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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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Trang Airport finally taxiing toward take-off after years of turbulence
After years of delays, walkouts and government faffing about, Trang Airport’s long-stalled revamp is finally back on the runway, with part of a shiny new terminal expected to open next month and billions more being poured into the project. The opposition People’s Party has vowed to keep a close eye on Trang Airport’s 4.4-billion-baht overhaul, which has been riddled with contractor…
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Van crash causes Phuket transformer explosion, driver electrocuted
A van lost control and crashed into a power pole, causing a transformer explosion, which resulted in the driver being electrocuted at the wheel. The accident, which had no other vehicles involved, is suspected to have been caused by the driver falling asleep. At 1.20am today, May 15, Police Lieutenant Fonthip Kaewsaen, an investigator at Wichit Police Station, received a…
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Thailand video news | Phuket soaked and stranded as downpours drench tourist zones, Alcohol law shake-up sparks tension before Buddhist festivals
Thailand’s tourism hotspots are making headlines for all the wrong reasons this week, with chaos caused by flash floods, odd antics from unruly tourists, and troubling reports of child exploitation. From a soaked and stranded Phuket to changes in alcohol laws during sacred Buddhist festivals, here’s your roundup of the top stories shaking the Kingdom. Phuket Soaked and Stranded as…
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Bangkok siege as gunman goes on rampage over lost lover
A boozed-up gunman brought terror to a Bangkok neighbourhood this morning, firing wildly into the sky and taking six terrified hostages, all in a crazed bid to find his missing girlfriend. Panic gripped Soi Wat Lakhon Tham in the Ban Chang Lo subdistrict around 9.45am today, May 15, when the gunman, a 31 year old Thai man, Tae, went on…
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Cone, not forgotten! Pattaya clamps down on parking space hogs
It’s the end of the road for selfish parking space hogs in Pattaya, as city officials crack down on cheeky locals and businesses reserving public roads with cones, chains and bins like it’s their private driveway. Pattaya’s war on illegal space-grabbing has kicked into high gear, with municipal officers hitting the streets to clear cones, barriers and random clutter dumped…
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Bee-ware: Swarm stings taxi driver in Nonthaburi
A 54 year old motorcycle taxi driver in Nonthaburi found himself in a precarious situation when a swarm of bees repeatedly attacked him. The incident occurred yesterday, May 14, in Mueang Thong Thani village, Pak Kret district. The man, named Sutin, resorted to covering himself with a mosquito net to ward off the bees while waiting for help. At 5.30pm,…
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No water in lungs: Thai party entertainer dies before entering river
An autopsy confirmed that a Thai party entertainer, whose body was found in a river in the central province of Kanchanaburi, died of a drug overdose, not by drowning. The family of the 28 year old party entertainer, Mark, sought justice after police delayed the investigation into his death. Mark’s mother and two sisters, along with another party entertainer, appeared…
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Splash and dash! Pattaya swamped as storm lashes city (video)
A torrential morning downpour left Pattaya swamped as a storm left roads underwater, traffic crawling, and snakes slithering into the chaos. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) revealed that there’s more to come. A heavy rainstorm hammered Bang Lamung district in Chon Buri for over an hour starting at 9.36am, yesterday, May 14, flooding large swathes of Pattaya and grinding morning…
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Spice bar sizzler: Ex-flame blamed for fiery bust-up in Pattaya
A blazing row turned literal when a late-night fire tore through a Pattaya bar, with suspicions pointing squarely at the owner’s ex, who’d allegedly threatened to torch the place. Flames ripped through Anne’s Island Spice Bar in Soi Phratamnak 5 during the early hours of yesterday, May 14, sparking panic and a rapid emergency response. The blaze broke out around…
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2 Cambodian men assaulted by Thai influencers in shopping mall
Two Cambodian men filed a complaint against two Thai social media influencers for physically assaulting them at a shopping mall in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok for a false allegation of being involved with a notorious Cambodian gang known as BK. The Cambodian nationals reported the incident at Sam Rong Nuea Police Station on Tuesday, May 13. The assault reportedly took…
