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.
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Sponsored Thailand health insurance that covers chronic conditions: What expats need to know
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Songkhla puppy killer hunted with 20k reward on offer
Police and animal welfare groups in Songkhla are investigating after three puppies were found brutally killed in a plantation, prompting outrage and a reward offer. A disturbing case of animal cruelty has shaken communities in Songkhla after three puppies were found gruesomely killed in a rubber plantation near the Prue To-Thung Ngai road in Thung Yai, Hat Yai district. Animal…
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Phuket plans wind power hub and eco-tourism at Phromthep
The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) unveiled plans in Phuket to build new wind turbines at Phromthep Cape, aiming to expand renewable energy and create an eco-tourism and learning hub. The proposal was presented this week at Provincial Hall in a meeting chaired by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat. Attendees included Rawai Mayor Thames Kraitat, officials from the Phuket Provincial…
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Thai rice steals the show at Australia food expo
Thai rice gained fresh recognition in Australia after a government campaign at a major Sydney food expo drew thousands of visitors and strong consumer interest. The event, held in Sydney from September 8 to 11, attracted more than 2,000 visitors to the Thai booth, where the spotlight was firmly on Hom Mali rice. According to Department of Foreign Trade (DFT)…
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Bangkok faces fare hike as 20 baht train cap set to end
Bangkok commuters may face higher costs when the government’s 20-baht train fare cap ends, as officials decide whether to extend or scrap the policy. The government’s policy capping electric train fares at 20 baht per ride is scheduled to end on September 30, leaving uncertainty over whether the measure will be extended by the new Cabinet. The fare cap, introduced…
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Phuket-bound IndiGo flight diverted after bomb threat
An IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Phuket was diverted to Chennai, India after a bomb threat claimed explosives were onboard, prompting a full security response. The aircraft, carrying 176 passengers and six crew members, had taken off from Mumbai yesterday, September 19, before the scare unfolded. Midway through the journey, Mumbai airport staff received a call from an unidentified person who…
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Thai army slams Hun Manet over false border dispute claims (video)
The Thai army accused Cambodia’s leader of spreading false claims in a border dispute, warning Malaysia against being misled and seen as taking sides. The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has accused Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet of misleading his Malaysian counterpart, Anwar Ibrahim, with “false narratives” over Ban Nong Ya Kaew in Sa Kaeo province, warning that Malaysia could appear…
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12 year old boy hurt after motorbike smashes into wall in Pattaya
A 12 year old boy was injured in Pattaya after crashing a motorbike into a wall while riding home, prompting an emergency response and police inquiry. Emergency responders in Pattaya were called out yesterday morning, September 19, after a young boy crashed a motorcycle into a roadside wall, leaving him with multiple injuries. The accident happened at around 10.30am in…
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Bogus dentist arrested after treating 1,000 patients in Rayong
An unlicensed dentist was arrested in Rayong after treating over 1,000 patients across four clinics, prompting a major investigation by Thai police. Officials in Rayong have arrested an unlicensed dentist who had been operating across four clinics in Pluak Daeng district, treating more than 1,000 unsuspecting patients in just six months. The announcement was made yesterday, September 19, at the…
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Phuket ramps up rehab plan in fresh anti-drug crackdown
Officials in Phuket held a meeting to discuss plans for expanding and accrediting drug rehab centres as part of efforts to improve the island’s treatment system. A working group convened yesterday, September 19, to review plans for expanding services and setting national-standard accreditation criteria for rehabilitation facilities. The meeting was chaired by Phuket Vice Governor Samawit Suphanphai and held at…
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Knife fight at university concert in Bangkok leaves several injured (video)
A violent brawl broke out during a university festival concert in Bangkok, leaving several people injured and prompting a swift police and rescue response. The incident unfolded at around 12.30am today, September 20, during the Bun Sart Duean Sib festival at Ramkhamhaeng University, located in the Huamak subdistrict of Bang Kapi district. The festival, known for drawing large student crowds…
