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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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Four members of drug gang arrested in Nakhon Si Thammarat
Four members of a drug gang were arrested in Nakhon Si Thammarat Friday carrying 1.2 million meth pills. The four had brought the pills from the north of the country, according to Pol Maj Gen Somchai Suetortrakul. Police arrested members of the drug gang Somyos Jaidee, 57 years old, and Supiwa Ratsupha, 20 years old, in Khuan. The pair had…
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Military mum calls for justice over slain son
A military mum called for justice over the death of her son, an army private from Uthai Thani province. She called for a full investigation, accusing 11 other soldiers of beating her son to death in a punishment cell. The funeral of Pvt Kajornsak, 24, of the Fourth Infantry Division, took place at Thung Luang temple in the Nong Chang…
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Why aren’t tourists returning to Khao San Road?
The past few years have been dark for tourism in Thailand and around the world. The Covid-19 global pandemic closed borders and killed tourism in so many crucial areas. Khao San Road, the vibrant, bustling backpacker haven of Thailand’s capital city of Bangkok quickly fell into a desolate ghost town. Now, the last pandemic restrictions have been lifted, and the…
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A burglar, in a hole, in the roof, in the night
A Nakhon Si Thammarat burglar, well-known to authorities, who dropped in from the ceiling rather than breaking in through a window or door was taken to the police by his long-suffering mother following his latest exploits. At about 2am the morning before, a thief had dropped in from the roof of a teacher’s home in the district and demanded 500…
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UK exports to Japan slump after ‘landmark’ free trade deal
UK exports to Japan have slumped after a “landmark” free-trade deal exacerbated an already awful situation. Sold as Britain’s first major free-trade agreement since Brexit, the deal with Japan has been an abject failure. Trade between Britain and Japan has actually declined since the deal was signed. Trade secretary at the time, Liz Truss – then still believed by some…
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Thai gangs traffic Kenyans to Myanmar scam factories
Thai gangs trafficked more than 60 Kenyans who have been rescued from Laos and Myanmar over the last few months after call-centre jobs turned out to be a cover for cybercrime, prostitution and even organ theft. According to Kenya’s foreign affairs ministry, at least one Kenyan has died as a result of a botched operation in Myanmar. A 31 year…
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Deep South emergency decree extended 3 months
After a recent car bombing of police apartments in the Deep South province of Narathiwat, the Emergency Situation Administration Committee decided to extend the state of emergency decree in the troubled Southern provinces. The extension means that the current state of emergency will not end on December 20 as scheduled, but will instead continue until March 19 at the earliest.…
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Inmate who escaped Khon Kaen hospital back in custody
An inmate convicted of drug charges who escaped from a Khon Kaen hospital on Friday has been recaptured. He had been taken to Phon Hospital for treatment and in the wee hours of Friday morning made a daring escape. He tried to flee and hide but he was found just 300 metres from the hospital. The 41 year old man…
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Squabbling beach vendor gives rival a single bullet warning
When foreign tourists are on holiday and lying on the beach, usually all they want is some peace and tranquillity to enjoy the sunshine unperturbed. Beach vendors often seem to have missed the memo though, with a constant barrage of sales pitches falling somewhere between comical annoyance and an enraging frustration. Competition for tourist money is fierce, and, according to…
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Late night drinking hopes dashed by Alcohol Control Committee
The dream of boozing late into the early hours of the morning is dead, at least for now. The Thai Alcohol Control Committee ruled against the proposal to extend the legal hours for alcohol sales until 4am. The ruling was made after a widespread push gained momentum and support from politicians and business operators, especially in tourist areas. The committee…
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Why Pattaya? Is Pattaya worth visiting in 2023?
https://youtu.be/zHmu5_Ml7is 1. Nightlife of Pattaya The vibrant nightlife in Pattaya is one of the best attractions. As dusk falls, this location transforms into the ultimate party spot. The vibrant atmosphere that prevails at night is a key factor in the high number of tourists who come here. Numerous other activities and countless bars will keep partygoers busy all night. Many…
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Iconic chef “Alain DUCASSE” returns to Bangkok for 3rd anniversary celebrations of Blue by Alain Ducasse
Press Release This month, the award-winning Blue by Alain Ducasse, led by Executive Chef Wilfrid Hocquet, celebrates three years of delivering contemporary French dining rooted in a culinary vision of tradition and modernity. Located in ICONLUXE, ICONSIAM, on the banks of the historic Chao Phraya River, the first restaurant in Thailand by the iconic mentor chef, Alain Ducasse celebrates its…
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Druggie arrested after inviting netizens to take crystal meth
A man off his head on crystal meth was arrested six hours after he posted a video of himself using the crazy drug, also known as Yaba, on social media and invited others to try it. The confused druggie said he wanted to promote crystal meth on social media just once in his life even if it is illegal to…
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E-San Music Festival draws thousands to northeast Thailand this weekend
E-san Music Festival returns for a 10th time in Khon Kaen province in northeast Thailand this weekend. At least 100,000 people are expected to attend. The hippie festival, dubbed “Thailand’s Woodstock,” draws Thais and foreign tourists to Khon Kaen year-in-and-year-out. Usually, E-san Music Festival is held at the province’s giant Ubonratana Dam in the Phu Wiang district. However, the dam…
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Man savaged to death by his pet wild boar
A 68 year old man was savaged to death by his pet wild boar. The boar was later shot dead by the victim’s neighbour after the beast tried to carry out another attack. A neighbour notified police that the victim, Amnuay Suriwong, was attacked by the wild boar in the Ang Thong sub-district of Kampaengphet province. Amnuay was already dead…
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14 computer hackers arrested for spamming over 115 govt sites with gambling ads
