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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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Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Pattaya police allegedly ignore sexual assault complaint against Bolt rider
A Thai woman accused Pattaya police officers of failing to take action after she lodged a sexual assault complaint against a Bolt motorcycle taxi rider. The woman shared her account of the assault yesterday, July 17, in a Facebook group, พัทยา (Pattaya), condemning officers at Mueang Pattaya Police Station for their alleged inaction. In her post, she wrote… “I reported…
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Bangkok woman choked by foreigner in 7-Eleven fights for justice (video)
A late-night milk run turned into a nightmare for one Bangkok woman, choked by a stranger in a 7-Eleven, dismissed by police, and left fearing for her safety. But she’s not staying silent. In a harrowing incident that has sparked outrage online, a woman recounted how a quick trip to the 7-Eleven at Fortune Condo Narathiwas ended in a physical…
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Copper conned! Aussie cop fleeced in Thai cryptocurrency scam
A retired Aussie police officer hoping to enjoy a quiet life in Thailand has instead been left nearly penniless, after being duped out of more than 40 million baht in a slick cryptocurrency scam run by a German expat in Phuket. Michael “Tom” Reinecke, thought he was investing in a high-return digital currency venture but now says he’s the latest…
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Vietjet stuns with 0 baht fares on new Bangkok-Kolkata route
Bargain-hunters, brace yourselves—VietJet Thailand is shaking up the skies again, this time with 0 baht fares to India. The budget airline has announced a jaw-dropping promotion to celebrate its brand-new direct route from Bangkok to Kolkata, launching this November. VietJet Thailand CEO Voranate Laprabang revealed that the new route is part of the carrier’s aggressive push to expand its international…
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Man drowns after pickup plunges off Nakhon Si Thammarat bridge
A late-night shortcut turned fatal for one man in Nakhon Si Thammarat, when a routine drive ended in horror as his pickup truck plunged off an unfinished bridge, claiming his life in a freak drowning accident. The tragic incident unfolded around 8.30pm yesterday, July 17, when 51 year old Bamrung’s brown-black Isuzu pickup veered off a construction zone in Village…
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Thai actress catches Laotian housemaid stealing nearly 1 million baht
A Thai actress discovered that her Laotian housemaid had been stealing cash in small amounts over the course of a year, leading to a total loss of nearly 1 million baht. The actress, Nathalie Devies, and her husband filed a police complaint on July 10 after realising that cash in both Thai and foreign currencies had gone missing from their…
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Thaksin plans to turn Thailand into a tech and aviation powerhouse
Thaksin Shinawatra is back in the spotlight—and he’s thinking big. The former PM has laid out an ambitious strategy to turn Thailand into a regional superhub for aviation, electric vehicles (EV), and green-powered data centres, in what he calls a “golden opportunity” for national transformation. In his recent public statement, Thaksin said Thailand is geographically primed to become ASEAN’s premier…
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Soap and rob: Pattaya ladyboy claims Indian stole cash mid-shower
A 27 year old ladyboy woman flipped the script in Pattaya after claiming an Indian man swiped her cash while she was in the shower, in a steamy Walking Street encounter that ended with police dragging him off to the cells. The distressed victim arrived at Pattaya City Police Station at 3am today, July 18, to file a complaint against…
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Top of the clicks! Bangkok crowned world’s No.1 nomad hotspot
Bangkok has bagged the title of the world’s dream city for digital nomads, beating out 1,300 other hotspots to take the crown as the top destination for remote workers in 2025. According to a global survey by travel platform HotelWithTub, Thailand’s buzzing capital has been crowned the number one city on the planet for digital nomads this year, scoring 91…
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Suspects at large after brutal murder and robbery of bedridden woman
Police are searching for suspects involved in the brutal murder and robbery of a bedridden woman in the central province of Ratchaburi. The killer committed the heinous act for just 7,500 baht in cash. The victim, 53 year old Sriprai, was discovered dead in her bed at her home in the Ban Pong district yesterday, July 17. Her 64 year…
