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Massive e-cigarette bust at Bangkok Port
In one of Thailand’s biggest recent crackdowns on vaping products, authorities have seized more than 46,000 illegal e-cigarettes at Bangkok Port, worth over 10 million baht. The operation was announced on December 11 at the Bangkok Port Customs Office. The haul consisted of 46,260 mixed flavours disposable e-cigarettes, discovered on December 4, hidden inside seven abandoned cargo containers. The seized…
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Thai woman shoots ex-husband after alleged break-in at Ayutthaya home
A Thai woman claimed self-defence after shooting her ex-husband who allegedly broke into her home in Ayutthaya yesterday, December 11. Officers from Bang Pa-in Police Station, along with rescuers from the Ayutthaya Ruamjai Foundation, were called to a house in the Sam Ruean sub-district of Bang Pa-in district at around 10am following reports of a shooting. At the scene, officers…
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Heavy rain alerts issued for 35 Thai provinces, including Bangkok
Thailand’s weather department has issued a warning for heavy rain today, December 12, with 35 provinces affected and the South facing the most downpours. According to the Meteorological Department’s forecast from 6am today to 6am tomorrow, December 13, rainfall is expected to increase across southern Thailand, with heavy to extreme rainfall likely in several areas. Provinces at high risk include…
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Foreign trio returns to Thailand to reunite with childhood driver after five decades
A touching reunion in Ubon Ratchathani province has captured widespread attention after two foreign men and a woman returned to Thailand to reunite with their childhood caregiver more than five decades ago. The search began after Facebook user Siw Pittaya Chaisongkhram released an appeal video on Monday, December 8, helping the siblings locate their longtime friend, Poon Pong-aree. The three…
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Embassy intervenes after Thais barred from crossing back from Cambodia
The Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh sent an urgent letter to Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior after Thai nationals in Cambodia were reportedly barred from returning home through the Ban Khlong Luek border checkpoint in Sa Kaeo province. Officials from the Thai-Cambodian Border Coordination Office told Thai PBS on Wednesday, December 11, that Cambodian authorities at the Ban Khlong Luek…
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Thai activist sentenced to 46 years for Facebook posts
Thai activist, Mongkol Thirakhot, or Busbas, has been sentenced to 46 years in prison by the Supreme Court for his social media posts. The final ruling was delivered yesterday, December 11, at Chiang Rai Provincial Court. Mongkol is a 32 year old former clothing seller turned political activist who is convicted under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, known as…
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Foreign motorcyclist goes viral for riding with cooking pot in Phuket
A foreign motorcyclist has gone viral on Thai social media after being spotted wearing a cooking pot instead of a helmet while riding along a road in Phuket. The Phuket Times Facebook page shared photos of the unusual rider on Tuesday, December 9, with a caption jokingly asking, “What kind of helmet he was wearing? This foreigner was heading to…
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PM Anutin dissolves parliament, says he wants to ‘return power to the people’
Thai Prime Minister (PM) Anutin Charnvirakul announced the dissolution of Parliament late last night, December 11, saying he wanted to “return power to the people.” At around 10pm, Anutin posted a brief message on his Facebook account confirming that his government had submitted a request to dissolve the House of Representatives for royal approval, and the request was officially approved…
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Digital Economy Minister defends mother over PDPA controversy
Today, December 11, Digital Economy Minister Chaichanok Chidchob defended his mother over a controversial social media post that revealed someone’s personal information online, insisting that she did not break any laws under Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). The post came after someone online criticised the Chidchob family, accusing them of being involved with illegal casinos in Cambodia. In response,…
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Mixed reactions after foreign rider condemned for illegal U-turn in Phuket
Thai netizens shared mixed reactions after a Phuket driver condemned a foreign rider for making an illegal U-turn over a traffic island. The Thai driver posted dashcam footage of the incident on his Facebook account, Wongwit Sand. The clip was later reshared by Newshawk Phuket Facebook page, which supported Wongwit’s criticism writing… “Foreigner tries bringing death to himself, making a…
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University student caught with loaded gun on campus in Bangkok
A routine campus sweep took a turn when Bangkok police arrested a first-year university student for allegedly carrying a loaded revolver. The arrest took place on the evening of December 9, at approximately 9pm. The 19 year old male student was found under a university building with a .38-calibre Smith & Wesson revolver, six rounds of ammunition, and a leather holster.…
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Vietnam protests after Thailand shows wrong flag again at SEA Games
Vietnam reportedly lodged a formal complaint today, December 11, after Thailand once again displayed the wrong national flag during a 2025 SEA Games event, marking the third flag error since the competition began. The first mistake surfaced when the official SEA Games Facebook page posted graphics for football and futsal fixtures, showing Laos’ flag in place of Indonesia’s and Vietnam’s…
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Tourism operators calls for clarity on new Thai immigration rules
Tourism operators want Thai authorities to clearly publicise new immigration rules after a rise in the number of tourists being denied entry. The concerns follow new measures introduced by the Immigration Bureau to crack down on multiple visa runs and prevent the misuse of visa-free entry. The updated rules aim to stop foreigners from entering the country while engaging in…
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How Thailand’s gold demand and Baht volatility create dual market trading opportunities
Thai investors have a long relationship with gold. Families in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket buy gold ornaments and bars not only for beauty but also as a trusted form of savings. At the same time, traders are watching the Thai baht move against the US dollar and other currencies as global conditions change. When you put these two forces…
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Prostitution crackdown: Thai masseuse arrested for offering ‘special massage’
Police arrested a masseuse in Nakhon Ratchasima yesterday, December 10, for offering sex services inside a massage shop, though the suspect insisted the shop owner and other staff had no involvement. Officers from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) received a tip-off about prostitution taking place at a massage shop in the Non Sung district. To verify the information, police…
