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.
-
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...
-
Annual vegetarian festival coming up in Phuket
For all the Thai cultural enthusiasts out there, brace yourself for Phuket’s annual vegetarian festival! On Monday, Phuket Vice Governor Amnuay Pitsuwan told local media after a meeting that this year’s Phuket Vegetarian Festival will be held from September 26 to October 4. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is known for its Ma Song. These spiritual devotees will self-mutilate, and slice their…
-
Thaksin tells suspended Thailand PM Prayut ‘to go with dignity’
Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra called for suspended PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to do the right thing and leave the political arena with dignity. Thailand’s Constitutional Court, whose members were largely picked by a military-appointed Senate, surprised the world last week by suspending General Prayut while they deliberated whether he had overstayed his eight years’ tenure as the nation’s leader.…
-
Dutch tourist injured after falling at Phang Nga waterfall
A Dutch tourist was injured on Monday after slipping and falling at the Thung Kamin Waterfall in the Takua Pa district of the southern province of Phang Nga. The 52 year old woman had injuries to her leg and hip, and as a consequence could not walk. Rescuers from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phang Nga Office arrived…
-
Two ladyboys allegedly rob Indian tourist who rejected their ‘services’ in Pattaya
An Indian tourist was robbed of 12,000 baht cash and other assets last night on Pattaya’s infamous Walking Street in Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand. He claims that two ladyboys robbed him after he rejected their “services.” At 12.16am today, 33 year old Vishal Vajbhaw went to Pattaya City Police Station to request the police’s help in tracking down the…
-
VIDEO: Pattaya restaurant explosion believed to have been caused by gas leak
A huge explosion that gutted three restaurants in Pattaya yesterday is believed to have been caused by a gas leak in a BBQ restaurant called Jar Jar. A 29 year old Laotian worker was seriously injured with burns in the explosion, which occurred in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district. The worker was found buried under the rubble and rushed to…
-
UPDATE: Famous Thai YouTuber ‘Nutty’ flees Thailand over 2 billion baht Forex scam accusations
UPDATE Today, Thailand’s Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for 30 year old “Nutty,” the famous YouTuber, after collecting evidence that she defrauded over 6,000 victims of more than 2 billion baht. Nutty is wanted on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud the public and two other charges. The court says Nutty’s case is linked to the case of a Thai…
-
Bangkok governor threatens city polluters with huge fines
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt warned polluters of the capital that they face heavy fines if they’re caught pouring oil down the city’s drains. The 56 year old city chief notified residents in the metropolis that they will be slapped with a 10,000 baht fine for dumping oil into Bangkok sewers. The Bangkok governor was reacting to pictures circulating on social…
-
Thai Airways sells five Airbus A340s stored away for 13 years
Thai Airways (THAI) has found a buyer for five dusty Airbus A340s which have gone unused for 13 years. Thailand’s flag carrier has sold one A340-500 and four A340-600 planes for a total of 350 million baht. The transaction is sure to help THAI on its road to financial recovery since the Bankruptcy Court approved a debt restructuring plan for…
-
Budget airline Thai AirAsia X to launch two Thailand – Australia routes
Budget airline Thai AirAsia X will launch two direct routes between Thailand and Australia in December. The airline will fly from Bangkok to both Melbourne, and Sydney, beginning December 1 and 2 this year, respectively. The Bangkok to Sydney route will fly four times per week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The Bangkok to Melbourne route will fly thrice…
-
Bangkok’s Yaowarat Rd is one of globe’s top 10 hippest places
One of Bangkok’s oldest streets has been named as one of the “coolest streets in the world.” London-based Time Out magazine named Yaowarat Road the eighth coolest street in the world after polling readers about post-pandemic life in their city. Over 20,000 people took part in the poll which asked readers to base their ranking on food, fun, culture, and…
-
“Unruly” Aussie woman kicked off flight from Thailand to Sydney
Cheers erupted from passengers when an “unruly” Australian woman was kicked off a Jetstar flight from Phuket to Sydney before take off on Sunday. The woman apparently lost it “because she wanted to sit by the window,” said one passenger. Jetstar confirmed that the woman was removed for being “disruptive and using abusive and inappropriate language.” “An unruly passenger was…
-
Thai couple’s 1,000km, 20 hours Songkran motorcycle odyssey
A Thai couple travelled 20 hours on a motorbike and over 1,000 kilometres from Bangkok to their hometown in Pattani province in the south of Thailand before Songkran because all train tickets were fully booked and flights were too pricey for them. The woman, Nurfatihah, posted a video of the epic motorcycle journey she took to Pattani with her boyfriend…
-
Thailand’s acting PM Prawit tells Thai police to clean their act up
Acting Prime Minister of Thailand Prawit Wongsuwan – aka “Big Pom” – has ordered an end to corruption within the Royal Thai Police (RTP). Big Pom has wasted no time stepping up to his temporary ministerial duties after Thailand’s Constitutional Court suspended Prayut Chan-o-cha from the position last week. Acting PM Prawit has taken centre stage in Thailand’s never-ending political…
-
New direct bus from Don Mueang Airport to Pattaya
Budget punters rejoice – a new shuttle bus will now whisk people directly from Don Mueang International Airport, Bangkok’s low-cost secondary airport, to the tourism and nightlife hub of Pattaya. The shuttle started trial runs earlier this month and, if successful, may usher in a chain of other convenience bus options from the popular airport, according to the Don Mueang…
-
Paradon the dolphin no ‘brotherly burden’ for Thai marine centre
The dolphin found drowning off the coast of Thailand last month is on the mend says the director of a Thai marine resource centre but added it will probably take a year before he makes a full recovery. Fishermen found the sick Irrawaddy dolphin calf drowning in a tidal pool near Rayong on Friday, July 22, and alerted marine conservationists.…
