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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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Ex-Democrat Party deputy Prinn jailed for student molestation
Prinn Panitchpakdi, the former deputy leader of the Democrat Party, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for the molestation of an 18 year old female student at a condominium and restaurant. The sentencing was immediately enforced, without waiting for the appeal period. Kosolwat Intuchanyong, deputy spokesman for the Office of the Attorney General, yesterday revealed that…
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New era in Thailand: Srettha Tavisin voted 30th Prime Minister of Thailand
Thailand can finally hail a new leader after Pheu Thai Party candidate Srettha Tavisin secured enough votes from members of the National Assembly of Thailand to become the kingdom’s 30th prime minister. Today, August 22, marked a day of significance for Thailand, as the nation witnessed two important events. Leading the headlines was the return of a former Thai PM,…
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CardX braces for regulatory change raising customer debt repayment 3%
CardX, a credit card service provider operating under SCB X Group, anticipates a potential issue with customer compliance linked to an upcoming regulatory change from the Bank of Thailand. The central bank presently permits credit card users to repay their debt at a minimum rate of 5% of the overall credit balance each month, a measure introduced to aid consumers…
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Scam alert: Runaway contractor defrauds 100+ Thai victims with 16 million baht loss
Over 100 Thai people have fallen prey to a construction scam orchestrated by a contractor who is currently on the run. The resulting financial toll of this fraudulent scheme is projected to surpass 16 million baht. A contingent of 50 victims formally filed a complaint with Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn. They detailed…
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Thaksin Shinawatra’s 15-year exile ends with immediate jail term upon return (video)
Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was jailed this morning only hours after his aeroplane touched the tarmac at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok – ending his 15-year self-imposed exile. The 74 year old ex PM’s aircraft landed at 9am today and he was immediately escorted to the Supreme Court to acknowledge and begin an eight-year prison sentence. Despite…
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Blending Beauty: Thai-Danish stunner wins crown at Miss Universe Thailand 2023 (video)
A beautiful Thai-Danish woman walked away with the crown at the Miss Universe Thailand 2023 pageant. The grand finale, which unfolded in Bangkok on a Sunday night, saw Anntonia Porsild, representing the province of Nakhon Ratchasima, amidst a bevy of other beauties from across the nation. The 26 year old beauty queen, who is born to a Danish father and…
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Political change, Thai PM appointment poised to boost stocks
The anticipated appointment of Thailand‘s 30th prime minister this week is predicted to bolster stocks likely to benefit from political change and the policies and stimulus measures proposed by the Pheu Thai Party, reported Bangkok Post. Brokerage firm Asia Plus Securities (ASPS) projects the 11-party coalition, which declared on Monday its possession of 314 MP seats, will secure enough senatorial…
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McKinsey foresees AI technology dominating Thailand’s future
The Thai branch of global consultancy McKinsey & Company predicts that the three most impactful trends for Thailand over the next year will be generative artificial intelligence (AI), immersive technology, and climate technology. The prediction is a part of the company’s 2023 Tech Trends Outlook, which was published in July. Gordon Candelin, senior expert and leader of McKinsey Design Southeast…
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DLT nets 7 billion baht in vehicle tax due to convenient online payments
The Department of Land Transport (DLT) collected over 7 billion baht in vehicle tax in the first 10 months of the current fiscal year, thanks to the ease of its “from anywhere” payment system. This figure represents the taxes received from the owners of 5.5 million vehicles between October of the previous year and July of the current year. The…
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End-stage kidney disease diagnosis shocks 24 year old man
A 24 year old’s shocking revelation of his terminal kidney disease experience has created a stir on social media. The young man, who identifies himself as bb.boss04 on TikTok, shared his distressing journey of visiting three hospitals before discovering the shocking truth. Despite leading a healthy lifestyle without alcohol, cigarettes, or nightlife, he was diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease at…
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Pattaya roadwork hazards exposed as woman flips car in early morning accident
A woman driver lost control of her vehicle, collided with a barrier, causing the car to overturn on a road in Chon Buri. The roadworks accident occurred around 4am today when Pattaya was undergoing widespread road surface drilling. Chonlawit Athipansi, Deputy Inspector (Investigator) of Pattaya City Police Station, and his team were informed of the car accident on Sukhumvit Road,…
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Former police officer’s pawn standoff: Armed confrontation over seized finance car in Bangkok
A former police officer reportedly threatened two members of staff from a finance company with a gun after they tried to seize a pawned car in his possession at Soi Phetchakasem Road 75 in the Nong Khaem district of Bangkok. A viral video of the incident was recorded by a finance company member of staff while they were trying to…
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Cannabis shop inspections urged by Phuket health officials
Health officials in Phuket are set to conduct weekly random inspections of cannabis shops and venues across the island, as announced by the Chief of Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO), Dr Kusak Kukkiattikoon. The move is part of a campaign aimed at regulating the island’s overwhelming cannabis industry. The primary objective of the cannabis shop inspections is to ensure…
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Pattaya woman’s sudden death raises questions about chronic alcohol addiction
A tragic scene unfolded on the roads of Pattaya in the early hours of yesterday morning when a Thai woman suddenly died in front of her husband. The sudden death took place in Soi Thung Klom Tan Man 29, a locality in Pattaya, where the 42 year old woman, Khamai Sangbut, unexpectedly collapsed and was unable to be revived. Sawang…
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Red Line train earns high satisfaction scores, increases operating hours
The Red Line suburban train service conducted its second annual satisfaction survey this year to gauge the needs of its passengers. The results were used to improve the quality of their service. The National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), an expert in survey and research, designed and conducted the survey across all 13 stations. Suthep Panpeng, the managing director of…
