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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 Planning to extend your Thai visa? Why health insurance is more important than ever
If you plan to stay longer in Thailand, having health insurance is now more important than ever. Thai immigration often asks for proof of medical coverage when you apply to extend your visa. This applies to many types of visas,...
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Bombs rock Thai capital Bangkok during peak hour this morning, up to four injuries reported
Details are sketchy at this stage as we try and bring together all he reports coming in. At around 9.17am this morning there was an explosion near a white car parked in front of the Mahanakorn Building near the Chong Nong Si BTS station in the Bang Rak district. There was another explosion in a small flower shop, located under…
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Four bombs go off around Bangkok this morning, two injured
PHOTO: Fourth explosion was near the entrance to a BTS Four bombs have gone off around different parts of Bangkok this morning, in the wake of a fake bomb placed in front of the Royal Thai Police HQ in Bangkok late last night. The first explosion this morning was in front of a Government Building, Building B, in the Lak…
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National police chief is going to war with street racers
PHOTO: The almost weekly crackdown on motorcycle street racing around Bangkok. So far measures haven’t worked to curb the activities of the fast & furious Bangkok youth – Bangkok Post Despite weekly reports about late night weekend street racing around parts of Bangkok, and the sophisticated use of social media to promote the events, the national police chief Pol General…
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Over 2 million meth pills, 83 kilograms of ice seized from a woman in Bangkok
PHOTO: The Nation Police have arrested a woman in Bangkok and seized more than 2 million methamphetamine pills. 26 year old Supalak Eiamthawee, from the Sasithorn housing estate in Bang Khae district has been arrested and 2.158 million methamphetamine pills, 83 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (ice) and 25 kilograms of ketamine seized. Police received tip-offs that the suspect rented a house…
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Thailand’s baht is getting stronger, and that’s a problem
Since the beginning of 2018, Thailand’s currency has jumped more than 5% against the US dollar. Year-on-year it’s bounced up nearly 8%. The Thai Central Bank may be forced to cut rates to curb the popular currency. The Thai baht continues to soar against the USD this year, significantly more than many other emerging market currencies. But the flexing Baht muscle…
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Department ramps up cloud-seeding to ease drought in the Thailand’s northeast
“…he noted that drought in the middle of a wet season is very unusual.” The Department of Rain-making and Agricultural Aviation is stepping up cloud-seeding efforts to help generate much-needed rain for drought areas in the central-north and north-east regions of the country. Some areas need urgent rains to replenish the region’s eight major and 11 medium-sized reservoirs, where water…
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Report motorcycles riding on footpaths today for a 1,000 baht reward
PHOTO: Daily News Bangkok motorcyclist, riding on footpaths, will be fined 2,000 on-the-spot from today. If someone reports a motorcyclist riding on the footpath they’ll get 1,000 baht fine. Officials doubled the fine and offered the reward after the previous 1,000 baht fine didn’t appear to act as a deterrent. Reports can be made through a Line application, a government…
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Indian man frisked in Soi 6 by group of ladyboys
PHOTO: Facebook/Pattaya News Updates An Indian businessman has fallen victim to a gang of ladyboys in Soi 6 early this morning (Thursday), losing his 55,000 baht gold necklace in the process. 37 year old Aman Preet Bagga told police he was out with friends strolling down Soi 6 past the bars when his group was assaulted by a three ladyboys…
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Woman abducted at gunpoint in Central Bang Na car park
PHOTOS: Relatives of the victim try and attack the suspect – Daily News A driver working in Bang Na allegedly abducted a woman at gunpoint and forced her to drive to a ‘short time’ hotel. 33 year old Kasira, a cosmetic sales employee, was sitting in her car doing her makeup in the car park of Central Bang Na preparing…
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Police find 8,400 pills when meth smuggler has car crash
