News
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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Electric vehicle market faces risk from non-performing loans
The rising popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) is facing a new challenge as concerns over non-performing loans (NPLs) seep into the EV market. The rapid surge in EV sales has led to worries about whether buyers, many of whom are considered new-generation people with weaker financial standing, will be able to meet their instalments. This could lead to an increase…
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Election disinformation: Threat on integrity and democracy
A staggering 87% of 8,000 respondents across 16 countries, bracing for elections in 2024, are deeply concerned about the impact of disinformation on the integrity of their democratic process. A shocking 47% are very concerned, unveiling a digital battlefield that poses a grave threat to the core of democracy. According to UNESCO-IPSOS, their Global Survey of Online Disinformation and Hate…
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Bank of Thailand forecasted to initiate rate cuts later this year
Leading economists anticipate that the Bank of Thailand will initiate rate cuts in the second half of this year, potentially reducing the policy rate to 2%. This prediction aligns with the current economic status of the country and the assumption of an impending rate cut by the US Federal Reserve in the second quarter. Amonthep Chawla, the chief economist at…
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Krungsri Capital advises investment in 11 high-dividend Thai stocks
Investors have been advised by Krungsri Capital Securities (KCS) to consider purchasing shares from 11 high-dividend (HD) stocks, which are projected to yield over 2% annually. This move is expected to result in increased capital gains from their investments in the initial two months of each year. These HD stocks have historically outperformed the broader Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET)…
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Russian biker sorry for nuisance caused to locals in Pattaya
Pattaya locals were left sleepless and outraged as a Russian big biker revved his engine into the night at FlowerLand Pattaya. The raucous disturbance prompted a visit from news reporters and a swift intervention by the police. On January 3, around 11pm, the peace in FlowerLand’s vicinity was shattered, triggering a flood of complaints from agitated residents. The noisy escapades…
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Pattaya: Intoxicated man attacks female rescue volunteer
An intoxicated Thai man in his fifties launched a violent assault on a rescue volunteer in Pattaya on Saturday night. Rescue volunteers dashed to the scene on January 6 near a 7-Eleven convenience store close to the railway, responding to reports of a shooting. Little did they know, they were about to be entangled in a bizarre late-night brawl. Upon reaching…
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Thai Airways: Perth to Bangkok route to take off on March 31
Thai Airways announced the resumption of daily flights between Perth and Bangkok. The route will be covered by the Boeing 787 Dreamliner on a nonstop seven-hour journey. No longer shackled by layovers, this exclusive direct route between Bangkok and Perth has left rival airlines – including Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Malindo Air, Malaysia Airlines, and Air Asia – in the dust,…
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E-receipt scheme boosts Thai smartphone and computer sales in January
Sales of smartphones and computer products have soared by 30-60% in the first week of January, a trend that IT product vendors attribute to the government’s e-receipt programme. This programme, approved by the Cabinet, provides tax rebates of up to 50,000 baht (US$1,435) for individuals not qualifying for the digital handout and is slated to run from January 1 to…
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Faulty tsunami buoy off Phuket’s coast doesn’t affect Thailand’s early warning system
Phuket’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation assured that despite a malfunction in one of the tsunami buoys deployed in the Andaman Sea, the country’s tsunami early warning system remains fully operational. The faulty buoy, identified as No.23461, is 340 kilometres off Phuket’s coast and ceased transmitting signals last Wednesday, as the Foundation of National Disaster Warning Council reported. The…
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Deputy Transport Minister strategises to enhance Chiang Mai’s transport systems
Surapong Piyachote, the Deputy Transport Minister, made a strategic visit to Chiang Mai yesterday to deliberate on the ministry’s endeavour to enhance the efficiency of the province’s transport systems. The meeting included Nirat Pongsitthaworn, the Chiang Mai Governor, along with representatives from corresponding sectors. Surapong emphasised the importance of optimising the province’s transportation system for the city’s economy, particularly in…
