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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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Sponsored 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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Mobile banking to operate normally during verification
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) clarified today that mobile banking services will continue to operate as usual on May 27. The NBTC, in collaboration with the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) and commercial banks, aims to ensure that mobile numbers linked to bank accounts are properly verified to tackle issues related to fraudulent SIM cards and mule accounts. The NBTC…
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Thai man’s high-speed driving ends with minor injuries (video)
A 21 year old Thai man yesterday thanked his lucky stars after only sustaining minor injuries when driving his car at a high speed, crashing into two vehicles in front of him, before falling off a bridge onto Rama V Intersection in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok. The accident occurred on the bridge over Nakhon-in Road and Rama V Intersection at around…
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Finance Ministry to reassess stock holdings worth 1.19 trillion baht
The Finance Ministry plans to reassess its shareholdings in various stocks to optimise its asset portfolio and generate additional revenue for the state. Deputy Finance Minister Paopoom Rojanasakul instructed the State Enterprise Policy Office to evaluate the ministry’s stock holdings. According to sources, this review aims to identify which assets the government should retain and which could be sold. A…
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Monitor lizard sparks electricity office chaos in Thailand
A large monitor lizard caused quite a stir when it wandered into the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) office in Sara Buri, Thailand. The unexpected visitor prompted a call for assistance from rescue volunteers to safely capture and relocate the creature. This morning, security officers at the PEA office in Sara Buri’s Pak Phriao sub-district reported spotting the sizeable reptile, weighing…
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Thai employment dips: Farm job cuts sow 0.1% decline in Q1 stats
Thailand today experienced a 0.1% decline in employment during the first quarter compared to the same period last year, primarily due to reductions in agricultural jobs, according to the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC). This follows a 1.7% year-on-year increase in employment in the previous quarter. The drop in agricultural employment was significant, with a more than 5.7%…
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Thai mobile banking sim names & accounts must match or else
Starting tomorrow, individuals using mobile banking in Thailand must ensure that the name registered on their mobile SIM card matches the name on their bank account. Failure to comply will result in the suspension of their mobile banking services. Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society announced a new measure aimed at curbing fraudulent bank accounts and SIM cards, commonly…
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Bus accident tragically kills elderly man on Chaeng Watthana Road
A tragic bus accident occurred yesterday when a 72 year old man lost his life after slipping and being run over by a bus at a bus stop near Chaeng Watthana Road, Pak Kret, Nontha Buri. The elderly man, who had been a familiar figure in the area for over a decade, was known for begging to support his family.…
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Filipino motorcyclist dies after running over palm kernel in Phuket
A Filipino motorcyclist died yesterday morning after running over a palm kernel and losing control of his motorcycle, crashing into a traffic sign on Thep Krasattri Road in Phuket. Officers from the Thalang Police Station and rescuers from the Kuson Dham Phuket Foundation were alerted to the fatal motorcycle accident on the Thep Krasattri Road at about 6.40am yesterday, May…
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Russian man critical after assault at Chon Buri pool villa party
A 36 year old Russian man is in critical condition after being assaulted at a pool villa party in Chon Buri yesterday. The incident occurred early at a villa in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung. The suspect fled amid the chaos following the attack. Deputy Inspector at Pattaya City Police Station, Pansan Krongsith led the team to the scene after responding…
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New pathways to CEO roles ensures leadership transformation
Leadership is undergoing profound changes, reshaping the pathways to executive roles. The role of CEOs today is distinctly different from a decade ago, as the demands of constant connectivity and the need for agile responses to global shifts have transformed the landscape. CEOs must now embody vision, resilience, and adaptability, moving beyond past experiences and traditional strategies. They need to…
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Belgian man arrested for murder of fellow countryman in Isaan
Police in the Isaan province of Nakhon Panom arrested a Belgian man for the murder of a fellow countryman on Saturday, May 25, as the murderer was destroying evidence of the crime. Officers from the Investigation Division Provincial Police Region 4 were on duty at a checkpoint on No. 212 Road in the Ban Paeng district of Nakhon Panom and noticed the…
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Police probe suspected arson in warehouse chemical fires
A police panel has been established to investigate possible arson in the fires at chemical warehouses in Rayong and Ayutthaya earlier this year. Police Lieutenant General Archayon Kraithong, spokesperson for the Royal Thai Police (RTP), announced yesterday, May 26, that he had convened with police investigators from local stations, the Industrial Works Department, the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression…
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Security guards arrested after tourist assault in Pattaya (video)
Pattaya City Police apprehended three security guards after a viral video captured them allegedly assaulting a tourist. The incident, which has caused widespread condemnation and raised concerns about Pattaya’s image as a tourist destination, occurred at approximately 11.36pm yesterday. Police Colonel Navin Teerawit, superintendent of Pattaya City Police Station, led the operation to detain the suspects. The individuals, identified as…
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Thailand PM calls urgent meeting with economy ministers
Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin called for an urgent meeting with economy ministers to discuss short-term economic stimulus measures to address Thailand’s sluggish economic performance in the first quarter of 2024. The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) reported that Thailand’s economy grew by only 1.5% year-on-year for the first three months of 2024. This lacklustre growth has prompted…
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Tax refund delays: Stricter checks put paperwork in slow lane
Stricter document verification has led to delays in personal income tax refunds this year, the Revenue Department reported. An increase in the submission of fraudulent documents, particularly fake income certificates (50 Tawi), prompted the department to scrutinise tax refund documents more meticulously. Vinit Visessuvanapoom, Deputy Director-General and principal advisor on tax base management stated that the department’s heightened caution stems from…
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PM tunes up tourism: Bangkok’s Song Wat set to hit high notes
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin directed the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to enhance the promotion of Song Wat, one of Bangkok’s most historic trading areas, as a prime tourism destination. Following a walk along Song Wat Road and discussions with young entrepreneurs yesterday, the Thai premier expressed on his X account, formerly Twitter, that…
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Phuket: Belgian expat’s secret stash of illegal pawn busted
Phuket unveiled a clandestine operation hidden within the opulent residence of a Belgian national. Motorcycles, an array of national IDs, and a single mobile phone were found in the expat’s possession. Police Lieutenant Colonel Thepnom Suwannarat, Superintendent of Investigation Division 3, Provincial Police Region 8, bore fruit as he apprehended a 63 year old Belgian, known only as Philippe. His…
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Sri Racha residents in uproar as drainage construction poses risk
Residents and business owners lining Sukhumvit Road in Bang Phra Subdistrict of Sri Racha are in uproar, demanding immediate action to resolve a debacle at the Bang Phra-Klong Sukreeb junction. The construction of a drainage system on Highway No. 3 has hit a standstill, plunging the area into chaos and risking the safety of locals, especially schoolchildren. For nearly a…
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Election chaos: Senate vote to proceed despite district drama
In a dramatic twist leading up to the senatorial election, Election Commission (EC) Secretary-General Sawaeng Boonmee announced yesterday that the upcoming senate vote will go ahead as scheduled, despite significant issues in some districts. Sawaeng confirmed that two districts had no applicants, while seven districts saw candidates emerging from just one of the 20 eligible occupational groups. Nevertheless, he reassured…
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Phuket’s tourism boom: Is the island ready for the rush?
