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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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As Phuket tourism market recovers, a potential “carmageddon” infrastructure crisis looms
Phuket hotels experienced promising momentum for the first half of 2023, which has set an optimistic path for the remainder of the year. At the mid-year juncture, international and domestic flight volume was already up 75% over total flights in 2022. Russia and China led the way as the two top tourism source markets in the first six months of…
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Teenagers posing as junior police threaten resident with knives and a bomb
Two teenagers narrowly escaped a violent confrontation after falsely claiming they were junior police officers. Armed with knives and a ping-pong bomb, they threatened a resident before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle. The quick response of local police prevented any further escalation. The incident occurred last night at around 11.30pm local time, according to Thanit Thapakdi, Deputy Investigating Officer…
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Suicide of Wild Boar footballer sparks nationwide query into mental health support
The tragic suicide of Dom, a member of the “Wild Boar” football team, has left many with questions. As per a report by the BBC, Dom, full name Duangpetch Promthep, was one of the 13 individuals from the football team who were trapped in the Tham Luang cave and died eight months after his rescue. The cause of his death…
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Major roles for crime suppression in Thailand delegated by police chief in a reshuffle of positions
The Thai National Police Chief today issued an order to delegate responsibilities to 11 special crime suppression centres. The order, number 600/2023, dated October 28, assigned Roy Ingkaphairoj, the Deputy National Police Chief, as the head of the Anti-Money Laundering Centre of the National Police Office. Under Roy’s supervision, Ittipon Atchariyapradit, the Assistant National Police Chief, will serve as the…
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72 year old American trail runner found safe in Chiang Mai’s national forest reserve
The 72 year old American trail runner who vanished in the national forest reserve of Pa San Sai, Chiang Mai, has been found. Reach Mikob, an American national, was reported missing during a nature trip with 20 friends. He was located by the head of Pong village, Manop Boonsiri, and subsequently taken to a Chiang Mai hospital for a health…
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Grab cross-border delivery of chicken rice on TikTok revealed as hoax
A Green-clad Grab delivery worker hopping on a plane to Singapore to transport a customer’s chicken rice order in Thailand turned out to be a hoax. A TikTok video depicting the scenario went viral, with a spokesperson for Grab Singapore confirming to The Straits Times that the video was created independently by a public individual, and the featured delivery partner…
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Hong Kong temple tells Thai tourists to stop sticking gold leaf on prayer wheel
There has been a call for Thai tourists to stop adhering gold leaf to an ancient prayer wheel at a temple in Hong Kong. A Thai tour guide‘s Facebook post drew attention to the unusual practice, suggesting that the temple’s authorities had said it was the work of Thai visitors. The act of sticking gold leaf to the wheel is…
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Karen tribe woman gives birth at Tak province border patrol checkpoint
A pregnant woman from the Karen tribe gave birth at a border patrol checkpoint in Tak province, as she was unable to reach a hospital in time due to the remote location of her home. The birth, which took place today, at 7am, was overseen by a team of rangers from the 35th Border Patrol unit and health officers from the…
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Foreign man found dead with 4 stab wounds at hotel in Phuket
A maid discovered the dead body of a foreign man with stab wounds to the neck in a hotel room in Phuket. There were no signs of theft or struggle. A substance similar to crystal meth was found in the bathroom. The hotel maid reported her shocking discovery to officers at Cheng Talay Police Station at around 9.30am yesterday, October…
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Bangkok’s secret sting: Counterfeit goods crackdown hits Yannawa’s underbelly
Bangkok witnessed an undercover operation led by the Thai Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) that unfolded on Saturday, October 28. The day marked a significant blow to the counterfeit product industry, as a considerable quantity of fake goods including watches and handbags, counterfeit trademarks, and fabricated warranties, were seized in Yannawa, a district in the heart of Bangkok. The culprit…
