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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 Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained
Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...
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Supreme court’s Sitthichote Intharawiset named new election commissioner
Sitthichote Intharawiset, the senior judge of the Supreme Court, has been announced as the most recent election commissioner. He fills the position left vacant by Chatchai Janprasri, who stepped down in June. The Senate cast its vote, 175 to 16, with eight abstentions, confirming Sitthichote as the newest member of the Election Commission. Sitthichote, who also presides over the Supreme…
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Man disrupts tranquillity on Soi Ta-iad, Phuket with knife
Late in the afternoon yesterday, an unusual spectacle unfolded on Soi Ta-iad in Chalong, Phuket. A visibly agitated, physically imposing man was seen storming down the street, brandishing a nine-inch knife. The sight served as a jarring interruption to the tranquillity typically enjoyed by the fitness enthusiasts and athletes training in Muay Thai and MMA on this street. The local…
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EEC water miracle: Government’s plan ensures businesses swim through summer
The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) can breathe a sigh of relief as the government swoops in to address concerns over looming water shortages, promising a well-hydrated future until the summer of next year. The EEC, a flagship special economic zone spanning Rayong, Chon Buri, and Chachoengsao, faced imminent water crises, raising alarms within the community. Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsutin…
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Thai man accuses 6 relatives of embezzling nearly 200 million baht
A Thai man accused six relatives of embezzling nearly 200 million baht assets from him and his mother. The relatives allegedly took advantage of the mother’s illness and the man’s imprisonment to make wills and transfer property to themselves. A 42 year old Thai man named Preecha and his 32 year old wife named Siriluck filed a complaint against six…
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Stable gold prices in Thailand offers secure investment opportunity
The Gold Traders Association announced today’s gold prices, maintaining the same rates as yesterday. The selling price for gold jewellery is set at 34,050 baht. The price of gold remains unchanged from yesterday, with the Gold Traders Association revealing the selling price for gold jewellery at 34,050 baht per baht, according to the latest information published on their website at…
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Drunken father in Sa Kaeo confesses to son’s murder and dumping body in pond
Yesterday a shocking revelation came to light in Sa Kaeo province when a drunken father confessed to murdering his son. The man, identified as Ponsak, aged 47, revealed that he had killed his 23 year old son, Suesak, who had been missing for several months and had disposed of the body in a pond near his home. Reports from the…
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Freedom fighter or foe? Trial of Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai
Media tycoon Jimmy Lai, the fearless founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily, is set to face the music in a high-stakes trial that could see him behind bars for life. The United States and British governments are sounding the alarm, calling for Lai’s release as he stands accused of collusion with foreign forces under Beijing’s controversial national security law. Lai,…
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Taiwanese teen loses testicle due to overlooked torsion: a urology emergency
A 14 year old Taiwanese student was suddenly afflicted with severe pain and swelling in his left testicle, which began to turn black. After enduring three days of discomfort, the boy sought medical attention. Renowned urologist, Huang Wei-lun, described his surprise upon examining the boy. His left testicle was not only swollen and hard like an egg but had also…
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Cambodia’s prime minister to discuss cross-border trade in Thailand
Hun Manet, the prime minister of Cambodia, has plans to visit Thailand in February to participate in a joint Thai-Cambodian cabinet meeting. The primary focus of this meeting will be to discuss and enhance bilateral cooperation, particularly concerning cross-border trade between the two nations. This was revealed by Thailand’s prime minister, Srettha Thavisin, during a media interaction on Monday. The…
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Government criticised after drunk teen found sleeping near Khao San Road
A Bangkok municipal official helped send a 16 year old drunk Thai girl home after she slept on a footpath near Khao San Road. Netizens urged authorities to pay attention to underaged partygoers. A popular news page, Thaicrime Online, shared a video showing a municipal officer from the City Law Office and two men carrying a drunk teenager to a…
