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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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Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Pattaya storm water drainage still lacking
PHOTO: Pattaya Mail Good news that there’s little chance of rain for the rest of today but torrential rain last week tested the millions of baht spent on better storm drains around the city (forecast below). But again, many areas of Pattaya were swamped after the heavy rains on September 26. Last week’s floods came despite huge expense and years…
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Pope will meet His Majesty the King and the Prime Minister during visit to Thailand
PHOTO: AFP The Catholic Bishops Conference of Thailand have released the itinerary for the Pope’s visit to Thailand next month, confirming that Pope Francis will meet separately with His Majesty the King, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, as well as the Supreme Patriarch and head of the Buddhist faith in Thailand. The Pope’s Bangkok visit will last three days, beginning when he…
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Property Perfect launch promotion to boost flagging condo sales
Thailand’s property market will grow only 3 – 5% this year and the condo market is likely to end up 25% down – the executive director of Property Perfect claims it’s the the most severe situation in 10 years. The Nation reports that Wongsakorn Prasitwipat is primarily blaming the loan-to-value measures imposed by the government on Thai banks last April, along…
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Hotel guest in Pattaya shocked as staff force her to wash stained towel
PHOTO: www.ให้ความรู้.com A hotel guest in Pattaya who left a make-up stain on one of the towels in her room has been forced to clean it by staff before they would return her deposit. Atchareeya Sotrapram took to social media to share her rather unusual story, saying hotel staff advised her that unless she washed the towel to remove the…
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British man involved in death of Thai woman in Pattaya gets 4 year sentence for drugs in the UK
PHOTO: www.thaiexaminer.com A British man deported from Thailand in May of this year, has been sentenced to four years and three months for drugs offences in the UK. Reece Vella from Worcester, England, was being held in Thailand since January 2018 for his part in the death of a Thai woman who fell from his condo balcony. His release happened…
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Thai police to stop background checks on Muslim students
PHOTO: Chiang Rai Times Thailand’s Special Branch police have agreed to drop their request for universities to provide them with background information on Muslim students. Thai PBS World reports that Rangsiman Rome, spokesman for the House Committee on Laws, Justice Process and Human Rights, says Special Branch has communicated their decision to the committee. Mr Rangsiman says Muslim students have…
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Bangkok’s Dream World has unexpected new attraction
PHOTOS: Matichon Online Upside down roller coaster? Scary Haunted House? Dinosaurs? What’s the exciting new attraction??? The Dream World Amusement Park in Tanyaburi district of Pathum Thani, north of Bangkok, has an unexpected new attraction and Instagram opportunity with its, wait for it…. Male toilet. The new men’s urinals have become a hit according to Matichon Online. So what’s all…
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‘Impeachment nonsense’ is to blame for Wall Street rout – US President Trump
“Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing index signaled that September was the worst month for US manufacturing in more than a decade.” October’s history as an irritating month for world stocks reared its head again after only two days as markets plunged on fears, both real and imagined. The Dow Jones industrial average gave up all its September gains and then…
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21st dugong found dead in fish nets off Phang Nga
Another dugong, the 21st this year, has been found dead, trapped in fish net in the sea off Khura Buri district in Phang Nga. Khura Buri is north of Khao Lak. Marine biologist and vice dean of the Fisheries Faculty at Kasetsart University, Dr. Thon Thamrongnawasawat, reported today that 21 deaths was the highest number recorded in one year for…
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Chinese tourist injured after falling off baht bus in Pattaya
A Chinese tourist, allegedly “showing off” according to his travel companions, was seriously injured after falling off the back of a baht bus in Pattaya. 27 year old Chinese visitor Katak Ho ended up with major head injuries at 4am on Monday after catching the baht bus along Thappraya Road, heading to Jomtien Beach. The baht bus driver fled the scene…
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Bangkok woman arrested for stealing credit card from her boss
PHOTO: www.innnews.co.th A woman and her husband have been arrested after she stole a credit card from her boss and used it go to on a spending spree. Nattamon Puangjumpa, 26 years of age, and her husband Pornchai are now facing charges of theft and credit card fraud after she took the credit card from her boss’s desk. Thai Residents…
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China celebrates 70 years of communism, while Hong Kong police shoot pro-democracy protester
PHOTO: AFP Shortly after a huge military parade in Beijing, celebrating 70 years of communist rule in China, police shot a pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong as protests in the troubled city grew. Demonstrations have gripped Hong Kong for four months now, but this was the first such injury from a live round and marks a significant escalation in protests…
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Round two of the “Eat, Shop, Spend” tourism stimulus
Round one of “Eat, Shop, Spend” (Chim, Shop, Chai) was a resounding success with the allotment for registrations completely subscribed on the days of registration. It was a 1,000 baht ‘gift’ to encourage Thais to travel and spend outside their home provinces. Now the government are rolling out the second round of the stimulus packages to keep the local tourism…
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Four bodies recovered, two missing after bridge collapse in Taiwan – VIDEO
“The petrol tanker burst into flames at some point after it hit the water, sending a thick plume of black smoke into the air.” Four bodies have been recovered from under a collapsed bridge in Taiwan as searches continued for two people still missing when the structure smashed onto fishing boats moored underneath. The National Fire Agency reports that two…
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Draft bill to inspect e-bank transfers over 50,000 baht
The Deputy Government Spokesman Rachada Dhnadirek says the Cabinet has now approved a draft bill proposed by the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to inspect electronic transactions exceeding 50,000 baht, in a move to combat money laundering and financing of terrorists. According to international standards, Thailand has been found lacking on 17 issues in relation to preventing money laundering and the…