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Thai’ed down: Fertility crisis set to halve Thailand’s population in six decades
Thailand’s population is predicted to plummet by half over the ensuing six decades due to a mounting fertility crisis. This alarming situation has spurred the Ministry of Public Health to instigate measures to encourage pregnancy and subsequently manage the drastic demographic shift that the country is poised to face. The Public Health Minister, Cholnan Srikaew, highlighted yesterday, October 30 that…
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Government’s digital wallet scheme delayed amid sustainability concerns
A seven-month delay is set to affect the government’s digital wallet scheme, with the expected launch now projected around September of next year, according to an adviser to the prime minister. Pichai Chunhavajira, while addressing a Senate-organised forum on the scheme, voiced that the policy is a vital economic stimulant but doubted its implementation in February as initially planned. The…
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Bangkok’s 20-baht electric train policy boosts ridership by 30% on key lines
Bangkok was abuzz with positivity on October 28, as Dr Pichet Kunadhamraks, the Director General of the Department of Rail Transport, stepped forward to share the latest numbers. The recently implemented 20-baht electric train ride policy on the Red and Purple BTS lines saw a significant increase in ridership since its inception on October 16. The director general revealed a…
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Unusual coconut tree brings lottery luck to Surin province residents
Residents in Surin Province, Thailand, hope for good luck after discovering a coconut tree resembling an elephant’s trunk. Yesterday a peculiar incident occurred in the backyard of Somphis Riaproi, 54 years old, living at house number 61, Moo 2, Jik Daek Subdistrict, Phanom Dong Rak District, Surin Province. A coconut tree with an unusual shape resembling an elephant’s trunk, with…
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Thailand and Laos aim for US$11 billion bilateral trade boost with enhanced transport links
Thailand and Laos have set in motion plans to increase the value of bilateral trade to US$11 billion (395.7 billion baht) within the next two years, as announced by government spokesperson, Chai Wacharonke. This ambitious target was a significant point of discussion during a meeting between the Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, and his Lao counterpart, Sonexay Siphandone. Covering an…
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Three killed in tragic racing pickup truck collision in Sadao, Songkhla
Just after the stroke of 11pm on October 28, a devastating accident occurred along Kanchanawanit Road in Sadao, Songkhla. The multi-vehicle collision involved a racing pickup truck, a lorry, and a motorcycle, tragically resulting in three fatalities. The Sadao police, upon receiving the report, were quick to respond, dispatching local rescue teams to the scene. Upon their arrival, the rescue…
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Fire at renowned Pattaya hotel triggers panic among Indian tourists
Pattaya, a beautiful city known for its beaches and nightlife, was shaken by an unfortunate incident yesterday. A fire broke out at a well-renowned hotel nestled on Soi 4 in the bustling area of Central Pattaya, Nongprue sub-district, Chon Buri province. The fire, which started at approximately 6am, led to a wave of panic amongst the guests, with a large…
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Thai man arrested after murdering 6 year old son to win ex-wife back
Police arrested a Thai man for the murder of his six year old son. He was reported to have murdered his son to win his ex-wife back. The suspect, 23 year old Nattapon, reached out to the Hua Hin Police Station at 9pm on Friday, October 27 to file a missing complaint to the officers. Nattapon reported that he parked…
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Unprovoked attack on foreign tourist by teens threatens Pattaya’s tourism reputation
Falling victim to an unprovoked attack in Pattaya’s Nongprue sub-district, an unidentified foreign tourist was assaulted by a group of unruly teenage boys. The incident occurred in the evening on Soi Yensabai, a bustling street in South Pattaya within the Banglamung district, Chon Buri province. The unprovoked attack on the foreign tourist was captured on a CCTV camera, showing the…
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Thai PM’s frequent flyer miles soar: Srettha’s approval ratings stay grounded
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has received favourable approval ratings despite concerns over his frequent overseas trips, according to a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA). Conducted over the telephone between October 24-25, the NIDA Poll surveyed a diverse group of 1,310 individuals aged 18 and above. The findings revealed that the Thai prime minister’s international travel…
