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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 Where to travel in Thailand in August [2025]
There’s no better way to experience Thailand than through its cuisine. In the rainy season, flavours bloom alongside the landscape, steam rises from market pots, the snap of chilli echoes through alleyways, and rain makes every bite more vivid. “I...
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Will Thailand’s nightlife survive another 2 months of closure?
OPINION On Friday morning we were talking up the speculation that Thailand’s bars would be permitted to reopen on December 1. It had been a strong rumour, verified with countless politicians and police. Surely, with all the open flouting of the current alcohol ban, the government had just given up and were ready to reopen the bars, officially. The daily…
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‘Joe Ferrari’ and 6 other police, face death penalty
Thitisan Utthanaphon, aka. Joe Ferrari, along with 6 other police, will be indicted this week over 4 charges relating to the alleged torture and subsequent murder of a 24 year old drug suspect. The 7 police now facing official charges are… Pol Col Thitisan Utthanaphon (head of the station) Pol Maj Rawirot Ditthong Pol Capt Songyot Khlainak Pol Lt Thoranin…
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First 10 days: 30,000 arrivals; 147,000 Thailand Pass applicants
The Tourism Authority of Thailand totalled up some data for the first 10 days of Thailand’s reopening, with over 30,000 arrivals so far and nearly 150,000 applications submitted for the Thailand Pass to gain entry to the country. The TAT’s report states that the combined total of international travellers arriving at all of Thailand’s international airports – both Bangkok airports,…
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Thitisan ‘Joe Ferrari’ and his officers now facing death penalty
The 7 police officers including Pol Col Thitisan “Joe Ferrari” Utthanaphon, who were arrested after a video leaked of them suffocating a suspect to death during interrogation, will now face full charges as the Attorney-General has given the go-ahead to begin prosecution. The 7 will be tried for multiple charges including premeditated murder by means of torture, coercion, illegal detention,…
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Hospital in Bangkok catches fire, no injuries reported
A fire broke out at Mongkutwattana Hospital in Bangkok yesterday morning, though it appears everyone was evacuated and no one was harmed. The hospital, on Chaeng Wattana Road in the Laksi district of northern Bangkok, was reported to have gone up in flames around 7 am yesterday. Thai media published photos of crowds outside the hospital in what appears to…
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Nigerian interfaith women’s group awarded Aachen Peace Prize
“We were so happy, we are still happy and will continue to be happy,” exclaimed Daharatu Ahmed Aliyu. “And now we are international superstars!” added Elizabeth Majinya Abuk from the background, laughing. The two women arrived in Germany from Nigeria two days before they will receive the award on behalf of their organization: Women’s Interfaith Council (WIC). The women’s organization…
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France: Far-right TV star Eric Zemmour shakes up presidential race
Until a few months ago, France’s next presidential election was largely expected to be a predictable duel between President Emmanuel Macron and the leader of the far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National), Marine Le Pen. That was until Eric Zemmour, a far-right French commentator and TV celebrity, burst onto the political scene and sparked a media frenzy with inflammatory views on…
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Iran: President Raisi’s hardline government stalling on progress
Conservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi was inaugurated as Iran’s sixth president in August, coming into office an uncompromising hardliner contrasting with his predecessor, Hassan Rouhani. As a supporter and close confidant of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Raisi can count on the backing of Iran’s parliament, where hardliners have held a majority since early 2020. Raisi began his term pledging a “revolutionary”…
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China: How has a new ‘historical resolution’ cemented Xi Jinping’s power?
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on Thursday approved a rare resolution that is set to consolidate President Xi Jinping’s authority and cement his status as one of the most important leaders in Chinese history . The resolution can also pave the way to a likely third presidential term next year. Experts believe that the resolution indicates a turning point for…
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The 77 Percent – The controversy surrounding bridal payment in Africa
Host: Isaac Kaledzi SOURCE: DW News
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The 77 Percent — The controversy around bride price in Africa
Host: Isaac Kaledzi SOURCE: DW News
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Burmese junta hands down 11-year sentence for US journalist Fenster
US journalist Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Myanmar who was arrested while attempting to leave the embattled country in May has been sentenced to 11 years in prison. The military court found the 37 year old guilty of incitement and unlawful associations as well as immigration violations. While the court backed down so far on charges of terrorism…
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COP is just a ‘PR event for world leaders,’ says India climate activist
Disha Ravi, founder of the Indian chapter of the “Fridays for Future” climate movement, says net-zero carbon emissions aren’t going to ensure a safer planet. SOURCE: DW News
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Zipair is the first budget airline to fly from Asia to the US
As tourists finally begin to take to the skies again, a low-cost airline in Japan is set to become the first budget carrier to fly from Asia to North America. Zipair Tokyo Inc announced today that it is launching flight service between Tokyo’s Narita Airport and Los Angeles International Airport in California, the first budget airline to do so. Zipair…
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Indonesian religious council forbids crypto for Muslims
While cryptocurrency is growing steadily in popularity, Indonesia’s council of religious leaders have announced that crypto and digital assets are banned for Muslims. Indonesia holds the largest Muslim population of any country in the world, and the National Ulema Council is the religious authority that makes decisions based on Shariah law. In their deliberation and consultation with experts, they determined…
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Public Health Minister barred entry to Switzerland over vaccine requirements
