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 Why health insurance costs more each year and how expats in Thailand can save more money
Each year, many expats living in Thailand see their health insurance premiums go up and often without a clear reason. This can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to plan your budget. But by understanding why prices rise and learning...
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Sisaket woman takes child hostage after mental health meltdown
A 28 year old woman with a history of psychiatric issues held her three year old daughter hostage and attacked her mother in Sisaket’s Mueang district. Emergency services responded promptly, securing the woman and taking her to a hospital for treatment. Upon arriving at the residence in Ban Chan, Sam subdistrict, police from Mueang Sisaket Provincial Police Station, along with…
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Intoxicated man jumps into temple pond to cool off, drowns
A 36 year old man drowned in a temple pond in Chachoengsao after reportedly jumping into the water to cool off while intoxicated. The incident occurred at Ban Noen Sawang temple’s pond in the Sanam Chai Khet district today, February 18, when residents had warned him of the dangers but were unable to prevent the tragedy. Village headman Thanachok Prakongsuk…
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Mother and daughter arrested in Buriram for online prostitution
Police in Buriram province arrested a mother and her 17 year old daughter for allegedly engaging in online prostitution. The police set up a sting operation to apprehend the pair, despite the daughter claiming her actions were consensual. Yesterday, February 18, the investigative team from Buriram Provincial Police was alerted to online posts advertising sexual services via an application. Reports…
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Heavy rain leads to over 50 accidents in one hour in Loei
Loei province was thrown into chaos as the season’s first heavy rainfall triggered a catastrophic wave of accidents, leaving over 50 vehicles wrecked in just one hour. The sudden downpour turned the roads into slippery hazards, catching drivers off guard and resulting in a series of crashes across multiple districts. Yesterday, February 17, intense rainfall lashed several areas, including Phu…
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Time’s up: Stallholders at Chatuchak weekend market told to leave
A double dose of drama and upheaval is brewing at Bangkok’s Chatuchak weekend market, as City Hall rings the alarm for 529 stallholders near the iconic clock tower. They’ve been ordered to vacate by April 30 to make way for a swanky redevelopment plan, sending a shockwave through one of the city’s most cherished shopping havens. In a press conference…
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Thailand prisoner rights debate scrapped amid backlash
A heated debate over equal healthcare rights for prisoners was abruptly shut down in Thailand’s Senate yesterday after Senator Angkhana Neelapaijit withdrew her motion, sparking backlash from fellow lawmakers. The motion aimed to highlight discrepancies in medical treatment between prisoners and high-profile figures like former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who spent six months in a VIP hospital ward instead of…
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Border patrol seizes 700kg of crystal meth after smugglers flee
Border patrol officers seized over 700 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine following a clash with a smuggling gang, who abandoned their vehicle and fled. The increased drug flow has prompted heightened police vigilance as the price of crystal meth dropped significantly to 10,000 baht per kilogramme. At 4.30pm, yesterday, February 18, Police Colonel Worapat Boonma, commander of the Border Patrol Police…
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PM urges fast-track completion of Songkhla-Malaysia border road
Thailand’s long-delayed new border crossing in Songkhla is finally set to open, with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra ordering urgent action to complete the missing road link to Malaysia. During a mobile Cabinet meeting in Songkhla yesterday, February 18, PM Paetongtarn inspected several development projects and was shocked to learn that the 2nd Sadao Border Checkpoint, built in 2019, remains closed…
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Thai hospital maid suffers brain bleed after brutal assault by colleague
A Thai maid working at a hospital in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok is seeking justice after a male colleague, who brutally assaulted her, remains at large and continues working as usual, while she suffers from bleeding on the brain. The younger sister of the victim, Weelyn Issarangkul Na Ayuttaya, took to social media to seek assistance for the 54 year…
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Ang Thong ice cream vendor scammed with fake 1,000 baht note
