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.
-
Drunk driver plunges into parked cars in Pattaya, one person seriously injured
PHOTOS & VIDEO: The Pattaya News A man remains in hospital after a drunk driver lost control of his vehicle and plunged into parked vehicles on the other side of the road. Three other vehicles have also been damaged in the early morning incident on Pattaya Sai 3 Road in North Pattaya. Pattaya City Police were notified of the incident…
-
Media reports Bangkok bomb suspects already detained – Thai PM says reports are false
Two men already detained by Bangkok metropolitan police confessed yesterday that they came from the south of the country to plant bombs in Bangkok, the Thai-language Khaosod reported. Photos of the two men appear the same as the two men detained early on Friday morning following the placement of a ‘fake’ bomb at the front of the Royal Thai Police…
-
Hong Kong protesters defy China’s warnings with more rallies
Anti-government protesters kicked off another mass rally yesterday as they defy increasingly stern warnings from China over the unrest that has plunged the city into crisis. The semi-autonomous Chinese financial hub has seen two months of protests and clashes triggered by opposition to a planned extradition law. Emboldened by the early win for the proposed extradition laws to be withdrawn,…
-
Laguna Phuket launch entry-level condos
Laguna Phuket has launched a new entry-level condominium project named SkyPark. Pre-launch pricing ranges from 2.9 to 4.3 million baht for fully furnished units. The SkyPark development has three condominium blocks of approximately 140 units each, so 420 units in all. Unit types start at studios (28 square metres), one-bedroom (30-39 square metres) and two-bedroom (40-60 square metres). Features include rooftop…
-
Thailand and EU prepare for signing of a strategic trade partnership
Thailand and the European Union are ready to sign a draft Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement to promote bilateral trade and investment in the future. Federica Mogherini, an EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and vice chairwoman of the European Commission, met today with PM Prayut Chan-o-cha during her visit to Thailand to attend the ASEAN Plus Foreign…
-
New Airbus A220 drops into Bangkok during Asia Pacific tour
Perfectly timed with Boeing’s woes and uncertainty over its 737 Max aircraft, Airbus is touring the Asia Pacific displaying its new A220-300 jet on a two-week demonstration tour. The new 143 seat aircraft flew executives from leading Thai airlines over Bangkok yesterday to secure some sales, especially Thai Airways who are in the market to freshen up their garage of…
-
3 Bangkok students arrested in connection with yesterday’s bomb blasts
Three Bangkok technical students have been arrested this morning (Saturday) as part of the investigation into the four explosive devices planted in bushes in the middle of Rama 9 Soi 57/1 yesterday. The students were aged 15, 16 and 17. Thai PBS report that the suspects have confessed during initial questioning at Huamark Police Station. The police plant to question the…
-
More tickets go on sale today for the Bangkok theatre performances of The Lion King
Due to high demand, the Bangkok theatre season of The Lion King live at Muangthai Rachadalai Theatre has been extended. Bookings are open for the extended season today. The Lion King is on its way to Thailand for the first time for an exclusive season of performances starting September 14 and will now run until October 27. For more details about…
-
Ranger patrol targeted with roadside bomb in Pattani, two injured
FILE PHOTO – The southern insurgency has killed more than 7,000 in the past two decades Two rangers have suffered injuries in an ambush when insurgents detonated a roadside bomb. The attack was on a patrol unit in Pattani province last night on the main road of Moo 1 village in Tambon Paku in the Thung Yang Daeng district. Police say…
-
Red flags up at Bali Hai – weather warnings for Pattaya area
PHOTO: The red flag warnings at Bali Hai pier are more precautionary than reflecting the weather situation – The Pattaya News Red flags went up at the Bali Hai Pier yesterday warn tour boats about the Thai Meteorological Department’s weather warnings in regard to tropical storm Wipha, currently sitting over northern Vietnam. Tropical Storm Wipha, which formed in the South…
-
Southern insurgents likely behind the Bangkok bombings – Deputy PM Prawit
A meeting of Thai security and intelligence officials last night, chaired by Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan, has determined southern insurgents were likely behind the spate of ‘warning’ bombs that went off around the capital yesterday morning. At the same time they haven’t completely ruled out political motivations despite an attempt by Thailand’s army chief Gen. Apirat Kongsompong to politicise the…
-
All calm in Bangkok following Friday morning’s spate of explosions
The PM says there will be no special laws enacted to respond to yesterday’s bomb blasts around Bangkok. Prayut continues to urge people not to panic and says police will rush to bring the perpetrators to justice. The PM, who is also the defence minister, also ordered police to step up security and appealed for people to report any irregularities…
-
Two city cleaners injured in this morning’s explosions around Bangkok
PHOTO: JS100 Two road sweepers in Suan Luang district were injured in an explosion on Soi Rama 9 57/1, a soi off Rama 9 Road, at 8am this morning. After examining the area, police determined that the explosion was caused by a ping-pong bomb. The bomb was one of multiple small explodsions between 7 and 9am. Read about the rest…
-
HM the Queen makes her first solo speech at Thai Women’s Day
PHOTOS: The Nation Her Majesty Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana has presided over the Thai Women’s Day celebrations at Impact Arena Exhibition and Convention Centre in Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok. The Nation reports that it was the first time Her Majesty addressed the public speaking about her determination to perform her royal duties. “I shall continue, preserve and expand the royal initiations…
-
Currency investors factor in no-deal Brexit as pound flounders
The world’s stock markets and economists think leaving the EU won’t have a sterling outcome. That’s the way the protracted Brexit negotiations are playing out in a slow, drawn out and economically painful rout of the GBP. The British pound hit a two year low of $1.212 against the USD on Tuesday, just another blow for the currency following several…
