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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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Railway bomb attack in southern Thailand injures 8 security officers
A bomb attack at a railway in Narathiwat province in southern Thailand yesterday injured eight subdistrict security officers. Officers at Rueso Police Station were informed that subdistrict security officers were injured by an explosion while on duty overseeing the safety of the railway line in the area of Duyae Village, Sao Or subdistrict, Rueso district. Assailants planted improvised explosive devices (IEDs)…
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Starbucks ruins family’s dream holiday to Thailand by overcharging US$4.5k for 2 coffees
An American couple had to cancel their dream holiday to Thailand after a Tulsa Starbucks outlet charged them almost US$4,500 for two cups of coffee. The US multinational apologised for the mistake and sent them cheques to cover the cost. They bounced! The drama unfolded when the happy couple, Jesse and Deedee O’Dell, and their four kids went shopping at…
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Rowdy Pattaya teens terrify tourists by throwing ping pong bombs
A rowdy crowd of Pattaya teens terrified tourists and residents by throwing ping pong bombs at Bali Hai Pier on Wednesday night. The incident is the latest case of trouble-making teens causing chaos in Pattaya, which is commonly known as Southeast Asia’s sin city. Residents reported seeing a group of approximately 10 teenagers arrive on motorbikes and begin throwing the…
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Hospitality industry’s shift from instant: Transforming guests’ in-room coffee experience
Press Release In the hospitality industry, small details can greatly impact the experience of travelers visiting Thailand. One aspect that should not be overlooked is the coffee served to guests. Gone are the days of serving old-fashioned basic instant coffee packets in hotel rooms and villas. As a hotelier, you want your guests to feel pampered and spoiled during their…
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Thai man sacrifices himself to save mother in savage Pit Bull attack
A former jockey from Nakhon Ratchasima province in northeast Thailand was killed by his pet Pit Bull while trying to save his mother who was attacked by the animal. Today, a funeral was held for 47 year old Thedpong [surname reserved] at Thung Sawang Temple in Mueang district. On Friday, Thedpong’s eight year old Pit Bull “Bobby” attacked Thedpong’s 68 year…
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Things to know about Thai culture
Thailand’s culture is a mixture of traditions and religions that all come together to form a unique and vibrant society. Here are a few things to know about Thai culture that will help anyone landing in the Land of Smiles get around and mix with the locals. Family Thai people typically consider family to be the most important aspect of…
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Malaysian bill seeks expanded protection against stalking
The issue of stalking has become a major concern in Malaysia, and the government has taken several steps to address it. The draft of two bills related to stalking has undergone several improvements to ensure that all aspects of legislation related to stalking are comprehensively covered. Stalking can have a severe impact on the lives of victims, particularly women, and…
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Police officer accidentally shoots colleague at Bangkok police station
A police officer accidentally shot and injured his colleague during a training session at Huay Kwang Police Station in Bangkok yesterday. The deputy superintendent of the station, Kritthin Phacharathanaboon, spoke to the media today to calm public concerns that the shooting was not a result of a disagreement between the two officers. Krittin said the shooting was an accident that…
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Police rescue two sex trafficked Thai women from Hong Kong flat
Police came to the rescue of two Thai women imprisoned in a Hong Kong flat after falling prey to a sex trafficking scheme. The women, aged 38 and 47 and worked as masseurs, were trapped in a Yau Ma Tei flat in Temple Street after they refused to engage in sex work. A 50 year old Hong Kong woman was…
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Thailand to expand major airports to deal with rising tourist numbers
Thailand is set to expand at least four of its major international airports in response to the predicted return of foreign tourists following the Covid-19 pandemic. Deputy Government Spokeswoman, Traisulee Taisaranakul, announced the plans today. She noted that the expansion is aimed at accommodating predictions made by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) of 200 million foreign arrivals by 2031.…
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Nok Air slammed for ill treatment of a disabled passenger
A Thai man slammed Nok Air airline for the appalling treatment of his disabled father that descended into a farcical game of musical chairs. The man revealed on TikTok that he booked special seats for his parents, because his father is disabled, but was told to move to facilitate some VIP passengers. The airline denied the accusation, saying “one of…
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Elderly Thai woman survives wild elephant attack
Netizens think it’s a miracle that an elderly Thai lady survived being trampled on by a wild elephant in Prachin Buri province in eastern Thailand yesterday. The victim, 71 year old Winit On-On, aka “Grandma Winit,” was watering her eucalyptus plants at her home in Phanom Sarakham district when she bent down to pick up her hose. When Grandma Winit…
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Thai Airways rehabilitation ahead of schedule
Thai Airways expects to exit its rehabilitation plan ahead of schedule. The airline is already looking for new aircraft as the recovery in global tourism bolsters earnings. CEO Chai Eamsiri said Thursday that the carrier will be able to leave its court-supervised debt plan “much earlier” than the late-2024 target, according to Bloomberg. The company is also in talks with…
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Bank worker and spouse accused of embezzling 36 million baht, they say it’s a lie!