An ice cream vendor in Ang Thong province was deceived by a fraudster who posed as a customer ordering ice cream for construction workers. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, February 16 around 12.20pm, involved a counterfeit banknote trick. The fraudster altered a 100 baht note to resemble a 1,000 baht note by adding a zero with a blue marker.…
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Elderly woman found dead in Nakhon Si Thammarat canal
A 66 year old woman was found dead in a rubber plantation canal in Mueang district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province, after being missing from home for several hours. Initial autopsy results indicated she had been dead for at least six hours before her body was discovered yesterday, February 18. Police Colonel Kittichai Kairnara, along with investigators, a doctor from Maharaj Nakhon…
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Thailand battles flu season as cases soar and fever pitch rises
Thailand is facing a major influenza outbreak, with 107,570 cases recorded this year and nine deaths, the Public Health Ministry confirmed yesterday, February 18. Flu infections are surging at 15,000 new cases per week, a sharp rise from the 10,000 per week reported in early 2024. Dr Jurai Wongsawat, spokesperson for the Department of Disease Control (DDC), stated that children…
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The White Lotus Season 3 is deliciously unhinged
Finally, The White Lotus Season 3 has graced our screens, and let me tell you, it’s wild, mysterious, and darkly hilarious as I hoped it would be. Suppose the first two showed us the cracks in the glossy facade of the ultra-wealthy. In that case, this season is about smashing that facade entirely, wrapping it in layers of Thai spirituality,…
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Pakistani men arrested for aggressive sales tactics in Pattaya
Two Pakistani nationals were arrested in Pattaya for working illegally at a local herbal shop, where they allegedly harassed tourists with aggressive sales tactics. Acting on multiple complaints, Tourist Police swooped in on Sunday, February 16, catching the pair in the act. The operation, led by Police Colonel Songwut Chueaplakit, Superintendent of Investigation at the Tourist Police Bureau, took place…
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10 suspects arrested for money laundering linked to call centre scam
Police arrested 10 out of 32 suspects from eight provinces in Thailand for operating a money laundering scheme worth over 2 billion baht for a call centre scam gang. Officers from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) held a press conference yesterday, February 18, to disclose details of the money laundering crackdown. The operation, conducted throughout February, targeted 32 suspects involved…
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Wife’s dream predicts husband’s end in wall collapse tragedy
A tragic accident occurred in Nakhon Phanom when a wall collapsed, killing a man wearing the exact clothes his wife dreamt about. A man was crushed under a bathroom wall at his home yesterday February 18, despite scepticism about his wife’s premonition. At the residence located at 94 Ban Phon Ngam, Mueang district, relatives, including 64 year old Tula Phokapanit…
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Electrician dies after being ran over by lorry in Samut Prakan
A 50 year old electrician in Samut Prakan was hit by an unidentified vehicle, causing him to fall and be fatally run over by a lorry. The incident was witnessed by a taxi driver who promptly alerted the lorry driver. Police Lieutenant Isara Saengsawang, Deputy Inspector of Phra Samut Chedi Police Station in Samut Prakan, received a report yesterday, February…
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Ex-Thai actress accuses British husband of swindling 350,000 baht
A former Thai actress accused her British husband of infidelity and swindling her out of her 350,000 baht life savings. The 40 year old ex-actress, Ladda Khantiphok, reached out to several news agencies to publicise her story and to help her find a lawyer to take legal action against her British husband, Ian. Ladda said she is struggling to make a…
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Thailand exempts five groups from SIM registration update
The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) has outlined five groups exempt from updating their SIM registration names to match mobile banking names as part of measures to prevent online crime. The aim is to curb mule accounts. This measure began on February 1. The first group includes mobile numbers registered under government agencies, such as the Office of…
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Thai entertainment complex bill targets tourists, limits local gambling
Council of State Secretary General Pakorn Nilprapunt stated that the controversial Entertainment Complex Bill is primarily aimed at foreign tourism, with stringent measures proposed to minimise the involvement of most Thai citizens due to concerns about gambling. Pakorn recently shared an update on the amendments to the draft bill, noting that it is currently under its second review. The draft…