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Cash-strapped mum’s baby dies after two days with caregiver, police investigate
A 20 year old mother, grappling with financial difficulties, surrendered her eight month old baby to a caregiver for two days, where the child tragically died. The baby was reportedly healthy and cheerful with no known medical conditions. The police have summoned both parties for further investigation. Sergeant Major Kawi Chuaysang, an investigator from Pak Klong Rangsit Police Station, was…
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Woman performs 4am temple dance after mother’s lottery-winning dream
A young woman dressed in traditional Thai attire ventured into Sangkharam Temple, Chainat Province, at 4am to perform a lone ritualistic dance. TikTok user @sasita_leeya documented the unusual action, which she undertook following a dream of her mother’s about winning the lottery. The woman, attired in a Thai traditional dress, arrived at the temple for her solo performance. She was…
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Pet feud turns tragic: Thai man kills 1 injures another in deadly dog dispute
A Thai man surrendered to the police after he shot two victims following a row over their pet dogs fighting. One victim was murdered and the other is injured and in intensive care. The gunman, 43 year old Kamon Puangsee, shot 38 year old Wisut Sujajing four times in the chest before turning the gun on Wisut’s 25 year old…
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Toddler yanks steering wheel causing pickup to damage noodle shop
A road collision in Nakhon Ratchasima caused significant damage when a pickup truck, driven by a woman accompanied by her three year old daughter, crashed into a noodle shop. The incident, which was shared on TikTok by user @jindarat254327, also resulted in damage to three parked vehicles, including two cars owned by Kan, who was dining in the noodle shop at…
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Animal cruelty: Udon Thani cow and calf brutally beheaded
In an alarming act of animal cruelty, a cow and her month-old calf were brutally killed and beheaded in a forest in Ban Dung district, Udon Thani. The attackers then left the decapitated heads hanging from a tree. No clear motive for the gruesome act has been identified yet. The remains of the cow were discovered in a plastic container…
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Python attack: Security guard bites back and drags snake to police station
A security guard had a shocking encounter with a 3-metre-long python in his room. The snake attacked him, wrapping around his neck and biting him. Facing death, the man did what he had to do and retaliated by biting the python back, ultimately dragging it to the police station to report the incident. The python attack incident occurred at 10pm,…
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Heartbreak at nursery: Thai mother seeks justice for baby’s tragic death
A Thai mother is seeking justice following the tragic death of her three month old baby, who passed away after being left at a nursery in Bangkok for approximately nine hours. The heart-wrenching incident occurred when a nursery assistant informed the 34 year old mother, Supranee, that her baby had choked on milk and tragically lost her life. Supranee, who…
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Thai family rescued from house full of trash, cockroaches, and poisonous animals
Move Forward Party (MFP) MP Chorayuth “Tonkla” Chaturapornprasit and his team helped a family of four living in a slum house overwhelmed with trash and an army of cockroaches, rats, snakes, and centipedes. The MP Tonkla shared the story on Facebook, on August 19, that he visited the family at their house in Soi Charoenkrung 76 in the Bang Kho…
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American-Thai couple arrested for running Thailand’s largest online escort service
A significant breakthrough in the fight against online prostitution rings came to light last Friday when Thai Police revealed the capture of an American-Thai couple. The authorities believe they were the brains behind Thailand’s most extensive online escort service and sex agency website, tailormade to cater to an international clientele. The website, which was revealed in a joint press briefing…
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Thailand sees surge in Monkeypox cases, majority in Bangkok
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) in Thailand reported 217 cases of Monkeypox (mpox) this year, with the majority of cases diagnosed in Bangkok. The deputy director-general of the DDC, Sopon Iamsirithaworn, revealed that the cases from July 2022 through April primarily involved foreign individuals. However, more recent cases predominantly affect the Thai population. According to Sopon, the transmission of…
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Thailand’s DES Ministry plans legal action against Facebook over scam complicity
Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry is preparing a legal case seeking the shutdown of Facebook within the country, accusing the social media giant of collusion with fraudulent operators. The ministry alleges that Facebook has been complicit in aiding scammers, who utilised the platform’s sponsored pages to deceive Thai citizens into making investments. The ministry plans to invoke the…
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US woman travels 4,800km for Scottish wedding, lands at wrong venue
A video has gone viral after a Washington DC native embarked on a 4,800-kilometre journey to attend a friend’s wedding in Glasgow, Scotland, only to arrive at the wrong venue. Arti Mala had travelled for 12 hours, crossing the Atlantic Ocean, to be present at the event. However, upon arrival, she was baffled to see unfamiliar faces at the ceremony.…
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Heavy rainfall forecast across Thailand with thunderstorms in 70% of regions
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a weather warning for today, forecasting heavy rainfall across the northern, northeastern, central, and eastern regions, as well as Bangkok, with a likelihood of up to 70% in some areas. These conditions are due to the convergence of a monsoon trough over northern and northeastern Thailand towards a low-pressure area along the central…
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Woman goes viral asking if higher-earning man should pay more in relationship
What is a fair way for a couple to split their bills? Should it be based on who earns more? In Thailand, an expat man earning significantly more pay than his Thai girlfriend or wife is common, making this a pertinent question. But the UK website Mirror tackled the issue when they covered a woman who is dating a man…
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Railroad selfie leads to near-death electrocution for Lollapalooza attendees
A group of friends attending the Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago, USA, had a shocking experience, literally, when they were electrocuted while attempting to take a selfie on a railway track in a prohibited area of the festival grounds. The incident left one of them paralysed after their heart temporarily stopped beating. The incident was reported internationally after a video…
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