A bank worker and her spouse are accused of embezzling 36 million Thai baht from bank clients. The suspects deny the claims against them. Yesterday, Lata, the 33 year old bank employee, and Pharanyu, her 36 year old partner, were apprehended at a condominium located on Din Daeng Road in Bangkok’s Ratchathewi district. Lata faces charges for violating Section 335…
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Anwar’s visit to Thailand brings ‘Deep South’ to top of agenda
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is due in Bangkok today to meet Thai PM Prayuth Chan-o-cha. Anwar’s visit to Thailand brings issues in the “Deep South” to the top of the diplomatic agenda. The provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, and parts of Songkhla are an important crossroads for trade between Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. China’s plans for high-speed trains from…
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Nepali man caught smuggling 5.6 kilograms of hashish into Thailand
A Nepali man was arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday after customs found 5.6 kilograms of hashish hidden in his luggage with an estimated value of 560,000 baht. At 6.45pm, airport customs officials inspected a suitcase belonging to a man flying in from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. As the unnamed Nepali national passed through with nothing to declare, customs…
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Thailand to give nation’s SMEs a digital leg up
Thailand plans to give the nation’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) a digital leg up to help improve their businesses and boost the kingdom’s economy at the same time. Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn announced the department will include another 25 provinces in its plan to improve SME businesses, reported Bangkok Post. The “New-normal Market Transformation” initiative,…
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Thai family grieves after daughter killed in Turkey earthquake
A Thai family is grieving after their daughter was killed in the recent massive earthquake in Turkey. The earthquake that struck Turkey on Monday, February 6 killed a young Thai woman, 29 year old Nong Dao. Nong Dao was found under the ruins of a building in Iskenderun, a city affected by the earthquake disaster. The Thai embassy in Turkey…
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Thai immigration chief asks reporter, ‘Do you have a husband?’ to dodge question
In an interview about the macau888 gambling case, Thailand’s Chief of Immigration dodged a female reporter’s question by responding, “Do you have a husband?” The interview followed the interrogation of police officer Kunakorn “Bright” Khajohnboonthaworn who was accused of being one of four brothers operating the illegal gambling website macau888. According to the police force, Captain Bright proved his innocence…
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Septic tank drained in search for missing baby boy
Parents of the 8-month-old baby boy missing in Nakhon Pathom province were questioned separately by police for about nine hours Tuesday. Early in the day, the order was given for a septic tank to be drained in the search for the missing baby boy. The parents of the missing child, 16 year old Philaiporn Korcharoen and 19 year old Sittichok…
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Plant-based Thai food tours NSW
“My message on plant-based Thai food is simple – if you can, try to incorporate more vegetables in your weekly routine, because it will change your life.” Thomas Thong and his wife run a food stall serving contemporary, plant-based Thai food. The stall travels throughout Australia’s New South Wales regularly. Thong’s parents lived in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge and…
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Thai actress alleges being abused by macau888 gambling king
The Thai actress who exposed the illegal gambling activities of her ex-boyfriend said she did so because she was brutally abused by him during their relationship. Arisara “Due” Thongborisut shared the story of her ex-boyfriend, Chaiwat “Benz” Khajohnboonthaworn, aka Benz Daemon, on Facebook on Sunday, January 5. The 32 year old revealed that her ex and his three brothers operated…
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Mitsubishi SpaceJet grounded to a halt
Japan has finally admitted that building the Mitsubishi SpaceJet, the nation’s first passenger aircraft, was not a good idea. The project appears to have been grounded forever. Japan abandoned plans to build its first passenger jet after years of technology setbacks and costs running out of control. According to the Guardian, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will cancel the public-private SpaceJet partnership,…
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Tarmacked forest in Thai conservation area sparks outrage
Netizens are scratching their heads at the Department of National Park‘s decision to tarmac a forest inside a conservation area at a wildlife sanctuary in Chiang Mai province in northern Thailand. No space at all was left around the tree trunks to allow the trees to breathe and grow. An outraged Facebook user posted a picture of the newly tarmacked…
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Ministry of Culture to promote 16 Thai festivals internationally
Thailand’s Ministry of Culture is taking steps to promote the country’s cultural heritage and boost local economies by promoting 16 Thai festivals internationally. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Yupha Taweewattanakitborvon, announced the move as part of the government’s “5F” initiative, which seeks to promote Thai soft power through the food, film, fashion, fighting, and festival industries. The selected festivals represent…
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Singaporean salon Strip in trouble over orangutan ad
Singaporean hair removal salon chain Strip has been the centre of a social media storm in China due to their use of an orangutan in an advertisement in the country. The ad for Strip’s salons in Shanghai caused anger among social media users who accused the company of shaming women who do not remove their body hair. In response to…
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Drunk police officer crashes car into restaurant in Bangkok, 3 in ICU (video)
Three people are seriously injured in intensive care after a drunk police officer crashed his car into a restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday night. The owner of the “Mala” (Chinese spicy hotpot) restaurant in Bang Khen district said they are scared justice will not be served because the drunk driver is a police officer. At 10.55pm on Monday, officers…
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Two children killed in Canada after bus driver rams into daycare centre
Two children were killed near Montreal, Canada after a bus driver rammed into a daycare centre. Police arrested the driver after suspecting him of deliberately causing the accident. One child reportedly died at the scene and another while in the ambulance. Several children were trapped under the bus when it slammed into the building in the suburb of Laval at…
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Family of 5, including 3-month-old baby, brutally murdered in northern Thailand
Police are investigating the brutal murder of five members of an indigenous Hmong family in the northern province of Tak. The culprit behind the crime remains at large. The youngest victim was a mere three months old. The community leader of Baan Sirirak in the Wang Chao district of Tak promptly informed the police after making the grim discovery of…
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Unique durian in South Thailand gets geographical indication status
Unique durians from one South Thailand province have been given geographical indication (GI) status. A new addition to the exclusive club GI products, Durian Sadet Nam Yala, received official recognition from the Intellectual Property Department of Thailand. This move is expected to boost sales and increase income for local durian growers in the southern border province of Yala. Deputy Commerce…
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