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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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    Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run

    Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...

  • Iranian Kurdish football player arrested after speaking out

    Iranian Kurdish football player arrested after speaking out

    Iranian authorities arrested a former member of the country’s national football team on November 24. Voria Ghafouri was arrested for “insulting the national soccer team and propagandising against the government,” Iranian media reported. Ghafouri, who was not chosen to go to the World Cup, is a member of Iran’s Kurdish ethnic minority. He recently called for an end to the…

  • What makes Tops Fine Food the ideal place to shop for premium food in Bangkok

    What makes Tops Fine Food the ideal place to shop for premium food in Bangkok

    Grocery shopping is usually considered a chore, but it doesn’t have to be! Tops Fine Food Thailand is changing the game by making grocery shopping an exciting experience. Tops Fine Food is Central Retail’s newest food destination that’ll enhance your shopping experience. According to Stephane Coum, Chief Executive Officer of Food Group, Central Retail, the launch of Tops Fine Food…

  • Angry woman sets fire to her boyfriend’s Pattaya room

    Angry woman sets fire to her boyfriend’s Pattaya room

    A Thai woman in Pattaya gave new meaning to the phrase “in the heat of passion.” After accusing her boyfriend of having an affair, the enraged woman set fire to his rented apartment room. The incident took place early yesterday morning in Nong Prue. At about 1.30am, Nong Prue Police were notified of a fire in a rental room on…

  • Poll examines sexual violence causes, definitions

    Poll examines sexual violence causes, definitions

    A new NIDA Poll has shed some light on what modern Thai society believes is sexual violence and what causes it. The poll, conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), asked about what people thought were the major root causes of sexual violence. They also asked whether a variety of scenarios would be considered to fall under that…

  • Military mum calls for justice over slain son

    Military mum calls for justice over slain son

    A military mum called for justice over the death of her son, an army private from Uthai Thani province. She called for a full investigation, accusing 11 other soldiers of beating her son to death in a punishment cell. The funeral of Pvt Kajornsak, 24, of the Fourth Infantry Division, took place at Thung Luang temple in the Nong Chang…

  • Why aren’t tourists returning to Khao San Road?

    Why aren’t tourists returning to Khao San Road?

    The past few years have been dark for tourism in Thailand and around the world. The Covid-19 global pandemic closed borders and killed tourism in so many crucial areas. Khao San Road, the vibrant, bustling backpacker haven of Thailand’s capital city of Bangkok quickly fell into a desolate ghost town. Now, the last pandemic restrictions have been lifted, and the…

  • A burglar, in a hole, in the roof, in the night

    A burglar, in a hole, in the roof, in the night

    A Nakhon Si Thammarat burglar, well-known to authorities, who dropped in from the ceiling rather than breaking in through a window or door was taken to the police by his long-suffering mother following his latest exploits. At about 2am the morning before, a thief had dropped in from the roof of a teacher’s home in the district and demanded 500…

  • World Cup to be shown in Thai prison

    World Cup to be shown in Thai prison

    If you’re a huge fan of crime, but also a huge fan of football, you may have been discouraged from pulling off any heists for fear of missing the FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar. Don’t worry, now you can go out and commit that crime! The director-general of the Corrections Department has announced the World Cup will be shown in…

  • Thai gangs traffic Kenyans to Myanmar scam factories

    Thai gangs traffic Kenyans to Myanmar scam factories

    Thai gangs trafficked more than 60 Kenyans who have been rescued from Laos and Myanmar over the last few months after call-centre jobs turned out to be a cover for cybercrime, prostitution and even organ theft. According to Kenya’s foreign affairs ministry, at least one Kenyan has died as a result of a botched operation in Myanmar. A 31 year…

  • Deep South emergency decree extended 3 months

    Deep South emergency decree extended 3 months

    After a recent car bombing of police apartments in the Deep South province of Narathiwat, the Emergency Situation Administration Committee decided to extend the state of emergency decree in the troubled Southern provinces. The extension means that the current state of emergency will not end on December 20 as scheduled, but will instead continue until March 19 at the earliest.…

  • Inmate who escaped Khon Kaen hospital back in custody

    Inmate who escaped Khon Kaen hospital back in custody

    An inmate convicted of drug charges who escaped from a Khon Kaen hospital on Friday has been recaptured. He had been taken to Phon Hospital for treatment and in the wee hours of Friday morning made a daring escape. He tried to flee and hide but he was found just 300 metres from the hospital. The 41 year old man…