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Indian man plunges to death from Pattaya hotel balcony
An Indian man fell to his death from a hotel balcony in Pattaya, shocking diners below and prompting a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding it. The fall occurred at around 7.36pm yesterday, September 19, prompting a swift response from Deputy Inspector Phupha Hongyakul of Pattaya City Police Station. Investigators and Sawang Boriboon rescue volunteers rushed to the scene following…
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Thailand braces for floods and heavy rains amid monsoon trough
Heavy rain and rough seas are expected across Thailand as a monsoon system moves in, prompting warnings for residents and travellers to stay alert. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) warned that residents in affected areas should be cautious of heavy to very heavy rainfall, which could lead to flash floods and overflows, particularly along foothills, near waterways, and in low-lying…
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Chinese fugitive caught in Phuket after 272-day overstay
A Chinese man wanted for embezzlement was arrested in Phuket after being tracked to a restaurant by immigration officers for overstaying his visa in Thailand. The 37 year old man, identified only as Peng, was arrested by Phuket Immigration officers on Wednesday, September 17, after investigators tracked him to a Chinese restaurant in the Wichit area. Peng was wanted in…
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Pensioner’s 1 million baht scam foiled in central Thailand (video)
A man was caught by police after attempting to help a pensioner withdraw a large sum of cash from a bank account in suspicious circumstances. The attempted scam was stopped just in time thanks to quick-thinking bank staff who flagged suspicious behaviour and alerted police before the man could disappear with the cash. At around 3.30pm yesterday, September 18, officers…
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Child with special needs found dead in Hat Yai canal
A young boy with special needs was found dead in a canal in Hat Yai, southern Thailand, after going missing, prompting a desperate overnight search by police, rescue teams and family. The boy, known as Nong Inter, vanished on Wednesday afternoon, September 17, from a car repair shop in Hat Yai District 8. He was last seen wearing a camouflage…
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Thailand finance chief vows to steady baht, probe gold trade
Thailand’s incoming finance minister pledged to work with the central bank to stabilise the baht and investigate irregular capital flows and gold trading. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, who is set to take office as finance minister, made the pledge after Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met with Thai Chamber of Commerce chairperson Poj Aramwattananont yesterday, September 18. Ekniti said he had already begun…
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4 Brits arrested after robbing American lawyer in Phuket heist
Police in Phuket arrested four British nationals after an American tourist was ambushed on his motorbike and robbed of a luxury watch worth millions of baht. The violent attack, which was caught on dashcam and widely shared on social media, took place on Layan Soi 7 in Cherng Talay district, Thalang. A blue car struck the victim’s motorcycle before two…
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Northern Thailand machete attack leaves teen with severed wrist (video)
Police arrested a machete-wielding suspect at a Lamphun checkpoint after a violent Chiang Mai clash left several teenagers seriously injured. The suspect, identified only as Mong, was caught at a drug checkpoint in Mueang Tha district while attempting to flee on a motorcycle. Police said Mong was wanted for his role in a violent clash earlier this year that left…
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Bangkok steps up plans for 2025 SEA Games spectacle
Bangkok officials met with Thailand’s sports authority to map out preparations and public relations plans as the capital readies to co-host the 2025 SEA Games. At a meeting yesterday, September 18, at Bangkok City Hall, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) outlined their joint public relations strategy for the event. Bangkok Deputy Governor Sanon…
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Thai AirAsia X unveils 3 new routes for December takeoff
Thai AirAsia X will launch three new international routes from Bangkok to destinations in Central Asia, Northern Asia, and the Middle East ahead of the holiday season. The budget long-haul carrier announced that it will begin services to Almaty, Sendai, and Riyadh, giving Thai travellers more choice for winter escapes while opening fresh gateways for inbound tourism. From December 1,…
