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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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9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand
Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...
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Leisure apps compete for attention in the 15-minute media economy
We’re living in the age of “just one more episode,” “one more scroll,” and “just five more minutes.” Attention is sliced into fragments, and entertainment now competes not by the hour, but by the minute. Welcome to the 15-minute media economy — a world shaped by short breaks, background noise, and multitasking. Whether it’s during a commute, lunch break, or…
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Thai Air Force denies Cambodia’s MK-84 bomb purchase claims
The Royal Thai Air Force has refuted Cambodia’s claims of purchasing MK-84 bombs from Israel, suggesting that a neutral third party should verify the allegations. They emphasised that their operations comply with international laws and humanitarian principles, along with the right to self-defence. Today, August 5, Heng Ratana, director of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), alleged that the MK-84…
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Phuket man arrested for raping unconscious woman on video
A 40 year old man has been arrested in Phuket after he allegedly raped his girlfriend’s unconscious best friend and secretly filmed the assault. Police say the shocking incident occurred after a birthday party earlier this year. The suspect, Yotsaphan Wichetwarinwet, originally from Hat Yai, was apprehended by officers from Wichit Police Station while applying for a job at a…
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Abbot wounded in temple shooting, suspect flees in Loei
Two abbots were involved in a late-night altercation that escalated into a shooting at a well-known temple in Chiang Khan. A bullet struck one abbot near his left ear, and the gunman fled in a sedan. Police are currently investigating the incident and pursuing the suspect. Today, August 5, police from the Chiang Khan Police Station reported an incident yesterday,…
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Vietjet offers Bangkok flights from less than 1 baht
Vietjet Thailand is pulling out all the stops with two brand-new direct routes from India to Bangkok — and headline-grabbing base fares starting from just 1 Indian rupee (0.50 baht). The airline will launch direct flights from Kolkata and Ahmedabad to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, making them its third and fourth connections between the two countries, as it continues to grow…
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Major illegal cigarette smuggling ring busted in Kanchanaburi
A significant illegal cigarette smuggling operation was thwarted by the Ladan Yao Task Force of the Surasi Forces, capturing a man transporting nearly 10 million baht worth of contraband cigarettes. The incident occurred today, August 5, at the 9th Infantry Division headquarters, where Commander Major General Atsadawut Panyarachun, leading the Surasi Forces, coordinated with Athit San Intra, the Governor of…
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Unidentified foreign woman’s body found on Kamala Beach, Phuket
The body of a foreign woman was found washed up on Kamala Beach, Phuket, on the evening of yesterday, August 4, prompting an investigation by local police and forensic officials. The identity of the woman has not yet been established. Kamala Police were informed of the incident at approximately 6.30pm. Police Lieutenant Colonel Thanapop Rattanaburi, a forensic doctor from Vachira…
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Thailand’s booze ad crackdown clears final Senate hurdle
Cheers are being silenced in Thailand — at least on your screens. The Thai Senate has passed controversial new amendments to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, tightening restrictions on how alcohol can be promoted, advertised, and even associated with public events. With 105 votes in favour, 2 against, 12 abstentions and 1 non-vote, the bill sailed through the second and…
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Song Phi Nong drug test leads to dismissal of 5 officials
Yesterday, August 4, at the district office of Song Phi Nong, a surprise drug test was conducted on 202 government officials, ranging from executives to employees, without prior notice. This action was part of the government’s No Drugs No Dealers policy. The test revealed that five municipal employees tested positive for drugs, resulting in their immediate dismissal. ดูโพสต์นี้บน Instagram…
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Thai Airways shares take off again after 5-year pause
After five years of being grounded, Thai Airways (THAI) shares are finally cleared for takeoff. Trading of the national carrier’s stock will resume on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) yesterday, August 4, marking a significant milestone in the airline’s dramatic recovery from one of the biggest corporate meltdowns in Thai history. The move follows THAI’s exit from court-supervised debt…
