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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 Why health insurance costs more each year and how expats in Thailand can save more money
Each year, many expats living in Thailand see their health insurance premiums go up and often without a clear reason. This can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to plan your budget. But by understanding why prices rise and learning...
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Beware of the byte: Elderly Thai man’s online fake teeth buy bites back with laughable consequences
The pitfalls of online shopping were once again brought into the spotlight after an elderly man was duped into purchasing a set of fake teeth that turned out to be unusable, laughably plastic in appearance. The incident, shared on TikTok by the user @tuttapan1329 on August 6, sparked a wider conversation about the risk of buying less-than-authentic goods online, which…
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Patong gunfire: Prime suspect in the incident nabbed after intense manhunt
In a recent development in the ongoing investigation into a street shooting that occurred on the morning of August 3 in Patong, Phuket, police arrested the prime suspect. Two men were injured during the gunfire incident and are currently receiving medical care at Patong Hospital. An arrest warrant was issued for 34 year old Nattapong Nachom on Friday, August 4…
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Thai man found dead on roadside after searching for runaway girlfriend
Relatives discovered the dead body of a Thai man close to a roadside canal along the Bypass Road in Nakhon Nayok province central Thailand. The dead man had reportedly been in search of his runaway girlfriend before the grim discovery took place. Upon being informed of the incident, officers from Pak Plee Police Station swiftly arrived at the scene to…
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Thailand’s space dreams: Lifting off into high-tech horizons with spaceport ambitions
In an exhilarating bid to broaden its horizons and step into the global platform of high tech exploration and innovation, Thailand declared its ambitious plans to construct a spaceport. Undertaken under the vigilant eyes of the interim Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, the initiative exhibits strong determination and has the potential to offer extensive economic benefits including around 400 job…
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Explosion in Yala and Sungai Kolok districts results in two injuries
In an explosion that shook the districts of Sungai Kolok in Narathiwat and Mueang in Yala on Saturday night, Royal Thai Police (RTP) are currently on the hunt for the individuals behind the incident that left two innocent bystanders injured. The explosion in Sungai Kolok resulted in no causalities, whilst its counterpart in Yala left two innocent bystanders injured, reported…
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Firestarter housemaid: Thai police uncover shocking twist in theft and Bangkok blaze case
In a surprising revelation following a fire incident, the Royal Thai Police (RTP) confirmed that a housemaid, a long-standing occupant of the damaged property, was indeed the criminal behind the theft and subsequent fire outbreak. Unforeseen by the homeowners, the incident came to light following investigations by the local police. The fire broke out yesterday, August 6, in one of…
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Rice prices skyrocket in Thailand due to drought effects and export ban
A meeting is set to be convened today by Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit evaluating the repercussions of the drought instigated by the El Niño weather occurrence, and potential courses of action in response to the surge in rice prices. Concurrently, the Commerce Ministry under the watchful eyes of Wattanasak Sur-iam, chief of the Internal Trade Department, is monitoring good prices,…
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Arun Plus aims for profitability with Thailand’s growing EV demand
National oil and gas conglomerate, PTT Plc, is forecasting that its subsidiary company, Arun Plus Co, is likely to attain profitability in the next three to five years, fostered by higher demand from Thai drivers for electric vehicles (EVs). Arun Plus was founded three years prior when PTT ventured into the EV sector as part of its futuristic energy plan.…
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Hua Hin Airport upgrade to attract tourists and boost Thai economy
In a move poised to encourage tourism, Hua Hin Airport, operated by the Department of Airports (DoA), is set for a vast upgrade that will escalate it to international status, as confirmed by acting director Rattapol Charoenphon recently. The Hua Hin Airport has already made significant strides towards this goal, extending its runway to reach a length of 2.1 kilometres…
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Food safety fears triggered in China’s Shaanxi region as rat found in noodle bowl
