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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 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,...
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Lucky turtle: Thai lottery fans embrace headless, legless hero
The lottery enthusiast community was buzzing with excitement as images of a rare headless, legless turtle, considered a harbinger of good luck, spread across social media. The photographs were shared by a Facebook user yesterday who captivated the audience by claiming that the lucky turtle had arrived to bring fortune. The peculiar post quickly gained traction, attracting a barrage of…
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Elderly captive released from Hamas praises captors for unexpected care (video)
An 85 year old woman revealed the reason for extending a farewell handshake to her Hamas captors, citing their good care and tenderness towards the elderly. International news reported last night that Hamas had released two elderly Israeli women with health issues, citing humanitarian reasons. In a Hamas statement, it was clarified that the captives, 85 year old Yosef Lifchitz…
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Drunken man’s dangerous stunt with python nearly turns fatal in Kerala
A near-death experience unfolded in Kerala, India, as a drunken man sought to showcase his bravado by enacting a stunt with a giant python. The man, known as Chandran, was heading home in a state of inebriation when he picked up the python from the roadside and began to perform stunts with it, turning the heads of passers-by. This audacious…
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British man suffers broken nose after stumbling over road stud in Pattaya (video)
President of the Pattaya Entertainment Business Association urged local authorities to take action after a British man stumbled on a stud on Jomtien Beach Road in Pattaya and suffered a broken nose. CCTV footage along Jomtien Beach Road in Pattaya showed a British man crossing the road and tripping over the road stud. He fell to the ground as his…
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62 year old woman commits suicide in Chiang Mai after 5.2 million baht scam by call centre fraudsters
A 62 year old woman took her own life in Mae Rim, Chiang Mai after she was deceived by a group of call centre fraudsters. A financial loss of 5.2 million baht was involved. The case propelled Sector 5 Police into a fervent pursuit of 14 more suspects connected to the case. The deceased, 62 year old Yupin, was found dead,…
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Asia’s crypto craze: Bitcoin’s impressive ascent fuels ETF hopes
The cryptocurrency market witnessed a notable surge in Asia, with Bitcoin reaching a near 18-month high. The climb in value today, October 24, by over 6% to US$35,198, is the highest recorded since May 2022 and is the result of speculation around the potential launch of a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF). Monday, October 23, saw Bitcoin’s best session in almost…
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Retired football coach drowns in municipal pond in central Thailand
A retired football coach tragically lost his life in an accident during an exercise routine in Nakhon Pathom. The incident occurred when he suddenly felt dizzy and fell into a municipal water storage pond. Witnessed by locals, the incident occurred around 7am today. Officers from the Nakhon Pathom Police Station, along with officials from the Nakhon Pathom Municipality Disaster Prevention…
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Foot-and-mouth disease probable cause for Phayao buffalo deaths
A number of buffaloes have been found dead under mysterious circumstances in the Phayao province, in northern Thailand. The livestock department of Phayao province suspected the cause to be foot-and-mouth disease and has expedited investigations to affirm the cause of death. The incident occurred in village number 10 of Champa Wai sub-district, Mueang district, Phayao province, where the local livestock department…
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Bangkok’s air quality dips: PM2.5 dust levels spark health warnings
Bangkok and its surrounding provinces are experiencing PM2.5 dust levels above the standard, leading to health concerns and advisories for the public to cease outdoor activities. The Air Pollution Problem Resolution Centre under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) unveiled these findings after monitoring air quality. While the PM2.5 dust level remained within standard limits across the country,…
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Phuket police crackdown: 39 nabbed in weeklong sweep against drugs and guns, boosting tourist security
