News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
-
Sponsored
Moving with family? Here’s how to cut health costs in Thailand
Relocating to Thailand with your family brings exciting new opportunities, but it also comes with the challenge of managing healthcare costs in a new system. Thailand has both public and private healthcare options, each offering different prices and quality of...
-
PM Paetongtarn takes culture role as Cabinet reshuffle stirs intrigue
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has officially welcomed her expanded role as Minister of Culture following a sweeping Cabinet reshuffle confirmed in the Royal Gazette today. Speaking after the Royal Command announcing her new Cabinet appointments, PM Paetongtarn described the moment as a profound honour. “It is a great royal benevolence to have received the royal command for the new Cabinet…
-
Thailand Video News | Ho Chi Minh City to relocate 15,000 canal-side families in urban upgrade, Bangkok motorcyclist crashes after allegedly falling asleep on Expressway
In Bangkok, a motorcyclist’s dangerous crash, a rally sparking coup concerns, and street violence in Pattaya raise alarms over public safety. Meanwhile, Thailand’s evolving legal landscape covers drug enforcement, migrant rights, and community-police relations. Internationally, we cover a subway arson attack in Seoul, Indonesia’s call for justice over a migrant worker’s death in South Korea, and Czech intelligence’s exposure of…
-
Taxiing line: illegal ride-hailing apps cause chaos on Phuket roads
Taxi and public transport groups in Phuket have had enough, demanding officials finally take action against the illegal taxis flooding the island’s transport system. And with ride-hailing apps turning a blind eye to the chaos, both passengers and law-abiding drivers are being left to bear the brunt of the growing mess. In a formal complaint lodged with the Phuket Damrongtham…
-
Two suspects arrested in 3.4 million baht robbery at Bangkok mall
Three victims, 35 year old Piyalab, 20 year old Rattaphum, and 29 year old Satjapoj, contacted officers from Phahonyothin Police Station after being robbed on the first floor of the shopping mall’s parking building yesterday, June 30. All three victims were reportedly in shock. Satjapoj recounted the incident to police, stating that the group arranged to exchange 3.4 million baht…
-
Police boat capsizes in Loei River chase, officer missing
Police yesterday were in pursuit of a suspect involved in a serious crime in Loei province. During the chase, a police boat capsized in the strong currents of the Loei River, leading to the disappearance of Police Lieutenant Roengsak Khokkhiew, who remains unaccounted for. Police investigators were examining a burglary incident, yesterday, June 30 at 3pm, at a scrap shop…
-
Thai tax scam gang busted for billion-baht VAT fraud racket
The Revenue Department and the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) have dismantled a sprawling value-added tax (VAT) fraud network, allegedly responsible for over 1 billion baht in state losses. On June 26, coordinated raids were carried out across 14 locations in Tak, Chiang Mai and Bangkok. The operation led to the arrest of 63 year old Samran Naowarat and nine associates…
-
Welshman fights to come home after brutal attack in Thailand
A Welshman left clinging to life after a brutal attack in Thailand has woken from a coma and, in heartbreaking words, told his family: “I just want to go home.” Ashton Jones was viciously assaulted by unknown assailants while out partying in Bangkok. The father of two was found hours later, unconscious and connected to life-support machines, 55 miles from…
-
Ordination ceremony in Suphan Buri draws lottery interest
At Wat Nong Wal Priang in Song Phi Nong district, Suphan Buri province, a significant ordination ceremony took place on June 29. The event, led by Phra Kru Baidika Suraphon Mahapanyo, was designed to perpetuate Buddhist teachings and provide a communal opportunity for 17 novice monks. The annual group ordination ceremony, was intended to continue the legacy of royal merit-making…
-
Motorcyclist dies after crash on Pattaya-Bangkok motorway
A tragic incident occurred when a motorcyclist veered off the road, crashing into a Pattaya-Bangkok motorway bridge railing, resulting in the rider’s fatal fall from a height of 5 metres. Rescue efforts were in vain as the injuries proved too severe. At 3.06am today, July 1, the Sawan Boriboon Pattaya Rescue Centre received reports of a motorcycle accident on the motorway…
-
Storming the banks: Tree tops ATMs in Bangkok showdown
