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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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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...
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Thai healthcare scheme stable with 46 billion baht in reserves
Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin has assured the public that the 30-baht “gold card” Universal Healthcare Coverage scheme remains financially stable, with hospitals holding reserve funds of 46 billion baht after liabilities. During a meeting of the National Health Security Office (NHSO) board, Somsak addressed concerns regarding hospital budget deficits, which some attribute to the scheme’s compensation mechanism. Critics argue…
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Chiang Mai Univeristy students scammed of millions in single day
Ten students at Chiang Mai University experienced scams in a single day, resulting in losses amounting to several million baht. This has led the university and local police to issue a warning about the scams. The scams intensified during a long holiday from May 31 to June 2, according to Police Colonel Manatchai Inthean, superintendent of Bhubing Rajanives Police Station.…
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Tensions rise: Thai-Cambodian border dispute intensifies
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia are reaching new heights, with the border dispute now a hot topic among the top military brass. Military leaders, including General Songwit Noonpakdee (Chief of Defence Forces) and General Phana Klaewplodthuk (Army Chief), remain on high alert despite believing the conflict is driven by motives other than actual combat. Both countries have deployed fully armed…
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Thai man found dead in hammock after suspected accidental strangulation
A Thai man tragically lost his life while sleeping on a hammock outside his relative’s home in the northeastern province of Si Saket. A 64 year old Thai woman, Wilai Sribunruang, reported the death of her 42 year old relative, Phantawut “Keng” Pongsatja, to officers at Uthumphon Phisai Police Station at approximately 5am on Wednesday, June 5. His body was discovered…
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Thailand video news | Thailand’s motorcycle death crisis prompts urgent helmet campaign, abandoned Thai boy given new home after teacher’s viral plea
Today we’ll be talking about Thailand’s motorcycle death crisis, fueling the latest round of helmet enforcement, a US tourist defacing a Chiang Mai temple wall, and a little later, the latest updates on evacuations and military mobilizations on the Thai-Cambodian border. Thailand’s Motorcycle Death Crisis Prompts Urgent Helmet Campaign Thailand’s Department of Disease Control is urging all motorcyclists to wear…
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Wall collapse horror: Pattaya construction mishap injures workers
A construction site in Pattaya turned into a scene of chaos yesterday when a concrete wall collapsed, trapping multiple workers and leaving two Myanmar nationals severely injured. The terrifying incident unfolded at 2.10pm yesterday, June 5, along the railway road in Soi Khao Talo, prompting an immediate response from local rescue teams and medical staff. The Sawang Boriboon Rescue Centre…
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Thai schoolboy uses AI to create nude images of female classmates
A Thai schoolboy in the central province of Pathum Thani allegedly used artificial intelligence (AI) to create nude images of his female classmates and shared them online. Yesterday, June 5, 20 schoolgirls and their parents visited the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau to file a complaint against their classmate after discovering their explicit pictures on social media. The young victims had…
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Taiwanese trio busted at Thai airport for smuggling scam phones
Three Taiwanese men were arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport after Thai customs officials discovered mobile phones in their luggage linked to scam cases across the country. The suspects were detained on arrival after officers found bank account data tied to fraudulent activities in Thailand. The men, whose identities have not been revealed, were taken into custody on Tuesday, June 3, when…
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British man flees after crashing sedan into house in Udon Thani
A British man crashed his saloon car into a local house in the Isaan province of Udon Thani, narrowly missing a young Thai girl, before fleeing the scene. The homeowner, 52 year old Prayoon Saenwian, filed a complaint with officers at Mueang Udon Thani Police Station at around 4pm on Wednesday following the incident. He also submitted CCTV footage from…
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Phuket school flouts rules as education office struggles for action
