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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 Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Finnish national found self-harming in Pattaya, Thailand
A disturbing incident unfolded in the early hours of this morning in Pattaya, when a Finnish national was discovered in a state of severe agitation, inflicting knife wounds on himself. The man, identified as Eeuoskari Kontiainen, from Finland, was eventually subdued and rushed to the hospital. The event took place in an apartment building located in Soi Bua Khao, within…
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Family rep collects remains of woman in Bangkok property feud
A family dispatched representatives to retrieve the body of a young woman entangled in a heated property dispute concerning a residence in Agu, a Bangkok home contested by multiple parties. Today, at 12.55pm, at the Forensic Medicine Institute of the Police General Hospital, Panumas’s family, one of five individuals sued over the intrusion into the Agu house, authorised a non-family…
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Former RTP boss and 7 others sued for reducing Red Bull heir’s sentences
The Office of the Attorney General (AGO) filed a lawsuit against former Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP) Somyot Poompanmoung, and seven other relevant political or judicial figures for allegedly reducing the sentences of hit-and-run suspect Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, better known as the Red Bull heir. This year marks the 12th anniversary since the Red Bull heir, Boss, successfully evaded…
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8 million meth pills seized in Chiang Mai drug courier arrest
A 24 year old drug courier named Jiraphat, hailing from the Phrao district of Chiang Mai, was apprehended by drug suppression police. The arrest took place at an intersection in Chiang Dao district. Approximately 8 million methamphetamine pills were confiscated from the pickup truck driven by Jiraphat. The seizure was made on Monday, with the methamphetamine pills found stashed in…
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Burned skeleton: Thai woman arrested for death of girlfriend (video)
Police arrested a Thai woman for the death of her girlfriend after her burned skeleton was discovered at a landfill in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen. The suspect admitted to setting her girlfriend on fire but denied the murder, claiming that her girlfriend died of a congenital illness. The burned skeleton of a woman was discovered at a dump site…
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Ex-politician cleared of murder plot in Thai political feud
The Criminal Court acquitted a former local politician of orchestrating a murder plot on a current local political figure due to insufficient evidence, sparking intentions to appeal the verdict. The case stems from local political rivalries and allegations of corruption. Yesterday at 9.45am, the Criminal Court in Ratchadapisek Road, Bangkok, delivered its verdict on the high-profile case of attempted murder…
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Thailand gold prices stable at 35,050 baht with steady market
Gold prices in Thailand remained stable, with no increase or decrease compared to the previous closing figures yesterday The Gold Traders Association (GTA) listed the selling price for gold ornaments surpassing the 35,000 baht mark today in the Western calendar. The latest figures from the association’s website, recorded at 9.02am, indicated that the selling price for gold ornaments was 35,050…
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Sweeping fires devastate 30,000 rai of forest in Chiang Mai
Sweeping fires engulfed an estimated 30,000 rai (approximately 4,800 hectares) of forest across three districts in the province of Chiang Mai, reported local authorities. The flames, which sparked roughly a week ago, primarily ravaged the Ob Luang National Park. The districts of Hot, Chomg Thong, and Mae Cham are the most severely impacted, with the fires still ablaze and uncontained.…
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Bangkok’s air quality improves as PM2.5 levels drop
Bangkok’s populace can anticipate a breath of fresh air in the forthcoming week as the levels of PM2.5 pollutants are projected to undergo a downswing. AirBKK, the Air Quality Monitoring Centre of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), confirmed on a Sunday morning that the PM2.5 concentrations in the capital city were well below the 24-hour safe exposure threshold, which is…
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Bangkok students protest against historical campus relocation
A protest rallied by students and alumni of the Uthenthawai campus of the Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok (RMUTTO) unfolded today. The demonstration was against the proposed move of their historical campus, nestled in Bangkok’s Pathumwan district for 68 years. The protesters, who started their march from the campus on Phayathai Road at 9.39am, first descended on the Chulalongkorn University…
