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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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Sponsored 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...
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Woman crawls off plane in Bangkok after allegedly being told to pay for wheelchair
A video has gone viral of an Australian woman crawling off an aeroplane that landed in Bangkok. The woman, Natalie Curtis, says the flight attendant told her she would have to pay to be wheeled off the aircraft to her wheelchair. Curtis said she was offered a special wheelchair that fits in plane aisles when boarding her flight from Singapore…
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Thailand to serve noodles with sandworm sauce at APEC meeting
Thailand plans to welcome the globe’s most eminent leaders and dignitaries at the upcoming APEC meeting with some noodles and sandworm sauce. Thailand is the host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2022 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC) in Bangkok between November 18 and 19, and it plans to serve up a rare treat. The kingdom held…
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North Korean missile lands near South’s waters for first time, South retaliates
A missile from North Korea today landed close to South Korean waters for the first time since the countries split in 1945, according to South Korean officials. Since then, South Korea retaliated by launching missiles in return. This latest tit-for-tat conflict began after North Korea fired at least 10 missiles to the east and west of the Korean Peninsula. The…
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Australia to sign human trafficking treaty with Thailand
Thailand is set to sign a deal with Australia to counter human trafficking. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is to meet Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Bangkok today, as Wong continues her friendship tour of the Pacific. The deal comes as Australia actively seeks deeper engagement with Southeast Asia. The pair are expected to sign off on Australia’s support…
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Twitter, Instagram, Facebook all see hiccups
Social media has always been a crapshoot of information, updates from friends, conspiracy theories, racism and hate speech, and photos of your favourite holidays and foods. But recently, platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook themselves have become a part of the hot mess that they contain. Elon Musk bought Twitter and is publicly arguing with horror author Stephen King over…
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69 flights rescheduled due to Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai International Airport has rescheduled 69 flights to avoid danger from flying objects during the Lantern Festival between November 8 and 9. The airport has cancelled 55 flights, rescheduled 14, and is offering six special flights to support passengers. The Lantern Festival or Yi Peng Festival in Chaing Mai is a Thai northern cultural activity involving locals flying lanterns…
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Tourism officials plan big campaigns for Chiang Mai
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has several big campaigns planned to draw visitors to the world-renowned province of Chiang Mai during the High Season from November to March. One campaign is titled, “Northern Charm of the Past.” This campaign is centred around the culture of the historic Lanna Kingdom, which Chiang Mai used to be part of. The campaign…
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Colourful Bangkok 2022 – 3 months of arts and concerts
One of the policies of Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt is finally coming to fruition as the city readies itself for several cultural events over the next three months under the Colourful Bangkok 2022 banner. The Colourful Bangkok 2022 project is just one of the 214 campaign policies promised by Chadchart as he ran for mayor earlier this year and one…
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Banged up abroad – Sweden’s escaped cobra slips home
A king cobra that escaped from his new home in a Swedish aquarium turned up back in his terrarium about a week after he made his daring midnight escape. Skansen Aquarium in Stockholm said in a Facebook post that the cobra, named Sir Vas, or Sir Hiss (before being clumsily rebranded “Houdini”) had returned of his own free will. The deadly…
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Too big to fail: Full Moon Party revives Koh Pha Ngan
In the US, the phrase “too big to fail” is applied to financial institutions whose defaulting would cause the national or even global economy to collapse. So these institutions receive bailouts to keep them afloat in times of economic crisis. In Thailand, our too-big-to-fail institution might be the Full Moon Party. The legendary party, running for nearly 40 years on…
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Bangkok BTS Skytrain gets Pokémon makeover
The BTS Skytrain in Bangkok is looking cuter than ever after selective carriages were given a Pokémon makeover. The trains’ new look will promote the launch of two new Pokémon video games coming out in less than three weeks: Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet. Ride the Sukhumvit Line (Kheha-Ku Khot) or the Silom Line (Bang Wa-National Stadium) to catch a…
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Mythical creature Naga announced as a symbol of Thai culture
The Cabinet announced yesterday that the mythical creature Naga will be used as a symbol of Thai culture to promote the kingdom’s creative economy. The Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson, Ratchada Thanadirek reported the news to the gathering Thai press pack yesterday that the Cabinet agreed to use the mythical giant serpent, Naga or Phraya Nak in Thai, as a symbol…
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Naked Brit in Koh Samui wants everyone to “meet with God”
A naked British tourist in Koh Samui reportedly has some strange goals for the world. Koh Samui police found the man in the sea at Baan Mae Nam Beach over the Halloween weekend. Boat operators struggled to help get the man out of the water, and the man even grabbed one operator, shoved him under the water and tried to…
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New opportunities for microbreweries in Thailand
Is Thailand set to see a microbrewery renaissance? New regulations are coming into effect today that open the door for small distilleries and breweries. The regulation was published in The Royal Gazette last night and is effective immediately. The new regulations outline rules that loosen restrictions on small breweries and even allow home alcohol distilling for personal use. The new…
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Phuket murder suspect arrested in Athens
The Greek national, wanted for the murder of a Thai beautician in Phuket, has been reportedly arrested in Athens. Dimitrios ‘Dim’ Chairopoulos was arrested last Thursday, according to the Greek City Times. An arrest report states the 46 year old is “said to be the one who in February 2019, murdered his 43-year-old wife of Niramon ‘Bae’ Aewkaew in Phuket.…