PHOTO: INN News Rule #1 when you are trafficking drugs in your pick-up: Don’t have a crash when Thai police will be visiting the scene of the accident. There was an accident in Tha Pae District, Satun early this morning between 35 year old Wittichai from Phatthalung and 33 year old Pruksa. Wittichai was heading to Satun and Pruksa was…
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Phuket’s tourist bookings looking good – Diversity is the best option Part 3
by Guest Writer Over the past few months or so, we have read and noted much negativity in the world of tourism to Thailand’s most popular island of Phuket. As everyone is aware, May and June were particularly poor months for most tourism operators and hoteliers with several factors being mentioned to justify the drop which everyone is fully aware…
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Chiang Mai’s Wat Suan Dok closed off after tourists take ‘inappropriate’ pics
PHOTOS: Workpoint News Tourists are being warned about taking photos at a “Royal Family Burial Site” in Chiang Mai province. Locals say tourist have been taking “inappropriate” photos at the Old Lanna Royal Family Burial Site located in Wat Suan Dok. The pictures were posted on Instagram. The photos, according to Worpoint News, have “caused great concern to living relatives…
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Stormy weather approaching the Andaman provinces
The Thai Meteorological Department has announced that a regional tropical depression will affect provinces in the Andaman region including Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Trang, Ranong and Satun until August 6. The local ‘Met’ office says that people living in the affected areas should beware of dangers from heavy rain. There will be increasingly large waves in the Andaman sea, expected…
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Udon Thani woman still missing in Phuket
An Udon Thani woman has gone missing in Phuket since April. Today (July 31), Phuket People’s Voice reported that they are seeking any information that could lead to the missing woman. She is 27 year old Umarin Butwang from Udon Thani province in north-east Thailand. Her nickname is ‘Auy’. The woman was living in Phuket until she went missing in…
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Chachoengsao woman sets herself on fire after divorce
PHOTO: INN News A 32 year old woman set herself on fire in Chachoengsao, east of Bangkok, yesterday (Tuesday). Doctors say she only has a 10% chance of survival and 60% of her skin has been badly burned. She poured benzil oil over herself outside her house and then set herself on fire. At this stage police speculate that the…
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Pattaya tourists take a quick swim, return to find their belongings gone
Am Iranian man and his Russian wife were tourists in Pattaya doing all the usual things when they had a sudden urge to go for a swim. They were swimming at Dongtan Beach, Jomtien. They left all their belongings on the beach – phones, cash, hotel keys – but when they returned everything was gone. The Pattaya Police were notified…
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Make it a date – Thai public holidays in 2020
Public holiday dates are out for 2020 with a few waiting to be announced. But it might be the start of you working out your holidays to Tahiti and Acapulco for the next year. The new holidays commemorate Coronation Day (held in May this year), and the birthdays of the King and the new Queen. The birthdays for King Bhumibol…
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Two years of construction hell – residents on Rama II Road, Bangkok
Local residents living along the road upgrades to Rama II Road (Highway 35) are having to cope with worsening traffic congestion and air pollution. The construction works started in June and are expected to be completed by the end of next year. Piyaphong Jiwattanakulphisal of the Bureau of Planning, Department of Highways, said that the 11 kilometre Rama II Road upgrade…
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British Pound was close to the worst performing currency in the world
Nigel Green, the founder and CEO of the deVere Group, a leading independent international financial consultancy, says the GBP (Pound) is going to continue to be battered and bruised in the short-to-medium term, no matter who is leading the political fray. He spoke out after the Sterling dropped more than 4% yesterday in its worst performance since October 2016, based on…
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Thailand’s biggest ballroom dancesport championship ‘Royal Siam Cup’ in Pattaya
They pouted, they cha cha’d, they chasséd and rhumbaed. Often backwards in high heels and sequins. Over 400 professional and amateur dancers of all levels from 23 countries around the world took part in the exciting 2 day event where they experienced a world class dancesport competition at the newly revamped Royal Summit Chamber of the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel.…
