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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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Pattaya unites community to tackle drug issues
Pattaya City held its second Show, Share, Connect event aimed at assessing the drug situation and fostering community unity in tackling drug problems. The event kicked off at 9am on Tuesday, July 16 at the Chumsai Community Office, chaired by Banjong Banthuraprasit, Vice President of Pattaya City Council. Attendees included members of the Pattaya City Mayor’s working group, city council…
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Pattaya launches training to enhance staff’s document writing skills
Pattaya City has initiated a new training program designed to improve the skills of its employees in writing official letters and documenting meeting minutes. The project, led by the Deputy Permanent Secretary of Pattaya City, Dr Siwat Boonkerd, aims to ensure that staff members can draft accurate and effective official documents, thus enhancing communication efficiency within the city administration. Head…
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Transport Ministry execs visit Phuket to boost economic development
Senior executives from the Ministry of Transport gathered at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday, engaging in a two-day study tour aimed at boosting economic development in the region through transportation initiatives. This initiative, part of a broader training programme organised by the Ministry of Transport, targets government officials and employees from state enterprises. Running from May 27 to August 16, the…
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Civil defence volunteers in Pattaya receive disaster training
Civil defence volunteers in Pattaya underwent their annual training to enhance their support capabilities during public disasters. The programme commenced at 9.30am on Monday, July 15, in the Thappraya Room at Pattaya City Hall. Theerasak Chatupong, Head of the Pattaya City Permanent Secretary’s Office, led the opening ceremony. Charan Thiammuang, Head of the Maritime Disaster Prevention Department and Acting Director…
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Thai mother in court over son’s murder in Wales back in January
A Thai mother in Wales, accused of murdering her seven year old child on January 10 appeared in court yesterday, July 17. Originally from Chiang Mai, Thailand, 43 year old Papaipit Linse, now residing in Haverfordwest, Wales, faces charges for the murder of her son, Louis Linse. Papaipit was deemed unfit to enter a plea in February and was subsequently…
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Woman killed, Good Samaritan injured in tragic truck collision
A tragic accident occurred last night when a pickup truck collided with a fallen motorcycle, killing one woman and injuring a Good Samaritan who attempted to help. The incident took place on the main road in front of the Hua Samrong Subdistrict Municipality in Plang Yao District, Chachoengsao Province. The distressing event unfolded around 9.30pm. Before the collision, a woman…
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Cat-nabbed: Thai man’s purr-fect crime outside Phuket bank (video)
Police arrested a Thai man for stealing a cat from outside a bank in the Wichit district of Phuket. The man claimed he intended to pet the cat but many Thai netizens suspected he intended to eat it. The cat’s owner posted CCTV footage on social media showing the thief, identified as 32 year old Nattaphon, taking her white cat named…
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Pattaya Buddhist Lent celebration with traditional candle procession
The Nong Manao Community near Pattaya united to celebrate the upcoming Buddhist Lent with a traditional candle procession and offering ceremony. The event took place on Tuesday, July 16 at 9am, involving villagers, teachers, and students from Wat Sukri Bunyaram School in Nong Manao, Village No. 8, Bang Lamung, Chon Buri. The actual dates for Buddhist Lent will take place…
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Thailand braces for heavy rainfall and flash floods in 51 provinces
The Thailand Meteorological Department (TMD) issued a weather warning for 51 provinces, including Bangkok, forecasting heavy rainfall and advising caution against flash floods and forest runoffs. Today, the TMD predicts strong monsoons will sweep through the upper northern and northeastern regions, impacting the pressure systems over the northern South China Sea. The monsoon’s force, covering the Andaman Sea, southern regions,…
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Burglar steals TV and fan, uses drugs and sniffs underwear
A burglar climbed into a woman’s house, cutting the chain on her door, stealing a TV and a fan, and then casually using drugs and sniffing underwear in the kitchen. The police are actively pursuing the suspect. Police in Udon Thani were alerted to a burglary at a single-storey cement house in the Ban Muang community near Wat Thammasena. The…
