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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 Where to travel in Thailand in July [2025]
This month, I want to invite you to wander through art spaces, misty hills, and garden paths, where the only thing on the itinerary is to linger. Let’s take a slower route, one for the dreamers, the journal keepers, and...
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Thai officers uncover police corruption & drug use
Several Thai officers from the Lad Yao Police Station in the central province of Nakhon Sawan sent a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Torsak Sookwimon, revealing mass corruption and drug-related activities in their department. Last Saturday, October 29, Thai media reported that a non-commissioned police officer from Lad Yao Police Station sent five complaints…
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A scammer who posed as police chief arrested in central Thailand
A scammer who posed as a police chief was arrested in Thailand’s central Ayutthaya province on Friday. A team of officers from the Police Cyber Taskforce (PCT) arrested the man, 32 year old Chonwicha Pansamut, in the Wang Noi district, according to the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB). Authorities have evidence that Chonwicha claimed to be the Chiang Rai city district…
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Royal Caribbean Cruises to dock weekly in Phuket, Thailand
Earlier this month, Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas cruise ship docked in Phuket, southern Thailand, for the first time in several years. At an event in Phuket yesterday, Royal Caribbean revealed that the Spectrum would be visiting Phuket once a week in the coming months. Phuket is a ‘core destination’ on Royal Caribbean’s four- to seven-night Southeast Asia cruises,…
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Death toll up to 98 in Philippines, more storms predicted
The death toll in the Philippines has risen to almost 100 after Tropical Storm Nalgae hit the island nation over the weekend. Reports say 98 people have died as a result of the storm sweeping across the Southeast Asian country. The Philippines disaster agency reported that about half the deaths were recorded in the southern autonomous region of Bangsamoro because…
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After devastating floods, Phuket students step up to help with haircuts and repairs
Following Phuket’s devastating floods, some students are stepping up to help victims. The student group from Phuket Polytechnic College launched an initiative called “Fix It Community Renovation Center- Volunteer Spirit.” The initiative involves helping repair motorbikes for free, as well as electronic appliances such as microwaves. The students are also offering people free haircuts. Phuket Governor Narong and other officials…
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5 security guards on drugs arrested for robbing army residence
Five security guards were arrested yesterday after they robbed an army residence in Bangkok. The thieves stole four lightning rods worth 200,000 baht but only received 16,000 baht for the stolen goods. The group also tested positive for drugs. A soldier in charge of the security of army condominiums, inside the Royal Thai Armed Forces headquarters in the Don Mueng district…
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Koh Samui sees influx of Russian tourism
With flights increasing from Russia to Thailand, Koh Samui is seeing an increase in European travellers. The holiday island expects to see a surge in Russian tourism in particular, especially in December to close out the year. Russian tourism has been a big revenue-producing staple of Koh Samui but was stymied by the Covid-19 pandemic and then the Russian invasion…
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Chinese man and his Thai wife arrested for illegal possession of guns
A Chinese man and his Thai wife were arrested for illegally possessing several guns in their Phuket luxury home. Police searched the house of the Chinese man and his Thai wife in the Kathu district on Friday after the man had reportedly shown off his weapons on social media. The police found 18 firearms, most of which were BB guns. However,…
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Halloween stampede: 22 foreign deaths, events cancelled
In the wake of the harrowing Halloween stampede in Korea’s capital city of Seoul, the death toll has risen with some sources claiming 153 fatalities. Officials in Korea and abroad are deciding whether to pull the plug on Halloween events tonight. Global leaders are offering condolences as international citizens’ deaths are confirmed, including that of a Thai student. KHAOSAN A…
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Malaysian man fined 99,000 baht after a wheelspin damages parked cars
A Malaysian man showboating in his luxury car was fined about 100,000 baht for causing damage to four parked cars after a wheelspin in Songkhla province in the south of Thailand. Four Thai car owners reported to police on Friday that their cars had been damaged by rocks after a Malaysian tourist drifted his 5-million baht luxury car, a dark…
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Thai man cooks and eats wild snapping turtle that bit his finger
Yesterday, a Thai man attempted to capture a wild snapping turtle from a river in Kanchanaburi province in western Thailand. The feisty turtle bit the man’s middle finger and wouldn’t let go, causing a serious injury. When the injured man returned from the hospital, he cooked and ate the turtle for dinner. Rescue workers rushed to Tha Maka district yesterday…
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Murderer surrenders after stabbing wrong man in Phuket
A murderer surrendered to police after stabbing a man to death in front of a grocery store in Phuket on Saturday. The killer claimed that he stabbed the wrong person, thinking that the man he murdered was his enemy. The alleged murderer, 35 year old Pannawit, stabbed 49 year old Charoen Panngen on Saturday morning in front of a shopping…
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Thailand is not ‘selling off’ the country by letting foreigners buy land, says govt
The Thai government is defending its plan to allow foreign investors to buy up to one rai of land after an opposition party claimed that they are “selling off” the country. Foreign land ownership in Thailand comes with strict conditions and the plan will benefit the country’s economy, a government spokesperson said yesterday. The Cabinet recently voted to allow four…
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20 arrested by Muslim officers at Malaysian LGBTQ+ party
If you are in Malaysia, choose your Halloween costume wisely. Muslim officers arrested 20 people and broke up a 1,000-person LGBTQ+ Halloween party, citing cross-dressing and encouraging vice. Activists reported that Islamic religious authorities raided the popular party at REXKL in Kuala Lumpur late Saturday night. The party was attended by many members of the LGBTQ+ community in Malaysia’s largely-Muslim…
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VIDEO: 130 dead in pedestrian bridge tragedy in India
