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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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Digital nomading in Chiang Mai? What US$1,000 a month really gets you
Chiang Mai has become a popular destination for digital nomads due to its low living costs, rich culture, and active remote work community. The city offers affordable housing, tasty food, reliable internet, and many co-working spaces, making it a great...
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US prepares for migrant surge as Mexico border restrictions set to end
Tens of thousands of US law enforcement personnel have been deployed to the border with Mexico, according to officials, as waiting migrants voiced confusion and anger over an impending change to entry rules. The United States is preparing for a surge in people claiming refuge from political persecution, climate-related disasters, and poverty when pandemic-era restrictions expire overnight later this week.…
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Inter Milan triumph in Champions League last-four derby against AC Milan
Inter Milan is well on their way to the Champions League final after a superb 2-0 victory against AC Milan in last night’s pulsating last-four derby at the San Siro. Ahead of Tuesday’s second leg, Inter has taken control of the most significant Milan derby in years, thanks to goals from Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the opening 11…
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Taiwan’s offshore wind farms amid China tensions and geopolitical risks
In the port city of Taichung on Taiwan‘s west coast, a crane hoists into place the final section of a white wind turbine tower that stands almost a hundred metres tall. This turbine will be one of 111 spinning at a multi-billion US dollar offshore wind project up to 60km into the Taiwan Strait. Constructed by Denmark’s Orsted, this project…
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Ukrainian journalist’s hedgehog rescue offers light amidst the devastation of war
Amid the devastation in Ukraine covered by AFP journalist Arman Soldin, 32 years old, one moment stands out as a touching act of kindness in the face of war—the rescue of a wounded hedgehog. Unfortunately, Soldin lost his life to rocket fire just days after sharing the heartwarming story on Twitter. The thread documents the journey of nursing the hedgehog…
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Fighting intensifies in Khartoum as Sudanese struggle with shortages
The Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and the city of El Obeid, located 350 kilometres southwest, are witnessing ongoing violent clashes, forcing many locals to flee their homes and face dangerous journeys across the country’s borders. For those unable to leave, food and essential supply shortages have become a pressing problem, with people relying on local charity networks and neighbours for survival.…
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Tributes pour in for AFP journalist killed in Ukraine
Grief and condolences have been flooding in following the tragic death of AFP journalist Arman Soldin, who was killed while covering the conflict in Ukraine – Europe’s deadliest since World War II. Soldin’s death occurred when the AFP team he was with came under fire by Grad rockets while accompanying a group of Ukrainian soldiers near Bakhmut, which has remained…
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Activists throw cake at Volkswagen bosses during annual shareholder meeting in Berlin
Berlin was the setting for protests at Volkswagen’s annual shareholders’ meeting yesterday, as demonstrators voiced their concerns over human rights and climate change issues. Europe’s largest car manufacturer faced pressure from climate protesters gathered outside the event venue, urging the company to take steps to reduce its carbon footprint. Activists from the group Scientist Rebellion displayed a message stating… “The…
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Exploring the possibility of a new departure tax in Thailand
As the general election approaches, the introduction of a new tax is considered an extremely sensitive issue and a rare political tactic. Despite this, the Revenue Department moved forward last week to address concerns regarding a potential new departure tax on outbound travellers, based on a 40-year-old “emergency decree”. The department confirmed it has no plans to introduce a departure…
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Thai Vietjet launches premium lounge at Suvarnabhumi Airport
Budget airline Thai Vietjet opened ‘The Coral Executive Lounge’ at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, where passengers can indulge in a range of premium services while waiting for their journey to begin. Services offered at the lounge include food and refreshments, snacks, a bar, WiFi, flight information services, private rooms, neck and shoulder massages, newspapers and magazines, televisions, and disabled…
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UK prime minister defends police after anti-monarchist arrests during coronation
