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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 long-term expats in Thailand say insurance is worth every baht
Thailand’s warm weather, low cost of living, and good healthcare attract many long-term expats, including retirees and remote workers. Life here feels easy and affordable, but medical costs can be high if something goes wrong. Private hospitals are popular because...
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Thai Vietjet launches cheap Mumbai-Phuket flights
Holidaymakers dreaming of sun-soaked Phuket get ready to pack your bags – budget airline Thai VietJet Air is turning up the heat on the India-Thailand travel scene with a brand new direct flight from Mumbai to the island paradise. The low-cost carrier, part of the larger VietJet Aviation Group, is set to launch the highly anticipated route in August, giving…
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Man electrocuted, another injured in Udon Thani tree accident
A 49 year old man died, and a 58 year old man was seriously injured while cutting eucalyptus trees for sale yesterday, July 7, in the Udon Thani province. The accident occurred when the tree’s branches came into contact with high-voltage power lines. Police Colonel Fasatan Laosen from Sangkhome District Police Station, Udon Thani, received a report of the incident,…
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Thailand Video News | Thai government withdraws casino bill amid political crisis and public pushback, Thailand sees 34% drop in Chinese tourists, forcing revised outlook
In Thailand, cannabis advocates are protesting potential recriminalization, fearing economic fallout for small businesses, while the government simultaneously retreats from a controversial casino bill amid political upheaval. The country is also reeling from a sharp drop in Chinese tourists, viral concerns over road safety, and heated conversations around marketing ethics, all while launching new efforts—like Phuket’s night market—to revive local…
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Thai woman dies in attack by wild elephant in Surat Thani forest
A Thai woman lost her life in an attack by a wild elephant while travelling on a motorcycle with her son through a forest in the southern province of Surat Thani. Officers from Khirirat Nikhom Police Station, along with rangers and rescuers from the Kusol Sattha Foundation, rushed to Thap Nok Forest within the Khlong Yan Wildlife Sanctuary after being alerted…
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Five Thai men caught trying to cross border from Poipet
Five Thai men were apprehended attempting to illegally cross the border back into Thailand from Poipet yesterday, July 7. The Burapha Task Force, along with the Aranyaprathet Special Unit and the 1201 Ranger Company, intercepted the group. Initial inquiries revealed they were gamblers who had pawned their passports in an attempt to continue betting but eventually found themselves penniless. Four…
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Burmese family in Phuket apologises after viral motorcycle photo
A Burmese family in Phuket issued a public apology after a photo of all seven members travelling on a single motorcycle went viral and sparked controversy on Thai social media. The image, showing a family of seven riding a motorcycle through the Sam Kong Tunnel in Phuket, was widely circulated on social media yesterday, July 7. In the photo, the…
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Child’s mishap sparks fire panic at Phatthalung shopping mall
A fire incident occurred in a well-known shopping mall in Phatthalung, when a 10 year old child, while waiting for their guardian to pay, lit a cardboard box with a lighter, causing smoke and panic. Employees and customers fled the scene. The incident happened at 7pm yesterday, July 7, with Phatthalung Municipality fire officials receiving reports of the fire at…
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Pattaya teen savagely battered by machete-wielding gang
A teenage cannabis shop worker in Pattaya is living in fear after a brutal ambush by machete-wielding thugs left him battered, bloodied and terrified to return to work. Nineteen-year-old Ananda Klangnongsang stepped forward to share his ordeal after the vicious attack, which took place at around 10.06pm on July 5 outside the shop where he works in Soi Kor Phai,…
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Tsunami fears rattle Phuket as officials urge calm
Thailand urged the public to “stay aware, not scared” after a spate of offshore earthquakes sent social media into meltdown and raised awkward questions about tsunami preparedness in Phuket and along Thailand’s Andaman coast. The call for calm came during a high-level emergency briefing chaired by Deputy Interior Minister Thirat Rattanawanich yesterday, Monday, July 7, as Phuket officials joined a…
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Thai royal award celebrates Vietnam’s top teachers
