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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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    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...

  • Endangered Olive Ridley turtle rescued from net at Karon Beach

    Endangered Olive Ridley turtle rescued from net at Karon Beach

    Marine officials rescued an endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle at Karon Beach after it was found trapped in a discarded fishing net on June 20. Officers from the Sireetarn Marine Endangered Animals Rescue Centre, which operates under the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), received a report of a turtle washed ashore, alive but entangled in netting. Upon their…

  • Thai-Cambodian border crossing closes amid rising tensions

    Thai-Cambodian border crossing closes amid rising tensions

    The Chong Sai Taku border crossing in Buri Ram province, located near the Cambodian border, has been closed by Second Army Region commander, Boonsin Padklang. The closure order, issued yesterday, June 21, was shared widely last night. This decision follows a directive from the Royal Thai Army granting the Second Army Region authority over border crossing operations along the Thai-Cambodian…

  • Vietnamese nationals arrested in Thailand for illegal online lending scheme

    Vietnamese nationals arrested in Thailand for illegal online lending scheme

    Seven Vietnamese nationals were apprehended in Pathum Thani for running an unauthorised online lending operation, imposing high floating interest rates on Vietnamese clients, reported Thai police yesterday, June 22. Immigration, cybercrime, and tourist police officers conducted a raid on a residence within a housing estate in Lam Luk Ka district. Security personnel had alerted them to suspicious activities by a…

  • Phuket police hunt burglar after 2 million baht villa heist

    Phuket police hunt burglar after 2 million baht villa heist

    Police in Phuket are searching for a burglar who targeted four luxury villas in a single night, stealing items valued at over 2 million baht in Thalang district. Security footage shared online depicts a man dressed in black scaling the perimeter wall of a villa in Ban Yamu, located in the Pa Khlok subdistrict, on the evening of June 17.…

  • Peacock tree crushes pickup in Surat Thani, driver killed

    Peacock tree crushes pickup in Surat Thani, driver killed

    A horrific accident unfolded in the southern province of Surat Thani when a towering peacock tree unexpectedly toppled onto a moving pickup truck, tragically killing the driver and injuring two passengers. The shocking incident occurred yesterday, June 20, around 4pm, on Soi Koteng Road in Village 8, Wat Pradu subdistrict, Mueang district, Surat Thani province. The Thakub Public Service Unit…

  • Pattaya beach turns green: Plankton bloom causes panic

    Pattaya beach turns green: Plankton bloom causes panic

    Pattaya’s popular Wong Amat Beach recently became the centre of environmental concerns as a sudden plankton bloom turned the waters a disturbing dark green and filled the air with a sulfur-like stench. The phenomenon, which began a few days ago, not only altered the sea’s appearance but also raised serious worries among locals and tourists about its potential impact on…

  • Bangkok hotel raid: 200 phones seized in Chinese bust

    Bangkok hotel raid: 200 phones seized in Chinese bust

    A police raid at a hotel in the Makkasan area of Bangkok has led to the discovery of a suspicious operation involving Chinese nationals, sparking fears of illegal activities. Acting on a search warrant, investigators from the Metropolitan Police Bureau uncovered a series of alarming findings that point to an underground phone trafficking network. The raid, which took place after…

  • Measles surge in Thailand: Young children at high risk

    Measles surge in Thailand: Young children at high risk

    Measles concerns have arisen for those returning from neighbouring countries, with young children particularly vulnerable to the disease and at higher risk of death. Measles is airborne, much like tuberculosis, and those at risk are advised to monitor symptoms closely. Doctor Jurai Wongsawat, a senior medical officer and government spokesperson for the Department of Disease Control (DDC), Ministry of Public…

  • Triple bomb blasts at Pattani fair injure 7, stalls damaged

    Triple bomb blasts at Pattani fair injure 7, stalls damaged

    The aftermath of the triple bomb explosions at the Pattani Red Cross Fair resulted in injuries to seven people, including vendors and police personnel. The blasts, which occurred at three locations within the fair on Samanchai Sawan Road, Rue Samilae subdistrict, Mueang district, Pattani province, also caused significant damage to over 15 stalls. A reporter visiting the fair observed a…

  • Ratsada’s bold plan: Mayor unveils 7 key initiatives for growth

    Ratsada’s bold plan: Mayor unveils 7 key initiatives for growth

    Jirayut Songyos, the newly elected Mayor of Ratsada Subdistrict Municipality, laid out an ambitious policy plan aimed at transforming his subdistrict into a stronger, more prosperous community. Following his certification by the Phuket Provincial Election Commission on June 4, Jirayut spoke to the Ratsada Subdistrict Municipality Council, outlining his commitment to work under the principles of good governance and transparency.…

