News
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 Pre-existing conditions? These expat insurance plans still have you covered
Many expats feel worried that their pre-existing health problems will stop them from getting insurance in a new country. This fear is common, especially when medical care can be expensive. But the good news is, some insurance, like the plans...
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Bangkok firefighters tackle fire outbreak at Soi Ladprao entertainment venue
Brave firefighters today successfully dealt with a fire outbreak at an entertainment venue located on Soi Ladprao 122 in Bangkok after a 30-minute operation. The fire broke out at 9.30am. Upon receiving the report, Lieutenant Jutaphong Chanchandilokchoti from Wang Thong Lang Police Station promptly arrived at the scene alongside the Bangkok Metropolitan Fire and Rescue Department. The fire scene was…
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Arrest warrant issued against Burmese man for murder of former diplomat in Thailand
Royal Thai Police submitted documents and evidence to the Thailand Courts to issue a warrant for the arrest of a Burmese man for the suspected murder of a former Thai diplomat at a house in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district. The suspect reportedly escaped arrest outside Bangkok but police believe he is still in Thailand. Following the death of 63 year old…
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Delivery fraud: Thai rider disappears with eight iPhones worth over 100,000 baht
A Thai delivery rider vanished after collecting eight iPhones, valued at over 100,000 baht, causing the client, Kittiphong Loeslaew, to voice his frustrations online. The delivery service is expected to compensate him for the loss. The online community advised Kittiphong to file a formal complaint against the delivery fraud, as the rider and vehicle registration details were available. They also…
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Fishy business: RTN reels in Indonesian vessels straying into Thai waters
The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) stopped three Indonesian fishing vessels after they strayed into Thai waters after a recent maritime operation near Phuket. This unfolding event kicked off yesterday when Thai authorities apprehended these vessels within Thai territorial waters. What added to the significance of this operation was the detention of all 40 crew members aboard the ships. The operation…
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Ex-Transport Minister arrested over corruption allegations
Former Minister of Transport and Pattaya Mayor Itthipol Khunpluem was detained upon his return from Cambodia, a development that has drawn significant attention. The Thai Immigration Police acted swiftly, taking Itthipol into custody in connection with a high-profile corruption case currently under investigation by the Corruption Case Office Two of Rayong Province. This case stems from a judicial order issued…
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Phuket tuk tuk drivers attack Saudi Arabian passenger over service fare
Officers from Patong Police Station arrested three thuggish Thai tuk tuk drivers for assaulting a Saudi Arabian passenger on Rat U Thit Road in Phuket after the foreigner paid them only 300 baht out of 400 baht for a 3-kilometre journey. A video of three Thai tuk tuk driver thugs physically assaulting the Saudi man went viral on Thai social media.…
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Nurse Count Dao treats homeless man’s injury in a heartfelt video
A well-known TikToker suphaporn9949, also known as Nurse Count Dao, recently shared a poignant and deeply moving, heart-wrenching video. After spotting an elderly man, appearing to be homeless, sitting in front of a convenience store, she decided to buy him a meal. However, her attention was drawn to a substantial wound on his foot, compelling her to purchase medicine and…
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Pattaya accident: Expat motorcyclist severely injured avoiding car
A 66 year old expatriate was severely injured after a sudden accident in the bustling city of Pattaya. The old age pensioner found himself in a perilous situation when he fell off his motorcycle after a hasty attempt to brake. The sudden stop was a reaction to a car reversing onto the road in his path as reported by the…
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Phuket stabbing: Driver fatally attacked at hotel car park
A commercial driver from Phuket province met a tragic end after visiting a popular nightclub and getting into a heated dispute. He was fatally stabbed and his body was found at the entrance of a local hotel. Phuket police responded swiftly, arriving at the scene at 6am today. Surachai Watitsuppaphon, Deputy Inspector (Investigation) of Phuket City Police Station, led the…
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Airbnb’s Thai-cation: Boosting GDP and jobs in the Land of Smiles, study shows
A recent study by Oxford Economics highlights the significant role played by Airbnb in Thailand’s tourism sector, making a substantial contribution to the country’s GDP and job market. According to the report commissioned by Airbnb, the platform made a substantial 31 billion baht contribution to Thailand’s Gross Domestic Product in 2022, supporting almost 56,500 jobs. This translates to approximately 1.7%…
