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Thailand to let insured patients buy medication outside hospitals
The Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) and several healthcare agencies have officially launched a new initiative allowing patients at private hospitals to purchase prescribed medication from participating pharmacies, aiming to reduce treatment costs and improve access to essential drugs. The programme, called Sukkai Sabai Krabao (Healthy Body, Comfortable Wallet), is part of a government policy to ease the burden of…
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Woman removed from Bangkok bus after displaying knife
A woman was removed from a public bus operating on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok after she took a knife from her bag and moved toward the bus conductor. The incident, which occurred during regular service, caused concern among passengers. A passenger recorded the event and shared it online, noting that both the driver and conductor remained calm during the situation.…
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Thai air force bombs bridge in Cambodia after border troop buildup
The Royal Thai Air Force bombed a bridge in Pursat province, Cambodia, early this morning, December 13, after the Thai navy reported increased Cambodian military reinforcements near the border. Two F-16 fighter jets were deployed to destroy the Chum Nea bridge in the Thmor Da area, which Thai authorities said was being used as a key logistics route for Cambodian…
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Thai rapper Way Thaitanium faces fraud charges over 14 million baht transfer
Thai-American rapper Prinya Intachai, known as Way Thaitanium, reported to police at the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) yesterday, December 12, to acknowledge fraud charges filed against him and his actress wife, Rybena “Nana” Intachai. The case stems from accusations made by a businessman who claimed the couple deceived him into transferring 14 million baht. Prinya arrived at the ECD…
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Cambodian BM-21 rocket injures two, destroys homes in Srisaket
Tensions have escalated along the Thai-Cambodian border after a suspected BM-21 rocket strike hit a Thai village this morning, injuring two men and destroying two homes. The attack reportedly occurred at around 8.30am on December 13 in the Saothongchai subdistrict, Kantharalak district of Sisaket province, a region that has experienced recurring border clashes. BM-21 Grad rockets, Soviet-era multiple rocket launchers…
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EU to impose import fees on low-value imports from July 2026
European Union (EU) finance ministers have agreed to impose a €3 import fee on low-value imports starting July 2026, in a bid to manage the rising number of small parcels entering the bloc from e-commerce platforms such as Shein and Temu. The decision, announced yesterday, December 12, follows growing concern among EU retailers over what they describe as unfair competition…
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Hat Yai flood clean-up reaches over 83% completion
Thailand’s government reports strong progress in the clean-up and recovery operation in Hat Yai district, Songkhla, with over 83% of the restoration work now completed. On Friday, December 12, Government Spokesperson Siriphong Angkasakulkiat provided an update on the large-scale clean-up ordered by Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, following severe flooding in the southern city. As of December 11,…
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EC prepares for nationwide election following House dissolution
Thailand’s Election Commission (EC) has confirmed it is fully prepared to conduct the next general election, with all systems in place following the dissolution of the House of Representatives. A February 8, 2026, poll date is under consideration. Newly appointed EC Chairman Narong Klunwarin, a former judge endorsed earlier this month, is leading preparations as the agency gears up for…
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Australian man dies after running into glass door at Phuket restaurant
An Australian man died after suffering severe blood loss when he reportedly ran into a glass door at a restaurant in the Karon area of Phuket last night, December 11. Officers from Karon Police Station were alerted to the incident at around 10.30pm and rushed to the restaurant to investigate reports of a disturbance involving a foreign man. However, the…
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Cambodia honours pregnant soldier killed in border clash
Yesterday, December 11, Cambodian authorities paid tribute to a pregnant female soldier who was reportedly killed during a frontline clash with Thai forces. The Phnom Penh Post reported that Cambodia’s Minister of Women’s Affairs posted a message mourning the loss of 43 year old Mut Saveun, a member of the 67th Tank Battalion. Saveun, who was four months pregnant, was…
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Bangkok governor shares chubby childhood photo to raise awareness on child obesity
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt used a childhood photo of himself and his twin brother to promote a new health campaign aimed at tackling child obesity in the capital. Chadchart attended the launch of the project yesterday, December 11, which was introduced through a collaboration between the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, the Royal Danish Embassy in…
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Gambling promotion suspects arrested at Rajamangala Stadium
Police nabbed two men at Rajamangala Stadium yesterday, December 11, after they showed up wearing clothes promoting illegal gambling websites. During a football match under the 33rd SEA Games at Rajamangala National Stadium, hosted by Thailand, there were reports of individuals secretly promoting gambling websites in various forms, Channel 7HD reported. The incident gained attention on social media and was…
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76 year old Thai woman found murdered in Trat, gold jewellery missing
Police are hunting for a suspect who remains at large after a 76 year old Thai woman was found murdered in her home in Trat province, with gold jewellery worth more than 120,000 baht missing from the scene. Relatives became concerned yesterday, December 11, after the elderly woman, identified only as A, failed to answer her phone calls as usual.…
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Couple’s newly bought car goes up in flames before reaching home
A couple’s excitement over their newly purchased second-hand car ended in disaster when the vehicle caught fire before they could make it home. The incident occurred at around 7.30pm on December 11 on Kanchanaphisek Bridge in Samut Prakan. Police from Phra Pradaeng Police Station received a report of the blaze and coordinated emergency response efforts. Fire trucks from Lat Luang…
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5 year old Thai girl rescued after repeated abuse by stepmother
A non-profit organisation rescued a five year old Thai girl yesterday, December 11, after suffering repeated abuse by her stepmother in the Bang Khun Thian area of Bangkok. The rescue was carried out by Be One organisation, led by its founder, Chalida “Ton Or” Palamart. Ton Or said a neighbour who witnessed the abuse for years finally decided to seek help…