The Phuket Provincial Police apprehended 39 individuals on counts of drug and firearm offences over the past week in their continuous effort to enhance the security of its tourism sector. Between October 15 and 21, Phuket police reported that they had caught 32 suspects red-handed with narcotics. Among them, 11 were implicated in allegations of drug distribution and conspiring to…
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Pattaya Tourist Police cracks down on crime committed by transgender women
Pattaya Tourist Police are taking swift measures to address issues caused by transgender women who have been stealing from tourists. Over 50 high-risk individuals have been identified, with more than 20 of them apprehended and profiles created. Problems have arisen after a number of transgender women targeted foreign tourists around Pattaya Beach in Chon Buri, including theft, quarrels, and physical…
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Honduran teenager shocks mourners with video call during his own funeral
The horrifying murder case of a Honduran teenager rocked a local community last week. Identified as Osman Adonay Erbina, his heavily disfigured body was found with multiple gunshot wounds to the head and neck on Sunday, October 15. However, the mourners at his funeral were stunned when a friend suddenly received a video call from the supposedly dead 17 year…
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Deceptive dealings: Thai man’s fake modelling agency a ruse to sexually assault victims
A 19 year old Thai woman filed a complaint against a Thai man for running a fake modelling agency and pretending to be a transwoman so he could sexually assault victims. The victim, 19 year old Nut, said she posted a picture of herself on a Facebook group on October 19 announcing she was looking for acting jobs. A Thai…
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Thai Cabinet wraps up 2023 with a four-day new year surprise
In a recent development, the Thai Cabinet has approved a four-day public holiday to usher in the new year. As confirmed by the secretary-general of the prime minister, Prommin Lertsuridej, this extended break will begin on Friday, December 29, and last until Monday, January 1. The decision comes as part of an effort to allow citizens ample time to celebrate…
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Mercedes-Benz badge stolen: Car owner responds positively offering help to thief
A car owner found that a Mercedes-Benz badge had been stolen from his car when visiting a relative at a hospital. Instead of reacting with anger, the victim, known as Suea Je, offered the thief a unique proposal, sparking an outpouring of positive comments from netizens. Suea Je took to Facebook via the Pangfuufuu account to pen a message to…
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2-metre long snake coiled around dead body of Burmese man in central Thailand
In a harrowing incident in the community of Wat Samrong Nua, Samut Prakan, a rescue team had a challenging mission to retrieve the body of a 26 year old Burmese man, that involved a 2-metre long snake. The Burmese man had taken his life in the bathroom of a worker’s dormitory at an old safe production factory. The retrieval took…
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5 good reasons to visit Koh Samui in 2023
Thailand’s “coconut island” has come a long way since its hippy heyday in the 1970s. Today, jet-set travellers rub shoulders with the tabloids’ favourite celebrities, while major golf events and regattas have become annual pilgrimages. So, now you’re thinking about a lazy leisurely holiday on this tantalisingly tropical island? The only question is … when to go? January – BBQ Season…
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Fearless Thai woman swoops in to rescue boy kidnapped by homeless man at temple
A Thai woman bravely swooped to the rescue of an eight year old boy kidnapped by a homeless man and taken to beg at Bang Phi Yai Nai temple in Bang Phi district of the central province of Samut Prakarn. A Thai woman contacted the police and the Mirror Foundation after her grandchild, eight year old Jirayu “Bank” Mongko, went missing.…
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Chinese widow haunted by strange noises at night: Altercation with neighbour
A Chinese widow reported hearing strange noises after moving to a new apartment following the loss of her husband. Every night between 1am to 2am, she heard sounds such as door knocking and that of a baby carriage. These sounds caused the woman to shiver in fear and unable to sleep. Li’s husband fell ill and passed away following the…
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Patong Baywatch resumes night patrols, enhancing safety at popular Thai beach
Patong Surf Life Saving has re-initiated the nighttime beach patrols to boost the safety measures at Patong Beach. Despite the details of the resumption of nighttime patrols still being under wraps by Patong Municipality and the Patong Development Fund, the initiative named Patong Baywatch has been put back into action. The precise number of night watchmen designated for the beach…
