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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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Pitfall pursuit: Officer narrowly escapes injury while chasing wire thief in Pattaya
An officer from Pattaya City’s municipality experienced a close call while attempting to apprehend a wire thief in the early hours of the morning. The officer, Wittaya Sodavichit, fell into a five-meter-deep pit concealed by tall grass during the pursuit but fortunately did not sustain any injuries. The incident occurred at the Chaiyapruek Sports Stadium, where Wittaya was providing help…
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Eddie Izzard confirms preferred name Suzy and she/her pronouns
Comedian and activist Eddie Izzard has taken to social media to reaffirm her preference for the name “Suzy” and the pronouns “she/her.” Izzard, who has wanted to be called Suzy since the age of 10, expressed that she doesn’t mind being called Eddie and is fine with the pronouns “he/him” as well. The post received an outpouring of support from…
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Mother seeks answers on 6th anniversary of son’s unsolved Liverpool murder
Khadija Sonko, the mother of a young man who was shot dead in Liverpool six years ago, has expressed her desire to confront her son’s killer. Yusuf Sonko, aged 18 at the time, was fatally shot in the head on Tagus Street, Toxteth, around 8.30pm on June 2, 2017. He was only a week away from completing his A-Level exams.…
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Sizzling showdown: Heatwaves turn up the heat on China’s power grids
Southern and eastern China are bracing for ongoing heatwaves, putting pressure on power grids as air-conditioning demand skyrockets in major cities such as Shanghai. Over the next three days, most of southern China is predicted to experience temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius, with some areas exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, according to national forecasters. The extremely hot weather has been affecting…
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Shock and pasture: Lightning claims eight cows, local Thais fear supernatural shockwave
A lightning strike in Kalasin province killed eight cows sparking concerns among local villagers that it may have been caused by supernatural forces. In response, District Chief Aekarat Misa warned of the dangers of lightning and shared information on safety measures during a recent meeting. Following the incident on Monday, May 29, residents speculated on the cause, saying that, apart from…
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Pattaya loan sharks turn themselves in to cops after threatening reporter (video)
There’s been another incident involving loan sharks in Thailand. In Pattaya, two members of a loan shark gang turned themselves in to the cops after they threatened a freelance reporter earlier this week. The incident began when local Thai reporter, Buronsak Bunnodyom, asked the two men not to litter loan flyers in front of his residence on Soi 9, Central…
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Alzheimer’s-stricken driver saved by police, son hits brakes on car ownership (video)
Police rescued a 73 year old Thai man suffering from Alzheimer‘s disease after he drove his sedan for over 100 kilometres and got lost. His son now plans to sell the car to prevent his father from danger. Nithinan Sornsawat took to social media to search for his missing 73 year old father, Jong Sornsawat. The 43 year old explained…
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Step-grandfather accused of assaulting step-granddaughter: Family seeks justice
A 14 year old girl in Thailand has sought assistance from the police to arrest her 52 year old step-grandfather for sexually assaulting her several times over a year. Kanthat Phongsapibulayawetch, also known as Gun Jompalang, a social media influencer who helps people during crimes, visited the authorities with the girl, her 26 year old aunt, and other family members,…
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97 year old Thai grandmother abandoned on road by daughter, found soaking in rain
A 97 year old grandmother was abandoned in the middle of a road in the rain by her own daughter in Thailand‘s southern Ranong province. The elderly woman managed to crawl into the grassy area beside the road, where she was eventually found today by her distressed grandchildren. The road was in the middle of a residential area. Security camera…
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Decorated Australian soldier loses defamation case over war crime allegations
In a historic ruling, an Australian judge has determined that decorated soldier Ben Roberts-Smith lost a defamation case against three newspapers that accused him of committing war crimes in Afghanistan. The judge found the allegations against the former soldier to be “substantially true,” marking the first time an Australian court has evaluated accusations of war crimes committed by the country’s…