A powerful storm barrelled through Bangkok at the weekend, toppling a massive banyan tree that smashed into a row of bank ATMs in front of the Din Daeng 2 Housing Authority office. Despite the chaos, an unflappable woman calmly continued her cash withdrawal in one of the dangerously tilted booths. A photo of her undeterred focus amid the wreckage on…
-
Rescuers retrieve 8 bodies from Saraburi factory fire, 2 still missing
A rescue team successfully brought a fire at a tissue factory in the central province of Saraburi under control and retrieved eight bodies from the scene. Two other victims remain missing. The blaze reportedly broke out at the tissue paper factory in the Hemaraj Industrial Estate, located in Bua Loi subdistrict, Nong Khae district, Saraburi province, at around 12pm yesterday,…
-
Thailand rolls out cannabis prescription form for 15 conditions
The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM) issued an official prescription form for medical cannabis. The move yesterday, June 30, follows the Ministry of Public Health’s announcement on controlled herbs, which sets out strict regulations for cannabis use. The form, known as P.T.33, allows authorised practitioners across seven professions — including doctors, dentists, pharmacists and traditional healers —…
-
Thai-phoon forecast: TMD warns of heavy rain across the nation
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) issued a warning for severe weather across Thailand, predicting heavy rain, particularly in the south with a 40% chance, and in the north, northeast, central, and eastern regions, including Bangkok, with a chance of 60 to 70%. The weather forecast for the next 24 hours indicates heavy rainfall in several provinces due to the moderate…
-
Weed out competition: Thailand’s cannabis shops face crackdown
Thailand’s once-thriving cannabis industry is about to face its biggest shake-up yet, with new regulations that could see up to 12,000 cannabis flower shops shut down by the end of the year. The country’s Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM) revealed a wave of stringent rules that could spell the end for many who have jumped on the…
-
Canadian man caught trying to ‘bag’ heroin at Bangkok airport
In a bizarre bid to ‘bag’ a fortune, a Canadian man was arrested at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok, after attempting to smuggle over three kilogrammes of heroin hidden in women’s handbags. The suspect, on his way to Taiwan, was caught in the act yesterday, June 30, after sharp-eyed customs officers became suspicious of his luggage. When they ran the bags…
-
Thai man brags about income then flees bills at 2 Pattaya restaurants
Police released a Thai man who claimed to be wealthy but fled without paying bills totalling over 23,000 baht at two restaurants in Pattaya. A restaurant owner filed a dine-and-dash complaint at Mueang Pattaya Police Station on June 22. However, he had to turn to Channel 7 because police released the suspect free, even after he had confessed to the…
-
Royal Irrigation Department mobilises for nationwide flash flood threat
Flood preparations are underway across Thailand as meteorologists forecast several days of intense rainfall from July 1 to 5. The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) confirmed it is mobilising personnel, machinery, and equipment to high-risk areas following an alert from the National Water Resources Office (NWRO). The NWRO has warned of flash floods, stagnant water, and potential mudslides in several provinces…
-
Fire at Saraburi paper factory claims 6 lives and leaves over 10 missing
A fire at a paper factory in the central province of Saraburi reportedly claimed six lives, with at least 13 people reported missing at the time of reporting. The Facebook page Fire & Rescue Thailand reported at 1.20pm today, June 30, that the blaze broke out at a paper factory in the WHA Industrial Estate, also known as Hemaraj Land…
-
Thai university ranked world’s best for gender equality
Walailak University in Bangkok was ranked the number one university in the world for its achievement in promoting gender equality. Other Thai universities also earned places in the global top 100. Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, Anukool Pruksanusak, announced today, June 30, that the Thai government congratulates the universities for their outstanding performances in the Times Higher Education…
-
District official arrested for extorting migrant work permit fees in Chiang Mai
A senior district official in Chiang Mai was arrested for allegedly extorting millions of baht from brokers handling migrant worker registrations. Officials from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), and police units apprehended a man named Boonyarit, who is the chief registrar of the Region 5 Registration Centre and district chief of San Sai, at…
-
