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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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BEV sales set to outstrip targets despite stricter loan criteria
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) predicts sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to exceed the set target of 40,000 units, by reaching between 60,000 to 70,000 units this year. This surge is despite the stricter loan criteria by banks, which pose a potential threat to Thailand’s domestic car manufacturing. According to Surapong Paisitpatanapong, vice-chairman of the FTI and spokesperson…
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TrueMoney, true borders: Fintech giants unite for cross-border payments
Ant Group and TrueMoney, a dominant fintech company in Southeast Asia, have forged a collaboration to facilitate mobile payments across borders between China and Thailand, a move that will see Thai tourists making cross-border payments to millions of merchants in China via the TrueMoney e-wallet. The cross-border payments are facilitated by Alipay+, a cross-border mobile payment ecosystem under Ant Group,…
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Energy Absolute sees a revenue soar due to EV demand and battery sales
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET)-listed renewable energy and electric vehicle (EV) developer and operator, Energy Absolute (EA), is set to record a significant surge in its total revenue. This year’s revenue is projected to exceed 41 billion baht, a substantial leap from last year’s 27.5 billion baht. This surge can be attributed to the burgeoning demand for commercial EVs…
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Thailand’s 1 trillion baht land bridge project seeks foreign investors
Thailand’s Transport Ministry is actively seeking investors for a megaproject, dubbed the land bridge, which aims to connect Chumphon on the Gulf of Thailand’s eastern coastline to Ranong along the Andaman Sea. The mission to attract funds will involve roadshows in China, Europe, and the United States. Suriya Jungrungreangkit, the Transport Minister, shared these updates on the project’s progress in…
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Kamala resident nabbed for motorbike thef in Phuket
A 31 year old Kamala resident Sahat Max Laksakul was apprehended today by the Patong Police on charges of motorbike theft. The arrest followed an incident in which a white-black Honda Click 125i was reported missing from Meg Khram The Sunshine Restaurant, situated on the road between Patong and Kalim. The incident transpired around 5pm on Monday, September 18, and…
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China’s unusual belly button sticker trend creates illusion of longer legs
A rising beauty trend in China is causing a stir online as women flock to purchase temporary tattoo stickers designed to resemble belly buttons. This unusual belly button sticker trend aims to create an illusion of a shorter torso and longer legs, with an increasing number of women reported to be adopting this practice. The beauty trend, which has taken…
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Teenagers accused of sexual assault on minor after cannabis use, victim pregnant
A 15 year old teenager, part of a group of five, has been accused of sexually assaulting a 14 year old girl, who is now pregnant after they had consumed cannabis. The girl’s aunt reported the incident to the Khlong Luang Police Station at 11am today. The aunt, accompanied by Cholada Butwicha, a representative from the Survive page, brought the…
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Arresting attention: Handsome traffic officer’s viral photo drives social media frenzy in Thailand
A traffic officer’s photograph from the Facebook page of Phitsanulok City Police Station Traffic Department has gone viral, attributing its popularity to the officer’s good looks. The post, which was accompanied by a message encouraging safe driving and compliance with traffic laws, attracted numerous comments, especially from women expressing a desire to be arrested. The flurry of queries about the…
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Design disability disaster: Thailand’s online critique on wheelchair walkway accessibility
The online community in Thailand is buzzing with criticism, following the sharing of a photo depicting a poorly designed walkway for people with disabilities. The image shows a sign for a wheelchair-accessible route set in the middle of a narrow, uneven pavement, blocked by an electricity pole. Frustratingly, the location has not been named. Online users are urging local authorities…
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Manila money munch: Airport officer’s theft cover-up caught on camera (video)
A security camera at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines, captured the moment when an airport security officer tried to destroy evidence of a theft she committed – by swallowing the stolen money. The Chinese victim, identified as Cai, told local media that the theft occurred at around 8am on September 8 while he was going through a baggage…
