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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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Reimagine with Anantara unveiling the new face of Anantara Chiang Mai Resort
Press Release Anantara Chiang Mai Resort welcomes back travellers from around the world with renovated accommodations and exciting new dining experiences in a prime riverfront setting. With COVID-19 waning, travel to Thailand now back to normal, and Chiang Mai ready to celebrate life once again. Anantara Chiang Mai Resort recently hosted a glamorous evening reception for Lanna royalty, foreign diplomats,…
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Malaysians plan ‘Cannaverse’ on Sukhumvit Road
Malaysian investors want to build a cannabis entertainment centre in Bangkok to open next year. “Cannaverse” will be a private, members-only club with a hotel, swimming pool, weed dispensary, spa, restaurant, and karaoke room on Soi Sukhumvit 33, according to Coconuts. Cannaverse director Aric Ng said that food and beverages will be sold, including both cannabis-infused and weed-free beer. Ng said……
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Why is Diwali important to Indians? The mythology behind the festival
You might have heard of India’s “festival of lights” known as Diwali. Many photos show people who celebrate by holding colourful lanterns, or lighting candles. But what exactly is the festival celebrating? What do the lights symbolise? This year’s Diwali festival is coming up on Monday, October 24, and if you have Indian friends, it might be helpful to understand…
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Bangkok shopping mall will free Bua Noi the captive gorilla for 30 million baht
As famous gorilla Bua Noi nears the end of her expected lifespan inside a decrepit Bangkok shopping mall, Thai government officials are making renewed attempts for her to be released. However, the gorilla’s owner said he will only give her up for 30 million baht. Bua Noi (“Little Lotus”) was brought to Thailand from Germany as a one year old…
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Missing Iranian rock climber hailed as hero upon arrival in Tehran
An Iranian rock climber returned home from an international competition and is being hailed a hero after competing without a hijab. The climber, 33-year-old Elnaz Rekabi, was competing in South Korea and says her headscarf slipped off, posing an obstacle to her during the competition. Previously, fans feared she was in trouble upon returning by Iran’s infamous morality police. But,…
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This South Thailand province’s unexpected beauty will wow you
“We hope to put Pattani on the world tourist map,” tour operator Fareeda Abdullah told Bernama. South Thailand’s Pattani province is not the first place people usually imagine for a holiday getaway. The province often makes headlines for sectarian tensions. But Pattani has an up-and-coming tourism industry. The province boasts breathtaking nature, including a beautiful mangrove forest in the Yarang…
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WHO boss in Syria under investigation for fraud, corruption, abuse
The World Health Organisation Syrian branch representative has been accused of fraud, corruption, and abuse by coworkers. Akjemal Magtymova is now under what seems to be one of the most extensive investigations by the organisation as at least a dozen personnel have accused her of mismanaging millions of dollars, giving gifts to government officials and acting frivolously when the Covid…
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Gambling addict sergeant steals 160 guns to pay off debts
A police sergeant with a gambling addiction faces time in prison after he was arrested for selling state guns to pay off his debts. Senior sergeant major, Chaowarit Phumkajorn, from Pak Kret Police Station in Nonthaburi province, near Bangkok, was arrested at 3pm yesterday in the Isaan province of Nong Khai after reportedly selling about 160 police guns to pay…
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US actor Kevin Spacey cleared in sex assault trial
US actor Kevin Spacey has been cleared of wrongdoing in a sex assault trial in New York. The actor was accused by Anthony Rapp of an incident that allegedly happened back in 1986 when Rapp was just 14 years old. Rapp says the actor climbed on top of him in a bed after a party and grabbed his buttocks, pressing…
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Building in Phuket collapses due to heavy rain
A two-storey building in Phuket collapsed last night due to heavy rain. Fortunately, tenants left the property a day before the incident so no injuries were reported. The demolished building, located in Soi Prayoon 2 in the Talad Yai sub-district, Mueng district, in Phuket, offers 30 rental rooms. Only eight of the rooms were rented at the time of the…
