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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 Planning to extend your Thai visa? Why health insurance is more important than ever
If you plan to stay longer in Thailand, having health insurance is now more important than ever. Thai immigration often asks for proof of medical coverage when you apply to extend your visa. This applies to many types of visas,...
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High hopes: Public Health Minister plants seeds for ongoing medical cannabis policy success
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul strongly advocates for the continuation of the current medical cannabis policy under the incoming health ministership. He asserts that, if used correctly, cannabis provides immense benefits to users. This discussion took place at the Public Health Ministry, where he expressed confidence that the new government would not terminate the ‘cannabis for medical treatments’ policy. He…
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Thai government grins and bears it: New dental health department to tackle nation’s oral health
The Thai government is set to establish a dedicated dental health department, a move aimed at promoting oral healthcare across the nation, the Public Health Ministry announced. Permanent Secretary for Public Health, Opas Karnkawinpong, revealed to the press that the government had acknowledged the Senate Public Health Committee’s proposal to form the new department, though the plan is yet to…
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ATTA doubts efficacy of free visa plan for Chinese tourists
The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) has expressed scepticism about a government proposal to offer free visas to Chinese tourists as a means of stimulating demand. ATTA cites economic difficulties and a weak currency as challenges that could render this initiative ineffectual, particularly in the face of flight and staff shortages. The Federation of Thai Tourism Associations and the…
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Phaya Bueng burrows revive lottery number tradition in Phetchabun
Villagers from Wang Sai Thong, in the Wang Pong district of Phetchabun, stumbled upon two burrows of a creature known as Phaya Bueng yesterday, while tending to their sweet tamarind orchard. The creature is widely believed to be a harbinger of luck, particularly if its burrow faces east. The discovery has sparked a flurry of traditional ceremonies requesting lucky lottery numbers…
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Bangkok man’s high-speed chase ends in arrest
A disturbing incident occurred in the heart of Bangkok yesterday when a man, claiming he was being pursued for murder, fled from the police with his wife and nine month old child. The man, 27 year old Krishna, led authorities on a high-speed chase before he was cornered at an intersection at 3.30pm. Bang Sue Police were alerted to a…
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Courier dispute in Bangkok company leads to stabbing, suspect on the run
A violent altercation between two couriers from a particular company resulted in one man being stabbed and the other fleeing the scene. The conflict arose from an ongoing dispute over job distribution. The courier dispute incident occurred today. Police Captain Pansa Amarapitak, head of Thonglor Police Station, along with the police lieutenant and the deputy head, are overseeing the investigation.…
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Chinese school call parents over suspected age-gap romance, turns out man is student’s father
A handsome young man waiting outside a school to pick up a female student sparked worries of an age-gap romance, leading the school to summon the girl’s parents. The twist came when the parents arrived. The handsome young man, aged over 40, was, in fact, the girl’s father. According to Phunuphapluat, the story unfolded in China when the man stood…
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Snout of control: Pig farm stink leaves Surin village in a smelly health predicament
Residents of Nong Kok village in Surin province have expressed their complaints regarding a nearby pig farm that has been emitting extremely unpleasant smells for over two decades. The foul-smelling situation has resulted in recurrent visits to the hospital due to health problems. Despite making numerous appeals to the appropriate authorities, no measures have been implemented, giving rise to suspicions…
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Nakhon Ratchasima school bus crash injures 16 students in rush hour chaos
A school bus carrying 40 students lost control, flipped and crashed into a traffic light pole in Kaeng Sanam Nang district, Nakhon Ratchasima, resulting in 16 students aged between 10 and 17 sustaining injuries. The incident unfolded on Niwetrat Road, as confirmed by Police Lieutenant Colonel Paphon Chaisaksri, investigation chief at Kaeng Sanam Nang Police Station, who was notified about the…
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Durian drama: Police officer pays price for nose-y altercation with vendor
