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
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...
-
Scrapped: Back to the drawing board for Suvarnabhumi Terminal 2 design
It’s back to the drawing board for the AoT and the new Terminal 2 project at Suvarnabhumi Airport. The contract to design the much needed second terminal has been the subject of a lot of bitter criticism in the Thai architectural community. The board of Airports of Thailand Public Company, the operator of Suvarnabhumi international and five other major airports…
-
His Majesty sends flowers to five year old attacked by dogs in Krabi
His Majesty the King has sent a vase of flowers to a five year old Finnish boy who was attacked and bitten by a pack of dogs at Ao Nang in Krabi on Wednesday afternoon. The King instructed Captain Khumsup Iamsri, an officer attached to the King’s royal villa, to send the flowers to the boy at the Krabi Nakharin…
-
Disaster zone declared in Lampang after 31 mild tremors
It’s been a week of mild shocks and tremors in Lampang province in northern Thailand. Although there has been no lives lost, there has been a lot of minor damage to structures, mainly in the north of the province. The Wang Nua district, the northern-most district in Lampang province, north-east of Chiang Mai, has been now declared a disaster zone…
-
Golden Triangle drug labs increase shipments 1000% – Speed and Ice pouring over the border
The number of seizures of high-purity crystal methamphetamine are surging into northern Thailand. The demand rises and the methods of detection and enforcement also improve. It’s a vicious circle. Authorities say the number of drug seizures have risen 1000% in just the past 2 years, a stark indication of the growth in industrial-scale production in neighboring Myanmar. Some 18.4 tonnes…
-
Phuket tourist decides hotel awning more comfortable than his room
PHOTOS: Rawai Rescue workers / Phuket Tourist Police The Phuket Tourist Police have been notified that a tourist had jumped from a building in Rawai and ended up on a steel awning covering the bottom floor today. But that wasn’t, in fact, what had happened. The local Tourist Police say the owner of the building told staff at the Tourist…
-
Thai exports fall 5.7 percent in January, year-on-year
Thai export results have dipped for the third straight month, falling more than 5.65% compared to a year earlier. The fall was a lot bigger than expected, according to the Thai commerce ministry. Shipments contracted 1.72% in December, compared to a year earlier as well. January’s export drop was due to falling shipments of rice, gold, electronics and cars, according to the…
-
American backpacker refuses to pay for girl he brought back to hostel, punches staff
An American backpacker tourist, visiting Chiang Mai, had to be restrained after getting into a squabble with hostel staff after being asked to leave the premises. The video of the altercation was shared on Reddit by ‘EatPrayFart’. Following a night out, the backpacker brought a girl back to the mixed dorm room that he shared with nine other people. The report…
-
19 year old mother slashes three year old son’s throat in Yasothon
WARNING: This story may be shocking to some readers PHOTO: Sanook A 19 year old mother has used a kitchen knife to slash the throat of her three year old son in Yasothon in Thailand’s north-east. Thairath reports that Yasothon Police were notified of the incident at the woman’s lodgings last night at 7 pm. Police and rescue workers arrived…
-
Humanitarian aid provided to Chinese man swindled by condo broker
PHOTOS: Tourist Police Bureau The Shirrine Clinic at Chamchuri Square shopping centre in Bangkok this week offered 10,000 baht cash and other necessary items to a Chinese man who was left penniless after a condominium broker in Bangkok had allegedly swindled him out of almost one million baht. A case against the suspect is being handled by Phra Khanong police.…
-
16 year old praised for rendering first aid at an accident in Pattaya
Sanook reports that Jiraphon Madeua, an M4 student at the Photisamphan Pitthayakarn school in Pattaya, was on his way home and was first to respond to a to man who had come off his motorcycle. He was judiciously applying his first aid knowledge to assist the stricken man. The 16 year old says that he received first aid training at…
-
Three year old savaged by local dogs in Chon Buri
The overly-dramatic photo montage was compiled by Daily News Daily News is reporting that a 3 year old child remains in a serious condition in the Sri Racha hospital in Chon Buri after being attacked by a pack of ten dogs. It is the second attack reported in two days in Thailand. On Wednesday afternoon a young Finnish boy was…
-
Experts warn of northern faultlines as aftershocks rock Lampang
PHOTO: Wat Phra Kerd’s abbot leads officials to inspect the damage to the pagoda’s visibly tilted tiered umbrella top after Lampang’s Wang Nua district on Wednesday suffered a 4.9magnitude quake. The recent tremors around Lampang slightly damaged a few dozen homes in six tambons, including the tiered umbrella of the Wat Phra Kerd pagoda in tambon Thung Hua. The 4.9…
-
PM visits Finnish boy attacked by dogs in Krabi
Thailand PM Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday paid a visit to a five year old Finnish boy who was attacked by stray dogs at Ao Nong beach on Wednesday late afternoon. Read more about the attack HERE. The young Finnish boy, savaged by a pack of dogs living on the beach, continues to recover at the Krabi Nakarin International Hospital. Krabi’s Governor visited…
-
Weather for February 22
Bangkok Generally clear. High 35ºC. Winds S at 15 to 25 km/h. Phuket Generally clear. High 32ºC. E winds shifting to S at 15 to 25 km/h. Chiang Mai Generally clear. High 36ºC. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 km/h. Pattaya Generally clear. High 31ºC. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 km/h. Hua Hin Partly cloudy. High 33ºC. Winds SSE…
-
Die! Die! Korean Air ‘nut rage’ heiress assaults husband in video
by The Korea Herald – Asia News Network A video clip showing a woman who appears to be Cho Hyun-ah, formerly Korean Air vice-president, shouting at her husband, and photos showing his injuries has been revealed. In the video, the woman shouts “Die! Die!” at her husband, surnamed Park, who filed for divorce last year citing physical and verbal abuse against…
-
500 free helmets handed out to motorbike drivers in Patong
