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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 Why retirees in Thailand are choosing long-term health insurance over quick fixes
Retirees in Thailand are increasingly seeing the importance of health insurance in protecting their well-being during retirement. With insurance requirements for retirement visas and rising healthcare costs, many are moving away from short-term plans and choosing long-term coverage. Long-term health...
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Defence boost: Thailand seals Gripen jet deal with Sweden
Thailand is gearing up to formalise a major fighter jet deal with Sweden, just days after revealing its warplanes were used in real combat for the first time. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the agreement’s first phase will be signed next Tuesday, August 26, during a high-level visit to Sweden, led by Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa. According to Ministry…
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Cambodian soldier disrupts Thai checkpoint under influence (video)
The Cambodian soldier responsible for causing a disturbance at Chong Arn Ma in Ubon Ratchathani was intoxicated during a visit by foreign observers, according to a senior Thai military intelligence officer. This information was updated yesterday, August 20, by Major General Kran Boonchai, deputy director of military intelligence, to the ASEAN observers from eight nations. Cambodian border officials contacted their…
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Bangkok buildings rattle as 5.4 quake strikes off Myanmar
Office workers fled, lamps swung, and nerves were tested as a powerful earthquake sent tremors through Bangkok high-rises this morning. Thailand’s Earthquake Observation Division reported a 5.4-magnitude earthquake at 9.58am today, August 21, centred 10 kilometres underground in the Andaman Sea, roughly 211 kilometres southwest of Mae Sot district in Tak province. The tremors were felt across multiple districts in…
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Thai woman fatally stabs restaurant owner over rape ordeal blame
A Thai woman fatally stabbed a female restaurant owner in the northern province of Kamphaeng Phet, allegedly blaming the victim for failing to prevent a sexual assault while she was intoxicated. Officers from Khlong Khlung Police Station and rescuers from the Sawang Kamphaeng Phet Foundation were called to a restaurant near the Ping River in Khlong Khlung district after the…
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Teen arrested for Trang city shooting, two injured
A 17 year old has been arrested alongside an accomplice for a shooting incident in Trang city centre, injuring two people. The youth reportedly used his father’s gun in the attack. The incident involved two youths riding a red and black Honda Wave 110 motorcycle, registration 1 กค 5387 Trang. They were shot with a 9mm firearm in the neck…
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Teacher’s husband apologises after running over schoolboy in a pickup truck
A teacher’s husband issued an apology after running his pickup over a 12 year old schoolboy in Udon Thani, claiming he did not notice the boy sitting at the spot. The 12 year old Thai boy, Tang, suffered a broken pelvis after the driver, 53 year old Phan, ran over him while he was sitting in the activity area after…
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New SIM rules roll out to crush cyber crooks in Thailand
Thailand is cracking down on SIM-swap scams with strict new mobile registration rules, and you’ll need your face to prove who you are. In a major move to curb cybercrime, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has rolled out real-time facial recognition technology, known as Liveness Detection, to verify all new SIM registrations and replacements nationwide. The change, which…
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Thai Commerce Ministry cracks down on illegal steel trade
The Ministry of Commerce has taken action against foreign steel trading businesses in Samut Prakan, suspected of using Thai nominees to hold shares illegally. Deputy Permanent Secretary of Commerce, Chakara Yodmanee, who leads the task force against illegal foreign businesses, reported that the Department of Business Development has intensified efforts to resolve nominee issues, following instructions from Deputy Commerce Minister…
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Mystery surrounds woman’s death during Pattani to Betong journey
A 30 year old woman was found deceased under mysterious circumstances in a vehicle during a journey from Pattani to Betong in Yala province. Relatives were puzzled, as she was initially fine before losing consciousness and passing away at 4.30pm yesterday, August 20. Police from the Mueang Yala Police Station received notification from rescue workers about the death of an…
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Car bomb rips through Narathiwat checkpoint, 1 injured