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The transport company offers New Year promotion to travellers
Travellers heading away for the New Year may be in for a pleasant surprise as Thailand’s Transport Company has announced a special promotion to make holiday journeys easier and more affordable. The state-owned Transport Company Limited is offering a New Year’s gift to passengers with a 20% discount on tickets purchased under the “Go Before – Return Later” promotion. This…
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Massive e-cigarette bust at Bangkok Port
In one of Thailand’s biggest recent crackdowns on vaping products, authorities have seized more than 46,000 illegal e-cigarettes at Bangkok Port, worth over 10 million baht. The operation was announced on December 11 at the Bangkok Port Customs Office. The haul consisted of 46,260 mixed flavours disposable e-cigarettes, discovered on December 4, hidden inside seven abandoned cargo containers. The seized…
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Thai woman shoots ex-husband after alleged break-in at Ayutthaya home
A Thai woman claimed self-defence after shooting her ex-husband who allegedly broke into her home in Ayutthaya yesterday, December 11. Officers from Bang Pa-in Police Station, along with rescuers from the Ayutthaya Ruamjai Foundation, were called to a house in the Sam Ruean sub-district of Bang Pa-in district at around 10am following reports of a shooting. At the scene, officers…
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Heavy rain alerts issued for 35 Thai provinces, including Bangkok
Thailand’s weather department has issued a warning for heavy rain today, December 12, with 35 provinces affected and the South facing the most downpours. According to the Meteorological Department’s forecast from 6am today to 6am tomorrow, December 13, rainfall is expected to increase across southern Thailand, with heavy to extreme rainfall likely in several areas. Provinces at high risk include…
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Foreign trio returns to Thailand to reunite with childhood driver after five decades
A touching reunion in Ubon Ratchathani province has captured widespread attention after two foreign men and a woman returned to Thailand to reunite with a tricycle driver who cared for them when they were young children more than five decades ago. The search began after Facebook user Siw Pittaya Chaisongkhram released an appeal video on Monday, December 8, explaining that…
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Embassy intervenes after Thais barred from crossing back from Cambodia
The Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh sent an urgent letter to Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior after Thai nationals in Cambodia were reportedly barred from returning home through the Ban Khlong Luek border checkpoint in Sa Kaeo province. Officials from the Thai-Cambodian Border Coordination Office told Thai PBS on Wednesday, December 11, that Cambodian authorities at the Ban Khlong Luek…
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Thai activist sentenced to 46 years for Facebook posts
Thai activist, Mongkol Thirakhot, or Busbas, has been sentenced to 46 years in prison by the Supreme Court for his social media posts. The final ruling was delivered yesterday, December 11, at Chiang Rai Provincial Court. Mongkol is a 32 year old former clothing seller turned political activist who is convicted under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, known as…
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Foreign motorcyclist goes viral for riding with cooking pot in Phuket
A foreign motorcyclist has gone viral on Thai social media after being spotted wearing a cooking pot instead of a helmet while riding along a road in Phuket. The Phuket Times Facebook page shared photos of the unusual rider on Tuesday, December 9, with a caption jokingly asking, “What kind of helmet he was wearing? This foreigner was heading to…
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PM Anutin dissolves parliament, says he wants to ‘return power to the people’
Thai Prime Minister (PM) Anutin Charnvirakul announced the dissolution of Parliament late last night, December 11, saying he wanted to “return power to the people.” At around 10pm, Anutin posted a brief message on his Facebook account confirming that his government had submitted a request to dissolve the House of Representatives for royal approval, and the request was officially approved…
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Mixed reactions after foreign rider condemned for illegal U-turn in Phuket
Thai netizens shared mixed reactions after a Phuket driver condemned a foreign rider for making an illegal U-turn over a traffic island. The Thai driver posted dashcam footage of the incident on his Facebook account, Wongwit Sand. The clip was later reshared by Newshawk Phuket Facebook page, which supported Wongwit’s criticism writing… “Foreigner tries bringing death to himself, making a…
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University student caught with loaded gun on campus in Bangkok
A routine campus sweep took a turn when Bangkok police arrested a first-year university student for allegedly carrying a loaded revolver. The arrest took place on the evening of December 9, at approximately 9pm. The 19 year old male student was found under a university building with a .38-calibre Smith & Wesson revolver, six rounds of ammunition, and a leather holster.…
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Vietnam protests after Thailand shows wrong flag again at SEA Games
Vietnam reportedly lodged a formal complaint today, December 11, after Thailand once again displayed the wrong national flag during a 2025 SEA Games event, marking the third flag error since the competition began. The first mistake surfaced when the official SEA Games Facebook page posted graphics for football and futsal fixtures, showing Laos’ flag in place of Indonesia’s and Vietnam’s…
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Indian brothers arrested in Phuket over Goa nightclub fire that kills 25
Two Indian brothers who fled their home country after a deadly nightclub fire in Goa, India, were arrested in Thailand after days on the run. The fire, which broke out at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub on Saturday, December 6, claimed the lives of 25 people, most of whom were employees. Five tourists were also among the victims, though…
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Prostitution crackdown: Thai masseuse arrested for offering ‘special massage’
Police arrested a masseuse in Nakhon Ratchasima yesterday, December 10, for offering sex services inside a massage shop, though the suspect insisted the shop owner and other staff had no involvement. Officers from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) received a tip-off about prostitution taking place at a massage shop in the Non Sung district. To verify the information, police…
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Lisa joins Met Gala 2026 host committee alongside global stars
Thai K-pop superstar Lalisa Manoban, or Lisa Blackpink, has been named to the host committee for one of the world’s most prestigious fashion events at the Met Gala 2026. The announcement was made ahead of the year’s end and confirmed Lisa’s involvement in shaping the direction of next year’s gala as part of the host committee, alongside several international artists…
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