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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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Vaccination not required for dining in at restaurants in dark red provinces
In a contradiction of earlier reports, patrons will not need to be fully vaccinated in order to dine in at restaurants in the dark red zones. The announcement by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has been published in the Royal Gazette, making it official. The Bangkok Post reports that restaurant customers will not need to pass a Covid-19 test…
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Art expo preserves Tanzania’s indigenous legends
The contemporary art expo has brought the legends and beliefs of the indigenous people of the Southern Highlands to life in order to preserve this rich, but slowly fading heritage. SOURCE: DW News
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“Dark red” interprovincial transport ban lifted, flights and bus services resume Wednesday
The ban on public transportation out of “dark red” zones has been lifted. Following the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s decision to ease the restrictions, both the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand and the state-run Transport Company announced domestic flights and interprovincial bus services will resume on Wednesday. While domestic travel from the “high risk” provinces, like Bangkok, there are…
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Autopsy report confirms man who died in police custody died of suffocation
A newly-released autopsy report confirmed that Jirapong Thanaphiphat, the man who died in police custody in northern Thailand’s Nakhon Sawan province, died of suffocation and not of a drug overdose. The same hospital, Sawanpracharak Hospital, initially supported the police’s account of the man’s death that he died of a drug overdose, according to Coconuts Bangkok. Jirapong’s body was cremated earlier this…
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Mahidol University’s Faculty of Dentistry patents mouthwash they claim reduces chances of spreading Covid
There may be a new way to reduce your risk of contracting Covid besides washing your hands, social distancing, and following Covid safe sex guidelines. Mahidol University’s Faculty of Dentistry has recently patented a mouthwash that reduces the user’s chances of spreading Covid by targeting their saliva. The mouthwash was created by researchers at Mahidol University’s Faculty of Tropical Medicine…
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Man allegedly shoots and kills co-worker because he wouldn’t turn down the radio
A man at a golf cart repair shop allegedly shot and killed his co-worker who had told him to turn down his radio. 46 year old Pongthep Phloiprasong was listening to his radio at the shop run by the Thai police in Phitsanulok’s Phrom Phiram district Sunday night. Witnesses say 37 year old Te Aw, a Burmese national, told him to…
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More than 600 mine explosions have taken place in Myanmar since February
Myanmar officials have arrested over 300 suspects connected to over 600 mine explosions that have taken place in Yangon since February, says a spokesperson for the State Administration Council. 59 other suspects have been arrested for violent acts which resulted in the deaths of 84 civilians in Yangon from February 1 to August 26, the head of the council’s Information Team,…
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Skeleton found in Indonesia sheds light on ancient humans
The remains of a 7,200 year old skeleton from a female hunter-gatherer have been found by archaeologists in Indonesia. Local media says the remains represent a “distinct human lineage” not previously seen anywhere else in the world, citing research that came out last week. The mostly intact fossil is believed to be from a teenage girl, between the ages of…
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Khon Kaen pleads for more blood donations as demand surpasses supply
Khon Kaen, a northeastern Thai province, is in desperate need of blood donations as demand for blood transfusions is surpassing the blood supply, says the Thai Red Cross Society. The TRCS requested more blood donations at the society’s 6th regional national blood service that spans Kohn Kaen, Udon Thani, Nong Khai, Nong Bua Lamphu, Bung Kan, Sakhon Nakhon, Loei, Kalasin,…
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Ho Chi Minh lockdown impacts global coffee supplies
Vietnam’s lockdown of its largest city and exporting hub, Ho Chi Minh, has resulted in global concerns about coffee supplies as the country is a major producer of robusta, a bean known for its bitter taste which is often used in instant coffee. The southern city under strict travel restrictions following an uptick of cases involving the highly transmissible Delta…
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9 year old Israeli boy on Koh Phangan dies from box jellyfish sting
Officials are warning swimmers in Koh Phangan of the presence of box jellyfish after a 9 year old Israeli boy died after being stung while he was at a popular beach with his family. Thai authorities say they are now coming up with a long term plan to prevent potentially deadly encounters with box jellyfish. The Israeli boy and his family…
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“Circumcision season” kicks off in the Philippines after a year off due to Covid
“Circumcision season” is heating up again in the Philippines after Covid delayed the annual tradition by a year. One boy, 12 year old Caspien Gruta has endured a year of teasing due to his upcoming snipping. The procedure had been postponed because of a volcanic eruption and then the Covid situation. Caspien says he worries if he doesn’t get circumcised…
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Nakhon Si Thammarat man rushed to the hospital after crab claw pieces got stuck in his throat
A grandfather in the southern Thai province of Nakhon Si Thammarat was rushed to the hospital after he swallowed a crab claw and sharp pieces got stuck in his throat. The man’s doctor shared the story to his Facebook. Dr Arak Wongworachat says the man came into the Sichon Hospital over the weekend after the man’s family rushed him to…
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Government says rate of Covid-19 infections on the decline
A government spokesman says there are signs the daily rate of new infections is on the decline, with recovered patients outnumbering new cases for the last 10 days. Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana says that while the Delta variant is contributing to the high infection rate, he’s confident the number of daily new cases will continue to fall. Today, Thailand has reported 15,972…
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Monday Covid Update: 15,972 new cases and 256 deaths
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 15,972 new Covid-19 cases and 256 coronavirus-related deaths today. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 17,281 recoveries. Thailand now has 176,137 active Covid-19 cases. In the latest and most severe wave of the virus in Thailand, first recorded on April 1, the CCSA has reported 1,161,200 Covid-19 cases.…