Terror returned to Thailand’s Deep South last night when a car bomb exploded at a security checkpoint in Narathiwat’s Tak Bai district, injuring a defence volunteer and triggering a brief gun battle. The attack unfolded at around 8.15pm yesterday, August 20, in Sala Mai subdistrict, where local volunteers were manning a regular security post. According to police reports, the explosion…
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Ubon Ratchathani restaurant owner alleges extortion by fake police
A notable restaurant in Ubon Ratchathani has filed a complaint against a group of people claiming to be undercover police officers. These people allegedly extorted money from the restaurant, threatening closure over the sale of drinks past the legal hours. Kritwit, a 35 year old restaurant owner in Mueang district, Ubon Ratchathani province, reported the incident to Police Lieutenant Phakaphong…
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Officials discover 20 preserved bodies at AIDS treatment temple
Officials from the Ministry of Public Health raided Phra Bat Nampu Temple in the central province of Lop Buri, where they discovered 20 bodies of AIDS patients illegally preserved and displayed in a museum within the temple. Phra Bat Nampu Temple, also known as the AIDS temple, has long been running donation campaigns to raise funds for underprivileged AIDS patients.…
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Air Serbia eyes Bangkok return after decades-long break
Thailand could soon welcome more Balkan tourists directly, as Air Serbia considers reviving long-haul winter flights to Bangkok, a destination not served from Belgrade since the collapse of Yugoslavia. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) confirmed it’s in talks with the airline as part of a push to boost direct air access from the Balkan region. TAT’s marketing representative for…
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Thailand intensifies crackdown on illegal agricultural imports
Attakorn Sirilatthayakorn, the agriculture and cooperatives minister, has announced a robust initiative to combat illegal agricultural products, including illicit pork, fisheries, and plant goods. The Special Unit Phaya Naga, established in 2023, aims to curb these activities, which have caused direct economic damages exceeding 10 billion baht. The Phaya Naga unit, founded during the tenure of former agriculture and cooperatives…
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Indian businessman faces legal battle over Pattaya hotel rental
An Indian businessman has encountered a legal dispute after renting a hotel with 32 rooms for three years, paying a deposit for three months amounting to 960,000 baht, yet being unable to access the property. Reports were filed with the police in Mueang Pattaya district by 42 year old Wassana (pseudonym), a partner in a real estate company owned by…
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1 foreigner dead, another critical after drowning tragedy at Phuket’s Kata Beach
A foreigner drowned in the sea off Kata Beach in Phuket yesterday, August 21, while another foreigner survived but was left in a critical condition. Phuket Times Facebook page reported the incident in the evening, although it reportedly occurred earlier in the afternoon. Witnesses said locals managed to pull both foreigners from the water, but one had already died. The…
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Kitten rescued from school pillar after four days in Thong Pha Phum
A kitten trapped inside a school pillar in Thong Pha Phum for four days has been rescued. On August 20, Sarawut Sritandorn, the mayor of Thong Pha Phum, was informed by teacher Acting Sub Lieutenant Panitta Klinchuen, also known as Teacher Tae, that a kitten was stuck inside a school building pillar. Upon receiving the report, he directed Teerasak Ritthiwong…
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Buriram woman sentenced to 332 years for embassy job scam
A court in Buriram has sentenced a 28 year old woman known as Oi to 830 years in prison for fraudulently posing as an embassy official and deceiving 166 workers into believing they would be employed in Australia. The scam resulted in losses exceeding 10 million baht (US$307,210). The workers, from Phutthaisong district in Buriram province, reported the incident to…
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Elderly man killed crossing road in Samut Sakhon accident
A tragic incident occurred when a 79 year old man was unable to use a pedestrian overpass and attempted to cross a road, resulting in his death after being struck by a 10-wheel truck. The accident took place at 4.30pm yesterday, August 20, on Phutthasakhon Road, near the Sakorn Kasem intersection in Samut Sakhon province. Police Lieutenant Tiwatpol Thawitsangkasak, Deputy…
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Gun-toting dad smashes woman’s face in Pattaya diner row
A furious father sparked chaos in Pattaya after pistol-whipping a woman and firing a shot into the air during a restaurant clash. The shocking incident occurred on Sunday, August 17, on Soi Phothisan 8, but the suspect was arrested three days later after police obtained damning CCTV evidence. At 5pm yesterday, August 20, officers from Bang Lamung Police Station raided…