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Thailand braces for cold weather and heavy rain: A warning from Thai Meteorological Department
The Thai Meteorological Department, via their Facebook fan page, has issued a warning of cold weather across the country, heavy to very heavy rain in the south, and strong sea waves in the Gulf of Thailand. The weather changes are expected to occur tomorrow from December 20 to 25. A high-pressure system, or a mass of cold air from China,…
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Singapore hotel receptionist allegedly aids sex workers
A 36 year old Vietnamese hotel receptionist stands accused of not only harbouring sex workers but also pilfering a share of their earnings. The scandal unfolded at the Lion Peak Hotel Bugis on Beach Road, Singapore, as Michael Tay Fook Meng, the 51 year old hotel manager, now dubbed a hotel keeper, faces charges for violating Hotel Licensing Regulations. According…
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Chongqing Sokon Motor plans entry into Thailand’s EV commercial market
Chongqing Sokon Motor, a prominent Chinese vehicle manufacturer, has revealed its plans to enter the electric vehicle (EV) commercial market in Thailand. The company will be collaborating with a local firm on this venture. David Luo, the sales director of Chongqing Sokon Motor, expressed confidence in the potential growth of the commercial EV sector in Thailand and ASEAN, predicting an…
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Thailand’s growing spa industry (video)
President of the Thai Spa Association, Sunai Wachirawarakarn, or Nai, talks about the secrets behind Thailand‘s spa industry meteoric rise and unveils the trends reshaping the wellness landscape. The Thai Spa Association, a non-profit powerhouse dedicated to propelling Thailand’s spa industry, boasts 200 privileged members relishing perks like exclusive newsletters, seminars, and high-profile networking events. Across the Middle East, spa…
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Art extravaganza at BACC: Discover Hong Kong West Kowloon and harmonious generations gala
The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) is gearing up for a week of cultural immersion, featuring two events that promise to be nothing short of extraordinary. Unlocking West Kowloon’s Secrets: A 20-Year Odyssey On the 5th floor Auditorium, today, December 19, from 6pm to 7.30pm, join the inaugural session of the BACC Circle executive talk series. Renowned speaker Bernard…
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Thai shooting suspect in custody after fatal attack on student and teacher
The apprehension of the suspect involved in the fatal shootings of 19 year old Thanason, and Sirada, a computer teacher at Prarotthai Convent School, has been reported. Following the incident, the assailant fled to Chiang Mai province. He has been taken into custody and will be further interrogated in Bangkok today. The notorious incident involved the murder of Thanason (surname…
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5 foreigners injured in minibus-truck crash in southern Thailand
A Thai driver crashed a minibus into a truck on a road in the southern province of Phetchaburi at 8.55am today, December 19, injuring five foreigners. Two of them suffered serious injuries. Officers from the Thayang Police Station and rescuers from the Sawang Sanphet Dhammasatan rescue team rushed to the scene of the accident on Phetchakasem Road in Thayang district…
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Nine Thai nationals escape from forced call centre work in Poi Pet casino
Nine Thai nationals had a harrowing escape from a gang who forced them to work in a call centre in a casino building in Poi Pet. The incident happened near the permanent border crossing at Ban Khlong Luek, Aranyaprathet district. The group had to plan a fire in the building to facilitate their escape, while two of their peers were…
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Phuket’s phenomenal rise: From tropical paradise to global hub
In the wake of a robust global economic resurgence, Phuket has emerged as a magnet for inbound migration, shaping a vibrant and eclectic international community in the heart of Asia, reveals C9 Hotelworks’ latest expansive investment dossier on Phuket’s economic landscape. Managing Director of C9 Hotelworks Bill Barnett stated… “With a tourism and property market in full throttle, we’re witnessing…
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Thailand outlines cloud first policy to become Southeast Asia’s AI hub
As part of its vision to become Southeast Asia’s artificial intelligence (AI) hub by 2027, Thailand is strategising to attract more foreign technology investment in cloud data centres. The country’s Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister, Prasert Jantanaruangthong, has outlined a plan to achieve this aim through a cloud-first policy. This policy emphasises public usage of a single digital ID…
