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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 Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Thailand’s marine industry unites around single yacht show
The fourth Thailand Yacht Show & RendezVous has now wrapped up with many of the exhibitors praising the new format and noting the sales and contacts made during the four day marine exhibition. The exhibit was held between January 10-13 at the Royal Phuket Marina. Leading international yacht dealers, brokerage houses, charter agencies and marine suppliers were there to showcase…
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All day dining at The Patong Bay Hill Resort – Phuket
A tropical, luxurious resort nestled into the landscape of Hasibpee Hill, the Patong Bay Hill Resort overlooks the ocean and the Patong Beach neighborhood below. The resort offers sweeping sea and city views to accompany its suite-style accommodation, and features a wide variety of on-site amenities and a fantastic all day dining restaurant. The all day dining restaurant at Patong…
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Seven Nigerians and seven Thais arrested in transnational romance scam sting
A Nigerian romance scam gang has been busted resulting in the arrest of seven Nigerian nationals and seven Thais. Thai police joined forces with Malaysian counterparts to bust the transnational gang operating online romance scams. Police claim that it is the same gang that fled Thailand a year ago to set up in Kuala Lumpur. Thai immigration chief Maj-Gen Surachate…
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Chiang Mai woman charged after describing police as ‘hungry ghosts’
A 55 year old Thai woman in Chiang Mai has been charged with ‘defamation’ after she accused the police of being ‘hungry ghosts’. cm108.c0m website reports that Pol Capt Manit Khampan made an official complaint about the woman and says she had “brought him and the staff under his charge into disrepute”. The woman, named only as “A”, had filmed…
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Don’t drink and ‘sleep’ – Thai driver caught napping at the wheel
PHOTO: Daily News Online A video posted online today shows a car being driven by a man who had reclined the driver’s seat and was claimed to be sleeping while the car was still moving. The car appears driverless as the driver was slumped out of sight. The post was on the Facebook page of “Narawut Nakama Thongsong”. He spoke…
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Meth-dealing Koh Samui bar owner attacked in Thai prison
PHOTO: The Mirror A British man says he had three teeth knocked out and that going to a Thai prison for dealing drugs was ‘torture’. Jimmy Kelly was sentenced to 30 years but ended up spending just three behind bars for selling crystal methamphetamine at the bar on Samui he owned. His sentence was dramatically cut because his brother Gary…
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Six Thai weightlifters test positive for doping
PHOTO: International Weightlifting Federation, Chinese Olympic Association Six Thai weightlifters have tested positive for doping following additional tests being carried out by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) on “target athletes” last November at the World Championship in Turkmenistan. Regulations state that any nation with three or more positive results in a calendar year can face a ban of up to…
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Bus crash on Patong Hill takes out 12 other vehicles, passengers in bus shaken
PHOTOS: Phuket Traffic Report VIDEO: Provided by Newshawk Phuket The tour bus accident on Patong yesterday afternoon, the third such incident in the same spot within 24 hours, has caused three injuries and with vehicles damaged as the bus careered down the hill, out of control. There were 10 tourists on the bus who were shaken by the incident but…
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Thailand Tourism Forum 2019 – Reflections #1
PHOTO: Thailand Tourism Forum 2019 One of the key points made at the recently concluded Thailand Tourism Forum 2019 in Bangkok, was the country’s over reliance on mass tourism. Jesper Palmqvist of STR presented full year hotel data for Phuket which showed signs of recovery, yet highlighting the full impact of the drop in Chinese business after the July boat…
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Weather for January 24
Bangkok Abundant sunshine. High 33C. Winds E at 10 to 15 km/h. Phuket A mix of clouds and sun. High 31C. Winds E at 15 to 25 km/h. Chiang Mai Abundant sunshine. High 32C. Winds light and variable. Pattaya Sunny. High 32C. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 km/h. Hua Hin Plenty of sunshine. High near 30C. Winds ENE at…
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Money can’t buy happiness in Bangkok – new study
by Chularat Saengpassa Findings, from the “Integrative Thai Family Study Based on Family Life Cycle”, have been released and underline the importance of a work-life balance for Thais. Families living in Bangkok are the least happy despite having the highest average income compared to people living in other parts of the country, a recent study found. Long, exhausting commuting hours,…
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Air quality for Thailand – January 24
Northern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Central Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants…
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Drug plant, abuse and extortion. Oh, sorry, it’s all a misunderstanding – Dutch tourist
PHOTOS: ONB News A Dutch tourist has apologised to the Pattaya police after he claimed he had drugs planted on him, was abused and was extorted out of 40,000 baht. He also claimed a French volunteer tourist police officer was involved in the extortion. But he later told Pattaya Police that he had found his money in his wardrobe. He thought he…
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Seaweed on Patong Beach – just a seasonal phenomenon
The seasonal mass of seaweed that was washed up onto Patong Beach over the last week is a natural phenomenon. A spokesperson for the Phuket Marine Biological Centre says that the seaweed isn’t harmful although it can smell bad as it starts to rot in the daytime sun. The seaweed first started coming ashore back on January 10. Read The Thaiger…
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Four dead and at least five injured in Bangkok crane failure
Four workers were killed and five others injured when the top part of a crane broke off and fell on them at a condominium construction site on Bangkok’s Rama 3 Road this afternoon. The fallen section of the crane hit the fifth floor of a building in the Lumpini Park Riverside project. Four male workers were killed on that floor…
