News
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 Bangtao, Phuket: The neighbourhood expats and investors are eyeing in 2025
Bangtao didn't become Phuket’s most talked-about neighbourhood overnight. For a long time, it was a quiet place on the island’s west coast where locals walked their dogs at sunrise and tourists flocked to sunbathe along its eight-kilometre stretch of beach....
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THAI jumbo skids off Suvarnabhumi runway while landing
A Thai Airways International plane, inbound from Guangzhou, China skidded off a runway while landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport in heavy rain last night. Flight Lieutenant Pratthana Pattanasirim, THAI’s director of security and flight standard division, said no one was injured when THAI Flight TG 679 skidded off the runway. The Boeing 747-400 was carrying 97 passengers and 18 crew. The…
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Go Teng poles raised, Phuket Vegetarian Festival underway
Vegetarian Festival participants raised Go Teng poles at every Chinese shrine in Phuket yesterday afternoon. The 2018 Phuket Vegetarian Festival is now open and underway. Phuket Governor Pakkapong Tawipat attended the pole raising at the Jui Tui shrine to allow the Jade Emperor, one of the Nine Emperor Gods, to descend from the heavens – marking the start of the 2018 festivities.…
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Tourists flock to Doi Inthanon for the morning mists
Tourists are heading for the hills to enjoy the first of the season’s cold snaps in northern Thailand. Both domestic and international have have been flocking to Chiang Mai’s Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s highest mountain, to enjoy the start of the cooler temperatures, dipping as low as 7 degrees Celsius. The Jom Thong district of Chiang Mai province experiences temperatures of…
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Hunt for teen gangs involved in Sunday night shootout
Sunday night’s random shootout in Bangkok and the death of an Indian tourist has shocked the city. Police are on the hunt for two groups of teenagers they believe were involved in the brawl that ended up in a shootout in a Bangkok hotel car park. The melee and shootout has left one Indian tourist dead and five others injured.…
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Suspect drove off Patong Hill after killing wife
A man, who bashed his wife’s head against the wall, killing her, sustained serious injuries after driving a car, colliding with a motorbike and careering over the side of Patong hill yesterday around midday. The man has been identified as 42 year old Bancha Jaijan from Nan in northern Thailand. Kathu Police were notified that a woman had been killed at…
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Police tracking down suspects after BKK city centre shootout
by Kornkamol Aksorndej Police are seeking arrest warrants for several men following a shootout that killed one tourist and injured four people in central Bangkok today (Sunday). The shooting, involving the use of military weapons, has shocked the nation and harmed the image of the country and its tourism industry. “The foreigners killed and injured in the shooting are innocent…
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Suspected insurgent killed during Songkhla shootout
A suspected insurgent was shot dead in Songkhla’s Thepha district early today (Monday) after Army troops, rangers and police joined forces to try to arrest the man. The operation at 1am in Moo 3 village in Tambon Sakom also resulted in the arrest of two other suspected insurgents. Police identified the slain suspect as 40 year old Hamadaho Semsun who…
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Two injured in midday Patong Hill collision
Two people have been injured in a Patong Hill accident today. Kathu Police were notified of the accident just before noon. Police and rescue workers arrived to discover a Toyota Vios sedan 80 metres down then side of Patong Hill in a rubber plantation. The driver was stuck inside the car. Rescue workers had to free him before transferring the…
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Thailand Yacht Show & Rendezvous now joined by the Phuket Yacht Show
ONE united yacht show will now present next January in Phuket. Event organisers have united to show support for the yachting industry and Thai Government’s drive to make Thailand the yachting hub of Asia. Phuket’s one and only boat show is to be called “Thailand Yacht Show & Rendezvous.” In a joint statement issued today by Andy Treadwell, CEO of…
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Two suspects surrender to police
