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Sponsored How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Funding populist policies: borrowing or tax hikes?
During the general election, political parties presented various populist pledges aimed at attracting voters. Among these were the controversial 10,000-baht digital wallet handout for individuals aged 16 and over, increasing minimum daily wages, raising minimum monthly salaries for university graduates, suspending debts for farmers, cutting electricity tariffs, and increasing the monthly allowance for people aged 60 and over. The Thailand…
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Thai opposition leader Pita Limjaroenrat set to play major role after voters reject army-backed rule
Thai opposition leader Pita Limjaroenrat, 42 years old, seems poised to play a significant role in politics following voters rejecting nearly a decade of army-backed rule. With the majority of votes counted from Sunday’s poll, Pita’s radical Move Forward Party led the popular vote, ahead of the more established opposition Pheu Thai party. This is a remarkable achievement for a…
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Vote-buying incidents highest in Bangkok during General Elections, says EC
The Election Commission (EC) reported that the majority of vote-buying incidents during yesterday’s elections took place in Bangkok, which boasts the highest number of constituencies among all provinces. Despite this, the EC noted that the overall number of poll-related violations was lower than in previous elections. EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee disclosed that the commission received 163 complaints yesterday, with 58…
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New government has room to spend 2 trillion baht on populist pledges
The upcoming government is expected to have around two trillion baht at its disposal for implementing its populist policies, according to an anonymous source from the Finance Ministry. The figure takes into account the 500 billion baht needed for the Pheu Thai Party’s pledge to provide digital wallet handouts of 10,000 baht to those aged 16 and over. Should the…
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Thai woman robbed of 300,000 baht to bag snatcher at SEA Games in Cambodia
A bag snatcher stole a handbag with assets worth 300,000 baht from a Thai woman at a restaurant in Cambodia last night. The victim suffered serious injuries to her arms and legs. The Thai woman spoke to KhaoSod about the theft that occurred at 9pm on Thursday, May 11. She revealed that she visited Cambodia to watch a football match…
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Malaysia’s human resource ministry corruption probe presents opportunity for migrant worker system reform
The ongoing investigation into Malaysia’s Human Resource Ministry over allegations of corruption in foreign workers’ recruitment has cast a shadow on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government, which came to power after the November 2022 general election on an anti-graft platform. Officers from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) have arrested three senior government officials connected to the Human Resource Minister Sivakumar’s…
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Vaping promotion on social media impacting youth in Australia
Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook predominantly exhibit vaping in a favourable manner, giving the impression that e-cigarette usage is widespread and socially acceptable. In Australia, traditional tobacco advertising has been prohibited for decades; however, e-cigarettes are extensively promoted on social media, undermining some of the progress made throughout earlier years. Most platforms have content policies explicitly prohibiting…
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Calm returns to Gaza as ceasefire holds
Calm returned to Gaza on Sunday as a fragile ceasefire held for the most part, with both Palestinians and Israelis counting the cost of five days of cross-border fire that resulted in dozens of casualties. Fishermen took to their boats in the coastal enclave, as Gazans emerged from their homes after sheltering during the intense exchange of fire. The fighting…
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Elderly voters inadvertently tear ballot papers, violating Thai election law
Instances of individuals tearing up ballot papers were reported in various provinces across Thailand. Most of those involved were elderly individuals who suffer from health conditions, and they maintained that they had no intention of damaging the papers. The Royal Thai Police revealed that the police’s election coordination centre had received around 20 reports of voters tearing up their ballot…
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Cyclone Mocha brings storm surge to western Myanmar and southeastern Bangladesh
Cyclone Mocha swept through Myanmar and southeastern Bangladesh yesterday, causing storm surges in western Myanmar, despite sparing large refugee camps. The cyclone made landfall between Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar and Sittwe in Myanmar, with winds reaching up to 195kph in the most significant storm to hit the Bay of Bengal in over ten years. Although communications with Sittwe were mostly cut…
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Thailand General Election shows opposition parties in the lead
Preliminary results of Thailand’s General Election revealed that the majority of voters support the opposition parties Move Forward and Pheu Thai to lead the country, potentially ending nearly nine years of pro-military rule under incumbent Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Data from the Election Commission of Thailand displayed a strong lead for both parties, with 114 and 111 constituency seats respectively.…
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MFP predicted to form coalition government with Pheu Thai
Academics predict that the Move Forward Party (MFP) is likely to form a government coalition with the Pheu Thai Party and other smaller parties following the recent Thai election. Their assessment comes after the Election Commission (EC) began counting votes when polling stations closed. As the counting continued, MFP led in both the constituency and party-list races, followed by Pheu…
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Biden administration warns of catastrophic consequences if US defaults on debt
The United States government is facing a potential economic catastrophe if a debt deal is not reached in the coming days. The possibility of the country’s first-ever default is causing concern, as negotiations between Democrats and Republicans are expected to continue this week. The two parties have been unable to come to an agreement, despite warnings from officials and bankers…
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Biden optimistic about avoiding US debt default despite impasse with Republicans
Tensions continue to rise over the US debt limit, with President Joe Biden expressing optimism about reaching an agreement with Republican counterparts while acknowledging that no deal has been struck yet. The ongoing deadlock has raised the spectre of a first-ever US default, which could bring potentially disastrous consequences, including a possible recession and global financial contagion. Republicans in Congress…
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Machine anxiety: How to reduce confusion and fear about AI technology