Fourteen computer crooks were arrested yesterday after hacking into 115 government websites and spamming them with online gambling advertising banners. The Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD), under the Royal Thai Police, discovered last month that dozens of government websites had been spammed with illegal gambling websites. More than 50 gambling websites were spotted on 115 official websites. Most of the…
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Hua Hin International Jazz Festival coming up
The Hua Hin International Jazz Festival is coming up, with more than 30 artists from around the world en route to perform at the renowned tourism hotspot. Several local artists and bands will also be performing. The festival will be held from December 2-3 on Suan Son Pradit beach, in front of the Seapine Recreation Centre. Musicians will perform from…
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Pattaya International Fireworks Festival 2022 starts today
Pattaya International Fireworks Festival 2022 will illuminate the skyline of Central Pattaya Beach tonight and tomorrow. The festival in Pattaya presents several amazing fireworks displays from countries including Belgium, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Canada. Visitors can sit and enjoy the event along the beach from 7.30pm onward. Beach beds are available at an affordable 50 baht each while restaurants along…
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Mainland researcher writes that Chinese created Egyptian civilisations and then deletes it after backlash
A Chinese mainland researcher is garnering backlash after penning an article stating that his country created Egyptian civilisations. The article has caused an online backlash, prompting him to delete it amid triggering a formal investigation. Senior researcher, Yu Ruijun, at the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Zhangjiakou city in Hebei province, claimed that there was “a great deal of evidence…
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Wanted murderer arrested in Thailand after 11 years on the run
A man wanted for the murder of his former mother-in-law has been arrested by police in Nakhon Ratchasima province in northeast Thailand after 11 years on the run. After shooting dead his mother-in-law, he physically assaulted his ex-wife until she was seriously injured and kidnapped their two year old before dumping the young child in the middle of the road.…
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Greenpeace join fishers’ campaign to save Thailand’s mackerel
Greenpeace has joined a campaign to save Thailand’s mackerel from extinction. The Canadian-based independent campaigning group reported that Thai mackerel today is not as abundant and cheap as it was before because of years of unregulated overfishing. As a consequence, the fish sold in the markets are getting smaller, most of it is imported from other countries, and many believe…
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UK stops instalment of Chinese cameras in government buildings over security risks
The UK is stopping the instalment of new Chinese-made cameras in government buildings citing security risks. Such Chinese companies may be subjected to China’s security laws, with Britain advising to disconnect them from core computer networks. According to The Straits Times, the government furthered that such cameras should be removed altogether in a written statement to Parliament. Cabinet Office minister…
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High-risk drivers to get full access to Tesla’s driver assistance system
High-risk drivers in North America are now allowed full access to Tesla’s controversial driver-assistance system in a move that has some questioning the company’s intentions. Previously, the feature was only approved for buyers who were considered safe drivers, whatever that means, in North America, but now it is available to all. CEO Elon Musk says the Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta…
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‘Fake’ seed blamed for Thailand’s disgrace in rice Olympiad
“Fake” seed has been blamed for Thailand’s embarrassing second place in last week’s international rice Olympiad in Phuket. Following national humiliation at the hands of Cambodian farmers, a government investigation into the disaster blamed “fake seed” for the disgrace. Natthakit Khongthip, the man carrying the can for the catastrophe, on Thursday described the offending seed behind Thailand’s national as “inauthentic.”…
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THAI & Bangkok Airways ordered to fix chaotic delayed luggage, or else!
Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob warned Thai Airways and Bangkok Airways to swiftly deal with the delayed luggage problem at the kingdom’s airports within one month otherwise he will replace their baggage handlers with another company. Saksayam visited Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday to follow up on complaints of crowded terminals, long queues at the taxi service counter, passport check-in counter lines, and…
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Thai Airways increases flights to Singapore
Next month, Thai Airways will increase its Bangkok – Singapore roundtrip frequency from 21 times per week to 28 times per week. The extra flights will help meet the high demand during the festive season. Commencing December 12, THAI’s Bangkok – Singapore service will run four times every day as follows… Flight TG403 will leave Bangkok at 8am and land…
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Polish tourist killed in Phuket vehicle crash
A Polish tourist was tragically killed in a vehicle crash in Phuket’s town of Kamala yesterday. The 69 year old man crashed his motorbike into a taxi car on Patong Road. Rescuers dashed to the scene to find the man lying on the road, having sustained severe head injuries. The taxi car and the motorbike were both damaged. The taxi…
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Cheating husband says he ‘didn’t mean to’ shoot wife in head in southern Thailand
UPDATE Southern Thailand gangster Mack Tung Jin told police that he “never intended” to shoot his wife in the head in Nakhon Si Thammarat province on Sunday. He said it was an accident. Police arrested 30 year old Mack the next day at a resort in Krabi province, accompanied by a 17 year old girl, and detained him for questioning.…
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Farmer sets car on fire and drives into government building in northeast Thailand
A farmer from Buriram province in northeast Thailand put five gallons of gasoline in his truck, set it on fire with fireworks, and drove it into Buriram Legal Execution Office yesterday. He says his wife’s land was wrongfully seized and sold at auction and no one will help him get justice. At around 11am, 58 year old Manop from Phutthaisong…
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Man charged with murder of a transwoman found dead in canal
A male delivery rider was arrested in connection with the dead transwoman found in a canal in Pathum Thani province yesterday and charged with murder. If found guilty he could face the death penalty. The identity of the transwoman’s body, which was found in the Song Canal yesterday, was confirmed as 29 year old Piyada Sorrakun. Her mobile phone, a…
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