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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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At least 8 people killed in Bangkok rail crossing collision
At least eight people were killed, and more than 10 were injured after a train collided with a public bus near Makkasan Airport Rail Link Station in Bangkok today, May 16. The crash occurred at around 3.40pm on Asok-Din Daeng Road beneath the Makkasan Airport Rail Link Station in the Asok area. Firefighters from Phaya Thai district and rescue workers…
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Thailand introduces tourism fees amid global challenges
Thailand’s tourism sector is under pressure to adapt as global energy costs rise and competition in the industry intensifies. Following Surasak Phanchareonvorakul’s appointment under the Anutin 2 government, the tourism minister moved quickly to restructure the industry around a quality tourism model, introducing three measures to do so. The first trims the visa-free list from 93 countries and territories down…
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Thailand water reserves drop to 39% as floods loom
Thailand’s water reserves have dropped to critical levels, with only 39% of usable water remaining nationwide, as heavy rainfall and flash flood risks loom across multiple regions. The Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) reported that as of May 14, the total water volume across the country stands at 46,169 million cubic metres, of which only 22,061 million cubic metres…
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Missing Thai man safely returns after illegal Cambodia crossing
A Thai man who went missing while foraging near the Thai-Cambodian border has returned home safely after being detained in Cambodia for crossing the border illegally, officials confirmed on Friday. Yot Sainoi, a 58 year old resident of Surin province, was handed over to Thai authorities at the Chong Sa-ngam permanent checkpoint in Phu Sing district, Si Sa Ket province,…
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Thai Met warns 35 provinces of heavy rain, flash floods
The Thai Meteorological Department has issued its sixth warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall tomorrow, covering 35 provinces. A strengthening southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand is driving increased rainfall across North, Central, East, and South Thailand. Residents are advised to watch for thunderstorms, heavy rain, and accumulated rainfall that could trigger flash…
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Swedish man reports over 100,000 baht stolen by Pattaya transwomen
A Swedish tourist reported losing more than 100,000 baht in cash after being robbed a group of Thai transwomen at a condominium in Pattaya early today, May 15. Police from Mueang Pattaya Police Station received the complaint from the victim, identified as 67 year old Mahmoud, at around 3.40am before travelling to the condominium to investigate the incident. According to…
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Thailand’s ‘last titan’ confirmed as Southeast Asia’s biggest dinosaur on record
Scientists have identified a new dinosaur species in Thailand, the largest ever found in Southeast Asia, after fossils unearthed beside a pond in Chaiyaphum province were confirmed as belonging to a colossal long-necked sauropod estimated to have measured 27 metres and weighed around 27 to 30 tonnes. The species, named Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis, lived between 100 and 120 million years ago…
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Soap scraps reused at cosmetic product manufacturing site in Bangkok
Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) officers raided an unlicensed production site in Bangkok and discovered soap manufactured from soap scraps collected from multiple factories. The Consumer Protection Police Division launched the investigation following complaints from consumers who experienced allergic reactions and other health problems linked to cosmetic products sold online. During the operation, investigators identified a residence in Bang Khae district that…
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Bangkok teacher allegedly holds student’s phone for 10,000 baht
A school in Bangkok is facing scrutiny after a teacher confiscated a student’s mobile phone and demanded 10,000 baht for its return. The incident was publicised yesterday, May 14, by the Facebook page เจ๊ม้อย v+. The incident occurred on April 20, but the identities of the school, teacher, and student were not disclosed. According to the page, the student had moved…
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Khon Kaen family warns public after finding tissue paper in fish ball
A family in Khon Kaen has issued a public warning after discovering tissue paper stuffed inside a fish ball purchased from a street food stall at Kaen Nakhon Lake. The incident gained attention after the family shared photos and videos in a Facebook group for Khon Kaen residents. According to the post, the fish ball stall was located near the…
