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.
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Phuket university freshman forced to run herself to death
A university freshman in Phuket has died after reportedly being forced to run until she collapsed yesterday. It’s thought the incident was related to hazing. Phuket Rajabhat University insists it was cheerleading practice, though it has promised to investigate allegations that 19 year old Phornphiphat “Nong Mint” Eaddam was forced to run until she had seizures. The university has given…
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Pattani company turns marine debris into new shoes
Flip flops, sandals, thongs, whatever you want to call them, are often seen washed up on beaches along with plastic bags and bottles. Those old, forgotten shoes are being transformed into new flip flops by a Pattani company called Tlejourn, a Thai phrase meaning “wandering across the sea.” Using old sandals found on the beach, Tlejourn cleans and shreds them…
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CCSA officially extends Emergency Decree for a fourth time, through September
In a meeting today chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) resolved to extend the state of emergency to September 30. Yesterday the National Security Council said it had approved the extension as the amendment of the Communicable Diseases Act is still pending. The NSC insists that it will not enforce the Emergency Decree…
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Nakhon Si Thammarat crash kills 3, including pregnant woman
3 people are dead, including a pregnant woman, and another suffered severe injuries after a sedan and a pickup truck collided head-on in the Cha-uat district of the southern Nakhon Si Thammarat province last night. Police say the fatal crash happpened about 6:30pm in front of the PT petrol station in tambon Bantoon. Both vehicles, an Isuzu pickup and a…
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FoodPanda added to boycott list over protest reporting
Some Thais are deleting the FoodPanda application off their phones as part of an online campaign against the Nation Group of media companies. Many pushing for the food delivery boycott are those backing a broader effort to ban Nation Thailand and Nation TV for what they say is pro-government bias. Some netizens are taking screenshots just as they remove the…
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Russian opposition leader, Putin critic in a coma after suspected poisoning – VIDEO
The spokeswoman for leading Russian opposition figure and fierce Putin critic Alexei Navalny says he is unconscious in hospital, suffering from suspected poisoning. The outspoken anti-corruption campaigner fell ill during a flight and the plane made an emergency landing. Doctors say he’s in a coma and they’re trying to save his life. His team suspects something was put in his…
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Justice Ministry offers protection to key Vorayuth witness
Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin is vowing to protect all witnesses in the ongoing Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya fatal hit-and-run case, whether government officers or members of the public. He says a witness protection programme is in place to provide protection to the key witness. His remarks come after the suspiciously timed death of another key witness late last month. The witness,…
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Psychologist concerned that younger students may not fully understand politics
A leading Thai psychologist warns that younger students who lack sufficient understanding of political matters may be more easily manipulated into following others. The director of the Rajanagarindra Institute of Child Development, Dusadee Juengsirakulwit, says those taking part in student protests are younger than ever and may not have the necessary knowledge to fully understand the situation. She says access…
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Thai Airways procurement probe points to corruption
“Corruption has definitely occurred.” An investigation by the Transport Ministry has revealed that some employees of Thai Airways got quite rich from a major plane procurement deal struck in 2003-2004. Deputy Transport Minister Thaworn Senneam said yesterday that the conclusion came after a team led by a former commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau completed its investigation. Thaworn was assigned…
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Feud between rival Surat Thani families kills 1, injures 3
A violent altercation between 2 feuding families has left 1 man dead and another 3 injured, in the southern province of Surat Thani. A report in Nation Thailand says that following reports of a confrontation at a property in the sub-district of Bang Sawan, police arrived at the house to find the body of a man named only as Jaran.…
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BTS release their first all-English track ‘Dynamite’, and it’s a disco bop!
The world’s most popular music group, BTS, have released their most anticipated track since the septet launched back in 2013. Really… most anticipated? Well, the song’s retro-vibed bop has obliterated the record for the biggest YouTube premiere, looking almost certain to eclipse the 100 million view mark in 24 hours. BTS’s long struggle to the top of, firstly South Korea’s…
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Homes partially collapse in 2 provinces
In 2 separate incidents, the area around the 3 storey flat block that tilted and partially collapsed on Wednesday in the in Samut Sakhon, southwest of Bangkok, has been declared a disaster zone. And in neighbouring Samut Prakun, due south of the capitol, the Engineering Institute of Thailand is investigating 20 houses where pillars, ceilings, roofs and walls were found…
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Potential floods in the forecast, crocodile farmers prepare
Crocodile farms are advised to tighten security measures to prevent the crocodiles from escaping in case of a potential flood. With the Mekong River continuing to rise and monsoon rains in the forecast, the reptile farms in Northern Thailand are warned to take precautions and closely monitor the weather. The farms Nong Khai were recently inspected by an officer from…
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Phuket women curse alleged abuser after police fail to act on sexual assault complaints
Since police have done little to take action on a man who allegedly sexually assaulted young girls in a Phuket village, victims are taking justice into their own hands. They’re cursing him. They say the man has at least 20 sexual assault allegations involving minors, some as young as 5 years old. Only one complaint was taken seriously by police,…
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Panel announces plans to boost tourism, create 1 million jobs
The new panel established by PM Prayut Chan-ocha to steer the economy through the Covid-19 crisis got off to a blazing start yesterday, announcing measures to boost tourism and create a million jobs. Created after the Cabinet reshuffle earlier this month, the panel’s first meeting was chaired by the PM and attended by economics ministers and experts. After the meeting,…
