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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 New in July: Save 10% for life on family health plans in Thailand
Cigna has a special offer this July for families in Thailand. When you sign up three or more people on a family health plan, you will save 10% on your premiums for life. This deal helps you get affordable, high-quality...
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Foreigner caught stealing luggage at Bangkok airport
A foreign woman stole a Thai woman’s luggage with about 300,000 baht worth of luxury items at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. The 45 year old Thai woman, Pornrat, shared the story of her stolen suitcase with Thai media because it still hasn’t been returned. Pornrat was travelling from Dubai and arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport on September 11 at 4pm. She…
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Tropical Storm Noru hits the Philippines, 5 rescue workers killed
Five rescue workers have died after Tropical Storm Noru made landfall on the main island of the Philippines. Noru is the strongest storm to hit the island nation so far this year. Typhoon Noru, known as Karding in the Philippines, caused winds up to 240 kilometres per hour (149mph) on Luzon island, which is home to 64 million people. The…
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Rail operators deny passengers were trapped for 4 hours
UPDATE Asia Era One’s Public Relations team denied any passengers were trapped in an Airport Rail Link train after a power failure last month. Asia Era One, who is responsible for the operation of the Airport Rail Link train, wants to clarify what happened when the power went down on Saturday, September 24. There were no passengers trapped inside the…
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Prices plummet on cannabis, farmers ask for regulation
Who could have seen it coming? With the decriminalisation and deregulation of cannabis, prices have plummeted and farmers are asking for price regulation from the government. Now people can grow the plant on their own and sell the crops. The original farmers with government contracts have seen an 80% to 90% reduction in the value of their crops. In many…
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Unlikely Biden will make APEC meeting in Thailand
Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson reported that they are trying to find a way for US President Joe Biden to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ meeting in Bangkok after he made it known it clashes with a family wedding. The US President will attend the G20 conference in Bali on November 15 and November 16 but will probably…
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International money transfers made fast, secure and transparent with DeeMoney Neo App
Sponsored With the pandemic boosting the global digital economy and accelerating cross-border payments, people are constantly looking for hassle-free modes of transaction. However, finding the right and trustworthy financial service can be challenging due to cumbersome procedures and money lost to hidden charges and exchange rates. DeeMoney, Thailand’s #1 Fintech specialising in cross-border payments, aims to address these pain points…
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Thai Airways releases details of winter flights itinerary
Thai Airways (THAI) announced its winter flights schedule from October 30 to March 25, 2023, with 34 flights slated to take off from Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok for destinations to Asia, Europe, and Australia. Thailand’s flag carrier has endured a tough time since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world over two years ago. But THAI recently announced a restructuring plan to…
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Phuket real estate shifts tide in wake of urban flight
Urban flight and a continuous stream of incoming lifestyle residents to Phuket are dramatically shifting Southeast Asia’s leading resort real estate market landscape. The new island property mantra is dominated by surging demand for single-family homes and larger condominiums. Phuket has witnessed a sharp change from 2019 when over 9 million tourists sought a place in the sun, highlighted by…
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As Iran revolts, president vows to deal with protests
As the people of Iran continue to rise against the country’s Islamic regime, authorities are making some remarks. On Friday, the Iranian army said that it will confront “the enemies” behind the protests. Meanwhile, Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi yesterday vowed to “deal decisively” with the protests. Raisi noted that it was necessary to differentiate between protests and disturbing security. He…
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POLL: Top 2 picks for prime minister are “nobody” and Ex-PM’s daughter
A new NIDA poll shows the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is leading the pack of hopefuls to replace suspended PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra is a member of the leading Pheu Thai Party and is currently the second choice for prime minister, just behind “nobody is suitable.” The poll was conducted by the National Institute…
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No word from China on Xi military coup whispers
Media reports from India last night claimed China President Xi Jinping is under house arrest after a military coup. TFI Global and the Times of India both speculated that the Chinese premier is under house arrest after Beijing Airport cancelled more than 6,000 domestic and international flights, and suspended the nation’s high-speed rail. The Indian media outlets also went as…
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Intoxicated Pattaya tourist allegedly punches elderly Australian man in face
Another intoxicated Pattaya tourist has reportedly caused mayhem. On Friday night, a tourist allegedly punched an elderly Australian man in the face as the man was trying to stop him from fighting with a motorcycle taxi driver. A witness said that the Australian man, 70 year old Tony, had seen the tourist in a feud with the motorcycle taxi driver…
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Kanchanaburi school director found dead in canal
Rescue divers discovered the body of a Kanchanaburi school director in a canal in Tha Muang district yesterday. The woman, 45 year old Nipaporn Wongwilai, was the director of the Ban Nong Ya Plong School in Makham Tia district. The divers started a search yesterday morning after locals found the front bumper and license plate of a car beside the…
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Small children in Pattaya learn to get help when locked in hot cars
After a tragic incident last month where a child died in a school van in Chon Buri, Pattaya police are taking measures to prevent similar incidents. Two police lieutenants visited a Pattaya school on September 21 to train preschoolers two to four years old on what to do if they get locked in a hot car. The school was Pattaya…
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Heavy rains collapse part of Chiang Mai’s ancient city wall