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Taste the sequel: Sea Bear Episode Two Food Festival takes Pattaya by storm
The highly anticipated Sea Bear Episode Two Food Festival yesterday officially kicked off at Central Mall on Pattaya Beach, offering a delicious seven-day culinary experience for food lovers. Running every day until June 7, the event takes place from 4pm to 10pm and boasts over 100 food vendors, celebrity chefs, and social media influencers. Sea Bear, the festival’s namesake, is…
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Manufacturing Expo 2023 eyes 6 billion baht business deals at Bangkok event
Exhibition organiser RX Tradex is gearing up to facilitate business matching deals worth an estimated 6 billion baht during the Manufacturing Expo 2023, which is set to take place later this month in Bangkok. The event will showcase new Thai manufacturing trends and is anticipated to boost investment in the country, according to Varaporn Dhamcharee, the managing director of RX Tradex.…
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Thai couple caught defrauding customers in online durian sale scam
Cyber police in Thailand have arrested a married couple for fraudulently selling durian, a famous fruit in the country, online. The couple, 36 year old Mr. Anon Maneephan and 23 year old Ms. Chiraphat Chaleowai, allegedly advertised durian for sale on social media, which many customers purchased by transferring funds for a deposit. However, they never received the fruits they…
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Phuket declared Thailand’s first rabies-free province by DDC
Phuket has been declared the first rabies-free province in Thailand by the Department of Disease Control (DDC). The announcement was made by Phuket Vice Governor Danai Sunantharod, who revealed that DDC Director General Tanet Kratsanaitawiwong praised the province’s successful efforts in preventing and controlling rabies in both animals and humans. This achievement comes after a steady decline in rabies-related deaths…
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Thai Man drowns in canal after getting entangled in fishing net
A tragic incident occurred when a 48 year old Thai man named Wichai drowned in a canal after getting entangled in a fishing net while collecting clams. The man suffered from poor health and typically would not undertake such tasks himself, but he had accepted a 200 baht order for clams. His lifeless body was spotted by a friend in…
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Thai Cabinet extends contracts of migrant workers, easing labour shortage fears
The Thai Cabinet‘s recent decision to extend employment contracts for over 200,000 migrant workers has alleviated concerns about a domestic labour shortage. Poj Aramwattananont, vice-chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and president of the Labour and Skill Development Committee, said the move addresses management issues related to migrant workers while easing the worker shortage in industries requiring intensive labour…
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Driver survives 2-day lorry plunge ordeal by eating cabbage, rescued by cattle herder
A lorry transporting Chinese cabbages plunged 80 metres into a ravine in Chiang Mai, leaving the driver trapped for two days and two nights. Miraculously, he survived by eating the cabbages before a cattle herder found him yesterday. In a dramatic rescue operation, emergency responders arrived on the scene at Huay Phak Kut curve in Mae Suek sub-district of Chiang…
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Thai stock market suffers as Stark Corporation defaults
Investors were cautioned by stock market regulators regarding Stark Corporation’s shares, as the company is expected to default on payments for corporate bonds valued at nearly 9.2 billion baht. Following a bondholders’ meeting, Stark announced its intention to “call default” on two bond series worth 2.24 billion baht within a month, raising concerns about the company’s ability to pay for…
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Thais urged to register for free flu vaccines amid low uptake
A new initiative by the National Health Security Office (NHSO) and the Ministry of Public Health is encouraging Thai citizens to register for a flu vaccine, which will be available for free until the end of August. The programme aims to curb the spread of influenza and other respiratory diseases. NHSO secretary-general Jadet Thamatthat-aree announced that free flu shots will…
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Abused Thai elephant in Sri Lanka set to be rescued
The Department of National Parks of Thailand is preparing to bring home an elephant named Plai Sak Surin, one of the three Thai elephants living in Sri Lanka, using an Ilyushin IL-76 cargo plane, in early July. Thailand gave Plai Sak Surin, also known as Muthu Raja in Sri Lanka, to the Sri Lankan government also known as Muthu Raja…
