Thailand News
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Thailand video news | Thailand updates alcohol rules, Thailand introduces new tax on low-cost imports
In today’s Thailand video news, Alex covers key stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia, including changes to the alcohol laws, a new tax on low-cost imports aimed at protecting local SMEs, several incidents involving misbehaving foreigners, and a few feel-good updates to end on a positive note. Thailand Updates Alcohol Rules with New Sales and Closing Hours Thailand has…
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Second Russian man arrested over drug sale QR code stickers in Phuket
Police arrested another Russian drug dealer on Friday, November 14, following an extended investigation into drug sale QR code stickers placed on utility poles across Phuket. The investigation was expanded after a Russian man was arrested on Koh Samui in Surat Thani province earlier in November for promoting drug sales via QR codes. The suspect was found placing QR code…
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12 Chinese drug users and 20 illegal Vietnamese workers arrested in Pattaya club raid
Police raided an entertainment venue in Pattaya yesterday, discovering 12 Chinese nationals who tested positive for drugs and 20 Vietnamese workers without permits. More than 100 officers from Provincial Police Region 2 raided Space Club Pattaya on Pattaya Sai Sam Road in Bang Lamung district at 2.49am. Channel 7 reported that this operation differed from previous ones, as officers did…
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Bhumjaithai hits back at looming Pheu Thai no-confidence motion
The Bhumjaithai Party says it’s unfazed by an expected no-confidence motion from Pheu Thai, insisting Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s administration is already showing results. Nan Boonthida Somchai, a spokesperson for Bhumjaithai, said yesterday, November 16, that the party is fully prepared to respond to the censure debate, which Pheu Thai has signalled it will launch soon. Anutin, who has been…
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Foreign man fined for strolling naked while visiting Thai wife in Kamphaeng Phet
Yesterday, A foreign man captured the attention of locals after strolling naked through a local market and a convenience store in the northern province of Kamphaeng Phet. Residents buying groceries at Khlong Lan Market recorded the man calmly walking around without clothes. In the clips shared on social media, bystanders stare in disbelief as the man casually makes a payment at…
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Thailand and Sweden eye bigger trade boost and tech ties
Thailand and Sweden held talks to boost bilateral trade and investment, focusing on technology, green products, and a potential EU free trade agreement. In a high-level meeting on Friday, November 14, Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun sat down with Swedish Ambassador Anna Hammargren to push forward the Thailand-Sweden Strategic Partnership and discuss fast-tracking negotiations on a long-awaited Thailand–EU free trade agreement.…
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Thailand’s airport rail deal faces legal showdown
Thailand’s Transport Ministry has raised concerns over proposed contract changes to a major airport rail project, warning of legal risks if the deal is altered. Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, who also chairs the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Policy Committee, has called for a balanced and legally sound resolution to the dispute surrounding the 224 billion baht project linking Don Mueang,…
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Ayutthaya businesswoman offers red drinks for lottery luck
A crane company owner made a vow at a famous Ayutthaya hermitage after a business success, while worshippers searched for lucky numbers in holy water. Yesterday, November 15, crowds of worshippers and tourists gathered at the hermitage of Rishi Naen That Phutthakun in Pho Taeng subdistrict, Bang Sai district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province. The site has become a spiritual…
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Arsenic alert in Mekong prompts urgent government action
The People’s Party (PP) has called on the government to address arsenic contamination in the Mekong River caused by foreign mining, urging immediate action. The spread is believed to be caused by foreign mining activities in China, Myanmar, and Laos. Chiang Mai MP and PP deputy spokesperson, Phattarapong Leelaphat, voiced concerns on Facebook, accusing the government of remaining silent despite…
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Woman caught smoking meth in Pattaya temple bathroom
A homeless woman was caught using methamphetamine in a temple bathroom in Pattaya after a concerned resident alerted police to a suspicious smell. At 12.10am yesterday, November 15, patrol officers from Nongprue Police Station responded to an unusual tip-off at Wat Chai Mongkol, a temple near Walking Street in South Pattaya. A concerned citizen had reported a strange chemical odour…
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Lottery fever spikes as lucky signs sweep Thailand
As the next lottery draw nears, hopeful Thais across the country are searching for lucky numbers through signs, spirits, and superstitions. This month’s frenzy centres around a flurry of spiritual signs, superstitions, and vehicle registrations, all believed to hold the key to fortune. The draw will take place at Sanambinnam in Nonthaburi, and as the big day approaches, popular numbers…
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Phuket gets new governor after record-short term ends
Phuket will welcome a new governor after the sudden departure of the former officeholder, marking a swift change in provincial leadership. Nirat Pongsitthaworn, the current Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA), is scheduled to arrive in Phuket tomorrow, November 17, to take over as the new Governor of Phuket. His appointment was confirmed earlier this week through an…
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143 macaques rescued in Sa Kaeo border smuggling raid
Thai officials rescued 143 macaques during two anti-smuggling operations near the Sa Kaeo border, targeting a cross-border wildlife trafficking ring. The first raid occurred around 3pm yesterday, November 14, in Ban Khao Chong Khaep, Khlong Hat district, where a joint task force uncovered 62 long-tailed macaques packed inside plastic crates hidden in a sugarcane field. No suspects were apprehended at…
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Thailand to tax cheap imports to protect local SMEs
Thailand will impose a 10% customs duty on low-cost imports to support local SMEs, following concerns about cheap foreign goods harming domestic industries. The duty will be introduced on January 1, a major policy shift aimed at shielding local small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the rising tide of cheap foreign products. Finance Minister Ekniti Nithanprapas announced the move, which…
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Blazing cables and explosions jolt Pattaya neighbourhood
A fire broke out on overhead cables in a Pattaya neighbourhood, causing explosions and panic as locals and rescue teams worked to prevent it from spreading. The fire broke out around 8pm yesterday, November 14, in the Ton Krabok area of Na Kluea, sending flames and sparks cascading from power poles positioned in front of homes. Alarmed locals quickly notified…
