai champion unite to set new world record
Renowned Muay Thai fighter Sombat “Buakhao” Banchamek teamed up with 3,650 soldiers to break a Guinness world record by performing the traditional Thai dance, Wai Kru, at the Amazing Muaythai Festival 2023 on February 4 in Hua Hin. February 6 of every year is marked as Muay Thai Day to preserve and promote Thailand’s soft power Thai boxing. Commander of…
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Indian transgender couple cause a stir with pregnancy photoshoot
Ziya Paval and Zahad, a transgender couple from the southern state of Kerala, India, are making headlines and history with their pregnancy photoshoot. The couple, who were in the midst of a gender transition, decided to have a baby one-and-a-half years ago, pausing their hormone therapy on the advice of their doctors. “Trans people deserve family,” said transgender actress S…
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Rescuers race to save 1 year old trapped in 15-metre-deep hole in Thailand
Rescuers have been working for over 16 hours to attempt to rescue a one year old girl trapped in a narrow, 15-metre-deep hole in Tak province in northern Thailand. At 9.30am, rescuers made a breakthrough and managed to reach the toddler. They are now in the process of bringing her up out of the hole. Yesterday, a Burmese couple left…
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Ready-to-move-in condos in Thailand attracting Chinese buyers
The Covid-19 pandemic has driven many Chinese nationals to speed up their relocation to Thailand, with the majority looking to buy ready-to-move-in condos. Kashif Ansari, the CEO of Juwai IQI Group, a real estate marketing firm in China, reckons that Chinese buyers are in a rush to make their move to Thailand right away, instead of waiting for two years.…
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Bangkok Airways suspends Hat Yai and Da Nang routes until further notice
Regional airline Bangkok Airways based in Thailand announced the temporary suspension of two of its routes “until further notice.” Bangkok Airways will suspend all flights on the domestic Bangkok – Hat Yai route on March 1, 2023. International route Bangkok – Da Nang, in Vietnam, will be suspended from May 1, 2023. The airline did not reveal the reason for…
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Death toll rising on 7.8 earthquake in Turkey
The 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey in the early hours of this morning has caused catastrophic destruction across both countries, leaving hundreds dead and many more injured. Some 650 people have been reported dead but the death toll is rising, with experts warning that aftershocks could continue for days or weeks. Tremors were also felt in Cyprus, Egypt,…
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‘Tame’ whale shark swims with tourists for 5 hours in eastern Thailand
A “tame” whale shark swam with tourists for five hours off the coast of Rayong province in eastern Thailand yesterday. Diving instructor Kru Off, from the Toy Boat Tour group, revealed that he took tourists out to Hin Pleng, a popular dive site about 13 nautical miles off the coast. As the tourists were swimming and looking at the coral,…
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Bangkok road provides dangerous bed for sleepy motorcyclist
A Bangkok traffic cop posted a TikTok video of a man who dozed off on his motorcycle in the middle of a dangerous road. The officer emphasized that the man was not under the influence of alcohol, just very, very sleepy. The video on the cop’s TikTok account, Nui Seeaun, shows a man in an olive green coat slumped over…
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Man accused of faking wife’s death for 10 million baht
A man has been arrested for fraud after allegedly faking the death of his wife to claim 10 million baht from life insurance companies. The man denied the charge and blamed his wife and brother-in-law instead. He did insist on paying back the insurance companies that were scammed. The Central Investigations Bureau (CIB) was notified about the fraud and after…
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Cambodia claims Louis Vuitton logo inspired by ancient Khmer art
A media outlet in Cambodia claims that the symbol on the famous Louis Vuitton logo is inspired by ancient Khmer art. Facebook page ‘Ebook Cambodia’ posted a photo of a classic Louis Vuitton handbag against an ancient Cambodian stone carving of an Apsara, a type of historical divine dancer known for exquisite costumes and captivating hand movements. The Apsara’s sarong…
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Thai customs end intrusive frisking of designer-brand wearers at airports
The Thai Customs Department has officially put an end to the embarrassing and intrusive practice of frisking travellers passing through border control with designer-brand items at airports. The department said the searches were a burden for travellers. According to the deputy director of the Customs Department, Phanthong Loykunlanan, the department has abolished frisking tourists to make travel more convenient. However,…
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Thailand’s MICE sector boosts tourism profits
Tourism profits have thrived since Thailand reopened. For business travel, the sector known as meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE), is at the front of prospects for the coming year. MICE has been a major contributor to the hospitality sector in Thailand for years, with spending per trip almost double that of leisure tourists. In 2019, the international MICE market generated…
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Thailand’s tourism industry struggles to deal with chronic labour shortage
Thailand is facing a major crisis: the Land of Smiles’ tourism industry is struggling to deal with its chronic labour shortage. With over 11 million foreign tourists visiting Thailand since the country’s reopening in July 2022, the country is facing a major shortage of workers. According to data from the Labour Ministry, popular tourist destinations such as Phuket, Chiang Mai,…
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Anwar’s maiden visit to Thailand raises hopes for peace
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar’s maiden visit to Thailand this week has raised hopes for peace in the troubled south. Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia last year. The visit is expected to add momentum to the peace dialogue. Malaysia is the facilitator for the dialogue to end decades of conflict in Narathiwat,…
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