A police officer agreed to pay 140,000 baht in compensation to a female durian vendor after the two engaged in a physical altercation where the cop broke the vendor’s plastic nose. The dispute was ignited by an outstanding debt of 350 baht for the durian. The durian vendor, 27 year old Tittaya Boonpamee, shared footage of the altercation from a…
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Deviant sexually assaults ladyboy, forces her to perform oral sex in Songkhla
A deviant sexually assaulted a ladyboy in her room, threatening her in front of her boyfriend before raising a knife and forcing her to perform oral sex. The incident, which occurred at 4.40am today, was reported to Anuwat Ritthichai, Deputy Chief of Hat Yai Police Station. The crime took place in a lodging house in Hat Yai municipality, Songkhla province.…
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Thai embassy issues caution to residents in US over Hurricane Idalia’s threat
The Thai Embassy in Washington DC, USA, issued a warning about the dangerous Hurricane Idalia that battered the state of Florida with high wind speeds of up to 205 kilometres per hour. Today, the embassy advised Thai residents to stay updated with news, check weather conditions and exercise caution. The National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service forecasted that Category…
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Global investors navigate high interest rates amid inflation control efforts
Amid recession concerns, inflation, and high interest rates, investors seek promising investment avenues. Stock enthusiasts believe global interest rates are close to peaking, while central banks watch inflation. The US Federal Reserve raised the federal funds rate to 5.25-5.50% in July, the highest in decades. The European Central Bank increased rates by 0.25%, and the Bank of Japan hints at a…
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Strings of fate: Priceless 200 year old violin finds way back to maestro in Bangkok
A 200 year old violin valued at 18 million baht (US$ 514,580) has been returned to its esteemed owner, a celebrated Chinese violinist after he accidentally left it behind in a Bangkok taxi. A coordinated effort from Thong Lor police and JS100 traffic radio was indispensable in locating the taxi driver who had ferried the Chinese passenger from a restaurant…
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Moving ahead: MFP urges new PM to keep charter referendum promise
The Move Forward Party (MFP) called on Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to address a charter to hold a referendum in his initial Cabinet meeting, as previously promised. This follows the House of Representatives rejecting MFP’s push to expedite a full constitution rewrite, currently the 33rd item on the House’s agenda. Highlighting the urgency, list-MP Parit Wacharasindhu acknowledged the House’s decision…
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The Thaiger introduces revamped mobile app with exciting new features
Did you know that The Thaiger just launched a newly upgraded mobile application? Neatly packaged in a user-friendly format, this new app is easy to navigate for both the tech-savvy and the not-so. Now, you can get the latest updates about Thailand with even more ease through your Android or Apple devices. A wide range of news coverage and fresh…
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Grain gain: Thailand’s rice exports sprout an impressive 12% surge
The Commerce Ministry reported a significant increase in Thailand’s rice exports. Data reveals an 11.91% rise in exports from January to August 29, compared to the same duration last year. During this period, Thailand managed to export a hefty 5.29 million metric tonnes of rice. Despite the impressive rice export figures, the agricultural sector in Southeast Asia has been grappling…
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Beach warning: Venomous blue dragon sea slug spotted in Phuket
A marine scientist issued a warning to bathers to be aware of a venomous blue dragon sea slug that washed up on Karon Beach in Phuket this week due to the recent strong winds and sea weave. The Monsoongabage Thailand Facebook page shared pictures and videos of the blue dragon sea slug today and urged a marine scientist and lecturer…
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Flames of tragedy: Devastating blaze engulfs Johannesburg building, claims 52 Lives
South Africa is reeling after a five-storey building located in the heart of Johannesburg, in the northern part of the country, was engulfed in a blaze of flames last night. The devastating blaze claimed at least 52 lives, including toddlers aged between one and two years old. A further 43 people were injured. Local fire services raced to control the…
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Thai police bust child prostitution ring operating via Twitter in eastern Thailand
The Royal Thai Police apprehended five individuals, including three women aged 20, 28, and 19, allegedly involved in human trafficking and child prostitution. in eastern Thailand. The suspects were reportedly using a Twitter account to lure underage girls into the sex trade in Rayong province. The police acted on this information and successfully staged a sting operation, rescuing a 15…
