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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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Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained
Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...
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Green snake struggles to climb wall after swallowing gecko
A green snake was spotted yesterday attempting to slither away from a house with a noticeably bulging belly after swallowing a gecko whole. A Facebook user posted a video of the over 1-metre-long snake climbing a wall outside a bathroom and trying to squeeze into a hole approximately 2 metres above the ground. The snake’s swollen stomach was shaped like…
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Bhumjaithai criticises Pheu Thai for cannabis regulation delays
Bhumjaithai Party senior member Supachai Jaisamut has urged the swift passage of a cannabis control bill, criticising the Pheu Thai Party’s Ministry of Public Health for its perceived inaction in regulating cannabis. This, he claims, has resulted in its widespread availability and associated challenges. Supachai has reiterated that since 2019, the BJT has supported cannabis use solely for medical purposes.…
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Borderline chaos: Thai-Cambodian crossings shut amid spat
Royal Thai Army (RTA) chiefs have slammed the gates shut on all Thai-Cambodian border crossings in Sa Kaeo, citing growing tensions, sovereignty breaches, and a spike in cross-border crime. Lieutenant General Amorn Boonsuya, Commander of the 1st Army Area, yesterday, June 23, issued a top-level emergency order banning all vehicles and travellers, both Thai and foreign, from crossing the border…
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Sick and tired: HIV surge in Phuket sparks shame and scandal
Shocking figures reveal a surge in HIV and STD cases in Phuket, while a Thai student falsely accused of spreading the virus fights to clear her name after being dragged through the digital gutter. Public health officials have raised the alarm after Phuket reported 244 new HIV or sexually transmitted infections, pushing the province’s total number of registered patients to…
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Giant dolls take over Bangkok for Squid Game Season 3 launch
Young-hee, better known in Thailand as the “Gogowa doll,” and her male companion appeared near the Giant Swing in Bangkok to welcome the upcoming release of Squid Game Season 3, which is scheduled to launch on Netflix on June 27. The survival thriller series Squid Game is hugely popular among Thai fans. Created by South Korean director Hwang Dong-hyuk, its…
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Wildlife officials to prosecute gunman of injured Khao Yai elephant
Thailand’s Department of National Parks (DNP) is preparing legal action against a man suspected of shooting a wild elephant known as “Plai Biang Lek” (also called “Wong Thong”) in Khao Yai National Park. Wildlife officials believe the suspect may be related to a local politician. Previously on June 19, around 5pm, wildlife rangers and volunteers were pushing a wild elephant…
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Four arrested in Phuket for assault on massage worker
Police in Phuket have apprehended four young men concerning the assault of a massage shop worker in Phuket Town on June 19. The incident took place at approximately 10.15pm, as reported by the Phuket City Police on June 22. The four individuals attacked 41 year old Suriya Namsak in front of a local noodle shop. The suspects alleged that Suriya…
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New Cabinet list to be finalised this week
Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai confirmed today, June 23, that the final line-up for the Paetongtarn Cabinet will be completed this week, but remained silent on speculation over whether he will be shifted to head the Interior Ministry. Phumtham said Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met coalition leaders yesterday to discuss the eight Cabinet positions left vacant following the Bhumjaithai Party’s…
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Thai-Cambodian border checkpoint closures amid protest tensions
The Thai-Cambodian border checkpoint at Chong Sai Taku in Ban Kruat district, Buriram, has been closed by the military following a protest involving Cambodian visitors at Ta Kwai temple in Phanom Dong Rak district, Surin, on June 21. This temple is a point of contention between Thailand and Cambodia. A group of 30 Cambodian visitors staged a protest at the…
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Thai ex-police chief targets Hun Sen in legal complaint
Former Thai Police Chief and Seri Ruam Thai Party leader, Police General Seripisut Temiyavet, filed a legal complaint today, June 23, against Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen at the Royal Thai Police headquarters in Bangkok. Seripisut accuses Hun Sen, Cambodia’s former prime minister, of violating Thai law by allegedly ordering the assassination of political dissident Lim Kimya on Thai soil.…
