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 Why long-term expats in Thailand say insurance is worth every baht
Thailand’s warm weather, low cost of living, and good healthcare attract many long-term expats, including retirees and remote workers. Life here feels easy and affordable, but medical costs can be high if something goes wrong. Private hospitals are popular because...
-
Thailand anticipates record 2.4 million Indian tourists despite Air India crash
Indian arrivals to Thailand remain strong, despite a recent Air India aircraft accident, with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) forecasting a record 2.4 million arrivals from India this year. This resilience contrasts with a sluggish short-haul market trend. The TAT has announced that several airlines are interested in joining a forthcoming 750-million-baht flight stimulus programme. ASEAN Executive Director, Patsee…
-
Pattaya races to finish mega drainage project before next deluge
Pattaya City officials are scrambling to beat the clock as they push to complete a massive drainage overhaul aimed at finally taming the floods that turn roads into rivers every rainy season. The ambitious project, centred along the railway parallel road, will link a giant new pipeline directly to the Huai Yai municipal canal. Once operational, the system is expected…
-
Thai contract teacher caught robbing gold due to gambling debts
A contract teacher was arrested after attempting a solo robbery of 22 baht of gold at a prominent shopping centre. He confessed his teacher’s salary was insufficient, compounded by online gambling debts, leading to his decision to commit the crime. Yesterday, July 15, Police Lieutenant Colonel Wathana Naipromraj, an investigator at Nam Yuen Police Station, received a report of a…
-
Thailand plots digital baht revolution to lure big-spending tourists
Thailand is taking a bold leap to cash in on the crypto craze, with regulators unveiling plans to let foreign tourists spend their digital coins directly on everything from street food to luxury hotels. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), in partnership with the Bank of Thailand (BoT), announced a groundbreaking crypto sandbox programme designed to boost tourism and inject…
-
Thai clinics exposed in massive gold card fraud scandal
A major healthcare scandal is rocking Thailand as the Ministry of Public Health cracks down on 16 clinics accused of defrauding the country’s universal health scheme out of nearly 30 million baht. Yesterday, July 15, Thanakrit Chitareerat, Secretary to the Minister of Public Health, revealed he had personally inspected several clinics in Sakhon Nakhon’s Song Dao district as part of…
-
Heavy Udon Thani rainfall causes flooding, electrocution tragedy
Heavy rainfall in Udon Thani led to widespread flooding yesterday resulting in two residents being electrocuted and later passing away at a hospital. The downpour began at 5.30pm, yesterday, July 15, causing severe flooding on nearly every street in the city. Despite municipal efforts to prevent such flooding, it remains a recurring issue. In a shocking incident, two people were electrocuted…
-
Bangkok’s ‘Thai Hot Guys’ restaurant to shut doors after 9 years (video)
Bangkok’s most flamboyant seafood joint—famous for its cross-dressing, muscle-bound waiters—will soon sashay off into history. Staneemeehoi, the legendary venue where diners were serenaded by dancing “Thai Hot Guys” in silky pyjamas and crop tops, has announced it will close on July 31 after nearly a decade of saucy performances. The closure comes as the restaurant’s lease at Hua Mum Night…
-
Something smells fishy: Locals kick up stink over reservoir pollution fears
Residents of Nong Prue subdistrict in Chon Buri expressed their concerns about the suspected illegal wastewater discharge into Mabprachan Reservoir, an essential water source for locals. The issue emerged yesterday, July 15, near the reservoir’s exercise area, opposite a popular restaurant near the Hot Two Point intersection on Phonpraphanimit Road 34. Upon receiving the complaints, reporters visited the location and…
-
Ham-fisted: Cambodian couple busted for illegal pork stall in Bangkok
A Cambodian couple was apprehended by police for illegally operating a pork stall in Bangkok’s Khlong Sam Wa district. The pair, identified as 31 year old Nga Phon and 30 year old Chanty Rav, were found selling fresh pork at a market in the Bang Chan subdistrict on Monday, July 14. The operation was led by Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom,…
-
Thailand builds giant bridges to save wild elephants from roads
