News
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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Man overpays taxi 253,000 baht, driver returns it
Rushing to transfer payment to a taxi driver, a Thai passenger hit a few extra buttons and didn’t notice he overpaid his cab fare. One thousand times more than the fare. After accidentally transferring 253,303 baht for a 253 baht taxi ride, the driver has been commended for returning the gargantuan erroneous tip. The Thai passenger hailed the taxi on…
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Missing Russian woman may be lost at sea
While the 53 year old woman reported missing from her hotel in Phuket yesterday still has not been found, more information about the case has been revealed. New details suggest that the Russian woman with a memory condition may be lost at sea. Authorities updated that the woman reported missing yesterday was last seen around 10am yesterday. She left her…
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Woman waits at BKK Airport for pick-up. For 2 months
You’ve probably felt like you waited forever for a friend or relative to pick you up at the airport. But two months? Authorities have been trying to figure out what to do with a woman who’s been waiting for her mother to pick her up at Suvarnabhumi Airport for two months now. The woman appeared gaunt and disoriented, unable to…
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Police officer shot by pregnant 4th wife
In a wild story full of twists, a policeman was shot just outside his police station in Bangkok late last night. Even more shocking, the shooting was perpetrated by the police officer’s wife. Not his first wife though, she was just one of his four current wives. And she was pregnant. The bizarre story unfolded in the wee hours of…
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The redback is coming – China’s monetary subtext for ASEAN summit
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has surpassed the European Union and the United States to become China’s largest trading partner. With all eyes on President Xi Jinping’s presence, or otherwise, at the Bangkok summit, how does Beijing hope to promote the use of the Chinese yuan overseas? China started its ambitious yuan internationalisation plan in 2009, expanding it…
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Moving to Thailand checklist – What you need to know before your move
There are several reasons why Thailand is one of the most desirable locations for ex-pats. Here, you can get affordable access to modern conveniences and year-round sunny weather. With its laid-back way of life, delectable cuisine, and vibrant culture, it’s certainly a remarkable place to call home. Plus, being close to nature is easy here, with everything from beautiful waterfalls…
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Flaming hot: toxic spicy noodles recalled
Some people like their noodles as spicy as possible. But there’s such a thing as to0 flaming hot, as the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a recall on Mie Sedaap brand Korean Spicy Chicken noodles due to contamination with a flammable pesticide. The instant noodles are being recalled by the FDA after traces of a pesticide called…
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Forever flooded – how do we break the disastrous cycle?
As part of the south braces for expected seasonal floods, a vast area of the lower north, including Nakhon Sawan, Ang Thong, and Isaan, remains inundated. An editorial in this morning’s Bangkok Post asks what we can do to prevent ourselves from being washed away in the tide. Many people have drowned over the past two months, and yesterday, an…
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Netizens divided over two-faced cat
A kitten born with a rare, two-toned face has taken the Internet by storm with his own social media page. Split down the middle, one side black and the other grey, Narnia’s face shocked his owner, pedigree cat breeder Stephanie Jimenez, as soon as she saw him. She said… “I was very surprised; he is exceptional. It’s possible he’s a…
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Free trial of Pink and Yellow monorail lines in December
Though not fully finished and operational, the Thai government declared that the Pink Line and Yellow Line of the monorail system in Bangkok will be opened for a free trial in December. More progress on the construction has been made on the new lines of the rapid transit system and the government hopes to show the public the lines in…
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SE Asia foreign ministers to hold emergency talks over Myanmar
Foreign ministers of Southeast Asian countries are set to hold emergency talks over the current state of Myanmar. The talks will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia next week ahead of next month’s ASEAN leaders’ summit in Cambodia. Myanmar has descended into chaos since the military took over in February 2021. Now, reports say there are more than 2,300 killed during…
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Burmese man drowns in Phuket drain
Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers have retrieved the body of an unnamed Burmese man who fell into a canal and drowned in Chalong. The 47 year old man from Myanmar fell into the canal while watching the flooding, Phuket Info Center reported. The body was found near the floodgate, far from where he fell. According to local media, several people saw the…
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In it together – Floods around the world
Hardly a day goes by without more news of death and destruction in Thailand as the monsoon season resolutely refuses to end. We are not alone. It seems like the whole world is underwater, with people washed out of their homes from Australia to Zambia. Here are some images of different people facing similar problems around the world. Australia…
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Events today in BKK
Today in Bangkok, there are a couple of exciting things to do. Namely, the Tomorrow X Together World Tour 2022 will commence marking the first time the five-member K-pop boy band performs in the kingdom. The concert spans today and tomorrow and is drawing K-pop fans from all around. The band will perform at the Thunder Dome Stadium in Tamon…
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From Retro Blogger to Modern-day Vlogger in Thailand feat. Jeroen Maduro | Thaiger Podcast Ep.9
Owner of Real Estate company Sukhumvit Homes and YouTube channel Global Travel Mate. Jaroen can show you some of the best and hottest properties in Bangkok Thailand, as well as be your guide to where and how to travel around the city. Jaroen is a prime example of a foreigner travelling to Thailand, starting and running a successful business while…
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Secrets of Silicon Valley’s underground Mercedes