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Bloomberg Covid-19 Resilience list has Thailand 5th to last
At one point, Covid-19 seemed like it may be under control and on its way out. But then the Delta variant emerged, throwing once-stable countries into infection chaos. Bloomberg compiles a monthly Covid-19 Resilience Ranking that tracks a number of metrics to rank what countries are the best to be in to weather the pandemic, and Thailand has fallen on…
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Cambodia upset over Thai temple’s resemblance to Angkor Wat
Temples are generally known to inspire peace and tranquillity, but a new 100 million baht temple complex in Northeastern Thailand has launched a feud with Cambodia which claims the temple is copying Angkor Wat, the largest temple complex in the world and the pride of Cambodian history and culture. The cultural official in Buriram, the site of the new temple,…
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Porn may open the door to the mainstream for cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency has grown a strong following of hardcore supporters but has yet to gain widespread acceptance and ease of use. But now another hardcore faction might help bridge the gap and open the doors to wider usage: porn. After OnlyFans became the latest website/porn service to see its value and success hanging in the balance of a battle between its…
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CCSA Covid-19 plan: domestic vaccines, “learning to live with it”
Facing the emergence of the Delta variant and surge of Covid-19 infections, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha seems to be accepting the idea that Thailand may never be rid of the Coronavirus. He proposed a shift in focus for the government at a Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration meeting on Friday, suggesting a “learn to live with it” strategy. Sources at Government…
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U.S. man awarded USD $30,000 dollars from parents following destruction of porn collection
A judge from Michigan, a mid-western state in the United States, has ordered a Michigan couple to pay over USD $30,000 dollars, or over 900 thousand baht to their son for tossing out his treasured porn collection. U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney’s decision earlier this week comes 8 months after 43 year old David Werking won a lawsuit against his…
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Thailand to get Covid-19 foreign aid from China and Korea
While a government spokesperson announced that Thailand expects to have 140 million Covid-19 vaccines received in the country by the end of the year, many wondered with the slow rollout so far exactly where all these vaccines are coming from. Today we received a hint as foreign aid was offer by both China and South Korea who announced donations of…
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UK residents cancel reservations, flee Phuket, following Thailand’s inclusion on the “red list”
Phuket hotels are reporting a rise in cancellations from England, as well as current guests checking out early to eschew expense self-quarantining when they go back to the U.K. Last week, the country famous for James Bond and Jack the Ripper announced its plans to move Thailand from its amber list to its red list, starting tomorrow. The move is…
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Poll shows many Thai residents don’t think the lockdown has been successful
According to a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, most respondents think the partial lockdown to curb the spread of Covid has been unsuccessful. The NIDA poll was done through phone interviews between August 23 and August 26 with 1,312 respondents that were 18… and older. They had a variety of education levels, vocations, and reside throughout the…
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Bangkok Airways breach may have compromised customer data
A cyberattack hit Bangkok Airways and now the boutique airline is warning its customers of a possible compromise of personal data. The airline released a statement on their website and sent email to its customers informing them of the data breach. Bangkok Airways first became aware of a possible hack on August 23 and began investigating. They confirmed now that…
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140 million Covid vaccines expected this year, says Government
Up to 140 million Covid vaccines are anticipated to arrive in Thailand this year as the nation pushes to vaccinate more residents, says a government spokesperson today. The spokesperson adds that the pandemic is showing some signs of easing. Currently, Thailand is struggling with the Delta variant which has proven more transmissible than the Alpha variant. Although Covid cases are…
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Thitisan Utthanaphon denies all accusations against him
Thitisan Utthanaphon is denying all accusations against him concerning his role in the alleged torture/murder of a drug suspect in police custody in northern Thailand’s Nakhon Sawan’s main city police station, according to his lawyer. Thitisan’s lawyer, Chokechai Angkaew, says Thitisan denied the accusations while he was being questioned. Chokechai adds that Thitisan, aka. “Jo Ferrari” has vowed to fight…
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Covid UPDATE Sunday: 264 deaths, news briefs
New infection numbers across the country continue to drop in today’s report from the past 24 hours across Thailand. New infections in the capital continue to drop although other provinces are still worrisome for officials, including Samut Prakan, Chon Buri and Rayong, to the east of the city. In the southern region, Phuket features with the province having the most…
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Heavy rains in Pattaya bring some fun but also casualties
The rains that have been battering Pattaya over the weekend have come with a light side and a dark side. Many locals were seen finding the silver lining in the heavy rains, having fun going with the flow, sometimes literally. But for others, the rains turned deadly. The rain caused floods on streets and neighbourhoods, dumping water into people homes…
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Bomb rocks train en route to Bangkok from the Deep South
This afternoon a bomb exploded on a train bound for Bangkok as it was departing the Deep South province of Narathiwat. The explosion rocked a freight car, obliterating the wooden floor of the train and spilling its cargo onto the runway. The train had departed the Su-ngai Kolok district of Narathiwat heading for Bangkok, and had only travelled about 40…
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African presidents wish Angela Merkel farewell
It was a moment of goodbye: At the conclusion of the Compact for Africa (CwA) conference on Friday, a good dozen African heads of state used the opportunity to wish German Chancellor Angela Merkel farewell before she leaves office after the Bundestag elections at the end of September. During her tenure, Merkel had been personally involved in economic and social…
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