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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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Cambodia allows 162 Thais to return, 6 wanted by police
Cambodia allowed 162 Thai nationals to return to Thailand through a border checkpoint in Chanthaburi province on Saturday, January 3, with six of them later found to be wanted criminals. Cambodian authorities reportedly pushed back hundreds of Thai workers who had been stranded in the country, sending them home via the Chanthaburi border following a ceasefire. According to Channel 7,…
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Thailand calls for restraint amid US-Venezuela tensions
Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday, January 4, issued a statement calling for restraint amid escalating tensions between the United States and Venezuela. The US launched a military strike across northern Venezuela on Saturday, January 3, under an operation named Operation Absolute Resolve. During the raid, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured following allegations that…
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Thailand human trafficking police crackdown overview
The Royal Thai Police have announced an intensified nationwide crackdown on human trafficking, with a renewed focus on child sexual abuse, exploitation within the fishing industry, and crimes committed through online platforms. Authorities say the move comes in response to a rising number of cases and increasingly complex criminal methods, particularly those involving children and digital networks. Police General Thatchai…
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Teen motorbike gang arrested after gun attack on family
Police in Nakhon Si Thammarat have arrested five teenagers accused of chasing and shooting at a family of three after becoming enraged by a verbal warning to stop fighting with a rival group. The incident left a father, mother, and their young child injured and has renewed concerns over youth violence and firearms access in local communities. The arrests were…
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Pattaya bank account scam: Chinese suspects arrested
Police in Pattaya have rescued an 18-year-old victim who was allegedly tricked into opening fraudulent bank accounts by two Chinese men and one Thai woman, then unlawfully detained after reporting the scam and freezing the accounts. The incident came to light at about 10.46pm on January 3, when officers from Pattaya City Police Station, working with Pattaya Tourist Police, responded…
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Nearly 3,000 drunk driving cases recorded during New Year crackdown
Thailand’s probation authorities have reported nearly 3,000 drunk driving cases over a five-day period during the New Year holiday crackdown, with 3 provinces recording the highest numbers. According to Department of Probation, a total of 2,957 drunk driving cases were recorded between December 30 and January 3 as part of intensified road safety measures during the festive period. Today, on…
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Overloaded landfill prompts urgent waste crisis review in Phatthalung
Phatthalung authorities have launched an urgent review to address what officials describe as a growing waste management crisis, after inspections revealed severe environmental damage linked to an overloaded municipal landfill. The move follows a site visit to the province’s main dumpsite, which covers approximately 95 rai and currently receives more than 100 tonnes of waste per day. Officials warned that…
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Van collision injures driver as wild elephant crosses road
A serious road accident involving a wild elephant from Khao Yai National Park and a closed-box van has raised renewed concerns about road safety and human-wildlife coexistence in protected forest areas. The collision left the van driver seriously injured, while the elephant fled back into the forest with suspected injuries, prompting an urgent search by park officials. According to the…
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Phuket Tourist Checkpoint Police Evasion Explained
Widespread public criticism has erupted across Thailand after a video surfaced showing foreign tourists speeding through a police checkpoint in Phuket, ignoring officers’ instructions and fleeing the scene without stopping for inspection. The incident has reignited concerns over road safety, uneven law enforcement, and the conduct of some visitors in major tourist destinations. The incident occurred on the night of…
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Waiter killed after drunken customer attacks staff over missing ice
A dispute over missing ice escalated into a fatal stabbing after a drunken customer allegedly attacked restaurant staff in early this morning, January 4, leaving one man dead and another woman critically injured. Police received a report of the incident at around 4.30am and dispatched patrol officers to the scene, along with rescue workers from the Ruam Katanyu Foundation. Three…
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Indian tourist reports alleged overpriced ‘miracle’ herbal scam in Pattaya
A 45 year old Indian tourist has filed a police report after claiming he was tricked into buying overpriced herbal products in Pattaya, in what authorities believe may be part of a recurring scam targeting foreign visitors. The complaint was lodged at Pattaya City Police Station in the early hours of yesterday, January 3. The man told police he was…
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Green sea turtle Phuket Karon beach nesting event