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Phuket committee steers towards transparency to curb corruption in ongoing projects worth 155 million baht
The Phuket Good Governance Committee (PGGC) has taken the initiative to increase transparency and limit corruption in the region’s ongoing projects. The committee recently met with Phuket Highways Office Chief, Yutthana Phitak, to discuss the details and scope of major projects currently underway. The PGGC, led by Vice President Peerapit Ongcharoen, is actively involved in overseeing various projects scheduled for…
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4 Thai men remain at large after raping 16 year old girl in northern Thailand
A 14 year old girl and her mother are seeking justice after four men involved in the rape of the teenager remain at large despite the brutal incident taking place in April in northern Thailand. Huay Talang Police Station officers have been accused of ignoring the case, while the girl’s school has been charged with hiding the truth from the…
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Teen’s high-speed trade: Wheels and pills confiscated as young drug dealer arrested
Police arrested a 16 year old drug dealer in the central province of Ratchaburi on Tuesday, seizing a pickup, four motorcycles, and a cache of drugs, including heroin, ecstasy, ketamine, amphetamine, and crystal meth. Baan Pong Police Station organised a press conference to report the successful arrest of the teenage drug dealer, Jor, at his house in the Nong Pla…
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Dangerous road claims another victim as pickup crashes into tree in northern Thailand
A pickup truck veered off a road in Uthai Thani and crashed into a tree on a local farm yesterday, resulting in severe injuries to the driver. Locals stated that the stretch of road where the accident occurred is particularly treacherous and has been the site of multiple fatalities. Lan Sak Police Station last night received a report of a…
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Teenage symphony disrupted: Sattahip police operation strikes a chord, arrests 52 and seizes drugs
Sattahip was the scene of a police operation that resulted in the arrest of 52 teenagers and the seizure of illicit drugs. The operation was initiated following complaints from residents about loud music and an abundance of parked vehicles disrupting the tranquillity and traffic flow in the area. The inconsiderate parking had even blocked some residents’ driveways, leading to heightened…
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Claws for applause: Fearless tabby cat saves bedridden girl from venomous cobra
In a tale of courage and claws, a fearless tabby cat saved the life of a bedridden 12 year old girl from a venom-spitting cobra snake in her bedroom in Saraburi Province. The incident took place yesterday at the girl’s home in Kut Nok Plao Subdistrict. The cat, a female white and brown tabby, defended its young owner by standing…
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First detection of flualprazolam in Thailand raises concerns in southern provinces
The tranquilliser flualprazolam is seeing rampant use in Thailand’s southernmost provinces, according to officials. This follows the detection of the substance in nimetazepam pills by the Regional Medical Sciences Centre 12 in Songkhla. The discovery marks the first occurrence of flualprazolam in Thailand. The Department of Medical Sciences‘ director-general, Supakit Sirilak, made it known yesterday that the Centre was tasked…
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Singapore grapples with massive US$740 million money laundering scandal
Singapore is grappling with one of its largest-ever money laundering cases, involving over S$1 billion (US$740 million) of assets. Individuals, recently arrested and charged, allegedly held millions from unauthorised lending in China and illicit gambling in numerous banks such as United Overseas Bank, Citigroup and RHB Bank’s local units. Attempted fraud using counterfeit documents was also reported on banks including…
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As lottery draw nears, locals flock to ‘eel-lusive’ fish for fortunes
As the lottery draw looms, residents converged to seek fortune from an extraordinary eel–like fish stumbled upon by a 53 year old Mukdahan province resident. With a body of yellowish-white hue and piercing black eyes, this enigmatic creature has proven a charm for its possessor, paving the way for an astonishing four consecutive lottery victories. Somchai introduced the peculiar fish,…
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Deliveroo dilemma: Thai delivery riders seek Labour Ministry aid after road woes
Thai delivery riders seek the Ministry of Labour‘s aid for legal and financial assistance post-road accidents. Spokesperson Supaporn Phanprasit underlined the daily hazards of handling apps, and e-commerce. Rushing for deadlines leads to accidents, injuries, and worse. The group laments the lack of financial assistance or compensation from either the parties involved in the accident or the platform operators. The…
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