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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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Armed drug smugglers killed in clash with border rangers in Chiang Rai
Two armed drug smugglers were killed in a clash with border rangers in Chiang Rai along the Thai-Myanmar frontier on Thursday. Pha Muang Force spotted a small group of armed men with backpacks in the forest near Ban Huai Kra in the Mae Fa Luang district on Thursday evening. The officers told the men to stop for a search, but…
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Raging fire at Pattaya condo sends hundreds evacuating
A raging fire at a Pattaya condo sent hundreds evacuating in the early hours of this morning. Over 200 residents of the Amazon Residence Condominium were evacuated, and at least five people were injured. The condo is located on Soi Wat Boon Kanjanaram 5 in the Nong Prue sub-district of Bang Lamung. Four people suffered smoke inhalation, and one foreign…
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Police on trail of “Four Brothers” gambling ring
Police raided properties across the country yesterday and arrested a prominent member of the “Four Brothers” gambling ring. Police were gathering evidence on the “four brothers” who have been accused by a TV actor of operating the gambling website macau888. Police led by Pol Maj Gen Wiwat Kamchamnan, deputy commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, raided eight premises with…
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Thai parks boss sacked in corruption scandal
The head of Thailand’s national parks was sacked on Friday as an investigation into a cash-for-placement scandal engulfs the environmental body. Thai parks boss Rutchada Suriyakul Na Ayutya has been removed from his post to “pave the way for a transparent investigation” into corruption, at least according to Jatuporn Buruspat the Ministry permanent secretary. Any kind of thorough investigation is…
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Reasons Why You Should Live in Kamala Phuket feat. Twin Palms Residences Montazure
https://youtu.be/qmPuOmWzfsc Kamala Phuket is an amazing place to live! Located in Thailand, this vibrant city is known for its culture, beautiful beaches, and delicious food. With a range of activities, from relaxing on the beach to exploring the city’s vibrant nightlife, there’s something for everyone in Kamala Phuket. The city is also known for its affordable living costs and strong…
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Phuket taxi drivers call for authorities to get tough on illegal drivers
Phuket taxi drivers are calling for authorities to get tough on illegal drivers. On Thursday, over 100 drivers protested about the issue at Phuket City Hall. The president of the Patong Taxi Operators Association, Thinnakorn Chommueang, said that local, legal taxi drivers on the island province were suffering, especially those operating through apps. He said… “Therefore would like to demand…
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The top games to play in Thailand
One of the countries that has the most amount of game-loving players in the world? It’s Thailand! There are approximately 32 million video gamers in Thailand – a figure that seems to grow every single year and accounts for (almost) half the population. And the most popular genre of these games are role playing games, otherwise known as RPGs. In…
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Thai celebrities duped out of 20 million baht in online toy scam, 300 victims speak out
Leading Thai celebrities were scammed out of over 20 million baht in a massive online toy scam, joining more than 300 other victims. Twenty representatives filed a complaint to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) yesterday. The group of 20 victims were led by 40 year old Phiphitpon Pookkanasood, a famous Thai singer from the band named Jetset’er. Phiphitpon revealed that…
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Thailand offers amnesty to ‘little ghosts’ in South Korea
The Thai government calls for all Thais working illegally in South Korea – known as ‘little ghosts‘ – to return to Thailand before February 28. Any little ghost who does not return to Thailand before this date will face a 30 million won fine (800,000 baht), warned the government. Today, government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek revealed that the South Korean Immigration…
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Is Erling Haaland the new Beethoven, Shakespeare, or Rembrandt?
The superlatives for Manchester City striker Erling Haaland are endless. He’s been called a “Phenomenon,” “Freak of nature,” Robot” and Beast,” to name just a few. But will he be talked about in the same breath as another legend of the game who was liked to Beethoven, Shakespeare, and Rembrandt?” The prolific 22 year old hitman has been tipped to…
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Southeast Asia’s most luxurious new beach hotels
Southeast Asia‘s most luxurious new beach hotels will be at the forefront of the region’s big tourism comeback promised for 2023. Thailand expects to receive as many as 10 million visitors from China alone this year. In the Philippines – “the worst place to spend the pandemic” – tourism is up by more than the global average. Vietnam is equally…
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Police nab Chon Buri meth dealers after trying to sell via Facebook
In a recent sting operation, police nabbed two drug dealers on Wednesday with 63,500 meth pills in Chon Buri’s Sattahip district. The police were able to track the two suspects from their Facebook account “Nooka,” and set up a rendezvous with the suspects to lure them in for the arrest. The first suspect, 28 year old Chotiwat “Nook” Koomsonklin, was…
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Laws and regulations of online casino in Thailand
The online gambling industry is booming all over the world. But what about Thailand? Here’s a look at the laws and regulations surrounding online casinos in Thailand. Despite the fact that gambling is technically illegal in Thailand, there are still many ways to gamble online. There are no laws exactly barring online gambling, so Thai residents are free to gamble…
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South Thailand’s hotel industry booming with increased tourist arrivals
South Thailand is seeing a resurgence in tourism, with room bookings in hotels reaching 85%, according to Sueksit Suwandissakun, the president of the Southern Hotel Association. This is a positive sign for the industry, which has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic over the past year. Many hotels in popular tourist areas are already fully booked, with the majority of…
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Bangkok’s Jodd Fairs market is relocating
Famous night market Jodd Fairs in the Rama 9 area of Bangkok will be relocating to Ratchada at the end of the year. The new night market is expected to open in January 2024. In November 2021, the famous Talat Rot Fai Ratchada (Train Night Market Ratchada) which permanently closed during the Covid-19 pandemic made a comeback under the rebranded…
