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.
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Sponsored Why health insurance costs more each year and how expats in Thailand can save more money
Each year, many expats living in Thailand see their health insurance premiums go up and often without a clear reason. This can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to plan your budget. But by understanding why prices rise and learning...
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Teenager fatally shot in central Thailand crossroads crime, ignites police chase
A teenager was fatally shot while crossing a road in a cross-regional community incident, sparking a swift police hunt for the perpetrator. The incident occurred in the heart of the community on Pa Phai Road, Soi 1, Nakhon Chum, Kamphaeng Phet, with the 19 year old man sustaining a gunshot wound to his temple. A Thai-made gun with one shell…
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Thai-dal wave: Taiwanese electronics firms spark 30 billion baht boom in Thailand
The electronics industry of Thailand is set to experience significant growth as 20 new investments, amounting to 30 billion baht, have been approved by the Board of Investment (BoI). These investments are from Taiwan-based electronics firms that have shown intent to establish Thailand as their new export base. The BoI indicated that this move is particularly noteworthy for manufacturers of…
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One Family, One Soft Power policy introduced to promote Thailand’s soft power
The new government of Thailand, led by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, has introduced a policy known as One Family, One Soft Power (OFOS). This policy aims to promote Thailand’s soft power, starting by improving the skills of Thai people with free training programmes and workshops. The political campaigns of the Pheu Thai Party gained a lot of interest from the…
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Special warfare officer shot dead, deputy commander injured in Nakhon Pathom dispute
A fatal shooting occurred in Nakhon Pathom province, where one man lost his life while another sustained injuries. The incident took place in a spacious yard fronting a house located in Ta Kong Subdistrict, Mueang District. The shooting resulted in the death of Sub-Lieutenant Sivakorn Sai Bua, a staff sergeant from the 1st Special Warfare Command, 2nd Infantry Regiment, and…
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Thailand’s ruling party seeks consensus amid dispute over House committee leadership
A dispute over who should preside over various House committees in Thailand prompted an invitation for a meeting this week, issued by the whip of the ruling Pheu Thai Party. The aim is to reconcile the differing views. Wisut Chainarun, a Pheu Thai list-MP and party whip, revealed that out of the 35 House committees, multiple parties are vying for…
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Thai hotels see surge in bookings as government agencies rush to spend budget
Thai hotels are seeing a bookings surge as government agencies rush to exhaust their fiscal 2023 budget ahead of the September cut-off. This comes following a period of stagnation in the booking of meetings due to the country’s political uncertainty. Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, the Thai Hotels Association (THA) president, reported a 10-20% increase in both government and private sector meetings…
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Ex-Pattaya mayor faces arrest over decade-old condo scandal
The former Pattaya mayor and culture minister faces an arrest warrant after failing to appear for his arraignment over charges from a decade-old condo development scandal in Pattaya. Itthiphol Kunplome’s current location remains undisclosed. Neither his house nor his political faction’s office in the Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri saw any sign of him yesterday. The properties were markedly…
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Pang Cha apologises for copyright infringement over logo design
Pang Cha, a popular Thai tea brand, has publicly apologized for allegedly infringing on copyrighted material used as inspiration for their logo. The controversy began when Peeramon Chomdhavat, an expert in traditional Thai clothing, compared the logo of Pang Cha to an image of a Thai woman on a Regency calendar on his Facebook page, questioning the originality of the…
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Bangkok gems and jewellery fair targets 3 billion baht in trade value
The 68th Bangkok Gems and jewellery Fair, a global hotspot for buyers, importers, and visitors, kicked off yesterday with an anticipated attendance of over 30,000 international guests. The fair, held at the Plenary Hall of the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) until Sunday, is projected to amass a trade value surpassing 3 billion baht, stated Phusit Ratanakul Sereroengrit, Director-General…
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Chinese woman dupes 16 companies simultaneously, amasses 240 million baht
