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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 Digital nomading in Chiang Mai? What US$1,000 a month really gets you
Chiang Mai has become a popular destination for digital nomads due to its low living costs, rich culture, and active remote work community. The city offers affordable housing, tasty food, reliable internet, and many co-working spaces, making it a great...
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Man arrested for stealing Royal Thai Armed Forces bus
Police arrested a man for stealing a Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF) bus and driving it to Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi Airports to pick up some imaginary diplomats. Police reported the thief has a criminal history of drugs but did not reveal the result of his drug test. An officer from the Support Services Department under the RTARF filed a complaint…
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218 killed and 1,647 injured over 4-day new year holiday
According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), 218 people were killed and 1,647 were injured in road accidents during the four-day new year holiday from December 29 to January 1. The Director of the DDPM, Boontham Lertsukheekasam, reported yesterday, January 2, that there were 1,664 road accidents across the country during the holiday break, causing 218 deaths and…
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Young British woman ‘may never walk again’ after fall from balcony in Thailand
A young British tourist is seriously injured and remains in hospital in Thailand after falling from a balcony on the popular party island of Koh Pha Ngan. Maddi Neale-Shankster, a 21 year old beautician from Coventry in England, suffered a fractured spine and is receiving treatment to drain fluid from her chest following the accident. The beautician travelled to Thailand with…
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Thai restaurant develops Flu-Shot Soup to prevent flu and Covid-19
A Thai restaurant in the United States has cooked up a tasty dish to feed its hungry customers and at the same time found a remedy to prevent them from getting flu and Covid-19 – Flu-Shot Soup! The family-owned Thai restaurant, Taste of Thailand, in Denver, Colorado, developed the special recipe some 20 years ago but it only came to…
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Banks deny wrongdoing in Jeffrey Epstein lawsuit
Two major banks are denying any legal responsibilities in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking after two victims filed lawsuits against them. American bank JPMorgan Chase and German-based Deutsche Bank requested that the federal court drops the suit that claims the banks should have known of Epstein’s illegal sexual escapades and therefore bear some responsibility for the abuse that occurred. Epstein was…
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CNN needs geography lesson after mistaking Taiwan for Thailand
United States-based news platform CNN needs a geography lesson after confusing Taiwan for Thailand, or more specifically, Taipei for Bangkok. The multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, confused Thailand for Taiwan several times during their live broadcast countdown to New Year’s Day CNN Hong Kong reporter Kristie Lu Stout asked her Taiwan counterpart in Taipei, Will Ripley, how…
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Electric vehicles to hit the accelerator this year, says FTI
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) predicts a bold future for Thailand’s electric vehicle (EV) industry, unlike the International Monetary Fund which believes the kingdom is heading for a recession. The FTI reckons the EV industry will hit the accelerator this year and sell between 25,000, to 35,000 cars, reports Bangkok Post. But, to achieve that target the EV industry…
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5 Things You Need to know before Befriending or Dating a Thai
In this episode of This is Thailand, Natty Warisa will share with you 5 top cultural tips that a non-Thai would need to know before befriending or dating a Thai person. Thailand is the most conservative country and abides by a unique set of unwritten rules. Listen till the end to find out what all of the quirky Thai customs…
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Speaker predicts mass election corruption
Thailand’s House Speaker Chuan Leekpai warned that the country can expect to see mass corruption in the upcoming general election. He said on Sunday that money will be a powerful influence in this year’s election and vote-buying will be rampant. To support his claim, Chuan points to the amount of campaigning that has been going on in the southern provinces…
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Thailand’s new fighter jets still on horizon
It will be the middle of this year before Thailand’s Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) knows whether or not Washington has approved the sale of F-35A Lightning II fighter jets. RTAF Commander-in-Chief, ACM Alongkorn Wannarot said the air force was still negotiating preparations for the purchase of the jets, but the sale has yet to be approved by Washington. The…
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Chinese tourists banned from entering Morocco
Thailand may have stretched out its welcoming arms to China but the same can’t be said of other countries, especially Morocco which has banned all mainland tourists from entering the African country. Thailand Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn on Saturday was quoted as saying that his ministry was “very pleased to learn that China will implement new border control…
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Proposed national uniforms to make traffic police approachable
The Deputy National Police Chief of Thailand recognizes that the Thai police have a reputation issue. He wants to take action to make police seem more approachable, friendly and organized. To do so, he’s calling for a change to the uniform the traffic police wear. After travelling around the country and inspecting police stations in various locations, he found that the…
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HTMS Sukhothai chief engineer ashore when disaster struck
As the crew of the doomed HTMS Sukhothai headed for Chumphon on December 18, the ship’s chief engineer was not among them. According to Vice Admiral Pichai Lorchusakul, commander of the First Naval Area Command Saturday, the Sukhothai was heading for Chumphon on December 18 without its chief engineer on board. The ship has a normal complement of 106, but the…
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Thailand makes another travel list: Fodor’s No List
Thailand boasted recently of its ranking on many travel lists, from being among the least corrupt countries in Asia to ranking one of the best locations for expats, and rating one of the safest countries to visit. The country has made the ranks by having some of the top-rated food and beaches in the world. But Thailand also received a…
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Deputy PM’s cunning plan to remain in power? There isn’t one
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has a cunning plan to remain in power. The plan is so cunning that there is no plan. No, it’s not an episode of Blackadder. Deputy PM Prawit reckons the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) will remain in office after the May 7 election this year without having to woo the electorate. The Pheu Thai Party was out…
