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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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Sponsored 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...
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Bryde’s whales delight tourists at Bang saen Beach, Chon Buri
The tranquil shores of Bang Saen Beach in Chon Buri’s Saensuk district experienced a buzz of excitement yesterday when three Bryde’s whales, including a mother and her two calves, were spotted near Wonnapha Beach. Captured on a mobile phone by local fishermen, the video showed the whales playfully pursuing small fish, with seagulls diving for escaping prey adding to the…
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Thai US tax talks stall as Vietnam races ahead
Thailand’s hopes of clinching a breakthrough tax agreement with the United States have hit a stumbling block, leaving officials scrambling for solutions—and exporters nervously watching from the sidelines. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira admitted yesterday, July 4, that the much-anticipated deal remains out of reach despite days of high-level negotiations in Washington. Speaking during a stopover in…
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Thailand’s interior minister launches nationwide anti-drug campaign
Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has committed to a comprehensive nationwide campaign to address narcotics, crime syndicates, and mafia-style figures, highlighting the drug crisis as a significant threat to national security. Phumtham, currently acting as prime minister, outlined these policies to senior ministry officials and provincial governors across the country on his inaugural day at the Ministry of Interior. He underscored…
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Foreign worker crackdown: 17 nabbed in Chon Buri street job sting
It was a morning of raids, arrests and shocked shopfronts as Thai police swooped in on street vendors and salons suspected of illegally employing foreign workers. The Chon Buri Employment Office, led by Phuwakorn Toshingkhon, teamed up with the Provincial Labour Office under Chalermphon Niamsakul and the Internal Security Operations Command yesterday, July 4, to launch a sweeping inspection operation…
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RTAF helicopter makes emergency landing on school field
It was a day the children of Roi Et will never forget—when a roaring Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) helicopter swooped out of a stormy sky and touched down right on their school field. The drama unfolded on Thursday afternoon, July 3, at Ban Kham Pha-Ung School, Pracharat Bamrung, in Pho Chai district. According to the school’s official social media…
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Thailand denies imminent artefact return to Cambodia
Suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has refuted claims that Thailand is on the verge of transferring 20 ancient artefacts to Cambodia. Yesterday, July 4, speaking as the new culture minister, Paetongtarn clarified that 23 artefacts were returned to Cambodia in 2015 following confirmation of their origins. Although the Cabinet approved in principle the return of another 20 artefacts related to…
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Burmese duo busted after luxury handbag theft in Patong
It was a brazen late-night grab that stunned beachgoers—but police didn’t take long to track down the culprits. Patong Police have arrested two Burmese suspects accused of snatching a luxury handbag from a tourist in the early hours along Patong Beach. The arrest took place yesterday, July 4, when officers swooped on a property at 122/4 Soi Prom Phriang, in…
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Ranong drug bust: Fishermen caught in boat crackdown
A sweeping crackdown on drugs among Ranong’s fishing fleet has exposed a troubling undercurrent of substance abuse, with nearly 40 workers testing positive in just four days. Yesterday, July 4, Marine Police in Ranong province joined forces with a network of agencies to root out drug use aboard local fishing boats. The coordinated operation, part of the so-called White Fishing…
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Thai Mercedes-Benz driver allegedly slaps student over parking dispute
A Mercedes-Benz driver allegedly slapped a female university student during a parking dispute outside a convenience store on Soi Sukhumvit 62 in Bangkok. The student shared a video on social media showing her and her boyfriend engaged in a heated argument with the driver. In the video caption, she wrote, “Wealthy Mercedes-Benz driver slaps university student in Soi Sukhumvit 62.”…
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Ubon Ratchathani police arrest 4 for violent assault on woman
Police in Ubon Ratchathani apprehended four men on charges related to a violent assault involving a 65 year old woman. The suspects allegedly attacked the woman with an iron object during a dispute. Police Lieutenant General Wathana Yijeen, commander of Region 3, and Police Major General Patiyut Singsamorot of the Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Police, announced the arrest of 27 year…