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Foreign students accuse Canadian government of exploiting them for cheap labour
Studying in Canada is one thing, but doing labour for low pay is another. Some foreign students in Canada, in fact, are accusing the Canadian government of using them for cheap labour and getting rid of them afterwards. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government allowed about 50,000 foreign exchange students into the country last year as a way to “help more…
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Thailand: The Land of Smiles decoded
Known as the Land of Smiles, Thailand is world-famous for its culture which includes spicy foods, amazing hospitality and exotic practices. But, upon arriving in the kingdom, you may notice that smiles are handed out for almost every situation. If you are thinking that the average person cannot just be that happy about everything, you may be right. A Thai…
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Musk fires Twitter board, launches subscription service, resurrects Vine
Elon Musk isn’t doing much to quell the fears of Twitter users, advertisers, and investors about his takeover causing chaos. In fact, now that he has officially become the legal owner of the popular social media site, he has launched a barrage of new actions that have left advertisers and executives reeling. It is rumoured that Musk plans to lay…
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Chiang Mai to have rubber-tyred tram in 2028
The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) revealed its plans to finish a rubber-tyred tram project in Chiang Mai by 2028. Construction is expected to start in 2025 with a budget of 9.3 billion baht. The Chiang Mai Mass Rapid Transit project was started in 1994 but the MRTA suspended the project to focus on transport in Bangkok. The…
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Call centre trafficked forced labour to sell crypto via Tinder
When was the last time you got a legitimately good investment tip from Tinder? Never? Scammers continue to use dating apps to con people into fake crypto investments. On Monday, Thai police announced the arrest of a Chinese leader of a multi-country gang who trafficked people to work in call centres selling crypto scams. The phoney call centre was uncovered…
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How to prevent and treat venomous jellyfish stings in Thailand
Venomous jellyfish are no joke and are found in Thailand’s waters all year round. Don’t worry, you don’t have to cancel your beach holiday, just learn the necessary tips to prevent and treat jellyfish stings and you’ll be all set. If a jellyfish warning sign is up at the beach, stay out of the water. Some venomous jellyfish such as…
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No masks or PCR needed for World Cup in Qatar says organisers
Good news for football fans traveling to Qatar for the World Cup in just over two weeks’ time – you no longer need a negative PCR or rapid antigen test to enter the Arab country. The Qatar Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) published a statement announcing the relaxation of Covid-19 related measures which take effect from today. “Visitors are no…
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Famous Pattaya chef serves food to disadvantaged children
A famous Pattaya chef has taken some time out to help those less fortunate than others. Last week at the Father Ray Children’s Village, chef Harlan Goldstein served gourmet hamburgers and cake to 118 children and 32 staff members. Goldstein also handed the children free T-shirts with his name on them. The Father Ray Children’s Village is a home for…
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Man in bunny ears blamed for Halloween stampede in Seoul
Survivors from the tragic Halloween stampede in South Korea‘s capital Seoul said a man wearing bunny ears and his friends are to blame for the tragedy for encouraging people to push each other. The death toll from the Halloween event in the Itaewon district of Seoul on Saturday, October 29 climbed to 156 today according to a report by South…
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Trains headed to most parts of Thailand now leaving from this Bangkok station
Trains headed toward most parts of Thailand are now leaving Bangkok Bang Sue Grand Station as of today, except eastbound trains. Most long-distance, rapid, and express trains will now terminate at the station. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) said that tickets for long-distance trains will be available on the southern side of the ground floor. The SRT said that making…
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Thai doctor condemned for livestreaming surgery
A Thai doctor was condemned after he livestreamed a TikTok video while doing surgery in theatre. The Medical Council of Thailand is searching for the identity of the doctor as it appears he has broken the law. A Thai netizen posted a screenshot of the doctor’s live stream on Twitter with a caption that said, “A minute ago, a doctor…
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Are people worried about events in Thailand after the Korean stampede?
Tourism officials and industry operators are nervously assessing what effect the Halloween stampede in South Korea may have on travellers’ confidence in upcoming events in Thailand. Operators in the tourism industry have asked police and other authorities to be ready for crowd-related incidents. But the vice-president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, Suthiphong Phuenphiphop, says that he does not think…
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Ride a ‘floating train’ from Bangkok to the biggest reservoir in Thailand
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) invites you to ride the ‘floating train‘ from Hua Lamphong Station in Bangkok to Pa Sak Jolasid Dam – Thailand’s biggest reservoir – in Lop Buri province. The rot fai loi nam (train floating on water) will run every Saturday and Sunday for three months, starting on November 5. The train (no.921) will leave Bangkok…
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North Korea warns US, South Korea over Vigilant Storm drills
The United States and South Korean militaries have been warned that North Korea will react with aggression if they continue their belligerent air drills. North Korea made known they will respond with “powerful follow-up measures” if the US and South Korea continue their air exercises, reported South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. A North Korea ministry of foreign affairs spokesperson regarded…
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Thai teen draws backlash for dressing as American serial killer for Halloween
A Thai teen has drawn backlash from netizens after he dressed as an American serial killer for Halloween. The Thai teen dressed as Jeffrey Damer, who murdered and dismembered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991. Screenshots circled around social media of the teen wearing a white T-shirt with fake blood, with a paper taped to the front of…
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