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Nakhon Ratchasima tackles water scarcity amid El Niño
The province of Nakhon Ratchasima is facing a water management challenge due to the impact of the El Niño phenomenon, which has led to a critical decrease in water levels across 27 reservoirs. These water sources now contain less than half of their capacity, prompting local authorities to adopt stringent water management strategies. In contrast, the Huai Chorakhe reservoir, almost…
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Bitcoin surpasses US$55,000 mark fuelled by ETFs, MicroStrategy purchases
Bitcoin has once again crossed the US$55,000 mark, a feat not seen since late 2021, bolstered by exchange-traded funds’ investor demand and additional acquisitions by MicroStrategy Inc. In Singapore today, the most significant digital asset witnessed a 1% surge, standing at US$55,112 following an over 5% rise in the US session. Bitcoin’s value has seen an impressive 30% increase since…
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Thai woman attacked husband with knife for touching her vagina (video)
A Thai woman attacked her husband with a knife after he touched her vagina while they were drinking alcohol together in the Isaan province of Surin. The wife apologised, and the husband forgave her saying the incident kept their relationship lively. Surin Rescue Foundation was alerted to the knife attack at a house in the Mueang district of Surin province…
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Thailand gripped by lottery fever as March draw nears
The lottery scene in Thailand is abuzz with anticipation as the latest round of lucky numbers has been released ahead of the draw on Friday, March 1. Lottery enthusiasts and fortune seekers are poring over various sources, from mystical water bowls used in sermons to the prime minister’s car registration, in the hope of finding the winning digits. As the…
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Thailand aims to become Southeast Asia’s data centre hub
The Thailand Data Centre Council (TDCC) is pushing to establish Thailand as the central hub for data centres in Southeast Asia in the next three years, amid rising competition with foreign data centre providers joining the market. From the United States, Japan, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, and India, global cloud data centre operators are turning their investment focus towards Thailand.…
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Thailand Video News | PM surprise airport inspection doesn’t go well, Bangkok breathes easier with PM 2.5 reduction
Stay up to date on the latest news in Thailand as Alex and Jay present news from across the country. The nation experiences a notable decrease in harmful PM2.5 air pollutants, governmental concerns over airport inefficiencies, the harrowing tale of a teenage mother’s abusive behavior towards her child, and HBO’s ‘White Lotus’ puts Thailand in the spotlight. Bangkok can breathe…
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Thailand braces for heat and storms across 27 provinces
Today’s weather forecast in Thailand is demanding attention due to an expected combination of extreme heat and significant thunderstorms. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) warns that 27 provinces, including Bangkok, should brace for stormy conditions. The southern region is anticipated to experience heavy rainfall, affecting 20% of the area, with high waves predicted on Tuesday, February 27. A low-pressure system…
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Thailand’s border trade faces slowdown amid regional politics
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) predicts a slowdown in Thailand’s border trade for the current year due to political turmoil in Myanmar and economic issues in other neighbouring nations. Myanmar, Laos, Malaysia, and Cambodia, nations that share borders with Thailand, are facing obstacles to their economic growth, says Montri Mahaplerkpong, the FTI Vice-Chairman. Among the challenges, he highlights the…
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Man admits to killing wife’s grandmother in northern Thailand
A tragic incident unfolded in Nong Bua Lamphu province as a Thai man confessed to the shocking murder of his wife’s grandmother and another family member, leaving the local community in disbelief. The man, Watthayu, overcome with remorse, admitted to the crime following a heated argument with his wife, Chanthana, also known as Nam. The devastating turn of events led…
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5 suspects flee Bangkok for Cambodia after killing Taiwanese man
Five suspects fled Thailand for Cambodia after killing a Taiwanese man and leaving his body in an abandoned restaurant near Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok. The dead body of the Taiwanese man, 44 year old Shih Mou Chiang, was discovered in the abandoned restaurant on Suvarnabhumi 4 Road in the Bang Phli district of Samut Prakarn on…
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Franchise frenzy: Commerce Ministry ramps up business game