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Local fisherman finds invasive blackchin tilapia off Pattaya Beach
The discovery of blackchin tilapia off Pattaya Beach raised concerns among residents and environmental experts over the potential impact of the invasive species on local marine ecosystems. A local fisherman with more than 20,000 followers on his Facebook page, Tart Channel, shared videos yesterday, May 14, showing blackchin tilapia caught near Pattaya Beach. In the caption accompanying the footage, he wrote……
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Arab buyers favour Phuket for cultural, religious familiarity
Gulf buyers are increasingly treating Phuket as more than a holiday destination, with the Middle Eastern demographic now accounting for an estimated 10% of off-plan property sales on the island. Thanks to direct flights from Saudi Arabia, new investment-linked residency pathways, and growing instability in the Middle East, all pointing the same type of buyer toward the same property market…
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Chinese man blacklisted for aggressive behaviour at Bangkok airport
The Thai Immigration Bureau blacklisted a Chinese man after he damaged an automated immigration gate and verbally abused officers at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok. Police from Suvarnabhumi Airport Police Station responded to the incident at around 2.35pm on Wednesday, May 13, at an immigration checkpoint in departure zone two. Officers at the scene reported that a foreign passenger damaged property…
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Legal wife contacts police after husband confesses mistress’s murder
A Thai man surrendered to police in Nonthaburi today, May 14, after murdering his mistress and confessing his crime to his legal wife, who advised him to turn himself in. He also brought the victim’s body to the police station in his car. Police at Bang Bua Thong Police Station received a call at around 10pm yesterday, May 13, from…
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Pattaya drowns again as heavy rain submerges roads
Heavy rain triggered flooding across several parts of Pattaya late last night, May 14, with roads submerged and tourists stranded in recurring flood-prone areas across the city. Thunderstorms lasting more than one hour caused water to accumulate in low-lying areas awaiting drainage, particularly in Soi Khao Noi, Soi Khao Talo, South Pattaya Sukhumvit Road, Third Road, and the railway road…
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Anutin calls corrupt Phuket officials ‘disgusting’ after beach encroachment
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul criticised corrupt officials in Phuket for facilitating land encroachment at Freedom Beach, describing the actions as “disgusting”. The Freedom Beach encroachment case gained national attention after People’s Party MP Chaloempong “Sam” Saengdee claimed he received death threats while investigating illegal occupation on Freedom Beach and surrounding land under the Khao Nak Kerd National Forest in Kathu district.…
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Thai woman stabs boyfriend in anger over his unemployment
A woman stabbed her boyfriend at a dormitory in Chon Buri on Saturday, May 9, after returning home from work to find him relaxing despite being unemployed. Police from Pan Thong Police Station responded to the incident at a dormitory in Pan Thong district during the evening. Officers found the 22 year old injured man outside the room while rescue workers…
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Ride-hailing apps given one month to improve safety standards
Thailand’s Transport Ministry has given ride-hailing platforms one month to improve passenger safety measures or risk licence suspension, as new rules are prepared for app-based taxi services. The planned measures include requiring drivers to hold public driving licences, installing CCTV cameras in vehicles, and providing passenger insurance coverage. Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat said the measures are aimed at improving…
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Bank of Thailand cuts GDP forecast to 1.5%, slashes interest rate to 1% as war and trade pressures bite
Thailand’s central bank has issued its starkest economic warning in years. The Bank of Thailand’s (BOT) Monetary Policy Report for Q1 2026 revised the country’s GDP growth forecast sharply downward to just 1.5%, well below the 2.4% recorded in 2025, as the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to cut the benchmark interest rate to a historic low of 1.00% per…
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Surin man detained in Cambodia prison after entering border forest
A missing Thai man is found detained in Cambodia prison after entering a border forest in Surin to search for natural resources, likely to be sold for income. The 58 year old man, Yot Sainoi, disappeared on April 25 after entering Huay Samroeng Forest near Ban Non Thong community in Kab Choeng district, an area bordering Cambodia. Yot’s wife, 47…
