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    How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?

    Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....

  • Cyclist unable to take steep hill plunges to his death in Chiang Mai ravine

    Cyclist unable to take steep hill plunges to his death in Chiang Mai ravine

    A cyclist riding in Chiang Mai, a northern Thai province, was unable to steer his bike down a downhill road yesterday morning and plummeted about 30 metres down a ravine to his death. Police learned of the incident, which occurred on a steep section of the Mae Rim-Mae Sai tourist road in front of the Pongyang Jungle Coaster & Zipline…

  • Thursday Covid Update: 13,256 new cases; provincial totals

    Thursday Covid Update: 13,256 new cases; provincial totals

    The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 131 coronavirus-related deaths and 13,256 new Covid-19 cases today. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 13,829 recoveries. There are now 128,367 patients being treated for Covid-19. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported a total of 1,524,613 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 15,884 coronavirus-related fatalities. The…

  • 5 police kiosks set on fire in Bangkok, no injuries reported

    5 police kiosks set on fire in Bangkok, no injuries reported

    At least 5 police kiosks were set ablaze early this morning in Bangkok. The Metropolitan Police have opened an investigation to determine the cause of the fires. Police discovered the kiosks had been set on fire sometime during last night’s curfew. The Central Police Forensic Division sent teams to the various kiosks, which had already had their fires put out…

  • Decision on Hua Hin Hospital “dual pricing” case set for next week

    Decision on Hua Hin Hospital “dual pricing” case set for next week

    Next week, Thai authorities will announce the outcome of the highly anticipated “dual pricing” case where a Dutch expat claims he was overcharged for his cancer treatment at Hua Hin Hospital. Erwin Buse, who filed the anti-discrimination suit two years ago, told ASEAN Now that the case was officially handed over to judges this week and a decision on the case…

  • Amended communicable disease law includes powers to retain curfew, order lockdowns

    Amended communicable disease law includes powers to retain curfew, order lockdowns

    As the government prepares to debate the future of the emergency decree, set to expire next Thursday, a new legal amendment means some of its powers could remain. The Bangkok Post reports that the amended Communicable Disease Act gives officials the power to retain the current curfew and to impose new lockdowns. The government says the law will be used…

  • Thursday Covid Update: 131 deaths and 13,256 new cases

    Thursday Covid Update: 131 deaths and 13,256 new cases

    Today, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation reported 13,256 new Covid-19 cases and 131 deaths. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, the CCSA has reported 1,495,750 Covid-19 infections. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 13,829 recoveries. There are now 128,367 patients being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases,…

  • Ex-cop “Joe Ferrari,” other officers charged with violating discipline policy over suspect’s death

    Ex-cop “Joe Ferrari,” other officers charged with violating discipline policy over suspect’s death

    Along with criminal charges for allegedly suffocating a suspect to death in an attempt to extort 2 million baht, the former police station chief in Nakhon Sawan, Thitisan Utthanaphon, and six of his subordinates now face charges for committing disciplinary offenses while on duty. The Police Serious Disciplinary Review Board filed the complaint against the seven officers. According to Nation Thailand,…

  • 5 Pattani men arrested for allegedly posing as police officers to extort locals

    5 Pattani men arrested for allegedly posing as police officers to extort locals

    5 men who were posing as police officers in southern Thailand’s Pattani province were arrested yesterday. The suspects allegedly extorted drug-taking residents or teenagers out of money or property. The Yaring police were alerted that men were portraying themselves as members of the Yaring police at a village in the Laem Pho Subdistrict. The Nation Thailand says the men dressed…

  • Thai woman tricked into human trafficking in Dubai brought home safely

    Thai woman tricked into human trafficking in Dubai brought home safely

    A Thai woman who had been tricked into being a sex worker in Dubai, a city on the Persian Gulf Coast of the United Arab Emirates, returned safely to Thailand, today. The woman was able to send a video message through Facebook on Sunday where she pleaded for help. She says she had been deceived by an advertisement looking for…

  • Alleged cable thief busted in Phuket, accomplice possibly still at large

    Alleged cable thief busted in Phuket, accomplice possibly still at large

    A Phuket man was arrested recently after he allegedly stole telephone and communications cables throughout the island. The man allegedly sold the cables for scrap near his house in Phang Nga. Wichit police and members of the Crime Suppression Region 5 and officials from the TOT company showed up at Chaturong Bhumlamnao’s house to arrest him. The TOT had previously…