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Tragic hero – lifeguard, 10 year old, drowned in new year beach tragedy
The body of a 10 year old girl who had been swept away by strong waves from a Songkhla beach, was found washed ashore this morning, near the scene of the new year beach tragedy. Rescue teams searched the area throughout last night and this morning for the lost child who was washed away as she was playing with two…
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Indian passengers to be charged over air rage incident on Bangkok-Kolkata flight
Police in India reported that two of the men involved in the air rage incident on a flight from Bangkok to Kolkata will be charged. Bidhannagar City Police, in Kolkata, drew up a First Information Report and slapped an Indian Penal Code charge on the men of assault, wrongful restraint, and criminal intimidation, after a complaint by the Bureau of…
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Phuket Lifestyle Comparison: Living in the Northern vs. Southern Areas of Phuket
https://youtu.be/njQz_WMMOzI Welcome to the beautiful island of Phuket! With its stunning beaches, crystal clear waters, and vibrant culture, it’s no wonder why so many people come to visit or live in Phuket. But when it comes to choosing where to stay on The island, there are two main areas: The north & the South. In this video, we’ll explore the…
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Covid-19 screening not necessary for China arrivals
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) met on Saturday to assess the Covid-19 situation in China and the border reopening on January 8. Covid-19 screening tests for arrivals from China might not be necessary for the time being although vaccination documents will be checked Tares Krassanairawiwong, DDC director-general, said nearly five million visitors from China are expected this year while…
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Thailand gains research base in Antarctica
Thailand has sent scientists to join the Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition since 2016. Now a China-Thailand research base in Antarctica has been set up at China’s Great Wall Station. Thailand cannot go to Antarctica alone because the kingdom is not a member of the Antarctic Treaty, signed in 1959. China, South Korea, Japan, and India are the four consultative…
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Songkhla lifeguard dies in search for missing girl
A Songkhla lifeguard died on the way to hospital after losing consciousness while taking part in the search for a 10-year-old girl who went missing off Songkhla beach yesterday. A team of Songkhla lifeguards were dispatched to Chalathat beach, a popular tourist spot, after being alerted at about 2pm that a 10-year-old girl had gone missing. They were joined in…
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Mixed blessings in Thailand’s holiday road carnage
Thailand’s annual New Year holiday road carnage has seen 85 deaths in two days, but there were mixed blessings in a Bangkok temple, as a meritless BMW added to the grim statistics. The death toll in road accidents during the first two days of the new year holiday, traditionally a time when Thai people go home to meet their families,…
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Parliament president predicts dissolution of House of Representatives
The Thai Parliament president predicts the House of Representatives will be dissolved before the MPs’ four-year term ends on March 23. Parliament president Chuan Leekpai said last night that the dissolution could take place either during or after the current ordinary session but before the MPs’ time in office expires. The current parliament session lasts until February 28. If the…
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Thai King hails nation’s triumph over adversity
His Majesty the King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua last night praised the Thai people for their triumph over adversity after the nation’s almost three-year struggle against the Covid-19 pandemic. His Majesty himself had a difficult end to the year with news breaking that his eldest daughter, Princess Bajrakitiyabha, collapsed with a heart condition. But the 70 year old monarch still…
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Palestine welcomes UN vote on Israel’s illegal occupation
Palestinian leaders last night welcomed a United Nations General Assembly vote insisting on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to answer the legal consequences of Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories. The General Assembly voted 87 to 26 with 53 abstentions on the resolution, reported Aljazeera. A number of Western nations were split on the vote while the Islamic world…
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Free electric buses to Bangkok attractions from today
In a bid to boost visits to tourist attractions in Bangkok, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration created a program to run free electric buses to the floating markets on weekends, starting today. The plan was created to connect the main public transportation lines across Bangkok with nearby tourist attractions. The BMA announced yesterday the new, eco-friendly service that will feed from…
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Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it Kim Jung-un riding a New Year rocket?
South Korea test-fired a solid-fuel rocket yesterday triggering panic over a UFO invasion, or a possible North Korean missile launch by Kim Jung-un, riding a new year rocket into the free south. Seoul said in a statement that the launch was part of efforts to build a space-based surveillance capability and bolster its defence posture. The general public was not…
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Senate to investigate AMLO-Tuhao links
The Senate committee on good governance is to investigate links between two executives of the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) and alleged crime boss Chaiyanat “Tuhao” Kornchayanant. The investigation follows a letter submitted to the Senate speaker on December 19 by former Democrat MP Watchara Phetthong. The letter named Pol Maj Gen Piyapan Pingmuang, former head of AMLO and Theppasu Bavornchotidara,…
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The Man Who Took Dinner to The Sky ft. Friso Poldervaart | Ep.18
Friso Poldervaart is a Dutch philanthropist and entrepreneur based in Bangkok. He is dedicated to helping others through his charitable endeavors, as well as running a successful business. He has a passion for making a difference in the world, and strives to use his resources to create tangible benefits for those in need. He is highly esteemed in his field…
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Thailand’s top 10 stories on social media for 2022
Social media in Thailand has had a busy year full of sensational scandals and news stories. What were the people of Thailand talking about most in 2022? Wisesight, an online analytics company used its Zocial Eye tools to analyse social media activity between January 1 and December 20 of this year in Thailand to see what got people buzzing online.…
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