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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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ATTA doubts efficacy of free visa plan for Chinese tourists
The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) has expressed scepticism about a government proposal to offer free visas to Chinese tourists as a means of stimulating demand. ATTA cites economic difficulties and a weak currency as challenges that could render this initiative ineffectual, particularly in the face of flight and staff shortages. The Federation of Thai Tourism Associations and the…
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Phaya Bueng burrows revive lottery number tradition in Phetchabun
Villagers from Wang Sai Thong, in the Wang Pong district of Phetchabun, stumbled upon two burrows of a creature known as Phaya Bueng yesterday, while tending to their sweet tamarind orchard. The creature is widely believed to be a harbinger of luck, particularly if its burrow faces east. The discovery has sparked a flurry of traditional ceremonies requesting lucky lottery numbers…
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Bangkok building’s canopy collapse narrowly misses caretaker causing power outage
A commercial building awaiting renovation in Bangkok was the scene of a startling incident yesterday evening when a canopy collapsed, damaging a parked car beneath it and causing a local power outage. The 72 year old caretaker of the structure, Witthaya Ketkaew, narrowly escaped harm, having been inside the building at the time of the canopy collapse. Situated at the…
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Bangkok man’s high-speed chase ends in arrest
A disturbing incident occurred in the heart of Bangkok yesterday when a man, claiming he was being pursued for murder, fled from the police with his wife and nine month old child. The man, 27 year old Krishna, led authorities on a high-speed chase before he was cornered at an intersection at 3.30pm. Bang Sue Police were alerted to a…
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Chinese school call parents over suspected age-gap romance, turns out man is student’s father
A handsome young man waiting outside a school to pick up a female student sparked worries of an age-gap romance, leading the school to summon the girl’s parents. The twist came when the parents arrived. The handsome young man, aged over 40, was, in fact, the girl’s father. According to Phunuphapluat, the story unfolded in China when the man stood…
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Snout of control: Pig farm stink leaves Surin village in a smelly health predicament
Residents of Nong Kok village in Surin province have expressed their complaints regarding a nearby pig farm that has been emitting extremely unpleasant smells for over two decades. The foul-smelling situation has resulted in recurrent visits to the hospital due to health problems. Despite making numerous appeals to the appropriate authorities, no measures have been implemented, giving rise to suspicions…
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Phuket Por Tor Festival sees surge in demand, no evidence of price gouging
The Por Tor Festival, an influential cultural event among the ethnic Chinese throughout Phuket Island, sparked a surge in product demand and suggestions of price gouging. In response, officers from the Phuket Provincial Commerce Office initiated checks among retailers to detect any signs of price gouging during the event being held from August 28 to September 14. Two of the…
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Nakhon Ratchasima school bus crash injures 16 students in rush hour chaos
A school bus carrying 40 students lost control, flipped and crashed into a traffic light pole in Kaeng Sanam Nang district, Nakhon Ratchasima, resulting in 16 students aged between 10 and 17 sustaining injuries. The incident unfolded on Niwetrat Road, as confirmed by Police Lieutenant Colonel Paphon Chaisaksri, investigation chief at Kaeng Sanam Nang Police Station, who was notified about the…
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Deviant sexually assaults ladyboy, forces her to perform oral sex in Songkhla
A deviant sexually assaulted a ladyboy in her room, threatening her in front of her boyfriend before raising a knife and forcing her to perform oral sex. The incident, which occurred at 4.40am today, was reported to Anuwat Ritthichai, Deputy Chief of Hat Yai Police Station. The crime took place in a lodging house in Hat Yai municipality, Songkhla province.…
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Thai embassy issues caution to residents in US over Hurricane Idalia’s threat
The Thai Embassy in Washington DC, USA, issued a warning about the dangerous Hurricane Idalia that battered the state of Florida with high wind speeds of up to 205 kilometres per hour. Today, the embassy advised Thai residents to stay updated with news, check weather conditions and exercise caution. The National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service forecasted that Category…
