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
9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand
Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...
-
Phuket tackles high fees at Deep Sea Port after complaints
Phuket’s provincial officials convened an urgent meeting yesterday to address growing complaints from transport operators regarding the high entrance fees being charged at Phuket Deep Sea Port. The meeting, chaired by Vice Governor Samawit Suphanphai, took place at the Damrongtham Centre (Phuket Provincial Ombudsman’s Office) in Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday, September 3. The discussions were deemed crucial enough to involve…
-
Mayor arrested for extorting money from contract workers in Thailand
The mayor of Tha Sila municipality in Sakon Nakhon province has been arrested for allegedly extorting money from contract workers in exchange for job extensions. The arrest was led by Police Major General Jruykiat Pankaeo, deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, in collaboration with officials from the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission and the National Anti-Corruption Commission. The 46 year…
-
Pattaya drug trafficker arrested after lengthy police operation
Police in Pattaya have arrested a 33 year old man following a major investigation into drug trafficking and forged licence plates, with the suspect charged for distributing narcotics and using fake documents. A significant bust in Pattaya has led to the arrest of a major drug dealer, 33 year old Chai (pseudonym), who was apprehended by the Highway Police Division…
-
Thailand allocates 160 million baht for Myanmar refugee healthcare
The Ministry of Public Health plans to allocate 160 million baht to enhance healthcare access for over 700,000 Myanmar refugees residing in seven camps along the Thai-Myanmar border. The budget proposal aims to maintain public health services for these camps, which have relied heavily on international donations. This reliance became more pronounced following the cessation of humanitarian aid announced by…
-
Thailand builds 16-kilometres fence amid Cambodia border tensions
The Ad Hoc Centre for the Thailand-Cambodia Border Situation has approved the construction of a 16-kilometre fence along a disputed border area. This fence will connect Baan Nong Chan to Baan Nong Ya Kaew in Sa Kaeo province. During a meeting, the governor of Sa Kaeo, leading the provincial centre, proposed this plan. According to Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, the…
-
Phichit monk accused of sexually assaulting at least 3 boys
Three young boys accused a monk of sexually assaulting them after he tricked them into working for a temple in the Isaan province of Phichit. The accused monk reportedly offered gifts to some of the boys in an attempt to keep the assaults secret. Teachers at a school in Phichit heard a rumour about the sexual assaults and also noticed…
-
Tensions escalate as Thai officials demand Cambodians to leave illegal settlements (video)
Today, 4 September, border tensions flared in Ban Nong Chan, Non Mak Mun subdistrict, Khok Sung district, Sa Kaeo, after Thai officials put up trilingual warning signs (Thai–English–Khmer) demanding that Cambodians vacate the area immediately. The escalation comes after Sa Kaeo Governor Prinya Phothisat sent an official letter to Banteay Meanchey province, Cambodia, yesterday, 3 September, requesting the removal of…
-
Shocking survey reveals kids as young as 6 vaping in Thailand
A nationwide survey conducted by the Department of Health Service Support (DHSS) has exposed disturbing trends in e-cigarette use among children and young adults in Thailand, with the youngest user reported at just six years old. The findings are a stark reminder of the growing vaping epidemic in the country. The survey, which was carried out earlier this year by…
-
Chon Buri’s Takhian Tia signs MOU to fight drugs in schools
In Takhian Tia, Chon Buri, a new initiative was launched to combat drug abuse and vice in schools. Key local leaders signed an MOU to create a drug-free and safe environment for students. On Tuesday, September 2, a significant step was taken in Takhian Tia’s battle against drug abuse in schools. At Ban Nawang School’s multipurpose hall, Deputy Mayor Wachira…
-
Police intercept illegal transport of 71 Myanmar nationals in Tak
Yesterday, September 3, Thai highway police apprehended two men for illegally transporting 71 Myanmar nationals on the Wang Prachop–Phran Kratai Road in Tak province. The operation was led by Police Major General Khongkrit Lertsitthikul, alongside Police Colonel Sathit Samanphap and subsequent colleagues. The police were alerted to the illegal transport of foreign workers from Tak province further into Thailand, leading…