A rare and encouraging marine conservation event unfolded on Karon Beach in Phuket on Friday, when an adult female green sea turtle came ashore and laid a large clutch of eggs, drawing attention from both tourists and local officials. The nesting occurred at around 11am on January 3, 2026, along Karon Beach in Karon sub district, Muang district. Thai and…
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Phuket records four road deaths during New Year ‘Seven Days of Danger’
Phuket recorded four road deaths and 39 accidents between December 30 and January 2 during the annual ‘Seven Days of Danger’ New Year road safety campaign, according to the Phuket Road Accident Prevention and Reduction Operations Centre. Two fatalities occurred in Mueang Phuket district and two in Thalang district, while no deaths were reported in Kathu. Mueang Phuket recorded the…
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Illegal migrant smuggling Thailand pickup truck incident
Highway police have arrested a pickup truck driver and uncovered 25 undocumented Myanmar migrant workers after a late-night pursuit on a major road in Nakhon Sawan, highlighting ongoing risks faced by migrants and the persistence of human smuggling networks. The incident occurred on January 3, 2026, when officers from the Highway Police Division were conducting intensified patrols along known trafficking…
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Bar host arrested for burglary at Bangkok transgender influencer’s home
A male bar host has been arrested for allegedly breaking into the home of a well-known transgender influencer in Bangkok and stealing luxury items and a large sum of cash. The arrest took place at around 1pm yesterday, January 3, when police from Phaholyothin Police Station detained a 21 year old man at a house in Soi Lat Phrao 41,…
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Thai Cambodian border dispute: army reaffirms sovereignty
The Royal Thai Army has reaffirmed that a recently reorganized border area remains firmly within Thai sovereign territory, stating that the land has been subject to long-term encroachment by Cambodian forces and settlements. Army officials are urging the public to review official protest letters previously submitted by Thailand through the Memorandum of Understanding 43, known as MOU 43, which governs…
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Rama 2 Flood Rescue: GPS Navigation Error Incident
Five people narrowly escaped serious injury after a GPS navigation error led their vehicle into unexpectedly deep floodwater beneath a bridge on Rama 2 Road in Samut Songkhram province, almost completely submerging the van and trapping passengers inside. The incident occurred on January 3, 2026, when officers from Highway Police Station 1, Division 2, under the Highway Police Bureau, were…
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Myanmar rape-murder suspect deported as victim’s daughter demands justice
A Thai woman has sought public intervention after discovering that the Myanmar national accused of raping and murdering her mother was deported from Thailand despite the case still being under investigation. The complaint was submitted on Friday, January 2 to the Facebook page ‘Survive – Sai Mai Tong Rod,’ where the victim’s daughter claimed that immigration authorities released the suspect…
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Young man with three arrest warrants arrested while hiding in closed-box pickup at highway checkpoint
A 20-year-old man linked to multiple online fraud cases was arrested at a highway checkpoint in Kanchanaburi after police discovered him hiding inside the enclosed cargo area of a closed-box pickup truck. Officers later confirmed the suspect had three outstanding arrest warrants, in addition to five previous cases that had already entered the judicial process. The arrest followed an order…
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2026 SAFF Futsal Championship to debut in Bangkok as South Asia launches new tournament
The South Asian Football Federation will stage the first-ever SAFF Futsal Championship in Bangkok, Thailand, from 13 to 26 January 2026, marking a major step in the development of futsal across South Asia. The biennial men’s national team tournament will feature all seven SAFF member associations, each making their debut in the competition. The participating teams are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,…
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2nd Army Area raids scammer hideout, uncovers scripted fraud operations targeting multiple countries
The 2nd Army Area has raided a large scammer hideout in the Chong Chom border area of Surin province, uncovering an organized fraud operation that used detailed scripts, manuals, and national symbols to deceive victims in multiple countries. Authorities say the findings highlight the growing sophistication of transnational scam networks operating near Thailand’s borders. At 11.38am on January 3, 2026,…
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Second Army Area releases footage alleging Cambodian military activity near Preah Vihear
The Second Army Area on Saturday released video footage it claims shows Cambodian forces using areas near the Preah Vihear temple complex as an active military position, raising fresh security concerns along the Thai–Cambodian border. The footage was made public on January 3, 2026, at around 3.10pm, as Thai authorities continued close monitoring of border conditions. According to the Second…
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Will Thailand’s 2026 election reshape tourism, foreign investment, and transport policy?