-
Marketing in Thailand as a Foreigner: Volume #1 The Legend Thai Ads
Sometimes, It’s Okay to Wear Socks and Sandals. Matching socks and sandals is a universal fashion faux pas, but it is more severe in Thailand. They keep you warm and cold-free during winter, but we never merge them with sandals or flip-flops because it is confusing when you live in a country where the equator is only 15 degrees below.…
-
Anti-Corruption Deputy Secretary-General fired for corruption
In politics, the phrase “every accusation is a confession” is a common cry, but the irony may be too on the nose after the National Anti-Corruption Commission Deputy Secretary-General Prayad Puangchampa was fired for having amassed an unusual amount of wealth. The commission asserted that the massive wealth gathered should become the property of the state and be confiscated from…
-
Five injured in gas plant explosion near Bangkok
Five people were injured, three seriously, following an explosion at a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) plant in the Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok in the early hours of this morning. One of the big cylinders is believed to have exploded, spreading to others, and started a blaze at the V.I.P Petroleum plant, in the Bang Sao Thong district of Samut…
-
Thailand ‘tourist tax’ to come into effect next year
Starting next year, foreigners entering Thailand by plane will have to pay an entry fee of 300 baht. The “tourist tax” was originally intended to be imposed at the start of this year, but its implementation was delayed to give Thailand’s tourism industry a chance to recover from the pandemic. The fee will be introduced “next year,” according to Thailand’s…
-
Thailand in talks with US to bring home ancient heirlooms
The Thai Deputy Government Spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek last night revealed Thailand is in talks with the US to bring home three antique artefacts. Rachada made it known the US Department of Homeland Security is in negotiations with the Denver Art Museum for the return of the Srivijaya-era Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, and two bronze statues of the Dvaravati period, from the 7th to…
-
Thai actor’s plan to swim from Thailand to Laos for charity
Famous Thai actor and singer Phakin “Tono” Khamwilaisak hopes to make a splash with his charity swim across the Mekong River from Thailand to Laos and at the same time raise awareness about environmental issues and raise funds for hospitals in the two countries. Tono announced his plan via his Instagram account last Thursday, August 25. He revealed that he…
-
Famous Thai YouTuber ‘Nutty’ flees Thailand over 2 billion baht Forex scam accusations
A famous Thai YouTuber named ‘Nutty’ is nowhere to be found after she was accused of scamming victims of over 2 billion baht in a Forex scam. Nattamon “Nutty” Khongchak is believed to have defrauded over 6,000 victims. In a ‘Pinky‘ type fraud case, another Thai influencer has used their Internet fame to encourage fans to invest in a scam.…
-
DDC declares no tomato flu outbreak in Thailand
Director-General of the Department of Disease Control (DDC) yesterday announced it is closely watching the ‘tomato flu’ situation after reports were made that about 100 cases have emerged in India. Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, Director-General of the DDC, declared no cases have been reported in Thailand as yet after an outbreak emerged in the Kollam district of Kerala on May 6,…
-
Fallen scaffolding kills 3 year old in northern Thailand
A 3 year old boy was tragically killed by fallen scaffolding in Lampang province, northern Thailand, yesterday morning. Scaffolding at what appears to be an under-construction house fell on top of a 3 year old boy yesterday. The boy’s parents rang 191 and requested emergency help. Rescue workers from Lampang Rescue Association, an ambulance, and medical staff rushed to the…
-
Locals angry after public road shut for private party in S Thailand
The son in law of a police officer caused outrage in the local community of Trang in the south of Thailand after he blocked off a public road to have a housewarming party. Netizens in Trang demanded answers from the provincial government after a video emerged on social media of an ambulance being denied access to the road because it…
-
Groups of 8 or more dining in Hong Kong required to Covid test
A new Covid-19 regulation that came into effect yesterday in Hong Kong is drawing ire from groups of diners and restaurants. The new rule requires all members of any group of eight or more dining in restaurants to present a photo of a negative Covid test taken within 24 hours of dining or a text message confirmation of a negative…
-
Monopoly: Chiang Mai Edition being planned for next year
Coming off the success of the Phuket Edition that was released in March, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced the launch of Monopoly: Chiang Mai Edition. The new edition celebrating the northern city is scheduled to be released sometime next year. The perennial board game favourite has launched over 300 versions and thousands of custom editions ranging from…
-
Royal Caribbean offers cruises to Thailand & other Asian locations in 2023
Royal Caribbean has announced a new series of Asian cruises on their ship ‘Spectrum of the Seas,’ setting sail in 2023 and 2024. Beginning in Singapore, travellers can set off on cruises for 5, 7, 9 or 12 nights, visiting various locations in Asia including Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan and Japan. Guests can choose from cruises which make stops…
-
Explosive device found hidden inside 7-Eleven in southern Thailand
An explosive device planted by suspected insurgents was discovered hidden on a shelf at a 7-Eleven convenience store in Narathiwat province in southern Thailand on Friday. Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officers rushed to the scene and successfully disposed of the bomb. On Friday, a member of staff at a 7-Eleven store in the Yee Ngor district was restocking shelves when…
-
Thailand records its seventh monkeypox case
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control announced yesterday the nation has its seventh monkeypox victim. A 37 year old Thai woman in Bangkok became the kingdom’s latest victim hot on the heels of the country’s sixth case last week. DDC Director General Dr Opas Karnkawinpong said the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute reported on Saturday that a woman had tested positive for…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.