Vietnam’s star educators are basking in the royal spotlight after a Thai delegation arrived to celebrate their achievements and ramp up educational ties across Asia. From July 6 to 8, a high-profile delegation from the Princess Maha Chakri Award Foundation (PMCAF), led by Chairman Dr Krissanapong Kirtikara, visited Vietnam to meet past award winners, promote regional cooperation and prepare for…
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Fire devastates commercial building in Pathum Thani
A fire erupted at a three-storey commercial building selling electrical appliances on Pathum Thani-Lat Lum Kaeo Road, Pathum Thani province, around 4am today, June 8. The incident prompted Deputy Police Inspector Supakorn Chammanee from Khu Bang Luang Police Station to investigate, accompanied by local officials, including Nipon Khaokham, the mayor of Khu Kwang subdistrict, and Theerachai Silakhaw, the village headman.…
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Thai officer accused of land encroachment on self-help settlement
Thailand’s Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) requested police action regarding an alleged land encroachment involving a prominent police officer in Ubon Ratchathani. Police Senior Sergeant Major Yutthaphon Srisompong, popularly known online as “Johnny the Enforcer,” owns a resort in Lam Dom Noi. The land on which the resort is built has been designated by the ministry as…
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Cat-astrophe in Pattaya: Faulty bug zapper blamed as fire guts bar
A racy late-night basement bar in Pattaya went up in flames in the early hours, with shocked punters and neighbours jolted awake by the acrid stench of smoke and the sound of sirens. The fire, which tore through Cat Flaps on Soi Phratamnak 4 just after 2am, yesterday, July 7, marked the third bar blaze in Pattaya in as many…
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Government warns Thais: Nominee roles risk jail time
The government issued a warning against acting as nominees for foreign investors in business ventures, particularly in tourism-related sectors, highlighting the risk of severe legal repercussions. Sanctions include imprisonment, substantial fines, asset confiscation, and the revocation of business licences. Deputy Government Spokesperson Anukul Pruksanusak stated that many are either unknowingly or willingly being used as fronts or nominees by foreigners…
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Thailand braces for heavy rain with 39 provinces at risk
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts continuous heavy rainfall across Thailand, identifying 39 provinces at risk. The northeast, north, and east are expected to be most affected. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Danas is projected to make landfall on July 7. Over the next 24 hours, Thailand is anticipated to experience sporadic heavy rainfall, prompting a warning for residents in areas like…
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Deal or no deal? Thailand rocked by Trump’s 36% tariffs bomb
Donald Trump has lobbed another economic grenade into global markets, slapping punishing new tariffs on key US trading partners, including Thailand, in a fresh trade tirade that’s left allies fuming and markets tumbling. The US president kicked off his latest trade war salvo by revealing a raft of “reciprocal” tariff letters, and warned this was only the beginning. Starting August…
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Thailand struggles to revive Chinese tourism as arrivals drop 34%
Thailand’s tourism sector is grappling with a sharp decline in Chinese arrivals, forcing tourism agencies to lower expectations and step up efforts to attract more visitors. In the first half of 2025, Chinese tourist numbers fell by 34% compared to last year, with only 2,265,556 arrivals recorded. This downturn has pushed China into second place behind Malaysia, which saw 2,299,897…
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Manchester gets Thai’d up with new direct flight to Bangkok
Manchester Airport is flying high after bagging a brand-new direct route to Bangkok, making it the only airport outside London with a non-stop flight to the Thai capital. The weekly service, operated by Norse Atlantic Airways on a Boeing 787-9, will take off in November, offering northerners a hassle-free ticket to the most-visited city on the planet. Tickets have just…
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Family of 7 on motorcycle sparks safety outrage in Phuket
A couple in Phuket sparked online criticism after a photo showing them dangerously transporting five children on a motorcycle circulated on Thai social media. Phuket Hotnews, and Newshawk Phuket, shared images of the family of seven riding on a single motorcycle yesterday, July 6, accompanied by a caption reading, “How many people can you count?” According to the pages, the…
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Rescuer catches giant king cobra in Trang durian orchard
