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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Koh Samui: “Awash with drugs”, ONB News
ONB News is reporting that Koh Samui is “awash with drugs” and that the local prison was crammed full of prisoners convicted on drugs charges. They were making the assessment following the latest arrest of a Thai woman and her Thai husband on drugs charges on the popular holiday island. ‘Ice’ or crystal methamphetamine was found at her home in…
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Laguna Phuket selected to host inaugural Thai Fight Phuket Asia’s premier
Thai Fight and the Sports Association of Phuket are jointly hosting the inaugural ‘Thai Fight Phuket’, a televised international sport entertainment event showcasing Muay Thai boxing and promoting Phuket tourism. The event will be on Saturday, February 23 at Laguna Phuket. Thai Fight Phuket will feature King’s Cup Champions; Saenchai, Saensatarn, Payak-Samui and Thai Fight’s Fighter led by Tengnung and…
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72 year old jumps for her life from the second floor during home inferno
An elderly woman has suffered head injuries whilst escaping a blaze that burned down her home in Chiang Mai. The fire broke out at a two-storey teak house on Ban Pae road in Tambon Tha Sala of Chiang Mai’s Muang district. Five fire engines took an hour to get the blaze under control after it swept through the entire timber…
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Foreigner arrested for kicking in the door to Pattaya police station
PHOTOS/VIDEO: Ruk Siam News A drunk foreign man, dressed only in shorts, has kicked in a window at a police station in Pattaya. His name or nationality have not been revealed by police. Ruk Siam News reports that he then made his way to the beer garden at the Central shopping centre where security tracked his movements and alerted police. The…
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Swedish duo caught in Thailand for laundering 250 million baht
PHOTO: INN Thai police have announced the arrest of 51 year old Jan Olof Norlander for alleged money laundering following the arrest of his accomplice last November. The two men are wanted by Swedish authorities for laundering 248 million baht (68,000,000 Swedish kronor) between January 2016 and April 2018. In November, the accomplice, 38 year old Bo Karl Robin Lundholm was…
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Two injured Chinese tourists head home
The Tourist Police have escorted two Chinese tourists, who sustained injuries from last Saturday’s speedboat accident, back to the airport for their return to China. The speedboat captain has now been charged over a “reckless act causing injury” but continues to deny the charge. Read more about the latest charges and investigation into Saturday’s incident HERE. Last night Col Tongchai Wilaiprom…
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Patong Police warn tourists to be aware of their belongings
FILE PHOTO Patong Police are warning tourists to be aware of their belonging before going to the beach after a suspect stole the belongings of a French tourist near Patong Beach. The Patong Police reported the news about a suspect that snatched the foreigner’s belongings at Patong Beach on Sunday night. The news was popular in local social media. After…
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Weather for February 13
Bangkok Generally clear. High 35ºC. Winds E at 10 to 15 km/h. . Phuket Generally clear. High 33ºC. Winds E at 15 to 30 km/h. Chiang Mai Morning clouds followed by afternoon sun. High 35ºC. Winds SE and variable. Pattaya Morning clouds followed by afternoon sun. High 31ºC. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 km/h. Hua Hin Partly…
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Air Asia booking system down for 24 hours this weekend
Air Asia will be upgrading it Navitaire New Skies reservation system over the weekend causing a 24 hour blackout for all booking systems across all channels. Flight booking for Air Asia will be unavailable on Saturday, February 16 from 2pm (GMT +8) until Sunday, February 17 at 3pm. This will include AirAsia.com, AirAsia sales counter, AirAsia mobile app, all offices…
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Russian tourist leaps from fourth floor at Suvarnabhumi
A Russian tourist was fatally injured after clambering over a glass wall on the fourth floor of the passenger terminal at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, and jumped. Royal Thai Police deputy spokesman Pol Col Kritsana Patanacharoen says 44 year old Mikhail Sinitsyn, anded on the second floor after intentionally jumping at 1am yesterday morning. The man was rushed to Samitivej Srinakarin…