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18 foreign companies receive licences to operate in Thailand – September
“Since January this year, 155 foreign companies have been granted licences to conduct business in Thailand.” The Thai Department of Business Development has granted licences, during September, to 18 foreign companies to conduct business in Thailand. The director-general Vuttikrai Leewiraphan says most of these companies are from Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong, employing 428 Thais and have an investment capital of…
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Thai state railway board members resign, effective immediately
Two days ago the story about the transport Minister pressuring board members of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). Two days later, not some but ALL, board members of the SRT, including the board’s chairman Kulit Sombatsiri, tendered their resignations to Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob. Effective immediately. The Nation reports that Kulit denied reports that the mass resignation was due…
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Thomas Cook customers may have to wait 2 month for refunds
PHOTO: Rick Findler/PA Wire Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority says that refunds of bookings by failed travel giant Thomas Cook’s customers could take longer than expected. At this stage the regulator says they don’t have all information needed from the collapsed travel firm. The British Civil Aviation Authority says it was launching a new, online payment system next week for bookings…
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Stop growing marijuana without our permission, warns Thai narcotics board
PHOTO: Rick Proctor/Unsplash.com The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) in Thailand is warning the public that cannabis plants cannot be grown at home without official permission, adding that the law is clear the plants can only be grown for medical use and research purposes. It’s understood that since use of the drug for medicinal purposes was legalised earlier…
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King cobra pops up at Korat night market
PHOTO: www.herpingthailand.com Villagers in Isaan, north-east Thailand, got a bit of a surprise when a king cobra, measuring 4½ metres in length and weighing 6 kilos, turned up at a market in Korat. Seeing the snake glide into the market area, residents contacted the local rescue team, who managed to successfully catch the intruder, who was curled up under one of…
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Thais most likely to abuse tourist visas in South Korea
MONTAGE: TNews The South Korean Government reports that there are about 370,000 illegal immigrants in the country. Thais are the number one offenders as the highest number of illegal immigrants living and working in South Korea. The South Korean Ministry of Justice has revealed the official number of illegal immigrants living and working in South Korea is 370,889 illegal immigrants,…
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Thailand’s Maya Bay recovering well but no date set for re-opening
Renowned marine biologist Thon Thamrongnawasawat says Koh Phi Phi’s Maya Bay is showing good signs of recovery, having been closed to visitors for over a year now. “After being closed for many months to facilitate natural restoration, the beach’s green forests have started to recover and coral reefs in the bay area have also been showing recovery and these are…
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Indonesia’s burning issue – controlling the palm oil giants
PHOTOS: Donny Sophandi and AFP A brutal Indonesian forest fire season blanketed some of south east Asia in choking smog is renewing scrutiny of the country’s major palm oil and paper companies. Activists are accusing them of breaking promises to halt logging. The monster plantation blazes sent a pall of acrid smoke over the region for weeks, closing schools and…
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Thousands rally in Indonesia to protest legal-reforms
“The protests are among the biggest student rallies since mass street demonstrations in 1998 toppled the Suharto dictatorship.” Thousands have rallied across Indonesia today in fresh demonstrations sparked by a raft of divisive legal reforms, including banning pre-marital sex and weakening the anti-graft agency. At least two students have died and hundreds more have been injured as unrest swept across…
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Economic ministers to meet next Monday for economic and tourism ‘Council of War’
The council of economic ministers will meet next Monday, on October 7 in Bangkok, to discuss the current economic and tourism situation. Kobsak Pootrakool, the deputy secretary-general to the PM for political affairs, says the meeting will confront obstacles facing the country’s tourism industry. “The ministers will also discuss the country’s export situation”. The Nation reports that the Commerce Ministry…
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‘Krabi Premium’ launched by the Tourism Authority of Thailand
PHOTO: Sunset Cruise at Nam Mao Bay, Krabi – TAT The Tourism Authority of Thailand Krabi Office is launching its ‘Krabi Premium’ marketing concept aimed at delivering ‘the best of the best’ of the southern Thai province. The TAT says it will offer “meaningful experiences to tourists” to hopefully stimulate spending and generate additional revenue for local communities in the…
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China’s manufacturing sector improves during September
PHOTO: China Daily “Caixin said confidence among goods producers was still subdued as worries persisted over the outcome of China-US trade negotiations.” China’s manufacturing sector showed unexpected signs of improvement during September with two indexes showing that manufacturing activity edged up, despite ongoing trade pressures with the US. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the Purchasing Managers’ Index rose…
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Samui airport ‘spy cam’ taken offline after police raid home of British expat
FILE PHOTO: panvimanresortkohphangan.com Police, immigration and airport authorities have closed down a ‘spy cam’ that was providing real-time video of activities at Koh Samui’s Airport. Police headed to a house next to the Koh Samui Airport after complaints that a CCTV camera was recording take-offs and landings at the airport. The authorities deemed that the camera could pose a security risk.…
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Brexit dampens British housing market
“In London, property values dropped by 4% in the first quarter from their level earlier this year, the sharpest drop since 2009 when the global financial crisis was raging.” by Véronique Dupont As Britain’s deadline to leave the EU approaches, property prices have slowed or dropped, especially in London, with sector analysts warning of worse to come if Britain crashes…
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