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.
-
Sponsored Planning to extend your Thai visa? Why health insurance is more important than ever
If you plan to stay longer in Thailand, having health insurance is now more important than ever. Thai immigration often asks for proof of medical coverage when you apply to extend your visa. This applies to many types of visas,...
-
Rock ‘n’ roll on Sukhumvit: Chinese tourist’s bizarre antics shock Pattaya
A Chinese national attracted attention when he exhibited erratic behaviour on Sukhumvit Road, Pattaya, resorting to self-harm by smashing his head with a rock, last Saturday, January 20. The shocking scene unfolded in broad daylight, triggering immediate concern from alarmed onlookers. Quick-thinking passers-by wasted no time and alerted the authorities, sparking a rapid response from the police and rescue units.…
-
Thai SMEs threatened by proposed minimum wage hike and high loan rates
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) warned that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) could be significantly affected by the proposed daily minimum wage hike and high loan interest rates. This comes as the government persists in its efforts to increase wages. Towards the end of 2023, a resolution was reached by the tripartite wage committee, composed of representatives from the…
-
Kuwaiti woman killed in motorcycle accident in Kamala, Phuket
A Kuwaiti woman was killed yesterday morning in a motorcycle accident in Kamala, Phuket. The incident was reported to Kamala Police by a passerby at around 3am. Two individuals who were riding the motorcycle were transported to Patong Hospital. A Honda PCX motorcycle was found in a drainage ditch, as well as a broken blue helmet. The motorcycle driver, a…
-
Tragic road accident in Trat leaves one dead and three volunteers injured
Tragedy struck on the rain-soaked roads of Trat province, unveiling a heart-wrenching narrative of a fatal collision between a rescue vehicle and a woman’s car, highlighting the perilous challenges faced by volunteers in their quest to save lives. A severe road accident occurred in Trat province, resulting in the fatality of a 36 year old woman, Wanpen Insaeng, and leaving…
-
Teenager in Thailand brutally assaulted by notorious youth gang
A brutal assault on a 13 year old boy by a notorious youth gang in Nonthaburi, Thailand, led to a formal complaint being lodged at the Ratthanathibet Police Station. Ekapop Luengprasert, an adviser to the interior minister and founder of the Sai Mai Tong Rod (Sai Mai District Must Survive) Facebook page, accompanied the mother of the victim to the…
-
Russian roulette: Five nabbed in Phuket villa for illegal gambling and shisha stash
Officers from the Investigation Division of the Provincial Police Region 8 and Chalong Police Station yesterday arrested five Russian nationals for illegal gambling and the illicit possession of water pipes for shisha smoking at a luxury villa in the Rawai sub-district of Phuket. Officers received a tip-off that a group of foreigners turned a lavish accommodation in Soi Salika in…
-
US-China tensions fuel e-commerce growth in Thailand
The mounting geopolitical tension between the US and China is precipitating an influx of new e-commerce entities into Thailand, a development set to escalate market rivalry and broaden the scope of the cross-border e-commerce industry. Thanawat Malabuppha, the CEO of Priceza and honorary president of the Thailand E-Commerce Association, asserts that the escalating US-China geopolitical strife has triggered an expansion…
-
TAT targets 7 billion baht tourism revenue surge for Ranong
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) aims to boost Ranong province’s tourism revenue to 7 billion baht (US$196 million) in the current year, a substantial rise from 6.72 billion baht (US$188 million) in the preceding year. The strategy is to increase the share of international tourists to 15% of total visitors, a significant recovery from the previous year’s slump. Ranong,…
-
Seaplane terminal boosts tourism in Phuket
Airports of Thailand (AOT) announced Thailand’s inaugural seaplane terminal, slated to grace Phuket International Airport. AOT’s visionary project aims to meet the demand for coastal tourism, taking reference from the Maldives. The ambitious initiative involves a comprehensive study to bolster tourism links between Phuket and the Andaman islands and beaches while concurrently enhancing the airport’s capacity. With the study, encompassing…
-
Changan Automobile targets selling 20,000 EVs in Thailand this year