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American tourist rammed off bike and robbed in Phuket attack
An American tourist was attacked on a Phuket road when two men rammed his motorbike with an SUV before robbing him of a luxury watch and fleeing the scene. The assault happened at about 4.20pm yesterday, September 18, on Soi Layan Soi 7, heading towards Ban Phru Somphan, when a blue Ford Everest SUV struck the tourist’s red Honda motorbike…
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Bang Lamung trains 150 volunteers for disaster response
Bang Lamung has launched a disaster training programme to equip volunteers with the skills needed to protect residents and tourists during future emergencies. The opening ceremony took place at the district office’s Civic Hall, where Bang Lamung District Chief Patcharapatch Srinthanyanon launched the 2025 Volunteer Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Training Programme. The initiative, named Enhancing the Efficiency of Disaster Prevention…
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Pheu Thai hints at Thaksin’s son-in-law for PM race
Pheu Thai is considering a family-linked business executive as a possible candidate for prime minister in the next general election, sparking fresh speculation. Nuttaphong Kunakornwong, husband of Thaksin’s eldest daughter Pintongta Shinawatra Kunakornwong, has drawn support from some within the party as a fresh face for leadership. Nuttaphong is currently the chief executive of SC Asset Corporation and has largely…
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Taxi turf war erupts as Phuket drivers block cruise cab
Police intervened at Phuket’s main cruise port after local taxi drivers blocked an outside cab from collecting tourists, sparking a tense standoff. The confrontation erupted at about 3pm at Phuket Deep Sea Port in Wichit, shortly after the Genting Dream cruise liner arrived with 4,200 foreign tourists. According to police, around 60 community taxi drivers gathered at the pier and…
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Knife thug robs Saraburi gold shop, takes customer hostage (video)
Police are hunting a knife-wielding robber who held a customer hostage during a gold shop robbery in Saraburi, central Thailand, escaping on a motorcycle with stolen jewellery. The incident took place at Por Udomsuk gold shop in Tha Lan market, Ban Mo district, at around 4.30pm on Wednesday, September 17. Police Captain Sombat Phonsing, deputy investigation chief at Banmor Police…
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Thailand battered by heavy rains as monsoon drags on
Thailand’s Meteorological Department (TMD) has warned of heavy rainfall across multiple regions, urging residents to brace for flash floods, runoff, and rough seas. The warning, issued yesterday, highlights a monsoon trough stretching across the central, eastern, and lower northeastern regions into an active low-pressure system over the South China Sea. At the same time, the southwest monsoon prevailing over the…
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Phuket cracks down on illegal restaurants in protected park
Officials in Phuket inspected Mai Khao Beach and confirmed that restaurants are operating illegally inside Sirinat National Park, prompting a renewed crackdown. The joint inspection took place yesterday, September 17, in Villages 3 and 4 of Mai Khao, where officers confirmed that several operators continue to run beachfront businesses despite the area being legally designated as part of the national…
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Bang Lamung monk busted with meth hidden in alms bowls
A Buddhist monk in Bang Lamung was arrested after police discovered methamphetamine hidden in alms bowls and other items, following a public tip-off. The arrest took place yesterday, September 17, after officials received information via the Broken Down Bang Lamung LINE application, which allows residents to report crime and misconduct. Acting on the complaint, District Chief Patcharapat Srithanyanon led a joint…
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Pickup driver busted for fake tax sticker trick in Chumphon
Police in Chumphon, southern Thailand, arrested a pickup driver who altered his expired tax disc with a marker to avoid fees after he was caught during a routine highway checkpoint. The man, identified as 39 year old Nakarin from Ubon Ratchathani, was stopped at a checkpoint on Highway 41 in Wisai Tai, Sawi district, around 11am on Tuesday, September 16.…
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Hunt on for driver after car smashes Phuket U-turn barrier
Police in Phuket are searching for a driver who fled after crashing into a newly built U-turn barrier in Thalang, an incident caught on video and shared online. The crash happened late on Tuesday, September 16, near the Thalang power station in Baan Lipon, Srisoonthorn. The impact, captured on video and widely shared on social media, shows a sedan slamming…
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