A large king cobra was captured in a Trang durian orchard after repeated sightings during harvest season. Orchard owner, 73 year old Jarun Sae-Iew, today, July 7, called for help after spotting the snake again on his orchard in Ban Thung Yao, Palian district. He contacted 21 year old Suphat Eadchata, known locally as Benz the Snake Wrangler, a rescue…
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Phuket’s got night fever as new market hits the spot
Phuket Town has a new reason to stay up late, a sprawling night market has officially opened near Surin Circle, giving a boost to small businesses and offering a fresh hotspot for locals and tourists alike. The Plern Pao Night Market was launched with a flourish on Saturday, July 5, with Phuket MP Thitikan Thitiphrutikul presiding over the opening ceremony.…
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Bangkok expressways free on July 10 and 11 for Buddhist holidays
Motorists in Bangkok will enjoy free access to major expressways for two days to mark the Asanha Bucha and Buddhist Lent holidays. The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) announced toll exemptions on July 10 and 11, from midnight to midnight each day. Some 61 toll booths across the Chalerm Maha Nakhon, Si Rat, and Udon Ratthaya expressways will waive toll…
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Thai woman admits having relationships, children with monks
A Thai woman confessed to having romantic relationships with several monks and even having children with some of them. She was also found to have been romantically involved with politicians and wealthy men. The widely respected abbot of Tri Thotsatheo Temple in Bangkok, Arch, unexpectedly left the monkhood in June at a temple in the northeastern province of Nong Khai,…
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Thailand warns travellers of Japan’s new power bank rules
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has issued a notice reminding travellers of new regulations on carrying power banks when flying to Japan. Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced the updated rules, which will take effect tomorrow, July 8. Under the new guidelines, passengers may carry and use power banks during the flight, but the devices…
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Drunk man pulls gun, attacks guests at Buriram housewarming party
A drunk man armed with a gun caused a disturbance at a housewarming ceremony in Buriram yesterday, July 6, injuring one person and threatening local security officers. The incident took place at around 3pm in Ban Jan village, Nong Teng subdistrict, Krasang district. Witnesses said the man arrived uninvited, fired a shot into the air, and later assaulted several people.…
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Burmese man arrested for wife’s murder in Samut Prakan hotel
A Burmese man was apprehended for the suspected murder of his wife at a hotel in the Mueang district of Samut Prakan province. Hotel staff found the man behaving suspiciously outside the room before discovering his dead wife inside. Yesterday, July 6 at 12.30pm, Police Lieutenant Panyawat Khamsi from the Samut Prakan Mueang Police Station received reports of a woman found…
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Pattaya rider threatened by gunman during late-night pickup
A ride-hailing driver in Pattaya has filed a police report after a gunman threatened him during a late-night pickup earlier today, July 7, at 2am in Soi Arunothai 1, Nong Prue, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri. The driver, 31 year old Arnon, told officers at Chon Buri Police Station he was nearly caught in the middle of the confrontation while…
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Family feud: Thai father’s shot misses son, fatally hits his friend
A Thai father attempted to shoot his son after a family feud outside a house in the Isaan province of Sakon Nakhon but accidentally shot his son’s friend, resulting in his death. The father was also injured in a knife attack. Officers from Mueang Sakon Nakhon Police Station and a rescue team rushed to the scene at a house in…
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Senate panel summons PM Paetongtarn over border issues
Thailand’s Senate Committee on Military and National Security has invited suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to explain the government’s approach to mounting security concerns along the Thai-Cambodian border. Senator Chaiyong Maneerungsakul, the committee’s secretary and spokesperson, said the decision was prompted by disputes affecting Thailand’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interests under the constitution. He added that Cambodia’s actions were…
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Thai women caught in call centre scam at Cambodia border
The Eastern Border Security Forces apprehended two Thai women who falsely claimed they were deceived into working in Poipet, Cambodia. In reality, they were hired to cross the border illegally and create mule bank accounts and conduct face scans for a call centre scam. Their background checks revealed that one suspect, 48 year old Ornuma Boonchoong, had been implicated in…
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