With positive optimism about the electric vehicle (EV) market in Thailand, Changan Automobile, a renowned manufacturer based in Chongqing, China, has set an ambitious plan. The company aims to sell 20,000 EVs in Thailand within this year and has designated the nation as its strategic export hub. Shen Xinghua, who chairs Changan Auto Sales (Thailand), revealed that the Thai government’s…
-
Muay Thai aims for Olympic recognition as part of Thailand’s soft power strategy
National Soft Power Strategy Committee Deputy Chairperson Paetongtarn Shinawatra is championing the cause for the integral Thai martial art, Muay Thai, to be recognised as an Olympic sport. Paetongtarn sees the inclusion of Muay Thai in the Olympics as part of a broader strategy to elevate the martial art as a key tool of Thailand’s soft power. “We will get…
-
Chiang Rai man charged for assaulting teacher and young woman
Two teenage women lodged a complaint concerning a 38 year old man, who had allegedly assaulted a female teacher in a school in Chiang Rai. The incident occurred at around 3pm yesterday (January 22), in a school at the Ban Pong Klua village in the Doi Lan sub-district of Chiang Rai province. According to the 18 year old complainant, the…
-
Thai government officials inspect 1-trillion-baht Land Bridge megaproject amid environmental concerns
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit embarked on an official visit to the Andaman region, with Ranong, the site of the 1-trillion-baht Land Bridge megaproject, as their first stop. The project, expected to generate significant benefits across the southern region, is facing criticism due to its potential environmental impact. The officials inspected a…
-
Protesters intensify demonstrations over Thaksin Shinawatra’s preferential treatment
The Students and People’s Network for Thailand Reform (STR) are intensifying their demonstrations over the alleged preferential treatment of Thaksin Shinawatra, the convicted former prime minister. The protesters are set to stage a sit-in outside the Government House starting February 2. According to Pichit Chaimongkol, the STR leader, there are plans to protest indefinitely alongside other groups that are targeting…
-
Elderly woman rescued from drug-addict grandson’s threat
An elderly woman, bedridden due to a leg amputation, was rescued in Udon Thani after her drug-addicted grandson threatened to burn her alive. Yesterday local villagers intervened when, 25 years old Prakasit, prepared to set his grandmother, 61 years old Pitya Dok Bua, on fire in their home. The police arrested Prakasit, who showed signs of recent drug use and…
-
Boys aged 14 apprehended for throwing stones at vehicles in Phatthalung
A group of four boys, all aged 14 years old, were apprehended today, for causing mischief by throwing stones at passing vehicles, causing damage and distress. The main victim was a 27 year old motorist called Natthaphong, who was transporting young boxers from Trang province for a competition. The incident occurred on the Manohra bypass road, heading towards the city…
-
Thai woman mysteriously dies in Malaysia while travelling with friend
Thai parents sought help from the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women to investigate the mysterious and tragic death of their daughter who reportedly fell from the 33rd floor of a building in the Kuala Lumpur city in Malaysia and died. A 62 year old Thai woman, Nopparat In-pru and her 63 year old husband, Narongchai Phansanoi, travelled from the…
-
Malaysian woman mistaken for cat creates social media frenzy
A social media storm has been stirred in Malaysia where a supposed cat on a car turned out to be a woman, much to the surprise of onlookers. The humorous incident, a testament to the saying Don’t judge a book by its cover, has elicited laughter across social media platforms. A Malaysian couple were out for a walk in Johor…
-
Thai market flooded with counterfeit TYESO thermal cups causing 10 million baht loss
The popular thermal cup brand TYESO suffered a significant blow as counterfeit products, orchestrated by Chinese counterfeiters and sold by Thai live sellers, flooded the Thai market. The brand and its official Thai distributor, Eco Chang Intertrade Co., Ltd, face an estimated loss of 10 million baht. The situation poses potential harm to the consumer’s health and the reputation of…
-
Narendra Modi to inaugurate Ram Temple in Ayodhya amid looming elections
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, a place of birth believed by Hindus to be associated with Lord Rama. The construction of this temple represents a key fulfilment of a promise by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to the Hindu population, taking place just months before India’s upcoming elections, where Modi aims…
