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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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How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Dangerous social media trend encourages Thai teens to take Rohypnol
Parents in Thailand have been warned that a dangerous TikTok trend is encouraging teenagers to take Rohypnol, commonly known as “roofies” or “date rape drug.” Rohypnol is a strong drug that causes extreme drowsiness, and dizziness known for causing blackouts. Rohypnol is commonly associated with “date rape,” with many people worldwide – mostly women – reporting that they have been…
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Benevolent Bangkok cabbie drives 12 hours to take destitute family home
A benevolent Bangkok taxi driver drove 12 hours for free to take a family of three to their hometown in the Isaan province of Udon Thani after they were evicted from a rental room in the capital because they couldn’t afford to pay the rent. The taxi driver, Anurak Nakgamthong, posted the heartwarming story and pictures of his passengers on…
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Monkeypox variants renamed to avoid offending people
The World Health Organisation renamed the monkeypox variants from the Congo Basin, and West Africa to Clade I, and Clade II to avoid offending different sections of society. The WHO is also inviting the public to suggest a new name for the monkeypox disease. The WHO announced the two new variants of the monkeypox disease on Friday. The organisation reported…
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Thai doctor slaps a 3 year old for swearing & refuses to treat him
The family of a three year old boy filed a complaint to the police after a male doctor slapped the child in the face and refused to give him treatment. The doctor said he refused to treat the boy because he had insulted him. The child’s 24 year old mother, Sutharat, shared the story on the Facebook page Let Me…
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E. coli contamination found at popular waterfall in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand
A popular waterfall on Doi Suthep mountain in the northern province of Chiang Mai is brimming with E. coli bacteria from human feces, warns Dr Rungsrit Kanjanavanit, a Green Globe award-winning conservationist and professor of cardiology at Chiang Mai University. The doctor warns against drinking or washing your face in the waterfall… “While driving up Doi Suthep mountain, there is…
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Thai temple man charged with murder of alleged would-be robber
Police revealed a temple servant wanted for murder surrendered at Hat Yai police station yesterday at about 5pm. Pinyo Suwanno, who helps out at a temple near Niphat Songkhro 2 Road, Hat Yai Municipality, Songkhla Province, confessed to killing 47-year-old Thammarit Ngamchom because he overheard him plan a robbery of the temple. The 48 year old alleged murderer, also known…
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Cannabis is illegal on Khao San Road, officials call for crackdown
In the ever-meandering journey of cannabis legalisation, with the plant being legalised for growing, selling, and consuming with very few rules and now receiving pushback for that lack of regulation, Khao San Road is being reminded that it’s NOT legal there. While about a million people have been licensed to sell cannabis now, smoking in public can be prosecuted as…
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Crocodile turns up in an unusual location: the heart of Bangkok
Visitors to Thailand are often amazed by the wildlife they can see: elephants, tigers, crocodiles, lizards, dolphins, whales and sharks, and so much more. There are areas – like nature reserves, marine parks, farms, and sanctuaries – where you can travel to meet these creatures, and downtown Bangkok is not usually one of them. But residents were stunned to run…
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The Power of Resilience: Anna wins the Miss Universe Thailand crown by Mouawad
The daughter of two Bangkok garbage collectors now wears a dazzling crown adorned with peridot, topaz, and diamonds designed by luxury jewellery company Mouawad. Beauty queen Anna Sueangam-iam was born into a life of hardship yet grew up to become Miss Universe Thailand 2022, the well earned winner of a crown fittingly named ‘The Power of Resilience.’ Anna grew up…
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4am alcohol curfew may increase revenue, but also crime, deaths
Supporters of the current proposal to allow nightlife entertainment venues to open and serve booze until 4am in some tourist provinces think it will allow money-spending customers to drink alcohol and party for a few extra hours. Meanwhile, opposition to the proposal worries that it will allow customers to drink alcohol and party for a few extra hours, with dire…
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Mountain B fire claims 19th life, 23 year old woman dies in hospital
A 23 year old woman injured in the Mountain B nightclub fire in Chon Buri’s Sattahip district on August 5 passed away at Chon Buri hospital at 2.50am today – leaving her five year old daughter without a mother or father. The fire, which has now claimed 19 lives and 26 people who are still receiving treatment in hospital, also…
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Another long weekend brings huge crowds to Surat Thani
Another long holiday weekend has benefited tourism in southern Thailand, as the province of Surat Thani recorded over 57,000 visitors. Both domestic and foreign travellers made their way down to Surat’s popular islands for the three-day weekend. Data shared by the Surat Thani office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said that 24,639 foreigners made their way to one…
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Tenant fined 140,000 baht for keeping dog in Bangkok condominium
South Bangkok Criminal Court has ruled that a tenant who violated condominium rules by keeping a dog in the apartment must pay a 141,500 baht fine and interest of 5% per year until the sum is paid in full. The decision comes after the condo filed a lawsuit against the dog owner in December last year. On top of the…
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Speedo-wearing middle-aged joggers in Jomtien cause uproar
Scantily clad women are a fairly common sight in Pattaya, in clubs by night and on the beach by day. But when the gender roles were reversed, people on social media were going nuts over two middle-aged men jogging up Jomtien Beach Road, wearing nothing more than tight Speedo bathing shorts as they ran. Photos posted on social media on…
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Which type of health insurance do you need in Thailand?