An unregistered kindergarten in Cherng Talay continues to promote itself as a legitimate school despite lacking formal approval from the Phuket Provincial Education Area Office (PPEAO), raising concerns over education oversight on the island. Despite weeks of questioning, the PPEAO has failed to provide clear answers on the legal status of the school, leaving many concerned about the oversight of…
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Former lecturer found dead in Bangkok temple suicide
An 85 year old former lecturer from Kasetsart University was found dead in a suspected suicide at Wat Phra Si Mahathat, located in the Bang Khen district of Bangkok. The elderly man reportedly ended his life due to ongoing health problems and personal distress. Police arrived at the temple on Phahon Yothin Road in Anusawari subdistrict at 12.30pm on Tuesday,…
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Thailand urged to cut interest rates amid economic challenges
Thailand needs to adopt a more assertive approach in reducing interest rates due to its challenging growth outlook and low inflation, according to Somprawin Manprasert, a candidate for the position of Bank of Thailand (BoT)’s new governor. The benchmark interest rate, currently set at 1.75%, could be reduced by 75 to 100 basis points, Somprawin stated during an interview in Bangkok.…
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Terror in Chalong: Landlady’s plea after year of harassment
A distressed landlady in Chalong has reached out to the media after more than a year of harassment by her mentally unstable neighbour, claiming police inaction and a lack of mental health support have left her with no choice but to go public. Pranee Boonsawang, 51, known as Som, owns an apartment complex in Soi Palai, Village 2, Chalong, where…
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Escaped Chinese fraud suspect recaptured in East Thailand
A Chinese fraud suspect made a daring escape from a Pattaya police station in the dead of night — by leaping out of a second-floor window. The 38 year old man, identified as Li Jian, was being questioned at Pattaya City Police Station in Soi 9 at around 1.30am yesterday, June 5, when he pulled off a stunt straight out…
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Torrential downpour: Heavy rainfall continues to batter Thailand
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a warning for heavy rainfall across 42 provinces, including Bangkok, from the afternoon until evening. Residents are advised to exercise caution. Increased rainfall is expected in the coming week. Over the next 24 hours, thunderstorms and heavy rain are forecast in northeastern, eastern, and western southern regions of Thailand. This weather is attributed…
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Local legend and lingerie: Thais honour island goddess with bra offerings
A group of Thai people fulfilled their vows to a goddess on Koh Nom Sao, the colloquial term roughly translating to Young Women’s Breasts Island, in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan by offering bras. Sumate Charoensuk, President of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) committee of Sam Roi Yot Sub-district, shared details of the unique offerings with several news…
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Thai police hold seminar on criminal procedure code amendment
A fiery debate is brewing in Thailand over the People’s Party’s draft bill amending the Criminal Procedure Code, as police officers and legal experts across the country discuss its potential impact. The Royal Thai Police (RTP) is organising a series of mobile seminars to gather opinions on the controversial proposal, with the northeastern region being the latest to host a…
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Thai woman attempts to kick fellow passenger off moving train
A Thai woman allegedly attempted to kick another woman off a moving train after a conflict over access to fresh air and a loud phone call. The witness, Nattamon Siripesarat, recorded a video of the physical assault and shared it on her Facebook account on Sunday, June 1. She captioned the post… “Chose a train for a safer trip, but…
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Foreign tourist vandalises Chiang Mai temple, police seek suspect
A foreign tourist is on the run after spray-painting graffiti on the historic wall of Wat Lam Chang, a 650-year-old temple in Chiang Mai’s old city. The culprit, who left behind English-language text and a house motif, is now being hunted by police after reportedly fleeing the northern province by air. The incident was first reported by the temple’s abbot,…
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Fugitive Chinese fraudster captured in Thailand after scam
A 55 year old Chinese man wanted for defrauding millions has been arrested in Thailand, where he had been hiding after swindling nearly 1.5 billion baht from investors in China. Dong, whose real name was withheld, was captured following an international manhunt after the Chinese government requested Thailand’s help to extradite him to face charges of illegal fund acquisition. The…
