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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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Bangkok surely knows how to dazzle. Down by the Chao Phraya River, the pace slows as boats drift past temples and heritage buildings. High above the skyline, the city spreads out in a glittering patchwork of lights and towers. The...
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Lottery fever grips central Thailand at giant Buddha shrine
With the national lottery draw just around the corner, fortune-seekers have been flocking to Wat Klang Bang Phra in Nakhon Pathom province, hoping to strike it rich with a little divine help. Crowds gathered at the temple in Nakhon Chai Si district, where the towering 30-metre Luang Pho Somwang Buddha statue has become a magnet for those chasing lucky numbers.…
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Slippery smash: Cha-am pickup crash leaves 12 workers injured
A rainy-day crash in Phetchaburi left at least 12 people injured after a pickup lost control and smashed into another truck packed with construction workers. The accident happened at around 5.20pm yesterday, August 29, along Phetkasem Road near kilometre marker 200 in Cha-am subdistrict, Cha-am district. Police and rescue workers rushed to the scene following reports of a serious collision.…
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Nok Air ordered to halt international flights over safety
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has directed Nok Air to pause its international flight operations and halt route expansion due to safety concerns. The airline, however, clarified that an issue with an aircraft engine has already been addressed by replacing it. Currently, Nok Air is not conducting international flights due to the low travel season. During peak times,…
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Pattaya approves 258 million baht boost for hospital and health
Pattaya is splashing out on healthcare, with more than 258 million baht approved to keep hospital services running and ensure residents and tourists have access to quality treatment. The green light came during the city council’s third ordinary meeting of the year, chaired by Council President Banlue Kullavanich and attended by Mayor Poramet Ngampichet, deputy mayors, and senior officials. The…
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M81 motorway to Kanchanaburi planned for opening by year’s end
Drivers could soon slash their journey from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi to under an hour, with the long-awaited M81 motorway on track to open before the end of the year. The Department of Highways confirmed that the 96-kilometre route, stretching from Bang Yai in Nonthaburi to Kanchanaburi, is now in its final stages. Director-General Apirat Chaiwongnoi said only finishing touches remain,…
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Pattaya offers free flu jabs in citywide health drive
Pattaya has kicked off its annual flu vaccination drive, offering residents free protection against the seasonal bug as part of a major push to keep the city healthy. The campaign was launched on Thursday, August 28, at the Pattaya Community Medical Centre (Wat Boon Kanjanaram), where deputy mayors Wuttisak Rermkitjakan and Krisana Boonsawat visited to encourage staff and volunteers while…
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Gun stunt in forest exposes Phuket drug kingpin
A Burmese drug dealer has been arrested in Phuket after a video of him firing a gun in a mangrove forest went viral, leading police straight to his stash of meth, cash and weapons. The suspect, identified as 34 year old Nge Htwe Don, known by the alias Mr Screw, was caught after posting a video of himself practising with…
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Thailand grants royal pardon to jailed activists and artists
Thailand has released several high-profile prisoners jailed under the controversial lese majeste law following royal pardons issued earlier this year, with activists, artists, and even a mother jailed while pregnant among those walking free. The mass release, which began on Wednesday, August 27, was confirmed by the Corrections Department. Those freed include those convicted under Section 112 of the Criminal…
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Thailand storm alert: Tropical system barrels in with torrential rain
Thailand is bracing for a wet and wild week ahead as heavy rain, flash floods, and runoff threaten large parts of the country, just days after storm Kajiki wreaked havoc. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has warned of intensifying rainfall from today, August 30, through to Wednesday, September 3, with the northern and northeastern regions set to take the hardest…
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LINE MAN Wongnai snaps up Thailand’s beauty tech giant
