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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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Biggest joke – Big Joke fired as puppet master Chuvit pulls strings
National police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas has relieved Pol Gen Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn of command of the “Tuhao” investigation and taken control of the investigation into the crime syndicates run by Chaiyanat Kornchayanant. Big Joke has been fired apparently to appease “supergrass” Chuvit Kamolvisit, who appears now to be the de facto leader of the investigation. Damrongsak said…
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Jealous husband shoots his wife before committing suicide
A jealous husband with mental health issues shot and killed his wife yesterday morning because he suspected her of having an affair before turning the gun on himself in the Kabin Buri district. Police were called to a house at 4.50am in Moo 1 village in tambon Lat Takhian after shots were heard coming from the house of a young…
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Patong deckchair touts must double capacity to survive
Patong’s deckchair touts – the legal ones – want local authorities to double the number of chairs and umbrellas, claiming that the existing quantity is insufficient to meet demand on Phuket’s Patong Beach. Only 10% of Patong Beach has been allocated to about 60 small-time operators, as part of a new attempt to limit their operations along the entire beach.…
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Two of four robbers still missing after gold shop shooting
Two out of four suspects remain at large after an attempted gold shop robbery that ended in a hail of bullets. Four people tried to break into a gold shop in the Muang district of the northern province of Tak on Thursday. But they did not expect to be faced with a shop owner who is a champion marksman. He…
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Boat catches fire while anchored at Phuket marina
Earlier this morning, a tour boat moored at a pier in Phuket caught fire causing damages but no injuries or deaths. The incident took place at about 7.30am in the Muang district. Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew reported that no one was on board the ship at the time of the fire, so there were no injuries or fatalities, but the…
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Tourism milestone: Thailand celebrates 10 millionth visitor
Yesterday marked a milestone for Thailand tourism as the 10 millionth international traveller arrived in the kingdom. Visitors were welcomed at each of Thailand’s seven international airports as well as two land immigration checkpoints. One lucky passenger was showered with gifts at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on hand for the festivities. The landmark was dubbed…
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Not holding water – Phuket authorities blameless for floods
Phuket authorities, blameless for this year’s floods, have decided that the sale of government land was behind the recent inundations and landslides on the island. During a disaster mitigation forum at Phuket Rajabhat University, authorities were able to demonstrate their innocence again and again. The new owners of former government land built an unauthorised dam, completely contrary to the purpose…
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Cambodian assault victim – ex-wife of Australian boss denies involvement
The ex-wife of an Australian man whose Cambodian employee was assaulted by two Polish men last month has been forced to deny any involvement in the shocking crime. Katanyuta Oche, 49 years old, of Nakhon Ratchasima, told reporters that she heard in media reports that she was accused of involvement in the case in Pattaya. Katanyuta denied knowing the Polish…
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Fine Dining with a Phuket View | Amari Phuket
https://youtu.be/qAP2-loBVpE Join Natty Warisa and Jay for a 5 Star Fine DIning Foodie Journey, as they take you to some of their favorite dining spots in Phuket, Thailand. In this episode, they will be highlighting the must have Phuketian foods at Rim Talay Restaurant, Amari Phuket’s beach side restaurant where you can watch the island slowly awaken with color over…
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Fearless Facebook page sells counterfeit banknotes
Maybe he didn’t know it was illegal? Thai social media is aflutter over my Facebook page that unabashedly offered counterfeit Thai banknotes for sale. With fake money being offered for sale so brazenly, some people are even questioning whether these counterfeit bills are already in their wallets. The popular Thai page Panda Lab Doctor brought attention to this website with…
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Pattaya Walking Street cannabis sellers need, but cannot get, licenses
In the battle to regulate cannabis after its decriminalisation, street stalls in Pattaya may be the next to fall. Police are warning market and street vendors that they cannot sell cannabis products without a license. The catch is, licenses can only be obtained for businesses with a legal address, which pop-up stalls do not have. Last night, The Pattaya News…
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An Azur Air flight circles Phuket for hours, then aborts
An Azur Air flight intended for Russia never made and no one is saying why. The flight took off toward Novosibirsk after a five-hour delay but never made it past the Andaman Sea. It circled for hours and ended up back in Phuket leaving about 200 passengers stranded. Azur Air flight ZF3750 was supposed to depart at 3.50pm yesterday toward…
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UPDATE: Polish men identified after assaulting Cambodian woman
Police in Pattaya have now issued arrest warrants for two Polish men that have been identified in a brutal attack on a young Cambodian woman. She was violently attacked and tortured in Chon Buri province in eastern Thailand. The young woman says she was tricked by Polish men who said they wanted to pay her to draw something. She says…
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Document forgers arrested in Chon Buri
Police have arrested document forgers in Chon Buri and Kanchanaburi in connection with the forgery of bank and salary statements that were used to defraud loan companies out of about 20 million baht (US$600,000). Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said yesterday that Satawat Chaengchawee and Wanwisa Pramjon were arrested at their home in the…
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Canadian hitman in Phuket killing moves closer to extradition
The Canadian hitman accused of killing a Vancouver gangster in Phuket is one step closer to extradition after a ruling from an Alberta judge. Matthew Dupre was committed to extradition Friday, to be surrendered to Thailand to be tried for his involvement in the death of Jimi Singh Sandhu. Dupre was a member of the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan…
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The Ultimate Thrill & Chill, Day & Night Place in Phuket | Blue Tree Phuket
Join Natty Warisa and Jay in the ultimate thrill and chill, day and night venue in Phuket, the Blue Tree Phuket. Originally known for its fun filled activities, which include cliff jumping, ziplining, wakeboarding, paddle boarding and is home to Thailand’s longest slider, the iconic Super Fly,Blue Tree Phuket has now evolved to becoming one of the best entertainment hubs…
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VIDEO: Thieves mess with the wrong gold shop owner in northern Thailand
Four thieves attempted to rob a gold shop at gunpoint yesterday in the Mueang district of Tak province in northern Thailand. Turns out the gold shop owner is a shooting competition champion. At 12.55pm, a gang of thieves shot through Yaowarat gold shop’s glass shopfront and let themselves in. As one of the robbers tried to cut through the steel…
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Pattaya visa legend dies of cancer
The Pattaya expat community is saddened to learn today that one of its most loved members, Darren McGarry, has died suddenly after a long battle with cancer. Manchester-born McGarry was the founder of the successful Pattaya-based visa company Key Visa, reported Pattaya Mail. He established a business in Bangkok before moving to Pattaya almost 30 years ago where he married…
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Transport officials expect tens of thousands of bus travellers in Thailand during three-day weekend.
