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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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Thai TikToker claims followers can visit Mars and Japan through meditation
A Thai man sparked widespread online controversy after claiming he possesses supernatural abilities and trains children to perform spiritual practices for “out-of-body travel“. The man shared multiple videos on his TikTok account @ongdum, where he presented himself and his followers practising meditation techniques for out-of-body experiences. In each clip, he claimed participants were able to leave their physical bodies and…
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Lopburi teacher under investigation for 800 squat punishment
Thailand’s Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) today, February 5, launched an investigation into a teacher in Lopburi province after confirming that a student was indeed ordered to perform 800 squats as punishment. The case gained national attention after the boy’s father revealed that his son had been hospitalised with severe leg pain after being punished with 800 squats…
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Filipina woman arrested at Phuket over theft and forged documents
Police arrested a Filipina woman at the Phuket Immigration Office after discovering that she was wanted under an arrest warrant for theft and the use of forged documents while she was attempting to renew her visa. The incident occurred on Tuesday, February 3, when the woman visited the Phuket Immigration Office to apply for a visa renewal and extend her…
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Rare dugongs observed in Trang marine habitat survey
Marine researchers in Trang province teamed up with wildlife defenders yesterday, February 4, to survey dugong populations near Libong Island, using drone technology and direct observation to assess the condition of these rare sea mammals. The survey was led by staff from the Marine National Park Research Centre 3 (Trang) in collaboration with the Dugong Conservation Group, and it was…
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Thai action star Tony Jaa battling stage 3 gallbladder cancer
A close friend has revealed that Thai action star Tony Jaa is undergoing treatment for stage 3 gallbladder cancer after being diagnosed in 2024 and is currently continuing chemotherapy. The update came from a source close to both the actor and his wife, who shared the information with Thairath. According to the source, the condition was first discovered in June…
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Foreigner seen relaxing on SUV roof during Phuket traffic
A foreign man surprised onlookers on the road as he relaxed on the roof of a moving SUV, casually using his mobile phone while the vehicle crawled through heavy traffic on a busy road in Patong, Phuket. The incident, caught on video and shared by the PhuketTimes Facebook page today, February 5, shows the man lying face down on the…
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German man arrested for political graffiti on Koh Pha Ngan
Police arrested a German man known locally as “Mr Spray” after he spray-painted political graffiti across multiple locations on Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province. The suspect was arrested at a hotel in Bangkok on Tuesday, February 4. Residents and business operators on Koh Pha Ngan turned to social media to seek help identifying the foreign man, after numerous…
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American man speaks out after Pattaya security guards attack
Pattaya police have summoned three security guards for questioning following a viral video showing an American tourist being assaulted on Pattaya Soi 6. The incident, which took place on the evening of February 2, has drawn mixed opinions online. Footage shared on social media captured multiple men repeatedly kicking and punching the foreigner on the roadside. At the time, little…
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Thailand News | Thailand’s economy branded “Asia’s Sick Man” as growth slows, Thai taxi driver praised after sharing traditional desserts with Australian tourists
Today we’ll be talking about Thailand’s newly dubbed status as being the ‘Sick Man of Asia,’ allegations of election tampering and vote buying ahead of this weekend’s vote, and a little later, Thai influencers weigh in on the prospect of Disney in the land of smiles. Thailand’s Economy Branded “Asia’s Sick Man” as Growth Slows Analysts are labelling Thailand the…
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Foreign mum fights off attempted child abduction in Samut Prakan
A three year old boy narrowly escaped a kidnapping in Samut Prakan yesterday, February 4, when a man allegedly targeted him on a roadside in Phra Pradaeng district. The child’s foreign mother screamed for help, causing passersby to intervene. The attempted abduction occurred at the entrance of Soi Suksawat, in front of a local food stall. According to witnesses, the…
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Bangkok taxi driver confesses to raping intoxicated passenger
A Thai taxi driver confessed to raping a female passenger, who was intoxicated and unable to defend herself, at a love hotel in Bangkok on Tuesday, February 3, saying, “I don’t know what an evil spirit possessed me that night”. The victim, a university student studying in Bangkok, filed a formal complaint with police after waking up naked inside a…
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Indian man’s langur smuggling attempt busted at Suvarnabhumi
An Indian passenger was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport late on February 3 after allegedly attempting to smuggle live wildlife out of Thailand. Two endangered langurs were reportedly discovered hidden inside a suitcase bound for Mumbai. The passenger, identified as 28 year old Karthick, was intercepted during a joint operation involving wildlife checkpoint officers, customs officials, animal quarantine staff, airport security,…
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Wild elephant’s cause of death revealed, public demands justice
Public anger is mounting after a wild elephant named Phlai Sidor Hoo Phap died during a relocation attempt in northeastern Thailand on February 3. The animal collapsed en route from Khon Kaen to Loei, and the public is calling for accountability from officials. Around 10 kilometres into the journey, Phlai Sidor Hoo Phap collapsed, shortly after being sedated by a team…
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Israeli and El Salvadoran men rescued from Koh Pha Ngan forest
Tourist Police officers, together with local administrative officials, successfully rescued two foreign tourists, Israeli and Salvadoran men, who became lost in a forest on Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province last night, February 4. According to authorities, Koh Pha Ngan Tourist Police received an emergency call via the tourist police hotline 1155 from two foreign men who reported that…
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Thai man caught smuggling exotic animals from Philippines
A Thai man was arrested on the evening of February 2 after arriving in Thailand from Manila, when customs and wildlife officials at Suvarnabhumi Airport discovered a live Bengal monitor lizard and an opossum hidden inside his suitcase. The arrest took place at 7.40pm near Customs Exit B in the international arrivals terminal. The suspect, identified as 35 year old…