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Pattaya convenience store clash leaves one injured in love triangle row
In Pattaya’s Nongprue subdistrict, an altercation occurred outside a convenience store yesterday, August 4, resulting in injuries to one person. The incident was reported at 10.06pm, prompting a swift response from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Unit and Banglamung Police. Upon arrival at Moo 6 in Nongprue, police discovered a scene of disarray with damaged items scattered around. The injured…
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Phuket drug bust nets 6,000 pills and ‘Ice queen’ ringleader
Three suspected drug traffickers are behind bars after police seized more than 6,000 methamphetamine (meth) pills and over 300 grammes of crystal meth (Ice) in a major Phuket sting. Thalang Police moved in yesterday, August 4, targeting a known drug network operating in Thepkrasattri. Officers arrested 27 year old Bank, his 24 year old girlfriend Pop, and 29 year old…
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Kuwaiti youths’ noisy bikes disrupt South Pattaya neighbourhood
Residents in South Pattaya’s Soi Yensabai have expressed their frustration over a group of Kuwaiti youths causing disturbances by riding loud motorcycles through the area, often revving their engines late at night. Early yesterday, August 4, at 4am, locals reported that the continuous noise from the modified exhausts kept them awake, prompting them to call Pattaya City Police. The police…
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Cambodian beggars with babies flood Pattaya streets
Beggars clutching babies have returned to Pattaya’s bustling streets, as Cambodian women flood tourist zones in desperate bids for survival. On Sunday night, August 3, reporters uncovered scores of Cambodian beggars scattered throughout the city, particularly outside convenience stores and nightlife hotspots. Despite repeated crackdowns, the same faces reappear just weeks after being deported. This time, they’re back — and…
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Cambodian workers flock to border to return home
Around 500 Cambodian workers gathered at the Ban Khlong Luek permanent border crossing in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province, seeking to return to Cambodia. Many were accompanied by children and carried numerous belongings, as they queued to cross the border. The primary reason provided for this mass return was phone calls from family members urging them to come home immediately.…
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Thai government lifts poker ban in shock legal U-turn
Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has signed an order to legalise poker gambling, paving the way for the game to be recognised as an international sport and potentially opening doors for future competitions on Thai soil. Speaking to the media yesterday, August 4, Phumtham confirmed he had signed a ministerial order legalising poker under specific conditions. “It’s a sensitive matter…
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Missing girls found safe near Chiang Mai school
The Mirror Foundation has clarified that the disappearance of three young girls from their school dormitory in Mae Ai district, Chiang Mai province, was not a case of kidnapping or abduction. Yesterday, August 4, police from Mae Ai Police Station, investigators, border patrol troops, local police, and teachers from Rajaprajanugroh 30 School held a meeting to coordinate efforts to locate…
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Truck driver charged after Phuket underpass carnage injures 3
A truck driver has been charged with reckless driving after a violent crash in Phuket’s Darasamut Underpass left three people injured and several vehicles smashed in a high-impact pile-up. The chaos unfolded last Friday, August 1, when the driver, behind the wheel of a palm oil truck, slammed into four vehicles while heading towards Chalong. Police say the trucker, who…
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Woman found dead at bus stop on Suwinthawong Road
A woman’s body was discovered under a roadside bus stop shelter along Suwinthawong Road, heading towards Chachoengsao province, on the evening of yesterday, August 4. Police Colonel Pakorn Chukhaw from Min Buri Police Station reported the incident at 7.40pm. Medical examiners from Police General Hospital and Poh Teck Tung Foundation officials were called to the scene. The location was a…
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Thailand braces for thunderstorms in 32 provinces amid heatwave
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts that over the next 24 hours, 32 provinces in Thailand will experience rain and thunderstorms. The Bangkok metropolitan area faces particularly high temperatures, reaching up to 37 degrees Celsius. The weakening southwest monsoon covering the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand, combined with a low-pressure system over northern Vietnam, is contributing to…