Transport officials expect tens of thousands of domestic bus travellers in Thailand during the three-day weekend from December 10-12. The managing director of the state-run Transport Co Ltd., Sanyalak Panwattanalikhit, said the company has about 3,000 trips to facilitate during these days. Sanyalak said that over 227,386 people travelled during the last long weekend from December 2-5, for Thai Father’s Day.…
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Chinese tourist found dead in Phuket
A Chinese tourist has been found dead in Phuket yesterday. The 46 year old woman was found hanging from a durian tree in the Sakhu district, The Phuket News reported. A local woman, 60 year old Churaiwan Lengyi, told police she found the Chinese woman’s body when she went out to check if her laundry had dried. She alerted a…
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Teen protestor claims police harassment
A child protestor aged only 13 is claiming he was followed and harassed by police after a protest at Sanam Luang – Democracy Monument – on Fathers’ Day earlier this week. “Oia” (pseudonym) said that on Monday he tried to stage a protest calling for the repeal of the royal defamation law during an event commemorating the birthday of the…
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Thailand’s Full Moon Party attracts 12,000 tourists
At least 12,000 foreign and Thai tourists attended Thailand’s final Full Moon Party of the year last night on Koh Pha Ngan island in Surat Thani province, southern Thailand. A downpour of rain didn’t stop revellers from singing, dancing, and drinking on the island’s Haad Rin Beach on the 15th lunar night of 2022. Koh Pha Ngan administrative officials, officers…
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Eight celebrities to join Japanese tycoon in space venture around the moon
Eight celebrities have been chosen to join eccentric Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa next year on an ambitious plan to fly around the moon. Maezawa announced on Twitter today that he will be accompanied by an unorthodox crew of DJ and producer Steve Aoki of the United States, US YouTuber Tim Dodd, Czech artist Yemi AD, Irish photographer Rhiannon Adam, British…
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In northeast Thailand, a pretty camping site is being offered for free
In Thailand’s northeast Nakhon Ratchasima province, the Department of Rural Roads is letting tourists stay at a pretty camping site for free. The site is located between markers Km18 and Km19 on Rural Road 3052 of Wang Nam Khiao district. It overlooks the Baan San Kamphaeng Reservoir. There is a lane along the reservoir where people can walk, jog, and…
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From soapy king to supersleuth, Chuwit’s rehabilitation
The rehabilitation of soapy massage king Chuwit Kamolvisit continues. The controversial former Thai politician was once the country’s biggest massage parlour owner and fondly known throughout the kingdom as the “tub tycoon.” Chuwit acknowledged paying hefty bribes to many Thai police officers after he was arrested in 2003 but then decided to go legit. The 61 year old sold most of…
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‘Pattaya Coffee on the Beach’ festival coming up tomorrow
Pattaya coffee enthusiasts have a special treat coming up tomorrow. The Pattaya Coffee on the Beach Festival 2022 will be held from December 10-11, Saturday to Sunday, on North Pattaya Beach. The festival will be held from 8am to 8pm each day, The Pattaya News reported. The festival is set to include over 60 cafes, food stalls, and activities on…
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Polish men attack Cambodian woman with acid, knife and hammer in Thailand
A young Cambodian woman says she was brutally attacked by Polish men in Chon Buri province in eastern Thailand. The attackers slashed her with a knife, beat her with a hammer, and threw acid on her face, body, and genitals, leaving her dripping with blood and in need of 260 stitches. Yesterday, the Secretary-General of the People’s Advocacy Team Foundation…
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Dengue fever in Thailand: How the zebra-striped mosquito wreaks havoc on residents
We have all heard that mosquitoes are the most dangerous creature to encounter. But, what kind of havoc does a tiny, zebra-striped mosquito in Thailand (and other sub-tropical areas) actually wreak on humans? Well, the answer is the widely-feared Dengue or DENV virus. As it comes in four lovely serotypes, the virus that is transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito…
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Sold or stolen – South Korean adoptees seek truth
South Korean adoptees seek the truth as the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) begins to look into the stories of hundreds of adoptees taken to Europe and the United States. Thousands of South Korean “orphans” were adopted by Western families in the latter part of the 20th century, many of whom suspect that their origins were falsified or obscured…
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“Merchant of Death” Viktor Bout arrives in Russia as part of US-Russia prisoner swap
The “Merchant of Death,” or Viktor Bout, has arrived in Russia after being swapped with prisoner Brittney Griner from the US. The notorious arms dealer was exchanged in Abu Dhabi with American basketball star Brittney Griner. Despite his reputation, Bout received a hero’s welcome upon arriving in Moscow. He spoke to his family when his plane made a refuelling stop…
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