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Officials to seek approval for late closing times in Phuket
Are later closing times finally coming to Phuket? Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports plans to test a 4am closing time on several tourist hotspots, including Phuket’s Bang La Walking Street in Patong, Nation Thailand reported. The ministry will soon seek approval from the Thai Cabinet for the pilot project there, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn announced yesterday. Other…
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Kind Thai woman takes in homeless ladyboy who robs all her stuff
A kind-hearted woman from Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand, took in a homeless ladyboy who had nowhere else to go. After two weeks, the ladyboy left in the middle of the night stealing a car, a motorbike, a TV, an iPhone, gold, and even an electric fan. The victim, 27 year old Nawarat, posted on Facebook offering a big cash…
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Bomb blasts kill eight at Myanmar’s notorious Insein Prison
Parcel bomb blasts killed eight people at Insein Prison on the outskirts of Yangon in Myanmar at 9.40am on Wednesday. Three prison staff and five visitors were killed, according to the Burmese military junta. Five visitors were killed in the explosions, including four women and a 10 year old girl, who were all relatives of political prisoners. Thirteen visitors, including…
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Border cop accused of drug, weapon offences transferred to non-job
The police chief of Narathiwat province has been reportedly transferred to an inactive position at Royal Thai Police (RTP) Headquarters, pending a disciplinary probe into his alleged connections to drug networks operating in the deep south and Malaysia. Pol Maj-General Waesamae Salae is under suspicion of aiding suspects in drug and weapons cases, a news source said on Wednesday. Narathiwat…
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Irish MEP accuses West of state sponsored terrorism
In yet another robust day of geopolitical debate in the European Parliament, another Irish MEP called out the hypocrisy of the West, this time for its state-sponsored terrorism. Following in the footsteps of her MEP colleague Mick Wallace, who on Wednesday slammed the double standards of the West, Clare Daly gave a refreshing account of geopolitics far from the usual…
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Pattaya pool villa suspect’s girlfriend claims boyfriend just came to look around
UPDATE The girlfriend of one of the five Pattaya pool villa suspects claims her boyfriend was just there to look around. The unnamed girlfriend told Pattaya Police that her boyfriend “Rang,” was not involved in the shooting or assault, but was only there to look around because he was a friend of the suspects. Rang’s girlfriend claimed that Rang had…
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It’s in the jeans – Iconic pants mined from rich seam of racism
When a pair of filthy old Levi’s blue jeans dating back to the 1880s was found in an abandoned mine in the former Wild West by self-described “denim archaeologist” Michael Harris, he knew immediately they were something special. The vintage pants were sold at Durango Vintage Festivus, a four-day celebration of denim on the outskirts of Aztec, N.M. for $87,400…
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Liz Truss quits as UK PM after only 44 days
Liz Truss has resigned as UK Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party after less than five weeks in charge. The 47 year old only yesterday said she “was a fighter and not a quitter” at Prime Minister’s Questions but she has resigned after only 44 days as the UK PM. Truss said she could not deliver the mandate…
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PM 2.5 pollution is on the rise in Thailand, warns health official
Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 pollution is on the rise in Thailand, especially in Bangkok, warns Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health Dr Opas Karnkawinpong. PM 2.5 particulates are tiny dust particles so small that thousands of them can fit into one full stop. Inhaling PM 2.5 is detrimental to human health as the minuscule particles travel deep into…
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Pattaya pool villa gunmen surrender
UPDATE The five gunmen who allegedly opened fire at a Pattaya pool villa on Tuesday last night surrendered to police, The Pattaya News reported. The first three men to turn themselves in were 23 year old Saralan “Top” Yodthat, 24 year old Boonrit “Chooi” Chitma, and 29 year old Jirarot “Rang” Wattana. Police seized a Glock 19 handgun and two…
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Pattaya’s efforts to get tough on graffiti not going so well