A Chinese woman managed to hold positions in 16 different companies simultaneously, deceiving her employers for three years before detection. This elaborate scam allowed her to amass considerable wealth, enough to purchase a luxurious house in Shanghai in cash. Guan Yue, the Chinese woman in question, was aided by her husband Chen Qiang, who is knowledgeable in legal matters and regulations.…
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Fuel tank trouble: Mysterious skyfall damages three cars in Turkey
A puzzling incident occurred in Turkey, when a large fuel tank mysteriously fell from the sky, damaging three parked cars. Initial reports suspect that the tank originated from a military aircraft. The alarming incident took place in Turkey on Monday, September 4, when a fuel tank seemingly broke away from an aircraft in flight and landed in a parking area…
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Fire fury: Inferno engulfs townhouse, burns 2 million baht hole
A townhouse fire erupted in Bang Bua Thong, Nonthaburi, causing damage estimated at over 2 million baht. The inferno broke out at 8am today and quickly spread to two adjacent properties. Ten water trucks were deployed to control the blaze, preventing further spread to neighbouring houses. The fire originated in a two-storey townhouse, rapidly engulfing the lower floor before spreading…
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Thief’s shocking end: Young Thai man electrocuted in foiled heist
A 24 year old Thai man was found dead after being electrocuted during an attempted theft in Nong Khai’s Pho Chai district. Police Captain Sittisat Moolmanas, Police Lieutenant Yutthana Ngamchad, a doctor from Nong Khai Hospital, and the Chaba 191 rescue team, were dispatched to the scene on Monday, September 4. Aphitsak, a resident of the Pho Chai district, was…
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Love con job: Thai romance scammer busted for netting 2.6 million baht
The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) arrested a Thai man operating a romance scam using a fake social media profile of a woman to dupe nearly 2.6 million baht from a victim. The arrest was made following a complaint filed by a victim last year. The victim revealed that the scammer used the profile of an attractive woman to approach…
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Delta flight forced to turn back due to biohazard diarrhoea incident
A Delta flight originating from Atlanta and bound for Barcelona faced an unexpected turn of events as it was forced to return to its departure airport due to what the pilot described as a “biohazard issue” caused by a passenger who suffered from diarrhoea on board. The incident unfolded on Friday evening, approximately two hours into the flight. In an…
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Thai shippers’ council forecasts export decline amid sluggish global demand
The Thai National Shippers’ Council (TNSC) predicts a 1% decline in exports for the current year, down from their previous estimate of a contraction between 0.5% and a 1% increase. This revision is due to ongoing sluggish global demand. TNSC Chairman Chaichan Chareonsuk stated that Thailand’s export sector is expected to decline by -1% or more this year due to…
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Air Canada to passengers: Sit in vomit-stained seats or be blacklisted
Air Canada publicly apologised following an incident where two passengers were forced to sit in seats contaminated with vomit from a previous flight. The flight in question journeyed from an airport in Las Vegas in the US to Montreal, Canada on August 26. Susan Benson, a passenger on the flight, shared the distressing ordeal on Facebook on August 29. Initially, they…
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Thai women trafficked into Indian brothel seek legal action
Two Thai women were escorted to a police station after being deceived by a fellow Thai into working in India where they were trafficked to a brothel. The victims are seeking assistance from the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, to pursue legal action against the exploiter. Kan Jompalang brought the two Thai women to complain about being…
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Principled leadership: MFP chief Pita stresses substance over style for new Thai Cabinet
Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of the Move Forward Party, shared his views on the newly formed Thai Cabinet, asserting that his judgment of individuals will be based on principles rather than appearances. He extended his well wishes to the new Cabinet, expressing hope that they would successfully fulfil the promises made during the election campaign. Pita noted that during the…
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Thai sticky rice steamers turned sun hats by tourists spark online laughter
We’ve all been there – when the summer weather just gets so hot that you’ll use whatever means necessary to cool down and get out of the sun. Using cardboard as a fan, standing in front of the coolers at 7-Eleven, dunking your head in the fountain in the park, anything to beat the heat. Two foreigners went viral yesterday on…
