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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 See the best of Northern Thailand this winter on a budget
The Thaiger key takeaways Peak season brings higher prices, but smart planning and local know-how can help you experience Northern Thailand affordably. Chiang Mai, Pai, and Chiang Rai offer plenty of free or low-cost attractions, from temples and canyons to...
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Book on Trump reveals casual racism and homophobia
A controversial new book on Donald Trump by a New York Times journalist reveals that an intriguing look into his life from businessman to United States President, from casual racism to homophobia, and fear of dying from Covid-19. The book, Confidence Man, written by Maggie Haberman chronicles Trump’s time as a New York businessman and life during and after his…
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Thai bank releases bizarre ‘apology’ for repossessing the wrong house
UPDATE After the story hit the media, Thailand’s Government Savings Bank (GSB) released a statement apologising for repossessing and renovating the wrong house in Pathum Thani province, central Thailand, one month ago. The bank admits “full responsibility.” However, the apology has been met with disapproval from netizens (gaining 4 thousand angry reactions on Facebook) because it was accompanied by a…
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Thailand wants more tourists from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
Thailand’s tourism officials are eyeing two Central Asian countries in hopes of more tourists. Those countries are Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Travellers from both countries are interested in visiting Thailand, Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Monday. Phiphat said that Kazakh and Uzbek tourists started to show interest after Thailand extended its Visa on Arrival from 15 to 30 days on…
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Elon Musk angers Ukraine president with Russia tweets
Controversial tweeter and the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, stirred a new dispute, this time with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Musk angered Zelensky, along with many top Ukrainian officials and the people of Ukraine, by proposing his solution for the Russian invasion. The founder of Tesla and SpaceX posted on Twitter that Ukraine should take part in new referendums overseen…
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Thai woman charged for selling fake discount vouchers
UPDATE A Thai woman has been charged with selling fake discount vouchers for hotels in Pattaya. The suspect denies all allegations. Last June, more than 700 victims filed a complaint with the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) in Bangkok. They made known that they were lured into buying fake vouchers for 5-star hotels, pool villas, restaurants, and activities in Pattaya from…
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Expressway killer reveals 3 month plan to murder girlfriend in remorseless confession
In a remorseless confession, the Thai man who killed his lover and buried her body parts in plastic bags underneath an expressway in Bangkok told police how he meticulously planned his girlfriend’s murder for three months. In his confession, the murderer said he and 30 year old Pin were together for two years and he was very much in love…
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Prayut plans to contact citizens hit by power cuts via radio
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha suggests officials warn locals about flash floods via radio as Thailand did 11 years ago in flooding in 2011. The 68 year old wants to use the radio to update citizens on the news should they lose their electricity. The prime minister joined a meeting via zoom yesterday to discuss how to manage the flooding situation and…
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Submarine purchases could sink over engine debate
Controversy surrounds plans over the plan for three submarine purchases as officials debate which engine is suitable to power the subs. The S26T Yuan-class submarine that Thailand has been in the slow process of purchasing since April was originally planned to be powered by a German engine. Now, factions of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) are debating if a Chinese-made engine…
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Schools no longer need to close for Covid outbreaks
With Covid-19 being downgraded to a communicable disease of concern, schools and universities will no longer require closures for outbreaks. Minister of Education Trinuch Thienthong spoke at a press conference yesterday and said that new control measures won’t include definite closures, should an outbreak of the coronavirus afflict a school. With many students often packed into a tight area, schools…
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Thai industries want to produce energy to combat rising costs
A survey by the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) revealed that Thailand’s industrial sector wants to produce its own electricity to combat the rising cost of energy but they need government support to make it work. The Office of the Energy Regulatory Commission announced in August this year that the fuel adjustment rate for electricity would be raised to about…
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Clumsy burglar injures himself after trying to steal in Chon Buri
In what some might call a major incident of karma, a clumsy burglar injured himself while trying to steal from a room in Chon Buri‘s main city district. A witness and neighbour of the victim, Thongchai, said he saw the burglar riding his motorcycle back and forth around the area. Thongchai then called the property owner and went to check the rooms…
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Mountain B nightclub fire claims 24th life
The death toll from the fire at Mountain B nightclub in Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand, on August 5 has risen to 24. The 24th victim, a navy officer, died from his injuries in hospital last night after fighting for his life for two months in the ICU. Lawyer Ronnarong Kaewpetch said on Facebook yesterday… “#RIP the 24th victim of…
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Girl sustains head injuries while surfing in Phuket
A girl sustained head injuries while surfing at Phuket’s Kamala Beach in the Kathu district on October 2. This news comes as Phuket and Thailand at large are experiencing lots of stormy weather, which has caused strong waves in the country’s seas. Rescuers arrived on the scene and took the girl to a nearby hospital. Her name, age, and nationality…
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Best island boat tours from Phuket – must-visit islands and unforgettable experiences you should not miss out on
Press Release For many people, Phuket is the first place they think of for a tropical island getaway, and rightly so, with its amazing beaches, incredible scenery, fabulous weather and delicious exotic food, Phuket has something for everyone. For some, sunbathing on one of the white, sandy beaches sipping on a freshly cut coconut or enjoying a tropical Sabai Sabai…
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Former Coventry footballer seriously ill in Thai hospital