Aiming to bolster its capabilities, the Commerce Ministry is set to upgrade franchise businesses, hasten the creation of franchise business standards, and foster relationships with domestic and international investors. The strategy is designed to expand the market and stimulate economic value. The Director-General of the Business Development Department under the Commerce Ministry, Auramon Supthaweethum, highlighted the appeal of the franchise…
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Cortina Watch forecasts growth in Thailand’s luxury watch sector
Cortina Watch, a prominent retailer and distributor of high-end watches in Asia, is optimistic about the growth of Thailand’s luxury watch sector, forecasting an increase of 5-10% this year. This forecast comes as the company launches its first independent Patek Philippe Boutique in Bangkok. Jeremy Lim, Cortina Watch’s CEO and COO of Cortina Holdings, expressed confidence in the luxury watch…
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Thailand’s State Audit Office to streamline large-scale govt projects
In a recent development, the State Audit Office (SAO) of Thailand announced the inauguration of a new section dedicated solely to auditing large-scale government projects. This new initiative will come into effect from April 1, as per the announcement made by the State Audit Commission in the Royal Gazette last month. The SAO Auditor-General, Prajuck Boonyoung, highlighted the necessity of…
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Chinese economic stimulus to boost Thai tourism and economy
Analysts predict that China’s economic stimulus measures will spur an increase in Chinese tourists visiting Thailand, potentially driving the Thai economy to achieve a growth rate of at least 3% this year. This is due to the expectation that Beijing’s financial initiatives will simultaneously boost the economies of both nations. Asia Plus Securities (APS) highlighted that China has rolled out…
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Thai-Chinese high-speed train project faces delay and extra costs
The Thai-Chinese high-speed train project is set to experience a delay of approximately two years, alongside an additional funding requirement of around 4 billion baht (US$111 million). This arises from a proposed track modification in Nakhon Ratchasima, according to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). The State Railway of Thailand Governor, Nirut Maneephan, disclosed that this change involves contracts numbered…
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Thailand’s prime minister unfazed by triple prime minister’s scenario
Despite the growing public opinion of a potential triple prime ministers scenario, Thailand’s current Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin remains unfazed. He expressed confidence in his ability to execute his duties as the nation’s sole leader, regardless of differing perceptions. Speculation about the possible return of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to politics has been rife since his parole release two weeks…
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Thailand explores long-term visa-free scheme with India
Tourism authorities in Thailand are pushing for a long-term reciprocal visa-free scheme with India, projected to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2027. Somsong Sachaphimukh, the vice president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, highlighted the positive impact of the current temporary visa exemption for India, which has accelerated the Indian market’s growth. As of February 18, the Indian market…
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Thai life assurance set for 2-4% growth in premiums this year
The Thai Life Assurance Association (TLAA) has set its sights on a projected growth of 2-4% in industry premiums this year, amounting to 640-650 billion baht (US$17.8 billion-18 billion). Health insurance premiums are expected to see a significant rise, likely due to an increased public focus on health and wellbeing. TLAA President, Sara Lamsam, who also holds the position of…
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Pour decisions: Thailand to splash health warnings on booze bottles
The Thai government is in the process of developing a new regulation, requiring producers of alcoholic beverages to feature large, graphic health warnings on their products, much akin to those found on cigarette packaging. This move, orchestrated by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee and the Department of Disease Control, has sparked criticism from alcohol producers and the tourism industry, who…
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Thai police officer fatally stabs man outside education centre
In a tragic turn of events, police officer Chawanil Jindamanee, stationed at Cha-uat Police Station in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, committed a heinous crime using a knife to fatally wound 51 year old Wichitra, and seriously injured 69 year old Prapha. The incident took place outside of a non-formal education centre in Cha-uat district on February 24. Following the attack,…
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