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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6 Elephants added to camp anticipating Chinese tourists
Chinese tourists are returning to Thailand, and with it, operators at elephant sanctuaries and shows are expecting a swell in customers. The Pang Chang Kamala Elephant Camp in Phuket has recently bought six new elephants to keep up with the rise in bookings after the Lunar New Year. The camp offers a variety of activities for the new tourists streaming…
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Narrow escape for Nauru’s Chinese passport forgers
When police nabbed two Chinese passport forgers operating out of an official Nauru Embassy residence late last year it seemed like another small victory in the fight against Chinese organised crime in the kingdom. Today, as it becomes clear that 15 officials have been charged in connection with the escape of the two Chinese passport forgers, a small victory has…
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Sex Workers Bill will protect Thailand’s most-exploited
Many thousands of Thais – mostly women – work their whole lives in the sex industry without legal protection. With nothing to shield them, they are exploited both directly and indirectly. The Sex Workers Bill sets out to remedy some of that. Operators use harsh methods to control their workers and ensure the money keeps rolling in. Owners of venues must…
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Maiden Flydubai direct Pattaya flight arrives
The maiden direct flight from Dubai to Pattaya by Flydubai touched down at U-Tapao Airport in Chon Buri Province on Friday night, carrying 158 passengers. The passengers, including six bloggers, were greeted by U-Tapao Airport Director, Admiral Rapeepong Sowan, the vice mayor of Pattaya City and director of the Pattaya Office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). According to…
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Peace Corps return to Thailand Post-Covid
On Friday, the Peace Corps in Thailand saw the return of 52 American volunteers, who will be serving alongside community members throughout the country. This marks the first time since the evacuation of volunteers in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The evacuation of volunteers in 2020 was a historical moment as it marked the first time in the…
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Couple arrested for selling Asiatic golden cat parts
A couple arrested in Bangkok with 19 animal skins has confessed to selling talismans made from Asiatic golden cat parts including skins and oil. Officers from the Natural Resources and Environment Crime Suppression Division arrested Phatcharapha Prasongdee and her husband Sitthichai Boonlai, both 30 years old, at a house in Lat Phrao district on Friday. In the couple’s house were…
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Cheating Thai professors who research everything
When a student is caught cheating in an exam, the penalty, at the very least, is a failing grade. So when it became public recently that cheating Thai professors had bought their research papers, the student body, among many others, was eager to see what punishment would result. The Higher Education Ministry has told all universities to check the source…
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Getting to Bangkok’s floating markets
Getting to Bangkok‘s floating markets just got a whole lot easier thanks to new feeder bus services from the MRT Blue Line to Bangkok’s four top floating markets. Bangkok’s floating markets might not be the capital’s biggest draw, but they are a must-see for almost every visitor to the city. Moreover, for those who live in the city, they are…
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Flights from China over Chinese New Year average 34 daily
The skies above Thailand will be full of Chinese flights this week, with 240 scheduled flights over the Chinese New Year. The Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) announced that during the holiday period from January 19 to 25, an average of 34 flights per day are expected to arrive in Thailand from China. This is expected to bring a significant…
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Is BMW really Thailand’s favourite car?
BMW is Thailand’s favourite car marque. It might not be the best-selling vehicle, but when Thai people have plenty of money to spend, they choose BMW. The company saw growth in registrations across its range, driven by last year’s marketing initiatives. BMW and Mini have led Thailand’s premium market for the past three years. Both have seen an increase in their…
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Alone for Chinese New Year? Consider a fake girlfriend
Pattaya bar enthusiasts might regularly hire a “fake girlfriend” for the night but, in Singapore, the concept has a more wholesome goal. As Chinese New Year approaches, singles in Singapore are opting for an unusual solution to avoid uncomfortable questions from relatives about their love lives: hiring fake girlfriends or boyfriends to accompany them to family gatherings. Rent-a-date platforms are…
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China gives green light to Chinese tour groups
China has lifted its restriction on group tours travelling to Thailand and 19 other countries. The reopening of tour groups officially started yesterday, marking a significant step towards normalising international travel for Chinese tourists. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism in China made the announcement yesterday. This move will officially allow tour agencies and online travel companies to begin booking…
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Exclusive Beachfront Property for Sale in Phuket | Twin Palms Residences Montazure
https://youtu.be/d1iBRg7RfkU Welcome to Twin Palms Residences Montazure in Kamala, Phuket, where luxury and serenity meet. Nestled on the picturesque Kamala beach, this exclusive beachfront condominium is the epitome of tropical living. This stunning condo boasts a spacious open floor plan with floor-to-ceiling windows that offer breathtaking ocean views. The condo features 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a private balcony. The…
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Besotted Thai man begins 1,200 kilometre journey on foot to propose to girlfriend
A besotted Thai man has started a 1,400 kilometre journey across Thailand on foot with the goal of proposing to his girlfriend – who he met on social media five months ago – on Valentine’s Day. He set off from his home in Nakhon Nayok province in central Thailand and is aiming to reach his girlfriend’s house in Satun province…
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Approval sought for 70 million baht junk boat-shaped skywalk in northeast Thailand
Government officials in northeast Thailand are seeking approval for a 70 million baht budget for a new boat-shaped skywalk in the Isaan province of Sa Kaeo called the “Khao Chakan Skywalk.” The Khao Chakan Skywalk will be made of glass and made in the shape of a “junk” sailboat, a type of classical Chinese sailing ship used in Southeast Asian…