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Thailand hit by mental health spike and baby bust
Thailand’s facing a double dose of trouble—more people are battling mental health issues than ever before, while fewer babies are being born. Experts say it’s a social time bomb. The newly released Thai Health Report 2025, launched yesterday, July 17, by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) and Mahidol University, paints a worrying picture of the nation’s emotional and demographic…
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Thai man dies surrounded by over 100 beer bottles in Rayong home
A Thai man died in his home in the eastern province of Rayong, with over 100 empty beer bottles discovered in his bedroom. Reports suggest he turned to heavy drinking due to severe personal stress. Rescue workers from the Siam Rayong Foundation were called to a house in the Ban Chang district to assist the man, who was reportedly suffering…
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Flatline shocker: Two Foreign men found dead in Pattaya condo
Two foreign men were found dead in eerily similar circumstances just two hours apart, and just two floors apart, in a Pattaya condo, sparking a full-blown police probe into the bizarre double tragedy. Pattaya police were left scratching their heads yesterday, July 17, after the bodies of a Swedish man and an Australian man were discovered in separate rooms of…
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Paetongtarn vows Buddhism reboot after monk scandals
After a string of monk scandals that has left Thailand reeling, Culture Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra stepped into the spotlight, promising a bold revamp to rescue the tarnished image of Buddhism. In a public statement on social media, Paetongtarn, who also heads the ruling Pheu Thai Party, declared her mission to restore public confidence in the country’s dominant religion, warning that…
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Contractor kills knife-wielding man in Trang shootout
A knife-wielding man was shot dead in broad daylight on a village road in Trang province, after reportedly terrorising locals in a drug-fuelled outburst. The gunman was identified as a local contractor who claimed he was acting in self-defence. The incident unfolded yesterday, July 17, in Huai Yot district, when 40 year old Pathompong, a contractor, fatally shot 32 year…
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Thai MPs accuse government of trading national security for tariff cuts
Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) MPs accused the government of concealing a significant deal with the United States from the public, claiming officials plan to allow the US to use a naval base in southern Thailand in exchange for a tariff reduction. A group of MPs from the Palang Pracharath Party, led by Phang Nga MP Chakaj Phatthanakitwibun, held a press…
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Durian and gone! Thai jailbird’s dream life stolen by ex-husband
A Thai woman who dreamed of a quiet life growing durians after prison was left in tears, after discovering her dodgy ex-husband flogged her home and orchard behind her back while she was locked up. Fresh out of prison and ready to rebuild her life, 53 year old Ratchaneeporn was hoping to return to her family home in Chumphon and…
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Thailand Video News | American caught smuggling 6.6kg of Heroin at Phuket Airport, Thailand taps crypto to attract digital-savvy tourists
A South Korean influencer goes viral in Pattaya with a bizarre “Kappa” haircut that has locals laughing and livestreamers watching. A Russian teenager is caught vandalising a Pattaya overpass with graffiti. In Hua Hin, live military-grade explosives discovered next to a bin spark a bomb squad emergency. A British tourist is violently assaulted in Chiang Mai over a disputed karaoke…
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Chadchart warns 20 baht train plan could spark lawsuits
A feel-good fare cut could turn into a legal nightmare. Bangkok’s 20 baht train policy is under fire, again, not for what it promises passengers, but for what it could cost the city in court. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt urged the government to clarify its compensation plan under the second phase of the 20 baht maximum electric train fare policy.…
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Kuwait ’til dark: Pattaya’s Middle Eastern night riders in firing line
Young Middle Eastern night riders brought late-night mayhem to a Pattaya street this week, sparking a bust-up that had locals fuming and cops revving into action. A confrontation between two gangs of Middle Eastern youths on Soi Yen Sabai on July 16 sent tempers flaring and engines roaring, as the summer influx of Kuwaiti college kids hit Pattaya’s streets with…
