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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 Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Wanted MP sneaks into Thai parliament for crucial vote
WANTED: Pol Lt-Gen Waipote Arpornrat Renegade fugitive MP Waipote Arpornrat escaped the notice of parliamentary police, and government MPs, when he managed to stroll in the Lower House parliamentary chamber undetected during Wednesday’s sitting. Arpornrat is a member of Palang Pracharat, the most prominent party of the ruling government coalition after jumping ship from the Pheu Thai party, He was stripped…
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Thai central bank calms businesses concerns over strong baht
The Bank of Thailand is attempting to quell business concerns over the strong baht, saying the currency will eventually reverse its upward trend and that more two-way movement in relation to the US dollar is expected in 2020. The central bank’s deputy governor Mathee Supapongse says that investors now see the baht as overvalued, given the kingdoms sluggish economic forecast…
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Jealous boyfriend arrested over triple murder in Chiang Rai – VIDEO
SCREENSHOT: YouTube Chiang Rai police have arrested a man for the murder of his girlfriend and her parents, all found shot dead. 27 year old Nawaratorn “Nuan” Kunasangkam is currently in custody over the murders. The victims were Udom Kimsi, his wife Nutcha Kimsi, and their 26 year old daughter Saowarot Kimsi, all from Chiang Rai. Their bodies were found by…
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Former Malaysian PM Najib presents his opening testimony
PHOTO: Voice of America Former Malaysian PM Najib Razak was in the witness box for the first time yesterday defending himself on criminal charges linked to a multibillion-dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB (1 Malaysia Development Bhd). Najib, who unexpectedly lost a general election last year to his former mentor and former Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad, is now facing dozens of…
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HADO introduces augmented reality e-sports at SHOW DC, Bangkok
It’s the first physical e-sports centre for Thailand and the largest in Southeast Asia. Bangkok’s SHOW DC is adding to its reputation as a state-of-the-art lifestyle and entertainment destination with the introduction of Thailand’s first physical e-sport centre. Originating in Japan, HADO is the world’s first physical, augmented reality technology, and FoodYum Company is introducing the new phenomenon to Thailand at…
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China retaliates on pro-democracy bill by imposing sanctions on US
PHOTO: South China Morning Post Following US President Trump’s signing of a bill to protect the rights of Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners, China has hit back, with foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announcing a suspension of US warship visits and sanctions against American NGOs. “In response to the unreasonable behaviour of the US side, the Chinese government has decided to…
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Government extends time for payouts to storm victims
People affected by tropical storms ‘Podul’ or ‘Kajiki’ are now eligible to receive compensation up to March 31 next year, an extension from the original deadline of November 25. Deputy spokeswoman Ratchada Thanadirek says households in 32 provinces are entitled to receive 5,000 baht each, from an overall budget of 2.09 billion baht. Tropical storm Kajiki was a full on…
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Lost in translation – Karon seafood restaurant staff chase American customer
SCREENSHOT: เหยี่ยวข่าว ภูเก็ต Newshawk Phuket A post on the Facebook page ‘Newshawk Phuket’ has a 30 second video captioned ‘in Karon, what happened?This happened on December 2 at 4PM, on the road, in front of Karon Beach, Phuket’. The video shows a group of people running after a western man and attacking him. Today , Karon Police Superintendent, Pol Col…
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New Bangkok clinic dedicated to fixing surgery gone wrong
PHOTO: PlastyTalk The director of Yanhee Hospital in Bangkok says 50 million baht is being invested to create a centre dedicated to fixing botched surgical procedures. Dr Supot Sumritvanitcha says Yahnee Hospital will be the first facility in Thailand to offer this service. The Nation reports that the need has arisen due to illegal beauty clinics and other underground facilities…