Two suspects, involved in the weekend’s Thalang murder, have surrendered to Chalong police after arrest warrants were issued. Read more about the crime that shocked the Thalang community HERE. The two suspects have been named as 20 year old Sutat Saarddee from Nakhon Si Thammarat while the driver’s name is 21 year old Jeerapong Jongchitklang from Nakhon Ratchasima. The arrest…
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Maya Bay compromise: “We’ll meet halfway”
The scientists say Maya Bay must remain closed until it has recovered from the rampant tourist ‘love’ and protective walkways and new landing piers can be constructed on the other side of Koh Phi Phi Ley. Tour operators say they’re going to suffer with the loss of the region’s most popular tourist attraction from their daily schedules. Krabi tourism stakeholders,…
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Unidentified body found in Phuket condo
Police are trying to identify a man who was found dead in a condominium in Wichit. Wichit Police were notified that the body of man was found in a room at a condominium in Ao Makham. Police arrived at the room on the first floor to find the body of a caucasian man, aged around 30-40 year old and wearing…
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Police hunting for suspects involved in Thalang murder
Phuket police are now hunting for two suspects they believe were involved in shooting a man to death in Thalang on Saturday. Thalang Police were notified that a man was seriously injured after being shot near Tesco Lotus Baan Don Branch on Baan Don – Cherng Talay Road in Thalang. Police arrived to find blood on the floor at the…
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Senior official arrested over alleged poaching in Kanchanaburi
A new group has been arrested following alleged poaching in a Kanchanaburi national park, again involving high profile officers. A group, including a deputy district chief, who allegedly camped out overnight and shot a ‘binturong‘ at the Sai Yok National Park in Kanchaburi province over the weekend, has been arrested. An informed source said park officials checked the group after…
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Mu Pa 13 get a warm welcome at Youth Games in Argentina
PHOTO: Mu Pa, who were rescued from Tham Luang cave in Thailand, stand during the Opening Ceremony of The Youth Olympic Games, in Buenos Aires, Argentina – EPA “When they arrived at the Buenos Aires international airport, liaisons of international athletes waiting for their teams at the airport also greeted them warmly.” The 13 members of the Mu Pa football…
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Hands off Maya Bay
In one corner, marine scientists and biologists who are urging the government to keep Maya Bay closed as it struggles to rehabilitate following years of tourism abuse. In the other, local tour operators who say that the region’s main money-spinner has been taken away from them affecting their pockets and the many people they employ. Meanwhile Maya Bay is slowly…
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Innocent health volunteer shot dead in Pattani
A village health volunteer has been shot dead after a shooting last night in Pattani’s Thung Yang Daeng district. 52 year old Abdulloh Bahoh was on his way to pick up his wife at a market when he was shot three times in the head. Witnesses told police he pulled over where several unidentified men were gathered and words were…
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Thai economy’s growth in 2018 projected at 4.5% – World Bank
Things are looking up for more economic smiles in the Land of Smiles with more positive news coming out of the World Bank. Projections are being revised upward, again. The World Bank says it’s adjusted its projections for Thailand’s economic growth upward, for the whole of 2018, to 4.5%, from the previous projection of 4.1%. The announcement comes from Kiattiphong…
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Vegetarian Festival price gouging arrives ahead of tomorrow’s festival
Vegetable prices have climbed up by a few baht per kilo ahead of the Chinese Vegetarian Festival, which will officially kick off tomorrow, principally in Phuket and Bangkok. Vendors at a fresh market in Bangkok believed vegetable prices would soar even higher during the festival, which runs up to October 17.The price of a kilo of celery, which cost around…
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Marquez beats Dovizioso in Buri Ram MotoGP thriller
PHOTOS: Naratip Golf Srisupab/SEALs Sports Images by Lerpong Amsa-ngiam Marc Marquez of Honda narrowly beat arch-rival Andrea Dovizioso of Ducati to win the inaugural MotoGP Thailand at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram this afternoon (Sunday). Over 100,000 fans were treated with neck-and-neck battle between the two current leaders on the Championship standing but in the end it was the talented…
