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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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Minibus manager fined 5,000 baht for leaving Thai YouTuber stranded (video)
The Department of Land Transport (DLT) imposed a 5,000 baht fine on a minibus station manager after he refused to serve a Thai YouTuber, leading to the victim being stranded at a station in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen. Thai travel YouTuber, Worrachat “Chiang” Thamrongwarangkun, shared his bad experience with his followers on Facebook and YouTube (Chiang Paiyoonaima). Chiang…
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Sky’s the limit: Vietnam Airlines unveils game-changing route connecting Da Nang and Bangkok
Vietnam Airlines soared into the limelight by inaugurating a direct route between Da Nang International Airport and Bangkok‘s Don Mueang International Airport. The airline’s bold move, announced yesterday, November 29, is set to revolutionise travel between these two dynamic destinations. At the launch event, the Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand, Phan Chi Thanh, expressed optimism about the prospects of the newly established…
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Holiday nightmare: British citizen stranded in Thai hospital with a 400,000 baht plea to escape
A British citizen‘s tropical holiday in Thailand has turned into a desperate battle for survival, as he faces suspected leukaemia in dire hospital conditions. With blood-soaked beds and a looming 10,000 pounds (446,000 baht) bill, Dean Penson’s ordeal has become a nightmare that his friends are determined to end. Penson, a British citizen from Southend-on-Sea, who looked forward to a…
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Mid-air madness: Unruly passenger turns Lufthansa flight to Bangkok into chaos
A 53 year old German man turned a routine Lufthansa flight from Munich to Bangkok into a chaotic nightmare. From threats to undressing and attempting to set a blanket ablaze, this turbulent episode forced an unscheduled landing in India. Just a few hours into the 10-hour and 45-minute journey, chaos erupted as the unnamed German man unleashed a series of…
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Huawei triumphs again! Royal recognition at Thailand Corporate Excellence Awards 2023
In central Bangkok, Huawei Technologies (Thailand) Co., Ltd. clinched the coveted Thailand Corporate Excellence Awards 2023 in the Product/Service Excellence category. The star-studded event, presented by the Thailand Management Association and Sasin School of Management, witnessed the gracious presence of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s image, adding a regal touch to Huawei’s outstanding achievement. Addressing the audience, Privy Councilor Jirayu…
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Former sailor allegedly runs hotel auction scam, causing 3 million baht losses
Nearly 200 people accused a former Thai sailor of running a hotel auction scam that caused more than 3 million baht in losses. Renowned Thai lawyer Ronnarong Kaewphet, accompanied by 20 representatives of the victims, visited the headquarters of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, to file a complaint against a former sailor and his company regarding the hotel auction scam.…
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Patong’s peril: Road collapse has drivers on edge in Phuket
A patch of road shoulder collapsed on the route over Patong Hill leading into Phuket’s bustling tourist hub, Patong, a situation that has authorities urging drivers to exercise caution. The subsidence occurred yesterday, and repair works are still ongoing on the compromised section of the route. Emergency repairs were undertaken on the cracked road surface yesterday. The Phuket Highways Office,…
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Thai community enterprise signs 100 million baht deal for Korat’s Golden Bananas export to Japan
A landmark deal worth 100 million baht has been signed between a Japanese buyer and a Thai community enterprise group for the purchase of 5,000 tonnes of Korat’s Golden Bananas. This first-ever export deal, set to greatly benefit local farmers, has been hailed for its potential to open new markets for Thai growers. The contract was signed at the Lamtakong…
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Thailand leaps in digital competitiveness ranking, claims 35th spot globally
Thailand has made significant strides in its digital competitiveness, jumping five spots from the previous year to rank 35th out of 64 economic territories. This progress is revealed in the World Digital Competitiveness Ranking (WDCR) 2023, published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD). The uplift in ranking is a result of advancements in three pivotal areas: technology, knowledge,…
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Young man arrested for false dietary supplement advertising on social media