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Moody’s upgrades most Thai banks’ credit ratings from ‘stable’ to ‘positive’
Moody’s Investors Service upgraded the Baseline Credit Assessments of eleven Thai banks (1) Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited (BBL) (2) Bank of Ayudhya (BAY) (3) CIMB Thai Bank Public Company Limited (CIMBT) (4) Export-Import Bank of Thailand (EXIMT) (5) Government Housing Bank of Thailand (GHB) (6) KASIKORNBANK Public Company Limited (KBank) (7) Krung Thai Bank Public Company Limited (KTB) (8)…
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Stormy weather for the Thai north and northeast later this week
The Thai Meteorological Department has issued warnings about possible impacts from a tropical storm expected to reach Vietnam tomorrow and Friday, August 1 and 2. The area of low pressure which formed west of the Philippines reaches southeast China from today. Should this system strengthen into a tropical storm, it will be given the name ‘Wipha’. The TMD reports that the…
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Thai Department of Land Transport brings better tech into the classroom
The Department of Land Transport is going to use fingerprint scanners, e-classrooms and CCTV as it aims to improve standards in the country’s driving schools. There are 275 DLT certified driving schools in 66 provinces across Thailand. Privately operated, they are given DLT quality guidelines which they must follow to maintain the level of their training and testing procedures. DLT…
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Si Sa Ket province declares dengue emergency
The northeastern province of Si Sa Ket, on the Cambodian border, has declared that the prevention and control of dengue fever required urgent attention throughout its area. Local health officials say they are now especially concerned about what will happen during the last three months of the annual wet season. Governor Weerasak Wichitsaengsi signed a Memorandum of Understanding for dengue…
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Four teenagers arrested for attacking police
4 teenagers were arrested and charged on Sunday with attacking 2 policemen in front of a nightclub in the north-east province of Nakhon Phanom, near the banks of the Mekong River. Sanook reports that the incident occurred happened around midnight on July 28 after an argument broke out between the teenagers and police. After the argument started to get physical,…
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State offices and public spaces need to provide better access for the vision impaired
PHOTO: PPTV HD 36 Bangkok’s Governor Aswin Kwanmuang says he will coordinate with related agencies and public parks about making access for the disabled better around the city. He made the announcement after meeting with a visually-impaired person complaining about her guide dog not being allowed into state offices and other public sites. Sight impaired Kirin “Sai” Techawongtham, who created…
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Human traffickers leave 6 Rohingya starving in abandoned building in Hat Yai
PHOTOS: Workpoint News Six Rohingya were left to die in an abandoned building located in Hat Yai, Songkhla. Members of the group eventaully left the building in search of food and officials are now searching for more hiding in the area. They had been waiting there for 5 days. Thai Police were notified by nearby villagers yesterday trying to assist…
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Leonardo DiCaprio praises Thailand for efforts to increase the population of wild tigers
American actor, film producer, and environmentalist, Leonardo DiCaprio, has praised Thailand for its efforts to increase the population of wild tigers in the Huai Kha Kheng wildlife sanctuary in Thailand’s western forests. On Global Tiger Day (July 29), DiCaprio shared his enthusiasm for south east asian tigers. “In Thailand’s Huai Kha Khaeng wildlife sanctuary, tigers are roaring back thanks to a…
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British and Australian expats and tourists ponder the Thai baht
The British pound continues to sag against the strong Thai Baht. And things are predicted to worsen for British tourists and local expats relying on funds out of the UK, as analysts predict the GBP to drop further as the date approaches for a ‘no deal’ Brexit and the Thai Baht continues to surge. As of 11.30am Thai time, the…
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Myanmar Jade mine landslide kills at least 19
At least 19 jade mine workers along with mine security guards were killed in a landslide on Sunday. Rescuers have been searching for survivors. The incident is reported to have happened early Sunday morning in the remote Hpakant township in the north of Myanmar. Two police officers were also injured but were rescued and sent to hospital. Authorities also reported…
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