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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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Navy ship sinks in Gulf of Thailand: 77 rescued, 4 dead, 24 missing
UPDATE 4 In a press release this afternoon, the Royal Thai Navy reported the results of their continued search for missing sailors from the HTMS Sukhothai which sank in the Gulf of Thailand on Sunday. On Sunday night, 75 crew members were rescued from the sinking ship. Navy vessels have since found two more sailors alive in the Gulf of…
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Floods hit Malaysia hard, tens of thousands displaced
Floods are hitting Malaysia hard leaving tens of thousands of people displaced. As of last night, 45,000 victims had been evacuated to relief centres in five states in Malaysia’s peninsula. The state of Terengganu was hit the hardest, with 29,717 victims from 8,214 families evacuated. The district most impacted in Terengganu was Kemaman, with 8,375 victims from 2,109 families evacuated. There…
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2 Chinese and 17 Thais arrested for illegal money lending apps
On Thursday, Thai police reported the arrests of two Chinese citizens and 17 Thais for operating several illegal money lending applications charging interest rates of 2,080 percent per year. The Center for Countering Abuse by Loan Sharks of the Royal Thai Police investigated more than 40 illegal money lending applications after numerous victims filed complaints in the last 12 months.…
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Burmese workers in Bangkok protest for 600 baht minimum wage
Burmese migrants rallied in Bangkok yesterday, on International Migrants Day, to ask the government to increase the minimum wage to 600 baht per day and care about the rights of migrant workers in Thailand. More than 100 Burmese citizens under the group name “Bright Future” gathered outside the Embassy of Myanmar near Saint Louis BTS Station at 2pm. Burmese migrants…
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Thai man reportedly intoxicated injures Russian motorcyclist in Pattaya crash
A reportedly intoxicated Thai man severely injured a Russian motorcyclist in a crash in Pattaya early this morning. Rescuers arrived at the scene on Soi Jomtien 11 to find the Russian man severely injured and bleeding. The rescuers found the man’s motorcycle nearby. They rushed him to the nearest hospital. The rescuers found the Thai pickup truck driver, 34 year…
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Twitter poll respondents tell Musk to step down, so he changes rules
Elon Musk’s Twitter has been the definition of a hot mess. After the latest round of controversies, Musk – now fallen to the world’s second richest man – launched a poll asking if he should step down. When the poll didn’t go the way he planned (or did it?!), he changed the rules of who could participate in future polls.…
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Man allegedly strangles ex-wife and dumps her body on roadside in northeast Thailand
A Thai man allegedly strangled his ex-wife to death before dumping her body on the side of the road in Chaiyaphum province in northeast Thailand last night. Police have issued a warrant for his arrest. The body of 36 year old Jib was found on the roadside in Kaeng Khro District early this morning. Police say it was clear she…
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Thousands attend run-walk in Chon Buri to raise money for children’s organisations
Thousands of Chon Buri dwellers attended a running and walking event for a good cause on Sunday. The event, titled the ‘SVT Run 2022 Charity For Kids,’ raised money for two children’s organisations. One organisation, Baan Jing Jai, is an orphanage. The other organisation, Baan Kru Ja, is a centre helping children victims of abuse and trafficking. Over 2000 people turned…
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Corpse found in Bangkok water tank might not be a murder case
UPDATE A 27 year old woman from Myanmar believes the corpse discovered in a water tank in Bangkok yesterday is her deceased sister. She does not believe her sister was murdered. Wen, who rents a room next to the disused building where the corpse was discovered, asked police to see the body and inspect the scene as she believed it…
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Gunman kills 5 in condo shooting near Toronto
A gunman killed five people in a shooting at a condominium near Toronto, Canada. The gunman, 73 year old Francesco Velli, fatally shot five people before police killed him. The incident happened in the city of Vaughan on Sunday night. The five people who Velli brutally killed include three men and two women. Velli also injured a 66 year old…
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New restaurants in Phuket to try this December 2022
If you’re looking for a new, high-end restaurant to try in Phuket this December, then look no further! From cosy beach-side eateries to grand, five-star restaurants, Phuket has it all. We’ve rounded up some of the best restaurants in the city that are sure to tantalise your taste buds and make your culinary experience in Phuket even more memorable. From…
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Taxi drives off forgetting Norwegian tourist at petrol station in Thailand
A Norwegian man took a taxi from Trat to Bangkok yesterday afternoon. After stopping at a petrol station in Chon Buri province to buy snacks, the driver drove off without him. The cabby drove 60 kilometres before realising his passenger had vanished. A Thai woman at the petrol station on the Setthakit Chon Buri – Baan Bueng Road saw the…
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Dining carriages and catering trolleys return to Thai trains
Dining carriages and catering trolleys are back in service on Thailand’s trains after a two-year hiatus, according to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). The SRT suspended all food and drink services in April 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Certain busy routes stop running completely to prevent outbreaks of the virus. However, Thailand is slowly but surely moving…
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Navy rescues German man with heart failure from cruise ship in Gulf of Thailand
Officers from the Royal Thai Navy battled against strong waves to help a German man who suffered from heart failure on a cruise ship in Thailand‘s waters last night. The MEIN SCHIFF 5 cruise ship departed from Chon Buri province and was headed for Singapore when 73 year old passenger Bernd Joachim Max Thiele, of German nationality, fell unwell about…
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Thailand tops BBC poll for Southeast Asia travel
A recent BBC poll saw Thailand on the top of the list of most desired destinations to travel to in Southeast Asia. BBC News conducted a poll of people planning a trip from Europe and North America to Southeast Asia in July. Thailand topped the list with 57.4% of people responding that they would be likely to visit the kingdom.…