The death toll is rising after a century-old pedestrian bridge collapsed in India yesterday with over 130 people reported dead. Officials reported it collapsed because of overcrowding. The pedestrian bridge in Morbi in the western Indian state of Gujarat collapsed at about 6.40pm with hundreds of people gathered on it as they celebrated the Diwali festival. The 230 metre bridge…
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The history of Thailand’s lottery
Almost all forms of gambling are illegal in Thailand with one exception – the country’s lottery. The bi-monthly lottery draw has brought great fortunes to many people. The next draw is tomorrow, and you might be interested to learn some fun facts about its history. The lottery first began in 1874 on King Chulalongkorn’s birthday. The king had given the…
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Jerry Lee Lewis, rock ‘n’ roll pioneer, dies at 87
Early rock music pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis died this weekend at the age of 87. Known for his flamboyant appearance and performances, and his wildly controversial life, Lewis was essential in the popularity and evolution of rock ‘n’ roll music. Lewis had a stroke in 2019 and was erroneously reported to have died on Wednesday, several days before his actual…
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13 year old girl rescued from prostitution ring in Malaysia
A teenage Thai girl applied for a job on a social media site promising a minimum of 20,000 baht a month salary. The 13 year old girl was then forced into prostitution in Malaysia. Yesterday, she was returned to Thailand with the help of the Human Trafficking Prevention and Suppression Division in Thailand and the police in Malaysia. Police broke…
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Korat elephants face further persecution from farmers
As if the remains of Thailand’s decimated elephant population have not suffered enough persecution, farmers in Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) still refuse to live in harmony with their big grey neighbours. A local leader has called on authorities to address the problem – if it is one – of wild elephants from Thap Lan National Park invading farmland and destroying crops. Oraya…
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US in Asia: President Biden to ASEAN meeting, VP Harris to APEC
Top US officials are set to visit Southeast Asia, with US President Joe Biden joining the ASEAN summit in Cambodia next month, and Vice President Kamala Harris heading to Bangkok for an APEC meeting. The White House has now confirmed that Biden will join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for their meeting on November 12 and 13. Harris…
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One Thai national confirmed among those dead in Halloween stampede
Less than one hour ago, the Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul posted a notification on Facebook confirming that one Thai person died during the Halloween stampede in Seoul Korea last night. The Thaiger’s full coverage of the tragedy can be seen here. The Thai Embassy reported that they are in the process of coordinating with the authorities in South Korea.…
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Thailand hits 7 million international tourists
Thailand’s tourism has hit another milestone. As of October 26, the kingdom witnessed 7,349,843 international tourists arriving, surpassing the 7 million mark. It’s put the country within its goal range set by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) of 7 to 10 million visitors for 2022. The TAT announced that over 7 million tourists have arrived since January 1 in…
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Halloween stampede in Seoul leaves 149 dead, dozens injured
Pandemonium struck a Halloween event in Korea’s capital city of Seoul with at least 149 people killed in a stampede. Dozens more were injured in the Itaewon district as reports estimate as many as 100,000 people came out last night for a giant Halloween celebration. Crowds quickly overfilled the narrow alleyways that snake through the district and the congestion began…
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Thailand ladyboy – Facts You Never Know about Ladyboy Culture in Thailand
Thailand ladyboy – Facts You Never Know about Ladyboy Culture in Thailand When looking for an exotic vacation, one of the countries that come to mind most often is Thailand. This Asian country has a lot to offer its guests: its abundance of magnificent temples with gigantic statues of the Buddha, the natural resources available for everyone to explore, its…
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Rich rewards offered for info on currency counterfeiters
With large numbers of fake banknotes now circulating in Thailand, especially in the north of the country, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry Saturday announced a counterfeit rewards system for those canny enough to spot the fakes and turn them in. If you come up with information on counterfeit banknotes, you can expect to be rewarded with up to 100,000…
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Is Prayut quiet due to humbleness or unpopularity?
Is it his humbleness and humility, and his dedication to helping the people of Thailand? Or perhaps it’s because polls show that he is trailing other candidates in next year’s prime minister race. Either way, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has spent the month deflecting interviews and political questions. In recent weeks he’s managed to duck out of most questions from the…
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Musk’s Twitter: hate speech spikes, execs sacked, Trump happy
The takeover of Twitter by Elon Musk began with an awkward stab at a humorous tweet, the sacking of some top executives, and a LOT of hate speech. The site saw an immediate sharp rise in hate speech and disinformation posts by users who believe Musk’s anti-censorship stance will usher in a Twitter free-for-all. Public feelings are mixed about the…
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Turkey raises terrorism red flags over nordic NATO apps
Finland and Sweden plan to join NATO at the same time, but such a united front has prompted Turkey to raise questions about both applications. The two Nordic countries applied to join the alliance in May, partly in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but have since run into trouble from Turkey. Ankara accuses the two of harbouring dissident groups…
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“Where is Nancy?” Man attacks US Speaker Pelosi’s husband with hammer
Fueled by rhetoric from former President Donald Trump and Q-Anon conspiracy theories, a man broke into the home of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacked her husband with a hammer while demanding to see her. The attack is seen by many as a foreshadowing of potential political violence with the upcoming midterm elections in the United States just one…
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Puffing Israeli passenger puts Bangkok flight at risk
An Israeli passenger caused a small fire on an El Al flight from Tel Aviv to Bangkok yesterday. The plane was in mid-flight at the time of the incident and continued on its path as planned until it landed in Bangkok, despite the fire. The nicotine-addicted passenger had been unable to resist a fly puff on an illegal cigarette in…
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