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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 Planning to extend your Thai visa? Why health insurance is more important than ever
If you plan to stay longer in Thailand, having health insurance is now more important than ever. Thai immigration often asks for proof of medical coverage when you apply to extend your visa. This applies to many types of visas,...
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Taiwanese tourist’s stolen motorbike recovered in Phuket within three days
An unsuspecting blue Honda Scoopy motorbike was whisked away from its temporary parking spot on Wiset Road, Rawai, in Phuket leaving its rider, Taiwanese tourist Chen Hong Xi, and owner, Narongchai Wangboonkong, in a state of distress. The theft of the rented motorbike was promptly reported to the Chalong Police on December 2 by Narongchai. The officers of Chalong Police…
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Thai Prime Minister confident Liverpool will crush Manchester United 5-0
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin yesterday predicted he is confident his team Liverpool will beat Manchester United 5-0 at Anfield on Sunday. PM Srettha, a big Liverpool supporter, took part in a talk-in called Thais Ask, PM Answers, at the InterContinental Bangkok Hotel yesterday, December 12. During the discussion, reporters asked the PM to give his opinion on the upcoming…
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Healthcare revolution or expat confusion? Thai Minister unveils game-changing scheme
In a move that promises to transform healthcare access for foreign nationals and the stateless, Thai Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew is set to launch a registration scheme on January 1 next year. The scheme, which boasts a mere five-minute registration process, aims to streamline access to public hospital coverage, leaving behind the antiquated healthcare systems that took weeks or even…
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Japanese car makers risk lagging behind in EV production, warns Thai PM
Srettha Thavisin, the Prime Minister and Finance Minister, issued a cautionary note to Japanese car manufacturers, warning that they risk falling behind in the industry unless they accelerate the production of electric vehicles (EVs). This comes as Chinese competitors continue to gain a substantial market share in Southeast Asia. The business mogul turned political figure voiced his concerns during an…
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Hong Kong actress Kathy Chow passes away at 57
Renowned Hong Kong actress Kathy Chow bid an unexpected farewell just days after celebrating her 57th birthday. The beloved star, well-known for her illustrious three-decade-long career in the entertainment industry, left her fans in mourning on December 11, as her studio confirmed the devastating news following a whirlwind of social media speculation. The studio’s sombre announcement on Weibo left a…
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ONESIAM unveils spectacular celebration of joy at Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery
Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery, which are interconnected shopping centres collectively known as ONESIAM, are establishing a joyous year-end festival. United to become a Global Destination, they are presenting a parade of happiness for Thai patrons and international visitors alike. Infused with lively energy and excitement, the event features themed decorations curated by global artists in three distinctive…
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Delivery rider disguise: Armed man coerces Chinese merchant for 2 million baht
An indebted young man, disguised as a delivery rider and armed with a gun, coerced a Chinese merchant into transferring 2 million baht by claiming the money was for his child’s medical treatment. The assailant promised to return the money in six months. The incident occurred at the Kukot Police Station in Pathum Thani province. Senior Police Colonel Jirasan Kaewsangaek,…
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Chicken Run 2: Nuggets of laughter and Bond-level weirdness hit Netflix
In the clucking sequel to the animated sensation Chicken Run, Aardman Studios spills the beans on why chickens are comedy gold and shares nuggets of hilarity with a daring rescue mission. Peter Lord, co-founder of Aardman, and the genius behind Wallace and Gromit, and Shaun the Sheep, claims that chickens are fundamentally funny creatures but horses on the other hand…
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Vietnamese jetsetters flock to Thailand and Taiwan as domestic airfares soar
In a year-end revelation, Google’s search engine trends have unveiled a surprising travel trajectory for the Vietnamese populace, with overseas destinations topping the charts amid escalating domestic airfares. The search giant’s findings disclosed a fervent interest in international getaways, presenting a shift in travel preferences for 2023. Taiwan, with its captivating allure, emerged as the undisputed leader, dominating the list…
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Daylight shooting in Pattaya leaves news reporter’s assistant critically injured