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Man tragically ends life in stranger’s home in Bang Phli district
A shocking and tragic incident occurred in Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan province, as a 26 year old man from Buriram province took his life at a stranger’s home. The incident was reported yesterday, January 8, by Deputy Police Lieutenant Colonel Anan Thongleua of the Bang Phli Police Station. On arrival at the scene, authorities found the young man,…
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Unusual cremation leaves woman’s skull intact in Thai temple
An unusual incident occurred at Wat Wang Boraphet in Uthai Thani province, where the skull of Jamrus Pachuthai, an 80 year old woman, remained almost intact after her cremation, while the rest of her body turned to ashes. This peculiar event took place at 4.30pm yesterday (January 8). The abbot of the temple, Phra Khru Uthitthamakhun, recounted that after the…
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Passing doctor saves man’s life after severe Sukhumvit Road accident
A dire road accident took place on Sukhumvit Road, Sattahip district, Chon Buri that left a 52 year old Thai man in critical condition. The incident occurred yesterday (January 8) at a distance of about 100 metres from the Bang Saray intersection. Swift medical intervention by a doctor passing by, Pajaree Wiangkaeo, played a crucial role in saving the man’s…
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Sattahip district disturbance: Son assaults mother in Chon Buri
Chon Buri’s Sattahip district was the scene of a distressing incident yesterday, as police were called to a domestic disturbance at Yung Thong Village. The commotion was reportedly caused by a 26 year old man, Hassadayu, who had assaulted his 49 year old mother, Tadsamalee, and wrought extensive damage within their family home. Upon their arrival, the police found Hassadayu…
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Man reunites with Bolivian nanny after 45 years through social media
A heartwarming video captured the attention of social media as a Spanish man reunited with his Bolivian nanny for the first time in 45 years. The man, Juanito Jonsson, originally from Sweden and the youngest of three siblings, sought out his former caretaker, Ana Jimenez, via social media. Born to missionary parents, Jonsson moved to Bolivia in 1970. There, his…
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Unidentified man found dead, neck bound with wire and wrists handcuffed in southern Thailand
A Thai farmer stumbled upon the dead body of an unidentified man in a roadside forest in the southern province of Chumphon. The man’s neck was bound with an electric wire and his two wrists were handcuffed. The farmer, 58 year old Sunan, told Channel 3 that he took his cows to the spot every day in the morning and…
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US set for decisive week on Bitcoin ETFs
The final phase of a multi-year endeavour to introduce Bitcoin-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States is set to climax this week, faced with a series of crucial deadlines. Bloomberg News reports that all aspiring Bitcoin ETF issuers have until today, January 8, in Washington to present any late amendments to their pending applications. Moreover, the US Securities and…
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Phuket governor proposes 191 million baht infrastructure and digital modernisation plan
It was a bustling day at Phuket Provincial Hall last Friday as local government office chiefs and private sector representatives gathered to confirm a series of new infrastructure developments to be proposed at the upcoming mobile Cabinet meeting in Ranong on January 22-23. At the helm of this ambitious endeavour is Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat, who intends to seek approval…
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Thai man linked to major fraud case arrested in Bangkok
Bangkok police apprehended a 57 year old Thai man linked to a sizeable fraud case going back almost ten years. Raveeroj Rithchoteanan, had been previously incarcerated in Angola for his involvement in a significant fraud scheme. The arrest took place on Sunday at a hotel in Wang Thonglang district, with Raveeroj accused of swindling a businessman out of 22 million…
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Thai girls aged 5 and 6 allegedly raped by 4 boys aged 8 to 13
A Thai mother sought justice for her five and six year old daughters, who were allegedly raped by four boys aged between eight and 13 in an abandoned house in the Mae Ai district in the northern province of Chiang Mai. The mother of the two young victims filed a complaint at Mae Ai Police Station stating that the sexual…
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Fatal family feud over land inheritance shocks Nonthaburi, Thailand
