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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 Planning to extend your Thai visa? Why health insurance is more important than ever
If you plan to stay longer in Thailand, having health insurance is now more important than ever. Thai immigration often asks for proof of medical coverage when you apply to extend your visa. This applies to many types of visas,...
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Island off Pattaya sees 20,000 tourists over weekend
An island off Pattaya well known as a vacation hotspot saw at least 20,000 tourists over the past weekend. The cluster of young and old tourists swarmed to the island of Koh Larn, flocking to its Ta Waen Beach. The tourists enjoyed traditional Thai massage, as well as food, umbrellas, and other services offered at the beach. Pattaya City has…
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Rude passport office director blames customers for system failure making them miss flights
A furious Thai woman complained at one of the nation’s passport offices in Bangkok after she paid 3,000 baht for a special express passport service but still missed her flight. More than 100 people queued at the Department of Consular Affairs in Bangkok until 7pm yesterday with several customers missing their flights because they could not get a passport on time.…
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New moves to criminalise cannabis shrugged off by Anutin
Amid moves to walk back the legalisation of cannabis, Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul shrugged off the attempt to criminalise the herb again. Anutin, who also serves as deputy prime minister, says that the debate over cannabis is decided and done. Opponents of legalisation are pushing for cannabis to be reclassified as a Type 5 narcotic, which would be…
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Northeast Thai teen dies after falling from building
A teenager in northeast Thailand tragically died after falling from his school’s building on November 10. Thai media reported that this recent death came after a few similar cases in Nakhon Ratchasima province this year. The teenager who died was a 14 year old boy. His body was found on the ground next to the school building in the main…
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Press covering APEC treated to free Thai massage
The Thai government has been tripping over itself to put its best foot forward as they host the APEC summit in Bangkok this week. From cracking down on troublesome illegal immigrants, to cleaning up roads and repainting streets, and even poorly-spelt welcome signs, officials are pulling out all the stops. Now, members of the press covering APEC will be treated…
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House fire kills family of 3 and 12 pets in central Thailand
A blazing fire engulfed a house in Pathum Thani province in central Thailand last night killing a couple, their one year old child, and 12 pets. At 1am today, officers from Thanya Buri Police Station were informed of a house fire in Pruksa Village Khlong 8 in Thanya Buri district. Police, firefighters, and rescue workers from the Por Teck Thung…
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Joe Ferrari revealed to have 1.3 billion baht in assets
By now, it is well known that disgraced and murderous Pol Col Thitisan “Joe Ferrari” Utthanaphon amassed a fortune in luxury cars and suspicious wealth. But today, the National Anti-Corruption Commission put a price tag on it: 1.3 billion baht. The staggering net worth was announced as the NACC argues a court appeal should be allowed to confiscate and liquidate his…
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Rare Asian golden cat spotted in northeast Thailand
Yesterday, Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary posted photos on Facebook of a rare Asian golden cat spotted strolling through a road in Chaiyaphum province in northeast Thailand. In the Thai language, the Asian golden cat is called Suea Fai (Fire Tiger). The species is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to habitat loss and…
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Locals queue to get access to their homes during APEC meeting
Residents and workers close to the APEC meeting location, Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC), queued up at Lumphini Police Station yesterday to get official passes to get access to the area. Yesterday was the last day Lumphini Police Station issued passes to residents or those who work in the area. Motorcycle taxis, taxi drivers, and food delivery riders were…
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Cambodian PM Hun Sen contracts Covid-19 prior to APEC Summit in Thailand
The Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen tested positive for Covid-19 today meaning he will not be able to attend the APEC Summit in Bangkok this week as planned. He has had close contact with numerous world leaders in the past week. Hun Sen reported the positive test result this morning after hosting the ASEAN Summit in Cambodia between November…
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Wrong spelling of ‘Welcom’ spotted on APEC banners
Thailand has made great efforts to ensure this week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting goes smoothly, unfortunately, a double gaff by one of the government departments has left the nation red-faced. Dignitaries, VIPs, and visitors to the APEC Summit yesterday were greeted by banners along the Chalong Rat Expressway which read “Welcom to APEC 2022.” But that’s not all. If…
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High hotel occupancy in northern Thai province as golden flowers bloom
There’s been a high hotel occupancy in Thailand’s northern province of Mae Hong Son now that its signature golden flowers are in bloom. The provincial tourism office chief said that hotels and resorts are reporting up to 75% occupancy. This, he said, is a much higher occupancy rate than the rates seen during other times of the year. Tourists are…
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Small earthquake shakes Chiang Rai in northern Thailand
A small earthquake struck along the Thai – Myanmar border in the Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand in the early hours of this morning, according to the Meteorological Department. No injuries or damages have been reported. At 3.38am, the department‘s Earthquake Surveillance Division reported that a 3.2 magnitude earthquake with a depth of 3 kilometres occurred in the Mae Salong…
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US agrees to improve dialogue with China at G20 Summit
It appears United States President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping listened to the sensible words of US Professor Jeffrey Sachs at the G20 Summit in Indonesia yesterday and sat around a table to talk instead of dragging the globe into yet another war. Both presidents met cordially ahead of the summit, in Bali, shook hands, posed for the cameras,…
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Japanese couple’s Lantern Festival romantic marriage proposal ends in drama