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Chinese-Thais pack Bangkok road for ‘day for shopping’
Chinese-Thais packed one road in Bangkok today for ‘day for shopping,’ a day that comes two days before Chinese New Year. Bangkok’s Yaowarat Road is celebrating Chinese New Year until February 15, Nation Thailand reported. On ‘day for shopping,’ Chinese-Thais usually buy food and other offerings for deities and gifts for relatives. Tomorrow, Saturday, will be the ‘day to pay…
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Driver hits and kills pedestrian on dimly lit Pattaya road
A driver hit and killed a pedestrian crossing a dimly lit Pattaya road on Wednesday night, in Thailand‘s latest road tragedy. Bang Lamung police arrived on the scene in front of Soi Bang Lamung 12 to find the victim, a 46 year old man named Paiboon Tongmo, dead on the road. The driver, 27 year old Sila Narinnok, was in…
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Thailand to extradite alleged Malaysian scammer to China
A Thai court ordered a wanted alleged Malaysian scammer to be extradited to China to face charges related to fraud on Wednesday. Both Malaysia and China requested the repatriation of Tedy Teow Wooi Huat, the founder of the Mobility Beyond Imagination Group (MBI), after he was allegedly linked to numerous scams, reports the Straits Times. Penang-born Teow attended a virtual…
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Phuket police volunteer faces drunk driving charges
A Phuket police volunteer faces drunk driving charges after he and a medical staffer collided on their motorbikes. The incident happened on Korsimbi Road near the Rang Hill in Talad Nuea market in Phuket’s main city district. Rescuers arrived on the scene to find both men injured, with their motorbikes damaged. One of the injured men was 52 year old…
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Daughter who stole 250 million baht ordered to pay compensation
The daughter who stole over 250 million baht from her sick mother in Thailand has been ordered to pay more than 200 million baht (US$6 million) in compensation to the bedridden woman. In the suit filed by Huay Sriwirat against her daughter Mawadee Sriwirat, The Phra Khanong Civil Court has ordered Mawadee, two Kasikornbank employees, and a Kasikornbank bank to…
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‘Tuhao’ and 40 others indicted on multiple charges
Chinese businessman “Tuhao” and 40 accomplices were indicted in Bangkok on Thursday on a wide variety of charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering. The indictment of Chaiyanat “Tuhao” Kornchayanant comes after attorney-general Naree Tantasathien gave the go-ahead. The AG ordered the Office of Narcotics Litigation to arraign Chaiyanat and the other suspects at the Bangkok South Criminal Court. Charges…
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Taliban forces Afghan shopkeepers to cover mannequins’ faces
The Taliban is forcing Afghan shopkeepers to cover mannequins’ faces. Mannequins in women’s clothing shops across Kabul now have cloth and bags covering their faces, the Associated Press reported on Monday. The Taliban initially wanted the mannequins beheaded. While some shopkeepers obeyed, others weren’t having it. Shopkeepers complained that they would not be able to advertise their clothes, or that…
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Subdistrict accountant swindles 15 million baht in government funds
An accountant for Lad Yao subdistrict in Nakhon Sawan province, central Thailand, was arrested yesterday for swindling 15 million baht in government funds to pay back her gambling debt and repay loan sharks. Police officers from the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) arrested a female accountant, 41 year old Phatchara, at the Lad Yao sub-district office in Nakhon…
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Do you still need Covid-19 travel insurance to enter Thailand? Here’s what you need to know
With its stunning white sandy beaches, majestic temples, and delectable cuisine, Thailand is a paradise waiting to be explored. And if you’ve been dreaming of visiting the Land of Smiles during the pandemic, it’s time to start dusting off those suitcases and planning that dream vacation! After months (years!) of stringent restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, travellers looking to…
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Military reform top of electioneering agenda
Military reform has been at the top of this weeks electioneering agenda. Pheu Thai and Move Forward both want to see widespread reform of the military, including the ending of conscription. Though the move will be popular among younger Thais, it is not universally supported. Both Thai Sang Thai and the Democrat Party believe that military conscription is necessary and…
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Passengers left waiting hours at Bangkok’s new central train station
The opening of Bangkok‘s new central train station Bangkok Aphiwat Central Station did not go so smoothly yesterday with the first service to Chiang Mai departing three hours later than scheduled and many more delayed services. BBC Thai and CH7 report that services were delayed to await the arrival of Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob, who was rather late to an…
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Statue mixing Hindu and Buddhist themes draws tourist in northeast Thailand
Tourists and worshippers alike are oohing and aahing at a statue in northeast Thailand that combines Hindu and Buddhist themes. The Sri Suk Ganesha statue in Udon Thani province portrays the Hindu deity Ganesha, sitting on the coils of Naga, a Thai serpent god. Naga’s nine heads stare down at Ganesha, who holds several objects in his eight hands. Worshippers…
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Ferris wheel cabin door falls off and knocks out Isaan man
A young Thai man was attending the Red Cross Fair in Buriram province, northeast Thailand, last week when a 20 kilogramme Ferris wheel cabin door fell on top of him from a height of 10 metres and knocked him out. A rescue team rushed to the event in Lam Prai Mart district to give first aid to 21 year old…
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Woman working at karaoke bar in Thailand vanishes in suspicious circumstances
Police are trying to locate a woman who went missing in strange circumstances after leaving the karaoke bar she works at with a male customer five days ago in Leoi province in northeast Thailand. The manager at Bai Fern Karaoke Bar filed a missing persons report with the police on Wednesday, January 18, three days after 38 year old Phantiwa…
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Custodied cryptocurrencies to see new regulations in Thailand
Custodied cryptocurrencies will see new regulations in Thailand. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand issued new measures which require companies offering crypto custody services to “establish a digital wallet management system to accommodate efficient custody of digital assets and keys and ensure the safety of clients’ assets.” The new regulations went into effect on January 16th. The new measures…
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