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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 Digital nomading in Chiang Mai? What US$1,000 a month really gets you
Chiang Mai has become a popular destination for digital nomads due to its low living costs, rich culture, and active remote work community. The city offers affordable housing, tasty food, reliable internet, and many co-working spaces, making it a great...
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Hospital director says Phuket boy lost his sight due to sinusitis, not Pfizer vaccine
The director of Vachira Hospital Phuket says a 12-year-old boy has been blinded by sinusitis complications, not by the Pfizer vaccine he received. Dr Weerasak Lorthongkham was responding to claims by Nonthaphat Sae-ong’s family members that the Covid vaccine he received on November 25 had caused him to go blind. According to a Bangkok Post report, the boy’s grandparents claim…
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WHO warning of infectious Omicron sub-variants has Thai officials on high alert
Thai health officials are on high alert after at least 1 foreign national was found to be infected with an Omicron sub-variant that has the potential to cause severe illness. The Bangkok Post reports that Supakit Sirilak from the Department of Medical Sciences says the World Health Organisation has issued a warning about 3 highly infectious Omicron sub-variants, known as…
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Putin uses Victory Day speech to defend invasion of Ukraine, mobilise support
Vladimir Putin has used his Victory Day speech to defend the ongoing war on Ukraine, pointing the finger of blame at the West and the government in Kyiv. The Russian president was speaking at the start of an annual military parade in Red Square, which has traditionally commemorated the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany. In his attempts to mobilise support…
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Thai school introduces points system for “bad students”
A school in Surin, northeastern Thailand has introduced strict, conservative guidelines that will deduct points off students for not following the school rules. A photo of the student’s handbook was shared on the “Bad Student” or “Nak Lien Leaw” Facebook page. The school’s principal told students on orientation day if they don’t like the rules, they are free to leave,…
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Lazada-gate update: Lazada banned from entering Royal Thai Army premises
The Royal Thai Army is boycotting Lazada in the latest reaction following an advertisement deemed offensive to Thailand’s monarchy, which disappeared from TikTok shortly after it was uploaded last week. Thailand’s Army Chief has banned e-commerce giant Lazada from delivering packages into army premises, but says that soldiers still have the freedom to buy products from Lazada if they so…
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PM Prayut wants Thailand’s monks to clean their act up
Buddhist monks keep acting inappropriately, and Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has had enough. Yesterday, PM Prayut ordered the National Office of Buddhism to strengthen discipline among Thailand’s Buddhist monks, following a long string of cases of monks breaking the rules. The Sangha – the collective word for Thailand’s monastic community – has existed for thousands of years in Thailand.…
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Norwegian man found hanged in Pattaya home
A 74 year old Norwegian man has been found dead in his Pattaya home’s toilet over the weekend. Police say they were horrified at the scene of the man’s death on Saturday evening. The man had cuts on his wrists, a slit throat, and he was hanging on a rope that was connected to the ceiling with a pool of blood…
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Myanmar’s “Myancopharm” Covid-19 vaccine available for use
A new vaccine against Covid-19 from Myanmar has been made available for use for everyone, including children under 5 years of age and pregnant women. “Myancopharm” is a jointly produced by Myanmar’s Ministry of Industry and China’s Sinopharm China National Biotec group. Myancopharm was first administered on May 4 at Zabuthiri Hospital in Myanmar’s capital Nay Pyi Taw. While China’s…
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Dying in Thailand as a Foreigner Part 2: Your Questions Answered
What happens to the body after death? How much does it cost to prepare a will? Who should you leave your will with? Tim newton sits with Ben hart from Integrity Legal to answer all your questions in Part 2 of ‘Dying in Thailand as a Foreigner’. Follow Benjamin Hart and his youtube channel Integrity Legal Thailand: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO6aDpt9xRwgueZvwIsBpWg
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Malaysia watches more pornography than any other Asian country, study reveals
As cases of Covid-19 surged around the world, so did consumption of pornography. Lockdowns and restrictions necessary to combat the pandemic encouraged more and more people to search for adult entertainment online. In a recent survey conducted by Pornhub, Malaysia was found to be the #1 country in Asia with the most visits to pornography websites. Globally, Malaysia was ranked…
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Pattaya to ‘officially’ reopen floating restaurants and water activities
The Pattaya Marine Committee has held a meeting with representatives from local marine business to discuss legally reopening floating restaurants and other water activity services, like jet ski and parasailing. The committee unofficially agreed on the reopening plans but insists restaurants offer only traditional Thai shows at this stage – no parties, no dancers. The Pattaya News reported that some…
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Thai cult raided, 11 corpses found, followers urged to consume leader’s waste
Police and residents in the Isaan province of Chaiyaphum, together with Thai media, have raid the ‘secret’ make-shift compound of a cult hidden in the middle of a rice paddy field after one victim complained that the cult leader “imprisoned followers” and urged them to “consume human waste”. Thai media reported that 11 unidentified corpses were found inside the compound,…
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Monday Covid Update: 6,488 new cases; provincial totals
55 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 29,143 with 7,445 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 6,488 new Covid-19 cases and 12,755 recoveries. There are now 84,957 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded…
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Government economic agency says China’s zero-Covid policy hurting Thai economy
China’s relentless pursuit of a zero-Covid status, coupled with tough import restrictions, is having a negative impact on the Thai economy. So says the Thai economic planning agency, the National Economic and Social Development Council. According to a Nation Thailand report, the NESDC says it’s watching China closely, after a strict lockdown was enforced in Shanghai and other cities. “China’s…
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Thailand won’t take sides in Russia – Ukraine war, says PM Prayut