LONDON – UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended the country’s police forces on Tuesday, emphasizing their operational independence after facing criticism for arresting anti-monarchists prior to a protest at King Charles III’s coronation. Sunak expressed his support for London’s Metropolitan Police, which had been condemned for detaining six members of the advocacy group Republic just hours before Saturday’s event. “They…
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Former PM Imran Khan arrested amidst political crisis and protests in Pakistan
Protests have broken out across Pakistan following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan during a court appearance in Islamabad. Khan is facing a multitude of charges since being ousted from power last year in what analysts believe is a tactic used by Pakistani governments to quieten their opponents. If convicted, Khan could be prohibited from holding public office,…
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US jury deliberates on Donald Trump’s liability in rape allegation lawsuit
New York – A US jury began deliberations on Tuesday to determine whether former president Donald Trump is liable for the alleged rape of an American former magazine columnist in the mid-1990s. If the nine jurors rule in favour of accuser E. Jean Carroll, it would mark the first time Trump has faced legal consequences over claims of sexual misconduct.…
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Moscow amusement park accident injures at least 20 people, including children
Shocking footage has emerged showing the horrifying moment that an amusement park ride broke down in mid-air, resulting in at least 20 individuals being injured, including eight children. The incident occurred at an amusement park in the eastern part of Moscow on May 8. Two of the injured individuals are in critical condition. The alarming video captures the chilling moment…
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Thai PM candidate Pitha clears air over ITV shares controversy
Pitha Limcharoenrat, head of Thailand’s progressive party, Move Forward Party, and candidate for prime minister, has refuted allegations surrounding his ownership of shares in ITV Plc. Ruangkrai Leekijwattana recently claimed to have discovered that Pitha holds 42,000 shares in ITV Plc, and has called for the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) to investigate the matter. The situation is significant as…
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Court denies bail for DJ Man, actress Baiteoy, and other suspects in Forex 3D share fraud case
Earlier today, the Special Case Division of the Office of the Attorney General summoned defendants, including Panlapat Phum-on, also known as DJ Man, and Sutivan Suwannaphoom, more famously known as Bai-toey, alongside several others involved in case no. 273/2565. They were summoned to listen to the charges filed against the six defendants in connection with the Forex 3D (foreign exchange)…
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Pheu Thai candidate Dr Silp champions cultural diversity for economic revival
Dr Silp – Silpwichai Noisyamitr, a candidate for the constituency 24 of Khlong San, Thonburi, and Ratchaburana, Bang Pakok, under the Pheu Thai Party, aims to revive the economy with the diverse local culture. Growing up, he was a keen reader of Bangkok’s column in the newspaper, which made him an “active citizen” with a great knowledge of urban development.…
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Tangmo: Court in Thailand sentences 2 defendants over actress’s death
A local court in Nonthaburi has ruled on the case involving the death of Pattharathida Patcharaweerapong, also known as Tangmo, a 37 year old actress. The investigation found that Thanatphat Lertthawiwit, also known as Por, 33 years old, was guilty and sentenced to five years, eight months in prison, and a fine of 128,000 baht (US$3,784). However, as Thanatphat showed…
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Suspected murderer of Thai-British teen attacked during re-enactment
UPDATE A relative of the 17 year old Thai-British teenager Woramet “Ben” Taota – who was murdered in Lampang in northern Thailand on Saturday – attacked the suspected murderer with a wooden stick during a re-enactment of the crime this morning. At 11am, officers from Mae Tha Police Station and Lampang Provincial Police escorted the accused, 44 year old Chaiwat…
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German tourists injured in Pattaya-Naklua road accident
Two German tourists sustained injuries after being struck by a car while leaving a bar on Pattaya-Naklua Road. The accident took place around 2am on Saturday, May 6 on the Naklua Pattaya Road. Jakob Bauler, 68 years old, and, 58 year old, Klaus Werner were walking back to their hotel after enjoying a night out at one of the bars…
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Thai stock market rebounds with net inflows as investors absorb negative US news
