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Sponsored Retiring in Thailand: Why and how health insurance is crucial for your golden years
Thailand offers an ideal setting for retirees with its tropical climate, warm hospitality, and affordable living. But enjoying your golden years to the fullest means planning for health coverage. Here’s a complete guide on why health insurance is essential for...
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Fatal collision with electric pole kills two, leaving four critically injured in Samut Sakhon
Two people tragically lost their lives when their pick-up truck lost control and collided with an electric pole, following the collision, the vehicle was completely wrecked in central Thailand. This heartbreaking incident also left four other passengers critically injured. The accident occurred around 3.30am today, on Sethakit 1 Road in Krathum Baen district, Samut Sakhon. The scene of the accident…
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Four dead, 27 injured as bus carrying Thai marathon runners topples over
In Sisaket, a province in northeastern Thailand, a tragic turn of events led to the death of four individuals and left 27 others with injuries of varying severity. The Sisaket bus accident took place yesterday morning when the vehicle ferrying marathon runners toppled over and plunged into the dense forest on a steep mountain road. The runners, affiliated with Luang…
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Peeling expectations: Viral video unveils a whiff-less way to indulge in the divisive durian
Durian, the world’s most expensive fruit, holds a fascinating status among fruit enthusiasts – it’s either a beloved delicacy or an unbearable nightmare, particularly due to its powerful scent. In recent times, a viral social media video brings this polarising conversation around the king of fruits to the forefront, showing a Thai boy’s unusual technique to savour durian without its…
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Heavy rain, floods, and landslide dangers as monsoon air currents persist in Thailand
Thailand continues to experience heavy rainfall in various regions due to eastward-moving monsoon air currents and southwestern monsoon winds that still cover the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand. The adverse weather conditions have resulted in the need for vigilance against potential danger from intense and accumulated rainfall, which might lead to sudden floods and landslides, particularly in…
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Transgender masseuse accused of molestation, sparking social media controversy
A Northern Thai man took to social media to tell a story about his partner being allegedly touched inappropriately by a transgender masseuse, during their visit to a Thai massage parlour in Wua Lai Road, Haiya Sub-district, Chiang Mai Province. Enraged, the male had to resort to physically reprimanding the masseuse. Meanwhile, the accused masseuse insisted on not overstepping any…
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Pattaya crime: Couple arrested for string of home burglaries in Na Jomtien area
An unexpected series of home robberies have come to light in the Sattahip district of Pattaya. With a spate of break-ins leaving residents in the Na Jomtien area wary and sceptical, Thai law enforcement officers made an arrest yesterday that centres around an unlikely pair, a Thai couple involved in this Pattaya crime. The duo was brought into custody following…
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Revenue department to use AI for virtual tax consultation with taxpayers
Plans are underway within the Revenue Department to employ online chatbots to provide virtual tax consultation for taxpayers. Director-General Lavaron Sangsnit confided that discussions have commenced with a notable tech entity, Microsoft Corp, concerning the integration of such programmed interactive platforms to offer simplified answers to tax-related queries. The objective of this manoeuvre, states the director-general, is to provide a…
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Japanese tourism numbers in Thailand threatened by weak yen and slow Japan flight reintroduction
In light of Japan’s hesitant return to tourism and a faltering yen, Thailand’s Tourism Authority (TAT) admitted there may be difficulty in meeting the year’s target of 850,000 Japanese arrivals. The figure reflects 50% of the Japanese tourism figures reported in 2019, considered an optimistic scenario by the Tokyo office director of TAT, Kajorndet Apichartrakul. As enclosed by Kajorndet, the…
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Thai submarine to be powered by Chinese engine following German withdrawal
In a recent development, an American naval source revealed that a panel is expected to recommend a Chinese-designed engine for the Thai submarine as a replacement for the original German one intended for the under-construction S26T Yuan-class submarine in China. This comes on the heels of a committee chaired by the navy’s chief-of-staff, Adm Chonlathis Navanugraha, unofficially proposing the use…
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Dengue outbreak: Triple surge in cases challenges Thai healthcare system in first half year