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No tax on Chim Shop Chai stimulus package perks
The government will waive personal income tax on the financial privileges given to consumers under the Chim Shop Chai (Eat Shop Spend) economic stimulus programs that have been run over the past two months. This means the 1000 baht handout and the ‘cash-back’ rebate amounts won’t be subject to tax. The government spent 19 billion baht on the three phases…
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Six Chinese tourists hurt in speedboat crash near Koh Samet
PHOTO: Manager Online Thai media report that six people were taken to hospital in Rayong, east of Bangkok, after a speedboat carrying 11 Chinese tourists on a snorkelling trip collided with another boat. The incident happened just three or four nautical miles from the eastern holiday island of Koh Samet. The group were traveling from Pattaya with a Thai guide. Their…
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Couple realise they’d won the lottery when driving back to hometown in the north-east
PHOTO: Sanook A husband and wife were driving back to Yasothon Province in the north-east from Bangkok when they checked Sunday’s draw of the twice-monthly Thai Government lottery. They’d won the first prize! 6 million baht. The couple work as vendors at the Sampeng Market in ChinaTown, Bangkok. The winning numbers were 453522. 23 years old Methinee and her 34…
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Strong interest of foreign investors in Phuket’s resorts – JLL report
PHOTO: Dhawa Phuket “In the Asia Pacific, Phuket is one of the three hotel investment markets in the region that have been highlighted.” Buoyed by the rise of experience-driven travel and an affinity toward locally-inspired hotel offerings, resort assets remain a top target among investors. According to JLL Hotels & Hospitality’s Global Resort Report, resort sales accounted for 20% of…
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Skull and other human remains found near Bangkok construction site
PHOTO: Sanook A Bangkok labourer has discovered human remains in a forest behind the construction site where he works, south of the main city in Bang Na. Thai Residents reports that the man was on a day off and on his way to go fishing in a swamp in the forest when he came across the skull. Running back to the…
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Police shoot and kill major meth trafficker in Nakhon Si Thammarat
PHOTOS: Chiang Rai Times A Burmese drug trafficker has been shot dead in a gunfight with police in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. The ambush was the result of a sting after police pretended to be buyers. Authorities raided a house rented by the suspect and found a tablet press, 11 kilograms of methamphetamine powder, 500,000 ‘speed’ pills…
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Civic groups threaten legal action over U-turn on farm-chemical ban
686 civic groups threaten to sue Industry Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit over the U-turn on banning three agri-chemicals. Thai PBS World reports that the groups are all in favour of the ban on paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos, which the National Hazardous Substances Committee (NHSC) recently agreed to ban. And then it changed its mind. They say they are working with a group…
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Thai victims’ group warns of mass protests against ‘military’ government
PHOTO: Adul Khiewboriboon, chairman of the Committee of Relatives of the Black May 1992 Victims A support group for families of victims of Thailand’s 1992 political unrest says the kingdom’s deteriorating political and economic environment could turn into violent street protests like those in Hong Kong. Adul Khiewboriboon, chairman of the Committee of Relatives of the Black May 1992 Victims, says…
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Another Chonburi man dies playing with charging phone
A 28 year old man has been killed by electric shock at at his home in Chonburi, the second this year. Police and rescuers found the body of 28 year old Kittisak Moonkitti on a mattress, with one hand on a cell phone, still attached to a GPO (electrical outlet). There were burn marks on the man’s hand. The victim’s…
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“The first quarter of 2020 looks terrible” – tourism in northern Thailand.