Thailand has launched two colossal new bridges to stop wild elephants from meeting a grisly end under speeding cars. Yesterday, July 15, Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit declared open the towering structures built in Rayong’s Khao Chamao district and Chanthaburi’s Kaeng Hang Maew district—key corridors for elephant herds roaming the east. “These bridges will help wild elephants coexist with humans sustainably,”…
-
Thai man at large after brutal knife attack leaves 4 year old girl blind
A Thai man remains at large after brutally attacking a four year old girl in the Isaan province of Ubon Ratchathani, leaving the young victim blind. The attack occurred on June 28, but only recently came to public attention after the girl’s family sought help from a local social media influencer. The influencer, who runs the Facebook page Ban Hia…
-
Chinese crew member dies after crane accident on cargo ship
Aa Chinese crew member suffered severe injuries from an accident on a cargo ship and later succumbed to his injuries at 3.15pm, yesterday, July 15. Deputy Director Natthaphon Sinpunpon of the Centre for Maritime Security in Surat Thani, along with officials from the Centre for Maritime Security Region 2, deployed a high-speed vessel, the Maritime Security 4003, to assist the…
-
Thai lottery predictions stir excitement with unique sources
Thailand’s lottery enthusiasts eagerly searched for lucky numbers, with social media buzzing with predictions for today’s draw. While the Government Lottery Office did not travel, those interested in the lottery were keen to follow various sources for their lucky picks. One of the popular predictions came from Wat Somwang’s Ai Khai, whose incense stick numbers have previously brought fortunes to…
-
Lottery fever grips Kham Chanod as lucky numbers vanish
Hopeful punters have swarmed Udon Thani’s mystical Kham Chanod Island, desperately trying to snag elusive lucky numbers before the lottery draw today. Yesterday, July 15, hundreds of visitors descended on the sacred home of Phaya Naga, where believers flock to seek blessings from Pu Sri Sutho and Mae Ya Sri Pratumma. Despite a noticeable drop in foot traffic this year,…
-
Thailand to host 2025 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Championship
The Thai Cabinet yesterday approved a budget of over 424 million baht to host the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) Women’s Volleyball World Championship 2025. Thailand is set to host the tournament from August 22 to September 7 across four provinces: Bangkok, Nakhon Ratchasima, Phuket, and Chiang Mai. The budget of 424,177,200 baht was approved from the central emergency fund…
-
Phuket MP fury as budget crumbs leave paradise island penniless
A furious Phuket MP slammed the Government of Thailand over a shockingly low stimulus handout, calling the move “a betrayal” and “an insult” to one of the country’s top tax-contributing provinces. Chalermpong Saengdee, who represents Constituency 2 for the opposition People’s Party, hit out after Phuket was handed just 267.34 million baht from the 157-billion-baht national stimulus budget, ranking 75th…
-
Chiang Mai University warns of deadly brain-eating disease
The Faculty of Medicine at Chiang Mai University warns of the silent threat posed by the brain-eating amoeba found in natural water sources, urging caution even with seemingly clean water. Yesterday, July 15, the official page of the Chiang Mai University Faculty of Medicine published an article highlighting the dangers of Naegleria fowleri, a single-celled parasite that can cause fatal…
-
Truck brake failure causes pile-up, four injured near Bangkok
A 10-wheel truck experienced brake failure and collided with eight vehicles, resulting in four injuries, outside a prominent shopping mall in Ngamwongwan. The incident led to severe traffic congestion. The driver faced charges but was released temporarily. Yesterday, July 15, at 8.30pm, officers from the Rattanathibet Police Station received reports of a 10-wheel truck experiencing brake failure and causing a…
-
Thai travel subsidy fiasco triggers backlash
Thailand’s flagship tourism stimulus project has spiralled into disarray, sparking fury among hotel operators and senators alike as delays drag on with no end in sight. The Senate Committee on Tourism and Sports is now demanding answers from Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong over the botched rollout of the much-touted Half-Half Thai Travel scheme. Senate Committee Chairperson Phisut Rattanawong…
-
Missing man’s body found in forest after week-long search
A 68 year old woman sought help at the Lan Sak Police Station on July 15, desperate to find her husband who had been missing for seven days. Anuban Sarasuwan, the headman of Rabam subdistrict, Uthai Thani province, accompanied the woman, Janhom, as she searched for her 62 year old husband, Bunliang, who had last been seen riding his motorbike…