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Foreign man drives against traffic flow and confronts Phuket motorist
A foreign man, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, drove against the flow of traffic in Phuket and attempted to confront a Thai woman on the road. The incident was shared by the victim on her Facebook account on Friday, June 20. She stated that it occurred at around 8.10pm on Thursday, June 19, on Kalim-Kamala Road, a two-lane route…
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King’s royal gifts boost soldier morale along Thai‑Cambodian border
His Majesty the King has graciously provided royal gifts to boost morale among Thai soldiers stationed along the Thai-Cambodian border today, June 23. Lieutenant Colonel Aniwat Sirikhuang, commander of the 3rd Infantry Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, also serving as commander of the 24th Infantry Battalion, Task Force 2, led his troops to a ceremony to receive the royal items. The…
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Russian tourists top Phuket traffic fines in 2025 crackdown
Phuket officials have announced that 28,809 foreign tourists have been fined for traffic offences on the island in 2025, with Russian visitors being the most frequent violators. Commander of the Phuket Provincial Police, Sinlert Sukhum, stated that Russian tourists accounted for 3,121 cases, followed by Chinese (1,721), British (1,419), French (1,365), and Indian nationals (1,069). These statistics were revealed during a…
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Bangkok cannabis shops raided for illegal gummy sales
Thailand’s Health Minister initiated a crackdown operation on 20 cannabis shops across Bangkok, resulting in the closure of those selling cannabis-infused gummies without approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The minister emphasised the operation’s non-political nature. Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, yesterday, June 22, led the operation in collaboration with the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, the Office of the Narcotics Control…
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Second investigaion launched in Thaksin’s hospital transfer probe
The Medical Council of Thailand (MCT) has initiated a second disciplinary investigation into five doctors involved in former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s hospitalisation. This inquiry focuses on potential professional ethics violations during Thaksin‘s transfer from the Correctional Hospital to the Police General Hospital, possibly involving additional staff. While this new investigation expands on the initial probe, it will adhere to…
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Thai man killed in renewed dispute shortly after making peace with rival
A Thai man, who believed he had finally reconciled with a long-time rival and shared the news on social media, tragically died following a renewed dispute yesterday, June 22. A motorist discovered a body at the side of Khaerai Road in Krathum Baen district, in the central province of Samut Sakhon, and notified Krathum Baen Police Station in the early hours…
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Cambodian motorbikes blocked at border in retaliation over fuel ban
Thai authorities today, June 23, imposed an immediate ban on Cambodian-registered motorbikes and modified vehicles entering the kingdom through the Ban Khlong Luek permanent border checkpoint in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province. The move comes in response to Cambodia’s recent decision to halt the import of fuel and gas from Thailand. Effective from 5am, the Thai military’s Burapha Task Force…
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Bangkok-Samui bus accident leaves nine injured, two critically
A Bangkok-Samui passenger bus veered off the road, injuring several passengers, with two in critical condition. The incident occurred at 2.50am today, June 23, along Asia Highway 41 in Chumphon province. Nearby, a damaged pickup truck was also found, prompting further investigation by the police. Police Lieutenant Kreangchai Chumkaew, Deputy Inspector of Sawi District, Chumphon province, received the initial report…
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Dutch man found dead in Thai hotel room, police investigate
A 54 year old Dutch national was discovered deceased in a hotel room in Ayutthaya province, Thailand. Police are investigating the circumstances, considering both suicide and murder as possibilities. Hotel staff informed police around 1pm yesterday, June 22, when the man missed his scheduled check-out. Using a spare key, a housekeeper entered the room and found the body on the…
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Taiwanese man arrested after rampage with drugs and weapons in Pattaya
Police today, June 23, arrested a Taiwanese man following his violent rampage at a condominium in Pattaya. Officers confiscated drugs and weapons from his room, where a Thai party entertainer was also found under the influence of drugs. Officers from the Chon Buri Provincial Immigration Bureau and Mueang Pattaya Police Station responded to an incident at a condominium in the…