A mystifying episode at a restaurant in the Shaanxi region of China sparked concerns over food safety. A customer shockingly discovered an entire rat carcass nestled in their bowl of noodles, leading to the temporary closure of the establishment for reassessment. Formally reported on August 3, the customer had ordered a large bowl of noodles at a local Shaanxi restaurant, only…
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Transgender identity revelation: Social worker’s love for accident victim unravels a journey of self discovery
A 40 year old man met with an accident, left helpless in a hospital before he was fortunately cared for by a 63 year old woman. Their affection escalated leading to a marriage, only then he discovered she wasn’t a woman, leading to an unexpected transgender identity revelation. The story of 63 year old Kalin, a dedicated social worker frequently…
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Public misconduct: Elderly woman removed from Chinese train for occupying three seats
Drama unfolded on a Chinese train when an elderly woman refused to give up occupying three seats, signifying public misconduct. Despite other passengers’ concerns and the attempts of the train staff, the woman clung to her self-imposed entitlement, ultimately leading to her removal from the train. In the province of Liaoning, China, an elderly woman was found sprawled out, claiming…
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UPDATE: Kayak found as Spanish chef admits disposing body of lover off coast
In an update in the ongoing murder investigation, a kayak, speculated to be used by a Spanish chef to dispose of his former Colombian surgeon lover’s dismembered body parts, was discovered on Saturday off the coast of Koh Pha Ngan, stated the police. The chef, 29 year old Daniel Sancho Bronchalo is the descendant of several prominent Spanish actors, is…
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Thai Mother’s Day long holiday weekend brings TikTok FoodFest to Pattaya
If it feels like Thai banks and government services are closing all the time, the upcoming long holiday weekend will feel like deja vu following almost directly on the heels of the just-concluded super-long holiday weekend. Thai Mother’s Day, coinciding with the 91st birthday of the Queen Mother, will be highly celebrated on August 12, saturating the city in hues…
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Manchester United, Buriram United top football favourites in Thai pre-season survey
As the fervent anticipation for the 2023-24 football season begins to resonate amongst fans in Thailand, a recent survey divulges that Manchester United from the English Premier League, and Buriram United from Thai League 1, are the crowd favourites. This comes from a research study conducted by the renowned National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA). The study, which ran between…
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Oil slicks threatens Phuket beaches, authorities seek culprits
In the Thalang district of Phuket island, the beautiful scenery was marred by the unexpected appearance of oil slicks and tar balls along four beaches. These are being carefully removed from the coastline of the Sirinat National Park by a mix of residents and authorities. The cleanup started on Friday after an alert was raised by the Layan Beach station…
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Spanish chef brutally murders Colombian partner in Thai island horror
On the island of Koh Pha Ngan, located in the southern province of Surat Thani, a horrifying crime unwrapped as a Spanish chef confessed to the brutal murder and dismemberment of his Colombian partner. The crime was alleged to have taken place before the culprit dumped the body fragments in trash bags discovered in a local landfill and into the…
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Car bomb shock in Narathiwat: No casualties as police close district (video)
In Narathiwat, a car bomb detonation led to the temporary closure of a region surrounding the location of a police base situated in Sungai Kolok district. The blast last night fortunately did not result in any injuries or deaths. The incident took place close to Orakan intersection, in proximity to both a rail route and the ad hoc police stronghold…
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Pheu Thai Party confides challenges in forming new Thai coalition government
In an evolving political landscape where the constitution, power structures and group conflicts have become major challenges, the Pheu Thai Party acknowledged that manoeuvring the formation of a new coalition government is far from simple. According to Pheu Thai’s Deputy Leader, Phumtham Wechayachai, the party has to remain committed and steadfast in its approach to lead the nation out of…
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Thai health ministry plans dental hospital in each province to boost care access
In a bid to tackle the absence of adequate oral health facilities, Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has unveiled a plan to establish a dental hospital in each of the country’s 77 provinces. Dr Opas Kankawinpong, the ministry’s permanent secretary, underscored the urgent need for increased dental care coverage during a seminar, highlighting that with the current number of dentists,…