Patong Development Foundation together with Patong Police and Patong Municipality have given 500 helmets to motorbike drivers in Patong today under the campaign ‘Wear your helmet’. Handing out the 500 helmets to motorbike user in Patong was led by Patong Police Chief Col Anothai Jindamanee, Patong Municipality Chalermluck Kebsup and President of Patong Development Foundation Preechawut ‘Prap’ Keesin. Col Anothai…
-
Chinese tourists spend big during Chinese New Year holiday
Spending by Chinese tourists during the Chinese New Year holiday around the world was the highest in Thailand. Alipay, a leading digital payment platform offered by Ant Financial, an affiliate of Alibaba Group has done the sums. The transactions were recorded between February 4-10, and data drawn from the 54 international markets where Alipay is accepted. The number of transactions in…
-
Chronically ill man jumps to his death from Bangkok apartment
by The Nation A 66 year old man who lived alone and suffered from chronic ailments has been found dead outside a 15 floor apartment building in Bangkok’s Bang Sue district. It is believed he committed suicide by jumping from the rooftop this morning. Taopoon police were alerted at 11am that Charn Wanngern died after he fell to the ground…
-
Young elephant found dead with plastic in intestines – Chachoengsao
PHOTO: Department of national parks, wildlife and plant conservation The body of a young elephant has been found with plastic inside its large intestine in Chachoengsao (north of Chon Buri) yesterday. Officials at the department of national parks, wildlife and plant conservation (DNP) were notified from a villager headman that the young elephant has been founded dead in the forest. Veterinarians…
-
Students are dropping out along Cambodia’s border with Thailand
by VOA A Cambodian official has reported that about 23% of children in three provinces along the border with Thailand have stopped attending school. The Cambodian Education Minister Hangchuon Naron was speaking about the student dropout rate. He said that the rate in Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Oddor Meanchey provinces was much higher than in other areas, where rates are…
-
No fatalities or injuries reported in Lampang earthquake
PHOTOS: NNT No fatalities or injuries have been reported as a result of yesterday’s earthquake in northern Thailand. The tremors occurred 15 times and registered 4.9 magnitude with a 21 kilometre deep epicentre in the Wang Nua district of Lampang province, but caused no serious effect to villagers, according to a report of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.…
-
Better analysis needed to track down the source of new chemicals in illicit drugs
The Office of Narcotics Control Board has been training personnel in drug analysis to handle new illicit substances coming onto the streets. A Chinese analysis lab has recently discovered 230 new psychotropic substances which are making their way into recreational drugs and other foods. China has subsequently banned several beverages and sweets that contain these new illegal substances. Thailand’s Justice…
-
Fire destroys house in Phuket Town in an alleged arson attack
Fire has destroyed a house that was selling petrol bottles out the front in Phuket Town earlier today. Witness say they saw a woman near the house before the fire started. Phuket City Police were notified of the house fire in Soi Hatchaniwet in Phuket Town t at 1.50am this morning. Fire fighters headed to the scene with five fire…
-
Army chief’s intervention in election campaign backfires
by Jitraporn Sennawong and Nattaphat Phromkaew The Thai Army chief’s attempt to scare politicians from discussing the Army’s budget and reform by indirectly calling them “enemies of the state” has backfired. Many Thais have emerged with additional proposals for reforms of the military, and others are protesting the chief’s invocation of the jingoistic military anthem. Political critics and social media…
-
Five year old Finnish boy mauled by dogs at Krabi Beach
A five year old Finnish boy has been seriously injured after being attacked and mauled by a pack of dogs at Ao Nang Beach in Krabi. Rescue workers at Ao Nang were notified of the incident at 6.30 last night. Rescue workers arrived to find the Finnish boy in distress and crying out with pain. The boy’s father was already…
-
Weather for February 21
Bangkok Generally clear. High 35ºC. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 km/h. Phuket Generally clear. High 32ºC. ENE winds shifting to W at 15 to 25 km/h. Chiang Mai Generally clear. High 36ºC. Winds SE and variable. pattaya Partly cloudy, with a possible thunderstorm. High 30ºC. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. Chance of rain 30%. Hua Hin Generally…
-
Thai Raksa Chart say Princess was ‘nominated with her consent’
PHOTO: Prasert Thepsri – The Nation The embattled Thai Raksa Chart Party is defending its nomination of Princess Ubolratana as a prime ministerial candidate saying it was done at the wish and consent of the Princess. The party is fighting for its existence as the Charter Court mulls a dissolution of the party after a recommendation from the Election Commission.…
-
Thai baht surges against weakening US dollar
The Thai baht is soaring to its highest level against the US dollar in more than half a decade. Analysts are expecting the Thai currency to continue marching past the 31 baht to the US dollar mark. Currency experts believe the baht’s strength could be partly due to the weakness of the US dollar as investors speculate on the current…
-
Thailand will swelter through searing temperatures this summer
Temperatures in Thailand this summer is forecast to be 1-2 degrees Celsius warmer than last year. The announcement comes from the Thai Meteorological Department director-general Phuwiang Prakammin. And it’s predicted to hit 42-43C in seven provinces in northern Thailand. In Thailand summer, as a regional season, is listed as running between February 21 to mid-May. Phuwiang says daytime temperatures in…
-
Elderly motorbike driver dies in Thalang crash
A 74 year old motorbike driver has died after colliding with a high speed taxi in Thalang this morning. The Thalang Police headed to the accident near an intersection of Thepkrasattri – Nai Yang Road in Thalang at 7.40am. When they arrived they found a damaged taxi. Nearby they located the damaged motorbike. 74 year old Somchai Uttasaha, the motorbike…
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.