  • Cambodian tourist numbers to Thailand drop 48% due to closures

    Cambodian tourist numbers to Thailand drop 48% due to closures

    Cambodian tourist numbers visiting Thailand have significantly decreased by 48% this month due to border closures, impacting a market already experiencing a slowdown since the previous year. Despite this, Thai AirAsia has reported a strong load factor on flights from Bangkok to Cambodia. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), stated that Cambodian arrivals in the first…

  • Bangkok police arrest trio for selling drug-laced e-cigarettes

    Bangkok police arrest trio for selling drug-laced e-cigarettes

    Officers in Bangkok arrested a group yesterday for selling e-cigarette liquids laced with drugs online. The three suspects, 37 year old Netnapa, 46 year old Thanakorn, and 33 year old Pratchaya, were caught red-handed yesterday, June 20, with a large stash of illegal vaping liquids and equipment, sparking a serious drug trafficking investigation. The bust came after concerned residents in…

  • Siblings nabbed with crystal meth in Pattaya drug raid

    Siblings nabbed with crystal meth in Pattaya drug raid

    A major drug bust in Pattaya has resulted in the arrest of two siblings, accused of running a dangerous drug operation in the heart of the city. On Thursday, June 19, Bang Lamung district officials swooped in on a workers’ camp and apartment complex after receiving multiple complaints from locals about widespread drug use and distribution. The operation was led…

  • Thai aide accuses Cambodian leader of national security threat

    Thai aide accuses Cambodian leader of national security threat

    An aide to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has lodged a police complaint against Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, alleging threats to Thailand’s national security and causing internal discord. Somkid Chueakong, the deputy secretary-general for political affairs to the prime minister, submitted this complaint yesterday, June 20, to Police Lieutenant General Trairong Phiewphan, head of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB).…

  • Poipet casinos offer promotions to lure back Thai gamblers

    Poipet casinos offer promotions to lure back Thai gamblers

    Casino operators in Poipet, Cambodia, are implementing enticing travel promotions to attract Thai gamblers back after a noticeable decline in cross-border visits due to increased security measures at the Thai-Cambodian border. A local source noted that smaller gates at the Ban Khlong Luek border checkpoint in Sa Kaeo’s Aranyaprathet district remain operational to facilitate students travelling to school. The official…

  • Russian tourist drowns after ignoring red flags at Phuket beach

    Russian tourist drowns after ignoring red flags at Phuket beach

    A Russian tourist disregarded red warning flags and entered the sea at Karon Beach, Phuket, before tragically drowning in front of his family. Despite rescue efforts, he was pronounced dead on June 10 at 11.40am. Police Sub-Lieutenant Jaras Lempan of the Karon Police Station received a report of the incident and informed Police Colonel Khundech Na Nongkhai, the Karon Police…

  • Scam alert: Fraudsters pose as SCB agents to freeze your account

    Scam alert: Fraudsters pose as SCB agents to freeze your account

    Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) is sounding the alarm over a new scam targeting unsuspecting customers, where fraudsters impersonate bank staff and trick victims into freezing their accounts. The bank issued a public warning this week after receiving reports of con artists calling or messaging customers to ask if they had authorised someone else to open an SCB account on their…

  • German man found dead in rented house in Nakhon Si Thammarat

    German man found dead in rented house in Nakhon Si Thammarat

    A German man was found dead at a rented house in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, reportedly due to an ongoing illness. Officers from Thasala Police Station were called to the scene at 6.50am today, June 20, after receiving a report of a foreign man’s death at a house in Tha Kuen sub-district, Tha Sala district. The deceased…

  • Phumtham defends PM, dismisses audio scandal backlash

    Phumtham defends PM, dismisses audio scandal backlash

    Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has come out swinging in defence of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, urging calm and diplomacy following the political storm triggered by her leaked audio conversation with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. Phumtham, who also serves as Defence Minister, downplayed the fallout from the controversial clip, reaffirming the coalition’s support for Paetongtarn and brushing off…

  • Thai couple accused of faking rape to extort former police officer

    Thai couple accused of faking rape to extort former police officer

    A Thai couple accused a former police officer of raping and accused another officer of extorting 15,000 baht, but a lawyer later discovered that the pair withheld significant information about the case. The couple, known as Em and Bee, sought assistance from well-known lawyer Paisarn Rueangrit. They claimed to have filed complaints with local police, but alleged that no progress was…

  • Thai woman calls out after paying 9,500 baht for boat trip at floating market

    Thai woman calls out after paying 9,500 baht for boat trip at floating market

    A Thai woman accused a boat operator at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market in the central province of Ratchaburi of overcharging her and her foreign friends after they paid 9,500 baht for a short boat trip. The woman, Yamolpon Kaeosakun, posted her story today, 20 June, in the popular Facebook group We Are Consumers (พวกเราคือผู้บริโภค). She shared a photograph of the…