  • Wednesday Covid Update: 11,252 new cases; provincial totals

    Wednesday Covid Update: 11,252 new cases; provincial totals

    141 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 15,753 with 15,659 of those fatalities during the recent wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA reported 11,252 new Covid-19 cases and 13,695 recoveries. There are now 129,071…

  • Kanchanaburi temple that served as a rehab closes amidst shocking abuse allegations

    Kanchanaburi temple that served as a rehab closes amidst shocking abuse allegations

    A Thai temple in western Thailand’s Kanchanaburi province, “Wat Tha Phu Rat Bamrung” also known as “Wat Tha Phu”, which also serves as drug rehab, has been ordered closed following allegations of ransom, torture, and the abuse of human rights. Due to the startling allegations, the temple is being investigated by the Narcotics Control Board and the Public Health Ministry.…

  • Manhunt underway for foreigner who allegedly prepared bread using his feet

    Manhunt underway for foreigner who allegedly prepared bread using his feet

    A manhunt is underway by the Immigration Bureau after a video surfaced of a man, believed to be a foreigner, who allegedly used his feet to prepare bread for packaging. The video was supplied to the IB and they responded that they will search for the suspect. It was not clear what charges the man may face for his foot…

  • Army provides food for the Rawai Sea gypsy community

    Army provides food for the Rawai Sea gypsy community

    The Royal Thai Army has set up a food kitchen for the Rawai sea gypsies as the community has been in lockdown since September 15. The lockdown will remain in place until September 28. The Royal Field Kitchen Car has been cooking and handing out food for almost 2 weeks now. They have travelled all over the island to bring…

  • Governor announces restrictions on Phuket Vegetarian Festival

    Governor announces restrictions on Phuket Vegetarian Festival

    The Phuket Vegetarian Festival will be scaled down and under tight restrictions this year to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The weeklong festival, where some practice self-mutilation to connect with the spirit world, draws tourists from across the country, and the world. The Phuket governor announced that this year’s festival from October 5 to 15 will have restrictions on the…

  • Former deputy attorney-general to be investigated over serious wrongdoings in Red Bull hit-and-run case

    Former deputy attorney-general to be investigated over serious wrongdoings in Red Bull hit-and-run case

    An investigation is to take place into alleged serious transgressions by a former deputy attorney-general involved in the 2012 hit-and-run case against Vorayuth Yoovidhya. Nate Naksuk is to be investigated over his decision to drop the charges against the Red Bull heir, who is accused of killing a Bangkok policeman in the hit-and-run incident. The Bangkok Post reports that the…

  • 5 provinces may delay reopening until November, Chiang Mai cautious

    5 provinces may delay reopening until November, Chiang Mai cautious

    Despite some local leaders pushing hard and claiming readiness to reopen on October 1, several or all of the 5 provinces scheduled to reopen may be delayed until November 1, with Chiang Mai especially cautious about reopening. The deputy director for communications and marketing at the Tourism Authority of Thailand pointed out that the reopening plan can only go ahead in provinces…

  • Industry body says Thai government must borrow another 1 trillion baht

    Industry body says Thai government must borrow another 1 trillion baht

    The chairman of The Federation of Thai Industries is calling on the government to borrow another 1 trillion baht to kick-start the economy in 2022. Supant Mongkolsuthree says the extra funds are desperately needed to boost an economy devastated by the fallout from the pandemic. According to a Bangkok Post report, he says the government’s borrowing of 500 billion baht…

  • Wednesday Covid Update: 141 deaths and 11,252 new cases

    Wednesday Covid Update: 141 deaths and 11,252 new cases

    Today, 11,252 new Covid-19 cases and 141 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since April, in the most severe wave of the virus in Thailand, 1,482,494 people have tested positive for Covid-19. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA has recorded 13,695 recoveries. There are now 129,071 people being treated for Covid-19.…

  • FDA passes on using Sinopharm vaccine for children over 3 years old

    FDA passes on using Sinopharm vaccine for children over 3 years old

    Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration has denied Sinopharm’s request to administer Covid vaccinations to children over 3 years old. The FDA cited a lack of data on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. Dr Paisan Dankhum, the Deputy Secretary General of the FDA, says the FDA committee and experts across many agencies had discussed the safety and effectiveness of…

