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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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How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Malaysia and Thailand jointly investigate Betong shooting
A man from Malaysia is seriously injured after he was shot by a suspected Thai national in Betong town, Yala province, southern Thailand, on Saturday. The victim, 55 year old Rada [surname withheld], from Kampung Padang Tamat in Pengkalan Hulu, was driving a motorbike along Chantharothai Road when he was shot three times in front of a convenience store at…
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Pattaya Police report used condoms and illegal drugs after bar raid
Pattaya Police are once again cracking down on monkey business in the city’s bars. Bang Lamung police said they found used condoms and illegal drugs after they raided a bar on Soi Pattaya Klang 12, located in the Nong Prue sub-district, early this morning. The raid on the Dragon Man Bar was led by the district chief Pisit Sitisawatnukun and…
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Tearaway teens arrested for robbing four motorists
Three teenagers and a man were arrested for robbing four motorists at the weekend in Samut Prakarn province in Bangkok. The suspects reportedly admitted to committing the crime to obtain funds to buy kratom drinks. Footage captured by a car dashcam went viral on Thai social media. It showed the four thugs intimidating a motorcyclist into surrendering his valuables and…
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Thailand’s perilous roads claim the lives of 75 foreigners so far this year
Thailand’s deadly roads have claimed the lives of 75 foreigners so far this year. A further 2,886 foreigners were injured, according to data from Thai RSC, an accident information centre. Foreigners getting into road accidents in Thailand regularly make headlines but much more go unrecorded by the media. Data recorded from January 1 – February 15, 2023, reveals that 2,099…
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Elderly German man dies in Pattaya motorbike crash
An elderly German man tragically died in a motorbike crash in Pattaya yesterday. Police and rescuers arrived at the scene on Soi 14 in the Naklua sub-district of Bang Lamung district. They found the man, 81 year old Hans Werner Schreiner, dead in a pool of blood on the road. Schreiner was lying upward, and suffered critical head injuries. Police…
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Patong Police bust Frenchman for hit-and-run that seriously injured woman
Patong police busted a Frenchman for a hit and run after a Thai pedestrian was seriously injured last week. The culprit, Naji Sami Bouakkz, hit a woman, 54 year old Maliwan Sarnrat, with his motorbike on Friday, February 10. The incident happened on Soi Sai Namyen. Bouakkz did not stop his motorbike after hitting Maliwan. Officers and rescuers rushed Maliwan…
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Phuket health spa slams travel agency for ripping off foreigners
A Phuket health spa announced that it will no longer accept reservations from travel agencies after one agency ripped off its foreign customers. The decision was made after the agency in question overcharged foreign customers, causing them to file complaints about the high prices of the spa services. Phumontra Cafe & Massage is one of the most popular spa spots in Phuket…
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Four Thai teens win award for pioneering parasite-killing invention
Four high school students from Yala in southern Thailand won the New Gen Inventors Award 2023 for inventing a herbal product made from galangal leaves which kills parasites in raw foods in less than six minutes. Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha praised the children for creating a practical product from readily available herbs which will improve the Thai population’s physical…
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Thailand’s deputy police chief “Big Joke” is unsure that missing baby is alive
Thailand’s deputy police chief “Big Joke,” says he is unsure that the missing eight month old baby who disappeared from his home is alive. However, Surachate Hakparn, better known as “Big Joke,” says he is quite sure that the baby’s parents know what happened. The parents of the missing baby, 19 year old Sitthichoke Saengsawang and 16 year old Philaiporn…
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Surf’s up in Hua Hin! Festival coming up
Surf’s up in Hua Hin! The annual Hua Hin Surf Festival is coming up next week in Thailand’s scenic seaside town. The event in Thailand brings together surfers, beach enthusiasts, and thrill seekers from all over the country. This year’s event is set to take place on February 25 to 26 at Khao Takiab beach and promises to be bigger…
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Thai woman who fled from America after alleged hit-and-run agrees to return to face punishment
A Thai woman who left America after an alleged hit-and-run incident has agreed to return to face her punishment. The woman, Tubtim “Sue” Howson, allegedly struck Michigan State University student Benjamin Kable, 22, before dawn on January 1. Kable was killed and Howson allegedly fled to Thailand over fears of being arrested and charged with his murder. The 57 year…
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Thai activists want humiliating haircut punishments to stop in government schools
Thai activists want humiliating haircut punishments to stop in government schools after a teacher was accused of cutting at least 100 students’ hair. According to The Guardian, the activists are calling for clearer guidelines surrounding the haircut rule in government schools after the Ministry of Education revoked the decades-long haircut regulations. Now, the Ministry says schools can develop their own…
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Thailand’s Wild Boar football team pays tribute to captain “Dom” after his sudden death
Thailand’s Wild Boar football team is paying tribute to Duangpetch “Dom” Promthep, 17, who died suddenly in England. As the captain of the 13 Wild Boars football team, “Dom” was rescued from the Tham Luang Cave in Chiang Rai back in 2018 after the cave flash-flooded leaving them trapped inside for 17 days. According to Khaosod English, the Associated Press…
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Mosquito bite in Thailand causes Dutchman to lose both legs
A Dutchman living in Nakhon Rathasima in Thailand is on a mission to spread awareness about “flesh-eating bacteria” (necrotising fasciitis) after a mosquito bite led to the amputation of his left leg and lower right leg. Long-term expat, 62 year old Ed Olieslagers from the Netherlands, went to the hospital in April last year after a mosquito bite became inflamed and…
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Chadchart admits Bangkok flood is challenging issue to solve
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt admits solving the flood predicament in the Udon Suk neighbourhood of the city is a complex matter, as some of the potential solutions will have profound impacts on residents living along the canal. An hour after the heavy rain hit the capital yesterday, several areas and roads in Bangkok were underwater, especially in Udom Suk, Bangna,…