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Phillip Schofield counters allegations in emotional BBC interview
The power of televised testimony is no stranger to Phillip Schofield, who has spent over 40 years eliciting it and specialising in it for the past two decades on This Morning. Schofield also understands the enduring power of tabloids, which is why he agreed to an interview with The Sun and the BBC after a week of frenzied headlines, allegations,…
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Breast cancer survivor feels cast aside amid reconstructive surgery delays
Breast cancer survivor Karen Rogers, 57, from Magor, Monmouthshire, has expressed her frustration after her reconstructive surgery was postponed three times this year. Rogers underwent a mastectomy six years ago and has been waiting for reconstruction ever since. She shared how the delay has impacted her daily life, from her choice of clothing to the way she interacts with others.…
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NHS trial shows promise in blood test detecting 50+ cancer types
A major NHS trial has found that a blood test capable of detecting over 50 cancer types has demonstrated significant potential. The Galleri test accurately identified two-thirds of cancers in 5,000 patients in England and Wales who had visited their GP with suspected symptoms. In 85% of positive cases, the test also successfully located the origin of the cancer. The…
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Heartbreaking plea: Thai couple seeks urgent aid to save daughter from China nightmare
A distressed Thai couple residing in the Isaan province of Udon Thani made an urgent appeal to the Thai authorities, pleading for financial aid of 100,000 baht to rescue their daughter from a personal nightmare in China. The couple, identified as 52 year-old Man Duangnate and 55 year old Manee Duangnate, shared their heart-wrenching story with ThaiRath, unveiling the nightmarish…
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Govt likely to lose legal battle over Johnson’s WhatsApp messages, says minister
A UK minister has expressed doubt over the government’s chances of winning its legal case against the Covid inquiry. The case revolves around the inquiry’s demand for unredacted WhatsApp messages from Prime Minister Boris Johnson and 40 other ministers and officials. Science Minister George Freeman stated on BBC Question Time that he had “very little doubt” a court would rule…
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MFP aims to break Thailand’s alcohol monopoly
Hopes are high among small breweries and local distilleries in Thailand as the Move Forward Party (MFP) seeks to liberalise the alcohol industry. The current heavily monopolised industry has made it challenging for small businesses to thrive due to strict laws and regulations controlling production and retailing. Taopiphop Limjittrakorn, the MFP MP in Bangkok’s Constituency 22 and a leading liquor…
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BTS to invest in Yellow Line’s missing link to MRT’s Green Line
The Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTS) expressed its readiness to invest in a 2.6-kilometre extension that would connect its Yellow Line monorail to the Green Line of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRT) at Ratchayothin and Lat Phrao stations. Surapong Laoha-Unya, CEO of BTS, stated that the extension would be advantageous for commuters and that the company…
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Mysterious death: Thai man found lifeless in auctioned building triggers Rayong investigation
Rayong police have launched an investigation into the mysterious death of an unemployed Thai man, whose lifeless body was discovered yesterday in an auctioned commercial building. Authorities are exploring various potential causes of death, including pre-existing health conditions or the possibility of intentional suicide. Police became aware that the new owner of the building had repeatedly requested the 52 year…
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Bangkok considers Japanese central kitchen system for school lunches
Is there a solution to improve the quality of Thai schools’ cafeteria food? The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is exploring the possibility of implementing a central kitchen system, similar to the one used in Japan, to enhance the quality of school lunches in Thailand. The central kitchen concept was introduced by Nobuko Tanaka, a former Japanese school lunch specialist, during…
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Royal streak: Thai man arrested for naked motorcycle ride and nude hotel stroll
Police arrested a Thai man after he rode his motorcycle naked and strolled majestically around a hotel in the buff in Chacheongsao province near Bangkok. Prompted by a notification, officers from Bang Pakong Police Station swiftly responded to the Blue Diamond Hotel in the Bang Pakong district of Chachoengsao province at 8am yesterday. The report indicated that a 31 year…
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