With continued heavy rainfall, part of the ancient city wall of Chiang Mai collapsed. A section of the wall near the Chang Phuak Gate partially crumbled in last night’s storm. The ancient wall stood in Chiang Mai for about 750 years before collapsing in the rain. The Chiang Mai municipality was joined by authorities from the Fine Arts Department who…
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6-hour whiskey drinking contest draws criticism
A contest to drink booze straight for six hours? Maybe not the best idea. A rice whiskey drinking competition is drawing criticism online from readers questioning the safety of such an event. The contest was advertised online on Friday and is scheduled to take place on October 11. The location appears to be Donna Kham House farm, in Ban Thaen…
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Earthquake in Indonesia felt throughout southern Thailand
An earthquake in Indonesia was felt as far away as southern Thailand. The quake, which had its epicentre on Sumatra Island, measured 6.2 on the Richter scale and took place yesterday morning. People reported feeling the tremors in Phuket, Phang Nga, and Songkhla provinces in Thailand, some 500 to 550 kilometres away. The earthquake struck at 3.52am yesterday and was…
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Foreign women rescued from rip current in Patong
Jet ski operators and lifeguards rescued three foreign women from a rip current off Patong Beach on Friday night. The women were seen in the water calling for help. Fortunately, some jet ski operators and lifeguards were still at the beach at the time, and the women were taken safely back to shore on a jet ski. The Patong Surf…
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Woman smashes up her 1.5 million baht car over feud with Ford Thailand
A woman who smashed up her Ford Everest with a crowbar in Korat, northeast Thailand, on Thursday says she wants “justice, not attention.” The 42 year old businesswoman, Runghathai (surname withheld), resorted to clambering on her bonnet and smashing her windscreen because of an ongoing feud between her and Ford Thailand which began in March. Runghathai says that she drove…
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1.8 billion baht in donations at the Erawan shrine in 2022
The Erawan shrine is a popular place for Thai people to make merit and donate money, and those donations totalled 1.8 billion baht in 2022. The cash donations are gathered and donated to a variety of charities. Over 50 hospitals have benefitted from the offerings, receiving about 100 million baht this year. The Erawan shrine sits at the Ratchaprasong intersection…
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Ask the Thais | Stereotypes, Racial Profiling, and Discrimination
Click the link to watch a video: https://youtu.be/MEBGOF9Ht4c In this episode of Ask The Thais, Natty Warisa asks about topics on discrimination, stereotyping, and racial profiling in Thailand and abroad 3 guests – Parin, Arina, and Ab. Is it true that foreigners are the only people who get ripped off by taxis? Do Thai people get discriminated against in foreign…
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Thailand watching BQ.1.1 variant as Covid rules ease
As Thailand prepares to eliminate the last of the Covid-19 protections for the country, a new highly contagious variant of Omicron has been put on the country’s watch list. The BQ.1.1 variant was first confirmed in the UK last month and has so far only infected a meagre 78 people, but those cases have been spread throughout 10 different countries…
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Military conscription in Russia could benefit Thailand’s economy
Thailand could be an attractive and realistic option for men fleeing military conscription in Russia. Reports say that men are fleeing Russia after President Vladimir Putin announced a plan to conscript 300,000 civilians into military service in Ukraine. Several European countries such as Lithuania have already closed their doors to Russian citizens, citing widespread support for Putin’s unprovoked invasion of…
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Economists foresee 38 baht to 1 US dollar this year
With the US dollar strengthening and Thailand’s struggling economy, economic experts predict the baht may fall to 38 to the dollar by the end of this year. The head of capital markets research for Kasikorn Bank believes the baht will continue its instability along with the global money markets as a result of domestic and international factors. While the US…
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Scams in Thailand – Common scams in Thailand to watch out for!
Scams in Thailand The most common scams in Thailand Like anywhere in the world that’s popular with tourists, there are scams in Thailand. Nobody likes being played for a fool, and being scammed leaves you bitter and, for some people, broke. Fortunately, most Thailand scams are easy to avoid and not all that common either. Here are the ones you’re…
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Beauty queen seeking asylum will not be sent to Myanmar
Amid confusion over the status of the Burmese beauty queen in limbo at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, she can at least take solace that she will not be sent back to Myanmar where she faces arrest. Han Lay, the 23 year old beauty queen, has been held upon arrival in Thailand on Wednesday with reports first saying she had been arrested,…
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Tropical Storm Noru is about to hit Thailand
Tropical Storm Noru has been brewing in the Pacific Ocean and is on its way to Thailand, according to the Meteorological Department. Noru is expected to cause isolated and heavy rainfall in northern and northeastern Thailand from Tuesday to Thursday (September 27-29). A tropical depression just east of the Philippines intensified into a tropical storm on Friday at around 1pm.…
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Thai man ‘does not regret’ death of ‘crazy’ son who stabbed grandma in the genitals
A Thai man says he does not regret the death of his “crazy” son, who allegedly tried to rape his aunty and grandmother in Samut Prakan in central Thailand last night. The perpetrator stabbed his elderly grandmother in the neck and genitals. Neighbours ran inside and tied him to a pole. After that, he started having seizures, fell unconscious and…
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New cancer treatment sees results in UK
A new form of cancer treatment being used in the UK is seeing positive results. The drug, RP2, is a weakened form of the cold sore virus, herpes simplex. It has been modified to kill tumours. One man who used the drug had been on end-of-life care. The man, 39 year old Krzystof, had cancer in his salivary glands, near…
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Chinese lost at sea reported to have been trafficked
The Chinese nationals lost at sea off the coast of Cambodia are believed to have been illegally trafficked. A Cambodian government official today reported that 23 Chinese nationals are missing after the boat overturned carrying 41 alleged illegal immigrants. Government official Kheang Phearom announced that the boat carrying 41 Chinese people got into trouble near Sihanoukville yesterday and only 18…
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