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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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Bugatti in Bangkok: 1 of 20 limited edition sports cars spotted cruising in Thailand
One of only 20 Bugatti Chiron Sport 110 Ans in the world, valued at US$3.2 million, was spotted cruising around the mean streets of Bangkok on Sunday. Let’s just hope the driver has insurance. The Bugatti, which sports a Cambodian registration plate that reads ‘BOSS,’ is allegedly owned by a Cambodian businessman who is the son of a politician. The…
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Thailand’s motorists face jail time for splashing pedestrians
A Thai government warning that drivers face jail time and fines if they splash pedestrians has drawn an unusual response from the nation’s strollers – fix the roads! The threat is all the more bizarre given Thailand is in the midst of its monsoon season and it is almost impossible to drive on the kingdom’s roads without splashing through pools…
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Thailand govt to stop criminal online sales of date rape drug
The Thai government warned drug manufacturers illegally distributing Rohypnol that they face massive fines and prison if caught. Deputy Government Spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul revealed PM Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha is concerned about the illegal sales of Rohypnol online and instructed the relevant departments to stop it after a recent trend of teenagers taking the drug for fun emerged. “Online trading is…
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Tourism Malaysia visits Songkhla and Bangkok to lure Thais
As Thailand has lured more and more Malaysian tourists across the border for short-haul holidays, Malaysia started marketing tourism to Thai people as soon as the borders began to open again after the Covid-19 pandemic. Thailand added more train services across the border at Padang Besar into the country and Malaysia welcomed tours sent by Thai travel agents. Malaysia overtook…
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Thailand’s Central Group finalises acquisition of luxury retail chain Selfridges
Thailand’s Central Group and Signa Holding have finalised their deal to acquire luxury retailer Selfridges Group from the Canadian Weston family. Selfridges is famous for its iconic luxury department store on London’s Oxford Street. The Central Group has been operating for 75 years and is owned by the billionaire Chirathivat family, who sits at No.5 on Forbes Thailand’s 50 Richest…
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Spokesman warns end of CCSA, Decree not guaranteed
Mark Twain is often (mis)quoted as saying, “Rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” And the same, it seems, may be said of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) as a government spokesperson said yesterday that, despite an announcement Friday, the lifting of the Emergency Decree and dissolution of the CCSA will be closely evaluated and is not…
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Court denies bail to Thai policewoman who allegedly kept soldier as a slave
Ratchaburi Provincial Court yesterday denied bail to the policewoman who allegedly kept a female soldier as a “slave” and tortured her for two years in central Thailand. The 43 year old policewoman, who worked for the Special Branch Bureau, allegedly manipulated and tortured the 30 year old soldier by forcing her to work as a slave, hitting her with a…
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Angry woman taxi driver fined for racing a bus in Bangkok
An emotionally-charged taxi driver appeared to lose her mind and forget her responsibilities as she turned into a joyriding thrill seeker as she played a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a bus coach. A video of three university students in the back of the crazed taxi driver’s car was posted last Friday, August 19, and went viral on…
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Court grants bail to salon owner who murdered couple over haircut in central Thailand
The salon owner who murdered an unhappy customer and her husband – both TV stars – in front of their young daughter in Pathum Thani on Saturday has been released on bail for 500,000 baht. Pathum Thani Provincial Court decided to grant bail to 51 year old Prasart Rangyai yesterday afternoon on the condition he wears an electronic monitoring (EM)…
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Makhot scoops 50,000 baht in Miss LGBT Thailand heat
The winner of the Miss LGBT Chon Buri pageant announced she was proud to represent her community in the final of the competition next year. Makhot scooped first prize and 50,000 baht at the event yesterday hosted at the Royal Garden Plaza Pattaya by Miss LGBT Thailand. Miss LGBT Thailand 2023 provides an opportunity for all LGBT individuals to showcase…
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Woman takes poison & plunges to death from balcony in Pattaya
A woman who couldn’t face up to living alone took some rat poison and then threw herself off a fifth-floor balcony in Pattaya. It is believed the woman, Amphon Ersinger, was grief-stricken after recently losing her foreign husband so took some poison and jumped to her death from the balcony of her apartment in Soi Na Kluea 14, Moo (bloc)…
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Cambodia aims for 1 million tourists in 2022, has 740k already
As Southeast Asia reopens and scrambles to attract international tourists, Cambodia has announced triumphant numbers from the Ministry of Tourism, declaring over 740,000 tourists from abroad between January to the end of July this year. The swell of tourists is about 22.5% of the number of travellers pre-pandemic, but a 560% increase over figures for the first half of 2022.…
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Salon owner who stabbed 2 charged with premeditated murder
More details have emerged regarding the customers who were stabbed to death in a Pathum Thani shopping centre, as it was confirmed that the salon owner accused of the stabbing turned himself in and has been charged with premeditated murder. The horrific incident took place Saturday afternoon around 3pm at a Lotus superstore in tambon Bang Kadi in Muang district…
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Two cars plummet into enormous hole on ‘Friendship Highway’ in northeast Thailand
Two drivers were lucky to make it out alive as their cars plunged into a giant hole in the road in Nakhon Ratchasima province in northeast Thailand. The drivers said there were no indications of construction work as they sped along Mittraphap Road – or ‘Friendship Highway‘ – the 509 kilometre road linking Isaan to Bangkok. Both men were rushed…
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Transgender stabs boyfriend to death after he hit her with a ganja bong
A 19 year old man was stabbed to death by his transgender girlfriend yesterday after he hit her on the head with a ganja bong. Yesterday, police officers from the Bangkok Yai Police Station, and a rescue team, investigated a three-story machine shop building in Soi Petchkasem 4-6 in the Wang Tha Phra sub-district, Bangkok Yai district of Bangkok. There…
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Locals angry as Middle Eastern joyriders race through Pattaya
Middle Eastern joyriders have turned Sukhumvit Road in Pattaya into a racing track… again, and locals are sick of it. Locals urged police to use the full force of the law and impose serious measures as the number of racers on Sukhumvit Road has increased over the past two months. Last night, Thai media reported that a group of more…
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Cops tell Thai TikTokers to quit roadside dancing
The Royal Thai Police warned the nation’s TikTokers to stop dancing to a truck’s horn by the roadside. Truck drivers have also been threatened with a fine of up to 500 baht if they join in the activity. During the past couple of months, videos of people dancing by the roadside to a truck’s horn have become a viral trend…
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Is the 10-year visa attracting Europeans and others to Thailand?