  • Watch your words: Thai air force warns troops on recordings

    Watch your words: Thai air force warns troops on recordings

    Heads up, airmen — Big Brother might be listening. The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has issued a stark warning to its personnel: think twice before you speak, because your conversations could be recorded. In a now-deleted post made on June 19 via the official RTAF News Facebook page, Air Chief Marshal Praphat Sonjaidee, the air force’s spokesperson, reminded service…

  • Pattaya motorbike thug attacks Bolt rider in road rage meltdown

    Pattaya motorbike thug attacks Bolt rider in road rage meltdown

    An early morning altercation at a busy Pattaya intersection has ignited public outrage after a motorcycle taxi driver was caught on camera assaulting a Bolt passenger, and now police are under pressure to act. The incident took place at around 6.45am yesterday, June 19, at the intersection of Pattaya South Road and Thanon Sai Sam, near Soi Pattaya South 18…

  • ‘Get out!’: Rally erupts in Phuket over PM’s leaked clip

    ‘Get out!’: Rally erupts in Phuket over PM’s leaked clip

    The streets of Phuket Old Town roared with anger as hundreds rallied against Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, demanding her resignation following a bombshell leaked audio clip. Yesterday afternoon, June 19, a group that called themselves Phuket Loves the Nation staged a highly charged protest at Queen Sirikit Park on Thalang Road, drawing a crowd of 200 to 300 demonstrators. Their message…

  • Thai activist calls mass protest to ‘sink the boat’ over PM scandal

    Thai activist calls mass protest to ‘sink the boat’ over PM scandal

    Veteran activist Jatuporn Prompan has declared political war, calling for a mass protest at Bangkok’s Victory Monument on June 28. His mission? To oust Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, whom he accuses of betraying the nation. At a fiery press conference held at the Rattanakosin Hotel on Ratchadamnoen Road, Bangkok, at 10am today, June 20, more than 40 prominent figures from…

  • Dead man with hands cuffed and legs bound found in Nakhon Si Thammarat

    Dead man with hands cuffed and legs bound found in Nakhon Si Thammarat

    The discovery of a dead man with his hands cuffed and legs bound in a palm plantation in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat yesterday, June 19, reminded locals in the area of a similar case that occurred two years prior. Residents of the Tha Rue sub-district in Mueang district detected a foul odour in the area and gathered…

  • iCloud loan sharks busted in Bangkok raid over 30% interest scam (video)

    iCloud loan sharks busted in Bangkok raid over 30% interest scam (video)

    The Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) conducted a raid on an illegal loan company in Bangkok and Samut Prakan. The company allegedly accepted iCloud accounts as collateral and locked devices if payments were missed. It had over 5,000 clients and charged interest rates of 30% per month. The operation was led by Police Major General Thasanphumi Charuprachya, commander of the…

  • Thailand video news | Thai opposition urges house dissolution as leaked call deepens political crisis, Thailand approves 5-year crypto tax break to spur growth

    Thailand video news | Thai opposition urges house dissolution as leaked call deepens political crisis, Thailand approves 5-year crypto tax break to spur growth

    In today’s Thailand video news, Alex and Jay present key developments from across the region, spotlighting political tensions, diplomatic fallout, and shifting expat sentiments. Thailand’s government faces mounting pressure after a leaked call with Cambodia’s Hun Sen triggered coalition fractures and calls for new elections. Meanwhile, Phuket eyes cannabis zoning to protect its tourism image, and police crack down on…

  • 2 Thai men attack drug rehab clinic worker and steal prescription medicine

    2 Thai men attack drug rehab clinic worker and steal prescription medicine

    Two Thai men attacked a worker at a drug rehabilitation clinic in Pathum Thani on Wednesday, June 18, after an employee refused to sell them prescription medication, which they later stole. The Jmoi V+ Facebook page reported yesterday, June 19, that the pair physically assaulted a 63 year old employee at the Princess Mother National Institute for Drug Abuse Treatment…

  • Rawai drug dealer busted with gun and meth stash

    Rawai drug dealer busted with gun and meth stash

    A Phuket man’s drug-dealing days went up in smoke after police raided his Rawai home and uncovered a stash of meth, firearms, and a bullet-laced surprise. The 30 year old suspect, Thanabat “Bank” Nomsaksiri, was arrested yesterday, June 19, following a targeted operation led by the Narcotics Suppression Division of the Phuket Provincial Police. The raid, headed by Police Lieutenant…