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Viral TikTok snake sparks lottery number speculation ahead of September draw
A TikTok video of a snake curled up in a strange position has gone viral. This brought lottery enthusiasts to gather online, with over 2 million views. The video, posted by user sengdymanithep, shows the snake refusing to move, even when the person filming tries to shoo it away. The snake’s curled-up position bears a striking resemblance to several numbers,…
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Global investors navigate high interest rates amid inflation control efforts
Amid recession concerns, inflation, and high interest rates, investors seek promising investment avenues. Stock enthusiasts believe global interest rates are close to peaking, while central banks watch inflation. The US Federal Reserve raised the federal funds rate to 5.25-5.50% in July, the highest in decades. The European Central Bank increased rates by 0.25%, and the Bank of Japan hints at a…
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Moving ahead: MFP urges new PM to keep charter referendum promise
The Move Forward Party (MFP) called on Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to address a charter to hold a referendum in his initial Cabinet meeting, as previously promised. This follows the House of Representatives rejecting MFP’s push to expedite a full constitution rewrite, currently the 33rd item on the House’s agenda. Highlighting the urgency, list-MP Parit Wacharasindhu acknowledged the House’s decision…
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The Thaiger introduces revamped mobile app with exciting new features
Did you know that The Thaiger just launched a newly upgraded mobile application? Neatly packaged in a user-friendly format, this new app is easy to navigate for both the tech-savvy and the not-so. Now, you can get the latest updates about Thailand with even more ease through your Android or Apple devices. A wide range of news coverage and fresh…
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Chapter closed: Thai politics bids farewell to General Prayut with final Cabinet snapshot
A significant chapter in Thai politics came to a close on Tuesday, as the outgoing administration convened for its last Cabinet meeting. Headed by caretaker Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, the meeting culminated in a group photograph featuring ministers and staff members. The former PM expressed his heartfelt gratitude towards every individual who had contributed towards the government’s work and…
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Grain gain: Thailand’s rice exports sprout an impressive 12% surge
The Commerce Ministry reported a significant increase in Thailand’s rice exports. Data reveals an 11.91% rise in exports from January to August 29, compared to the same duration last year. During this period, Thailand managed to export a hefty 5.29 million metric tonnes of rice. Despite the impressive rice export figures, the agricultural sector in Southeast Asia has been grappling…
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Flames of tragedy: Devastating blaze engulfs Johannesburg building, claims 52 Lives
South Africa is reeling after a five-storey building located in the heart of Johannesburg, in the northern part of the country, was engulfed in a blaze of flames last night. The devastating blaze claimed at least 52 lives, including toddlers aged between one and two years old. A further 43 people were injured. Local fire services raced to control the…
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Thai police bust child prostitution ring operating via Twitter in eastern Thailand
The Royal Thai Police apprehended five individuals, including three women aged 20, 28, and 19, allegedly involved in human trafficking and child prostitution. in eastern Thailand. The suspects were reportedly using a Twitter account to lure underage girls into the sex trade in Rayong province. The police acted on this information and successfully staged a sting operation, rescuing a 15…
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Infamous monk Kay defrocks after directive for capture, following violation of Buddhist law (Video)
In accordance with Buddhist law, the recent defrocking of Khanech Suchinano, also known as Kay, highlights the consequences of violating monastic discipline and the measures taken by relevant authorities. Khanech, also known as Kay, was officially defrocked following a directive for his immediate capture. He originally entered monkhood via a mass ordination programme organised by a temple. According to a…
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Phuket committee steers towards transparency to curb corruption in ongoing projects worth 155 million baht
The Phuket Good Governance Committee (PGGC) has taken the initiative to increase transparency and limit corruption in the region’s ongoing projects. The committee recently met with Phuket Highways Office Chief, Yutthana Phitak, to discuss the details and scope of major projects currently underway. The PGGC, led by Vice President Peerapit Ongcharoen, is actively involved in overseeing various projects scheduled for…