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Sisaket man attacks Swedish relative with knife over chick deaths
A Swedish man suffered a fractured skull and serious head injuries after being attacked by his Thai uncle-in-law with a knife in Sisaket province allegedly over the deaths of chicks. The Swedish victim, 61 year old Jimmy, travelled from Sisaket to Bangkok to seek assistance from the Saimai Survive non-profit organisation. He claimed that despite filing a complaint with Khukhan…
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Chinese gamblers injured leaping from window in Pattaya poker den raid
Police and district officials raided a poker den in Pattaya late last night, May 13, arresting 16 Chinese gamblers and seizing about 100,000 baht (around US$3,090) in cash, along with other gambling equipment. The raid took place at 11.46pm at a luxury house in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district. The operation was led by Chon Buri Immigration Police, Nong…
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Swedish renter’s unpaid Patong locker exposes five guns, 100 bullets
Staff at a monthly rental storage company in Patong, Phuket, discovered five firearms and 100 rounds of ammunition on May 12 inside a locker rented by a Swedish man who had failed to pay rent for more than 120 days. The discovery was reported after Patong Police Station received a report from representatives of Mespace Self Storage Patong, located inside…
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Chinese weapon suspect Mingchen remains on ventilator at Pattaya hospital
Doctors treating Chinese weapon suspect Mingchen Sun in Pattaya suspected that his deteriorating condition was caused by a medication overdose after discovering a blue liquid substance in his stomach. Police arrested the 31 year old Chinese man Mingchen after officers discovered a cache of military-grade weapons at his luxury residence in Chon Buri. The discovery was made after police found a…
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Phuket bar owners protest ‘benefit-seeking’ state officials
Operators and staff from Bangla Road entertainment venues in Patong Beach, Kathu district, Phuket, gathered for a protest yesterday, May 13, to oppose alleged extortion and “benefit-seeking” by state officials, while calling for faster action on business licensing issues. The gathering took place near the Bangla police box at the entrance of Bangla Road in Patong subdistrict, Kathu district, Phuket.…
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Officials say foreigners own only 6% of Koh Pha Ngan following locals’ concerns
The director of Thailand’s Land Department stated that foreign nationals own only six percent of land on Koh Pha Ngan, following growing concerns among residents about increasing foreign influence on the island. Concerns intensified in recent years as the number of long-stay foreign residents, particularly Israeli nationals, has increased on Koh Pha Ngan. Some locals fear the island could gradually…
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Online hair dye leaves Ratchaburi man with severe allergic reaction
A man in Ratchaburi has warned others to carefully check hair dye products after he suffered a severe allergic reaction from a hair dye he bought online that left his scalp irritated, his face swollen, and fluid leaking from the dyed area. The case was shared on Facebook by a user named Khun Weng Khao Tom Pla Zing Ratchaburi, who…
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Thai taxi drivers accused of paying monthly bribes to escape traffic penalties
Taxi drivers and the Taxi Network Trade Association alleged that some drivers paid bribes to police in exchange for being allowed to park in a prohibited zone while waiting for passengers. The accusations were first raised by the Facebook page Thai Taxi Association, which claimed taxi drivers operating at Ginza Curve in the Rangsit area paid monthly bribes to local…
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Thai neighbours seeks help for Burmese girl abused by mother
Thai residents in Chachoengsao sought help for a 13 year old Burmese girl after alleging she had been repeatedly abused by her mother at their home. The case came to public attention after neighbours contacted social media influencer Chalida “Ton Or” Palamart to assist the girl, identified as Namwhan. Officials from the Chachoengsao Provincial Shelter for Children and Family accompanied…
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Thailand eases foreign business red tape in eight sectors to cut regulatory overlap
Thailand’s Cabinet has approved in principle two pieces of draft subordinate legislation under the Foreign Business Act 1999, exempting eight service business categories from the requirement to obtain a foreign business licence, the government announced on May 12. Deputy Government Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, Patdarasm Thongsaluaykorn, announced the Cabinet meeting. The two instruments, a draft royal decree and…
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