World News
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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 airport fees set to soar, passengers brace for hike
Travellers flying out of Thailand could soon be hit with higher airport fees, as officials move to raise Passenger Service Charges (PSC) for the first time in years. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) confirmed it expects to decide on the proposed hike by October, with a potential increase of up to 100 baht per international passenger. If approved,…
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Aeroflot flight drama: Phuket return sparks hacker rumours
An Aeroflot flight bound for Novosibirsk was forced to return to Phuket International Airport yesterday morning just minutes after takeoff, following what was reported as a technical malfunction, but speculation is swirling after the airline confirmed a cyberattack just one day earlier. The Airbus A330, operating as flight SU637, took off at 9.53am local time, around 30 minutes behind schedule. But…
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‘Flying Giant’ A380 becomes a costly nightmare for airlines
Two decades after its maiden flight, the Airbus A380 is back in demand as international travel roars back to life post-Covid. But while passengers may love its spacious cabins, airlines are groaning under the weight of its soaring maintenance costs. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued 95 airworthiness directives for the aircraft since 2020, more than double…
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Japan and US issue tsunami alerts after mega quake
A colossal magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula today, sparking tsunami warnings and urgent evacuations from Japan to Hawaii. The quake, initially measured at 8.7, struck about 126 kilometres southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at a depth of 18 kilometres, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). In the Russian Far East, waves as high as 4 metres battered parts…
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Flights scrambled as Thai travellers flee Cambodia chaos
Thai authorities are urging travellers to brace for flight chaos as escalating border tensions with Cambodia spark a rush home. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has advised all passengers flying between Thailand and Cambodia to keep a close eye on updates, warning that schedules may change without notice due to the deteriorating situation. Amid reports of increasing demand…
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Thailand ramps up flights as border unrest worsens
Thailand’s government is scrambling to evacuate its citizens from Cambodia as tensions escalate along the border, triggering fears of potential conflict. On Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit ordered the Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) to work urgently with seven Thai airlines to boost seating capacity for Thai nationals wishing to…
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Nok Air rebounds with freebies and fresh routes
Budget airline Nok Air is soaring back into profitability and promises even bigger things on the horizon—including free flights for foreign tourists. The embattled carrier, once drowning in debt, now expects to complete its rehabilitation programme by mid-2028, with outstanding debt trimmed to under 400 million baht from a staggering 5.4 billion. The airline’s resurgence comes after two consecutive profitable…
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Thailand’s ageing F-16s, what’s the next move?
Thailand’s Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) is facing an important challenge: how to replace its ageing fleet of F-16 fighter jets while keeping pace with regional security demands and budget realities. For decades, the F-16 has been the backbone of Thailand’s air defence. But with many of these jets approaching their retirement age, the RTAF has now shifted gears, looking…
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Air Cambodia hits back at Thai Airways copycat claims
Air Cambodia is fighting back after being accused of copying Thai Airways’ signature look—insisting its purple-and-gold design is 100% Khmer. A social media storm erupted following the airline’s debut flight between Shenzhen, China and Siem Reap on July 18, with Thai netizens claiming that Air Cambodia’s aircraft livery and cabin crew uniforms looked suspiciously similar to those of Thai Airways.…
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Qantas passengers forced to surrender passports in Bangkok (video)
Aussie travellers were left fuming in Bangkok after their Qantas flight was cancelled at the last minute—forcing them to choose between handing over their passports or sleeping on the airport floor. The service from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport to Sydney was initially delayed for six hours before being officially cancelled late on Monday night, July 21, stranding dozens of passengers…
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Thai Airways eyes August stock market comeback
Thai Airways (THAI) is gearing up for a dramatic return to the Thai stock market as early as August, with CEO Chai Eamsiri announcing the company’s re-listing plans after successfully exiting its court-ordered rehabilitation. The national carrier, once teetering on the edge of collapse, is now back on the runway. “The exact date for re-listing will be confirmed by the…
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Suvarnabhumi crowned world’s No.1 airport for airline service
Suvarnabhumi International Airport has been ranked the world’s No.1 airport for the most airlines in service, with a staggering 113 carriers now operating from its runways, according to a recent survey by Brilliant Maps. That puts it ahead of major global hubs like Paris Charles de Gaulle (105 airlines), Dubai International (97), and Singapore Changi (82). Transport Minister and Deputy…
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Suvarnabhumi tests indoor smoking rooms to curb toilet puffing
Smokers flying through Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport may soon breathe a sigh of relief — indoors. In a controversial move, Thai health authorities are building two prototype smoking rooms inside the airport, aiming to clamp down on passengers lighting up in restricted areas like toilets. The Department of Disease Control (DDC) confirmed the rooms are expected to be completed by the…
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Vietjet stuns with 0 baht fares on new Bangkok-Kolkata route
Bargain-hunters, brace yourselves—VietJet Thailand is shaking up the skies again, this time with 0 baht fares to India. The budget airline has announced a jaw-dropping promotion to celebrate its brand-new direct route from Bangkok to Kolkata, launching this November. VietJet Thailand CEO Voranate Laprabang revealed that the new route is part of the carrier’s aggressive push to expand its international…