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Russian forces putting Ukrainian children in re-education camps
A new report describes a dystopian nightmare, alleging Russia snatched thousands of Ukrainian children, intent on reprogramming them. The US-backed report published yesterday revealed that at least 6,000 Ukrainian children, and likely many more, have been held in Russian camps for political re-education. The report claims that there are at least 43 such camps, mostly in the disputed Crimea region of…
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Thailand’s diesel price set to drop
Thailand’s diesel price was set to drop yesterday. The country’s domestic price of diesel was expected to drop by 0.5 baht per litre, according to the Oil Fuel Fund Office (Offo). This is the second reduction in diesel prices this month, with another 0.5 baht per litre drop scheduled for February 22. Officials determined last week that the price would…
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Heroic doctor and nurse save panic attack passenger on Japan-Thailand flight
A quick-thinking doctor and nurse became heroes on a Japan to Thailand flight after they promptly administered aid to an anxious passenger suffering from a panic attack. Thai singer and actor Siwat “Tah” Sirichai shared the heartwarming story of two medical workers who went above and beyond the call of duty to save a passenger suffering from a panic attack…
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British diver from Thai cave rescue honours team captain who died in UK
A British diver who participated in the 2018 Thai cave rescue made a statement honouring the captain of the Wild Boars football team, who recently passed away in the UK. The diver, Rick Stanton, expressed his sorrow at the death of Duangphet Phromthep, the 17 year old student he helped to save. Stanton said he was “shocked and saddened” to…
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Hollywood’s golden era loses an icon, Raquel Welsh dies at 82
Raquel Welch, Hollywood icon, sex symbol, and trailblazer for modern-day action heroines, has died at the age of 82. The star, known for her sultry roles and sex symbol status, passed away on Wednesday morning after a brief illness. Welch’s career spanned over five decades, during which she appeared in more than 30 movies and 50 television shows. Her breakout…
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Reckless Bangkok GrabBike rider kills motorcycle taxi man, flees scene
A reckless GrabBike rider crashed his vehicle into a motorcycle taxi rider and killed him on the Ratchadapisek Road in Bangkok in the early hours of this morning. The suspect fled the scene leaving his drunk, injured passenger with the dead body. Motorists on Ratchadapisek Road reported the accident to the Sutthisarn Police Station at about 5.30am today. Police officers…
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Pattaya gains condom vending machines
Sex in Sin City just got safer as condoms were loaded into vending machines in two areas of Pattaya in the Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand, yesterday. The initiative is part of the National Health Security Office’s new campaign “Love Bang Love Safety” which aims to tackle teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. The project is being piloted in Pattaya, the…
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Live the high life: Get an affordable luxury property in Phuket!
Are you ready to take the leap and live your best life? Then the sun-kissed shores of Phuket is the perfect destination for you. Not only is it the ultimate destination for sun, sand, and surf, but it’s also a hotspot for affordable luxury properties. That’s right, you can have it all – stunning sea views, private pools, lush gardens,…
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5,000 year old tavern found in Iraq
Feel like your local pub is a bit old and dated? Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a tavern dating back almost 5,000 years in the ruins of ancient Lagash in southern Iraq. The site was uncovered in the northeast of the modern city of Nasiriyah by a US-Italian team. Southern Iraq was home to some of the earliest cities…
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Alleged macau888 gambling kingpin Benz Daemon arrested upon return to Thailand
Wanted alleged macau888 gambling kingpin Benz Daemon was finally arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport upon his return to Thailand last night to face gambling and money laundering charges. Chaiwat Kajornboonthavorn, aka “Benz Daemon,” was arrested and detained for interrogation at 9.30pm after arriving in Bangkok on a Thai Airways flight from Hong Kong. He denies the charges filed against him. Benz…
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Thailand’s LGBTQ couples push for marriage equality on Valentine’s Day
Thailand’s LGBTQ couples pushed for marriage equality on Valentine’s Day yesterday. The 128 LGBTQ couples in Bangkok and Ayutthaya took part in a marriage registration campaign. Dusit District Office and Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University held the campaign at Suan Sunandha Palace, which was decorated for the event. Authorities are hoping that this campaign is a starting point in passing the…
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IBM sues former Thai CEO after she moves to competitor
One of the world’s largest technology companies, the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), filed a lawsuit against the former Thai CEO of IBM Thailand, Patama Chantaruk, after she moved to work for the competitor before the non-disclosure agreement ended. According to a Bloomberg report, the 56 year old Patama joined IBM Thailand in 2018 as managing director and quit at…
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Jobseekers from the Philippines urged to be cautious when considering job offers overseas
Jobseekers from the Philippines are being urged to exercise caution when considering employment offers overseas. The Philippines government reported that illegal cross-country recruitment has been around for years with several Asian countries guilty of offering fake employment opportunities, trafficking individuals, and coercing applicants into working at fraudulent call centres. The Facebook page of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration Anti-Illegal Recruitment…
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Festival coming up at Sarasin Bridge in Phuket and Phang Nga
A festival is coming up at Sarasin Bridge, which connects Thailand’s island province of Phuket with Phang Nga province. This will be the 13th time the festival, called the ‘Baan Phi Muang Nong’ project, has been held. The festival will start on Friday, February 17, and last until Sunday, February 19. The festival will dazzle attendees with fireworks shows, live…
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The Crystal Grill House debuts at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park
Press Release Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park and Asset World Corp Public Company Limited (AWC) is inviting guests to step into a glamorous world of gastronomy and mixology at The Crystal Grill House, a stylish departure from a traditional steak and seafood restaurant on the banks of the Chao Phraya, Bangkok’s historic “River of Kings.” Situated directly on the waterside…
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