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Room key row turns sharp: Hotel worker stabbed in Pattaya dispute
A hotel worker in Pattaya was stabbed after a dispute with a woman who was attempting to gain unlawful access to the premises. The incident, which took place at 10.06pm yesterday, prompted an immediate response from the local police, and emergency services. The scene, located at the Central Mall Shopping Center, was a hive of activity as authorities discovered the injured…
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Parking pickle: Bangkok condo resident slapped with 20,000 baht fine
A Bangkok resident has been hit a hefty fine of 20,000 baht after leaving her car parked in the condo’s parking lot for 20 days. The unnamed condominium management team explained to the resident, named Jen, that a fine is triggered once a vehicle remains stationary for over 15 days. This regulation is part of the condo’s rules, which Jen…
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Nigerian arrested in Bangkok for drug trafficking, used cookie box to hide cocaine
In a recent drug trafficking bust, Bangkok Metropolitan Police (BMP) apprehended a Nigerian man involved in the possession and sale of cocaine, following a tip-off about his activities in the Rama 9 area of the capital. The BMP apprehended the Nigerian man, Chiemela Solomon Onu, for possessing and selling cocaine. The arrest took place at a condominium in the Rama…
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Lost love: Roadside reunion with sex doll ‘ex’ leaves Taiwan buzzing
An intriguing incident recently created a stir on Taiwanese social media, following the discovery of an abandoned ex-girlfriend on a roadside. This ex-girlfriend, a heavily used worn-out sex doll, was wrapped in a white cloth and left on the roadside grass, sparking sympathy and astonishment among netizens. The peculiar event was shared on the public Facebook group, the Taiwanese public…
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Chilling confession: Sadistic child killer reveals horror tale behind children’s murders
Sadistic child killer Songsak Songsaeng revealed to police officers the harrowing details of his children’s murders. He claimed that he killed only three of them and that two others died of illness. KhaoSod reported today that Songsak shifted blame for his violent acts onto his wives and children. He further claimed that his mental health issues had made it difficult…
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Double rainbow dazzles northeastern Thailand with hopes of good fortune
An unusual spectacle of two rainbows at once stirred excitement among the residents of Sisaket, in northeastern Thailand who believe it to be a sign of forthcoming good fortune. The rare phenomenon occurred following a day of continuous heavy rainfall, which had cast a gloomy atmosphere over the area. As the rain ceased and sunlight pierced through the cloud cover,…
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Roof ruckus: Thai roofing contractor shot dead by condo owner over wrong roof design
A Thai condominium owner shot dead a roofing contractor because he didn’t like the design of the roof he constructed in Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok. Bang Sao Thong Police Station officers rushed to the scene of the shooting at a pool hall on Soi Thai Prakan 2/1 in Bang Sao Thong district, Samut Prakarn province. Officers found one man…
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Cool ride, hot water: Fake licence plate lands young Thai man in prison
A young Thai man faces five years in prison after he was arrested by Ubon Ratchathani Highway Police for using a fake red licence plate. The suspect had a genuine plate but claimed he used the fraudulent one to make his vehicle look cool. The police suspect he was trying to evade traffic tickets. Forging government documents, such as licence…
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Former Thai PM Thaksin’s parole could be as early as February
Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is expected to be granted parole as early as the latter part of February next year, following a reduction of his original eight-year prison term to a single year. This update was provided by a high-ranking official from the Department of Corrections. The 74 year old former prime minister made his way back to Thailand…
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Police officer fatally shot by colleague at Thai ops base
A terrifying incident unfolded when a police officer from a special operations unit was brutally gunned down by a fellow officer at their operations base in Rangae district, Narathiwat, southern Thailand. The victim was on guard duty when his colleague unleashed a hail of bullets from an M16 rifle, instantly killing him. National Police Chief Police General Damrongsak Kittiprapas promptly…
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Phuket’s taxi turf war: App-hailing shakes up local cooperatives