A brutal shooting incident occurred at 7am today, leaving a 28 year old assistant to a Pattaya City news reporter critically injured with more than 40 bullet wounds to his face and head. The incident took place within the Soi Saisamtadpettrakul, Nongprue, Banglamung, Chon Buri. The police, led by Assistant Inspector Dorkrak Sairoj along with Station Inspector Navin Thirawit, rushed…
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Thai football revolution: Japan’s ace coach secures secret deal
The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) pulled off a clandestine coup, securing the services of Japanese maestro Masatada Ishii to lead the national team. The deal, cloaked in secrecy, sent shockwaves through the football world, leaving fans buzzing with anticipation. FAT sealed a hush-hush pact with Japanese tactician Masatada Ishii yesterday, December 12, to helm the national squad – the…
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Major drug bust in Thai-Myanmar border, 50 million amphetamine pills found
A major drug suspect was apprehended by Thai authorities as they stormed an old shop, uncovering a stash of approximately 50 million amphetamine pills. The premises, discovered today, were found to have secret entrances leading to the Thai-Myanmar border, facilitating illicit cross-border activities. The suspects, 30 year old Pitiphan Nomsoongnern, also known as Num, and 24 year old Pornsiri Kongnandi,…
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Thai teen’s fall from grace: Bangkok boy’s suicide attempt after family exposes theft
A Thai teen made a suicide attempt last night by leaping off a pedestrian overpass in the Thon Buri district of Bangkok after being confronted by his family for repeated theft. Bukkalo Police Station officers responded to the incident near Soi Somdet Phra Chao Taksin 40. They discovered the victim, Rung, on the road beneath the overpass with two broken…
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Malaysia PM reshuffles Cabinet: Second finance minister appointed
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim orchestrated a Cabinet reshuffle, unveiling a strategic plan to fortify his administration and rebuild public confidence, just one year into his tenure. In a much-anticipated move, Anwar unveiled five new ministerial appointments, expanding the Cabinet’s reach to navigate the challenges of today and confront global shifts, notably the surge of artificial intelligence. The headline change…
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Bangkok MP Rukchanok Srinork sentenced to six years for tweets
The Criminal Court has sentenced Rukchanok Srinork, a Bangkok MP from the Move Forward Party (MFP), to six years in prison without suspension. The charges stem from her tweets and retweets of others’ messages in 2020, in violation of Section 112 of the Criminal Code and the Computer Crime Act and lèse majesté. The verdict was delivered at 9am today,…
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Thailand sees improvement in air quality despite high PM2.5 levels
A sharp decline in air quality was observed across 33 provinces of Thailand this morning as dangerously high levels of ultrafine dust posed health risks. This, however, was an improvement from yesterday morning, when air pollution blanketed 47 provinces. The peak pollution level also saw a drop. The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTADA) revealed this morning that five…
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Indonesian woman discovers husband is actually a woman post-wedding
A 23 year old Indonesian woman was left stunned when she discovered her prospective husband, whom she had known for two years, was a woman. The two had met on social media and were residents of the same town. They decided to marry after dating for two years, and a ceremony was held in a village in West Java, Indonesia.…
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Thailand’s central bank forecasts export revival and low inflation
The Bank of Thailand (BoT) anticipates an export revival in the coming year, as revealed in a recent statement. The Bank also projects low inflation rates for the same period, attributing it to government subsidies, albeit with a gradual increase within an acceptable range. Meeting minutes from the BoT’s November 29 monetary policy gathering, released on Wednesday, indicated that while…
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Heartbroken Thai seeks solace in 7-Eleven robbery, demands jail time
A Thai man last night confessed to being heartbroken and insisted on being jailed after he carried out a robbery at a 7-Eleven convenience store situated within a petrol station in the Bang Khun Tian district of Bangkok. Convenience store employees and witnesses managed to detain the 26 year old Thai man, Autsadawut Yooman, who stole money from the store…
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Thai business bounces back: Surprising catalysts revealed by FTI
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) explained the significant rise in Thailand’s Industry Sentiment Index (TISI) after a five-month slump including a tourism boom and strategic government measures. Breaking through the economic gloom, the TISI soared to 90.9 points in November, marking a triumphant comeback after five consecutive months of decline, according to the FTI. In stark contrast to October’s…