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Brace for a Thai’dal wave: Storms set to rain supreme across Thailand
Heavy rainfall and storms are anticipated across 50 provinces in Thailand, prompting warnings of flash floods and mountain runoffs. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts thunderstorms in Bangkok, with an 80% chance of precipitation on May 15. Over the next 24 hours, heavy rain is expected in parts of northern Thailand, the lower northeastern region, the central region including Bangkok…
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Brake-ing bad: Good Samaritan’s house guest nicks a ride
A Good Samaritan kindness nearly landed him in hot water, after the homeless man he took in turned out to be a sneaky thief with a stolen motorbike. The kindly man narrowly dodged legal drama after unknowingly harbouring a motorcycle thief under his own roof in Bang Lamung, Chon Buri. The drama unfolded yesterday, May 14, when 39 year old Suthep…
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Mother searched after monitor lizard found eating infant’s body
Locals in Samut Prakan province were left in panic after witnessing a monitor lizard consuming the lifeless body of an infant. Police officers are now searching for the mother of the dead child. At approximately 2pm today, May 14, the Facebook page NAKON 45 อัญวุฒิ โพธิ์อำไพ reported that rescuers from the Ruam Katanyu Foundation rushed to Soi King Kaew 28…
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Phuket soaked and stranded as downpours drench tourist zones
Phuket was left waterlogged today as torrential rain battered the island, turning major roads into canals and sparking travel chaos across popular tourist zones. From the early hours of this morning, May 14, relentless downpours lashed the districts of Mueang and Kathu, triggering flash floods in seaside subdistricts including Patong, Chalong and Rawai, three of the island’s busiest areas for…
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Chiang Mai lottery sales dip despite cultural event interest
In Chiang Mai, lottery ticket sales are seeing mixed results as the significance of key dates such as Visakha Bucha, the Royal Ploughing Ceremony, and Coronation Day fuels interest. Despite this, vendors report a dip in sales due to the school term’s start. Today, May 14, it was observed that people are gradually purchasing lucky numbers at major markets around…
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True grit: New boss vows comeback cash in 100-day dash
True Corporation chief Sigve Brekke has hit the ground running, setting out a bold 100-day plan packed with promises of profit, digital dominance, and even a long-overdue payout to shareholders. Brekke, who took the reins as group chief executive in March, is banking on data, discipline and dividends to spark a revival at the telecom titan, following its blockbuster merger…
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Thai woman’s search finds missing mother ‘gone with the wind’
A Thai woman who was searching for her missing mother was shocked to find that her mum sold their shared home and was living happily alone. The mother accused her daughter of physically abusing her, prompting her to run away. The woman named Ree sought help from news agencies after her mother, Peng, disappeared from their shared home in the…
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Car catches fire after recent service, insurance confusion resolved
A 49 year old woman was left puzzled when her car, recently serviced at a centre less than a week ago, caught fire. The incident, yesterday, May 13, occurred on Theparat Road in the inbound express lane near the Highway Police Service Centre in Bang Chalong, Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan province. The local fire department, alongside the Poh Teck…
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Baht out of luck: Thai currency slips as greenback flexes muscle
The Thai baht is wobbling once again, with currency watchers bracing for a further slide this week as the mighty US dollar gathers steam following a temporary pause in the US-China tariff war. Analysts say the baht could weaken to as low as 33.80 per dollar in the coming days, as uncertainty lingers despite a fleeting boost in global market…
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Similan and Surin islands go off-grid: The strategy to restore Thailand’s marine paradise
Each year, at the start of the monsoon season, officials press pause on tourism at the Similan and Surin Islands. From May 16 to October 15, the national parks are officially closed to all visitors. This isn’t a random decision but an ongoing annual measure to maintain the balance of the marine ecosystem, reduce the impact of tourism, and allow…