A romantic moment during the marriage proposal of a Japanese couple turned into a scary drama. A Japanese man chose the Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai as the location to propose to his loving girlfriend but the romantic moment was almost ruined when low-flying lanterns crashed into them and almost set them on fire. The marriage proposal video…
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Gen Z, Trump, and the US midterm election
With the US midterm election results, Democrats celebrated a narrow victory over Republicans. This was after a Democratic senator won in the state of Nevada, ensuring that Democrats would at least keep a 50-50 majority in the Senate, with VP Kamala Harris holding the deciding tie-breaking vote. The win for Democrats came after the Republicans had hoped for a ‘red-wave’…
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Malaysian tourists host luxury motor show in Thailand’s Betong town
The poor state of Thailand’s roads may have scuppered plans for a group of Malaysian tourists to enjoy a driving tour in their luxury cars but all was not lost as they decided to showcase them for driving enthusiasts instead at a homemade motor show. Thirty-three Malaysian tourists were set for a road trip in the Betong district of Thailand…
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Thai FDA warns against drinking erectile dysfunction coffee
Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned the public against consuming “Gomax Coffee,” a product advertised as treating erectile dysfunction. The FDA said consuming the coffee risks blindness and heart failure. Today, the FDA reported the results of their product testing on “Gomax Coffee” – serial number 122046610023 – produced by PY Intergroup Col, Ltd., in Nonthaburi province and distributed…
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Tourists not keen on travelling to Hong Kong under current restrictions
It was thought that the relaxation of pre-pandemic measures in Hong Kong would see tourists flocking back but that’s not the case. Travel agents in Hong Kong revealed there is still a dearth of visitors to the special administrative region of China despite the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions. Hong Kong travel agencies made known that tourists are coming back in…
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British man warns other after he was was hit on a Pattaya crossing
A British man says he was hit by a motorcycle at a “very dangerous” pedestrian crossing in Pattaya. The man, 69 year old Chris Baker, told The Thaiger that yesterday morning a motorcycle hit him at the crossing from Rompho market to Soi 7. The market is located in the Bang Lamung district. Baker says he suffered a broken tooth,…
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3 teen boys kidnapped, tortured, and forced to perform oral sex by sadistic gang
Three teen boys were kidnapped, tortured, and forced to engage in gay sex against their will at gunpoint by a sadistic gang of teenagers at a house in the Hua Mark area of Bangkok. The victims suffered burns on their penises, were forced to drink urine, take part in oral sex, and fight with each other. Only one offender has been…
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Police arrest man for sexually assaulting two street dogs in Pattaya, Thailand
A Thai man was arrested and detained for sexually assaulting two dogs last night in Pattaya, Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand. Officers from Nong Prue Police Station received a call from a warehouse security guard who said a drunk man was “committing indecent acts” on a dog near the entrance of Soi Nong Mai Kaen 12 in Pattaya’s Nong Prue…
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Police officer talks suicidal Burmese man off bridge
A quick-thinking and compassionate police officer saved the life of a suicidal Burmese man in Bangkok. The Burmese man named Adee climbed onto the ledge of the Petch Uthai Road bridge in downtown Bangkok, distraught and threatening to jump to his death. It was an officer from the Makkasan Police who managed to talk him down. Adee had walked onto…
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SpiceJet launches new direct flight between Thailand and India
Budget Indian airline SpiceJet launched direct flights between Pune in India and Bangkok in Thailand operating four days per week. SpiceJet also flies directly from Bangkok to Delhi and Kolkata. A Boeing 737 will operate the Pune – Bangkok service on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Flight SG 82 will depart from the sprawling Indian city of Pune, just south of…
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Phuket pickup truck racers fined
UPDATE Pickup truck drivers who went viral in a video for racing on a Phuket road last week have been fined. Three racers presented themselves at Phuket City Police Station on Friday and admitted that they were the drivers in the viral clips. The three men have now been fined 2,000 baht each. They are facing charges of causing loud…
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Airlines ask passengers to arrive early for flights during APEC Summit in Bangkok
Passengers flying out of Don Mueang Airport or Suvarnabhumi Airport between November 14-20 should arrive earlier than usual to facilitate delays caused by the APEC Summit which will be held in Bangkok this week. Nok Air requests that passengers arrive at least three hours ahead of their departure time for international flights and two hours ahead of their scheduled departure…
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TAT promotes Thailand on London bus
Tourism officials launched a new campaign promoting sunny Thailand in cloudy London as winter approaches. A London double-decker bus now has the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)’s “amazing THAILAND” logo written across it in pink. Beneath the logo are images of boats in the sea, with the hashtags #AmazingThailand and #AlwaysWarm, as seen in photos by Pattaya Mail. TAT’s new…
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Immigration cracks down on illegal foreigners ahead of APEC
With the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit getting underway, the Immigration Bureau is increasing security at all international airports in Thailand. The crackdown has already netted several foreign scammers hiding out within the kingdom. They are vowing increased scrutiny of those entering the country and a closer watch over suspicious foreigners who are already here. Immigration authorities have already blocked…
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Thailand’s water buffalo raising declared as global agricultural heritage system
Raising water buffalo at the Thale Noi Waterfowl Park in the southern province of Pattalung has been declared a Global Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives proposed a water buffalo raising system at the Thale Noi Waterfowl to the FAO in October last year.…
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PM calls on Thai citizens to help APEC delegates have a smooth summit
Thailand’s Prime Minister is calling on Thais to help APEC delegates have a smooth summit by being good hosts. Prayut Chan-o-cha says the kingdom is ready to host the special summit on November 18. According to Thai PBS World, Prayut asked all parties to ensure orderliness throughout the summit and its related meetings. “This is an event of national importance.”…
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