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Bangkok gibbon smuggling busted at India’s Chennai Airport
Chennai Airport has become the frontline in a bizarre wildlife trafficking saga after customs officers intercepted a passenger trying to smuggle two endangered gibbon monkeys from Bangkok — the second such brazen attempt in just two weeks. The passenger, who arrived on a Thai Airways flight in the early hours of Tuesday, July 1, aroused suspicion among customs sleuths. When…
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Man found dead in idling car at Udon Thani petrol station
Shoppers at a quiet Udon Thani petrol station were left reeling after a grim discovery early this morning: a man found dead inside his car, which had been running non-stop for nearly 17 hours. Emergency services rushed to the scene in Nong Han district after a stunned cleaner raised the alarm. “I came in at 7am and saw the same…
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Thailand and Bhutan join forces for sustainable tourism push
Thailand is rolling out the green carpet for Bhutan as the two nations team up to redefine what sustainable tourism can look like. In a landmark exchange last month, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) hosted a high-level delegation from Bhutan’s Department of Tourism and the Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators for four days of hands-on learning and collaboration. “This…
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App chaos: Half-Half travel scheme stalls, millions left stranded
Thailand’s Half-Half travel scheme descended into chaos after a failed registration rollout left travellers locked out and scrambling for subsidies. Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong faced the music today, July 4, admitting on the Inside Thailand programme that the Half-Half Thai Travel campaign was plagued with system failures from day one. “The problems began immediately,” Sorawong said. “Users couldn’t…
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Thai woman confronts stranger for sneaking clothes into her washing machine
A Thai woman took to social media to expose a female stranger at a self-service laundry who tried to save money by sneaking her clothes into the victim’s washing machine, ultimately forcing the victim to cover the cost. The TikTok user, @hesatopperformer, shared a video of a heated argument between the two women at a laundrette. The location and date…
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Andaman manhunt: Bomb suspects vanish, truck seized
Thailand’s tourist heartlands are still reeling after last month’s coordinated bomb attacks in Krabi, Phang Nga and Phuket and the manhunt to catch the suspects is far from over. Police have now arrested five of the 20 suspects believed to be behind the shocking explosions that sent locals and holidaymakers scrambling for cover in the Andaman coastal provinces. Fifteen suspects…
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River on the rampage: Chiang Rai braces for dangerous floods
Chiang Rai residents were jolted awake by urgent phone alerts today as local officials warned the Sai River was set to burst its banks, threatening to inundate homes and businesses across four communities. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) confirmed that water levels have been steadily climbing at monitoring stations in Myanmar’s Jotada and near Thailand’s 1st Friendship…
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HIV and let die: Over half a million infected in Thailand outbreak
Thailand’s HIV crisis is back in the spotlight after health chiefs revealed more than half a million people in the kingdom are living with the virus and over 13,000 new infections were recorded this year alone. The Department of Disease Control (DDC) confirmed on July 1 that a staggering 547,556 people in Thailand have tested positive for HIV to date,…
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Thai man dies after seeking help with mysterious cut wounds in Bangkok
Mystery surrounds the death of a Thai man who sought help from locals in Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district, bearing several deep cut wounds, before tragically losing his life. Officers from Chorakhe Noi Police Station rushed to the side of Luang Phaeng–Chachoengsao Road in Lat Krabang on Wednesday, July 2, after being alerted about a seriously injured Thai man. Sadly, the…
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Phuket’s billion-baht bet: New cruise port promises tourism boom
To prove that it’s more than just one of Thailand’s most popular holiday hotspots, Phuket is poised to become Southeast Asia’s cruise capital. The island has unveiled its gleaming new cruise terminal at Ao Makham Port, a project officials believe will supercharge tourism and catapult Phuket onto the itineraries of the world’s biggest cruise lines. The facility, which opened its…