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11 year old British girl’s mysterious illness raises money for hospital
A British girl narrowly escaped death caused by a mysterious illness that caused her entire body to swell within seconds. Thanks to a quick-thinking nurse, who had advised her to rush to the hospital after a glance at her condition, the girl from Merseyside, UK. The girl, Honey Barton, is now 13 years old but her illness still puzzles doctors…
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Teenage Thai thief caught in Udon Thani despite his ‘invisibility talismans’
A teenage Thai thief, who believed he could evade capture because he possessed invisibility skills, was arrested in the Ban Dung district of Udon Thani today. Contrarily to his past successful conquests, the teenage Thai thief’s attempt to steal a local’s motorbike was abruptly brought to a halt by alert villagers who managed to catch him after a chase ensued.…
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Search for escaped murder convict intensifies as getaway vehicle found in southern Thailand
A white Mitsubishi pickup truck with the licence plate 8กจ 9049 from Phatthalung was found abandoned near a port close to Malaysia on Saturday, October 21. The vehicle was believed to have been used by a murder convict, Chaowalit Thongduang, to make his escape. The 37 year old Chaowalit has been charged with attempted murders related to an attack on police…
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Romantic Thai thief nabbed for stealing gold necklace to finance beach trip with wife
Police in Bangkok arrested a romantic Thai thief who confessed to stealing a gold necklace from a Burmese victim at the bustling Sirichai market. The motive behind his theft? A romantic escapade with his wife to Bang Saen Beach in Chon Buri province. The victim, Lin Aye, reported the theft at Bang Khun Tian Police Station on Sunday, October 22,…
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2 Thais killed and 5 injured in car accident in Norway
A tragic car accident on the National Highway 7 in Hallindal, Norway, on October 11 killed two Thai nationals and injured five other Thais, including two children. The Royal Thai Embassy in Oslo, Noway, reported on October 19 that the Thai ambassador and relevant authorities invited monks from a Thai temple in Oslo to perform a ceremony for the deceased…
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Money in the air after gold necklace sold by heartbroken Chinese man
A Chinese man surprised shoppers in Huizhou, Guangdong province, China, when he tossed cash in the air upon leaving a jewellery store after the sale of a gold necklace he had bought for his girlfriend. He then nonchalantly walked away without a second glance, leaving passersby astounded. The owner of the gold jewellery store, Wu, reported that the customer had…
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Krabi’s national park sees revenue surge to 270 million baht
Hat Nappharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park in Krabi witnessed an impressive surge in its yearly revenue, exceeding 270 million baht (US$7.47 million). This financial leap has resulted in the park becoming Thailand’s highest-grossing national park. As Thailand prepares for the influx of tourists during the high season in the following month, Ratchanok Paenoi, the park’s chief, has reported…
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Thai Prime Minister defends controversial 10,000-baht digital handout scheme
Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin defended the government’s decision to proceed with the controversial 10,000-baht digital currency handout scheme on Monday, despite mounting criticism. Primarily, critics have been concerned about the scheme’s lack of transparency, particularly regarding its funding source. The 61 year old PM, who also holds the position of finance minister, dismissed these concerns. “I insist the policy…
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Thai worker survives Gaza conflict, returns home after delayed salary payment
Thai worker Charnchai Chidkhoksung, who was based just 7 kilometres from the Gaza Strip, recently experienced the peril of war first-hand. The 31 year old was reunited with his family on Sunday night after enduring three months of conflict while working as a tomato collector in the embattled region. Charnchai and his colleagues were witnesses to the Hamas attacks, which…
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Thai woman’s tribute tattoo to late pet cat goes viral on TikTok
A single red line tattoo has garnered over 3.3 million views on TikTok, bringing tears to many as they discover its profound meaning. The viral clip was posted by TikTok user @tommsarinee, known as Tom, who shared the story behind her first-ever tattoo. Tom revealed that she had never contemplated getting a tattoo before. However, one day the idea struck…
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