A shocking surge in dengue patients has been recorded in the first half of this year, with numbers almost triple that of the same period last year, according to the Department of Disease Control (DDC). The dengue outbreak continues to challenge the healthcare system, as the number of infected individuals soars. From January 1 to June 28, 27,377 dengue cases…
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Serial rapist posing as transgender model recruiter arrested in Bangkok
Police in Bangkok apprehended a 60 year old man who allegedly impersonated a transgender to lure young women into fake modelling opportunities, where he would sexually assault them. He allegedly confessed to raping around 100 women. The Metropolitan Police Bureau’s investigative head, Theeradet Thumsuthee, yesterday confirmed the arrest of Sonthichai Yusuparp in a room within a slum community located in Bangkok’s…
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New ambulance stations launched in Phuket for enhanced emergency response
In a positive development for tourists and locals in the central Phuket subdistrict of Cherng Talay, two new ambulance stations were launched earlier this week in the Surin and Pasak districts. The recent inauguration is part of a wider initiative to enhance emergency responders’ capability in the bustling tourism hub. Both newly unveiled stations saw the light of day within…
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Triumphant strides: Thai mother amputee defies odds, on road to recovery (video)
The son of the Thai mother who lost her leg in a faulty airport escalator believes she will be running faster than him in no time as she took her first steps on the road to recovery. Suphannee Kittirattana yesterday took her first tentative steps since her leg was amputated after it got tangled in a dodgy travelator at Don…
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Real estate tycoon disappears in Pattaya under mysterious circumstances
Police in Pattaya were called to examine a vehicle suspected to belong to missing real estate tycoon Hans Peter Mack, who has been reported missing. The German businessman’s family is offering a generous reward of 3 million baht for any information leading to his safe return, as well as a 100,000-baht reward for locating his car. The car, a bronze/grey…
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Severe flooding hits Phuket prompting widespread road closures
Substantial flooding due to heavy rain last night and early this morning swamped the holiday resort of Phuket, prompting police to shut down several of its main roads. Streets across the town became untraversable, leading to police-imposed road closures. The water levels in Bang Yai Canal, the canal that transits through the city providing a key drainage channel into the…
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Thailand aims to boost economy with health tourism campaign
The Thai government has launched an ambitious campaign, “Discover the New You” to entice international visitors to spend upwards of 18 million baht (US$510,000) by September of this year. This initiative is a concerted effort by the government, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), and over 130 healthcare, wellness businesses and service providers including hotels, spas, health resorts, hospitals, and clinics.…
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Phuket Police crackdown on illegal motorbike racing
In a recent attempt to curb unlawful motorcycle racing, Phuket Police initiated an exhaustive operation, which has resulted in the confiscation of numerous illegally modified vehicles and exhausts. The crackdown, which spanned over three days from July 5 to 7, has seen Provincial Police Command Major General Saksira Phuakam and his team detain 19 modified motorbikes and 69 altered exhaust…
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TikTok’s popularity shaping e-commerce’s future in Southeast Asia
In the feverish hive of activity within a Northeast Jakarta shophouse, a myriad of salespeople takes turns advertising products ranging from cosmetics and contact lenses to hair accessories. While one individual gives guidance on choosing optimum lipstick shades, another trumpets the most recent price drop in vitamin supplements. However, far from the chaotic scene of a bustling market, this is…
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Thai police ban book critiquing monarchy, citing national security threat
Royal Thai Police have prohibited the circulation of an upcoming book that scrutinises the nation’s monarchy. The prohibition was issued in response to the book’s perceived slander towards the royal institution, according to a police statement in the Royal Gazette. The contentious publication, ‘Rama X: The Thai Monarchy under King Vajiralongkorn,’ both in its content and cover, is considered to express…
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TTB to tackle household debt and promote ESG standards