-
Asia awaits: Turkish Airlines unleashes flight frenzy on Bangkok
Turkish Airlines is poised to significantly expand its presence in Southeast Asia, with Bangkok firmly in its sights. From October 27, the airline will offer an impressive 21 flights per week to the Thai capital from Istanbul, marking a substantial boost in connectivity. This ambitious move underscores Turkish Airlines’ commitment to the region and solidifies Bangkok’s status as a premier global…
-
Malaysian caught smuggling drugs worth 90 million baht in Nan
A Malaysian national was apprehended at the Huai Kon border checkpoint in Nan province while attempting to smuggle 72 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine, valued at over 90 million baht, into Thailand. The arrest took place on July 14 after customs officials at the Thung Chang checkpoint noticed a suspicious vehicle with black smoke billowing from it. The suspect, Surrenthiran Jayabalan,…
-
RTA ready to fence Ta Muen Thom temple amid tensions
The commander of Thailand’s 2nd Army Region has declared the military’s readiness to erect a fence around the disputed Ta Muen Thom temple in Surin province if the government and the Department of Fine Arts give the green light. Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang confirmed that, despite the simmering dispute, stability currently prevails along the border. He noted that while local…
-
Ladyboyz n the hood: American left reeling after Pattaya rock attack
An American holidaymaker ended up bloodied and battered after a run-in with two transgender sex workers near Soi 6 in Pattaya turned violent, with one of them allegedly smashing a rock into his skull. The victim, Mr Saber, who was strolling through the notorious alley at around 4.30am, yesterday, July 15, told police he was approached by two scantily dressed…
-
Thai man’s face impaled by durian in pickup crash in Buriram
A Thai man sustained facial injuries after his motorcycle crashed into the back of a pickup in the Isaan province of Buriram, with a durian fruit on the truck believed to be responsible for his wounds. Buriram Provincial Police officers were alerted to the accident at approximately 5pm yesterday, July 15. Police subsequently attended the scene near the Nong Muang Intersection,…
-
Loom and bust: Aussie men stitched up in Thai meth fabric sting
Three Aussie men have been charged after nearly 600 kilogrammes of methamphetamine, enough for six million hits, was found sewn into fabric rolls shipped from Thailand in a smuggling operation straight out of a crime thriller. Australian Border Force (ABF) officers swooped on the cargo at the Port of Brisbane on July 4, after eight wooden crates labelled as “UV…
-
Anutin dismisses Khao Kradong land dispute investigation
Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul dismissed a renewed investigation into the Khao Kradong land dispute in Buriram, asserting that all actions taken during his tenure as interior minister were lawful. The dispute involves land claimed by both the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and private individuals linked to Bhumjaithai. In 2021, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the SRT,…
-
Bomb attack injures four rangers in Yala’s Bannang Sata district
A group of unidentified perpetrators orchestrated a bomb attack on a unit of rangers from the 3306 Task Force in Bannang Sata district, Yala province. The attack, which took place around 1.20pm, yesterday, July 15, left four rangers injured while on patrol in Moo 2, Ban Kue Da village. They were promptly transported to Bannang Sata hospital for urgent medical…
-
Bangkok launches waste separation campaign with fee discounts
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has launched a new waste-separation campaign named This House Doesn’t Mix Waste. This initiative encourages city residents to sort their waste correctly in exchange for discounts on trash collection fees. Registration for the campaign starts on August 1, with the official rollout scheduled for October. The programme involves collaboration with the private sector and offers…
-
Baht out of hell: British man in wheelchair fleeced by Pattaya babes
A disabled British tourist was left humiliated and penniless after three Pattaya Beach babes robbed him blind while he was in the shower, then vanished into the night. The victim, Chris John Glennon, who is speech-impaired and uses a wheelchair, told police he had invited two Thai women and a transgender woman back to his hotel after meeting them on Pattaya…
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.