There are numerous different types of health insurance available in Thailand to meet your needs. But with so many options, choosing a health insurance plan can be complicated, especially if you are a foreigner living in the country. When the question arises as to what type of health insurance you should get, you’ll need to make a decision based on…
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Gunman wounds 8 in Jerusalem, 48 dead in Israeli Gaza strikes
Mainstream media last night reported eight people had been wounded after a gunman opened fire at two locations in Jerusalem. According to reports, the man who pulled the trigger is believed to be a Palestinian who targeted a bus carrying Jewish worshippers who had just prayed at the Western Wall and people in a car park near the holy site.…
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Man fights Indian Railways for 22 years for justice (and 9 baht)
Twenty-two years is a long time to fight a court battle, but nine baht is nine baht, right? A lawyer in India believes so and has fought for justice against Indian Railways for more than two decades because he was overcharged by 20 Indian rupees, the equivalent of almost 9 baht, 21 pence, or 25 American cents. The lawyer who…
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Tourism Minister visits Full Moon Party, supports later curfew
The Full Moon Party week is just wrapping on the island of Koh Pha Ngan, and while attendance was down, there was at least one special attendee that could influence the future of the party. Minister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakarn visited Haad Rin, home of the iconic party that draws tens of thousands of tourists to the island…
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Thais cautioned against fake government websites
Thais are being told to be aware of websites pretending to be government agencies’ pages. A deputy government spokesperson said on Friday that cybercriminals are using these fake sites to get people’s data and even hack their devices. The spokesperson, Rachada Dhnadirek, gave one example that showed just how advanced some of the fake government sites are. A fake Department…
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Another Thai boxer dies from brain injury after fight in Malaysia
Another Thai boxer has tragically died from a brain injury after a fight. The boxer, known as Petchkeng Kaiyanghadao, had been fighting in Malaysia, according to his martial arts club at Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon. In a Facebook post, the martial arts club described Petchkeng as a skilled fighter. Petchkeng had been an alumnus at the university. The…
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Flooding from overflowing rivers soaks Chiang Rai and the border
Along the northern borders of Thailand, rains have swelled rivers beyond capacity and caused widespread flooding. The Sai River along the Burmese border started rising on Friday and by Saturday morning the riverbanks burst and flooded a border town in the Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai, according to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department. Over 2,000 houses were flooded…
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Pattaya night club owner gives free meals on Thai Mother’s Day
A Pattaya night club owner performed an act of kindness on Thai Mother’s Day on Friday. The Stones House night club is located on Pattaya’s famous Walking Street, a tourist hotspot and renowned party area. But this past Friday evening was a time for families lining up in front of the club. The club’s owner, Amporn Kaewsang, worked with her…
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Police find fake Covid-19 tests worth millions in central Thailand
After raids this week, police have found tens of thousands of falsely labelled Covid-19 tests, along with medical supplies, in central Thailand worth about 2 million baht. Police posed as customers to crack down on a building in the province of Nakhon Pathom, and a house in the province of Nonthaburi, on July 11. In the Nakhon Pathom building, police…
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UPDATE: Rushdie is talking again, attacker pleads not guilty
UPDATE Renowned author Salman Rushdie appears to be recovering after being brutally attacked while giving a speech in New York City on Friday. The 75 year old was taken off a ventilator yesterday, and his agent confirmed that he was talking again. Rushdie has three stab wounds to his neck, four to his stomach, a puncture wound to his right…
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Singaporean car driver dead, 7 injured in Phuket crash with bus
On a winding mountain road, a car of Singaporean tourists crashed into a small tour bus, killing the driver of the car and injuring seven people. The crash happened in the Muang district of Phuket last night when the driver of the car lost control coming downhill and ploughed into the bus. The car, a Toyota Yaris registered in Phuket,…
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FDA says Thailand unaffected by contaminated Haagen-Dazs
Ice cream lovers of Thailand can rest easy tonight, knowing that their Haagen-Dazs won’t kill them. The Thai Food and Drug Administration confirmed that none of the batches of cancer-linked contaminated ice cream discovered in other countries were imported to Thailand. Known for their high-quality premium ice cream, a recent batch of Haagan-Dazs was discovered in France with a less…
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Foreign parrotfisher in Krabi says he’s sorry
UPDATE The foreign man spotted parrotfishing off an island in South Thailand’s Krabi province has said today that he is sorry for his actions. The man had been fishing in the Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. Catching fish in a national park is illegal under Thailand’s National Park Act BE 2562. A storm of Thai netizens went…
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17 year old the 18th victim of Mountain B fire, 27 still in hospital
An 18th person has died in the tragic Chon Buri pub fire, this time a young girl of 17 called Mind, who had been on life support in the hospital since the night of the fire. “Mind” was the third minor to die in the fire, after a 17 year old and an 18 year old (a friend of Mind’s)…
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Tropical storm ‘Mulan’ makes a splash in the north of Thailand
The tropical storm ‘Mulan’ that meteorologists warned would hit Thailand has now poured down on the country’s north and northeast regions. The regions dealt with flash floods yesterday (Friday), due to heavy rain caused by the depression from the storm. In the northern province of Phayao, villagers in Nam Bong forest were forced to evacuate when flash floods swallowed their…
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Fire breaks out at Patong bar
A fire broke out at a Patong bar on Thursday, at the tourist hotspot of Bangla Road. Firefighters rushed to the scene to find smoke coming out of the bar. Firefighters reported that the incident was caused by sparks from a high voltage electric cable above the bar. Luckily, no injuries were reported. A photo by The Phuket Express shows…
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