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New RTN frigate to cost 15 billion baht
The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) wants 15 billion baht (about US $460 million) over the next five years to buy a new frigate. The new RTN frigate is to be built in Thailand. A previous RTN frigate, HTMS Sukhothai, is under 50 metres of water off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan. The ship sank on December 18 last year.…
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Bangkok’s New Chinatown comes back to life as Chinese tourists flock back
Bangkok‘s New Chinatown is once again buzzing with life as Chinese tourists flock back to the bustling neighbourhood after a two-year lull due to the pandemic. Stretching from Huai Khwang intersection to Pracha Uthit Road, New Chinatown (not to be confused with the original Chinatown in the Yaowarat area) is a hub of activity with eateries, shops, and street stalls…
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Protestors have EM tags removed
A Bangkok court agreed to the request of five anti-establishment protesters Wednesday to have their electronic monitoring (EM) tags removed. The protesters are all currently out on bail pending trials on lèse majesté and sedition charges. The group sought the court’s permission to have the EM tags removed after the court decided that one could be removed from actor Savika…
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Famous TiKTok star arrested for dangerous hitchhiking
A famous TikTok star was arrested today after putting his life at risk dodging in and out of moving cars as he hitchhiked on the Ang Thong-Sing Buri Road in the central province of Ang Thong. Aun is a local celebrity due to his widely shared funny videos on social media but despite his fame, he has struggled with mental…
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Manchester City Takes on the Far East: Tour of Thailand and Japan in Mid-July
Manchester City, the reigning Premier League champions, are embarking on a journey to Asia as part of their preparations for the upcoming season. The tour, expected to take place in mid-July, will cover both Thailand and Japan, marking their first trip to the Far East since the outbreak of the pandemic. Sportsmail UK reported that the club has already planned…
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Thai police return 6.5 million baht Richard Mille watch to Vietnamese tourist
Not all Thai police are bad eggs as proven by Lumpini Police officers who managed to reunite a Vietnamese tourist with an expensive Richard Mille wristwatch that he lost in Bangkok on Wednesday night. A Vietnamese tourist took a taxi from a hotel in the Lumpini area of Bangkok to Asiatique on the river. Later on, he ordered a private…
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Appeal of Petr Donatek heard in Paris
The appeal of Petr Donatek, a 46-year-old Czech man accused of hiring thugs to attack Thai refugees in Paris, has finally opened and closed. In his testimony, Donatek pleaded that he did not plan the attack. He was convicted in absentia for having hired two Czechs – Jakub Hosek and Daniel Vokal – to attack Thai trans activist Aum Neko…
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Woman accuses police of seizing her car for personal use
A Thai woman accused officers from Sathon Police Station in the southern province of Songkhla of confiscating her car for personal use. The unnamed woman said her car was seized by the police two years ago despite not being involved in a crime. The woman reported that the police arrested her boyfriend in 2021 for possessing Kratom and two tablets…
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Thai passport worth less than Cambodian
The Henley Passport Index released this week, ranks the passports of the world based on metrics such as how many countries one can travel to visa-free. Once again a Thai passport is worth less than many comparable nations and ranks a long way behind other nations that share similar demographics and income. There are not many surprises in the top…
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Thieves rob Phuket 7-Eleven a day before it closes down
Two thieves robbed a 7-Eleven in Phuket on Tuesday, just a day before it was set to close down. The two men snatched 1,826 baht from the store’s two female staff at gunpoint, The Phuket News reported. Thalang Police arrived at the scene and reviewed the CCTV footage. The footage showed two men on a motorbike circling the store twice…
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Thailand’s democracy index 2022 is the most improved in the world
Don’t laugh but, Thailand’s democracy index in 2022 is the most improved in the world, so says the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). It has jumped 17 spots on the global scale, ranking 55th out of 167 countries, at a score of 6.67 out of 10. The EIU is a research and analysis organization that provides economic and political forecasts and…
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Phuket looks to entice more low-cost Saudi flights
Thailand’s renowned paradise of Phuket is looking to entice more low-cost Saudi flights to the island province. The Phuket Tourist Association said in a Facebook post yesterday that it sent a delegation to meet with a low-cost Saudi airline last week. The delegation met with the airline, Flynas, at Flynas’s headquarters in Saudi Arabia on January 25. The delegation gave…
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Murderer transports woman’s corpse to landfill site via motorbike in central Thailand
UPDATE After a woman’s corpse wrapped in a yellow blanket was found dumped at a landfill site in Prachin Buri province in central Thailand yesterday, police uncovered important CCTV footage of the murderer transporting her body via motorbike. Police believe the murder to be a result of a love triangle. At 4.39am on January 27, a man is pictured driving…
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Phuket Russian allegedly stole tens of thousands of dollars in cash and crypto
A Russian man in Phuket allegedly stole tens of thousands of dollars in cash and cryptocurrency from other Russians. Region 8 Police said they arrested the man, 32 year old Dnitry Shergin, on Wednesday, over a crime he allegedly committed on December 11. The two victims said that in the early morning on December 11, a group of foreign suspects threatened…
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Rape charges dropped against Man Utd star Mason Greenwood
The charges of attempted rape and assault against Manchester United footballer Mason Greenwood have been dismissed. The 21 year old Manchester United striker was arrested in January 2022 amid allegations surrounding images and videos but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped the case against him for attempted rape. The case was dropped due to the withdrawal of key witnesses and…
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