As Thailand moves toward its 2026 general election, the future of the country’s tourism industry has become a central issue for investors, operators, and local communities. With tourism accounting for a significant share of national income, the policies adopted by the next government are expected to influence foreign direct investment, public safety, and long-term infrastructure planning, particularly in rail transport.…
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Thailand’s new year holiday 2026 sees over eight million travelers, fewer accidents and smooth nationwide transport
Thailand’s New Year holiday 2026 concluded with more than eight million people traveling across the country, while road accidents and transport disruptions declined compared with the previous year, according to the Ministry of Transport. From December 30 2025 to January 1 2026, a total of more than 8.2 million passengers used public transport nationwide. Although this figure represents a 3.9…
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Fire erupts in condo, woman hospitalized for smoke inhalation
A fire broke out inside a condominium unit in Bangkok’s Ladprao area on Thursday, sending thick smoke through the building and leaving a young woman hospitalized with smoke inhalation injuries. Authorities said the fire was quickly brought under control and is believed to have been caused by an electrical short circuit in an air-conditioning unit. At around 12.15pm on January…
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Van carrying passenger crashes after tire blowout, one killed and eight injured
A fatal road accident in Udon Thani province left one person dead and eight others injured after a passenger van carrying pilgrims suffered a tire blowout and slammed into a roadside tree on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said. The incident occurred at about 1.50pm on January 2, 2026, on the Nong Han–Phibun Rak road between Ban Nai Yom and Ban Don…
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Cryptocurrency in Thailand: Legal status, use cases, and global perspectives
Cryptocurrency has rapidly risen from a high-risk, highly volatile, don’t-touch-it-with-a-ten-foot pole commodity to a globally accepted form of payment. But even in 2026, not every country is on board. While the likes of Singapore and Malta embrace it with open arms, others, like Thailand, have a more cautious approach. What’s the current status of using cryptocurrency in Thailand? Let’s find…
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Sea of Trash: Garbage covers Patong beach after New Year countdown
PHUKET — The morning sun on the first day of the year revealed a grim scene at Patong Beach, one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations. Instead of pristine white sands, a mountain of garbage buried the shoreline following the previous night’s New Year’s Eve celebrations. Images shared by the local news page “แรงจัง ภูเก็ต” exposed the extent of…
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Explosion at Swiss Bar in Crans-Montana Kills at Least 40
Swiss Ski Resort Tragedy Explosion at Crans-Montana Bar Kills ‘Dozens,’ Italy Reports 40 Dead CRANS-MONTANA — A devastating explosion followed by a massive fire at a popular bar in the renowned Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana has resulted in a “mass casualty” event, sending shockwaves across Europe. Swiss police confirmed “dozens” of fatalities, while Italian authorities report the death toll…
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“I Paid For It!” Chinese guest fumes after being stopped from packing buffet food
Mother and Son Cause Scene at Hotel Buffet Over ‘No Takeaway’ Ban, Threaten Staff SUZHOU — A heated altercation erupted at a hotel in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, after a mother and son were stopped from packing food from the breakfast buffet to take home. it escalated into a physical confrontation after the guests refused to comply with hotel regulations. Witnesses…
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