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.
-
Sponsored
New in July: Save 10% for life on family health plans in Thailand
Cigna has a special offer this July for families in Thailand. When you sign up three or more people on a family health plan, you will save 10% on your premiums for life. This deal helps you get affordable, high-quality...
-
Weed out competition: Thailand’s cannabis shops face crackdown
Thailand’s once-thriving cannabis industry is about to face its biggest shake-up yet, with new regulations that could see up to 12,000 cannabis flower shops shut down by the end of the year. The country’s Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM) revealed a wave of stringent rules that could spell the end for many who have jumped on the…
-
Canadian man caught trying to ‘bag’ heroin at Bangkok airport
In a bizarre bid to ‘bag’ a fortune, a Canadian man was arrested at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok, after attempting to smuggle over three kilogrammes of heroin hidden in women’s handbags. The suspect, on his way to Taiwan, was caught in the act yesterday, June 30, after sharp-eyed customs officers became suspicious of his luggage. When they ran the bags…
-
Thai man brags about income then flees bills at 2 Pattaya restaurants
Police released a Thai man who claimed to be wealthy but fled without paying bills totalling over 23,000 baht at two restaurants in Pattaya. A restaurant owner filed a dine-and-dash complaint at Mueang Pattaya Police Station on June 22. However, he had to turn to Channel 7 because police released the suspect free, even after he had confessed to the…
-
PM confirms flawed construction behind state office collapse
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra confirmed today, June 30, that flawed design and construction methods were to blame for the collapse of the State Audit Office building in Bangkok. After reviewing the final investigation report, Paetongtarn said the inquiry involved cooperation from the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, Chulalongkorn University, Kasetsart University and King Mongkut’s Institute of…
-
Fire at Saraburi paper factory claims 6 lives and leaves over 10 missing
A fire at a paper factory in the central province of Saraburi reportedly claimed six lives, with at least 13 people reported missing at the time of reporting. The Facebook page Fire & Rescue Thailand reported at 1.20pm today, June 30, that the blaze broke out at a paper factory in the WHA Industrial Estate, also known as Hemaraj Land…
-
Thai university ranked world’s best for gender equality
Walailak University in Bangkok was ranked the number one university in the world for its achievement in promoting gender equality. Other Thai universities also earned places in the global top 100. Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, Anukool Pruksanusak, announced today, June 30, that the Thai government congratulates the universities for their outstanding performances in the Times Higher Education…
-
District official arrested for extorting migrant work permit fees in Chiang Mai
A senior district official in Chiang Mai was arrested for allegedly extorting millions of baht from brokers handling migrant worker registrations. Officials from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), and police units apprehended a man named Boonyarit, who is the chief registrar of the Region 5 Registration Centre and district chief of San Sai, at…
-
Karen refugee suspected in brutal murder of Thai employer
A Karen refugee from Myanmar was suspected of the murder of his Thai employer in Chiang Mai’s Mae Chaem district before fleeing to a refugee centre in Mae Hong Son province. The incident took place on June 27 when police were alerted to a murder in a mountain orchard in Ban Mae Satop Tai, Mae Suek subdistrict. Officers from Mae…
-
Desperate Thai mother pleads for son’s arrest after he trades durians for Yaba
A Thai mother expressed her desperation on social media and called for police intervention after her drug-addicted son traded durians she had bought for him for Yaba, also known as methamphetamine. The mother in the Isaan province of Sa Kaeo took to her Facebook account on June 17 to vent her fears and frustration. She posted a photo of two…
-
Japanese BBQ restaurant fire damages Chachoengsao mall
A fire erupted at a shopping mall in Chachoengsao, prompting an evacuation of employees and visitors as fire and smoke quickly spread throughout the mall. Firefighters reportedly battled the blaze for over two hours before bringing the situation under control. At 8.30pm yesterday, June 29, Deputy Inspector Chalermpol Satharam from Mueang Chachoengsao Police Station received a report of a fire…