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Police seize 240,000 meth pills after high-speed chase
A high-speed chase involving a drug trafficking gang in Mukdahan province led to the arrest of one suspect and the seizure of 240,000 methamphetamine pills, while another suspect managed to escape into the forest. Under the supervision of Chatchai, the provincial police chief, officers were instructed to intensify drug trafficking inspections. The operation, led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Phonchai Phuchomchit…
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Dutchman falls to death from Pattaya mansion, sparking panic
A Dutchman fell to his death from a six-storey mansion in Pattaya yesterday in a suspected suicide causing panic among tourists and locals. Police and rescue teams were called to the scene to investigate and retrieve the body. The tragic incident occurred in South Pattaya’s Soi Buakhao, Nong Prue, Bang Lamung, and Chon Buri. Police Lieutenant Colonel Tanongsak Inphadung, an…
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15 year old boy arrested after motorcycle theft and crash in Pattaya
A 15 year old boy has been taken into custody by police after allegedly stealing a motorcycle and causing an accident in Pattaya early yesterday. The incident unfolded at 3.30am in Soi Khao Noi, Nongprue sub-district, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province. Emergency responders arrived at the scene to discover a Honda Wave 125 motorcycle, driven by the 15 year…
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Thailand to boost 2024 budget by 122 billion baht for economic lift
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin emphasised the necessity of increasing the 2024 fiscal budget by 122 billion baht to stimulate Thailand’s economy. He proposed a supplementary budget bill to the House, aiming to finance the digital wallet scheme, a core policy of the Pheu Thai Party. Opposition parties opposed the bill, citing legal concerns and potential violations of the State Fiscal…
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Thailand’s digital wallet disaster: MFP oppose budget
Opposition parties have taken a firm stand against the supplementary budget bill, targeting the controversial digital wallet scheme. Estimated at a staggering 450 billion baht, the scheme is criticised for its alleged inefficacy in boosting the GDP and potential legal issues, which could set a detrimental precedent for future national budgeting and fiscal policies. Sirikanya Tansakul, Deputy Leader of the…
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Byte-sized shopping: TikTok dances into ASEAN e-commerce scene
TikTok, the social media phenomenon owned by ByteDance, is now a formidable force in e-commerce. According to a recent report by Momentum Works, published in Nikkei Asia, TikTok Shop’s gross merchandise volume (GMV) soared from US$4.4 billion (around 158 billion baht) in 2022 to a staggering US$16.3 billion in 2023. This explosive growth has catapulted TikTok to second place in…
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Thai student wows judges in Chinese language contest
In a spectacular display of linguistic prowess and cultural mastery, the Thailand finals of the 23rd Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students concluded with a bang on Saturday at Rangsit University in Pathum Thani. Thirty talented students from 17 universities across Thailand showcased their exceptional Chinese language skills and deep understanding of Chinese culture. Participants captivated the…
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Elderly woman forced to sell meth to support four grandchildren
Krabi Provincial Narcotics Suppression Unit, targetted a local drug hotspot in Krabi Noi subdistrict today, July 17, but a subsequent raid uncovered a drug operation run by an elderly woman, who sold methamphetamine pills to care for her grandchildren. During the investigation, a search of her residence yielded 122 methamphetamine pills hidden in her bedroom. The dealer, 64 year old…
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Foreign man found sleeping in monk attire on Pattaya Beach
Concerned locals and tourists alerted the Pattaya police to the presence of an unidentified foreign man sleeping on Pattaya Beach at around 3.40am today. The man, who was dressed in a monk’s robe and a white shirt, was found lying on the sand. Upon closer inspection, police discovered he was also wearing white pants. When questioned, the man was incoherent,…
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Floods disrupt Khon Kaen, submerging homes across two districts
Floodwaters have inundated Khon Kaen province, particularly affecting the districts of Mancha Khiri and Ban Phai, with the intense rainfall submerging homes up to their roofs. Route 2062 in Mancha Khiri, near the Suan Mon area of the Suan Mon sub-district, today, July 17, was submerged due to overflow from the Chi Rong Canal, extending for over 300 metres. Additionally,…