-
New non-stop Mumbai to Phuket flight opens doors for tourists
Mumbai, India’s bustling financial capital, is now directly connected to one of Thailand’s most coveted tourist destinations, Phuket, thanks to the launch of a new flight route by Akasa Air planned for September 20. This non-stop service promises to revolutionise travel between India and Thailand, offering an efficient and seamless journey, leaving behind the long layovers and connecting flights that…
-
Man arrested for indecent acts against woman with disability in Pathum Thani
A 44 year old man, Theerawat, was arrested following an incident involving inappropriate behaviour towards a woman with a disability. This arrest was made on Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok Road in Pathum Thani province after an arrest warrant was issued by Thanyaburi Provincial Court on August 21 for charges related to indecent acts against a person over 15 years old. The incident…
-
Thailand video news British Pensioner’s Beloved Tricycle Stolen in Northeast Thailand, 16 km Border Fence with Cambodia Gets Green Light
Thailand’s political and social landscape is shifting, with parliament preparing for a prime ministerial vote as dissolution debates linger and the army dismisses coup rumours. Economic strains are evident as Bangkok hotels face falling occupancy, while security moves ahead with a new border fence project. Human interest stories also gripped the nation—from a wife’s grim discovery of her missing husband’s…
-
Police bust drug ring in Bangkok, seizing assets over 13 million baht
The Metropolitan Police Division 5 conducted a major operation to dismantle a drug network, raiding three locations and seizing assets worth over 13 million baht. Suspects were apprehended and charged yesterday, September 3. Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, alongside Police Major General Nopasin Poolsawat, Deputy Commissioner overseeing investigations, and Police Major General Pallop Aeremla,…
-
Pattaya’s beach camping proposal faces opposition from tourists
A proposal to allow beach camping for a fee in Pattaya has ignited a wave of criticism from both tourists and long-term residents, raising concerns over the potential damage it could cause to the city’s image and its struggling hotel industry. “Beach camping, and what toilets are the campers using?” asked one European visitor, highlighting Pattaya’s ongoing cleanliness issues along…
-
Thai man shoots motorcyclist in Trang, mistaking victim for thief
A Thai man shot a motorcyclist, who was travelling behind him on a road in Trang province on Tuesday, September 2, claiming he mistook the victim for a thief. Monks at Rai Pru Temple in Mueang Trang district sought assistance from the Nam Phud Sub-district Office Rescue Foundation at around 7.30pm on Tuesday after the injured victim, 22 year old…
-
Phuket’s Patong Tunnel greenlit with 11-billion-baht budget
Phuket’s much-anticipated Patong Tunnel project has been given the green light, but with a hefty price tag of 11 billion baht and a new set of roadblocks ahead. On August 26, the Cabinet approved a major shift in the project’s investment model, paving the way for the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) to take direct control of the construction. The…
-
Cambodian smugglers caught with illegal cigarettes in Sa Kaeo
Yesterday, September 3, immigration police, excise officials, and the 13th ranger task force collaborated to arrest a group involved in the illegal cigarette trade near the border in Khlong Hat district, Sa Kaeo province. The operation followed complaints from locals at Baan Khao Din market about suspicious activities involving untaxed cigarettes. The police conducted a sting operation, which led them…
-
Phumtham faces legal heat over House dissolution request
A political uproar has erupted after caretaker Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai sought royal approval to dissolve the House of Representatives. Yesterday, September 3, a list MP and political activist filed a complaint with the police accusing Phumtham of lese majeste. The move has sparked allegations of corruption and malfeasance in office, with accusations that he exceeded his authority. Suratin Pichan…
-
Durian wholesaler shot dead in Yala’s Betong district
A mystery gunman fatally shot a well-known durian wholesaler at his business premises in Betong, Yala province. The incident occurred around 8.45pm yesterday, September 3, when Police Lieutenant Chatchai Channam, head of the special task force 444, was notified of the shooting. The victim, 68 year old Prasert Khananurak, known as Ko San, was found dead at the buying station yesterday,…