LINE MAN Wongnai has announced the acquisition of JERA Cloud, a Thai startup specialising in cloud and point of sales (POS) solutions for the beauty and wellness sector. This move marks the company’s initial expansion of its Merchant Digital Solutions portfolio beyond the restaurant industry, creating new opportunities in high-growth sectors. JERA Cloud, part of Lamunpun IT Company Limited, has…
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Body of missing Thai man found buried in Nakhon Si Thammarat mountain
The family of a missing Thai man eventually discovered his body buried on a mountain in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. Five drug suspects confessed to killing him over a dispute within their illegal business dealings. The family of 35 year old Patipon “Film” Pithak filed a missing person report at Chang Klang Police Station on July 17…
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PM out: Paetongtarn booted over Hun Sen audio scandal
Thailand’s Constitutional Court today removed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office, ruling she committed serious ethical violations in a leaked audio clip with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. At 9.30am today, August 29, the nine judges, led by court president Nakarin Mektrairat, convened to deliberate the petition lodged by 36 senators and endorsed by the Senate President. The complaint alleged…
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Indian tourists turn Pattaya songthaew into dance floor
Pattaya’s famous Beach Road was turned into an impromptu party zone this week after a group of Indian tourists transformed a songthaew into their very own mobile nightclub, blasting Bollywood music and dancing under the neon glow of the city’s nightlife. Videos posted online show the tourists standing on the back of the pickup truck, arms raised in the air,…
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Chon Buri dealer collapses after swallowing Yaba and cystal meth
A disabled drug dealer swallowed methamphetamine, known locally as Yaba, and crystal meth in an attempt to destroy evidence, causing him to lose consciousness during a sting operation in Chon Buri on Wednesday, August 27. Officers from the Bang Lamung Administrative Office and the Volunteer Defence Corps launched the operation following information obtained from previously arrested dealers. The suspects told…
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Aussie found dead on Phuket hotel bed with weed and Viagra
A 36 year old Australian man has been found dead in his hotel room in Phuket, with police investigating whether a suspected drug overdose was the cause. Chalong Police were called to the scene at a hotel on Soi Ta-iad at around 2.30pm on Wednesday, August 27, after staff reported discovering the man lying motionless on his bed. Police Lieutenant…
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Pheu Thai on edge as court rules on Paetongtarn case
Tensions are running high in Thai politics as the Constitutional Court prepares to rule on suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s fate, with the Pheu Thai Party adopting a cautious wait-and-see stance. Speaking at Government House today, August 29, PM’s Office Minister and Pheu Thai list-MP Chousak Sirinil said the party had made no contingency plans in the event of an…
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Russian man arrested on Koh Samui over Phuket cryptocurrency robbery
Police arrested a Russian man on Koh Samui, an island in Surat Thani, for his involvement in a cryptocurrency robbery that took place in Phuket on August 26. The 28 year old Russian victim, Aleksandr, filed a complaint at Chalong Police Station in Phuket, reporting that he had lost cryptocurrency worth 35,000 USDT, or about 1.2 million baht, to four…
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Thailand’s rights body urges halt to mega land bridge plan
Thailand’s ambitious Ranong–Chumphon land bridge project has hit a major roadblock after the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) called for it to be suspended over fears of human rights abuses, flawed economics, and a lack of genuine public input. At its meeting on Tuesday, August 26, the NHRC advised the government to put the project on hold until comprehensive public…
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Runaway truck wheel on Pathum Thani road leaves Thai nurse fight for life
A male Thai nurse sustained serious injuries after a truck wheel smashed into his SUV on a road in Pathum Thani province near Bangkok yesterday, August 28. Officers from Khu Bang Luang Police Station investigated the accident, which occurred on the Pathum Thani–Lat Lum Kaeo Road at 9.30am. The Por Teck Tung Rescue Foundation also responded, as the Thai driver,…
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Caught out: Suspected Phuket cat burglar faces fresh charges
A suspected cat burglar already behind bars in Phang Nga is now staring down more charges in Phuket, after police linked him to a string of break-ins in Wichit and Chalong. Wichit Police Chief, Colonel Somsak Thongkliang, confirmed yesterday, August 28, that investigators are pushing the Phuket Provincial Court to issue an arrest warrant for the suspect, identified only as…