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Thai woman calls justice after Thai man attacks her Belgian husband
A Thai woman urged non-profit organisation Saimai Survive to follow up on a legal action against a Thai man who attacked her Belgian husband on a road in Thailand. The woman gave Channel 7 a video of her 70 year old Belgian husband, Danny, being attacked on the road. The video showed Danny in an orange shirt arguing with a…
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Thai hostages in Israel reach 22 amid escalating Gaza conflict
The number of Thai workers held hostage during the recent attack by Hamas on Israel has escalated to 22, according to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. The latest confirmation of three additional abductions was disclosed by the Foreign Ministry. The 61 year old prime minister relayed this information while addressing journalists at the Wing 23 air terminal at Udon Thani Airport,…
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Fashion faux pas: Cleaning company mistakenly discard bag of high-end clothes worth thousands of baht
A woman was left stunned after her bag of high-end designer clothes, left for laundry in an upscale condo, was thrown out by the cleaning staff. The cleaning company declined responsibility, claiming they were unaware of the bag’s value and couldn’t afford compensation. The woman, a resident of an upscale condo in the city centre, found herself in a shocking…
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Stroke awareness: Phuket’s Sang Nam Jai fun run sets record turnout
Thousands of participants laced up their running shoes in the early hours of yesterday morning at Saphan Hin and Kamala Beach, Phuket, as they gathered for the 9th annual Sang Nam Jai Thai Nation fun run. The event, which is part of a nationwide series, aims to uplift awareness about strokes and their potentially life-altering impacts. The Sang Nam Jai…
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Mpox outbreak in Thailand: 24 infected, one death reported
Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) has claimed the life of a man in Thailand and infected an additional 24 people, as disclosed by the acting director-general of the Disease Control Department today. The affected individual was a 24 year old Thai male, who had been battling HIV for three years prior to contracting mpox. His symptoms included high fever, physical…
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Love story unfolds: Chinese woman marries firefighter who saved her life
A compelling love story unfolded between a firefighter and a woman who was on the brink of committing suicide. Despite the initial circumstances appearing dismal, their paths crossed, proving that anything can happen in this world. Recently, an apartment building in Fuzhou, China became the scene of a gripping incident. A woman stood precariously on the ledge, contemplating ending her…
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Meter’s ticking: Bangkok taxi fare fiasco fuels call for stricter rules
A taxi driver in Bangkok who declined to use his meter and instead tried to charge a fixed fare of 300 baht has prompted a demand for more stringent enforcement by the relevant authorities. The incident occurred today when a passenger named Kannika Sena informed Khaosod Online about her experience. Kannika had just returned from out of town and visited…
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Fake Hi-So man swindles over 10 million baht from women
Police arrested a Thai man who created a fake Hi-So (high society) profile to swindle more than 30 women out of over 10 million baht. A number of his victims were too embarrassed to report the crime to the police, allowing the man to continue his deceitful operations for years. However, several victims did come forward to file a complaint…
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Mother Pao’s minty-fresh generosity: Herbal toothpaste mogul gives back to seniors
A well-known businesswoman, widely recognized as Mother Pao and serving as the chairperson of a prominent herbal toothpaste company, generously shared her wealth among the community’s elderly. In remembrance of her birthplace, Nakhon Ratchasima province, and coinciding with the annual end of Buddhist Lent, Sunantha Leelertphan, donated to the elderly in the Bua Yai district and neighbouring areas every year.…
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Naga Fireballs dazzle spectators at Buddhist Lent finale in northeastern Thailand
The Naga Fireballs phenomenon, a highlight of the end of Buddhist Lent festivities in Nong Khai, did not disappoint the expectant crowd this year. The provincial statistics revealed a total of 289 fireballs observed today by around 83,610 spectators. The Naga Fireballs, a mysterious and awe-inspiring natural phenomenon, were seen along the Mekong River in Nong Khai province. The spectacle…
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