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 Where to travel in Thailand in July [2025]
This month, I want to invite you to wander through art spaces, misty hills, and garden paths, where the only thing on the itinerary is to linger. Let’s take a slower route, one for the dreamers, the journal keepers, and...
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Tourists rescued from tour boat stranded off Koh Phi Phi
by Sitthichai Sikhawat Officials from the Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park in Krabi province and a private boat operator helped 14 Spanish tourists – including four children – return ashore after their boat engine broke down in rough sea between Koh Phi Phi Don and Koh Phi Phi Le yesterday afternoon (Saturday). The Marine Department’s Krabi office…
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House robbery duo nabbed by Pattaya police
Pattaya Police have arrested two suspects who had reportedly taken an ‘oath of brotherhood’ while being in jail together, for alleged involvement in a series of burglaries at various homes around Pattaya City. The Pattaya precinct superintendent Pol Colonel Apichai Krophetch led a team of officers to arrest the two suspects – 25 year old Khamphaeng Phetch province’s Thanarath Saengjamreung…
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Air Asia cancel flights into southern China
Air Asia has announced the cancellation of 32 regional flights through southern China scheduled on Sunday as there was potential the flights could be affected by Typhoon Mangkhut. Flights affected are routes landing in Hong Kong, Macau and Shenzhen, China. The affected return flights are Phuket-Macao, Don Mueng-Hong Kong, Don Meuang-Macao, Don Meuang-Shantou, Chiang Mai-Hong Kong, Utapao-Macao, Phuket-Hong Kong, Chiang…
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Hua Hin’s Centara Grand Beach Resort make it into list of best heritage hotels
Creaky wooden floors, teak antiques, afternoon tea, marble staircases. There’s just something magical about a hotel with some history. From Yangon to Hong Kong, many of Asia’s most beautiful heritage hotels emerged during the 19th and early 20th centuries. And one of them is in Hua Hin. TTR Weekly reports that one of Thailand’s iconic and historical hotels, Centara Grand Beach…
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Over 20 sea turtles dying off Phuket and Phang-Nga in two months
One of Thailand’s best known marine biologists is alerting us about the carnage for Phuket’s turtle population over the past two months. More than 20 sea turtles have landed on beaches in Phuket and Phang-nga, most of them dying with the rest being seriously injured and little chance of survival in the past two months. Thorn Thamrongnavaswasdi, Vice Dean of…
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67 year old and grand-daughter murdered in Samut Prakan
Police are looking for a Lao welder after a burglary at a private residence in Samut Prakan, south-east of Bangkok, ended in a double homicide. Officers were summoned by neighbours at 7.30am this morning to a house on Soi Phetch Heung 23 in Tambon Bang Yor, Phra Pradaeng district. They found the bodies of homeowner 67 year old Mali Imsawat in…
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Focus still on Nigerians from Tourist Police – Romance scams
Tourist police are set to wrap up their focus on all 1,400 Nigerians living in Thailand. This has come from the deputy tourist police chief Pol Maj-General Surachete Hakparn. Surachete says police would recheck Nigerians living in Thailand to ensure they are living in accordance with the purposes they stated in their entry visa applications or work permits. Surachete said…
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Mangkhut will hit China coast around noon today
Typhoon Mangkhut will pass over the coast of southern China and be closest to the Pearl Delta, one of the most densely urbanised regions in the world, around noon today. So far, it’s been recorded as she strongest storm this year. It’s just barreled through the northern Philippines and is now headed for China. It brought ferocious winds and torrential…
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Trash Hero Phuket in World Beach Cleanup Day
Trash Hero Phuket held their weekly beach cleanup on this year’s World Beach Cleanup Day. Trash Heroes started at 9am at the north end of Karon beach with a group of 220 volunteers. Many individuals and also local resorts in association with the PHA (Phuket Hotels Association), like Le Meridien and Centara Grand Resort, got their staff involved. Lots of…
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Maya Bay – closed for one extra month
FILE PHOTO It won’t open to tourists now until November 1. A one-month extension to the four month closure of Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi is to better allow the full recovery of coral reefs, mangrove areas and the general ecosystem, as well as to protect tourists from strong winds and high waves during the period. The Hat Noppharat…
