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 Top 10 reasons for expats to get a comprehensive health insurance in Thailand
Moving to Thailand offers a prospect full of excitement and adventure, but in the same vein, if any injuries were to occur (and god forbid it does), the local healthcare system can be confusing at first glance for many expats...
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Pattaya dazzles tourists with flashy new Walking Street sign
Pattaya’s famed nightlife hotspot, Walking Street, is set to shine even brighter, thanks to a brand-new, eye-popping 3D LED sign currently under construction at the street’s entrance. The vivid, high-tech signage, part of the city’s ongoing beautification efforts, promises to become the ultimate selfie spot for tourists flocking to the notorious party district. Even though work on the towering structure…
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Thai hospital denies blocking Cambodian patients amid border clashes
Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital in the Isaan province of Ubon Ratchathani denied rejecting Cambodian patients amid heightened border tensions, following the circulation of an official document with unclear wording on Thai social media yesterday, July 31. Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital, located near the border, were among the institutions affected during recent clashes. Several hospitals in the area sustained damage and were temporarily closed, leading…
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Cambodia conflict sparks tourism collapse in Thai border provinces
Thailand’s tourism hotspots are in crisis as growing border tensions with Cambodia drive tourists away in droves, leaving hotels empty and holiday islands deserted. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Thapanee Kiatphaiboon confirmed the devastating impact of ongoing hostilities, which have steadily escalated since early May. Travellers, fearing for their safety, have cancelled thousands of bookings, delivering a crippling blow…
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Bangkok crackdown targets rogue motorcycle taxis
Bangkok’s motorcycle taxi riders are facing a massive crackdown as city officials roll out an ambitious campaign to transform the capital’s thousands of taxi stands, targeting unruly drivers and unsafe practices. From this month until December, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will overhaul all 5,365 registered motorcycle taxi stands across the city. The sweeping initiative aims to boost safety standards,…
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Happiness documented: Bangkok police pens official report after seeing sleeping dog
A 23 year old Thai man asked police officers to record his happiness after seeing a lovely stray dog sleeping on a pedestrian bridge in Bangkok. The police record of the man’s joyful moment went viral on Thai social media yesterday evening, July 31. The document appeared to be entirely official, complete with the Garuda emblem and the names of…
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Trump slashes Thai tariffs to 19% – but is there a catch?
US President Donald Trump has stunned Thailand and the wider ASEAN region by announcing a sharp cut in import tariffs on Thai goods, slashing rates from 36% to 19%. The decision, made public yesterday, July 31, via the former US president’s Truth Social platform, came just hours before an executive order was signed, locking the deal in from today, August…
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Thailand braces as heavy rain persists in several regions
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts a reduction in rainfall for today, although heavy rain is still expected in some regions. Residents in the upper northeastern areas are advised to remain cautious due to potential heavy rainfall and accumulation. This weather pattern is influenced by a low-pressure area over northern Vietnam, coupled with a weakened southwest monsoon over the Andaman…
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Thai man allegedly assaults delivery worker and steals 500 baht from victim
A Thai parcel delivery worker accused a male customer, an official at a sub-district administrative office in the southern province of Songkhla, of physically assaulting him and stealing 500 baht. The delivery worker, 42 year old Pongsiri, shared the details of the alleged assault with Hat Yai Focus news agency in a plea for justice. He reported the incident to…
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Cambodia border closures shift Thai trade to sea routes
Border closures with Cambodia have disrupted land transport, prompting a shift to alternative shipping routes. The conflict and closed checkpoints have hindered logistics that previously depended on Cambodian routes to reach Vietnam. As a result, businesses are now utilising sea transport and alternative land routes through Laos. The number of shipping lines servicing Cambodia has increased, leading to a reduction…
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Thai man fatally stabs former father-in-law and confesses crime to mother
