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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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EC files complaints over ballot barcode photos
The Election Commission (EC) has defended filing complaints against six individuals who photographed barcodes and QR codes on ballots from the February 8 general election, saying the move was necessary to protect the integrity of the vote. EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee said the step was essential to ensure the election’s credibility and fairness. The six individuals captured images of the…
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Satun man shoots ex-wife dead, then turns gun on himself
A 60 year old man shot his 58 year old ex-wife dead at her rental home in Thung Nui subdistrict, Khuan Kalong district, Satun, on May 16, before returning to his residence 1km away and turning the gun on himself. Police arrived to find the woman with three gunshot wounds to the chest. She had served as both village health…
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Missing Kanchanaburi woman found dead in staged suicide case
A woman who had been missing for four days was found dead on May 15 behind a sugar factory in Ban Kao subdistrict, Mueang district, Kanchanaburi, after her neighbour confessed to killing her and staging a suicide. The woman, identified as 44 year old Kesa, was last heard from at around 6am on May 10, when she called her former…
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SRT warns of delays after freight train hits bus near Asok
Eight people were killed and 32 others injured after a freight train crashed into a public bus near Bangkok’s Asok-Din Daeng intersection yesterday afternoon, sparking a fire that engulfed the vehicle. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) confirmed that freight train No. 2126, running from Laem Chabang Port to Bang Sue, struck an air-conditioned route 23 bus at a level…
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Distressed woman on Pattaya road taken to safety
Police and rescue workers in Pattaya carried out a rescue operation after a disoriented and distressed woman was found on South Pattaya Road in Pattaya at 11.36pm yesterday, May 16. Pattaya City Police Station received a report that the woman was behaving erratically on the roadside. Police then coordinated with Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan rescue volunteers to inspect the scene. The…
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Heavy rain warning issued for 40 Thai provinces on May 17
The Thai Meteorological Department has issued a weather warning for today, forecasting heavy rainfall across 40 provinces, including Bangkok and surrounding areas. A strong southwest monsoon affecting the upper Andaman Sea is driving the conditions, with rain expected to cover 60% of affected regions. Residents are advised to watch out for flash floods and overflow, particularly near mountains, waterways, and…
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Top EOR platforms companies are using to hire talent in Thailand
Finding good people in Thailand is the easy part. Hiring them properly is where most foreign companies get stuck. Tech, customer support, marketing, finance, hospitality, manufacturing – the talent pool is deep. The employment admin around it is not. Open your own Thai entity, and you are looking at roughly four to five months and a serious legal bill before…
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Train-bus collision Bangkok’s Makkasan was not an accident. It was a system designed to fail
[OPINION] Bangkok’s Makkasan train-bus collision was not an accident. It was a system designed to fail A freight train rumbles across a major commercial intersection at street level, while buses and cars sit waiting at a red light straddling the tracks. It sounds absurd. In most global cities, it would be. In Bangkok, on the afternoon of Saturday 16 May…
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Thailand introduces tourism fees amid global challenges
Thailand’s tourism sector is under pressure to adapt as global energy costs rise and competition in the industry intensifies. Following Surasak Phanchareonvorakul’s appointment under the Anutin 2 government, the tourism minister moved quickly to restructure the industry around a quality tourism model, introducing three measures to do so. The first trims the visa-free list from 93 countries and territories down…
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Thailand water reserves drop to 39% as floods loom
Thailand’s water reserves have dropped to critical levels, with only 39% of usable water remaining nationwide, as heavy rainfall and flash flood risks loom across multiple regions. The Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) reported that as of May 14, the total water volume across the country stands at 46,169 million cubic metres, of which only 22,061 million cubic metres…
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Missing Thai man safely returns after illegal Cambodia crossing
A Thai man who went missing while foraging near the Thai-Cambodian border has returned home safely after being detained in Cambodia for crossing the border illegally, officials confirmed on Friday. Yot Sainoi, a 58 year old resident of Surin province, was handed over to Thai authorities at the Chong Sa-ngam permanent checkpoint in Phu Sing district, Si Sa Ket province,…
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6.3 magnitude quake strikes off Miyagi coast
A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Miyagi prefecture, Japan, on May 15 at 8.22pm local time. The tremor originated at a depth of 50 kilometres and was felt across multiple regions, including Aomori, Iwate, and Akita. No tsunami warning has been issued despite the quake’s wide reach. Residents have been advised to remain alert for potential aftershocks.…
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Swedish man reports over 100,000 baht stolen by Pattaya transwomen
A Swedish tourist reported losing more than 100,000 baht in cash after being robbed a group of Thai transwomen at a condominium in Pattaya early today, May 15. Police from Mueang Pattaya Police Station received the complaint from the victim, identified as 67 year old Mahmoud, at around 3.40am before travelling to the condominium to investigate the incident. According to…
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Thailand’s ‘last titan’ confirmed as Southeast Asia’s biggest dinosaur on record
Scientists have identified a new dinosaur species in Thailand, the largest ever found in Southeast Asia, after fossils unearthed beside a pond in Chaiyaphum province were confirmed as belonging to a colossal long-necked sauropod estimated to have measured 27 metres and weighed around 27 to 30 tonnes. The species, named Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis, lived between 100 and 120 million years ago…
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Soap scraps reused at cosmetic product manufacturing site in Bangkok
Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) officers raided an unlicensed production site in Bangkok and discovered soap manufactured from soap scraps collected from multiple factories. The Consumer Protection Police Division launched the investigation following complaints from consumers who experienced allergic reactions and other health problems linked to cosmetic products sold online. During the operation, investigators identified a residence in Bang Khae district that…
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Thai riders share mixed responses against ‘Global Switch Off’ campaign