Switzerland barred entry to Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, reportedly for not meeting the country’s Covid-19 vaccination requirements, and Thai media reports that the minister missed a World Health Organisation meeting. Anutin was the first person in Thailand to be injected with a Covid-19 vaccine on February 28, kicking off the country’s mass immunisation campaign. He was injected with…
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Friday Covid Update: 7,305 new cases; provincial totals
51 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 19,934 with 19,840 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 7,305 new Covid-19 cases and 7,900 recoveries. There are now 95,804 people in Thailand being treated for…
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Reopening of bars and nightclubs pushed to mid-January 2022
It’s going to be at least two months until you’ll be able to legally drink a beer at a bar in Thailand… The long-awaited reopening of bars and nightlife venues has been pushed to January 15, 2022. The CCSA held a general meeting chaired by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha today and decided to push back the reopening date for entertainment venues.…
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RT-PCR Covid-19 tests still required for international arrivals – CCSA
After talk of whether to replace the mandatory RT-PCR Covid-19 test for international arrivals with the rapid antigen test kit method, the CCSA decided to continue to use RT-PCR tests to screen travellers upon arrival in Thailand. The antigen test kits, or ATKs, will be used for travellers on days 6 and 7, or if they develop coronavirus symptoms, according…
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List of provinces by the CCSA’s colour-coded zoning, in effect Tuesday
In its general meeting chaired by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, the CCSA decided to approved the following zoning, starting next Tuesday, November 16. The “dark red” zones have been reduced from seven provinces to six, with Chanthaburi reclassified as a “red” zone under less stringent disease control measures. A spokesperson says the nightly curfew in “dark red” zones from 11pm to…
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Shining Stars – brightening young minds since 2008
Sponsored Article Shining Stars Kamala is excited to open its doors for its thirteenth year in the community. Shining Stars Kamala is a small progressive preschool and kindergarten located in Phuket, Thailand. This school offers an English-intensive curriculum for local and international students situated between the lush jungle hills and the west coast beach of Phuket. This small school allows…
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Dogs to help Thailand’s prisoners prepare for reintegration into society
Dogs are going to some of Thailand’s prisons as part of a new therapy programme by the Department of Corrections to help psychologically prepare inmates for reintegration into society after release and to improve the mental health of inmates by reducing anxiety and depression. Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin also said some convicts will learn vocational skills that could potentially help…
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Bangkok Airways to resume flights between Suvarnabhumi and Phnom Penh
Bangkok Airways has confirmed it will resume flights to Cambodia from December, with a service between Suvarnabhumi airport and Phnom Penh. TTR Weekly reports that the announcement follows an earlier sales email from the carrier’s Phnom Penh office that promoted one-way fares to Bangkok. An Airbus A320 will operate the route 4 times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and…
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3 clinics raided with unlicensed South Korean chiropractic doctors
In Bangkok, 3 health clinics were raided by the Consumer Protection Division Police who found unregistered South Korean doctors working there. The raids took place in Chitlom and Sri Nakharin in Bangkok, and Muang Thong Thani housing estate in neighbouring Nonthaburi and were carried out under the coordination of Ministry of Public Health Ministerial Aide Sathit Pitudecha. The raids took…
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Chon Buri father arrested for drugging and assaulting his daughter
After a 10-day manhunt, police have arrested a Chon Buri father accused of drugging and then sexually assaulting his 16 year old daughter. Police released details of the incident yesterday after chasing the man down in Minburi, Bangkok and taking him into custody. A woman went with her 16 year old daughter to the Ko Chan Police Station with the…
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Woman’s climb to friend’s apartment ends in third floor fall
A Laotian woman in Chon Buri was hospitalised with 2 broken arms after attempting to climb across a balcony from her third-story apartment to her friend’s room next door and falling. The 43 year old woman plummeted from the third story, but her fall was broken by an awning on the first floor. The incident took place in an apartment…
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Thailand will give fourth vaccine for those who need it for travel
Apart from the growing evident reality of global inequality of access to vaccines, across Thailand there is still a gap where some people are struggling to get access to their first vaccine while others have had their third booster shot already. Now Thailand is beginning a round of fourth Covid-19 vaccine injections for those who require one, mainly for international…
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Moderna vaccine rollout finally begins in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai marked a step in the right direction yesterday as, after a months-long wait, the province began its first injections of the Moderna mRNA vaccine. The Northern province has been experiencing a spike in Covid-19 infection in the last few weeks that has made it one of the daily most infected provinces in Thailand, so the first batch of…
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Government considers easing entry rules, antigen testing may replace PCR test
In anticipation of more international arrivals in the coming months, the Thai government is reviewing current entry requirements. According to a Bangkok Post report, officials may replace the PCR test with antigen test kits and rules could be relaxed for people unfortunate enough to have sat near an infected passenger during their flight. Any amendment of the current rules would…
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Tales from the Border (2): Ocean Viking – Saved by the ‘big boat’
Imagine the hellish fire from the oil rigs at night as migrants drift towards them, believing they have reached land. Hear tales of suffering and sexual violence as rescued migrants visit the nurses on board the Ocean Viking and reveal what they have experienced. And share in the joy as a stand-off ends and the time finally comes to disembark.…
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