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Barry’s green guru grows gargantuan cucumber: A vine-derful victory
Vincent Sjodin, known for his green thumbs in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, has certainly lived up to his reputation by achieving the remarkable feat of growing the world’s heaviest cucumber. This gargantuan cucumber stretched to an impressive 1.2 meters in length and weighed an astonishing 13.4 kilogrammes – a weight equivalent to an average mountain bike. This extraordinary accomplishment took…
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2 Thai teenagers suspected of murdering former diplomat
Royal Thai Police detained two Thai teenagers following the murder of a former Thai diplomat. The teenagers, aged 15 and 17, were the last people to visit the former diplomat’s home before his dead body was discovered. The dead body of 63 year old Wichit Chitwimarn was discovered in a three-storey luxury house on Soi Vibhawadee-Rangsit 20 in Bangkok’s Chatuchak…
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Historic satellite launch rescheduled: Thai THEOS-2
Thailand’s second earth observation satellite, THEOS-2, is slated to be launched once more from the French Guiana spaceport. Supamas Isarabhakdi, the Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), revealed the launch would occur at 8.36am today. This comes after the initial launch attempt on October 7 was halted due to minor signal irregularities detected in the last 14…
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Hamas attack at Israeli music festival kills over 260
The deadly attack by Hamas militants on an Israeli music festival resulted in over 260 fatalities, including 12 Thais and a 30 year old German tourist, Shani Louk. The incident occurred near the Gaza border in a southern region of Israel on Saturday. The local Israeli emergency response organization, Zaka, reported the discovery of over 260 bodies near the festival…
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12 Thai people killed, 8 injured, and 11 detained in Hamas attacks
Thailand’s Centre of an Emergency Situation in Israel reported that 12 Thai nationals were killed, eight injured and 11 detained in Hamas attacks. A Thai resident in Israel, taking to Twitter, shared that he and nearly 100 fellow Thais managed to survive without any assistance from officials. Deputy Foreign Minister Jakkapong Saengmanee stated that Thailand maintains a neutral stance in…
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Illegal firearms crackdown: Thai police clamps down on illicit trade after alarming surge in gun violence
Police Lieutenant General Jiraphop Phuridej targeted 114 illegal firearms distributors across Thailand in an extensive nationwide crackdown. The illegal firearms crackdown, involving over 800 officers including a special task force known as “Hanuman” from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), came in the wake of increased online trading of illegal firearms, including modified guns, homemade guns, and blank guns. The illegal…
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Bangkok shooting survivor recounts horrific encounter with Siam Paragon gunman
A survivor of the recent shooting at the Siam Paragon shopping mall in Bangkok recounted her terrifying encounter with the 14 year old gunman. Anyapat Thipjirasakul, while fleeing the scene, came face to face with the teen gunman on an escalator. His immediate reaction was to fire, hitting her in the shoulder. Despite the pain, she continued running, scared he…
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Heavy rainfall warning: Northern Thailand braced for potential flash floods
The Thailand Meteorological Department (TMD) issued a warning regarding continuous heavy rainfall affecting 54 provinces, predominantly in the northern region. The department anticipates that 80% of the northern territory will experience heavy downpours, posing a risk of flash floods. The department’s 24-hour forecast, issued today, suggests a trough of low pressure moving across the northern and lower northeastern provinces. Simultaneously,…
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Thai truck driver shot in Israel during Hamas attack, contact lost
A 28 year old woman from Nong Song Hong District, Khon Kaen, revealed a shocking incident involving her 26 year old husband. The woman, Supattra Asanok, revealed her husband, Phadung Butmo, originally from Kham Mueang District, Khon Kaen, currently works as an agricultural goods truck driver in Israel. He was shot in the back and right buttock during a Hamas…
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Thai bonds surge 5.8% amid elevated corporate debenture issuance
Thai bond valuations experienced a notable increase of 5.8% within the first nine months of the year, skyrocketing to a colossal 16.7 trillion baht. This rise was predominantly propelled by government and corporate bonds, as revealed by the Thai Bond Market Association (ThaiBMA). Corporate debentures, a significant part of this upswing, saw an issuance of 825 billion baht from January…
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Thailand’s commerce ministry aims for 20% cross-border trade boost