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) apprehended a young man advertising dietary supplements of a popular brand on social media, with the products boasting exaggerated benefits. The suspect was charged before being handed over for prosecution today, November 30. On the previous day, the DSI’s investigative operation team, led by Witthawat Sukhantharot, Director of Trace and News Investigation Centre, captured…
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Lotto-luck chase: Thai man on wild hunt for lost lottery ticket after jackpot surprise months later
A Thai man embarked on a frantic search for a lost Thai lottery ticket after belatedly discovering he’d scooped one of the top prizes some nine months after the draw was made. The lottery winner, 29 year old Yotsakorn Sangteerathiti, revealed to Channel 3 that he bought a government lottery ticket for the upcoming draw tomorrow, via the Pao Tang…
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knife-edge escapade: Tourist stirs controversy in Kanchanaburi National Park (video)
A video clip shot by a porter at Thong Pha Phum National Park in Kanchanaburi sparked controversy after it showed tourists climbing down the treacherous Knife Ridge without any park officials in sight. The porter, identified only as Daeng, was later forced to apologise for the video, which he said was filmed while park officials were temporarily assisting a tourist…
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Love, lies, loss: Thai woman loses 3 million baht after 1 month with romance scammer
A 65 year old Thai woman lost 3 million baht after a month-long online conversation with a romance scammer she met on a Facebook dating group. The victim’s son urged Channel 3 to share his mother’s experience as a warning to others who use dating applications or engage in online dating. He recently found out that his mother had been…
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Party-hopper: Ex-PPRP MP’s bold Democrat Party leadership bid
Watanya Bunnag, formerly a list MP belonging to the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), recently expressed her intention to run for the leadership of the Democrat Party (DP), following her switch to the latter in August. The election to decide the party’s leader is set to take place on December 9. Watanya, who currently serves as the chairwoman of the Democrat Party’s…
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Chaowalit encore: Fugitive’s frustration takes the spotlight in third video addressing Thailand’s bail system
Fugitive Chaowalit Thongduang, also known as Sia Paeng, has once again emerged, releasing a third video in which he expresses his frustration over the issue of bail in the Thai judicial system. He questions the criteria set for granting bail in certain cases and why he was the only one who did not receive it. Chaowalit also apologises for the…
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Singapore and Zurich rank as world’s most expensive cities in 2023
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) recently revealed that Singapore and Zurich share the title of the world’s most expensive city in 2023. Following closely are Geneva, New York, and Hong Kong, maintaining that the worldwide cost-of-living crisis is yet unresolved. The research and analysis division of the Economist Group observed that prices for over 200 frequently utilised goods and services…
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Thai organisations face frequent cyberattacks, study reveals
A recent study conducted by Cloudflare, a US-based firm specialising in content delivery, networking, and cloud cybersecurity, disclosed that 57% of Thai organisations have been targeted by at least 10 cybersecurity incidents in the past year. The findings revealed that the primary motivation for these cybercriminal activities was to install spyware, followed by financial gain and ransomware. Interestingly, despite the…
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Four Thai workers released from Hamas captivity
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thailand confirmed the release of four Thai workers today, previously held captive by Hamas militants. The release occurred yesterday evening, as reported by the Royal Thai Embassy situated in Tel Aviv, Israel. The freed workers – Paiboon Ratnil, Kong Saelao, Chakraphan Sikhena, and Chalermchai Saengkaew – underwent a medical examination at an Israeli hospital.…
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Teenager killed in tragic accident on dark Ratchaburi road
A tragic accident occurred last night, at 8.30pm, on the unlit Pikun Thong – Ban Rai Road in the Mueang district of Ratchaburi. A 17 year old youth on a motorcycle collided with a Mazda sedan, resulting in his immediate death and leaving the car’s occupants seriously injured. The car was driven by 24 year old Phanuphan, with 23 year…
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Mental illness suspected after Thai man kills uncle before suicide
Police suspect a mental illness as the motive behind a Thai man’s killing of his uncle at their home in the southern province of Krabi. The incident occurred yesterday after the uncle complained about loud goat noises. The victim, identified as 65 year old Sunthorn Treekun, was murdered and the incident was reported to Lam Thap Police Station at 4pm…