-
Brawl erupts between Swedish national and Thai men in Pattaya
A Swedish man took legal action against a group of Thai men following a gang assault in Soi Bua Khao, Pattaya, yesterday, June 29. One of the Thai men involved defended the group’s actions, claiming the foreigner acted violently. A video of the incident circulated on Thai social media, showing a foreign man pushing a Thai woman to the ground…
-
Pheu Thai delays casino bill debate for further review
The Pheu Thai Party has announced a delay in the debate over the proposed casino-entertainment complex bill, initially scheduled for July 3. The postponement, which extends the timeline by about a month, is attributed to the need for further review rather than political discord. Danuporn Punnakanta, a Pheu Thai Party MP and spokesperson, confirmed the delay and emphasised that the…
-
Australian man smashes window and hurls objects from Pattaya hotel
An Australian man caused a scene yesterday, June 29, after he smashed a hotel window on Pattaya Sai Song Road and hurled random objects from the 12th floor onto the street below. Passersby scrambled to avoid falling debris as shards of broken glass, a chair, a sofa, a speaker, and bedding items rained down onto the road, prompting repeated screams…
-
Thailand sends team to Myanmar for Kok River pollution talks
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is set to dispatch an expert team next week to engage with Myanmar officials regarding arsenic contamination in the Kok River. This decision follows Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa’s recent Facebook post, addressing questions raised to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra about water quality issues during her visit to Chiang Rai. Maris highlighted that water pollution has…
-
Thailand funds gender-affirming hormone therapy in 145 million baht package
The Ministry of Public Health has sanctioned a 145 million baht healthcare package to offer gender-affirming hormone therapy to transgender and gender-diverse people through the nation’s 30-baht universal healthcare scheme. Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, serving as chairman of the National Health Security Office (NHSO) board, has approved the addition of six hormone-related medications to the national procurement list under…
-
Phuket police probe death of man found with knife in chest
Police in Phuket are currently investigating the death of a 39 year old man from Sisaket province, whose body was discovered with a knife in his chest in a rented room in Patong. The body was found at approximately 10.45am on June 28, when Patong Police were alerted to an incident in a room on Soi Jintana. Police Lieutenant Colonel…
-
Shower-time heist: Indian man loses 20,000 baht in cash to Pattaya sex worker
An Indian man sought assistance from Pattaya police officers after a Thai sex worker shattered his expectations and disappeared with 20,000 baht in cash. The 45 year old Indian national, Sudip, filed a complaint at Mueang Pattaya Police Station yesterday, June 29, after his night was ruined by a Thai sex worker. He reported losing a total of 20,000 baht,…
-
Japanese tourist drowns at Phuket’s Karon Beach
A Japanese tourist drowned at Karon Beach, Phuket, shortly after arriving with his wife. Hikaru Oami, a 34 year old, was declared dead at Patong Hospital after being pulled from the water on June 28. Police received notification of the incident around 12.30pm on June 28. Police Lieutenant Colonel Charas Lempan from Karon Police Station was informed by Patong Hospital…
-
Thailand, France to strengthen defence and trade links
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said yesterday, June 29, she felt honoured to speak by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron, announcing Thailand and France’s commitment to deepen bilateral ties across multiple sectors, particularly space technology, defence and clean energy. In a statement posted on social media today, Paetongtarn said the discussion aimed to elevate Thai-French relations to a strategic partnership…
-
Man arrested in Phuket with illegal firearm and ammunition
A 24 year old man from Satun province has been detained in Phuket for possessing an illegal firearm and ammunition. This arrest is part of ongoing security measures in the area aimed at enhancing public safety. On June 27, around 9pm, officers from the investigation unit of Phuket City Police Station conducted patrols to monitor suspicious activities. During their patrol…