The rise in popularity of taxi apps and cheaper fares threatens the long-standing dominance of local taxi cooperatives at key tourist locations in Phuket. Officials convened with representatives of these groups yesterday to address the emerging issues. The discussion took place at the Phuket Provincial Ombudsman’s Office and was led by Phuket Vice Governor Anupap Rodkhwan Yodrambam. One contentious issue…
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Flaming love: Pre-wedding photoshoot sparks wildfire, shuts down Indonesian park (video)
A pre-wedding photoshoot gone awry in Indonesia’s Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park caused a substantial wildfire, forcing the temporary closure of the popular tourist site. The fire, which spread over 312 acres, was sparked by a flare used in the photoshoot. National park officials revealed that the fire was ignited by a flare shot during a pre-wedding photoshoot of a…
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Solar sparks fly: SPCG revs up to electrify Eastern Economic Corridor
After nearly two years of delay, SPCG, a leading solar farm developer in Thailand, is set to start construction of solar farms within the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). SPCG anticipates generating a combined power capacity of 500 megawatts. The delay was due to the need to identify suitable areas for the project and awaiting the license approval from the new…
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Lucky gecko’s double tail: The house’s ticket to lottery fortune in Thailand
Residents of a house believe a distinctive two-tailed gecko they spotted clinging to a wall in Phayao province, Thailand is a lucky lottery omen. The homeowner, holding a belief in the superstition that geckos are harbingers of good luck, decided to take a chance with the lottery by using the house number. These particular geckos, remarkably plump and measuring approximately…
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Shaky start: Chiang Rai rumbles with four earthquakes, but no harm done
Chiang Rai, a northern province in Thailand, experienced four minor earthquakes this morning, the most powerful registering a magnitude of 3.6. According to the Earthquake Observation Division of the Thai Meteorological Department, no damage or casualties have been reported. The initial tremor, with a magnitude of 3.6, was detected at 12.45am under tambon Dong Mada in the Mae Lao district.…
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Mind the gap! Bangkok BTS Skytrain startles passengers with open-door drama
A video clip of a Bangkok BTS Skytrain running with one of its doors wide open left passengers and netizens shocked. The footage, which quickly spread around the world online, was captured on a BTS Skytrain in Thailand. A TikTok user, under the account @star111042, shared the video, warning others not to stand or lean against the doors. The video…
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Former FFP MP, Pannika Wanich, banned for life for disrespecting Thai monarchy
The Supreme Court issued an official notice, permanently banning former Future Forward Party (FFP) MP Pannika “Chor” Wanich from participating in elections and holding political positions for life, following her display of disrespect towards the monarchy. This action stems from a 2019 Facebook post by Chor, which prompted the secretary-general of the Association for the Protection of the Thai Constitution,…
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Weixin Pay rolls out red carpet for tourists in Thailand with new payment perks
Tencent’s Weixin Pay, commonly known as WeChat Pay, a Chinese payment service provider, has introduced innovative features aimed at simplifying payments for foreign tourists in China and cross-border transactions in Thailand. These features allow visitors to conveniently make payments by scanning QR codes, streamlining the payment process. Starting in July, Tencent has been collaborating closely with major global credit card…
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Thailand biz shields up: Low cyberattacks, high cybersecurity worries in ASEAN
In the past year, Thai corporations experienced the lowest number of disruptive cyberattacks among ASEAN nations, with only 22% reporting an increase in incidents by 50% or more, according to a recent survey by global cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks. However, cybersecurity remains a significant concern for Thai businesses as they grapple with increasingly complex threats. The survey, which examined…
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Phuket’s tourism boom: Visa-free policy sparks influx of Chinese and Kazakhstani visitors
The popular tourist destination of Phuket is on the cusp of a significant increase in Chinese and Kazakhstani visitors, thanks to a new visa-free policy set to take effect next week. The policy, unveiled in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday, grants 30-day visa-free stays for nationals from both countries, starting from Monday and extending until February 29. The Tourism Authority…
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