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Thailand Video News | Thai couple arrested after scamming 2,000 businesses, Phuket retires iconic pink buses for modern electric fleet
Phuket’s familiar pink buses are now a thing of the past as the city shifts to electric transport. Across Thailand, a scam operation targeting thousands of businesses has been shut down, and changes are coming for foreigners applying for a Thai driver’s licence. Meanwhile, political tensions rise as PM Paetongtarn faces calls to step down. Phuket Retires Iconic Pink Buses…
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SSO ensures insured Thai nationals access to safe abortion services
The Social Security Office (SSO) has announced that insured Thai nationals are entitled to medical services to terminate unplanned pregnancies without legal repercussions. Today, June 23, Marasri Jairangsee, secretary-general of the SSO, stated that they are committed to ensuring comprehensive access to quality medical services for insured people. This includes both general healthcare and specific treatments through contracted primary care…
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Bangkok protest planned against PM over Cambodia issues
Prominent protest figures are organising a demonstration in Bangkok, aiming to remove the Paetongtarn Shinawatra government due to its management of territorial issues with Cambodia. Jatuporn Prompan and other leaders gathered at Victory Monument this past Sunday, June 22, to reveal their plan to protest at the same location in six days. They asserted that the demonstration’s purpose is to…
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Thai police thwart migrant smuggling after truck stuck in mud
In Kanchanaburi, a man from Bang Saphan was apprehended after attempting to smuggle 41 illegal migrant workers in a pickup truck. The vehicle became stuck in mud during a police chase, leading to the arrest of all involved. The migrants, from Myanmar, confessed to paying over 50,000 baht (US$1,515) each for passage to Bangkok and Malaysia. Today, June 23, Chakrit…
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Songkhla students scammed by local landlord, left without rooms
A group of first-year university students in Songkhla have reported being defrauded by a local accommodation owner who allegedly took their deposits and double-booked rooms, leaving more than 50 students without accommodation. The incident was widely shared on social media, prompting further investigation. The students, primarily from Songkhla Rajabhat University, found the accommodation through Facebook. Situated in the Mueang district,…
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Large water monitor lizard rescued from Ayutthaya house ceiling
Rescue services in Ayutthaya were called upon to deal with a large water monitor lizard that had taken refuge in the ceiling of a house for several days. The creature, over 2 metres long and weighing more than 30 kilogrammes, was discovered at a residence in Khan Ham subdistrict, Uthai district, Ayutthaya province, on June 23. Residents, initially unaware of…
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Motorcyclist dies in collision with 18-wheel truck in Nakhon Sawan
A tragic accident occurred yesterday, June 22, when a motorcyclist lost control after grazing a car, leading to a fatal collision with an 18-wheel truck in Nakhon Sawan province. Police Lieutenant Khamron Chantit, deputy inspector at Chum Saeng Police Station, was informed of the incident on Chum Saeng–Nakhon Sawan Road in the Thap Kritch community market area. Emergency services and…
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Old Thai man shoots 2 neighbours over stolen palm trees
A 79 year old Thai man shot two neighbours yesterday, June 22, in the southern province of Surat Thani, allegedly over a long-standing dispute involving stolen palm trees. Police from Kanchanadit Police Station were called to the scene in the Chang Sai subdistrict of Kanchanadit district at 8.46am. Inside one home, officers found 88 year old Angsri critically injured with…
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Udon Thani chicken dispute resolved after police intervention
A dispute over a dog attacking and killing 26 fighting chickens in Udon Thani province nearly escalated until police intervention helped resolve the issue. Yesterday, June 22, at 3pm, Police Lieutenant Natthaphon Srivicha, Deputy Inspector of Nong Bua subdistrict, received a report about a dog attacking chickens at a traditional elevated house in Ban Nong Sai, Mueang district. The house,…
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Fisheries boost monitoring amid toxic fears in Thai rivers
The Department of Fisheries is intensifying its monitoring efforts on aquatic life in the Sai and Kok Rivers due to concerns about toxic contamination. The Department of Fisheries has expanded its inspection sites from four to 22, covering high-risk areas in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Recent tests on over 12 species of freshwater fish showed most were in good…
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