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha says that his upcoming visit to Washington for the US – ASEAN summit on Friday does not mean Thailand will choose sides in the Russia – Ukraine war. He says the purpose of the summit is to discuss economy, trade and investment in the region. However, Ukraine has requested that Southeast Asian nations suspend dialogue…
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Burmese man killed in Surat Thani flash flood, more wet weather to come
A Burmese man has died after being washed away in a flash flood in Surat Thani over the weekend. According to a Bangkok Post report, heavy rainfall has damaged 3 districts in the southern province. The body of 30-year-old Sai Chan, from Myanmar, was recovered on Saturday. The man had been reported missing after he drove his motorbike through a…
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Nightlife venues in “blue zones” want permission to re-open from June 1
Thailand’s nightlife venues are demanding to be allowed re-open for business in “blue zone” tourism areas from June 1. According to a Bangkok Post report, the proposal is one of several being submitted to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha today. Sa-nga Ruangwatthanakul from the association of Khao San Road business operators says the proposals are being put forward by over 10 associations…
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What you can get for 1 million USD in Phuket
Wondering what you could buy in Phuket with a budget of 1 million USD? A million dollars goes a lot further in Phuket than in most western countries like the United States. With house prices rising significantly in many areas around the world, properties in beautiful but less expensive places like Phuket are certainly looking very enticing. Phuket has been…
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Tourism operators not getting their hopes up, still wary of government U-turns
Despite a further easing of entry restrictions at the start of the month, with the lifting of PCR testing on arrival, Thailand’s tourism sector is not getting its hopes up. According to a Bangkok Post report, tourism operators are concerned about several factors that have left them uncertain about any potential recovery. Chief among these is the risk of new…
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Store owner in northern Thailand donates school uniforms to needy families
As Thailand plans to reopen schools on May 17, a store owner in Northern Thailand’s province of Nakhon Sawan is donating old school uniforms to families who don’t have the money to buy their own. The store owner said that this is the second year the donation handout has been organised. He said that last year, there was a similar…
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Phuket prepares reforestation activity for National Tree Day
National Tree Day is coming up next Friday, May 13, and Phuket is getting ready to celebrate! Phuket authorities plan to host a public event where people can come and plant trees. The event will start at Wat Kosit Viharn Temple, off Thepkrasattri Road in Rassada, and move to Toh Sae National Forest reserve, which is behind the temple off…
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Man in northern Thailand found dead under palm tree
A man in the northern Thai province of Phitsanulok was found lying dead under a palm tree this morning. The man’s relatives told police he had left his home early in the morning to tap palm milk, as he did every day. They got worried when he didn’t come back at 9am, so they went to search for him, and…
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How to Apply for a Marriage Visa in Thailand
Getting married to a Thai national does not automatically grant you a Thai marriage visa. However, obtaining a marriage visa in Thailand is not as hard as you might think. Natty goes through the process and requirements to acquire a marriage visa. Follow these steps and live in Thailand with your loved one happily ever after.
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Major Thai police leader to discuss closing times in Pattaya, Phuket and elsewhere
Thailand’s most famous policeman, ‘Big Joke’, aka. Surachate Hakparn, has plans to discuss legal closing times for ‘restaurants’ in Pattaya, Phuket and other renowned tourist hotspots where the closing time issue continues to be a hot topic. Bars and clubs in Thailand, under official laws, are still only allowed to reopen as ‘restaurants’, and only until midnight at the moment.…
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Weekend Update | Nightlife Entertainment in BKK is Loud and Alive!
Entertainment in Khao San seems to be booming and business is starting to pick up! So Jay went to Khao San himself to find out! The Department of health is cautioning people over Bullfrog shots and finally after the big re-opening of Maya Bay, its going to close again temporarily. All this and more on todays Weekend Update.
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Phuket officials investigate land excavation in Kamala hills
After news broke on Thai media that a backhoe was seen digging soil and loading it onto trucks in Kamala, a town on the central west coast of Phuket, officials are now investigating what is suspected of being an illegal land excavation. Isra News Agency, the Thai media platform that first reported the incident, published photos on Thursday of what…
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Young girl gets leg stuck in Pattaya gutter, sparks debate
A 12 year old girl fell into a gutter in Pattaya on Friday, which some bystanders claimed was not properly sealed and was an accident waiting to happen. Officers were able to help free the girl without injuring her in the process, however she was still transferred to a nearby hospital for observation. The incident happened in the parking lot…
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Tourists returning to Bangkok’s Khao San Road
The president of a business operators association on Bangkok’s tourist-trap of Khao San Road says the tourism numbers are making a comeback. This news comes following Thailand Pass‘s eased entry requirements for foreign arrivals, making travelling to Thailand slightly less tedious since May 1. The president told the Bangkok Post that the number of tourists to the walking street still doesn’t…
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After Indonesia’s export ban, palm oil producers promise price cap in Thailand
In the midst of the global palm oil crisis following Indonesia’s export ban, palm oil farmers, extractors, and producers are promising Thailand’s Internal Trade department that they will cap the price on the product. The Internal Trade Department’s chief said the 3 groups were told that an export ban may be considered if palm oil stocks fall below 300,000 tonnes.…
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Phuket Covid-19 clinic to close down this month
One Covid-19 clinic in Phuket is preparing to shut down on May 16, even though it only opened eight months ago in September last year. The Phuket Provincial Public Health Office announced the upcoming closure of Aunjai Clinic yesterday in a briefing, and on Facebook. The clinic was established to provide locals who tested positive for Covid-19 with advice, medicines,…
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