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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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Fishy business: RTN reels in Indonesian vessels straying into Thai waters
The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) stopped three Indonesian fishing vessels after they strayed into Thai waters after a recent maritime operation near Phuket. This unfolding event kicked off yesterday when Thai authorities apprehended these vessels within Thai territorial waters. What added to the significance of this operation was the detention of all 40 crew members aboard the ships. The operation…
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Wedding venue vandalism: Thai event company suffers 500,000 baht loss
An outdoor wedding venue in Jiangsu province, China, was stripped bare overnight, leaving the event organisers aghast and with an estimated 51,000 baht in losses. The preparation of the venue by the event company had taken seven hours, starting at 8pm and ending at 3am the following day. By the time staff returned at 7am, the place was unrecognisable, with…
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Ex-Transport Minister arrested over corruption allegations
Former Minister of Transport and Pattaya Mayor Itthipol Khunpluem was detained upon his return from Cambodia, a development that has drawn significant attention. The Thai Immigration Police acted swiftly, taking Itthipol into custody in connection with a high-profile corruption case currently under investigation by the Corruption Case Office Two of Rayong Province. This case stems from a judicial order issued…
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Phuket tuk tuk drivers attack Saudi Arabian passenger over service fare
Officers from Patong Police Station arrested three thuggish Thai tuk tuk drivers for assaulting a Saudi Arabian passenger on Rat U Thit Road in Phuket after the foreigner paid them only 300 baht out of 400 baht for a 3-kilometre journey. A video of three Thai tuk tuk driver thugs physically assaulting the Saudi man went viral on Thai social media.…
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Pattaya accident: Expat motorcyclist severely injured avoiding car
A 66 year old expatriate was severely injured after a sudden accident in the bustling city of Pattaya. The old age pensioner found himself in a perilous situation when he fell off his motorcycle after a hasty attempt to brake. The sudden stop was a reaction to a car reversing onto the road in his path as reported by the…
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French mother demands justice for son sexually assaulted by Thai man in Koh Samui
A French mother is demanding justice after her seven year old son was sexually assaulted by a predatory Thai pedophile in a grocery store on Koh Samui island in Thailand. Remarkably, despite her son being the victim of a sickening sexual assault, the French mother had her passport confiscated after the suspect filed an assault charge against her. To add further…
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Phuket stabbing: Driver fatally attacked at hotel car park
A commercial driver from Phuket province met a tragic end after visiting a popular nightclub and getting into a heated dispute. He was fatally stabbed and his body was found at the entrance of a local hotel. Phuket police responded swiftly, arriving at the scene at 6am today. Surachai Watitsuppaphon, Deputy Inspector (Investigation) of Phuket City Police Station, led the…
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Airbnb’s Thai-cation: Boosting GDP and jobs in the Land of Smiles, study shows
A recent study by Oxford Economics highlights the significant role played by Airbnb in Thailand’s tourism sector, making a substantial contribution to the country’s GDP and job market. According to the report commissioned by Airbnb, the platform made a substantial 31 billion baht contribution to Thailand’s Gross Domestic Product in 2022, supporting almost 56,500 jobs. This translates to approximately 1.7%…
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2 Thai teenagers suspected of murdering former diplomat
Royal Thai Police detained two Thai teenagers following the murder of a former Thai diplomat. The teenagers, aged 15 and 17, were the last people to visit the former diplomat’s home before his dead body was discovered. The dead body of 63 year old Wichit Chitwimarn was discovered in a three-storey luxury house on Soi Vibhawadee-Rangsit 20 in Bangkok’s Chatuchak…
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Thai farm worker killed in Israel, wife mourns unexpected loss
A 39 year old Thai farm worker from Kalasin, Thailand, was tragically killed in Israel yesterday, leaving his wife in shock as they had just spoken that morning. The victim, identified as Somkuan Phansadat, had been working on a farm in Israel when he was caught up in an act of violence perpetrated by Hamas, seen by many in the West…
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Historic satellite launch rescheduled: Thai THEOS-2