A deadly family feud over land inheritance escalated into a brutal shooting in front of a house in Nonthaburi, Thailand, resulting in two fatalities. The incident occurred at 9.30am today, January 8, when local police and volunteer rescue workers were dispatched to a violent scene in the Ban Mai district of Bang Yai. The victims were identified as 60 year…
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American wanted for sharing explicit videos and abusing Thai women
Three Thai women reached out to the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women after a perverted American man with anger issues they connected with on a dating app shared explicit pornographic videos, blackmailed, physically assaulted them and stole their valuables. Foundation founder Paveena Hongsakul accompanied one of the three victims to the Royal Thai Police (RTP) Sports Club to file…
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Man with methamphetamine detained by Thai charity team
In a recent operation by the special operations team from the Thung Yai Charity Faith Samakkhi Foundation, a man was apprehended in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province after his substance abuse led to destructive and delusional behaviour. The individual, who had been consuming methamphetamine daily, was reported to have caused substantial damage to his home and was suffering from severe hallucinations.…
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Tesla crash causes 12-car pileup, driver faces drink driving charges
A Tesla driver, who holds an advisory council position in the Traffic Police of Mueang Phitsanulok, yesterday caused a 12-car pileup on Mitrphap Road, in front of a hotpot restaurant. The initial alcohol test showed a high percentage reading of 194 milligrams. The suspect was initially charged with damaging other people’s property. The accident involved a silver Tesla careening into…
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Phuket’s air quality under threat as haze season approaches
Grey skies are looming over Thailand’s popular tourist destination of Phuket despite the air quality remaining at a moderate level during the first week of January. The Pollution Control Department (PCD) has already flagged concerns as predictions suggest the annual haze might arrive earlier than expected this year. According to the World Air Quality Index project (AQICN), the concentration of hazardous PM2.5…
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Thai PM challenges central bank over interest rate hikes
Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who also holds the position of Minister of Finance, openly expressed his discontent with the Bank of Thailand’s decision to increase interest rates amidst a period of prolonged negative inflation. This move, according to the Thai prime minister, is detrimental to the nation’s economic well-being and disproportionately affects those on lower incomes and small to…
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Saowapa Vocational College freezes the competition with top prize in Harbin snow sculpture showdown
Three Thai vocational student teams took part in the international snow sculpture competition in Harbin, China, with Saowapa Vocational College scooping first prize. Teams from Saraburi and Surat Thani Vocational Colleges both secured third place. Prapat Ratanarun, Deputy Secretary of the Vocational Education Commission, revealed that the Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC) sent three vocational student teams to…
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Record PM 2.5 dust levels hit Thailand with Bangkok and Samut Songkhram worst affected
Today saw the highest PM 2.5 dust levels this year in Thailand, with Samut Songkhram and Bangkok exceeding all other areas. The Geoinformatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA), in collaboration with the National Research Office, the Pollution Control Department, Kasetsart University, and Chiang Mai University, revealed that 38 provinces exceeded standard PM 2.5 dust levels, impacting health. The PM…
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Six month old girl’s unstoppable crying caused by 4cm hair embedded in foot
The persistent crying of a six month old girl was attributed to a 4-centimetre-long hair embedded in her foot. Her mother hurriedly took her to the hospital, where doctors were perplexed about how the hair became lodged. They cautioned against attempting to remove such foreign objects independently The mother, a young woman from Hubei province, China, carried her six month…
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Thai village in panic as deranged man with fake gun goes berserk
A man, seemingly deranged and carrying a fake gun, caused panic in the Sirikarnjan village in Bang Samak, Bang Pakong, Chachoengsao province when he was seen shaking the fences of every home and shouting. The incident, captured on CCTV, took place around 4am today, January 8. Aged between 30 and 35 years old, the man was eventually taken into custody…
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