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Bitten by bravery: Cobra strikes back in Phuket
A Thai security guard in Phuket ended up needing hospital treatment after being bitten by a highly venomous king cobra moments after capturing it with his bare hands. The shocking encounter unfolded in Kamala yesterday afternoon, August 20, when the guard bravely bagged the enormous reptile. But his moment of triumph quickly turned sour when the cobra lashed out and…
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Boy hospitalised after dog attack prompts compensation dispute
A six year old boy was bitten by a neighbour’s dog while playing in front of his home, leading to serious injuries that required hospitalisation. The dog’s owner has offered 20,000 baht (US$615) in compensation, payable in five instalments, but the boy’s mother fears this will not cover the medical expenses. The incident was highlighted by the Facebook page Kamphaeng…
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Thailand braces for heavy rain and storms across 37 provinces
Thailand is experiencing increased rainfall, with heavy showers expected in certain areas. Residents are advised to exercise caution during this period. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) predicts rainfall in 37 provinces, including Bangkok, exceeding 60% coverage on August 21. This weather pattern is due to the strengthening of a mild southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf…
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Foreign volunteer allegedly threatened for helping patients in Thai AIDs temple
A former foreign volunteer at Phra Bat Nampu Temple claimed that she faced a death threat allegedly because her work improved the health of AIDS patients, resulting in reduced donations to the temple. Phra Bat Nampu Temple in the central province of Lop Buri and its abbot, Alongkot, have come under public scrutiny, not for its patient care efforts, but…
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Chiang Mai cops bust 700kg Taiwan-bound ‘Durian’ meth haul
A major drug bust in Chiang Mai has sent shockwaves through Thai law enforcement after police intercepted 700 kilogrammes of methamphetamine hidden in sacks marked with the bizarre branding “Durian.” The massive haul was discovered in the early hours of Monday, August 18, at around 1.12am, when police patrolling Ban Pa Bong Ngam in the Chiang Dao district stopped a…
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Free flights frenzy: Tourists lured with 700 million baht giveaway
Thailand is betting big on tourism, with a 700 million baht budget set aside to hand out free domestic flights to foreign travellers. The government is rolling out a bold plan to lure at least 200,000 more international tourists into Thailand’s heartland by offering free domestic air tickets. Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong confirmed today, August 20, that he…
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Bangkok’s ‘green lung’ boosted by Thai-Norwegian push
Bangkok’s “green lung” is breathing easier thanks to Bangchak Corporation’s bold reforestation push, now earning praise from the Thai-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce (TNCC). The chamber, which counts Bangchak as a premium member, has put the energy giant’s environmental mission in the spotlight as it drives sustainability and biodiversity work in Bang Kachao, Samut Prakan province. Bangchak, led by Senior Executive…
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Glass door shatters at Bangkok mall, injuring children
A Thai woman issued a warning on social media after her daughter and nephew were injured when a glass door shattered at a shopping mall in Silom, Bangkok. The woman shared dashcam footage of the incident, along with photographs of the scene, on the Facebook page Drama-addict yesterday, August 19. The page published her account, which read… “Hi, I have something…
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Media chiefs unite in Phuket to shape future broadcasts
Phuket has rolled out the red carpet for the world’s media chiefs, hosting the 23rd Annual General Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD). The three-day forum, which opened yesterday, August 19, at the Beyond Kata Hotel, has drawn more than 100 senior delegates from 24 countries under the banner Media Power: Building People, Creating Peace, and Forwarding…
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British tourist faces 10 years over Pattaya death crash
A British tourist is staring at a decade behind bars after a Thai woman he allegedly struck while pulling a motorbike stunt in Pattaya died in hospital. The 22 year old British national, Brandon Mills, from Doncaster, was riding a rented scooter on one wheel when he ploughed into 49 year old Churairat Petchraksa outside a bar on Thursday, August…
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