Thailand’s second earth observation satellite, THEOS-2, is slated to be launched once more from the French Guiana spaceport. Supamas Isarabhakdi, the Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), revealed the launch would occur at 8.36am today. This comes after the initial launch attempt on October 7 was halted due to minor signal irregularities detected in the last 14…
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Hamas attack at Israeli music festival kills over 260
The deadly attack by Hamas militants on an Israeli music festival resulted in over 260 fatalities, including 12 Thais and a 30 year old German tourist, Shani Louk. The incident occurred near the Gaza border in a southern region of Israel on Saturday. The local Israeli emergency response organization, Zaka, reported the discovery of over 260 bodies near the festival…
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Illegal firearms crackdown: Thai police clamps down on illicit trade after alarming surge in gun violence
Police Lieutenant General Jiraphop Phuridej targeted 114 illegal firearms distributors across Thailand in an extensive nationwide crackdown. The illegal firearms crackdown, involving over 800 officers including a special task force known as “Hanuman” from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), came in the wake of increased online trading of illegal firearms, including modified guns, homemade guns, and blank guns. The illegal…
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Inflation squeeze: Investors seek assets that outinflate rising costs
The recent surge in inflation has had a profound impact on the investment landscape, leading to an increase in product prices and living costs. These conditions require investors to strategically select assets that can generate returns that beat inflation. One such investor, Phongthorn Thavontanakul, founder and CEO of Lief Capital Asset Management, shared his insights on investments that can weather…
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Bangkok shooting survivor recounts horrific encounter with Siam Paragon gunman
A survivor of the recent shooting at the Siam Paragon shopping mall in Bangkok recounted her terrifying encounter with the 14 year old gunman. Anyapat Thipjirasakul, while fleeing the scene, came face to face with the teen gunman on an escalator. His immediate reaction was to fire, hitting her in the shoulder. Despite the pain, she continued running, scared he…
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Heavy rainfall warning: Northern Thailand braced for potential flash floods
The Thailand Meteorological Department (TMD) issued a warning regarding continuous heavy rainfall affecting 54 provinces, predominantly in the northern region. The department anticipates that 80% of the northern territory will experience heavy downpours, posing a risk of flash floods. The department’s 24-hour forecast, issued today, suggests a trough of low pressure moving across the northern and lower northeastern provinces. Simultaneously,…
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Thai bonds surge 5.8% amid elevated corporate debenture issuance
Thai bond valuations experienced a notable increase of 5.8% within the first nine months of the year, skyrocketing to a colossal 16.7 trillion baht. This rise was predominantly propelled by government and corporate bonds, as revealed by the Thai Bond Market Association (ThaiBMA). Corporate debentures, a significant part of this upswing, saw an issuance of 825 billion baht from January…
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Inheritance tax law changes aim to reduce economic inequality
A revenue department insider has revealed plans for the adoption of the prime minister’s proposal to make changes to the inheritance tax law. The objective of the amendment is to reduce economic inequality, according to the anonymous source. The source disclosed three key points that form the guidelines for the amendment. The first is the application of the inheritance tax…
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Thailand’s commerce ministry aims for 20% cross-border trade boost
The Commerce Ministry of Thailand has an ambitious vision for the upcoming year – pushing cross-border trade value to 1.2 trillion baht, marking a 20% increase from this year’s estimated 1 trillion baht. Deputy Commerce Minister Napintorn Srisunpang, the overseer of the Business Development Department, Trade Negotiations Department and Foreign Trade Department, disclosed the ministry’s strategy to achieve this. They…
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Thai government’s 5% GDP growth aim deemed optimistic amidst challenges
The administration of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin aims to boost annual GDP growth by 5%. This goal was unveiled during a policy statement delivered by the premier to the heads of government agencies last week during discussions about the fiscal 2024 budget. However, the World Bank recently cut its growth forecast for Thailand to 3.4% this year and trimmed its…
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Mongolia opens honorary consulate in Phuket, boosting ties