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Appeals court upholds Lao drug kingpin’s life sentence
The Appeals Court today upheld the lower court’s sentence of life imprisonment for Lao drug kingpin Xaysana “Mr. X” Keopimpha for colluding to possess large quantities of methamphetamine pills in 2015 and 2016. The ruling was handed down at the Criminal Court today. Xaysana and 2 accomplices, Chumphon Phanompai and Ratchapon Ratsaponpakorn, were arrested and charged with collusion in the…
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Police bust online rifle ring
Police arrested 3 people yesterday for illegally making and selling firearms online, as well as 45 customers. In separate, coordinated raids, they seized 120 guns and more than 2,200 cartridges, breaking up a network operating in 39 of Thailand’s 76 provinces. The commander of the Crime Suppression Division said today that a series of raids targetted premises in 39 provinces…
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Security ramped up for activists’ hearing at Criminal Court
Security at Bangkok’s Criminal Court was stepped up substantially today for the arrival of 4 pro-democracy and human rights activists arrested yesterday. Anon Nampa, Buramee Chairat, Suwanna Tanlek and Korakot Saenyenphan were all arrested on charges of “inciting public unrest” and other offences related to the anti-government demonstration held on July 18 at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument. Police were deployed to…
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Covid-19 update: 7 imported cases found in state quarantine, no new deaths (August 20)
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration this morning reported 7 new Covid-19 cases over the previous 24 hour period. The latest new cases include 3 male hotel employees, 28, 38 and 46 years old, who returned from the United Arab Emirates on August 7 and tested positive on August 18 in a Bangkok state quarantine hotel. A 33 year old…
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Suspected child rapist arrested in Isaan forest
A man accused of raping an 11 year old girl has been arrested while hiding out in a mountainous forest in the north-eastern province of Khon Kaen. A report in Nation Thailand says 50 year old Prathan Wangson was arrested after villagers in the Manjakhiri district tipped off police when he emerged from hiding to ask for food and water.…
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NSC extends Emergency Decree through September
The National Security Council has officially approved the fourth extension of the national state of emergency, for another month, as a revision of the Communicable Diseases Act is yet to be completed, but the NSC confirmed it will not enforce the Emergency Decree on political rallies. NSC secretary-general Somsak Rungsita said today that the state of emergency will be effective…
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Bangkok man arrested for molesting woman says he’s done it twice before
Police in Bangkok have apprehended a 28 year old man after a woman filed a report accusing him of molesting her. After being arrested at his home in the Ladprao district, the man, named as Chaiyakorn Chimkul, has admitted to carrying out similar offences on 2 other occasions. Police say they received a complaint from a 21 year old housekeeper…
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Retired nurse helps choking passenger on Thai AirAsia flight
A retired nurse is deemed the hero of a domestic AirAsia flight after she helped a choking passenger. Those onboard the Bangkok to Krabi flight noticed a man was choking and called for the flight attendants. The nurse rushed over to help. A passenger on the flight shared the story on Facebook and called the woman the hero of the…
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Woman’s body pulled from Mae Ping River in Chiang Mai
Police and rescue staff in Chiang Mai have retrieved the body of a woman from the Mae Ping River near Nawarat Bridge. The woman, aged estimated to be 40-45 years old, was wearing a white T-shirt, a pair of shorts and white socks. Forensic staff estimate she had been dead for at least 2 days before the body was discovered.…
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3 Free Youth activists arrested
3 members of the Free Youth movement, which arranged the July 18 protest at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument which sparked the ongoing wave of anti-government protests sweeping the nation, were arrested last night. Warrants were executed for wanted activists Baramee Chairat, Suwanna Tarnlek and Korakot Saengyenphan. The 3 face several charges, including provoking unrest, illegal gathering of more than 10 people…
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Dozens flee as Samut Sakhon flat block tilts
Around 60 people in Samut Sakhon, just southwest of Bangkok, were forced to flee their homes last night as their 3 storey flat block leaned over and appeared about to fall. It happened at the Pa Yiam building in Phan Thay Norasingh subdistrict. Residents told reporters they heard a loud noise and felt shaking. Local officials were soon at the…
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Heavy rains expected in Northern Thailand. ‘Higos’ reaches China’s coast.
Category 3 tropical storm Higos is expected to bring heavy rains to Northern Thailand for the next few days. The Thai Meteorological Department issued a warning saying “people should beware of the severe conditions”. China suffered a double blow of flooding and landslides from unusually heavy seasonal rains and a storm that barrelled into its southern coast yesterday evening. 5 people…
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Immigration announce the arrest of 18 Chinese illegal migrants in Chiang Rai
Immigration officers yesterday announced the arrest of 18 undocumented Chinese immigrants Chiang Rai on August 2, who reportedly attempted to cross the Mekong River from Laos to enter the kingdom illegally. A team of investigating officers from the Chiang Saen Immigration Checkpoint was patrolled the Mekong River area after receiving a tip that a group of unlawful migrants would be…
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Covid-19 case detected outside state quarantine, first in weeks
Medical authorities in Samut Prakan, just southeast of Bangkok, say a Thai man tested positive for Covid-19 at a hospital there today. The man, whose name was not released, was diagnosed at Ramathibodi Hospital and is currently being treated there, according to Piyamit Sitra, dean of the medical faculty at Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute, an agency specifically charged with treating…
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Suspect in brutal 2007 murder caught in Kanchanaburi
A suspect in the brutal 2007 murder of the mother and elder brother of a senior public prosecutor has been arrested. 56 year old Prawit “Tor” Ketsakun, was arrested in Pak Praek, in the western Kanchanaburi province. He denies involvement, claiming he was just sitting in a van. Police say that on August 21 2007 a group of men went…
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