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“Please stop eating dog meat” – Hanoi city government
by Paul Kennedy – Viet Nam News/The Nation An international animal welfare charity is welcoming the news that the city government is considering banning the consumption of dog meat. But only in certain areas. Humane Society International say it’s time for those who make a living from slaughtering and selling dogs to look for another profession, and understand the dangers…
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Thai police head to the UK to interview the alleged Koh Tao rape victim
The British Embassy in Thailand has given approval to a request by Thai police to visit the UK and question a woman who claims she was drugged, raped and robbed on Koh Tao in June. This was revealed by deputy tourist police chief Surachate Hakparn. “The police team investigating the rape claim will be heading to the UK soon,” he…
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JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa supports International Coastal Clean Up Day
JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa supported the Annual International Coastal Clean Up 2018 on the #suituptocleanup campaign to cut down the amount of plastic and garbage entering the ocean for oceans worldwide. This global action began in 1986 by Ocean Conservancy Organisation to encourage worldwide awareness and action for the world’s ocean conservancy. The clean up happened on Mai…
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Railway traveller intercepted by police in Hua Hin, allegedly delivering drugs
FILE PHOTO A man from Nakhon Si Thammarat was arrested last night (Friday) at the Hua Hin railway station aboard a train heading for the southern border town of Sungai Golok. He was allegedly caught with with 10,000 methamphetamine pills and 99 grams of crystal methamphetamine. Acting on a tip-off, police at the Hua Hin railway station searched the bag…
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Asian families travel twice as much as Western families
by The Star – Asia News Network, KL When it comes to vacations, Asian travellers take twice as many family trips as their Western peers. The Agoda Family Travel Trends 2018 survey found that over 34% travellers took more than five family trips in the past year. Asia dominates this multi-holiday trend with a remarkable 77% of travellers from Thailand and 62% from…
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Another Army death raises questions over Military handling of hazing
PHOTO: Facebook/Boy Krungkao by Chularat Saengpassa – The Nation Weekend Hazing (US English) initiation ceremonies, (British English), bastardisation (Australian English), ragging (South Asia), or deposition, refers to the practice of rituals, challenges, and other activities involving, harassment, violence or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group including a new fraternity, sorority, team, or club. Another conscript…
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Mangkhut bearing down on the northern tip of Luzon, The Philippines
The Philippines continues to evacuate thousands as soldiers and emergency workers continue to prepare shelter and emergency provisions. ‘Super’ Typhoon Mangkhut is threatening more than four million people in the northern island of Luzon. ‘Mangkhut’ is expected to make landfall on the island very early tomorrow (Saturday). Current wind speeds are up to a staggering 285 kilometers per hour (180…
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Phuket monkey sterilisation Stage Two underway
PHOTOS: The Phuket PR Office Southern long-tailed macaques, captured at Khoa To Sae have been sterilised today. 129 macaques were captured yesterday (September 13) at Khao To Sae in Rassada as part of Stage Two in the capture/steralise/release program. Read more about the capture of the monkeys HERE. A total of 250 monkeys at Khao To Sae and Khao Rang have been…
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BREAKING: NCPO relaxes ban on political activities
The NCPO has announced that it will relax the political bans, restrictions and activities that had been issued since it took over the power four back in May 2014. The relaxation details that include allowing political parties to elect their executives have now been promulgated in the Royal Gazette. The junta, National Council for Peace and Order, used its absolute…
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Crane topples in Bangkok soi injuring three
Police say that three people were injured this morning after a crane pulled down power wires, causing seven poles to topple in Soi Saldaeng 2 in the Bang Rak district in Bangkok. A female driver and two male bystanders were injured in the incident. 60 year old Pongpan Chai-anan sustained nose and neck injuries when her car’s airbag activated as one…