-
Ten days of rainfall predicted in Thailand with temperature fluctuations
The Thailand Meteorological Department (TMD) predicted rainfall for the next 10 days, from January 22 to 31. The TMD anticipate thunderstorms in the northern, central and upper northeastern regions, with a temperature rise expected. The forecast was updated today, January 22, from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). From January 22 to 26, a moderate to strong mass…
-
Thai man returns temple toy after son sees ghosts
News emerged that a 31 year old man returned a toy to a temple in Nakhon Nayok province after his son began to see ghosts. The boy’s father, Phonchai, and his family had visited the temple to pay respects and inadvertently took home a Hulk action figure which they believe triggered unusual happenings. The temple, Lam Bua Loi Temple in…
-
Love as ripe as durian: Thai man weds Burmese woman, claiming a 300 year old destiny
A 49 year old Thai man and a 19 year old Burmese woman tied the knot in a ceremony in Tha Sae District, Chumphon Province, Thailand. The couple, who met while selling durian at a market, believe they were destined to be together, tracing their bond back to a past life 300 years ago. The groom, a Thai durian trader,…
-
Russian man rescued after jumping into Pattaya sea near Bali Hai Pier
Mueang Pattaya Police Station officers and rescuers rescued a Russian man who jumped into the sea near Bali Hai Pier on Saturday. Cannabis was blamed for his careless actions. Police officers and rescuers rushed to the Bali Hai Pier to help the Russian man, aged between 30 and 40 years old. The foreign man reportedly jumped into the sea at…
-
Department of Consular Affairs goes digital with e-passports and more
The Department of Consular Affairs made a giant leap into the future, with its transformation into a digital department this year. This significant change involves the integration of advanced technology and artificial intelligence (AI) into its daily operations, demonstrated by the introduction of contemporary icons and an array of improved e-consular services. The cornerstone of this digital metamorphosis lies in…
-
Drug addict attacks Thai teacher after school hours (video)
A drug addict surrendered to police after attacking a Thai teacher at a school in the northern province of Chiang Rai. The suspect claimed the victim hurt him first, so he acted in self-defence. Mueang Chiang Rai Police Station and Dhammanan Chiang Rai Rescue Team were alerted to the physical assault at Baan Pong Kluea School at about 1.40pm on…
-
Phuket grocery owner busted for illicit kratom water trade
A sweeping police operation in Phuket culminated in the arrest of a man found in possession of an astonishing 315 bottles of the outlawed beverage known as kratom water. Somsak Kiattikhan, a 44 year old grocery store owner, was apprehended on Saturday, January 20, following an intelligence tip-off regarding the sale of the illicit drink to local youths. The swoop took…
-
PM Srettha reassures public on Land Bridge megaproject amid concerns
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin voiced his administration’s commitment to addressing the concerns of groups opposing the Land Bridge megaproject. Today, PM Srettha is visiting the proposed construction site in Ranong, where a mobile cabinet meeting is scheduled for tomorrow. The 61 year old Thai prime minister acknowledged the government’s shortcomings in effectively communicating the project’s economic advantages to international investors.…
-
Parking pandemonium: Patong police in vehicle violation crackdown to unclog traffic in Phuket hotspot
In a bold move to ease traffic congestion, Patong Police initiated a crackdown on vehicles flouting parking regulations in Phuket’s most bustling tourist locale. The campaign kicked off on Friday, January 19, at 9am, when officers began issuing penalties to vehicles improperly parked on Ratchapathanusorn Road. Interestingly, this is the same street that houses the Patong Municipality offices. Patong’s Police…
-
Rawai rescue team saves lost tourists at Laem Krating
Two female tourists, who had lost their way as darkness fell near Laem Krating, were located and ushered to safety by the Rawai Municipality rescue team last night (January 21). The women had gone for a walk on the popular trail along the cape, well-known for its Black Rock Viewpoint. The trail, which measures just 1.8 kilometres, became a labyrinth…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.