  • Masks recommended in crowds amid Covid increase

    Masks recommended in crowds amid Covid increase

    If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the Covid-19 pandemic it’s that people just absolutely love wearing masks. They can’t wait to start wearing them when outbreaks occur, and they look forward to wearing them regularly for the foreseeable future. For those of you who love wearing masks, the Ministry of Public Health advised yesterday that, in crowded places, wearing…

  • Late night drinking hopes dashed by Alcohol Control Committee

    Late night drinking hopes dashed by Alcohol Control Committee

    The dream of boozing late into the early hours of the morning is dead, at least for now. The Thai Alcohol Control Committee ruled against the proposal to extend the legal hours for alcohol sales until 4am. The ruling was made after a widespread push gained momentum and support from politicians and business operators, especially in tourist areas. The committee…

  • Why Pattaya? Is Pattaya worth visiting in 2023?

    Why Pattaya? Is Pattaya worth visiting in 2023?

    https://youtu.be/zHmu5_Ml7is 1. Nightlife of Pattaya The vibrant nightlife in Pattaya is one of the best attractions. As dusk falls, this location transforms into the ultimate party spot. The vibrant atmosphere that prevails at night is a key factor in the high number of tourists who come here. Numerous other activities and countless bars will keep partygoers busy all night. Many…

  • Iconic chef “Alain DUCASSE” returns to Bangkok for 3rd anniversary celebrations of Blue by Alain Ducasse

    Iconic chef “Alain DUCASSE” returns to Bangkok for 3rd anniversary celebrations of Blue by Alain Ducasse

    Press Release This month, the award-winning Blue by Alain Ducasse, led by Executive Chef Wilfrid Hocquet, celebrates three years of delivering contemporary French dining rooted in a culinary vision of tradition and modernity. Located in ICONLUXE, ICONSIAM, on the banks of the historic Chao Phraya River, the first restaurant in Thailand by the iconic mentor chef, Alain Ducasse celebrates its…

  • VIDEO: Naked Russian man walks around with erection in Koh Samui

    VIDEO: Naked Russian man walks around with erection in Koh Samui

    A naked Russian man was spotted cavorting in Koh Samui yesterday. According to witness Justin Ross Lee, an American expat, the drunk man had somehow managed to find himself in the Secret Garden beach resort mixing with shocked leisure seekers. Lee told The Thaiger… “A drunk guy who was speaking Russian was walking on the beach naked with an erection…

  • E-San Music Festival draws thousands to northeast Thailand this weekend

    E-San Music Festival draws thousands to northeast Thailand this weekend

    E-san Music Festival returns for a 10th time in Khon Kaen province in northeast Thailand this weekend. At least 100,000 people are expected to attend. The hippie festival, dubbed “Thailand’s Woodstock,” draws Thais and foreign tourists to Khon Kaen year-in-and-year-out. Usually, E-san Music Festival is held at the province’s giant Ubonratana Dam in the Phu Wiang district. However, the dam…

  • Man savaged to death by his pet wild boar

    Man savaged to death by his pet wild boar

    A 68 year old man was savaged to death by his pet wild boar. The boar was later shot dead by the victim’s neighbour after the beast tried to carry out another attack. A neighbour notified police that the victim, Amnuay Suriwong, was attacked by the wild boar in the Ang Thong sub-district of Kampaengphet province. Amnuay was already dead…

  • 14 computer hackers arrested for spamming over 115 govt sites with gambling ads

    14 computer hackers arrested for spamming over 115 govt sites with gambling ads

    Fourteen computer crooks were arrested yesterday after hacking into 115 government websites and spamming them with online gambling advertising banners. The Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD), under the Royal Thai Police, discovered last month that dozens of government websites had been spammed with illegal gambling websites. More than 50 gambling websites were spotted on 115 official websites. Most of the…

  • Murdered transwoman thrown into canal ‘still alive’ in central Thailand

    Murdered transwoman thrown into canal ‘still alive’ in central Thailand

    The court has denied bail to the delivery driver suspected of murdering the transwoman whose body was found floating in a canal in Pathum Thani province just north of Bangkok in central Thailand on Wednesday. The killer picked up 29 year old Piyada “Goya” Sorrakun in his Mazda 2 from Lumpini Park on Tuesday night. In the car, he threatened…