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Severe storm sinks fishing boat off Trang, woman dies
In the midst of a severe storm, a fishing boat capsized off the coast of Trang province, resulting in the tragic death of a woman while her husband survived. The incident occurred early today, July 17, when the couple was returning to shore while navigating the high waves. At 4am, the Marine Department in Trang received reports of a capsized…
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Fast and furious food delivery rider wrecks Pattaya ATM
In a shocking act of vandalism caught on camera, a man in a green GrabFood delivery uniform went on a destructive spree, smashing an ATM at a bank in Soi Nern Plub Wan, East Pattaya. The incident, which occurred on Monday, July 15 amid heavy traffic, has left locals stunned and alarmed. Witnesses reported that the rider’s frustration escalated after…
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Cluck and awe: Thai chicken butcher’s meth side hustle foiled
A chicken butcher at a local market in Rayong, discreetly selling methamphetamine pills on the side in pursuit of quick wealth was arrested, following a delivery attempt which was thwarted by the police. The Chief of Bang Lamung district, Police Colonel Nawin Sinsuttharat, and Deputy Police Colonel Supawat Latthapreecha, along with the Narcotics Suppression Division yesterday, July 16, apprehended a…
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Bangkok’s Wat Pho climbs Asia’s top travel list
Bangkok’s Wat Phra Chetuphon, famously known as Wat Pho, clinched a coveted spot among TripAdvisor’s 25 most popular destinations in Asia for 2024. This year, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha proudly stands at 9th place, a testament to its enduring appeal since it first made the list in 2020. TripAdvisor’s glowing recommendation highlights the tranquil allure of Wat Pho,…
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Pink motorcycle flasher causes stir in Pattaya
Residents and visitors in Pattaya were left slack-jawed when a man on a pink Honda Zoomer-X motorcycle dropped his trousers for a full view. The incident, captured on video, ignited both concern and bemused laughter throughout the community. A local 42 year old woman, Am, witnessed the startling incident in Soi Bongkot, South Pattaya on Sunday, July 14. She described…
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Beach horror: Lower body find sends shockwaves in central Thailand
A hotel employee yesterday discovered the lower part of a human body on Laem Sadet Beach in the central province of Chanthaburi. Police are struggling to identify the deceased due to the missing upper half, including the head. The 39 year old hotel worker, whose name has not been disclosed, told Matichon that he found the human remains at approximately…
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Mae Hong Son cracks down on inappropriate tourist behaviour
Mae Hong Son Governor Chucheep Pongchai issued an urgent directive to tighten regulations and enhance supervision of tourism activities in the Pai district, following reports of inappropriate behaviour by some foreign tourists during river tubing on the Pai River. The matter came to the fore when a local resort owner in Pai raised concerns about the current state of tubing…
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PM Srettha’s 122 billion baht budget boost to stimulate economy
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin launched the first reading of an additional budget for fiscal 2024, earmarking a whopping 122 billion baht for economic stimulus through the digital wallet scheme. Addressing the House, the Thai Premier outlined the government’s plan to disburse a 10,000-baht digital handout, aimed at enhancing the quality of life and generating job opportunities. “We cannot afford to…
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NBTC suspends SIM cards to tackle call centre scams
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) of Thailand, in partnership with the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), launched a significant operation aimed at regulating mobile banking and combating call centre scams. The initiative led to the suspension of 1,096,000 phone numbers registered to users holding more than 101 SIM cards. A member of the NBTC board, Police General Nathathorn Prousoontorn,…
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Bangkok bike bungle: Drunk taxi driver’s crash leads to two injuries
A drunk Thai taxi driver crashed his car into four motorcycles in Soi Ratchadaphisek 66 in Bangkok resulting in two injuries. He initially claimed he was not drunk and that the bottles found in his car contained milk, not alcohol. Ratchadaphisek neighbourhood residents stopped the 52 year old taxi driver, Udon, on Saturday, July 13, who had fled the scene…
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