In the 19th century, computing pioneer Ada Lovelace wrote that a machine can only “do whatever we know how to order it to perform”, little knowing that by 2023, AI technology such as chatbot ChatGPT would be holding conversations, solving riddles, and even passing legal and medical exams. The result of this development is eliciting both excitement and concern about…
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Former ByteDance executive sues company for wrongful dismissal over alleged culture of lawlessness
A former high-ranking executive at ByteDance, the Chinese firm behind the immensely popular TikTok platform, has filed a lawsuit against the company, charging it with wrongful dismissal. According to Yintao Yu’s testimony, he was terminated from his position for exposing what he describes as the company’s “culture of lawlessness.” The legal action in the San Francisco court comes when political…
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Pattaya buzzing as Thai national election polling stations open
Pattaya has been buzzing ever since polling stations for the Thai national election opened at 8am today, marking the beginning of the Thai General Election. The atmosphere has been lively at polling stations around Pattaya, with long queues of eager voters waiting to cast their ballots for their preferred candidates. One notable voter seen waiting in line was Pattaya Mayor…
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French suspect arrested for theft, and Burmese suspect for human trafficking in Phetchaburi
In two separate incidents in Thailand’s central Phetchaburi province, police apprehended a French suspect for alleged theft, and a Burmese suspect for alleged human trafficking. Both arrests took place yesterday. Phetchaburi Police arrested Patrick, a French suspect, at his residence in Phetchaburi on suspicion of theft against a Belgian man named Laffel C. Patrick allegedly stole Laffel’s backpack, which contained…
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Bangkok voting area with large army presence sees crowding and long qeues
Army members flocked to vote at Bangkok‘s Dusit district polling station, while the public complained about long queues and inadequate facilities for over 6,500 people. The atmosphere at the voting site Health Service Centre 38 was bustling and hectic since the polls opened today at 8am. This location, with eight polling stations, has a total of 6,506 eligible voters, with…
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Imran Khan calls for nationwide ‘freedom’ protests after arrest in Pakistan
Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, has called for nationwide “freedom” protests today after last week’s unrest following his brief arrest and detention. The former cricket star, who has faced numerous legal cases since his removal from office in April last year, was released on bail on Friday when the Supreme Court declared his detention unlawful, AFP reported.…
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Heavy rain and Cyclone Mocha warning for north and northeast Thailand
The meteorological department warns that heavy rain is expected in north and northeast Thailand, with Cyclone Mocha contributing to the wet weather conditions today, May 14, and tomorrow, May 15. Continuous rain and heavy downpours in some areas of the northern and upper northeastern regions have prompted the public to be cautious of flooding, flash floods, and forest runoffs. Farmers have…
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Thai student gives birth and hides baby on fire escape
A 19 year old Thai student left her newborn baby on a fire escape after giving birth, having kept her pregnancy a secret from friends and family. Her 19 year old boyfriend found out only after discovering the baby on the fire escape. This morning police in the city of Pak Kret in Nonthaburi province received reports from concerned citizens…
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Thai teen faces extended stay in juvenile facility due to royal defamation charge
A Thai teen is facing an extended stay in a juvenile facility due to a royal defamation charge. The Central Juvenile and Family Court has become involved in the case involving a 15 year old girl who has been held in a juvenile facility for over 40 days. The court said yesterday that the girl’s mother neglected to attend her…
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Thai police keep an eye on vote-buying in competitive provinces
Thai police are keeping a vigilant eye on incidents of vote-buying today, following allegations of election law malpractices in three intensely competitive provinces. After a meeting with election officials, National Police Chief Police General Damrongsak Kittiprapas confirmed yesterday the arrest of a man in the northeast Bueng Kan province, under the suspicion of vote-buying. Evidence collected during the arrest included…
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Pattaya mayor unveils concept art for revamped and covered Bali Hai Pier
Pattaya Mayor Poramese Ngampiches unveiled concept art yesterday for a revamped and covered Bali Hai Pier. The need for improvement has been a topic of discussion for quite some time, with numerous complaints from tourists, both local and international, about the lack of shade and protection from rain at the pier. Travellers use the pier to access various islands around…
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Thaiger Top Shelf: Best dispensaries in town (Video)
With its captivating culture and mouth-watering cuisine, Bangkok has long been known as an attractive destination for travellers seeking a one-of-a-kind adventure. And now, with the flourishing cannabis industry, the capital of Thailand has also transformed into a hotbed for cannabis enthusiasts eager to find the best dispensary spots in the country. From the bustling streets of Sukhumvit to the…
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Intimidation by armed men against anti-cannabis rally in Bangkok
Former politician Chuwit Kamolvisit led a team to file a complaint after being threatened by a group of men with guns during an anti-cannabis rally in Bangkok. The 61 year old claimed that some wore logo shirts of the Thai Pride Party (Bhumjaithai Party), with live broadcast footage as evidence. Chuwit led his team to file a complaint at Phaya…
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Body of missing teen found buried in northern Thailand forest
UPDATE #2 The body of 16 year old “Ping Pong” was found buried in the forest in Lampang province, northern Thailand, this morning after a week-long search. Ping Pong went missing on Saturday, May 6, after she did not return from a motorbike ride with 17 year old Woramet “Ben” Taota, a dual Thai-British national, whose body was found in the…
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Four men claim to be fathers of a newborn baby, revealing touching truth
When a baby is born, it’s not uncommon to see people anxiously waiting outside the delivery room, hoping for good news. However, it’s rare to witness four men all claiming to be the father of the same baby. A pregnant Chinese woman experienced sudden abdominal pain despite not yet reaching her due date. Her family quickly took her to the hospital.…
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Bride chains groom’s wrists to make him attend wedding
A bizarre incident involving a bride and groom caught the attention of a large crowd in Xian, China. The bride, dressed in her wedding gown, was seen attempting to pull a chain wrapped around the bound wrists of her would-be groom, who was lying on the floor, trying to hold onto the chain, and refusing to be dragged away. The…
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