California cops are investigating why a person or person unknown buried a Mercedes stuffed full of unused bags of cement in the yard of a US$ 15 million (570 million baht) home in the 1990s. The car was discovered Thursday morning by gardeners in the affluent town of Atherton about 30 miles south of San Francisco, with unused bags of…
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School principal given 50 years in prison over lunch corruption scandal in Thailand
Today, Thailand’s Criminal Court for Corruption sentenced the former principal of Ban Tha Mai School in Surat Thani province, southern Thailand, to 50 years imprisonment. The defendant Somchaow Sittichen confessed to stealing lunch money and serving kindergarten children plain rice noodles with fish sauce for lunch. The court found Somchaow guilty of 77 counts of corruption, each carrying a five-year…
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Soldier arrested for stabbing 15 year old at a nightclub
A soldier has been charged with attempted murder after he stabbed a 15 year old boy at a nightclub in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat last weekend. The teenager was stabbed in the back with a chisel in front of a nightclub in the Tung Song district of Nakhon Si Thammarat at about 2.45am last Sunday, October 16.…
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Official says Patong road will need seven days of temporary repair work once rain stops
UPDATE A Phuket official said yesterday that it would take seven days of temporary repair work before the road to Patong Hill is ready to use again. The official said the repair work can start once the rain stops. This news comes after the road suffered two landslides on Wednesday and Thursday. Phuket Highway Director Yutthana Pitak told The Phuket…
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Reimagine with Anantara unveiling the new face of Anantara Chiang Mai Resort
Press Release Anantara Chiang Mai Resort welcomes back travellers from around the world with renovated accommodations and exciting new dining experiences in a prime riverfront setting. With COVID-19 waning, travel to Thailand now back to normal, and Chiang Mai ready to celebrate life once again. Anantara Chiang Mai Resort recently hosted a glamorous evening reception for Lanna royalty, foreign diplomats,…
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Why is Diwali important to Indians? The mythology behind the festival
You might have heard of India’s “festival of lights” known as Diwali. Many photos show people who celebrate by holding colourful lanterns, or lighting candles. But what exactly is the festival celebrating? What do the lights symbolise? This year’s Diwali festival is coming up on Monday, October 24, and if you have Indian friends, it might be helpful to understand…
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Bangkok shopping mall will free Bua Noi the captive gorilla for 30 million baht
As famous gorilla Bua Noi nears the end of her expected lifespan inside a decrepit Bangkok shopping mall, Thai government officials are making renewed attempts for her to be released. However, the gorilla’s owner said he will only give her up for 30 million baht. Bua Noi (“Little Lotus”) was brought to Thailand from Germany as a one year old…
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The Brahma statue thief who wants to paint the world blue
A thief with mental health problems stole a Brahma statue from a shrine at a school, in the Cha-am district of Phetchaburi province in the west of Thailand, painted it blue, before returning it to where he stole it from. Why? His favourite colour is blue. A teacher, Nu-sajee Kornrawee, posted CCTV footage and pictures of a thief on Facebook…
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Missing Iranian rock climber hailed as hero upon arrival in Tehran
An Iranian rock climber returned home from an international competition and is being hailed a hero after competing without a hijab. The climber, 33-year-old Elnaz Rekabi, was competing in South Korea and says her headscarf slipped off, posing an obstacle to her during the competition. Previously, fans feared she was in trouble upon returning by Iran’s infamous morality police. But,…
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WHO boss in Syria under investigation for fraud, corruption, abuse
The World Health Organisation Syrian branch representative has been accused of fraud, corruption, and abuse by coworkers. Akjemal Magtymova is now under what seems to be one of the most extensive investigations by the organisation as at least a dozen personnel have accused her of mismanaging millions of dollars, giving gifts to government officials and acting frivolously when the Covid…
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Gambling addict sergeant steals 160 guns to pay off debts
A police sergeant with a gambling addiction faces time in prison after he was arrested for selling state guns to pay off his debts. Senior sergeant major, Chaowarit Phumkajorn, from Pak Kret Police Station in Nonthaburi province, near Bangkok, was arrested at 3pm yesterday in the Isaan province of Nong Khai after reportedly selling about 160 police guns to pay…
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true-dtac merger will increase mobile tariffs by 240%, warns watchdog
In a controversial move, Thailand’s telecom regulator has approved the merging of two key mobile operators in Thailand: true and dtac. A consumer watchdog says the five-member committee “failed to use its authority to protect the public interest” by turning the market into a duopoly with reigning operator AIS. After an 11-hour meeting, the five-member board of the National Broadcasting…
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US actor Kevin Spacey cleared in sex assault trial
US actor Kevin Spacey has been cleared of wrongdoing in a sex assault trial in New York. The actor was accused by Anthony Rapp of an incident that allegedly happened back in 1986 when Rapp was just 14 years old. Rapp says the actor climbed on top of him in a bed after a party and grabbed his buttocks, pressing…
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Officials to seek approval for late closing times in Phuket
Are later closing times finally coming to Phuket? Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports plans to test a 4am closing time on several tourist hotspots, including Phuket’s Bang La Walking Street in Patong, Nation Thailand reported. The ministry will soon seek approval from the Thai Cabinet for the pilot project there, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn announced yesterday. Other…
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Kind Thai woman takes in homeless ladyboy who robs all her stuff
A kind-hearted woman from Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand, took in a homeless ladyboy who had nowhere else to go. After two weeks, the ladyboy left in the middle of the night stealing a car, a motorbike, a TV, an iPhone, gold, and even an electric fan. The victim, 27 year old Nawarat, posted on Facebook offering a big cash…
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