-
Dams, politics and greed are killing the mighty Mekong River
Original story by Piyaporn Wongruang – The Nation | PHOTO: Sophie et Fred Dr Chainarong Setthachua, a lecturer and ecology expert at Maha Sarakham University, was at a loss when asked to describe the ongoing Mekong crisis. “The most disastrous situation in history.” Little is being done by governments despite recent stories and stark photos of the dried-bed of a major…
-
Thai PM condemns the people behind Bangkok’s bomb explosions – UPDATE
PHOTO: Thai Rath Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has condemned those behind the bombings and Tweeted he had already ordered those responsible to protect the people and take care of injured people in a Tweet at 11.12am. Bombs have gone off around different parts of Bangkok this morning, following a fake bomb being placed in front of the Royal Thai Police…
-
Bombs rock Thai capital Bangkok during peak hour this morning, up to four injuries reported
Details are sketchy at this stage as we try and bring together all he reports coming in. At around 9.17am this morning there was an explosion near a white car parked in front of the Mahanakorn Building near the Chong Nong Si BTS station in the Bang Rak district. There was another explosion in a small flower shop, located under…
-
Four bombs go off around Bangkok this morning, two injured
PHOTO: Fourth explosion was near the entrance to a BTS Four bombs have gone off around different parts of Bangkok this morning, in the wake of a fake bomb placed in front of the Royal Thai Police HQ in Bangkok late last night. The first explosion this morning was in front of a Government Building, Building B, in the Lak…
-
National police chief is going to war with street racers
PHOTO: The almost weekly crackdown on motorcycle street racing around Bangkok. So far measures haven’t worked to curb the activities of the fast & furious Bangkok youth – Bangkok Post Despite weekly reports about late night weekend street racing around parts of Bangkok, and the sophisticated use of social media to promote the events, the national police chief Pol General…
-
Fake bomb left outside Police headquarters in Bangkok – two suspects arrested
FILE PHOTO: Front gate of the Royal Thai Police HQ in Bangkok Two men have been taken off a bus at a checkpoint and arrested early today on suspicion of placing two fake homemade bombs in front of the Royal Thai Police HQ in Bangkok. The Nation reports that they were heading south at the time and already in Chumphon province,…
-
Thailand’s baht is getting stronger, and that’s a problem
Since the beginning of 2018, Thailand’s currency has jumped more than 5% against the US dollar. Year-on-year it’s bounced up nearly 8%. The Thai Central Bank may be forced to cut rates to curb the popular currency. The Thai baht continues to soar against the USD this year, significantly more than many other emerging market currencies. But the flexing Baht muscle…
-
Department ramps up cloud-seeding to ease drought in the Thailand’s northeast
“…he noted that drought in the middle of a wet season is very unusual.” The Department of Rain-making and Agricultural Aviation is stepping up cloud-seeding efforts to help generate much-needed rain for drought areas in the central-north and north-east regions of the country. Some areas need urgent rains to replenish the region’s eight major and 11 medium-sized reservoirs, where water…
-
Report motorcycles riding on footpaths today for a 1,000 baht reward
PHOTO: Daily News Bangkok motorcyclist, riding on footpaths, will be fined 2,000 on-the-spot from today. If someone reports a motorcyclist riding on the footpath they’ll get 1,000 baht fine. Officials doubled the fine and offered the reward after the previous 1,000 baht fine didn’t appear to act as a deterrent. Reports can be made through a Line application, a government…
-
Immigration in Chiang Mai continue crackdown on TM30 infringements
PHOTOS: Naew Na Thai immigration continue to roll out their nationwide crackdown on people failing to report foreigners staying at private addresses with 24 hours, as per the controversial TM30 form, which also applies to resident expats moving around the country for business or pleasure. A house owner in Ton Pao sub-district of San Kamphaeng has been fined after a…
-
Woman abducted at gunpoint in Central Bang Na car park
PHOTOS: Relatives of the victim try and attack the suspect – Daily News A driver working in Bang Na allegedly abducted a woman at gunpoint and forced her to drive to a ‘short time’ hotel. 33 year old Kasira, a cosmetic sales employee, was sitting in her car doing her makeup in the car park of Central Bang Na preparing…
-
Police find 8,400 pills when meth smuggler has car crash
PHOTO: INN News Rule #1 when you are trafficking drugs in your pick-up: Don’t have a crash when Thai police will be visiting the scene of the accident. There was an accident in Tha Pae District, Satun early this morning between 35 year old Wittichai from Phatthalung and 33 year old Pruksa. Wittichai was heading to Satun and Pruksa was…
-
Phuket’s tourist bookings looking good – Diversity is the best option Part 3
by Guest Writer Over the past few months or so, we have read and noted much negativity in the world of tourism to Thailand’s most popular island of Phuket. As everyone is aware, May and June were particularly poor months for most tourism operators and hoteliers with several factors being mentioned to justify the drop which everyone is fully aware…
-
PM holds urgent meetings with Thailand’s economic tsars today
The PM has put himself in control of Thailand’s economic matters nominating himself as Chairman of the Council of Economic Affairs. Today the PM Prayut Chan-o-cha holds talks with top officials of four key economic institutions on the budget bill as the economy, which has been a regional leader over the past decade, stutters. Academics are calling for cuts in military…
-
Stormy weather approaching the Andaman provinces
The Thai Meteorological Department has announced that a regional tropical depression will affect provinces in the Andaman region including Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Trang, Ranong and Satun until August 6. The local ‘Met’ office says that people living in the affected areas should beware of dangers from heavy rain. There will be increasingly large waves in the Andaman sea, expected…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.