Phuket marked a significant milestone as Mongolia inaugurated its honorary consulate on the island, coinciding with the 49th anniversary of its diplomatic ties with Thailand last week. The consulate’s office is located at the Gig Hotel on Soi Bangla in the Patong district. The opening ceremony saw the attendance of key figures including Tumur Amarsanaa, Mongolia’s ambassador to Thailand, Nutthaphong…
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Elderly woman in Buriram lives alone without basic amenities for 30 years
An 84 year old woman has been living alone for over 30 years without any basic facilities such as electricity and water in her Buriram home. This distressing scenario unfolded in the Buriram province where the woman lives in a dilapidated house. She is unable to walk and relies on the kindness of her neighbours and leftover food from a…
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DSI crackdown on counterfeit dietary supplement warehouse in Chon Buri costing over 10 million baht
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) raided a warehouse in central Chon Buri storing counterfeit dietary supplements for humans and pets, causing damages exceeding 10 million baht. The raid was carried out in response to Thailand being closely watched by the US Trade Representative (USTR) for intellectual property rights violations and stemmed from tips about unlawful sales of supplements via…
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Thailand’s TCL suspends VIP bus service after passenger complaints, slaps 10,000 baht fine on operator
Dr Sanlak Panuwatli, the managing director of Transport Company Limited (TCL), addressed recent complaints made by passengers about the standard of their VIP bus services. The complaints were raised on the Facebook page อยากดังเดี๋ยวจัดให้ รีเทริน์ part 6, which posted images and messages about the substandard conditions of TCL’s VIP buses. Upon investigation of the raised issues, TCL found that the…
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Former diplomat found dead in Bangkok luxury home under mysterious circumstances
The body of a former diplomat was discovered in the bathroom of a luxurious house, locked from the outside and covered with cardboard boxes today. The house, located in the affluent neighbourhood of Soi Vibhavadi Rangsit 20, Jom Phon, Chatuchak, Bangkok, was inspected by Deputy Superintendent Puthipong Hongthong and his team following the report of a death. The three-storey luxury…
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Unexpected sinkhole appears on Pattaya Third Road, sparks safety concerns
Pattaya witnessed an unexpected event as a sinkhole emerged on Pattaya Third Road, raising safety concerns among the public. This event took place yesterday, on a minor stretch of Pattaya Third Road, which forms a link between Central Pattaya and North Pattaya, near an intersection. The sinkhole, though small in size, has caused an alarming situation as it has resulted…
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Thai family identifies son among captives in Hamas-Israel conflict
A couple from Pla Pak district, in the northeastern border province of Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, have positively identified their son as one of the workers reportedly captured by Hamas militants during a large-scale assault on Israel. The news of the abduction, which occurred yesterday, spread rapidly through social media, featuring a distressing image of six captive men with their hands…
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Accused gambling MP sits on Anti-Corruption Committee, claims Thai Patriots Network leader
Srisuwan Janya, the leader of the Thai Patriots Network, revealed that a member of Ratchaburi’s House of Representatives, previously accused of gambling in a viral video, sits on the Anti-Corruption Committee. This is a committee that is highly contested, especially when the individual was a member of the Blue Party during his tenure as a Ratchaburi representative. Despite the selection…
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Buriram military officer seeks forgiveness after killing two cyclists in hit-and-run accident
A 52 year old military officer from a camp in Buriram province has requested permission to conduct funeral rites for two cyclists he fatally struck with his pickup truck. The incident involved six bicycles and took place on Highway No. 24 from Chokchai to Dech Udom, specifically at the 133+800 km mark in Chalerm Phrakiat district. The collision resulted in…
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Thai CEOs discuss sustainability’s key role in supply chain survival at SX2023
The Sustainability Expo 2023 (SX2023) has illuminated the essential role of sustainability in successful supply chain networks. The Thailand Supply Chain Network (TSCN) Business Partners Conference, also known as the TSCN CEO Panel, took place at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center as part of the ongoing expo. The key topic of discussion was the self-application of sustainable practices for…
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