“Bookings in the north are down and the outlook for… the first quarter of 2020 looks terrible.” The head of the Northern Hoteliers’ Association based in Chiang Mai is painting a grim picture about the immediate future for tourism in northern Thailand. She was bemoaning that bookings in the north are down and the outlook for the end of this…
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Suvarnabhumi authorities passing the blame for long queues yesterday
PHOTO: Immigration Police A post about long waits and airport queues at Suvarnabhumi yesterday has sparked an immediate response from an immigration spokesperson today. Hundreds of people were queued up for hours in the departure areas, as they waited to be processed after checking in. The spokesman responded to reporters after claims on the Facebook page JS 100 Traffic Radio…
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The baht keeps surging – and other predictions for the Thai economy in 2020
The last time the Thai baht’s value against theUSD touched 29 baht/US dollar was back in 2013. But the currency appreciation situation was quite different then. Today it’s floating around 30 baht in its 22nd year as a floating international currency. How will all that affect the Thai economy in 2020? Now the strong baht is a result of the…
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Thais still strongly support national army conscription – Super Poll
PHOTO: Aljazeera.com Thais say they still support the current conscription laws to fill up the ranks of the Thai army. 82% of respondents to a Super Poll say that there is no better alternative to conscription when ensuring “national security” and that assistance is available to Thai people in cases of a natural disaster or civil unrest. (Numbers rounded off…
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Four children injured after carnival ride throws them off a ride – VIDEO
PHOTO: INN News Police are questioning the owner of an amusement ride that ‘malfunctioned’ in Lopburi province resulting in the injury of children. The incident took place at a carnival named “Lopburi Winter” on November 30 around 10.30pm. Children were enjoying the ride when suddenly a safety bar, holding the children in place, appears to let go and the children bounced off…
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Health Minister proposes Thai farmers to grow cannabis as preferred crop
PHOTO: Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul inspecting a government-sponsored cannabis plant – Chiang Rai Times Who ever thought they’d be a day in Thailand when the country’s health minister was actively touting cannabis as a preferred crop for Thai farmers. But here we are… Thailand’s Public Health Minister is proposing farmers be allowed to grow cannabis under government supervision.…
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1 killed, 9 injured in Phuket road incidents
A woman has died and nine others injured in three separate incidents in Phuket. In the first accident, in Muang district, eyewitnesses say a Toyota Vios swerved before overturning and ending up on its roof. A 42 year old woman, Netchanok Det-arn was thrown from the car and seriously injured. The driver, who hasn’t yet been identified, was slightly injured…
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Temperatures dropping across Thailand
Well, it is winter afterall. The Thai Meteorological Department is predicting cool mornings with light fog in upper Thailand, with clear skies and sunny weather during the day. A moderate high-pressure system still covers much of the north of Thailand. The north and the northeast will have temperatures as low as 16-22 degrees in the plains, with 6-12 degrees in…
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Another dugong found dead on Koh Yao Noi, Phang Nga Bay
PHOTO: เหยี่ยวข่าว ภูเก็ต Newshawk Phuket On November 30, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, received a report about another dead dugong in Phang Nga Bay. Local people found the dugong washed up on Tha Khao Beach in Moo 5, Yao Noi Island, located between Phuket and Krabi. The officials reported it was a male dugong and its body had been…
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Police track down double murder suspect in Chiang Mai
The main suspect in the murder of a teaching couple in Rayong, east of Bangkok, has been arrested in Chiang Mai. He was arrested along with another man accused of helping him escape. Police have arrested Supakrit Sujasee, a Chiang Mai native, and Panuphong Bualoy early yesterday. Thai media report that they were caught as they were preparing to flee to…
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Thai border troops placed on alert as Mon rebels prepare attack
Troops deployed at the western Thai border with Myanmar have been placed on alert in anticipation of renewed fighting between Burmese government troops and ethnic-Mon rebels. Fighting broke out a last week when a Mon National Liberation Army base in Ban Bor Yeepoon was taken over by Burmese troops. About 1,000 Mon refugees fled across the border into Kanchanaburi. Shelters…
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Man confesses to stabbing murder of ex-girlfriend in Songkhla
PHOTO: Assawin Pakkawan A 26 year old teacher has surrendered to police and confessed to the murder of his ex-girlfriend. She was found stabbed to death in her car in Songkhla province, southern Thailand, on Thursday. The violent murder, on the Koh Taeo-Sam Kong road in tambon Koh Taeo was reported to police in the morning. The blood-stained body of…
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