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Sentences handed down for militants linked to truck theft and murder in Songkhla
One militant has been sentenced to death and another three handed down life sentences. The sentences were handed down by the presiding judge at the Na Thawee provincial court yesterday in the southern province of Songkhla after being found guilty of murder, robbery and illegal detention. A fifth defendant was sentenced to two years and eight months prison for being an accessory…
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UPDATE: Speedboat captain charged, two Chinese tourists remain in hospital
A speedboat captain has now been charged over a “reckless act causing injury” but the captain is denying the charge. Two Chinese tourists remain in hospital following Saturday’s collision between the tour boat and a moored small oil tanker just off the east coast of Phuket. A number of Chinese tourists and boat crew were injured as a result of…
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British man arrested for overstays, investigations into his selling of tours continues
Krabi Immigration officers have arrested a British man for overstaying his visa by 262 days. The man has also been accused of allegedly illegally selling tour packages on Koh Phi Phi. Krabi immigration Officers arrested 38 years old Christopher Dali, a British national, yesterday. He is already facing charges for overstaying his visa by 262 days, including being black-listed from…
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Boom boom on the border – Thailand’s unlikely red-light district
PHOTO: The attractions of Thailand’s southern border town usually become apparent after sunset On one side of the Thai/Malaysian border is Sungai Golok, on the Malaysian side it’s the town of Rantau Panjang. The two towns are separated by the Golok River as well as decades of furious fighting between Muslim separatists who want to reclaim some of the southern…
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Thailand’s property market surges with Chinese confidence remaining high
Chinese investors are still spending big in Thailand’s property market. The country’s ‘teflon’ tourist reputation and uncertain national election outcomes are doing little subdue investor enthusiasm. Two coups in a decade have done little to cool enthusiasm in Thai property. Tourists from Asia’s top economy continue to recognise Thailand as a top spot for holidays, and investment. According to data Chinese real…
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Three die in Phuket crashes in two separate incidents
Three motorbike riders have died in two separate incidents in Phuket, last night and early this morning. The first accident happened at 7.40pm last night. The Phuket City Police were notified of the accident in front of the Thep Buri housing estate in Rassada. Two motorbikes had collided with each other. Two people died in that incident. Another crash happened…
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16 month old baby dies after being crushed by a bus in Rawai
A 16 month old girl has sustained serious injuries after being crushed by a bus in Rawai. She later died at hospital. Rescue workers were notified about the incident at 6pm last night at Rawai beach. Emergency responders arrived to find the bus. The injured girl, who had sustained injuries, had already been rushed to a Rawai Sub-district Health Promoting…
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Weather for February 12
Bangkok Partly cloudy. High 34ºC. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 km/h. Phuket Afternoon showers. High 31ºC. Winds E at 15 to 30 km/h. Chance of rain 30%. Chiang Mai Partly cloudy. High 33ºC. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 km/h. Pattaya Generally clear. High 31ºC. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 km/h. Hua Hin Morning thunderstorms. High 31ºC. Winds…
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Authorities fear 1000% rise in meth shipments just the tip of the iceberg
The number of seizures of high-purity crystal methamphetamine continues to surge in northern Thailand. The demand rises and the methods of detection and enforcement also improve. It’s a vicious circle. Authorities say the number of drug seizures have risen 1000% in just the past 2 years, a stark indication of the growth in industrial-scale production in neighboring Myanmar. Some 18.4…
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49 baby leatherback sea turtles hatched on Phang Nga Beach – VIDEOS
PHOTOS / VIDEOS: Thon Thamrongnawasawat/ DMCR 49 baby leatherback sea turtle hatched on Kuek Kak Beach in Takua Pa, Phang Nga last night. 48 of them have survived and headed straight for the Andaman Sea once they got their bearings. A large leatherback sea turtle had laid eggs on a beach in Phang Nga in December. Read more about the delight…