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Lights, camera, Pattaya: Film festival brings global cinema buzz
Pattaya rolled out the red carpet yesterday as the third Pattaya Film Festival burst onto the scene, promising free screenings, cultural exchange, and a boost for the city’s tourism economy. The event kicked off yesterday, August 28, at SF Cinema Central Pattaya, with filmmakers, actors, and film buffs from across Thailand and overseas flocking to the seaside city. Running until…
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Thai woman and foreign boyfriend physically assaulted at Pattaya bar
A Thai woman and her foreign boyfriend filed a complaint yesterday, August 28, against a Pattaya bar owner and several staff members, accusing them of physical assault. The 35 year old Thai woman, identified as Angkana, reported the incident at Mueang Pattaya Police Station at around 5am. She stated that the assault took place at Laila Bar, near the Marine…
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Italian man attacked after confronting Uzbek over Thai girlfriend’s assault in Pattaya
An Italian man confronted an Uzbek national who sexually assaulted his Thai girlfriend on Pattaya Walking Street on August 28, only to be attacked by the suspect’s friend. According to witnesses, the Uzbek man, later identified as Mukhtae Lbahan, punched the Italian man, 46 year old Francesco Lenza, until he collapsed to the ground. Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station…
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Outta control: Runaway truck ploughs into Patong ditch
A Bangkok-registered six-wheeled truck caused a stir in Patong yesterday after careering off Phra Barami Road and crashing into a roadside ditch, just metres away from a local temple. The dramatic accident occurred around 11.10am yesterday, August 28, when the driver reportedly suffered brake failure while descending the notoriously steep Patong Hill. The truck lost control at the dangerous Pla…
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Buzzed and breathless: Bee sting sends biker to Pattaya ER
A routine motorbike ride turned into a medical emergency for a Rayong man after a rogue bee sting left him gasping for air and fighting for his life in Pattaya. At around 11.30am yesterday, August 28, rescue teams from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation rushed to a scene along Highway 331, near a construction materials shop on the road to…
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NACC swoops on shady Phuket land works in corruption blitz
Corruption busters are getting their boots dirty in Phuket as the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) zeroes in on suspicious land excavation and filling projects across the island. The NACC Phuket office, led by Chief Suwat Saowarat, launched a new initiative titled Pinning Areas at Risk of Corruption, targeting projects carried out by local administrations. The inspections, which took place from…
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Thai influencer stopped from septic truck protest at Thai-Cambodian border
The Acting Prime Minister (PM) stopped a Thai social media influencer from spraying waste collected by septic trucks at the Thai-Cambodian border in Sa Kaeo province, to prevent tensions from escalating. The Thai military continues to maintain positions in 11 areas across seven provinces along the Thai-Cambodian border to preserve peace and order, particularly at the Ban Nong Chan community…
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Power play: Anutin eyes PM seat if Paetongtarn falls
Political winds are swirling in Bangkok as reports emerge of a secret pact that could see Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul take over as prime minister if Paetongtarn Shinawatra is booted from office. According to Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) deputy leader Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, Anutin has urged PPRP leader Prawit Wongsuwan to back him for a six-month interim premiership, should the…
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Monsoon mayhem: Thailand braces for more heavy rainfall
Thailand is bracing for a soaking as the Meteorological Department (TMD) warns that widespread thunderstorms and torrential rain will slam 37 provinces today, including Bangkok. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Thaiger (@thethaigerofficial) From 6am today, August 29, until 6am tomorrow, August 30, the country will face volatile weather caused by a monsoon trough…
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Hopefuls flock to central Thailand temple for lottery blessings
Lottery dreams are being made and broken at a temple in Nakhon Pathom, central Thailand, where visitors are hoping for a divine touch from the revered Thao Wessuwan. A steady stream of worshippers arrived yesterday, August 27, at Wat Klang Bang Phra in Bang Phra subdistrict, eager to participate in merit-making activities and seek blessings from the temple’s sacred figures.…
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