Officials in Thailand have been heavily pushing the new 10-year golden visa options for digital nomads and rich expats, with Europeans as a primary demographic, but is it really a big draw? The government has predicted that one million wealthy tourists will jump at the chance to live long-term in Thailand over the next five years, but the programme that…
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UPDATE: 110 Thais on one flight denied entry into South Korea
UPDATE The Thai tourists who were denied entry into South Korea have filed a lawsuit against a tour company who they say is responsible for the whole nightmare. Despite forking out loads of cash for the package ‘holiday,’ 71 Thai tourists were detained at the South Korean border for four days and deported back to Thailand. Yesterday, eight Thais on…
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LGBTQ+ community hail Singapore’s gay sex repeal
The LGBTQ+ community hailed Singapore’s announcement to end the ban on gay sex as “a win for humanity.” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the decision, that the city-state will repeal the law that bans gay sex, on national television last night. The 70 year old PM said they would abolish the law as he believed it “is the right…
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Save power – government will pay half to clean your aircon
To help people struggling with the rising costs of electricity, the Thai government has offered to cover half the cost of having your aircon cleaned. A dirty air conditioner with a clogged filter can be unhealthy, and can significantly increase your aircon bill, so the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is repeating its previous “Clean Your Air for the…
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Monk-turned-ladyboy bites back at netizens questioning how she bought a BMW
Former monk Phra Maha Phraiwan – now a ladyboy and influencer who goes by the nickname “Prairie” – ditched the orange robes for an orange dress and bought a BMW. Prairie has snapped back at netizens asking her, “How did you get so rich?” Phra Maha Phraiwan – also a successful writer – rose to fame in 2021 for his…
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Taiwanese YouTuber loses items worth 154,000 baht in Bangkok
Taiwanese YouTuber Alisasa was robbed of items worth about 154,000 baht while travelling in Bangkok last week. The popular YouTuber announced to fans that she was disappointed her camera and bag were snatched, resulting in lost videos recorded for her channel, but insisted she still enjoyed her trip to the Thai capital city. On August 16, the female YouTuber posted…
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China requests a five-time increase in flights to Thailand
A rise in Chinese tourism to Thailand may be on the horizon shortly as the Civil Aviation Administration of China has requested quintupling the number of flights between the two countries. There are currently three flights a week between Thailand and China but the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand announced that they received a letter from the CAAC asking to…
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Victim of BTS escalator crush requires emergency surgery, not a ‘minor injury’ as reported
A victim of the escalator crush which occurred at BTS Surasak Station in Bangkok on Saturday night has spoken out about her injuries, which she says were misreported. The victim said she and other injured people are waiting to hear whether the BTS will be held responsible or will provide compensation. Thai news widely reported that 27 people suffered “minor…
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Chao Leh Kitchen serves up a myriad of delectable cuisine on Patong Beach
Press Release A bright all-day dining destination located in Four Points by Sheraton Patong Beach Resort, Chao Leh Kitchen features a relaxed yet energetic vibe while serving up a myriad of delectable cuisine. Diners can view chefs working their culinary magic in open kitchens while sampling authentic local Phuket flavors, along with pan-Asian and Western favorites. Known for Phuket’s best…
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Drunk woman gets earful after biting tourist’s ear off in Pattaya
A drunken Thai woman was arrested on Saturday in Pattaya after an unprovoked attack on a Thai-American tourist without reason, biting his right ear off, and swallowing it. The 28 year old offender, Kannika Khamthon, was arrested after the incident and taken to Muang Pattaya Police Station. Police reported she was very drunk, and couldn’t answer questions. Kannika was also…
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Dengue fever cases in Thailand nearly double in past month
Taking extra measures to prevent mosquito bites is advised in Thailand, especially when cases of dengue fever have nearly doubled in the past month. Health authorities have voiced concerns about the threat of dengue fever this monsoon season. On July 11, Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) recorded 9,473 cases of dengue fever since the beginning of the year. By…
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Bangkok governor wants to control crowds at train stations after accident
Following the accident where 27 people got injured falling down an escalator, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt is looking to decrease overcrowding at train stations. The governor said that one possibility could be to limit the number of people that can enter crowded stations. Chadchart said this would possibly be an option pending consultation with train operators. Chadchart said today that…
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Police seize fake designer products worth 50 million baht in central Thailand
Thai police yesterday seized 50 million baht worth of fake “designer” products in the central province of Nakhon Nayok. Officers from the Department of Special Investigation found 60,000-70,000 fake products following raids on 15 warehouses in the main city district. The products had counterfeit logos of some of the world’s most famous, pricey brands, including Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Coach,…
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