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129 Phuket monkeys caught for sterilisation
PHOTOS: Khao Phra Thaew Non-Hunting Area 129 southern long-tailed macaques have been captured (September 13) at Khao To Sae in Rassada for sterlisation. The start of the monkey sterilisation process began on June 12 after public meetings agreed that the island’s monkeys, in the public ‘hot’ zones, needed to be sterilised and re-homed in a systematic program. Stage One to capture,…
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NokScoot adds Bangkok to Osaka flights
NokScoot is launching another service with a four-flights-a-week schedule between Bangkok and Osaka, Japan. The announcement follows the start of the airline’s Bangkok to Tokyo service which started in June. The low-cost international carrier is launching the service to Kansai Airport on October 28. Kansai Airport, closed until today following storms which damaged the land-bridge from the mainland to the…
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Another beaten Thai Army private dies of injuries
PHOTO/VIDEO: Facebook/Rejecttime Yok Infantryman Khacha Pacha, hospitalised onAugust 21 after being beaten by three other soldiers at a Lop Buri Army camp, has died this morning. His pregnant wife confirmed the death on her Facebook page today (Friday). It included a photo of her hand grasping his as he lay in his hospital bed and the caption, “I know you are…
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Injured sea snake found on Patong Beach
PHOTOS: Nattakorn Ruengroj facebook / Kapook An injured sea snake has been found on Patong Beach. A Facebook user, Nattakorn Ruengroj, yesterday (September 13) posted pictures of the sea snake on his personal Facebook page stating that ‘this injured snake was found on Patong Beach’ Local fishermen say sea snakes are usually found in open seas and swimming on the water…
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Pathum Thani street racers arrested for modifying bikes
PHOTO: Facebook/Surachet Hakpal Police have arrested 155 motorcyclists for illegally modifying their bikes for road racing in a joint forces operation in Pathum Thani, just north of Bangkok, last night (Thursday). Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakpal, deputy tourist police chief, held one of his early morning media-fests at 1am this morning at the Klong Lung district office. He reported that…
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No conclusion yet over Phuket hospital issue – police commander
Executives of Vachira Phuket Hospital have still not resolved a situation that got our control outside their emergency rooms this week. Several videos of the incident went viral on social media showing a man being prevented access to the hospital to be with a relative in the emergency area. A report was filed with police concerning the man’s behaviour whilst the…
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Phoenix might be raised today – VIDEO
PHOTOS AND VIDEO: The Phuket Marine Office Divers headed underwater again yesterday (September 13) to check attachments to Phoenix in readiness to bring the wreck up to the surface. The Phuket PR Office reports that… “a team of divers yesterday morning (September 13) went down 45 metres underwater again. The first diver team arrived at the boat at 10am to check…
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The Philippines and northern Vietnam prepare for typhoons
More than 4 million people in The Philippines are poised for the arrival of destructive typhoon-force winds caused by ‘Super’ Typhoon Mangkhut. The massive storm peaked on Wednesday and became, officially, the strongest storm of 2018 with winds up to 285 kph. Countries across east and southeast Asia, including The Philippines, Vietnam and China are issuing emergency alerts and ordering…
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Koh Tao businessman announces his suicide, then kills himself
PHOTO: Facebook/Diver Nino A Koh Tao dive shop and bar owner has broadcast a clip of himself announcing his suicide and then apparently killing himself just minutes before rescuers got to him. Police and rescuers rushed to a two-storey house at a housing estate in Surat Thani’s Muang district after learning that a man living there might commit suicide. Upon…
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February 24 election date official – probably
PHOTO: A pro-election protest earlier this year. Looks like protesters’ demands are being answered – Kyodo News Put it in your calendar. As far as the Government’s main voices are concerned February 24 is THE date for the next Thai general election. Government leaders are reiterating that the national elections will be held on February 24, now that the last two…
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