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Cobra Gold 2025: US-Thailand military exercise set for February
The Cobra Gold joint military exercise is set to take place in Thailand from February 25 to March 7, featuring the participation of 3,200 US personnel. The opening ceremony is scheduled at 9am on February 25 at Suranaree Camp in Mueang district, Nakhon Ratchasima. The event stands as the largest joint and combined exercise in the Indo-Pacific, symbolising the robust…
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Thailand video news | Tourist Brawl in Phuket Sparks Debate on Visitor Behavior, Vietnamese Authorities Crack Down on Children Soliciting Money Through Provocative Dances
Today we’ll be talking about the ongoing tourist crisis Pai, a crackdown on foreign teachers working illegally in Thailand, and a little later 5 arrests made in a shooting incident near the Phnom Penh airport. Tourist Brawl in Phuket Sparks Debate on Visitor Behaviour A shocking street brawl outside Café del Mar in Kamala, Phuket, has gone viral, igniting debate…
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Gold thief busted after high-profile heist in Sattahip
A wanted fugitive has been captured after leading police on a month-long chase following a high-profile gold heist. The seasoned thief, notorious for his criminal exploits, was arrested at dawn yesterday, February 18, in Ban Chang, Rayong, after officers raided his hideout. The sting operation, spearheaded by Police Colonel Khomsan Khamtunkaew of Supphaluang Police Station and his deputy, Pol. Lt.…
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2 men filmed engaging in sexual activity on Bangkok footpath
A Thai Bolt motorcycle rider shared a video on a Facebook group showing two men engaging in sexual activity on a footpath in Bangkok‘s Bang Khen district, prompting widespread criticism. The Facebook account, พชรดนัย ฯ., posted the explicit dashcam footage yesterday, February 18, in the group Bolt Drivers Thailand. The post was captioned, “Stabbing incident in Bang Khen area…” The…
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Illegal bitcoin mining operation busted in Pathum Thani housing project
Police in Pathum Thani dismantled an illegal bitcoin mining operation set up in a housing project, seizing 18 mining devices. The operation had reportedly been using electricity illicitly with an annual cost exceeding 3 million baht. Yesterday, February 18, Sutthiporn Siwawetphikun, district chief of Nong Suea, Police Colonel Teerayut Sereinonchai, and Yutthana Srisombat, a deputy district official for security, along…
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Pattaya thief slashes Russian tourist’s bag, steals 100,000 baht
A Russian tourist’s dream holiday in Pattaya turned into a nightmare after a brazen thief slashed open his suitcase, making off with over 100,000 baht in cash and valuables. The victim, Vladimir Tulayev, has been left frustrated after security cameras failed to capture the suspect. Tulayev, who was staying at a hotel in South Pattaya, reported that the theft occurred on February 12 while…
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Thai nationals arrested for trafficking methamphetamine worth 3 million baht
Two Thai nationals were apprehended in Amnat Charoen province for their involvement in trafficking methamphetamine, known as frung fring pills, mixed with crystal meth. Police Colonel Nipon Boonkert and the relevant officials arrested 39 year old Suriyan Wongchaiya and 21 year old Akkaraphon Saengphet as they attempted to deliver the drugs at designated locations. Police confiscated 106,000 pills, valued at…
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Bangkok-Pattaya bus overturns in Chon Buri, 40 injured
A bus accident occurred in Chon Buri yesterday, resulting in injuries to 40 people. The incident happened at 2pm yesterday, February 18, on the bypass road, Route 36, inbound to Pattaya, when the bus overturned after swerving to avoid a vehicle emerging from a gas station. Rescue services from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation responded promptly to the accident in…
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31 suspects arrested in Chinese-run gambling den in Bangkok
Police arrested 31 suspects during a raid on a gambling den run by Chinese nationals in the Huai Khwang area of Bangkok in the early hours of this morning. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau and Suthisan Police Station raided the three-storey building in Soi Pracharat Bamphen 11 at 1am, today, February 19, following a tip-off about gambling operations. Upon…
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Chinese ex-boyfriend who attacked Chon Buri woman freed
A 23 year old woman in Chon Buri escaped an assault by her Chinese ex-boyfriend, who attacked her with a metal bar and threatened to cut her toes with scissors. Despite the severity of the incident, the man was released without charges after paying 50,000 baht in damages. Police at Huay Yai Police Station received a report requesting assistance for…
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