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Lisa joins Met Gala 2026 host committee alongside global stars
Thai K-pop superstar Lalisa Manoban, or Lisa Blackpink, has been named to the host committee for one of the world’s most prestigious fashion events at the Met Gala 2026. The announcement was made ahead of the year’s end and confirmed Lisa’s involvement in shaping the direction of next year’s gala as part of the host committee, alongside several international artists…
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Russian tourist severely injured in Pattaya ferry accident
An accident at Laem Bali Hai pier in Pattaya on Wednesday, December 10, left a Russian tourist with a severe leg injury. The Russian woman, identified as 60 year old Albina Bogdanova, was stepping off a ferry that had just returned from Koh Larn around midday when the incident occurred. According to witnesses, the boat swayed when it was approaching…
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Stray bullet hits 7-Eleven worker in Pattaya shootout
A 7-Eleven employee caught a stray bullet, and several vehicles were damaged after a teenage gang opened fire in Pattaya yesterday night, December 10. The shooting happened around 11.30pm in Soi Nongprue 4, Nongprue sub-district. Police and rescue workers arrived to find 18 year old 7-Eleven employee, Natthaphat, with a gunshot wound to his right arm. He said he was…
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Pattaya driver cites mechanical failure as car crashes into home, injuring 3
A Thai man crashed his sedan into a Pattaya home on Tuesday, December 9, injuring three people, including the homeowner’s wife, who was trapped in the bathroom after a wall collapsed on her. Nong Prue Police Station officers were alerted at about 7am and rushed to the scene with rescuers from the Sawang Borriboon Dhammastan Pattaya Foundation. They arrived to…
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Wild macaque captured after fatal attack in Yala
After three days, park officials in Yala have captured a wild macaque that attacked and killed a man inside his home in a remote fruit orchard. The male macaque was caught yesterday, December 10, in a trap set by Bang Lang National Park officials in Betong district, near a fruit orchard close to the home where the attack occurred. The…
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Thai man killed by falling rock after entering stone mill zone for video content
A falling rock from a stone mill operation killed a Thai man who had climbed a mountain in Phatthalung with a friend to film social media content on Tuesday, December 9. The victim, 29 year old Ritthikiat, suffered a severe head injury after rocks rained down during a routine explosion at the Run Mountain stone mill site in the Khuan…
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Foreigner allegedly poisons pet dogs and birds in Chon Buri
Locals in Sattahip, Chon Buri, are furious after a foreign man allegedly poisoned dogs and birds in a quiet alley and left their bodies scattered across the street. In Sattahip district, security camera footage captured a foreign man tossing a chunk of meat, which landed near a drain cover. The man then kicked it toward the roadside, and not long…
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Phuket on high alert for floods, landslides and strong waves
Phuket issued a warning for flash floods and landslides as heavy to very heavy rain is forecast across southern Thailand from December 11 to 16. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) announced that intense rainfall is expected throughout the South, prompting Phuket to order all relevant agencies to remain on full alert for floods, flash floods, landslides, and…
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Bangkok police bust bizarre AI QR code drug operation
Two Russian nationals have been arrested in Bangkok for allegedly using AI-powered QR codes to sell illegal drugs, turning the operation into a high-tech treasure hunt. According to Police Major General Theeradej Thamsuthee, deputy commander of the Metropolitan Police, online investigators discovered, through Facebook, last month that QR code stickers were appearing across the city. These stickers, mainly slapped on…
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Russian man arrested in Phuket with hundreds of illegal hookah products
Phuket police arrested a Russian man for possessing a large quantity of hookah products, known locally as baraku, during a raid in the Cherng Talay area yesterday, December 9. Officers from the Region 8 Special Operations Unit conducted the operation at a rented room in Soi Hua Tiew in the Choeng Thale sub-district of Thalang district. The suspect, identified as…
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Trump to intervene in renewed Thailand-Cambodia conflict
Following a successful brokering of a ceasefire in July, which ended a five-day conflict between the two countries, US President Donald Trump has announced his intention to intervene by phone call after fighting between Thailand and Cambodia continued into its third day today, December 10. In an interview yesterday, December 9, Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, said he doubts…
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Indian brothers behind deadly nightclub fire in Goa reportedly hide in Phuket
Two Indian brothers reportedly fled to Phuket to evade legal consequences after a fire at their nightclub in Goa, India, killed 25 people. BBC reported on Sunday, December 7, that the blaze erupted around midnight on Saturday, December 6, at Birch by Romeo Lane, a popular nightclub on Baga Beach in Goa. The fire spread rapidly through the venue, leaving…
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Bangkok raid uncovers illegal group sex party promoted on social media
A late-night police raid uncovered a group sex party at a hotel in Bangkok’s Ratchada area and led to an arrest. Officers discovered the event was being filmed and shared on social media. Last night, on December 9, Bangkok officers raided a hotel room in the Ratchada area, arresting a 36 year old man, referred to as A. Police seized…
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Over 100 Chinese detainees riot and demand repatriation at Tak
Chaos erupted at a detention facility in Tak province as more than 100 Chinese detainees rioted and spiralled out of control in the early hours of today, December 10, demanding to be sent back to China. Officials had to use forceful measures to regain control. The riot broke out at a detention facility operated by Tak Immigration, located in Tha…
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Cambodia withdraws from SEA Games over safety concerns amid border clashes
Cambodia announced its withdrawal from the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand today, December 10, citing safety concerns from parents and guardians of athletes following the escalating clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border. A small group of Cambodian athletes attended the opening ceremony at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok yesterday, December 9. Cambodia had earlier confirmed it would send athletes to…
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