A Thai man fatally stabbed his former father-in-law at a house in Chon Buri in the early hours of today, July 31, after failing to reconcile with his wife. He later confessed to the violent act to his mother. Officers from Huay Yai Police Station were called to investigate the death of 54 year old Siwapong at a house in…
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Austrians eye Pattaya paradise as mayor rolls out red carpet
Pattaya may be famous for sun, sea, and nightlife—but now it’s setting its sights on schnitzel-loving tourists from Austria. Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet recently welcomed Austrian Ambassador Wilhelm Maximilian Donko to City Hall in a high-level diplomatic meeting aimed at boosting long-term Austrian tourism to the city. The talks focused on expanding cooperation in tourism and cultural exchange, with both…
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Thailand snubs Hun Manet’s plea to release troops
Thailand has flatly refused to send home 18 captured Cambodian soldiers, defying a direct appeal from Cambodia’s prime minister. The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has rejected Hun Manet’s public request to immediately repatriate Cambodian troops detained after a deadly border clash, insisting all 18 soldiers must face legal proceedings first. “All detainees are being treated in line with international standards,”…
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600-million-baht Phuket projects face scrutiny
Six high-stakes government projects worth over 600 million baht are under the microscope—but progress remains a mystery. The Phuket Provincial Governance Committee has launched a round of field inspections aimed at ensuring transparency, accountability, and public benefit from major infrastructure and development projects slated for 2025. Led by Ruenwadee Suwanmongkol, Chief Inspector General of the Prime Minister’s Office for Inspection…
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12 Chinese nationals arrested for operating call centre scam in Chiang Mai
Police arrested 12 Chinese nationals yesterday, July 30, for operating a call centre scam from a pool villa in the northern province of Chiang Mai. Officers from Provincial Police Region 5 and the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau raided the villa in the Mae Rim district following a tip-off that it was being used as a base for the scam. According…
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Indian weddings could fuel Thai FDI boom
Thailand could soon be cashing in on Indian love stories—with luxury weddings fuelling a fresh wave of foreign investment. HSBC highlighted Indian wedding tourism as a key opportunity to boost foreign direct investment (FDI) into Thailand, pointing to stronger economic links and rising investor confidence between the two countries. During a recent visit to HSBC Thailand, HSBC India CEO Hitendra…
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Bangkok doctors perform scar-free baby ops
Thai doctors are now performing life-saving surgery on newborns using tools smaller than a pencil tip—without leaving a scar. The Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health has become the first medical centre in Thailand to perform advanced minimally invasive surgery on newborns, according to the Department of Medical Services (DoMS). DoMS Deputy Director-General Thanin Wechapinan announced the breakthrough this…
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Transgender thief caught after snatching bracelet from foreign tourist in Phuket
A Thai man caught a transgender thief and handed her over to police after she snatched a bracelet from a foreign tourist jogging along Patong Beach in Phuket. A Thai lifeguard, Worrayut Naophai, called officers from Patong Police Station to the scene, where they arrested the suspect, later identified as Naphasinee Yarak. The transgender woman was found to be a…
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Fatal crash sparks fury over ‘death trap’ roadworks in Pattaya
A fatal motorbike crash in Pattaya has reignited outrage over hazardous road conditions after a Laotian man was killed yesterday in what residents describe as a “death trap” stretch of road. The accident happened around 8pm yesterday, July 30, on a road running parallel to the railway in Soi Nong Hin. Emergency responders from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Unit…
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MP blasted for ‘disrespecting’ Thai military during border clash
Prominent political activist Srisuwan Janya has filed a petition with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), demanding an investigation into what he calls “serious ethical misconduct” by a Chon Buri member of Parliament. The complaint targets Sahassawat Kumkong, an MP with the People’s Party (PP), whose now-deleted Facebook post criticised the Thai military amid the tense border conflict with Cambodia. The…
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Pattaya drug raid: Major dealer arrested, drugs seized