Man detained in Pattaya for attempted gold shop robbery
A man was arrested in Pattaya after he allegedly planned a gold shop robbery to cover debts from stock trading losses, but he hesitated to act upon his plans, which led to his arrest. Police detained the suspect, identified as 31 year old Phermphol, at 6.36pm yesterday, June 29, at a department store in North Pattaya, Nong Prue, Bang Lamung…
-
Desperate Thai mother pleads for son’s arrest after he trades durians for Yaba
A Thai mother expressed her desperation on social media and called for police intervention after her drug-addicted son traded durians she had bought for him for Yaba, also known as methamphetamine. The mother in the Isaan province of Sa Kaeo took to her Facebook account on June 17 to vent her fears and frustration. She posted a photo of two…
-
Japanese BBQ restaurant fire damages Chachoengsao mall
A fire erupted at a shopping mall in Chachoengsao, prompting an evacuation of employees and visitors as fire and smoke quickly spread throughout the mall. Firefighters reportedly battled the blaze for over two hours before bringing the situation under control. At 8.30pm yesterday, June 29, Deputy Inspector Chalermpol Satharam from Mueang Chachoengsao Police Station received a report of a fire…
-
Brawl erupts between Swedish national and Thai men in Pattaya
A Swedish man took legal action against a group of Thai men following a gang assault in Soi Bua Khao, Pattaya, yesterday, June 29. One of the Thai men involved defended the group’s actions, claiming the foreigner acted violently. A video of the incident circulated on Thai social media, showing a foreign man pushing a Thai woman to the ground…
-
Thailand eases citizenship rules for children of long-term migrants
Thailand’s Ministry of Interior has announced new citizenship regulations aimed at resolving decades-long issues of statelessness among children born to long-term migrants. The order, signed by Deputy Interior Minister Teerarat Samretwanich, was published in the Royal Gazette today, June 30. will take effect immediately and will remain valid for one year, unless extended by the Cabinet. Under the new criteria,…
-
Australian man smashes window and hurls objects from Pattaya hotel
An Australian man caused a scene yesterday, June 29, after he smashed a hotel window on Pattaya Sai Song Road and hurled random objects from the 12th floor onto the street below. Passersby scrambled to avoid falling debris as shards of broken glass, a chair, a sofa, a speaker, and bedding items rained down onto the road, prompting repeated screams…
-
Thailand sends team to Myanmar for Kok River pollution talks
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is set to dispatch an expert team next week to engage with Myanmar officials regarding arsenic contamination in the Kok River. This decision follows Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa’s recent Facebook post, addressing questions raised to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra about water quality issues during her visit to Chiang Rai. Maris highlighted that water pollution has…
-
Thailand funds gender-affirming hormone therapy in 145 million baht package
The Ministry of Public Health has sanctioned a 145 million baht healthcare package to offer gender-affirming hormone therapy to transgender and gender-diverse people through the nation’s 30-baht universal healthcare scheme. Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, serving as chairman of the National Health Security Office (NHSO) board, has approved the addition of six hormone-related medications to the national procurement list under…
-
Thailand Video News | Mass protest in Bangkok demands PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s resignation over leaked call, Philippines holds first grassroots stonewall-inspired pride protest in Manila
In Thailand, over 6,000 protesters demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra following a leaked call with Cambodia’s former leader, while the government also faced growing public resistance to its delayed cannabis regulations. A shocking robbery involving a Russian journalist unfolded in Pattaya, and the country made headlines by securing the Tomorrowland music festival for 2026, a major step…
-
Shower-time heist: Indian man loses 20,000 baht in cash to Pattaya sex worker
An Indian man sought assistance from Pattaya police officers after a Thai sex worker shattered his expectations and disappeared with 20,000 baht in cash. The 45 year old Indian national, Sudip, filed a complaint at Mueang Pattaya Police Station yesterday, June 29, after his night was ruined by a Thai sex worker. He reported losing a total of 20,000 baht,…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.