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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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Interpol wanted South Korean man arrested in Pattaya for scam operation
A South Korean scam suspect wanted under an Interpol Red Notice was arrested at a luxury condominium in Pattaya on his birthday, April 22, during a joint operation involving Thai and South Korean authorities. Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) yesterday, May 5, released details of the operation, which targeted foreign criminal suspects hiding in Thailand. Among those arrested was a…
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Elderly driver’s gear mistake starts Bangkok petrol station fire
An elderly driver crashed into fuel pumps at a petrol station in Bangkok this morning, May 6, causing a fire that destroyed his car and damaged two fuel dispensers. No injuries were reported. The incident happened at about 7.14am at a Bangchak petrol station on Rama II Soi 94 in Samae Dam subdistrict, Bang Khun Thian district. Firefighters from Bang…
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Missing abbot confirms safety after disappearing since March
A former abbot, who had been reported missing in Ayutthaya province since March, appeared at Bang Rak Police Station in Bangkok yesterday, May 5, and confirmed he was safe after leaving monkhood. The former abbot, 58 year old Sombat Sirisuwanno from Sanam Chai Temple in Ayutthaya, had lost contact with temple staff and relatives on March 17. According to earlier…
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Thailand plans 80 billion baht airport expansion to become aviation hub
Thailand airport expansion projects worth around 80 billion baht are being prepared as the government moves ahead with plans to position the country as a regional aviation hub. Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn recently met with Airports of Thailand (AOT) executives and related officials to discuss aviation development projects aimed at improving airport facilities and passenger capacity.…
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Police seize heroin hidden in Thai clothing sets bound for Australia
Police in Phuket seized more than six kilogrammes of heroin hidden inside 48 Thai clothing sets on April 30 after a suspicious parcel shipment from Loei was sent to a house in Sakhu, Thalang, allegedly for onward delivery to Australia. The shipment, packed in two sacks, was sent through a private delivery company from Chiang Khan district, Loei, to a…
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Several figures enter race ahead of Bangkok governor election in June
Several candidates began presenting their campaigns ahead of the Bangkok governor election 2026, while the current governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, announced that he would start his campaign after his term ends this month. The terms of Chadchart and members of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council are scheduled to expire on May 21. Elections for the Bangkok governor and 50 council members representing…
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Surin man arrested over child sexual abuse material on Telegram
A dental assistant was arrested yesterday, May 5, in Surin after officials uncovered a Telegram group allegedly selling child sexual abuse material, including videos involving girls as young as 13 years old. The arrest took place at a house in Surin following an investigation by the Department of Provincial Administration and local police into suspected human trafficking and online sexual…
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Foreign tourists filmed in alleged sex act in Pattaya sea
A group of foreign tourists, believed to be Russian nationals, were filmed allegedly engaging in sexual activity in the sea in Pattaya despite repeated warnings from bystanders, according to a witness who recorded the incident. The footage circulated online and showed eight foreign tourists, four men and four women, allegedly entering the water together while intoxicated. No source has confirmed…
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How global gaming turns local through sports and online play
Global gaming used to involve one giant audience moving in the same direction. That is no longer how the market feels from the player side. The same internet that spread games worldwide has made regional habits more visible, from Southeast Asia’s mobile-first communities to Australia’s sports-led online entertainment moments. A useful way to understand this shift is to see games…
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Validation Check 2026-05-05 11:07:31
This is a validation post. Time: 2026-05-05 11:07:31
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Donald Duck Bay in Phang Nga ranks among world’s top 10 beaches
Three Thai beaches are included in the 2026 World’s Best Beaches list by Global Travel Experts, with Donald Duck Bay in Phang Nga ranked among the world’s top 10. The annual list is compiled from votes by more than 1,000 travel professionals worldwide. Beaches are assessed based on criteria such as uniqueness, wildlife, unspoiled natural environment, natural soundscape, accessibility, calm…
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13,000 mislabeled canned fish seized at Samut Sakhon factory
Thai officials have seized more than 13,000 cans of canned fish at a factory in Samut Sakhon after finding products labelled as mackerel were made with a different species. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched the inspection today, May 5, after a video posted on Facebook raised concerns about the contents of canned fish not matching the label. Although…
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Tourists told to move by Wat Arun photographers in fresh complaint
A tourist complaint has put photographers at Wat Arun back in the spotlight after visitors claimed they were told to move from public areas to make way for paying photo clients. The incident was shared on social media on May 5, with claims that a group of photographers at Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan in Bangkok told tourists to move away…
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Foreign scammer targets Phuket restaurants with confusion trick
At least three restaurant owners in Phuket fell victim to a foreign scammer who reportedly used confusion tactics to take money from the victims. A restaurant owner in Phuket, identified as Benz Paitoon, shared details of the incident on Facebook along with CCTV footage yesterday, May 4. He said the suspect, whose nationality is unknown, entered his shop and purchased…
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Mystery body found in Buriram school toilet days before reopening
An unidentified decomposed body was found in a school toilet in Buriram yesterday, May 4, with police estimating the man had been dead for at least seven days. The discovery comes as the school prepares to reopen next week. Police from Mueang Buriram Police Station were alerted at 11am by a village assistant in Kalanta subdistrict, who arrived with rescue…