In Banglamung District, Pattaya, on July 30, a significant drug bust led by District Chief Patcharapat Sritanyanon resulted in the arrest of a well-known drug dealer, Ratthaphong Phananuson, known by the alias Got Soi Noen. The operation successfully seized 438 methamphetamine pills and 62.61 grammes of crystal methamphetamine, commonly referred to as ice. The investigation began after a tip-off from…
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Thai woman flees after running her SUV over man at Nakhon Pathom temple
A Thai woman ran her SUV over a man sitting at the entrance of Phra Pathom Chedi in the central province of Nakhon Pathom on Monday, July 28, leaving the victim with serious injuries. CCTV footage of the shocking incident circulated on Thai social media yesterday, July 30. In the video, the SUV is seen entering the gate of Phra…
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Cambodian man arrested for robbery of Russian tourist in Pattaya
Pattaya police have detained a Cambodian man named Chid Jan in connection with the robbery of Daria Smirnova, a 28 year old Russian tourist. The incident unfolded on July 28 at 8.06pm in Soi Chalermphrakiat 14. The suspect, who was on a motorcycle, allegedly threatened Smirnova with a screwdriver and took her bag, which contained valuables worth roughly 5,000 baht…
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IndiGo slashes fares to Thailand despite border bloodshed
As Thailand and Cambodia attempt to hold together a fragile ceasefire after the bloodiest border fighting in more than a decade, India’s largest airline is offering a travel bargain to the Land of Smiles. IndiGo announced a special promotion for passengers flying to Thailand. Travellers can now use the promo code “6ETHAI” to get up to 10% off bookings to…
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Former son-in-law charged with fatal stabbing in Chon Buri
A former son-in-law allegedly attacked and fatally stabbed his ex-father-in-law in Chon Buri province. The victim’s wife described the sudden and shocking event, while police apprehended the suspect at his residence. Relatives confronted him during his arrest. Police Colonel Sitthikas Thonsawat, deputy inspector of Hua Yai Police Station in Chon Buri, received a report on July 31 of a violent…
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Fatal accident on Sukhumvit Road as truck collides with motorcycle
An accident involving an 18-wheel truck and a motorcycle resulted in a fatality on Sukhumvit Road, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province. The incident occurred today, July 31, near a U-turn junction, prompting an urgent investigation by local police. Upon receiving notification of the collision, Bang Lamung police and volunteer rescue personnel swiftly arrived at the scene, finding the 18-wheel…
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Thai Air Force denies link to old bomb found in Cambodia
Today, July 31, the Royal Thai Air Force clarified that the MK-84 bomb, weighing 2,000 pounds, recently discovered in Cambodia, is not linked to any Thai Air Force operations targeting Cambodian military sites. The bomb, showing signs of rust and age, appears to have been unearthed from beneath a residential area and is commonly used by Western nations. Air Force…
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Thailand grounds all drones as border tensions flare
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has imposed a nationwide drone ban from July 30 (yesterday) to August 15—or until further notice—as tensions rise along the Thai–Cambodian border. The drastic move is part of heightened national security measures. The ban applies to all unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Offenders risk up to one year in prison, a fine of 40,000…
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Chinese journalists arrested at Thai border released without charges
Thai police confirmed that three Chinese men arrested in the border province of Surin on Tuesday, July 29, are journalists. The trio were released without charge after being found filming in a restricted military zone. Officers from Kap Choeng Police Station arrested the Chinese men in Kap Choeng district, Surin, at around 11pm. They were reportedly apprehended near the Chong…
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Thailand video news | Paetongtarn gets final lifeline in leaked tape scandal, Bag bump at Pattaya bar sparks bloody brawl
In Thailand video news, Jay reports on key stories making headlines across the country. From suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s final lifeline in the leaked audio scandal, to a violent gang clash disrupting a Phuket festival, the week has seen a mix of high-stakes politics and public safety concerns. Other reports include a bloody bar brawl in Pattaya over…
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Pattaya’s Jomtien Beach gets sandy makeover to woo tourists
Thailand’s Marine Department held a high-level seminar yesterday at the Jomtien Palm Beach Hotel and Resort to push forward Phase 2 of the Jomtien Beach Sand Replenishment Project — a multimillion-baht effort to combat coastal erosion and bring back beachgoers in droves. Deputy Director-General of the Marine Department Narinsak Sattaprasit presided over the event. He was joined by Deputy Governor…
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