Pattaya’s efforts to get tough on graffiti don’t appear to be going so well. The city’s Deputy Mayor Manote Nongyai promised on September 30 that he would go after vandals and people plastering advertisements on public property. Nongyai had said that electrical transformer cabinets around Pattaya were being defaced by spray paint and advertisements. But three weeks on, the intended…
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Thailand to combat its methamphetamine crisis with cannabis
Thailand is going to attempt to fix its methamphetamine crisis with another formally-illegal drug, cannabis. In a recent study, meth addicts in Thailand were given CBD oil under their tongues to treat withdrawal symptoms, and the results were promising. Today, acting Director General of the Medical Department Dr Thongchai Kiratthihathayakhon said that methamphetamine is “Thailand’s biggest problem.” Meth-induced psychosis is…
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Iran making moves to help train Russian forces, US sources say
US intelligence sources say Iran is making moves to help train Russian forces in Crimea, CNN reported. The Islamic Republic sent military personnel to Crimea, a territory occupied by Russia, according to two intelligence sources. The sources say Iran’s military personnel are training Russia’s military on the use of Iranian-made drones. This news comes after Russia launched “kamikaze drones” into…
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Trump answers questions over alleged rape of journalist
Former US President Donald Trump yesterday answered questions under oath about the alleged rape of a journalist in the mid-1990s. The US journalist, author, and columnist, Elizabeth Jean Carroll, alleges she was raped in the Bergdorf Goodman luxury department store in New York in the mid-1990s. Carroll discusses the reported assault in her book, What Do We Need Men For?:…
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“Interview” with Iranian climber believed to be forced confession
A video interview with an Iranian climber who competed in Korea without her hijab is believed to be one of the Islamic Republic’s notorious forced confessions. Forced confessions are a tactic the Iranian government uses against journalists, activists, and others who deviate from Iran’s strict religious laws. In the interview with 33 year old Elnaz Rekabi on the state media…
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Ganja galore: Over 1,000 cannabis clinics have opened this year in Thailand
It is ganja galore as Thailand has seen over 1,000 cannabis clinics open this year alone. According to Bangkok Post, the public health ministry noted that out of 1,026 clinics opened this year, 929 are run directly by the ministry. But, to prevent unwanted consequences of the plant’s legalisation, the ministry says such clinics are also doubling as research units.…
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India issues licenses for nasal Covid-19 vaccine
With Covid-19 under control to some extent, preventing transmission is the aim of next-generation vaccines. Many believe those vaccines will be delivered through a nasal inhaler. The mode of delivery could stop transmission by creating immunity where the virus enters the body. India already has a nasal vaccine, though its effectiveness is unknown, and it was designed in the US.…
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Phuket police say residents should avoid Patong
Phuket’s floods are continuing to ravage the island province. Phuket police are urging residents to stay at home unless they have an emergency. The police also say that Phuket dwellers should avoid going to Patong, The Phuket Express reported. The road leading to Patong Hill suffered from a landslide last night, and another one this morning. Police had to redirect…
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Illegal immigrants sneak into Thailand in modified pickup truck
Police were stunned when they found two illegal immigrants squeezed under the cargo bed of a modified pickup truck in Tak province, northern Thailand, yesterday. As KhaoSod put it, “nice idea, but illegal.” A “spy” informed the police that two Thai men in a pickup truck were carrying illegal immigrants who had just snuck across the border from Myanmar into Thailand.…
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Out of the shadow – India’s Congress Party appoints non-Gandhi president
India’s Congress Party has appointed its first president in 24 years who is not from the Gandhi dynasty, to reverse its collapse in popularity and take on the apparently unassailable BJP. Octogenarian Mallikarjun Kharge, a flunky at the decadent court of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty which rules the party, defeated rival Shashi Tharo, a stripling at a mere 66 years of…
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