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Thailand pushes China to fast-track fruit and rice exports
Thailand is turning up the heat on China to help fast-track its tastiest exports—from sweet tamarinds to juicy pomelos—in a high-stakes trade push aimed at cracking the world’s biggest consumer market. The Ministry of Commerce is pulling out all the stops to promote Thailand’s prized Geographical Indication (GI) products in China, urging Beijing’s top trade agency to speed up the…
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Hidden Buddha statues unearthed in Laos temple dig
A stunning historical discovery has shaken the district of Champasak in southern Laos, where 70 centuries-old Buddha images were unearthed beneath Vat Meuang Kang temple during restoration work. The sacred stash was found buried just 45 centimetres underground in a large jar, as workers dug the foundation for the temple’s manuscript repository on Monday, July 14. According to Lao National…
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Thai tourist attacked and robbed in Paris, 10,000 baht and documents stolen
A Thai tourist issued a warning after he was attacked and robbed in Paris, France, yesterday, July 16. He lost 10,000 baht in cash along with all his belongings. The victim, Krissana “Fai” Baowlor, shared photos of his injuries on his Facebook account, along with a caption detailing the robbery. The incident occurred at a public park near the Westfield…
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Topless Thai transwoman busted for beach stunt in Sri Lanka
A Thai transwoman has been slapped with a suspended prison sentence after strutting topless down a popular Sri Lankan surf strip, sparking outrage among conservative locals. The 26 year old tourist was arrested on Monday, July 14, in Arugam Bay, a laid-back beach resort nearly 400 kilometres from Colombo, after social media videos showed her strolling along the sand bare-chested.…
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Asia awaits: Turkish Airlines unleashes flight frenzy on Bangkok
Turkish Airlines is poised to significantly expand its presence in Southeast Asia, with Bangkok firmly in its sights. From October 27, the airline will offer an impressive 21 flights per week to the Thai capital from Istanbul, marking a substantial boost in connectivity. This ambitious move underscores Turkish Airlines’ commitment to the region and solidifies Bangkok’s status as a premier global…
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Ant-agonising: Korea Michelin eatery in a stew over Thai insects
It was hailed as a fine-dining thrill, but a two-star Michelin restaurant in Seoul is now in hot water after its trendy sorbet—topped with ants imported from Thailand and the United States—triggered a food safety scandal. South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has referred the owner of the high-end restaurant in Gangnam district to prosecutors for allegedly violating…
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Thai Airways taps ECS group for Swiss cargo takeover
Thai Airways is gearing up for a major cargo push in Europe, handing the reins of its Swiss freight operations to Globe Air Cargo in a move set to shake up the market. Globe Air Cargo Switzerland, a subsidiary of the logistics heavyweight ECS Group, has secured an exclusive deal to become the general sales and service agent (GSSA) for…
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Shark ‘n’ awe as blacktip reef sharks swarm Maya Bay in Krabi (video)
Tourists got more than just postcard views in Thailand’s paradise bay this month, as researchers spotted a jaw-dropping 158 blacktip reef sharks cruising the shallows in one fin-tastic return to form. Maya Bay, the once-trampled beauty spot made famous by The Beach, is making waves again, this time for all the right reasons. Thai marine boffins say they’ve recorded the…
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Looking ahead at the UFC 2025 calendar
It doesn’t seem that long ago that Ilia Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira to claim the vacant lightweight championship belt in the octagon at the home of UFC, the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. It was an enthralling evening of fight action that also saw Alexandre Pantoja defend his flyweight title. The UFC calendar never stops for long though, and…
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Pattaya takes off: New flights promise tourism boom and big bucks
Pattaya prepares for a tourism and economic surge as a wave of new domestic flight routes connects the city like never before. The bold move is part of Thailand’s New Route – New Airline initiative, aimed at turning the kingdom into a regional aviation powerhouse. Leading the charge are Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air and newcomer EZY Airlines, all of…
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Thai Lion Air’s Kolkata-Bangkok flight aborted over mid-taxi scare
Holiday plans were thrown into chaos in the early hours of today when a Thai Lion Air flight bound for Bangkok was forced to abort take-off and return to its parking bay after a technical snag triggered a mid-taxi scare at Kolkata Airport. Flight TLM243, scheduled to whisk 130 passengers and seven crew members back to Thailand, had only just…
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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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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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Former UK Asda manager jailed for smuggling cannabis from Thailand
Louisa De Marco, a 53 year old former Asda manager, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison, half to be served behind bars, for attempting to smuggle over 31 kilogrammes of cannabis into the UK via Manchester Airport. She was offered £10,000 (440,835 baht) for the job, allegedly orchestrated during a trip to Thailand, but pocketed nothing after losing her…
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Pattaya targets Japan: Roadshow in Osaka aims to boost tourism
Pattaya is setting its sights on Japan as a prime tourist market. The city recently hosted the Pattaya Variety Roadshow to Japan 2025 in Osaka, aiming to boost its appeal and showcase its attractions to Japanese travellers. Led by Thitiphan Petchtrakul, Deputy Mayor of Pattaya, the event aimed to showcase the city’s tourism offerings and expand its appeal to the…
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Taxi horror: Thai tourist harassed by cab driver in South Korea
A South Korean taxi driver sparked outrage online after harassing a female tourist from Thailand with inappropriate comments during a ride. The incident, which has since gone viral, has drawn anger from both Thai and South Korean netizens, calling for justice and better protections for women. On June 19, a woman posted a disturbing video on social media, capturing her…
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