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Teen’s high-speed trade: Wheels and pills confiscated as young drug dealer arrested
Police arrested a 16 year old drug dealer in the central province of Ratchaburi on Tuesday, seizing a pickup, four motorcycles, and a cache of drugs, including heroin, ecstasy, ketamine, amphetamine, and crystal meth. Baan Pong Police Station organised a press conference to report the successful arrest of the teenage drug dealer, Jor, at his house in the Nong Pla…
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Dangerous road claims another victim as pickup crashes into tree in northern Thailand
A pickup truck veered off a road in Uthai Thani and crashed into a tree on a local farm yesterday, resulting in severe injuries to the driver. Locals stated that the stretch of road where the accident occurred is particularly treacherous and has been the site of multiple fatalities. Lan Sak Police Station last night received a report of a…
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Fatal twist: Speeding pickup truck shatters young life in Nonthaburi accident (explicit video)
A tragic accident claimed the life of a four year old boy, six days after he was critically injured by a speeding Toyota pickup truck in Nonthaburi province. The incident, which occurred around 8.50pm on Saturday, August 26, left the young boy, known as Khao Oat, with severe injuries, including a skull fracture, broken ribs, a broken left arm, and…
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Teenage symphony disrupted: Sattahip police operation strikes a chord, arrests 52 and seizes drugs
Sattahip was the scene of a police operation that resulted in the arrest of 52 teenagers and the seizure of illicit drugs. The operation was initiated following complaints from residents about loud music and an abundance of parked vehicles disrupting the tranquillity and traffic flow in the area. The inconsiderate parking had even blocked some residents’ driveways, leading to heightened…
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First detection of flualprazolam in Thailand raises concerns in southern provinces
The tranquilliser flualprazolam is seeing rampant use in Thailand’s southernmost provinces, according to officials. This follows the detection of the substance in nimetazepam pills by the Regional Medical Sciences Centre 12 in Songkhla. The discovery marks the first occurrence of flualprazolam in Thailand. The Department of Medical Sciences‘ director-general, Supakit Sirilak, made it known yesterday that the Centre was tasked…
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Singapore grapples with massive US$740 million money laundering scandal
Singapore is grappling with one of its largest-ever money laundering cases, involving over S$1 billion (US$740 million) of assets. Individuals, recently arrested and charged, allegedly held millions from unauthorised lending in China and illicit gambling in numerous banks such as United Overseas Bank, Citigroup and RHB Bank’s local units. Attempted fraud using counterfeit documents was also reported on banks including…
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Premium privilege: Thailand Elite Card set to increase membership fee by 50%”
Thailand Privilege Card Co (TPC), operator of the Thailand Elite Card, announced plans to increase its base membership price by 50%, raising it from 600,000 baht to 900,000 baht. The move is part of the company’s strategy to boost its annual revenue to 8 billion baht. In addition, the company will be introducing four new types of cards, all of…
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As lottery draw nears, locals flock to ‘eel-lusive’ fish for fortunes
As the lottery draw looms, residents converged to seek fortune from an extraordinary eel–like fish stumbled upon by a 53 year old Mukdahan province resident. With a body of yellowish-white hue and piercing black eyes, this enigmatic creature has proven a charm for its possessor, paving the way for an astonishing four consecutive lottery victories. Somchai introduced the peculiar fish,…
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Currying favour: 5 Thai delights spice up top rankings in TasteAtlas List
Thai curry dishes stole the spotlight in this year’s “43 Curry Varieties Ranked from the Worst to the Best,” launched by the food guide website TasteAtlas. Five curry dishes from Thailand are listed in the top ten. Last year, TasteAtlas declared the northern Thai curry dish Khao Soi as the world’s best soup in the “50 Best Soups in the…
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Heavy rainfall alert: 55 provinces, Bangkok included, brace for soaking
The Thai Meteorological Department today issued a warning for heavy rainfall in 55 provinces, including Bangkok. The forecast predicts that 80% of the northeast region will experience heavy downpours today. Residents have been alerted to the potential dangers, especially in southern regions where high waves are expected at sea today. A combination of the monsoon trough passing through the northern…
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