  • Pattaya International Fireworks Festival 2022 starts today

    Pattaya International Fireworks Festival 2022 starts today

    Pattaya International Fireworks Festival 2022 will illuminate the skyline of Central Pattaya Beach tonight and tomorrow. The festival in Pattaya presents several amazing fireworks displays from countries including Belgium, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Canada. Visitors can sit and enjoy the event along the beach from 7.30pm onward. Beach beds are available at an affordable 50 baht each while restaurants along…

  • Mainland researcher writes that Chinese created Egyptian civilisations and then deletes it after backlash

    Mainland researcher writes that Chinese created Egyptian civilisations and then deletes it after backlash

    A Chinese mainland researcher is garnering backlash after penning an article stating that his country created Egyptian civilisations. The article has caused an online backlash, prompting him to delete it amid triggering a formal investigation. Senior researcher, Yu Ruijun, at the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Zhangjiakou city in Hebei province, claimed that there was “a great deal of evidence…

  • Wanted murderer arrested in Thailand after 11 years on the run

    Wanted murderer arrested in Thailand after 11 years on the run

    A man wanted for the murder of his former mother-in-law has been arrested by police in Nakhon Ratchasima province in northeast Thailand after 11 years on the run. After shooting dead his mother-in-law, he physically assaulted his ex-wife until she was seriously injured and kidnapped their two year old before dumping the young child in the middle of the road.…

  • Officials expand northeast Thailand’s Naga tourism with new travel route

    Officials expand northeast Thailand’s Naga tourism with new travel route

    Officials are expanding northeast Thailand’s Naga tourism with an exciting new travel route. The route stops at places in the region where people can worship the mythical serpent. The route is organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)’s Udon Thani office. Tourists on the route visit places of worship in the Udon Thani, Nong Khai, and Bueng Kan provinces.…

  • UK stops instalment of Chinese cameras in government buildings over security risks

    UK stops instalment of Chinese cameras in government buildings over security risks

    The UK is stopping the instalment of new Chinese-made cameras in government buildings citing security risks. Such Chinese companies may be subjected to China’s security laws, with Britain advising to disconnect them from core computer networks. According to The Straits Times, the government furthered that such cameras should be removed altogether in a written statement to Parliament. Cabinet Office minister…

  • High-risk drivers to get full access to Tesla’s driver assistance system

    High-risk drivers to get full access to Tesla’s driver assistance system

    High-risk drivers in North America are now allowed full access to Tesla’s controversial driver-assistance system in a move that has some questioning the company’s intentions. Previously, the feature was only approved for buyers who were considered safe drivers, whatever that means, in North America, but now it is available to all. CEO Elon Musk says the Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta…

  • ‘Fake’ seed blamed for Thailand’s disgrace in rice Olympiad

    ‘Fake’ seed blamed for Thailand’s disgrace in rice Olympiad

    “Fake” seed has been blamed for Thailand’s embarrassing second place in last week’s international rice Olympiad in Phuket. Following national humiliation at the hands of Cambodian farmers, a government investigation into the disaster blamed “fake seed” for the disgrace. Natthakit Khongthip, the man carrying the can for the catastrophe, on Thursday described the offending seed behind Thailand’s national as “inauthentic.”…

  • Woman injured after Mercedes-Benz catches fire in Chon Buri

    Woman injured after Mercedes-Benz catches fire in Chon Buri

    A woman has been injured after her Mercedes-Benz caught fire in Chon Buri on Wednesday night. The car was engulfed in flames at the entrance of the Naphaphan Land Village on Sukhumvit Road inbound to Rayong province. The village is located in the Sattahip district. The driver, 39 year old Jidapha Rungruangkon, sustained non-life-threatening chest injuries. Fortunately, she managed to…

  • Thai Airways increases flights to Singapore

    Thai Airways increases flights to Singapore

    Next month, Thai Airways will increase its Bangkok – Singapore roundtrip frequency from 21 times per week to 28 times per week. The extra flights will help meet the high demand during the festive season. Commencing December 12, THAI’s Bangkok – Singapore service will run four times every day as follows… Flight TG403 will leave Bangkok at 8am and land…

  • Polish tourist killed in Phuket vehicle crash

    Polish tourist killed in Phuket vehicle crash

    A Polish tourist was tragically killed in a vehicle crash in Phuket’s town of Kamala yesterday. The 69 year old man crashed his motorbike into a taxi car on Patong Road. Rescuers dashed to the scene to find the man lying on the road, having sustained severe head injuries. The taxi car and the motorbike were both damaged. The taxi…