Thai app-based riders raised mixed responses after an encouragement to join an international protest campaign, Global Switch Off, today, May 15, by temporarily shutting down digital platforms to demand stronger labour protections from companies. Gig workers include freelancers and independent contractors who work through digital applications, such as food delivery riders and ride-hailing drivers. Many platform companies classify workers as “partners”…
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Khon Kaen family warns public after finding tissue paper in fish ball
A family in Khon Kaen has issued a public warning after discovering tissue paper stuffed inside a fish ball purchased from a street food stall at Kaen Nakhon Lake. The incident gained attention after the family shared photos and videos in a Facebook group for Khon Kaen residents. According to the post, the fish ball stall was located near the…
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Local fisherman finds invasive blackchin tilapia off Pattaya Beach
The discovery of blackchin tilapia off Pattaya Beach raised concerns among residents and environmental experts over the potential impact of the invasive species on local marine ecosystems. A local fisherman with more than 20,000 followers on his Facebook page, Tart Channel, shared videos yesterday, May 14, showing blackchin tilapia caught near Pattaya Beach. In the caption accompanying the footage, he wrote……
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Arab buyers favour Phuket for cultural, religious familiarity
Gulf buyers are increasingly treating Phuket as more than a holiday destination, with the Middle Eastern demographic now accounting for an estimated 10% of off-plan property sales on the island. Thanks to direct flights from Saudi Arabia, new investment-linked residency pathways, and growing instability in the Middle East, all pointing the same type of buyer toward the same property market…
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Most Thai businesses report bribe demands from officials, survey finds
Nine in ten businesses in Thailand have encountered bribe requests from government officials, according to a nationwide survey released this week by a coalition of Thailand’s top private sector bodies, with the Pollution Control Department topping the rankings for the highest average payment demanded per encounter. The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCIB), comprising the Thai Chamber…
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Monsoon season linked to rise in fungal skin infections and eczema across Thailand and Southeast Asia
Thailand’s rainy season is bringing renewed concern over skin flare-ups as humidity rises and daily routines become wetter. Dermatologists say the pattern is familiar across Southeast Asia, where warm air, damp clothing, and repeated exposure to rain can turn minor irritation into a persistent skin problem. The warning is relevant for residents, tourists, outdoor workers, students, and people who spend…
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Legal wife contacts police after husband confesses mistress’s murder
A Thai man surrendered to police in Nonthaburi today, May 14, after murdering his mistress and confessing his crime to his legal wife, who advised him to turn himself in. He also brought the victim’s body to the police station in his car. Police at Bang Bua Thong Police Station received a call at around 10pm yesterday, May 13, from…
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Pattaya drowns again as heavy rain submerges roads
Heavy rain triggered flooding across several parts of Pattaya late last night, May 14, with roads submerged and tourists stranded in recurring flood-prone areas across the city. Thunderstorms lasting more than one hour caused water to accumulate in low-lying areas awaiting drainage, particularly in Soi Khao Noi, Soi Khao Talo, South Pattaya Sukhumvit Road, Third Road, and the railway road…
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Anutin calls corrupt Phuket officials ‘disgusting’ after beach encroachment
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul criticised corrupt officials in Phuket for facilitating land encroachment at Freedom Beach, describing the actions as “disgusting”. The Freedom Beach encroachment case gained national attention after People’s Party MP Chaloempong “Sam” Saengdee claimed he received death threats while investigating illegal occupation on Freedom Beach and surrounding land under the Khao Nak Kerd National Forest in Kathu district.…
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Thai woman stabs boyfriend in anger over his unemployment
A woman stabbed her boyfriend at a dormitory in Chon Buri on Saturday, May 9, after returning home from work to find him relaxing despite being unemployed. Police from Pan Thong Police Station responded to the incident at a dormitory in Pan Thong district during the evening. Officers found the 22 year old injured man outside the room while rescue workers…
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Ride-hailing apps given one month to improve safety standards
Thailand’s Transport Ministry has given ride-hailing platforms one month to improve passenger safety measures or risk licence suspension, as new rules are prepared for app-based taxi services. The planned measures include requiring drivers to hold public driving licences, installing CCTV cameras in vehicles, and providing passenger insurance coverage. Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat said the measures are aimed at improving…
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Bank of Thailand cuts GDP forecast to 1.5%, slashes interest rate to 1% as war and trade pressures bite
Thailand’s central bank has issued its starkest economic warning in years. The Bank of Thailand’s (BOT) Monetary Policy Report for Q1 2026 revised the country’s GDP growth forecast sharply downward to just 1.5%, well below the 2.4% recorded in 2025, as the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to cut the benchmark interest rate to a historic low of 1.00% per…
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Surin man detained in Cambodia prison after entering border forest
A missing Thai man is found detained in Cambodia prison after entering a border forest in Surin to search for natural resources, likely to be sold for income. The 58 year old man, Yot Sainoi, disappeared on April 25 after entering Huay Samroeng Forest near Ban Non Thong community in Kab Choeng district, an area bordering Cambodia. Yot’s wife, 47…
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Sisaket man attacks Swedish relative with knife over chick deaths
A Swedish man suffered a fractured skull and serious head injuries after being attacked by his Thai uncle-in-law with a knife in Sisaket province allegedly over the deaths of chicks. The Swedish victim, 61 year old Jimmy, travelled from Sisaket to Bangkok to seek assistance from the Saimai Survive non-profit organisation. He claimed that despite filing a complaint with Khukhan…
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Chinese gamblers injured leaping from window in Pattaya poker den raid
Police and district officials raided a poker den in Pattaya late last night, May 13, arresting 16 Chinese gamblers and seizing about 100,000 baht (around US$3,090) in cash, along with other gambling equipment. The raid took place at 11.46pm at a luxury house in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district. The operation was led by Chon Buri Immigration Police, Nong…
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