The Commerce Ministry of Thailand has an ambitious vision for the upcoming year – pushing cross-border trade value to 1.2 trillion baht, marking a 20% increase from this year’s estimated 1 trillion baht. Deputy Commerce Minister Napintorn Srisunpang, the overseer of the Business Development Department, Trade Negotiations Department and Foreign Trade Department, disclosed the ministry’s strategy to achieve this. They…
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Thai government’s 5% GDP growth aim deemed optimistic amidst challenges
The administration of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin aims to boost annual GDP growth by 5%. This goal was unveiled during a policy statement delivered by the premier to the heads of government agencies last week during discussions about the fiscal 2024 budget. However, the World Bank recently cut its growth forecast for Thailand to 3.4% this year and trimmed its…
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AI adoption boom: Igniting innovation, doubling productivity, and fostering cross-gen cooperation
The revolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in businesses is underway, igniting innovation, boosting productivity by twofold, and fostering cross-generational cooperation. Currently, the United States alone hosts over 14,700 AI startups, with more sprouting daily, according to McKinsey. Forecasts suggest that AI adoption and digitisation will automate between 30% and 40% of existing jobs, augment 50 to 60% of job tasks,…
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Mongolia opens honorary consulate in Phuket, boosting ties
Phuket marked a significant milestone as Mongolia inaugurated its honorary consulate on the island, coinciding with the 49th anniversary of its diplomatic ties with Thailand last week. The consulate’s office is located at the Gig Hotel on Soi Bangla in the Patong district. The opening ceremony saw the attendance of key figures including Tumur Amarsanaa, Mongolia’s ambassador to Thailand, Nutthaphong…
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DSI crackdown on counterfeit dietary supplement warehouse in Chon Buri costing over 10 million baht
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) raided a warehouse in central Chon Buri storing counterfeit dietary supplements for humans and pets, causing damages exceeding 10 million baht. The raid was carried out in response to Thailand being closely watched by the US Trade Representative (USTR) for intellectual property rights violations and stemmed from tips about unlawful sales of supplements via…
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Thailand’s TCL suspends VIP bus service after passenger complaints, slaps 10,000 baht fine on operator
Dr Sanlak Panuwatli, the managing director of Transport Company Limited (TCL), addressed recent complaints made by passengers about the standard of their VIP bus services. The complaints were raised on the Facebook page อยากดังเดี๋ยวจัดให้ รีเทริน์ part 6, which posted images and messages about the substandard conditions of TCL’s VIP buses. Upon investigation of the raised issues, TCL found that the…
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Teenager loses finger in violent gang clash at Pattaya skatepark
Chaos ensued in the early hours of the morning today, at a Pattaya skatepark near Laem Bali Hai whre a violent encounter between two youth gangs led to a teenager losing his finger and two others suffering injuries. The incident, taking place around 4am, sparked panic among tourists who were spending their time near the skatepark at Bali Hai Pier, Pattaya.…
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Former diplomat found dead in Bangkok luxury home under mysterious circumstances
The body of a former diplomat was discovered in the bathroom of a luxurious house, locked from the outside and covered with cardboard boxes today. The house, located in the affluent neighbourhood of Soi Vibhavadi Rangsit 20, Jom Phon, Chatuchak, Bangkok, was inspected by Deputy Superintendent Puthipong Hongthong and his team following the report of a death. The three-storey luxury…
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Thai family identifies son among captives in Hamas-Israel conflict
A couple from Pla Pak district, in the northeastern border province of Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, have positively identified their son as one of the workers reportedly captured by Hamas militants during a large-scale assault on Israel. The news of the abduction, which occurred yesterday, spread rapidly through social media, featuring a distressing image of six captive men with their hands…
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Accused gambling MP sits on Anti-Corruption Committee, claims Thai Patriots Network leader
Srisuwan Janya, the leader of the Thai Patriots Network, revealed that a member of Ratchaburi’s House of Representatives, previously accused of gambling in a viral video, sits on the Anti-Corruption Committee. This is a committee that is highly contested, especially when the individual was a member of the Blue Party during his tenure as a Ratchaburi representative. Despite the selection…
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