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Trigger-nometry: Songthaew driver goes ballistic in Thai traffic tiff
A hot-headed songthaew driver lost the plot during a road rage bust-up in Chumphon, pulling out a gun and blasting two men in broad daylight after a row over right of way. The chaos erupted at around 3pm yesterday, July 17, just 300 metres from Chumphon City Hall, when a red public taxi pickup suddenly cut in front of a…
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Love feud sparks gunfight at Phatthalung sports event
What was meant to be a night of community celebration turned into a battleground, as a simmering love feud exploded in gunfire at a district sports event in the southern province of Phatthalung, leaving two teenagers fighting for their lives. Yesterday, July 17, officers from Pa Phayom Police Station responded to an emergency call reporting a shooting at the annual…
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Tit for tat: 3 Indian men call cops on Pattaya bar girl over small boobs
Three Indian men in Pattaya sparked a police call-out after accusing a Thai bar girl of ripping them off, claiming she looked nothing like she did under the bar lights and even complained about her “small boobs.” Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station rushed to a hotel on Soi Pattaya 11, Bang Lamung district, after the men rang for help, demanding…
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Bangkok spa inferno guts building in early morning blaze
Flames ripped through a Bangkok spa at dawn today, sending thick black smoke billowing into the skies above Siam Square and gutting parts of a four-storey building. At 6.40am today, July 18, the 199 emergency hotline received a report of a fire raging at a commercial property on Siam Square Soi 3, off Rama I Road in Pathum Wan district.…
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Shock decision: Electricity bills stay high despite energy dip
Electricity bills in Thailand are set to stay stubbornly high for the rest of the year, despite falling fuel costs, lower demand and a stronger baht. The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has chosen to freeze the power tariff at 3.98 baht per unit, brushing aside options for a cheaper rate, even as economic conditions hinted at a possible reduction. The…
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Heavy rainfall and strong winds sweep Thailand amidst storm
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall across Thailand, with strong winds expected in the upper Andaman Sea and the upper Gulf of Thailand in the coming week starting tomorrow. This announcement coincides with Tropical Storm Vipa intensifying. The alert, announced today, July 18, highlights that numerous areas of Thailand are expected…
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Failed escape: Korean, Chinese fugitives busted in Pattaya swoop
Thailand immigration police swooped on two foreign fugitives in a transnational crime crackdown in Pattaya, including a Chinese crook caught trying to escape over the roof and a Korean drug boss with a taste for crystal meth. Commissioner Panumas Boonyalak and his team swooped on suspects in separate raids across Pattaya this week as part of a major international sting.…
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Thailand booms as Hat Yai steals budget travel spotlight
Thailand continues to attract record-breaking numbers of tourists in 2025, with Chinese, Malaysian, and South Korean travellers leading the way. Meanwhile, Hat Yai is gaining traction as one of Asia’s most affordable and exciting travel hotspots. Agoda, one of Asia’s top digital travel platforms, has released fresh data showing Thailand continues to dominate regional tourism in the first half of…
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South Korean influencer goes viral with ‘kappa haircut’ in Pattaya
A South Korean social media influencer went viral on Thai social media for his unique haircut and hilarious video content, with Pattaya serving as the backdrop. The owner of Sixteen Barbershop Pattaya shared pictures and a video of the quirky South Korean customer on his Facebook page, Barber King, on July 11. The footage showed the man receiving an unusual…
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Thailand pushes China to fast-track fruit and rice exports
Thailand is turning up the heat on China to help fast-track its tastiest exports—from sweet tamarinds to juicy pomelos—in a high-stakes trade push aimed at cracking the world’s biggest consumer market. The Ministry of Commerce is pulling out all the stops to promote Thailand’s prized Geographical Indication (GI) products in China, urging Beijing’s top trade agency to speed up the…
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