Piti Tantakasem, Chief Executive of TMBThanachart Bank (ttb), insists that tackling high levels of household debt should be a priority on the national agenda. Piti made known that he is poised to tackle the issue, given his leading role within the household debt resolution team set up by the Thai Bankers’ Association (TBA). Alongside the central bank and other pertinent…
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Phuket says fond farewell to beloved expat Arnaud Verstraete
The local community and members of the Rotary Club of Patong Beach in the heart of Phuket gathered at Wat Chalong to pay their respects to the cherished figure of Arnaud Verstraete who died earlier this week. Arnaud’s funeral service today highlighted his significance not only as a long-standing expatriate, having made Phuket his home for over two decades but…
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Russian tourist dies in tragic fall from a pagoda in Phuket
Phuket, an exhilarating hub of Thai culture and heritage, yesterday turned into a scene of panic and concern. An unidentified Russian male tourist tragically lost his life after falling from the roof of a pagoda at the notable Wat Chaithararam, commonly known as Wat Chalong, situated in the Mueang district of the island. The police were alerted around 5.30pm when…
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Kiwi’s prison plight ends: Thai hellhole release brings a breath of relief
A Kiwi national who thought he was going to die after being imprisoned last year for the possession of drugs can finally breathe a sigh of relief after being released from his Thai hellhole. Ari Michael Salinger, son of prominent New Zealand climate change expert Dr Jim Salinger, was arrested in Patong in September last year for the possession of two…
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Thailand’s potential as international events hub questioned amidst Taylor Swift tour snub
The exclusion of Thailand from the itinerary of Taylor Swift‘s world tour has prompted the denizens to reconsider the nation’s global standing as a viable hub for international exhibitions and events. Bringing the country’s potential into question, it was revealed that the total revenue from meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry for the final quarter of last year was…
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French firms eye big ticket investment in Thailand’s EEC
In a bid to fortify its economy, the Thai government is extending an invitation to French corporations to make significant investments in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). Identified as an ideal zone for the development of a high-tech industrial park, the EEC comprises sections of Chachoengsao, Chon Buri, and Rayong. The authorities have identified aviation alongside 11 other S-curve industries…
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Phuket governor takes action to solve out of school children crisis
In a decisive step towards ensuring all children in Phuket receive a formal education, Narong Woonciew, the Governor of Phuket, convened a meeting at the Phuket Provincial Hall. The gathering focused squarely on the thousands of children on the island who are not currently registered at any educational institution. Also in attendance were Vice Governor, Amnuay Pinsuwan, MP Thitikan Thitipruethikul,…
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Thai SEC seizes Stark Corporation’s assets amidst false accounting claims
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Thailand seized the assets of Stark Corporation and some of its key personnel due to accusations of false accounting. Excessive damages have ensued following this misconduct with Stark’s debts rising above 38 billion baht as believed by the regulators. The SEC has also frozen the assets of Vonnarat Tangkaravakoon, formerly the acting chief executive…
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GAC Aion to invest 6 billion baht in Thai EV market expansion
China‘s third-largest electric vehicle (EV) producer, GAC Aion, is gearing up to expand its operations in the Thai market. In an ambitious plan, the automaker pledged to pour over 6 billion baht into the establishment of manufacturing and sales facilities in Thailand. This noteworthy market penetration comes as the result of the Board of Investment’s (BoI) careful arrangement involving seven…
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Beachside serenity shattered: Police probe possible foul play in Jomtien Beach death
The tranquillity of Jomtien Beach in Sattahip, Pattaya was disrupted abruptly this morning when police discovered a dead body, suspected to be a victim of possible foul play. The alarm was promptly raised, sending Na Jomtien officers and Sattahip rescue workers rushing to the scene, in response to the chilling report of a body. Wearing a pink T-shirt and brown…
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From jailbird to jailbreaker: Former inmate’s knife attack shocks Chiang Mai district
Thai police arrested a former jailbird after he attacked a 66 year old neighbour with a knife in the Mea Pong district in the northern province of Chiang Mai. The habitual criminal’s younger sister expressed pride in her brother before he left for jail. In the early hours of Saturday, July 1, the 66 year old victim, Prachan Khameye, was…
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