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Pokémon Centre Bangkok to open at centralwOrld in 2026
Thailand will get its first Pokémon Centre in 2026, with Pokémon Centre Bangkok set to open at centralwOrld in Pathum Wan district, Bangkok. Pokémon (Thailand) has signed a lease agreement with Central Pattana for the new Bangkok branch. The deal was signed by Shunsuke Sasaki, director of Pokémon (Thailand), and Isareit Chirathivat, Central Pattana’s Head of Leasing – Fashion &…
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Thailand video news | Weekend run of foreign dine-and-dash incidents, Foreign couple rescued from Krabi mangrove after ignoring safety advice
In Thailand video news, Alex covers news stories from across Thailand. The stories include a wave of dine-and-dash incidents involving tourists in Phuket, also on the island a couple was filmed performing lewd acts on each other in an open taxi, over in Pattaya a foreign man was detained after flying off the handle over a bill dispute, on Pattaya…
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Cheap power bank explodes, nearly burns Samut Prakan home
A power bank explosion nearly set a home on fire in Samut Prakan on May 3 after the cheap device bought online caught fire while the owner’s wife was using her phone nearby. The incident happened at a house in Bang Sao Thong district. The woman was sitting inside the house with the power bank on a table when it…
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Foreign couple held after sex on moving tuk tuk in Phuket
A foreign couple was detained yesterday, May 4, after they were caught on a viral video engaging in sexual activity while travelling on tuk tuk in Patong, Phuket. A Phuket tuk tuk incident involving a foreign couple engaging in sexual activity in public led to their arrest yesterday, May 4, after video of the incident, recorded by a passerby, circulated…
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Moroccan tourist chased down after dodging bar bill in Pattaya
A Moroccan man was arrested in Pattaya early yesterday, May 4, after allegedly failing to settle his bar bill, causing a disturbance, and fleeing before being detained by officers. Pattaya municipal officers were called after a Thai bar owner reported an unpaid bill left by a foreign customer who fled the venue. The man, believed to be Moroccan and aged…
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Phuket taxi driver denies assault after argument video goes viral
A Phuket taxi driver denied physical assault on a foreign man after a video of their argument went viral on Thai social media yesterday, May 4. The footage was posted by the Facebook page Koh Kalok Phuket with a caption questioning how the situation should be handled and included hashtags criticising taxi drivers. In the video, a foreign man is…
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Foreign tourist attacks Thai man over cannabis warning in Pattaya
A foreign tourist, who claimed to be a boxer, attacked a Thai man on Pattaya Beach yesterday, May 4, after being warned not to smoke cannabis in a crowded public area. The incident took place in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, and was reported after video footage of the confrontation circulated on social media. The dispute reportedly…
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Phuket restaurants hit by wave of foreign dine-and-dash cases over single weekend
Three dine-and-dash incidents involving foreign tourists were reported in Phuket around the same time, raising concerns among local business operators and prompting calls for action from police and officials. The first case occurred on Saturday, May 2, with details later shared on social media yesterday, May 3, by a restaurant owner. She said two foreign customers ordered stir-fried noodles and…
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Truck carrying lithium batteries catches fire, damaging expressway in Chachoengsao
A fire involving a truck carrying lithium batteries caught fire yesterday, May 3, on the Bangna-Trat Road in Chachoengsao, causing damage to an elevated expressway, prompting road closures and a safety inspection. Bang Pakong Police Station officers were alerted to the incident at around 7.30pm on the left lane of Thepparat Road, also known as Bangna-Trat Road, in Bang Pakong…
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2 Thai men arrested over knife-point robbery at Bangkok petrol station
A petrol station robbery in Rama IX, Bangkok, led to the arrest of two suspects after a man was threatened with a knife and robbed of his mobile phone and car key. The incident occurred at around 8.30pm on April 30 at a petrol station in Soi Rama IX 62, Suan Luang district. Police arrested the two suspects yesterday, May…
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Foreign couple rescued from Krabi mangrove after allegedly ignoring safety warning
A foreign couple became trapped in a mangrove forest at Ao Thalane in Krabi during a receding tide after reportedly ignoring safety instructions from a tour guide. The incident took place at Ao Thalane in Krabi province, a popular ecotourism site known for kayak trips through mangrove forests. Tours typically last around 30 minutes and require close attention to tide…
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Thailand hits 60-year investment record as Amazon, Google, BYD and others bet big
If you only looked at the investment scoreboard for Southeast Asian economies last year, chances are you would probably want to skip over Thailand. While Vietnam was sprinting ahead with 7% growth and Indonesia held steady at 5%, Thailand was limping with a meagre 2.4%. With the IMF recently cutting its 2026 projection to a dismal 1.6%, the narrative that…
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Pork fat spill leaves 5 cars sliding and crashing on Nakhon Pathom bridge
Five vehicles crashed yesterday, May 3, after pork fat was found scattered across a bridge on Petchkasem Road in Nakhon Pathom province. No injuries were reported. Dashcam footage shared on TikTok by user @9876543210ix showed traffic conditions at the time of the crash. The driver was travelling in the left lane, which became blocked by a pickup truck. The driver…
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Rayong man removed from manhole after passerby hears cries for help
A manhole rescue took place yesterday, May 2, after a 20 year old man was found trapped for more than seven hours in a drainage system near a fair in Pluak Daeng district, Rayong province. Officers from Pluak Daeng Police Station and rescuers from the Pluak Daeng Foundation arrived at a manhole near the fair entrance following a report from…
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17 year old Thai man killed in sign collapse in extended Songkran event in Saraburi
A sign collapsed during a thunderstorm on April 30, killing a 17 year old man and injuring 11 others at an extended Songkran event in Khok Sawang subdistrict, Mueang district, Saraburi province. The incident occurred at around 4pm at Pong Siri Market before the event began. A large number of people were waiting at the entrance, beneath a sign, to secure spots for…
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