-
Political showdown: Thailand’s House to vote on new PM tomorrow
Thailand’s House of Representatives will vote tomorrow to elect a new Prime Minister, following the dismissal of Paetongtarn Shinawatra. The outcome could reshape the country’s political landscape. As stipulated by the Constitution, the entire Cabinet was removed from office, with the caretaker government remaining in place until a new administration is formed. In response to the ongoing political turmoil, the…
-
Mystery woman’s body found in suitcase weighed down with dumbbell
A woman’s body was discovered in a suitcase at a reservoir in Huai Yai subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, weighed down with a 15-kilogramme dumbbell. The deceased’s identity and nationality remain unknown, and it’s estimated that she had been dead for at least five days. Yesterday, September 3, at the Huai Yai Police Station meeting room, Deputy Provincial Police…
-
Heavy rain warning issued for 35 Thai provinces including Bangkok
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a weather forecast warning for Thailand, highlighting 35 provinces, including Bangkok, which is expected to experience heavy rain covering 70% of the area. Residents in Ranong, Chanthaburi, and Trat are advised to be vigilant against potential flash floods and forest runoff. This is due to a monsoon trough passing over northern and northeastern…
-
Phuket tuk tuks set to go electric in new pilot project
Phuket’s famous tuk tuks are about to get a green makeover as the island becomes the testing ground for Thailand’s first project to switch small passenger vehicles from petrol to electric power. Akaradej Wongpitakroj, MP for Ratchaburi and chairman of the House Industrial Committee, confirmed on a recent visit that Phuket will spearhead the conversion drive. The lessons learned here…
-
Sri Lanka brews Thai ties with world-famous Ceylon tea
Sri Lanka is banking on its world-famous Ceylon tea to deepen ties with Thailand, using the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations as the perfect occasion to showcase its prized export. On Monday, September 1, the Sri Lankan Embassy in Bangkok hosted a glittering evening reception titled Ceylon Tea Finest Evening. The event spotlighted the nation’s premium teas while highlighting their…
-
Pattaya monks slammed for loitering at markets for alms
Pattaya’s bustling markets are under scrutiny after officials found monks standing outside shops and food stalls waiting for alms, behaviour critics say undermines the sanctity of Buddhist practice. The inspections, led by Bang Lamung District Chief Officer along with subdistrict monks and local agencies, followed complaints that monks were abandoning their traditional morning alms rounds, known as pindapata. Instead of…
-
Foreign motorcyclists slammed for risky U-turn on Phuket traffic island
Thai netizens criticised two foreign motorcyclists for making a U-turn by riding onto a traffic island in Phuket, with some suggesting they were simply following the example set by Thai motorists. The Phuket Times Facebook page shared a video of the incident yesterday, September 2, with the caption, “Very dangerous! Foreigners in Phuket at a U-turn near Thai Watsadu on…
-
British pensioner’s prized tricycle swiped in Northeast Thailand
An 81 year old British man in Udon Thani has been left heartbroken after thieves made off with his treasured tricycle motorcycle in a daring early-morning theft caught on CCTV. Wayne, a retired restaurateur from UK’s Liverpool, filed a report at Mueang Udon Thani Police Station yesterday, September 2, through a translator. He told officers the blue and bronze three-wheeler,…
-
Thai woman finds missing husband’s skeleton in septic tank
A Thai woman discovered a skeleton in a septic tank at her home in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima, which she believed to be the remains of her husband, who had gone missing three years ago. The 60 year old woman, Thawee Paekratoke, called officers from Nong Boon Mak Police Station to her home in the Laem Thong sub-district,…
-
Phuket man wanted after stabbing wife in domestic row
Police in Phuket are hunting a man who allegedly stabbed his wife with a pair of scissors during a row at a motorcycle repair shop in Thalang. The attack happened at around 7pm yesterday, September 2, opposite the Thai Watsadu store in Srisoonthorn. The victim, 38 year old Pornpana Manhan, was stabbed in the back and rushed to Thalang Hospital…
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.