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Election date announced as Sunday, March 24
Thais get their opportunity to express their democratic vote and will go to the polls on Sunday, March 24. The Election Commission (EC) has announced the date after chairing an urgent meeting of EC members this afternoon. The royal decree was signed by HM The King and co-signed by Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha this morning. The decree orders a general…
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Here we go – Royal decree issued for Thai general election
The final hurdle to holding an election this year was cleared this morning by royal decree that sets in motion the countdown to the long-awaited poll. The royal decree, ordering a general election of members of Parliament was issued this morning. The constitutional process calls for the Election Commission to announce a date for the long-awaited election within five days…
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German 78 year old drowns at Jomtien Beach in Pattaya
PHOTO: YouTube Emergency responders have been called to Jomtien beach in Pattaya’s south yesterday after a German tourist was reported in difficulty whilst swimming. There were many tourists on the beach at the time. Members of the local rescue foundation, Sawang Boriboon attempted CPR on 78 year old Klaus Heinz Trappiel but were unable to revive him. The man died at…
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Chinese Embassy delegation requests better safety for their compatriots visiting Pattaya
A delegation of Chinese Embassy officials and diplomats from Bangkok visited Pattaya yesterday to seek more information and request upgrades in safety for Chinese citizens when visiting the resort city. The visit follows a concerning rise in the number of deaths from Chinese people drowning whilst visiting Pattaya. Manager Online reports that senior Chinese embassy diplomat Zhou Guangxu spoke to…
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Cardiff striker Emiliano Sala said he was ‘concerned about plane’
PHOTO: Facebook/Emiliano Sala “I’m on a plane that looks like it’s going to fall apart, and I’m leaving for Cardiff,” Emiliano Sala said in a WhatsApp message. Cardiff City’s new signing Sala said he was concerned about his plane shortly before the light aircraft disappeared over the English Channel. The message was sent to friends and relatives. The Argentine striker,…
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Air quality for Thailand – January 23
Northern Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Central Thailand Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Southern Thailand Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number…
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Truck crash on Patong Hill causes three hour traffic delays – VIDEO
PHOTOS: Kusoldharm Foundation The driver of a truck, blaming failed brakes, has collided with another truck along with cars, pickups and motorbikes on Patong Hill late yesterday afternoon. The incident caused about three hours of traffic mayhem, particularly for traffic heading out of Patong. The delay also caused bank ups right through Kalim as Kamala traffic was trying to get…
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Weather for January 23
Bangkok Abundant sunshine. High 33C. Winds NE at 15 to 25 km/h. Phuket Sunshine and clouds mixed. High near 30C. Winds E at 15 to 25 km/h. Chiang Mai Plenty of sunshine. High 31C. Winds light and variable. Pattaya Sunshine and a few clouds. High 32C. ENE winds shifting to WNW at 15 to 25 km/h. Hua Hin Sunny. High…
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African Swine Fever detected in pork products at Phuket Airport
“ASF cannot be transmitted to humans although scientists are wary that the virus is capable of mutating into other strains in the future.” Processed sausage and salami pork products have been seized at Phuket International Airport from a Chinese tourist. They were confiscated when they were found to contain a viral strain of the African Swine Fever (ASF). The Department…
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Fire damages house in Bangkok
PHOTOS: FM91BKK A fire has damaged a residential home in Bangkok this afternoon. FM91Bkk reported that a fire was ablaze at the local houses around 2.20pm at Klong San in Bangkok. At the scene firefighters found a two storey building ablaze. They believe it started from the first floor and then the fire caught the roof and some other materials.…
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Soi Dog’s mobile clinic continues in Phuket, starting in Rawai
The mobile clinic of Soi Dog Foundation, which provides sterilisation and vaccination free of charge, has begun in the Rawai area. The mobile clinic forms part of the CNVR program – Catch, Neuter, Vaccinate, Release – which is the core mission of Soi Dog Foundation and the most effective and humane way to control the street dog and cat population…
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Chiang Mai 71 year old kills 26 year old lover in murder-suicide
A 71 year old man is believed to have killed his 26 year old lover, a married woman, before hanging himself in Chiang Mai. The bodies of 71 year old Sompong Chuenjai and 26 year old Sasithorn Ruantha were found in the man’s townhouse in Ban Praewa village in Tambon Tonpao, San Kamphaeng district, east of Chiang Mai city, last…
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Authorities play down air pollution problems in Bangkok
The capital’s air pollution situation has worsened today as the quantity of the dangerous PM2.5 particles has risen for the first time to code-red status of above 90 micrograms per cubic metre of air at many locations. Nearly 10 Bangkok areas at 7.15am this morning were flagged “code red”, which is triggered when inhalable particles with diameters generally sized at…
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Two Burmese men and a woman questioned over murder in Pattaya
A Burmese worker has been killed and three friends were arrested after a fatal quarrel while drinking in Pattaya. Police were alerted about the incident at 9pm last night at a rented house on Soi Yen Sabai in Moo 10 village in Tambon Nong Plue in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district. When police arrived at the scene 45 year old…
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Bangkok-Yala Express Train crashes into pickup killing mother and child
PHOTO: Coconuts A mother and son have died after a Bangkok-Yala express train hit their pick up this morning on a road between Ban Tham Khao Chawala and Ban Tham Namthip Villages in Surat Thani, southern Thailand. The victims were identified as 39 year old Weerawal Semrod and her 10 year old son Manoonsak. The incident occurred at a level…
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