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China releases first Covid fatality rates after loosening restrictions
China is reporting its first fatality rates after the recent loosening of Covid restrictions. According to CNBC, three people died over the weekend after contracting Covid-19 marking the first fatalities since the last report in May. All three were aged 87 to 91 and lived in Beijing. Last Sunday alone, Beijing reported more than 26,000 infections, both symptomatic and asymptomatic.…
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Navy rescues 1 sailor from Gulf of Thailand, 30 still missing
UPDATE 3 Last night, the Royal Thai Navy rescued one missing sailor – Chief Petty Officer Natee Timdee – found floating in the Gulf of Thailand. Natee was unconscious when he was found but his condition is now “safe.” The navy reports that 30 sailors are still missing. At 8:45pm, the HTMS Kraburi docked at Prachuap Pier after patrolling the…
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Finnish man found sleeping in road after motorbike crash
When it comes to drinking, some people know their limits. And some people… well… some people are like a Finnish man recently scooped up off the street in Pattaya late at night. The tourist wasn’t dead though. He was just so drunk that he passed out driving his motorbike home and was found sleeping in the middle of the busy…
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Over 2,000 tourists leave Koh Samui by plane amidst huge waves
Over 2,000 tourists left Koh Samui by plane yesterday amidst the ongoing huge waves wreaking havoc on Thailand’s waters. Waves were up to 4 metres high in the Gulf of Thailand near Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan, and Koh Tao. Boats were banned from leaving ports on Koh Samui yesterday, and a total of 2,400 tourists left the island by…
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The UN reaches historic biodiversity agreement to protect one-third of planet by 2030
The United Nations has reached a historic biodiversity agreement that will aim to protect one-third of the planet by 2030. The landmark deal is aimed at safeguarding diversity by protecting vital ecosystems such as wetlands and rainforests and indigenous peoples’ rights. The agreement came at the COP15 UN biodiversity summit in Montreal, Canada. Previously the summit was set to be…
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Thailand to promote tourism to Pattaya in new campaign
Thailand is gearing up to focus on promoting the beach town of Pattaya as part of its new tourism campaign. Known as the country’s “sin city”, it will reportedly be part of the “Amazing Thailand, Amazing New Chapters” campaign put forth by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Partnering with Tiger Airline, the authority will launch the “Fresh Up Chonburi Family…
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Thailand to open all land border crossings next year
Thailand is planning to open all land border crossings with neighbouring countries next year. The move is reportedly part of an effort to facilitate the transportation of goods to help restart one aspect of the economy. The Department of Foreign Trade says it will negotiate with Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and Malaysia to reopen all 97 land borders and hold trade…
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Body and 9 sailors found alive by oil tanker are not from HTMS Sukhothai, says navy
UPDATE 2 The Royal Thai Navy says the nine sailors found alive and one dead body discovered by an oil tanker in the Gulf of Thailand are not crew members from the HTMS Sukhothai which sank off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan province last night as widely reported in Thai media. At least four boats sank in Thailand’s waters…
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Pheu Thai Party wants to reform tourism, cut red tape
The Pheu Thai Party is calling for reform of the way Thailand approaches tourism, though its focus seems to be the same as the ruling party’s. The opposition party held a brainstorming session on Friday to discuss how to improve tourism in Thailand. They stressed branching out and eliminating outdated red tape, but also put their hope squarely on medical…
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Where to celebrate New Year’s in Phuket (2023)
Phuket is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world and it’s no wonder why. With its stunning beaches, vibrant nightlife, delicious food, and unique culture, Phuket is the perfect place to celebrate the 2023 New Year. From spectacular fireworks displays to beach parties to cultural events, there’s something for everyone when it comes to ringing in the…
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Builder discovers corpse inside water tank in Bangkok, Thailand
Police are launching a murder investigation after a builder discovered a corpse stuffed into a water tank at a disused building in Bangkok this morning. Doctors estimate that the deceased died six months ago. At 10:10am, officers from Bangkok’s Hua Mak Police Station travelled to a four-storey building in Ramkhamhaeng Soi 1 in Suan Luang district to investigate the discovery of…
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Fierce snowstorm pounds Japan, disrupts public transport
A fierce snowstorm is pounding Japan after starting its wrath on the Sea of Japan coast one day ago, disrupting public transportation. The snowfall caused five trains on the Yamagata Shinkansen line to be suspended due to fallen trees and pantograph problems. The line runs between Tokyo and the northeast city of Shinjo. Meanwhile, one train from Tokyo to Yamagata…
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UK Tesco accused of using slave labour in Thailand
The UK’s Tesco supermarket chain is being accused of using slave labour in Thailand. According to a Guardian investigation, Burmese workers who made jeans for Tesco Lotus in Thailand, allegedly worked 99-hour weeks. And, their received wages were allegedly too low to make the cut legally. The investigation also found that their working conditions were considered quite harsh. Tesco faces…
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Phuket pickup truck accident injures three people in front of school
A Phuket truck accident injured three people in front of a school on Thursday. A pickup truck overturned and crashed into another pickup truck in front of Thai Rath Wittaya School on Wichit Songkram Road in Kathu district. CCTV footage of the incident found that the driver of a black pickup truck lost control at a curve before overturning and…
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Navy ship sinks in the Gulf of Thailand, 84 rescued, 1 dead, 21 missing
False information in this story has been updated. In total, 84 members of the Royal Thai Navy have been rescued from the Gulf of Thailand after the HTMS Sukhothai navy vessel sank to the bottom of the sea last night amid rough conditions. One body has been recovered and 21 crew members are still missing. As of noon today, the…
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