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is confident that tourism revenue in Phuket this year will skyrocket to a staggering 400 billion baht. In a surprising revelation, the provincial TAT office reported that more than 3.6 million tourists graced the resort island in the first quarter alone. Lerdchai Wangtrakoondee, director of the provincial TAT office, announced yesterday that tourist numbers…
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Experts’ warning: Miraculous healers or devious scammers?
Buddhist leaders, scholars, and mental health experts warn against the increase in religious scams where fraudsters claim they have spiritual powers, heal illnesses, and deceive unsuspecting followers. The man and woman duo from Udon Thani claim they can cure illnesses using a celestial frequency, their throats producing a rhonchi-like sound as a signal from five Lord Buddhas. In Surat Thani,…
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John Wick’s Thai adventure: Doppelgänger goes viral (video)
A man who bears an uncanny resemblance to Keanu Reeves’ John Wick has become a sensation among Thai social media users, thanks to a series of viral TikTok videos that show him engaging in everyday activities, far removed from his Hollywood hitman persona. Overnight, mainstream and online Thai media buzzed with reports of the mysterious lookalike, captured in videos posted…
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Missing Thai woman found safe in Switzerland
A 32 year old Thai woman, who mysteriously vanished in Switzerland nearly a month ago, has been found safe and well, the Thai embassy in Bern confirmed. Nantiwa Saejiw, also known as Noon, who travelled to Switzerland on a Swedish passport with her American boyfriend in early April, had not been in contact with her family since April 26. The…
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Vice mayor gunned down in ambush on Pattani highway
In a brazen attack on the Phet Kasem Road, the vice mayor of a Tambon Administrative Organisation (TAO) in Khok Pho district, Pattani province, was brutally murdered by suspected insurgents on Friday evening. Witnesses reported that 57 year old Nan Kongsomboon was ambushed by two men on a motorcycle as he was returning home after tending to his cattle. The…
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Thaksin voices support for Srettha amid court case
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra voiced his unwavering support for Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin amidst a Constitutional Court case that threatens to unseat him. “I want the prime minister to stay in office as long as possible.” Thaksin praised the Bangkok-born Srettha’s performance since taking office last August. In a rare interview with Thai media, the ex-PM dismissed concerns that…
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Thailand to launch cyber-command unit for digital defence
Thailand is poised to bolster its cyber warfare capabilities with the establishment of a dedicated cyber-command unit by October. This initiative, revealed by Jirayu Huangsap, spokesman for Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang, aims to strengthen the country’s defence against emerging digital threats. General Songwit Noonphakdi, commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF), has been tasked with creating the unit following…
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Bangkok’s gingerbread house gains historical status
Windsor House in the Kudeejeen community and the First Presbyterian Church in the Samre area of Bangkok have been registered as historical sites by the Fine Arts Department. Windsor House, located in the Thon Buri district, stands out for its gingerbread style, intricate woodwork, and weathered appearance. This two-storey wooden house, built during the reign of King Mongkut, was originally…
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North Thailand: Man pleads with estranged wife who left with monk
A Uthai Thani man is pleading for his estranged wife to return after she allegedly left with a monk. The Thai man, 61 year old Sanan, made a tearful appeal through the media, urging his 53 year old wife, Nanthawan to come back to their home in Nong Chang district. Sanan expressed his willingness to forgive her relationship with the…
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Urgent reforms needed to tackle Thailand’s education inequality
Urgent action is needed to tackle education inequality and restore hope among Thailand’s younger generation, according to former prime minister Anand Panyarachun. Speaking at The Scenario of Thai Society Future seminar, organised by the Population and Community Development Association (PDA) at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Anand addressed the pressing need for reforms. The seminar marked the 50th anniversary…
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Staycation and Sleep Tourism: The new travel trend
Two new tourism trends, staycation and Sleep Tourism, are taking the travel world by storm, according to an online travel platform. Staycation involves short trips to nearby provinces, with an emphasis on enjoying the hotel’s amenities like swimming pools, cycling, and spa treatments. Sleep Tourism, on the other hand, is all about travelling to unwind and recharge, prioritising sleep and…
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