-
E-cigarette vendor shoots 2 police in sting operation in Pathum Thani
An e-cigarette seller shot two police officers during a sting operation outside a convenience store in the central province of Pathum Thani yesterday, June 29, before managing to escape arrest. One of the officers suffered a serious gunshot wound to his genital area. Customers and staff at the convenience store, along with diners at a nearby restaurant, rushed to find…
-
Homeless woman accused of theft in Pattaya, arrested with children
On June 28 at 10.36pm, 27 year old Khanistha alerted Pattaya City Police about a female suspect accused of stealing valuable items from a condominium located in Soi Chaiyaphruek. The suspect, who appears to be between 40 and 45 years old and homeless, was found outside a convenience store in Soi Khao Phratamnak 5. The events began on the evening…
-
Laotian woman killed and baby injured as taxi driver speeds through zebra crossing
A Thai taxi driver struck and killed a Laotian woman at a zebra crossing in the central province of Pathum Thani while she was carrying her five month old son, who is now in critical condition. The fatal accident occurred at 10pm yesterday, June 29, on Lam Luk Ka Khlong 4 Road in Lam Luk Ka district. The taxi driver responsible…
-
Man caught stealing shrine donations avoids charges with community service
In Sri Racha District’s Bo Win subdistrict, a man was apprehended on June 29 at 5pm for stealing donation money from a shrine dedicated to Luang Pho Thongdam, the former abbot of Huai Prab Temple. The incident was reported by Phra Kru Palad Thanakorn Thammapalo, the current abbot, who sought assistance from local police. Kampanath Saentho, acting village headman of…
-
Factory worker vanishes after diving into pond to retrieve bird
A factory worker disappeared while hunting birds on his day off, after diving into a pond to retrieve a shot bird. Rescue teams were unable to locate his body, and his wife was distraught upon discovering his clothes by the water. The search is set to continue. At 4.30pm yesterday, June 29, Police Lieutenant Suthep Sukhpanich, deputy inspector at Chimphli…
-
Illegal white sea bass worth 600,000 baht seized in Narathiwat
The Department of Fisheries, in collaboration with relevant agencies, has intercepted the illegal importation of white sea bass packed in 157 foam boxes, weighing a total of 7,536 kilogrammes with a value of approximately 600,000 baht, at Padang Yo checkpoint in Sungai Kolok district, Narathiwat. Bancha Sukkhaew, the director-general of the Department of Fisheries, highlighted the increased efforts to prevent…
-
Volunteer duo helps woman give birth in pickup truck
Two volunteers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation, having just returned from a funeral, were called to assist a woman in labour in a pickup truck. Despite their initial excitement and nervousness, the delivery was successful, and both mother and child were safe. At 1.42pm yesterday, June 29, emergency services received a call for assistance from a black pickup truck…
-
Body with tattooed arm found in Trang palm plantation
A body with a tattooed arm was discovered partially buried in a palm plantation in Trang province, Thailand. The corpse, identified through a driving licence found on the body, is believed to belong to 33 year old Taweechai Promsangchan. Police suspect the man has been deceased for up to seven days. At 6.30pm on June 29, Police Lieutenant Nopphakorn Watthanakit,…
-
Protesters demand PM Paetongtarn resignation, deny coup support
Anti-government protesters have intensified demands for the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, while also denying claims from the Pheu Thai Party and the People’s Party that they support a military coup. The United Power of the Land to Protect Sovereignty group, which organised a large rally at the Victory Monument on Saturday, June 28, is pressuring PM Paetongtarn to…
-
Man fined 2000 baht for crashing into Bangkok police station
A 36 year old man driving a Mitsubishi Triton pickup truck accidentally accelerated instead of braking, leading to a collision with the entrance of the Yannawa Police Station in Silom, Bang Rak district, Bangkok. This incident occurred around 11pm yesterday, June 29. The driver, identified as Apichai, revealed during questioning that as he was turning right onto Surasak Road beside…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.