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Thai punters get creative: The hunt for December’s lucky lottery numbers heats up
As the December lottery draw approaches, keen-eyed Thai punters are turning to various sources for lucky numbers. Notable figures, personalised car number plates, and even ancient termites are all being scrutinised for potential winning digits. The first unusual source of lottery luck comes from a local shrine dedicated to two elderly women, where villagers have written numbers 70, 558, 625,…
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Urgent efforts underway to return elephant herd causing havoc in central Thailand
A herd of over 100 elephants, currently causing havoc in the Prachinburi region of Thailand, are being urgently ushered back to their natural habitat. These elephants have been devastating crops, causing damage to more than 60 acres of farmland and resulting in losses exceeding 1 million baht. To mitigate this, the state is accelerating efforts to return these elephants to…
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Thai man steals from drunk woman who parks motorcycle to vomit
CCTV footage yesterday showed a Thai man stealing a bag from a drunk woman who parked her motorcycle to vomit on the roadside near Thewa Sangkaram Temple in the central province of Kanchanaburi. The victim, a 21 year old woman named Jang, urged Channel 3 to show the CCTV footage to the public and urged netizens to notify the police…
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Thailand’s herbal market worth skyrockets to 90,000 billion baht
Minister of Health Santi Prompat highlighted the significant growth in the market for Thai massage and food as a form of soft power for the nation. He also emphasized the rising value of herbal consumption, which has increased to 90,000 billion baht, making Thailand the third highest in Asia. This occurred during a special assembly and policy communication meeting at…
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Former PM Prayut Chan-o-cha appointed as Thailand Privy Council member
Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun yesterday appointed the former Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to the Privy Council of Thailand. The Royal Gazette yesterday, November 29, officially announced that His Majesty deemed it fitting to appoint an additional Privy Councillor at this time. The king has graciously chosen former Prime Minister Prayut for this appointment. The Privy Council is a body…
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Nationwide security guards training initiative kicks off with labour of love from ministry, police, and army
A nationwide training initiative targeting security guards is set to be launched, courtesy of the Labour Ministry, police force, and army. This initiative, aimed at improving the skill set of guards, was discussed yesterday in a meeting convened by Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. Also in attendance were Watcharapol Bussamongkol, ex-president of the Security Services Association of Thailand (SSAT), and representatives…
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Viral video stirs debate: Bride’s post-ceremony behaviour in China scrutinised
A viral video of a Chinese couple has become the talk of social media, as the bride’s casual demeanour post-wedding ceremony raised eyebrows. The video, believed to have been taken in Guizhou City, sparked widespread debate on social media about the appropriateness of the bride’s behaviour. After completing their wedding ceremony and bidding farewell to friends and relatives, the couple…
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Bangkok MP’s challenge to Computer Crime Act dismissed by Constitutional Court
Bangkok MP Rukchanok Srinork, representing the main opposition Move Forward Party (MFP), faced a setback yesterday when the Constitutional Court dismissed her petition concerning the constitutionality of Section 14 of the Computer Crime Act. The court’s decision came via the Criminal Court, which is currently presiding over a case against Rukchanok. The charges against Rukchanok, stemming from a tweet she…
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Thai finance ministry considers beverage tax restructure to boost tourism
A proposed restructuring of the beverage tax framework is under consideration by the Finance Ministry, as revealed by the permanent finance secretary, Lavaron Sangsnit. The restructure aims to bolster tourism and domestic spending. This Friday, Lavaron plans to engage in a discussion with officials from the Customs Department and the Excise Department. The proposed measures align with Thai governmental policies…
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Thailand’s export sector sees recovery with third month of growth
The Director-General of the Fiscal Policy Office, Pornchai Thiraveja, announced that the export sector is showing signs of recovery, marking its third month of consecutive growth. Despite a year-on-year contraction of 2.7% in the value of exports between January and October, monthly figures indicate a resurgence, with an 8% rise in October to US$23.5 billion. Quarterly analysis shows a decrease…
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