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Chiang Mai homestay featured in Thai film destroyed in fire
A fire broke out early Tuesday morning at a well-known homestay, which was also used as a filming location, in Chiang Mai, completely destroying the wooden accommodation. The Mae Daet Subdistrict Royal Thai Police (RTP) Cyber Village Facebook page shared a video showing police officers, rescue workers, and firefighters attempting to control the blaze at the popular homestay, Doolaylay. According…
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Fire breaks out on 8th floor of Bangkok construction site
A fire broke out on the 8th floor of a Bangkok building under construction, sending plumes of thick smoke into the air but fortunately causing no injuries. The fire, which started in a pile of leftover construction materials, was quickly brought under control, leaving the building’s structure unaffected. The fire occurred around 12.12pm today, June 5, in the Chatuchak district…
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Bus operators fight back against Phatthalung road ban
Bus operators in Thailand’s southern provinces are fuming over a new ban that restricts them from using the Phatthalung-Trang route, which runs through the Khao Phap Pha mountain. The controversial decision sparked outrage among double-decker bus operators, who are demanding that the Transport Ministry and Land Transport Department review the ban for safety reasons. Around 100 operators took to the…
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Chinese suspect leaps from Pattaya Police Station window (video)
A 38 year old Chinese fraud suspect is on the run after performing a dramatic escape from a second-floor window at the Pattaya Police Station. The Chinese national, Li Jian, reportedly managed to break free while being questioned, taking advantage of a brief moment when the officers’ attention was diverted. Li, who had been apprehended by immigration police at Don…
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Bangkok and Koh Samui lead Europe’s summer getaways
Thailand has once again emerged as the number one summer destination for European tourists, with Bangkok topping the charts as the most popular spot. The country has held this coveted title for the past two years, according to a survey by the online booking platform Agoda. The survey revealed that a significant number of European visitors to Thailand hail from…
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Moo-tor deals: Yala car boss throws in a cow with every sale
In Yala, the owner of a second-hand car dealership has launched a unique promotion, offering a cow with every car purchase to celebrate the Hari Raya Eid al-Adha festival. Abidin Dulkanon, owner of Bangmod Used Car located in Mueang district, Yala province, handed over a large cow to Abdulkareem Sameoh from Khlong Maning subdistrict, Mueang district, Pattani province. Abdulkreem was…
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Pattaya police foil violent brawl at Bali Hai Pier skate park
A potentially violent clash involving a large group of foreign youths was thwarted in the early hours of today after swift action by Pattaya City Police. Officers, led by Police Colonel Anek Sarethongyoo, responded to a tip-off from the Pattaya Special Operations team, who had received intel about a group of armed youths gathering at the skate park near Bali…
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Thai couple brutally attacks cat and its owner in Bangkok
A Bangkok couple brutally attacked a neighbour’s cat by allegedly putting a mop handle into its anus and also assaulted the feline’s owner, who exposed their abusive behaviour online. The incident was revealed by a Facebook user, November Purejika, who revealed that her younger sister’s cat, Mommam, was attacked by a neighbour couple on May 29. The attack reportedly took place in…
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King cobra stops car in Phayao, leaving woman terrified
A woman had a terrifying near-“hiss” with a giant king cobra on a rural road in the northern province of Phayao, leaving her shaken but unharmed. The incident occurred yesterday, June 4, between Ban Wang Bong and Ban Huai Son, when the 3-metre-long snake appeared out of nowhere, forcing her to slam on the brakes and narrowly avoid a collision.…
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Thai drug lord extradited after fleeing with 7.9 million meth pills
A major drug dealer from Sakon Nakhon has been extradited to Thailand after being apprehended in Laos, where he had fled following the seizure of 7.9 million methamphetamine pills. The suspect had evaded capture for three years before being returned yesterday, June 4, at 1.30pm via the Third Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge border checkpoint in Nakhon Phanom province. The return of…
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