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Thaksin Shinawatra delays Thailand return sourcing health check as deciding factor
Thaksin Shinawatra, former prime minister of Thailand, announced yesterday that he would be delaying his return to his homeland from his current location of self-exile. Shinawatra, whose background lies in telecommunications, took to the popular social media platform Twitter to inform followers of his upcoming health checkup, which resulted in the need for him to reschedule his original plan to…
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Thai fireworks depot owners surrender following fatal explosion investigation
The owners of a recently annihilated fireworks depo in Narathiwat yesterday handed themselves over to the police. This revelation was announced by an on-scene informant who wished to remain unnamed. The owners, Sompong Napol and Piyanuch Puengwirawat, both 42, made their way back into Thai territory through the Sadao checkpoint connecting Thailand and Malaysia. This development came on the heels of…
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Phuket drownings prompt safety measures and Australian aid
Five people lost their lives in drowning incidents in Phuket just over the past week. The unfortunate victims included four international tourists and a Thai national. This troubling streak has provoked local authorities into a state of high alert, with Thai authorities even recruiting help from Australia. The drownings occurred in Phuket between July 28 and today. In the current…
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Oil spill on Phuket beaches met with quick cleanup response
Late yesterday afternoon marked the start of a clean-up operation on the northwest shores of Phuket. Beachgoers were met with harrowing sight of oil and tar balls, accompanied by traces of oil slick that had made their unpleasant appearance on the beaches. The beaches targeted by the operation included locations at Nai Yang, Mai Khao, Nai Thon, and Layan. The…
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Whistleblower calls for inquiry into Ashton Asoke permit scandal
Srisuwan Janya, a prominent whistleblower, recently addressed a letter to the governor of Bangkok, seeking a comprehensive inquiry into the officials of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) who were entangled in the sanctioning of permits for the troubled Ashton Asoke condominium project. In his detailed communication, he shed light upon the issuance of four permits by the BMA in the…
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CIB arrest Phuket man for online scam they’ve tracked since 2022
Thai police have taken into custody a local man in connection with a number of online scams, the Royal Thai Police’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) shared in a media update. The arrest took place on Freedom Beach in Phuket, as the CIB disclosed through a post on its official Facebook page. Although the detailed report refrained from stating the family…
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A young boy’s plea to King for rooftop repairs gets heartwarming response
In Nakhon Si Thammarat, a young boy from a destitute family has successfully received aid to restore the dilapidated rooftop of his home after his plea to His Majesty the King was met with a positive response. Nine-year-old, Thirat Thongphet lives in a modest village within Khuntalay, a section of the Lan Saka district. The youngster penned a plea on…
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Pattaya beach businesses blighted by proliferating food cart vendors
In Pattaya’s Jomtien Beach area, numerous businesses are expressing displeasure over what they describe as a monopolisation of the beach area by an excessive number of food cart vendors. The number of street stalls has swollen to over one hundred food carts that set themselves up and heavily populate the roadway. Lamphueng Hamilton, known locally as Lisa, who presides over…
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Former Sansiri president ensnared in tax-minimising controversy
A tax-minimising strategy, alleged by Chuvit Kamolvisit to involve Srettha Thavisin, the former President of Sansiri, a development firm listed on the SET, appears to be a common practice amongst landlords seeking to reduce tax liabilities on land sales. Property DNA’s Managing Director, Surachet Kongcheep, observed that it is typical for landowners to aim to lessen tax payments attached to…
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Chuvit Kamolvisit continues crusade despite liver cancer
Chuvit Kamolvisit has publicly disclosed the severity of his ongoing battle against stage 3 liver cancer. Despite the prognosis, he pledged to utilise his time remaining to illuminate wide-ranging societal quandaries courageously. Chuvit, a former magnate in the massage parlour industry, unveiled his grave health condition ahead of a press conference he hosted on Thursday. The conference was organised to…
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