  • Travel data to Thailand for 106 million people unprotected online

    Travel data to Thailand for 106 million people unprotected online

    106 million visitors to Thailand over the last 10 years were discovered to have had their personal information unsecured online. Comparitech, a cyber security firm that discovered the database, revealed that the data has been unprotected online without any password protection possibly for the last decade. The unprotected data included people’s full names, passport numbers, gender, residency status, date they…

  • Soldier allegedly assaults neighbours following horn honking

    Soldier allegedly assaults neighbours following horn honking

    A soldier in Nonthaburi, a central Thai province, allegedly assaulted his neighbours at their home because one of the victims had honked his motorbike’s horn to let his wife know he was home. The victims, 39 year old Piamsuk Bunruang and 42 year old Alisa Choksinsombun filed a police report yesterday following the attack. Thai Residents says the soldier punched…

  • Border agencies instructed to look out for gun smuggling along Myanmar border

    Border agencies instructed to look out for gun smuggling along Myanmar border

    Thai border agencies have been instructed to be even more vigilant along the border with Myanmar to ensure weapons aren’t smuggled out of the Land of Smiles. Defence spokesman Lt Gen Kongcheep Tantrawanich says the order was handed down from Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon amid recent reports that arms dealers were smuggling military-grade weapons into Myanmar where fighting between the…

  • Tuesday Covid Update: 10,919 new cases; provincial totals

    Tuesday Covid Update: 10,919 new cases; provincial totals

    143 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since the start of the pandemic last year, 15,612 people infected with Covid-19 have died with 15,518 of those fatalities during the country’s latest wave of the virus, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 10,919 new…

  • OnlyFans content creators arrested by Thai police on pornography charges

    OnlyFans content creators arrested by Thai police on pornography charges

    Two OnlyFans content creators have been arrested by Thai police on pornography charges. The Thai government is warning people who live in Thailand and post sexually explicit content on OnlyFans, they are breaking Thai law and they could face hefty fines, even jail time. OnlyFans is an online subscription service where content creators can make money off of those who…

  • Update: government official that allegedly stole from fund meant for the disabled spent all the money on gambling

    Update: government official that allegedly stole from fund meant for the disabled spent all the money on gambling

    In an update to yesterday’s story, Pisal Sukjaitham, the government official who was arrested for allegedly embezzling 13 million baht from a fund meant for the disabled, allegedly confessed, after being interrogated, that he spent all the money he stole on gambling. In another development in the story, INN says that officials are now saying 45 million baht was stolen…

  • Government warns that posting pornographic material is illegal following OnlyFans creator being questioned by police

    Government warns that posting pornographic material is illegal following OnlyFans creator being questioned by police

    Fans of posting videos and pictures of themselves naked or having intercourse be wary: The Thai government is warning people who post content on OnlyFans that if they reside in Thailand and release content that could be deemed “obscene” or pornography by Thai law, they could face harsh fines and maybe even spend years in jail if they are found…

  • Strapped for cash, Thai Airways puts 3 more aircraft up for sale

    Strapped for cash, Thai Airways puts 3 more aircraft up for sale

    The beleaguered national carrier, Thai Airways International, is to sell 3 more aircraft in a bid to raise some much-needed funds. Also up for grabs is a flight simulator, as the airline continues with its rehabilitation plan and attempts to modernise its fleet. The Bangkok Post reports that the airline is selling 3 of its Airbus A330-300s, all of which…

  • Party at luxury villa in Phuket raided, homeowner allegedly assaults police officer

    Party at luxury villa in Phuket raided, homeowner allegedly assaults police officer

    Over the weekend, a party at a luxury villa in Phuket was raided and 19 people were arrested. One officer was allegedly assaulted in the course of the raid. The house was raided in the early morning hours in the Rawai sub-district. Police arrived at the villa around 1am after being tipped off that an illegal gathering was taking place.…

  • Pathum Thani man allegedly lights building on fire, sticks around to laugh and smile

    Pathum Thani man allegedly lights building on fire, sticks around to laugh and smile

    Over the weekend, a man in the central Thai province of Pathum Thani allegedly lit a residential building on fire but rather than fleeing the scene after his criminal act, the man allegedly stuck around to laugh and smile at the destruction. The man allegedly started the fire in the early morning hours, around 2am in the Lam Luk Ka…