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Thai businesswoman and influencer questions Disneyland Thailand plan
A well-known Thai businesswoman and social media influencer publicly questioned the possibility of bringing Disneyland to Thailand, accusing the Bhumjaithai Party of using an uncertain proposal as part of its election campaign and selling dreams to Disney fans. Amid the uncertain and faded hope on an entertainment complex and legal casino from Pheu Thai Party, the present Transport Minister from…
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Bangkok traffic police deliver two hearts in one night for transplant
Bangkok traffic police carried out two high-stakes organ transport missions last night, February 3, rushing donated hearts to hospitals for transplants and giving two critically ill patients a renewed chance at life. The missions were carried out by officers from the Royal Traffic Police, who coordinated with medical teams and other agencies to clear expressways and city roads to ensure…
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Thai woman says friend claims her baby to scam over 1 million baht
A Thai woman issued a public warning after her close friend claimed her baby as her own in order to swindle more than 1 million baht from her husband and his family. The victim shared her story on the television news programme Hone Krasae on Channel 3, saying she almost lost custody of her three month old child as a result…
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German man rips down 8 election campaign banners in Nonthaburi
A German man was detained today, February 4, after he was caught destroying political campaign banners in Nonthaburi over two consecutive days, prompting a formal complaint from a Parliamentary candidate. The incident took place in front of a housing estate along Khlong Thanon Road in Bang Yai district. On February 1, two election posters belonging to the People’s Party and…
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School pressure drives young boy to run away in Samut Prakan
A young boy was found walking alone along a roadside in Samut Prakan this week after he reportedly ran away from home due to overwhelming pressure from school. The incident came to public attention after it was shared by the Facebook page เจ๊ม้อย v+ today, February 4. Officers from Ban Khlong Suan Police Station responded swiftly after receiving reports. Upon arrival,…
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Japanese man clashes with vendor over birdcage in Udon Thani
A Japanese man caused a scene at Udon Thani’s city pillar shrine yesterday afternoon, February 3, after a misunderstanding with a flower vendor escalated during a merit-making ritual involving the release of birds. Police were called to the shrine on Athipbodi Road at around 4pm after reports of an argument between the man, later identified as 37 year old Yamaguchi,…
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Election Commission to summon Fastwork CEO over vote-buying claim
The Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) planned to summon the CEO of freelance marketplace Fastwork for questioning after he publicly claimed that a political party bought a vote from his grandmother for 2,000 baht. The Thai-Chinese CEO of the Fastwork, Chikit “CK” Cheong, is not only well-known as a businessman but also as a content creator who regularly discusses business,…
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Thai student hospitalised after 800 squat punishment at school
A student in Thailand was hospitalised earlier this week after a teacher allegedly ordered him to perform 800 squats as punishment for failing to hand in his homework. The incident was brought to light today, February 4, by the Facebook page เจ๊ม้อย v+, where the boy’s father shared his son’s experience. According to the father, the student began to suffer…
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Gunmen unleash over 20 shotgun rounds on Phatthalung home
Two armed assailants opened fire on a family home in Phaya Khan subdistrict, Phatthalung province, early today, February 4, damaging property and terrifying a family. Police investigators led by Police Lieutenant Wicha Nupeannoi from Mueang Phatthalung Police Station arrived at the scene shortly after 1.30am, accompanied by a forensics team. At the scene, officers recovered eight spent shotgun shells and…
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Thailand News | Pattaya bar guards assault tourist — video goes viral, Thai family welcomes foreigners who mistook funeral feast for restaurant
Today, we’ll look at a viral assault involving bar guards in Pattaya, a disturbing alleged sexual attack in Chon Buri, police action against illegal exhausts in Koh Samui, and a dramatic road confrontation in Phuket. We’ll also look beyond Thailand as Bali faces mounting waste problems, before ending on a lighter note with a heartwarming cultural mix-up at a rural…
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Russian runner protests Phuket race organiser, throws medal away
A Russian runner criticised the organiser of a running event in Phuket after being accused of following the wrong route and being disqualified, insisting that the mistake was caused by the organiser rather than by him. The Russian runner, Sergey Zyryanov, shared a video on social media showing himself throwing a medal from the Running@Wichit event into a rubbish bin.…
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Anutin honours fallen troops, promises jobs and care for veterans
Acting Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said yesterday, February 3, that disabled soldiers should receive proper employment opportunities and stronger welfare support, as he led a ceremony to honour fallen service members at Bangkok’s Victory Monument. The occasion, held in observance of Thai Veterans Day, included the enshrinement of the remains of 42 soldiers who lost their lives in armed conflicts…
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Wild elephant dies during relocation operation in Khon Kaen
A wild elephant that previously killed two locals in a Khon Kaen community died early this morning, February 4, during a government relocation effort involving over 200 officials. The elephant, a 15 to 20 year old male known as “Phlai Sidor Hoo Phap”, roughly translated to “folded ear”, had been roaming farmlands and national park areas near Muang Kao Pattana…
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New Alternative Party flagged for possible policy violations
The Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) flagged concerns yesterday, February 3, about a political party’s delayed policy submissions and potentially unlawful campaign pledges ahead of the upcoming general election. The EC disclosed that 51 parties had submitted policies requiring budget expenditure. However, it singled out one political group, the New Alternative Party, for failing to comply with mandatory reporting rules.…
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Thai man disappears, car found outside abandoned house in Chon Buri
A Thai man with a history of depression disappeared from his home in Bangkok late last month, with his car later found outside an abandoned house in Chon Buri province. The missing man’s older sister turned to an online community for help on Monday, February 2, sharing a photo and details of her brother, 37 year old Keerati “Golf” Nattirakiat,…
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