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Dodgy deals and duds: Online trader busted in Buriram for tax evasion on kids’ clothes
An online trader was left shocked when he was busted for tax evasion after the Intellectual Property Rights Police raided a prominent company located in Buriram province. The raid uncovered imported children’s clothing being sold online, deliberately avoiding import tax. The tax evasion resulted in a fine four times the evaded amount, totalling more than 16 million baht. Deputy Chief…
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Cash con-tractor: Bangkok engineer arrested for alleged extortion
Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) officers arrested a senior engineer at Lat Krabang District Office in Bangkok on a corruption accusation. The official was reportedly accused of extorting 50,000 baht from a construction contractor. The Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) received a complaint about corruption from a construction contractor. According to the complainant, the senior engineer in question,…
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Man shoots brother with homemade gun over household dispute, faces murder charge
A 35 year old man has been taken into custody, accused of fatally shooting his older sibling in a household dispute. He was apprehended for using a homemade Thai gun to shoot his 41 year old brother, resulting in his death in their home in Huay Chiang, Kan Chong, Wat Bot, Phitsanulok province that night. After the incident, he hid the gun…
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Russian the stakes: Phuket locals furious over illegal job grabs and shady businesses
Residents and business owners in Phuket are furious over the increasing number of Russians who have settled on the island, taking jobs, operating businesses illegally, and introducing prostitution exclusively for Eurasians. The surge in Russian arrivals, estimated at around 400,000 between January and July of this year, has stirred resentment among the Thai community, leading to calls for action against…
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Saudi Arabia and Russia extend oil cuts, pushing Brent crude to ten-month high
The global oil market experienced a significant shift as Saudi Arabia and Russia disclosed their decision to prolong voluntary oil production cuts until the end of the year. This announcement pushed Brent crude prices to a peak unseen in the last ten months, reported Bangkok Post. The energy ministry of Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading crude oil exporter, stated that…
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Online loan scam drags young Thai woman into 2.6 million baht debt
A 26 year old vendor found herself entangled in an online loan scam after losing her job and seeking funds for investment. Bee, from Nakhon Phanom’s Pla Pak district, expressed her ordeal through media outlets, warning society about the risks of falling prey to online loan scams. She initially borrowed 30,000 baht via an online application but was left with…
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Former Pattaya mayor faces arrest, 10 years in jail for illegal building permit
An arrest warrant was issued yesterday for Itthipol Khunpluem, a former Culture Minister and ex-mayor of Pattaya, by the Corruption and Misconduct Case Court (Region 2) in Rayong. Itthipol is accused of misconduct related to granting a building permit to a company on September 10, 2008, for the Waterfront project near the hill of the royal palace in Pattaya, Chon…
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Pedophile abbot accused of comitting indecent, sadistic acts against young girl
A 70 year old abbot of a temple in the Isaan province of Udon Thani fled the place of worship after being accused of committing indecent, sadistic acts against an 11 year old girl. The young victim’s mother revealed to Channel 3 that her daughter had met the alleged pedophile abbot through his granddaughter. The victim’s friends told her that…
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Bang Lamung takes break from chlamydia, gonorrhea to deal with dengue fever, Covid, monkeypox
Chon Buri is wrestling with a severe outbreak of dengue fever. Local health officials confirmed more than 2,900 cases of the disease, with three fatalities reported in the past week. The alarming statistics were announced during a health situation update conference held in Bang Lamung District on September 4. Bang Lamung District’s Public Health Officer, Kitti Bunrattanate, disclosed the distressing…
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Witness the sun rise through Phanom Rung Temple’s gates this September for good fortune
The natural phenomenon of the sun rising directly through the 15 gates of Phanom Rung Temple in Buriram will be viewable for the second time this year between September 8 to 10. The event, which is believed to bring good fortune, occurs four times a year. The invitation to witness this spectacle is extended to both Thais and foreigners by…
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