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3 Thai girls missing after late-night escape from Chiang Mai school
Three Thai girls, aged between seven and nine, went missing after leaving their school in the northern province of Chiang Mai yesterday, August 3. Officers from Mae Ai Police Station urged residents of Chiang Mai and nearby provinces to report any information that may assist in locating the three girls, who disappeared from Rajaprajanugroh 30 School in the Tha Ton…
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79 year old Thai woman rescued after 3 days lost in Phitsanulok forest
Officials and locals in the northern province of Phitsanulok rescued a 79 year old Thai woman after she went into the forest to search for bamboo shoots and disappeared for three days. The woman, Pim, entered the Khao Nam Dam mountain range in Don Thong sub-district, Mueang district, Phitsanulok province, at around 6am on Friday, August 1. Local administrative officials,…
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Thai man confesses to killing mother and hiding body in cement-filled bathtub
A Thai man surrendered himself to the police today, August 4, and confessed to killing his mother two weeks ago before hiding her body in a bathtub filled with cement. The 33 year old man, Tarn, visited Romklao Police Station in the Romklao, Lat Krabang district, Bangkok to confess to the crime. Officers rushed to his home in Soi Romklao…
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Thai boy fatally stabbed and stripped over friend’s romantic rivalry
A 16 year old Thai boy and four of his friends turned themselves in at Bang Si Mueang Police Station in Nonthaburi province after fatally stabbing a 15 year old boy and stripping the victim’s body in an apparent act of humiliation. Police officers and rescue workers were called to a road between Soi Bang Si Mueang 20 and 24…
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Three children injured in motorcycle crash with car in Thanyaburi
A 14 year old girl, driving a motorcycle with two younger siblings on board, collided with a car, resulting in the motorcycle becoming lodged underneath the vehicle. Emergency services responded swiftly to the scene, with witnesses recounting the rapid approach of the motorcycle. Today, August 4, the Ruamkatanyu Foundation received a report of a motorcycle accident involving a collision with…
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Phuket intensifies drug crackdown with new phase of national campaign
Phuket Provincial Police have initiated the second phase of the national No Drugs, No Dealers campaign, intensifying their efforts to dismantle drug networks and promote drug-free communities on the island. This campaign aligns with a directive from Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who is temporarily fulfilling the role of Prime Minister, to address the drug crisis as…
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Thai MECC rescues stranded fishermen after two days at sea
Three fishermen were rescued by the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre Region 3 (Thai MECC 3) after being stranded at sea for two days due to an engine failure. The rescue operation took place yesterday, August 3. A distress call received at approximately midday through the department’s 1465 hotline prompted Thai MECC 3 to take action. Pratakorn, who made the…
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Body of tourist found decomposed in Doi Suthep forest, Chiang Mai
The body, thought to be a foreign tourist, was discovered in an advanced state of decomposition in the forest of Doi Suthep, located in the Mueang district of Chiang Mai. The discovery was made yesterday, August 3. A resident, while collecting forest products, found the body approximately 2 kilometres from the main road in tambon Suthep and reported it to…
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Thailand boosts bird flu control after Cambodia outbreak
The Thai government has heightened bird flu control measures after an outbreak in Cambodia raised concerns of potential spread. The Department of Disease Control (DDC) is intensifying surveillance efforts, while the Department of Livestock Development urges farmers to closely monitor animal health. At the Royal Government House today, August 4, Anukul Pruksanusak, deputy government spokesperson, discussed the continued transmission of…
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Car theft leaves Thai saleswoman devastated, losses over 50,000 baht
A 40 year old saleswoman was left devastated when her only car was stolen from a hotel in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. In just 11 minutes, the thief took the vehicle, along with running shoes and valuables worth 50,000 baht, on August 2. Naphisara Monyao, a resident of Ang Thong, shared her ordeal on Facebook, mentioning that her black five-door Toyota…
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