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2 Thai men create and sell AI generated nude images of Thai celebrities
Cyber police arrested two Thai men for creating nude images of more than 30 Thai celebrities with an artificial intelligence (AI) program and selling them on a Russia-based social media application, Vkontakte, also known as VK. Two female Thai actresses, Panadda Wongphudee, Known as Bum, and Sakuntala Tianpairoj, known as Tonhom, filed complaints with the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB)…
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Honesty prevails: Seafood restaurant staff’s noble act returns lost fortune to tourists
In a heartwarming twist of fate, a group of tourists, seemingly from the Middle East, narrowly escaped a financial catastrophe after leaving behind a bag loaded with 9,275 Dirhams and 105 US Dollars, totalling around 100,000 baht at the renowned Moom Aroi seafood restaurant in the Na Kluea area. On the evening of December 13, two women and two men…
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Huawei Cloud Thailand partners with MDES to boost AI tech development
A partnership has been forged between Huawei Cloud Thailand and the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES), aimed at propelling the development of cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) technology. This collaboration is part of a broader vision to establish Thailand as a prominent hub for AI in the region. The partnership was formalized through a memorandum of understanding (MoU)…
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SMK facing liquidity crisis as liabilities surpass assets
The Syn Mun Kong Insurance Plc (SMK), overseen by the Office of the Insurance Commission (OIC), is facing significant liquidity issues and has been given 60 days to solve these problems and raise capital. However, the OIC suggests that SMK is unlikely to comply within the given timeframe. SMK’s total liabilities have surpassed its assets, amounting to 30 billion baht, according…
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Doctoral student falls to death after confrontation with drunk man
A tragic incident unfolded at an apartment complex in the Chokchai Si area, where a doctoral student fell to her death after a confrontation with an intoxicated man. The 27 year old student, known only as Arphaporn, was driven to leap from her sixth-floor apartment at 4am when a drunk man began pounding on her door. The incident has prompted…
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Pattaya Airways takes flight in Q4 2024
At an exclusive event in Bangkok, the CEO of the Pattaya Group Tosaporn Asunee, announced the imminent takeoff of Pattaya Airways in the fourth quarter of 2024. Tosaporn stated… “We see a rising demand for air transportation services as the post-Covid situation stabilises. “The industry is bouncing back, and the demand is increasing rapidly. Recognising this opportunity for expansion, we decided…
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Successful rainmaking operations drastically reduce Bangkok’s pollution levels
Pollution levels across Bangkok and neighbouring areas nosedived yesterday as a result of successful rainmaking operations carried out east of the capital. The operations saw a significant reduction in the concentration of ultra-fine pollutants in the air, bringing it back within the safety threshold. Supis Pitakham, the director-general of the Department of Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation, confirmed that the cloud-seeding…
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Thai tourism revolution: Duty-free ditch and booze bonanza
In a bold move set to redefine Thailand‘s tourism landscape, the Finance Ministry is gearing up to propose changes that could reshape the way tourists spend their cash. The Finance Ministry is set to pitch a revolutionary plan to Cabinet today, December 19, aiming to suspend duty-free shops in the arrivals section of all airports. Lavaron Sangsnit, the ministry’s permanent…
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3 cyber police allegedly extorts 30,000 baht from driver with fake registration plate
The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) transferred three officers for allegedly extorting 30,000 baht from a Thai driver who used a fake registration plate with his car in the Prathum Thani province near Bangkok. A Facebook page, Police Network (เครืà¸à¸‚่ายเพื่à¸à¸™à¸•à¸³à¸£à¸§à¸ˆ), revealed that the page received a complaint from the victim in Prathum Thani province that three officers from the Cyber…
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Revolutionary reforms: Government’s 90-day plan to boost economy
In a move to transform the nation‘s fortune, the Public Relations Department has unveiled a game-changing report highlighting the government‘s efforts to boost the economy over the last 90 days. The report, released with much fanfare yesterday, December 18, boasts an array of initiatives aimed at cutting costs, boosting income, and ushering in a new era of prosperity. Chai Watcharong,…
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