The Thai stock market has begun experiencing net inflows this week after significant capital outflows during the first four months of the year, according to the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). Investors have seemingly absorbed negative news regarding the US banking crisis and the possibility of a recession. Soraphol Tulayasathien, a senior executive vice president, expressed hope that May would…
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Laotian woman gives birth in pickup truck on Thai road
At around 2am yesterday, volunteer staff from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation received a report of a woman giving birth in a pickup truck on Tiwanon Road, near the Amphornphisarn intersection in Bang Phut Subdistrict, Pak Kret District, Nonthaburi. The emergency team quickly arrived at the location to provide assistance reports Sanook. Upon arriving at the scene, they found a…
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Japan works towards opening NATO liaison office in Tokyo
Japan is progressing with plans to establish a NATO liaison office in Tokyo, according to Japan’s ambassador to the US, Koji Tomita. Speaking at an event held by the National Press Club in Washington, Tomita referred to a report by Nikkei Asia earlier this month, which stated that the US-led alliance intends to open the office – it’s first in…
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Couple condemned for having sex on a public beach in southern Thailand
A viral video of a couple having sex on Chang Lang Beach in Trang province, southern Thailand, has caused outrage among Thai authorities and netizens. The video, which shows a Thai man and woman having sex inside a camping tent on the beach, was widely circulated on the Facebook groups of Trang residents. The man was said to have repeatedly…
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Move Forward Party aims to make an impact in upcoming Thai elections
The Move Forward Party, which emerged in the wake of the dissolution of Thailand’s Future Forward Party, is set to make a significant impact in the upcoming polls. The latter won 81 seats in the 2019 Thai elections, enjoying overwhelming support from young voters due to its liberal-progressive stance. However, the country’s Constitutional Court disbanded the party over campaign finance…
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Fast food slows down amid technology advancements and post-pandemic challenges
Fast food restaurants have long been associated with swift service and short wait times. However, recently in Singapore, a student had to wait for around ninety minutes for her McDonald‘s meal, sparking debate online as to why the fast food industry appears to be slowing down despite the growing use of self-service technologies. The traditional fast food model of operation…
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Grab Thailand launches ‘GrabMart Durian Festival’
Grab Thailand announced that the volume of durians sold on GrabMart in the summer season grew by 70% in 2022 compared with the previous year. This year, further growth was driven by an increase of 40% in orders from international tourists during the Songkran Festival. In response, Grab has launched the “GrabMart Durian Festival” campaign to offer deals and discounts from fruit…
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Anthropic’s AI constitution: creating a safer rival to OpenAI’s ChatGPT
Google owner Alphabet-backed artificial intelligence (AI) startup Anthropic has revealed its rival to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, named Claude, which comes with a set of written moral values designed to make the chatbot safe to use. The moral values guidelines, known as Claude’s constitution, draw from various sources such as the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights and Apple Inc’s data privacy…
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Will the Thai election help sex workers?
Many are hoping to see a change in their country after Thailand‘s upcoming General Election on May 14, and sex workers are no exception. Sex workers are crossing their fingers for the elections to bring about a change in the country’s antiquated sex industry legislation. With an estimated 300,000 people involved in the sex industry, campaigners are working to pass…
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Monk shoots rival monk due to dispute over seniority
A monk yesterday shot a fellow monk over a dispute regarding seniority shocking the community around Rat Samak Khee Temple in Nong Bua Lamphu province in the northeastern part of Thailand. The monk survived the shooting despite being shot five times. Officers from Na Klang Police Station rushed to the scene and discovered the injured monk, 57 year old Weerapong…
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UK enjoys well-being boost from rare triple public holiday in May
This year’s coronation of King Charles III has increased the number of public holidays in the United Kingdom. With the special public holiday on the Monday following the May 6 ceremony, along with the early May bank holiday and the spring bank holiday later in the month, many workers are enjoying a celebratory period. Typically, public holidays in the UK,…
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