The family of a former professional footballer appealed for help after he fell seriously ill in Thailand. He has a 50-50 chance of survival. John Horsley, a footballer with Coventry City and Shrewsbury Town in his youth, was in Thailand when he became sick late last month. The 77 year old man from Desborough in Northampton is now in a…
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Weapons used by jealous Thai man to murder and chop up lover found
UPDATE Yesterday at 3.30pm, rescue workers found the weapons used by 35 year old Chanwit “Don” Wongsahak to murder and dismember 30 year old Oranun “Pin” [surname withheld]. When Don confessed to the police, he said he threw the weapons he used into a nearby canal. Yesterday, rescue workers in wet suits from Por Teck Tung Foundation scoured nearby canals…
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3-year jail term for carrying crops, fruit & veg into Japan
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan warned travellers against carrying fresh fruits, vegetables, and crops into the country without permission. Anyone who fails to follow the instructions could face imprisonment of three years and a fine of 1 million yen, or about 263,000 baht. Japan is strict on imports, especially for plants and crops, in a bid…
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Bank repossesses the wrong house in central Thailand
A woman from Pathum Thani, just north of Bangkok, couldn’t believe her eyes when she returned home to her locks changed, all her belongings seized, and a ‘for sale’ sign outside her house. Thailand’s “Government Savings Bank” (the pink one) sent bailiffs to repossess a house in Wanasiri Park View Village on September 5. The bailiffs changed all the locks…
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Innocent man jailed 7 months for 15.8 million baht theft demands justice
An innocent man jailed for over seven months has filed a miscarriage of justice complaint against the police after being blamed for stealing diamond rings worth 15.8 million baht. The innocent man, Pisit Suwannapim, is demanding justice from the Anti-Corruption Division Police after being jailed for seven months and ten days in Thon Buri Remand Prison. The 54 year old…
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Thailand’s cold season expected to hit in late October
Thailand’s cold season is expected to hit the country slightly later than usual. The season is expected to start in the fourth week of October, about a week later than usual. The Thai Meteorological Department said the coldest time of the season would be December and January. The lowest temperatures are expected in the country’s north and northeast at 8-9…
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South Korea gives North Korea a warning
South Korea isn’t playing around when it comes to North Korea’s nuclear programme. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol gave North Korea a little warning at South Korea’s 74th Armed Forces Day ceremony on Saturday. Yoon stated that if North Korea attempted to use nuclear weapons, it would face a “determined and overwhelming response.” Yoon reaffirmed that South Korea and…
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Philippines offers attractive alternative to Thailand’s 10 year LTR visa
The Philippines launched a Special Investors Resident Visa (SIRV) offering permanent residency to any foreigner who invests at least US$75,000 in business or securities. The visa reaps more rewards for a smaller investment than Thailand’s 10 year Long Term Resident (LTR) visa, which hasn’t attracted as much attention as initially hoped since its launch last month. Once a foreigner has invested…
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Thousands join Chinese ceremony at Phuket Vegetarian Festival
Thousands of people yesterday joined a Chinese ceremony as part of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. About 2,200 locals and tourists gathered along the roadside during the Yu Keng parade. The ceremony participants paid respects and lit fireworks to call upon gods, in accordance with traditional Chinese beliefs. Many of the tourists who took part in the ceremony were from Malaysia…
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Bang Sue’s Central Vaccination Centre officially closed
Bang Sue Grand Station served as a hub for Covid-19 vaccines but now it has officially closed as the Central Vaccination Centre. The centre was opened last May to provide Bangkok residents with a place to receive their initial vaccines and follow-up boosters. But on September 30, the final needle was jabbed into a patient’s arm, the last vaccine at…
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Bangkok area flood caused by 100 sandbags in drain
A neighbourhood in Bangkok that has been flooded since September 10 just discovered sandbags shoved into the main drain. With rain failing to drain throughout the neighbourhood for three weeks, the still water was stinking and infectious. People in the Lat Krabang neighbourhood have been suffering from knee-high water. Flood waters have never been this much of an issue on…
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VIDEO: Shooting range employees save man from suicide in northern Thailand
Yesterday, CCTV captured the moment two shooting range employees saved a young man’s life at the Lanna Sports Centre in Mueang district, Chiang Mai province, northern Thailand. The man was shooting at a target at first when he turned the gun toward his head. A trainee shooting range instructor who was watching attentively swiftly jumped in and pushed the gun…
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Gold necklace theft on Pattaya Beach Road
Another gold necklace theft has been reported in Pattaya but this time no ladyboys or Indian tourists were involved. This time, the robbery involved a Russian tourist and two transvestites. The Russian tourist, Vadim Korni Iashchenko, reported the robbery happened at about 11.30pm yesterday. The 31 year old told police he was approached by two friendly transvestites while he walked…
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Japanese man drowns near Phang Nga resort
Thailand’s stormy seas tragically claimed another tourist’s life, this time in Phang Nga. A Japanese man, 46 year old Satoshi Sato, drowned on Saturday in the Takua Pa district. Satoshi had gone swimming in the sea in front of the Moracea by Khao Lak resort. Thai media reported that a red flag had been posted on the beach to warn…
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Korean Air resumes two routes to Thailand
On October 1, Korean Air resumed two direct routes to Thailand. The airline reopened services between Seoul to Chiang Mai and Phuket, which were both suspended in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The South Korean flag carrier announced the return of the popular routes in August. Flights from Seoul Incheon to Phuket depart on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and…
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16 year old driving BMW crashes, killing young graduate in northeast Thailand
A teenager driving a BMW crashed into and killed a young man in Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeast Thailand, on Friday night. The 16 year old driver collided with a motorbike at the intersection outside Suranaree University of Technology in Korat at 10pm. The deceased has been identified as 24 year old Thanaphon “Tae” Kaewmoon from Nakhon Sawan province. In July,…
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