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18 years of internet growth in Asia
Sourced from DataLEADS – Asia News Network The internet continues to grow swiftly in all parts of the world. Asia continues to show impressive growth trends in the last eighteen years although there are still many pockets in south east asia that need improved access to the www. To say that access to the internet has made a profound change to…
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Pattaya’s hotel performance rebounds as EEC drives positive market sentiment
Domestic tourism growth outshines Mainland China and Russia source business Thailand’s second largest tourism market, Pattaya has pushed through the glass ceiling from the volatility hangover of the 2014 era, with its hotel sector now showing strong signs of rising stability. According to the latest available data, strong demand from the Thai domestic sector accounted for 38% of hotel guests…
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Two Vietnamese return to the scene of the crime and get arrested
Two Vietnamese men have been arrested at a Bangkok shopping mall for allegedly pickpocketing a German tourist and stealing 2,300 Euro (87,000 baht) back in July. Police said the two men, aged 38 and 36, were arrested while apparently looking for more easy targets at the Terminal 21 shopping mall in Bangkok’s Vadhana district. The two have been accused of…
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MotoGP Day Two – Marc Marquez grabs pole position
Johann Zarco (5) of France and Monster Yamaha Tech 3 in Turn 3 during FP3 at the MotoGP PTT Thailand Grand Prix 2018, Chang International Circuit, Thailand on October 06, 2018. PHOTO: Naratip Golf Srisupab/SEALs Sports Images MotoGP championship leader Marc Marquez grabbed pole position in the inaugural Thailand Grand Prix Saturday, just ahead of Italian great Valentino Rossi. The…
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250,000 baht in a day. Patong’s para-sailing business.
Following the death of Australian 70 year old businessman, Roger Hussey, in July 2017, and the subsequent investigation and promises for a ‘crackdown’ on the local parasailing industry, things appear to have settled back to ‘normal’. Again. Read about the tragic death of Mr. Hussey HERE. We have nothing against good people doing business in their own country. Most of…
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Ranong Ranger killed in suspected grenade blast
A Ranong ranger has been killed by a grenade blast at his official residence in the Muang district last night. Ranong is a five hour drive, north of Phuket, and borders Myanmar. 35 year old Sgt Supatthanachai Makprasit from the Narathiwat-based 48th Ranger Regiment, died from his injuries after being taken to Ranong Hospital. He had been involved in maintaining…
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Japan tops Thailand as Chinese tourists’ top choice for Golden Week
Watch out Thailand. Japan is stealing our tourists. Japan has now overtaken Thailand as Chinese vacationers’ top choice for the 2018 Chinese Golden Week holiday. This according to Ctrip.com, one of the biggest travel websites in China. This is the first time Thailand has lost its top destination status to Japan during the holiday season which expect at least 7…
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Three alternatives to Maya Bay
“Stop complaining and take tourists somewhere else – National Park officials.” National parks officials, looking after the Phi Phi islands, say there are plenty of other great locations to visit besides just Koh Phi Phi Ley’s Maya Bay. They were responding to complaints from both tourists and tour operators. Tour operators say that the move to indefinitely close the famous…
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How is Phuket’s tsunami alert system working?
Last week’s Palu tsunami on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, has brought out some raw emotions again in Phuket and prompted questions as to whether the local alarm system is working properly – onshore and offshore. Tim Newton visited Patong Beach to check out the local systems and some of the facts behind tsunamis in the region… https://www.facebook.com/thethaigernews/videos/291301938153535/
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Thailand MotoGP starts today in Buri Ram
PHOTO: Jorge Lorenzo (99) of Spain and Ducati Team in Turn 7 during FP2 at the MotoGP PTT Thailand Grand Prix 2018, Chang International Circuit, Thailand on October 05, 2018. Naratip Golf, Srisupab/SEALs Sports Images The ‘PTT Thailand Grand Prix 2018’ MotoGP is being held from today until Sunday, October 7, at the Chang International Circuit in Buri Ram, north-east Thailand.…
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