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Tomorrowland hits Thailand: Chon Buri to host mega festival
Thailand is about to crank up the volume. The world’s most famous electronic dance festival, Tomorrowland, is finally coming to Asia — and Chon Buri is set to become the epicentre of a billion-baht party. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), confirmed the blockbuster news this week. “Tomorrowland has decided to choose Chonburi Province, Thailand, for…
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Thai woman injured as iron rods fly off pickup on Khon Kaen road
A Thai woman sustained serious injuries and received eight stitches after iron rods slid off a pickup and pierced her head while she was riding a motorcycle in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen. Thai social media users widely shared dashcam footage of the incident, sparking panic among motorists, particularly motorcyclists. The video depicts the woman parking her motorcycle near…
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From pests to baht: Thailand’s monitor lizards set to make a killing
Monitor lizards, one of Thailand’s most fearsome protected reptiles, are set to go from wild pests to wallet-fillers, after the government announced plans to flog them for just 500 baht a pop. Officials confirmed that only licensed buyers will be allowed to buy the parent stock, which will be sold by the Department of National Parks (DNP) and come complete…
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Coup freeze or countdown? Thailand’s military walks tightrope
Thailand’s military top brass says the era of tanks rolling through Bangkok is over, at least for now. But as political chaos looms, sceptics wonder if history could yet repeat itself. After nine months steering the Defence Ministry, Phumtham Wechayachai insists the armed forces are shedding their old ways. “The mindset of military leadership has evolved,” he said. “They want…
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Bar from grace: British man gets 21 years for human trafficking
A British man has been reportedly sentenced to 21 years in prison after being found guilty of human trafficking at a notorious Pattaya bar, Bangkok Criminal Court heard. William Bilton originally from Barrow-in-Furness, was the manager of Flirt bar, a venue in Soi 6 of the seaside resort of Pattaya, when police raided it two years ago and hauled off dozens…
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New marine protection zones established around Koh Phayam
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has introduced new marine and coastal protection zones around Koh Phayam in Ranong. The initiative aims to safeguard the area’s rich biodiversity from the growing environmental challenges posed by tourism, fishing, and coastal development. Environment Minister Chalermchai Sri-on declared the implementation of a fresh ministerial regulation for the region. Published in the Royal…
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Thailand Video News | Thailand to require cannabis shops to become clinics under new law, Russian MMA fighter shocked during victory celebration at weed boxing event
Thailand is tightening cannabis laws, requiring dispensaries to register as medical clinics. Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul has dismissed interim PM rumours amid political uncertainty. Pattaya is promoting itself in Japan through the Osaka roadshow, while safety concerns arose after a Russian MMA fighter was electrocuted during a Weed Boxing Championship. A Thai sapodilla ice cream won top honours at the…
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Foreign tourists slammed for urinating on Pattaya Beach
A Thai man publicly exposed foreign tourists, believed to be Indian nationals, by sharing a video on social media of them urinating on Pattaya Beach in the early hours of yesterday, July 3. The man posted the video to his Facebook account, แอ้นท์ สุรีศรี เรืองสุขสุด, with the caption, “For those who always spoil foreigners. See it for yourself. Free visa!”…
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Thai massage slammed after tourist breaks out in pus-filled bumps
A US doctor has slammed Thailand’s backstreet rubdown scene after a tourist’s cheap Thai massage turned into a festering medical horror show. Dr Joe Whittington, an emergency physician from California, issued a stark warning to travellers after a man paid just US$5 (around 180 baht) for a leg massage in a grimy alleyway and woke up the next morning covered…
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Casino bill meltdown: Government on brink amid public fury
Thailand’s controversial casino bill to legalise vast entertainment complexes could collapse, as ministers rush to ease public outrage and political divisions. The government is now widely expected to withdraw the Entertainment Complex Bill from the House agenda, just days before MPs are set to meet on July 9. Chousak Sirinil, Minister attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, revealed yesterday, July…
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