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Call scams: Ministry’s shocking move to suspend thousands of numbers
In a bold move to tackle the rising tide of call scams, the Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry unveiled a groundbreaking plan: any telephone number making over 100 calls per day will face immediate suspension. DES Minister Prasert Chantararuangthong dropped this bombshell yesterday, December 12, revealing that an astonishing 80,000 individuals had reported falling victim to call scams within…
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Thai government sanctions 750 million baht for workers affected by Israel-Hamas conflict
The Thai government sanctioned a 750 million baht fund to compensate Thai workers impacted by the Israel-Hamas conflict. This decision was announced by government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke yesterday. Giving the go-ahead to utilise the emergency central budget of the current fiscal year, the Cabinet has approved this proposal from the Labour Ministry. This move is designed to aid Thai workers…
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Economic growth predicted at 3.6% next year in Thailand
Kasikorn Research Center (KResearch) revealed Thailand‘s economic outlook for 2024, which paints a gloomier picture than anticipated. Managing Director and Chief Economist Burin Adulwattana reveals that the global economy is slowing down, impacting global trade. “This is reflected in the deceleration of the manufacturing sector worldwide, especially in China and Germany, which are both heavily reliant on exports.” The Thai…
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Malaysia and Singapore lure Chinese travellers with visa-free policies
The Chinese traveller market could see a significant rise to 7 million arrivals next year as Malaysia and Singapore become increasingly attractive due to reciprocal visa-free policies. Thailand, however, has yet to secure such an agreement with China. Following the introduction of a visa exemption for Malaysians, Beijing is speculated to extend a 30-day visa exemption to Singapore in the…
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Wealthy Thai man arrested for gold shop robbery in Chiang Mai
Police arrested a wealthy Thai man for robbing a gold shop in the northern province of Chiang Mai after a two-week investigation. The thief claimed he wanted money for stock and digital currency investments and sold gold necklaces worth at least 17 million baht for just 4 million baht. Security cameras at Lotus’s Supermarket and Yaowarat Krungthep Gold Shop showed…
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Thai restaurant owner loses 600,000 baht during family trip to France
A 30 year old restaurant owner from Nonthaburi suffered a loss of over 600,000 baht during his recent family trip to France. He has shared his harrowing experience to alert others and prevent them from becoming victims. Thalerngsak Khongkwanmuang revealed yesterday, December 12, his ordeal which occurred between November 7 and 21 during his holiday in France with his 48 year…
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High-flying stash: Wirral man’s 260 kilo cannabis catch worth 33 million baht seized at Birmingham Airport
A man from the Wirral in Merseyside, Liverpool was found with a staggering 260 kilogrammes worth of cannabis worth 750,000 British pounds (33 million baht) at Birmingham Airport after landing via a flight from Bangkok. The man landed in the UK on November 29 when police discovered two suitcases of cannabis worth 30 kilogrammes. The arrest is not a single incident.…
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Italian man rescued after attempted suicide in Chon Buri Police Station
Sriracha Police Station officers in Chon Buri province rescued an Italian man who tried to commit suicide in a detention room. It was his second suicide attempt. Police officers called Sawang Pratheep Sriracha Rescue team for help after the Italian man was stopped from hanging himself. The rescuers administered CPR and oxygen before taking him to Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital.…
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Thai taxi turmoil: Fare fight leaves traveller abandoned on road to Pattaya (video)
A Thai woman took to social media to share her experience with another one of Thailand’s notorious taxi drivers who abandoned her in the middle of the journey to Pattaya after she refused to pay more when he tried to hike the fare mid-journey. The victim shared a video of herself arguing with the taxi driver on her TikTok account,…
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DOC denies policy to detain prisoners outside prison favours ex-PM Thaksin
The Department of Corrections (DOC) refuted allegations that its latest policy, permitting the detention of prisoners outside of prison, is designed to favour Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister. The 74 year old former PM was recently sentenced to eight years for three separate cases and was immediately moved to a police hospital. The newly introduced regulation, announced on Thursday…
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