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General Prawit dismisses rumour of military coup as ‘fake news’
The Thai Deputy PM Gen Prawit Wongsuwan has dismissed a rumour in social media of a possible military coup against the government of Prayut Chan-o-cha as ‘fake news’. Rumours were rife following the sharing of a false announcement allegedly issued by the NCPO dismissing commanders of the three armed forces. Gen Prawit is ordering an investigation into the sources of…
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Tourist falls from fourth floor of Suvarnabhumi
A Russian tourist was fatally injured after falling four floors at the country’s largest airport. Police say he climbed over a glass wall on the fourth floor in the passenger terminal at Suvarnabhumi and jumped. Royal Thai Police deputy spokesman Pol Col Kritsana Patanacharoen says 44 year old Mikhail Sinitsyn landed on the second floor after his fall early this…
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Hakeem al-Araibi: Free to return to Australia
Hakeem al-Araibi is free to leave Thailand tonight. A Thai court has ruled that the extradition case against Melbourne-based footballer and refugee, Hakeem al-Araibi, has been dropped. • Hakeem al-Araibi was detained after flying to Bangkok in November • Jjailed over allegations he vandalised a police station in Bahrain during the Arab Spring protests in 2011 The Government has confirmed…
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Thailand loses its ‘cheap living’ reputation – Numbeo
Many of Thailand’s most popular tourist and retiree destinations are becoming the most expensive places in Southeast Asia to settle down, being beaten by Malaysian and Indonesia counterparts. The cost of living survey was conducted by comparison site Numbeo. Comparing the region’s top 18 destinations, Numbeo lists Bangkok as the second most expensive city after Singapore. But Pattaya, Phuket and…
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Injured king cobra caught in Trang
PHOTOS: กา คาบข่าว A three metre king cobra has been caught in Trang yesterday, the sixth king cobra caught in Trang in two months. It’s much smaller than the 5 metre monsters caught in Krabi in recent weeks. Rescue workers in Sikao, Trang were notified of the king cobra that was found near the entrance of Pak Meang Beach in…
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A new round of Southern peace talks gives hope but the Junta is stalling during the election campaign
Peace talks to end the long-running conflict in Thailand’s southernmost provinces hit a stumbling block last week when Thailand’s new peace negotiator failed to attend a scheduled meeting. The struggle, commonly referred to in international media as the ‘southern insurgency’, has been between Muslim guerilla fighters and the Thai army, partly over borders, and partly fueled by religious and cultural differences.…
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Romanian tourist dies in Phuket motorbike incident
A Romanian man has died after a motorbike accident at Ao Yon in Wichit on Saturday. Wichit Police report that they were notified from the Phuket City Police that the body of a foreign tourist, who had died from injuries received in a road accident, was being kept at the Vachira Phuket Hospital. The man was later identified by the…
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Bangkok street racers collide with one dead and 18 injured
PHOTO: Raorak Samut Sakhon Foundation A collision during a late night street race in Bangkok has resulted in the death of one racer and another 18 being injured during a pile up. The dead biker has been identified as 20 year old Jeerasak Chanprieng. The incident took place in the early hours of Sunday (1:15 am) when emergency responders were…
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Chinese boy dies after slipping from pool ledge on fifth floor of Kamala hotel
A Chinese boy has died after slipping from a pool ledge on the fifth floor at a hotel in Kamala last night. The boy fell five floors and hit the ground. Kamala Police were notified that the body of the boy had arrived at Patong Hospital at 8.50pm last night. Police arrived to confirm the death of a nine year…
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Two Russian tourists die in Patong Hill crash
Two Russian tourists have died following a crash on Patong Hill last night. The Patong Police were notified of the incident at 10.30pm on Phra Baramee road at the hair-pin curve on the way up the hill from Kathu. Emergency responders arrived and found a damaged passenger pickup truck. The driver was 47 year old Thavorn Glasueak. Nearby they found…
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