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Truce or just a tariff tease? Trump and Xi hit pause on trade war
The bitter trade war between the United States and China that rattled global markets is getting a breather — but don’t pop the champagne just yet. The US and China have agreed to suspend punishing tariffs on each other’s goods for 90 days, starting Wednesday, after a tense round of high-stakes talks in Geneva over the weekend. The temporary truce…
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Five test positive for meth in Phuket migrant worker camp inspection
In Phuket, an inspection of migrant worker camps in Thalang District resulted in five people testing positive for methamphetamine, according to officials in Thalang. The operation, conducted from 5pm to 7pm yesterday, May 13, involved a team comprising the Thalang District Office Special Operations Unit, Phuket Immigration Police, Phuket Provincial Employment Office, Sakhu Police, public health officers, and local community…
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Kratom and disorderly: Pattaya bar raided over illegal jungle juice
A Pattaya bar has landed in hot water after being caught red-handed selling kratom-laced cocktails and operating without a licence during a late-night sting by police and district officials. At around 9pm, yesterday, May 13, a special operations team from Pattaya City Police, alongside Bang Lamung district officers, swooped on a buzzing beer bar in Nong Prue, Chon Buri. The…
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Desperate Thai mother offers to sell organs to keep son alive
A Thai mother took to social media in a desperate attempt to sell her organs to raise funds to care for her one year old son and to seek a better home for the young boy. The 33 year old woman from the Isaan province of Sisaket initially shared photos of her son on Facebook to find an adoptive family.…
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Pattaya tour boat boss calls tourists ‘animals’ in foul-mouthed tirade
A Pattaya tour boat operator has been forced to issue a grovelling apology after being caught on camera swearing at a boatload of foreign tourists: calling them “animals” in a foul-mouthed rant that’s since gone viral. The shocking outburst unfolded aboard a Koh Larn Relax tour boat during a snorkelling trip to Koh Sak last Saturday afternoon, and was exposed…
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Chon Buri transgender MP seeks expulsion from People’s Party
A Member of Parliament (MP) from Chon Buri urged the People’s Party (PP) leader to expel him so he can join a new party, citing a lack of support for his work and experiences of sexism. Krit Chevathamanon, a transgender MP from the PP, held a press conference at the Parliament building yesterday, May 13, to announce his desire to…
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Homemade rocket explosion causes panic at Thai festival (video)
A homemade rocket exploded at the weekend at its launch base in Yasothon province, just as it was about to soar into the sky. This incident, which took place on Saturday, May 10, caused locals to flee for safety. The homemade rocket festival, known as Bun Bang Fai, is a tradition in northeastern Thailand, celebrated to ask for rain from…
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Foreign beggar gang busted for using kids as cash bait in Pattaya
A foreign beggar gang using children and the disabled to pull in cash from tourists has been busted in a dramatic sting operation by immigration police in Pattaya. Undercover officers, posing as holidaymakers, swooped on a group of Cambodians spotted hustling money from passersby at popular tourist spots around the city. Some of the suspects were seen carrying two or…
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Man arrested in Surat Thani for assaulting niece
A 49 year old man was arrested in Surat Thani after being accused of sexually assaulting his wife’s 13 year old niece. The arrest followed a warrant issued by the Surat Thani Provincial Court on February 2, 2024. The suspect, Samphan, allegedly took advantage of his wife’s night shifts at a hospital to commit the assaults, threatening the girl not to…
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Brake point: Biker gang batters Pattaya mechanic over 100 baht
A Pattaya mechanic was left bloodied and bruised after a gang of angry teens stormed his workshop and beat him senseless, all over a 100-baht parking fee. The shocking attack happened yesterday, May 13, at 1pm, when police were called to a motorcycle repair shop on Soi Khao Noi, near the railway in Chon Buri province. Responding officers found 27…
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