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Rare great hornbill spotted in Chiang Mai after 10 years
A great hornbill was spotted in a Chiang Mai national park, marking the first confirmed sighting in over a decade and signalling improved forest health. Chiang Mai’s Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park is celebrating a major ecological milestone after spotting a great hornbill, also known locally as nok kahang or nok gak, for the first time in over a…
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Bangkok woman’s lottery streak stuns Ratchaburi locals
A Bangkok woman returned to a Ratchaburi monastery to give thanks after winning the lottery multiple times, crediting her luck to a revered local spirit. Excitement is building in Ratchaburi ahead of the national lottery draw tomorrow, November 16, as word spreads of a woman who’s racked up six consecutive wins, each time returning to perform a dance of thanks…
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Canal embankment burst sends floodwaters into Sing Buri
A canal embankment breach in Sing Buri, central Thailand, triggered sudden flooding in a local subdistrict, prompting evacuation warnings and emergency alerts from officials. Severe flooding struck Sing Buri province last night, November 14, after a breach in the embankment along the Borommathat irrigation canal led to a rapid surge of water into Chaksi subdistrict. The incident occurred opposite the…
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Thai ex-cop Santhana granted bail in 2021 Taiwanese kidnap case
A former police officer was granted bail after being arrested in Bangkok for allegedly abducting a foreign businessman as part of a wider criminal case. Santhana Prayoonrat, a 66 year old former senior police officer with a controversial past, was granted bail yesterday, November 14, following his arrest in connection with the 2021 abduction of a Taiwanese businessman in Bangkok.…
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Royal order visits Phuket to back aid for the underprivileged
An international chivalric order met with Phuket officials to discuss new partnerships aimed at supporting social development and local communities. A delegation from the Order of Saint Stanislas, an international NGO with roots in European chivalric tradition, visited Phuket on Thursday, November 13, to explore community development partnerships and expand support for disadvantaged residents. The high-profile visit took place at…
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Thai shops caught hiking prices under co-pay scheme
The Thai government is cracking down on shops accused of raising prices and violating rules after joining a nationwide co-payment scheme to aid consumers. Santi Piyatat, a minister from the Prime Minister’s Office, revealed that the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) received 66 complaints between October 29 and November 11, flagging widespread misuse. Among them, 29 involved shops…
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China urges calm as Thailand-Cambodia border heats up
China has urged Thailand and Cambodia to ease rising border tensions, calling on both sides to resolve the issue peacefully through dialogue. China has called for calm between Thailand and Cambodia following a flare-up along their shared border that left one person dead and Thai soldiers injured. Beijing urged both nations to use existing diplomatic channels to defuse the situation…
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Laotian man arrested after knife-point gold snatch in Bangkok
A Laotian man was arrested in Bangkok after allegedly robbing a woman at knife-point while she was shopping at a busy market, according to local police. The 33 year old Laotian man, identified as Tabun, has been arrested for allegedly snatching a gold necklace from a Myanmar woman at knife-point in a busy Bangkok market. The incident unfolded on November…
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Street food feud turns violent in Jomtien Beach brawl (video)
A beachside brawl broke out in Pattaya when a group led by a street vendor confronted several men, reigniting an old dispute caught on video. A simmering street food feud exploded into violence yesterday morning, November 14, when a female vendor allegedly led a group of nearly 10 people in an assault on a group of men relaxing on Jomtien…
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Drunk driver arrested after gun scare outside Patong Hospital
A man was arrested in Patong after allegedly using a blank gun to threaten two people while driving under the influence near a busy intersection. The incident unfolded near the Nam Sia Intersection on Phra Metta Road, when Patong Police were alerted around 10pm yesterday, November 13, to a suspicious pickup truck with obscured number plates threatening passers-by with what…
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Foreign motorcyclist flees after crashing into 3 vehicles in Phuket
A foreign motorcyclist fled the scene after colliding with a baht bus and two parked vehicles on a road in Phuket yesterday, November 13. The baht bus driver released CCTV footage of the incident to local news agency Newshawk Phuket in an effort to identify and locate the suspect. Neither the exact location nor the specific time of the crash…
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Bangkok climbs ‘World’s Best Cities’ list, eyes top 20
A new global report has ranked Bangkok among the world’s top cities, highlighting its growing appeal for tourism, investment, and long-term urban potential. Bangkok is stepping further into the global spotlight after being ranked 22nd in the World’s Best Cities for 2026 report, a notable jump from 32nd place last year. The prestigious index, released by Resonance Consultancy during the…
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Thai student left homeless after bank account used as mule by classmate
A Thai university student is seeking help after his Vietnamese friend tricked him into sharing his bank account number and used it as a mule account, leading to the account being frozen. He was unable to pay his dormitory rent and has been sleeping in a common area at the university. The third-year student in Udon Thani, 22 year old…
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Pattaya powers up for tourist surge with smart city centre
Pattaya has launched a new city control centre and hotline to boost safety and digital services as it prepares for a surge in tourists and major year-end events. A high-tech City Command and Response (CCR) centre and dedicated hotline have been launched to manage the expected influx of tourists and athletes for Pattaya’s busy year-end events. Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet…
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Foreign couple in Phuket warned after neighbours report loud sex until 4am
Phuket residents sought intervention from local administrative officials after a foreign couple had loud sex from 10pm to 4am every night. Officials from the local administrative office visited a village where locals complained about the noise yesterday, reporting that the foreign neighbour and his female partner made loud moaning noises each night, disturbing residents’ sleep. Upon arrival, officials met a middle-aged…
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