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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 New in July: Save 10% for life on family health plans in Thailand
Cigna has a special offer this July for families in Thailand. When you sign up three or more people on a family health plan, you will save 10% on your premiums for life. This deal helps you get affordable, high-quality...
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Thai man trapped in a crooked web of deceit seeks media help after being swindled by cunning con artist
A Thai man sought help from a Thai media agency to highlight his plight after falling victim to a crooked Thai woman who spun a web of deceit and swindled over 300,000 baht from him. It was later discovered he wasn’t her only victim and that she had also deceived numerous men by manipulating romantic relationships. A 41 year old…
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Reality show ‘Keep Running’ to boost Chinese tourism to Pattaya, mayor says
In Pattaya, over the past few days, crowds of excited fans and camera crews have been spotted at various locations, such as Grande Centre Point Space Hotel and the World’s Largest 7-eleven in South Pattaya. The reason behind this excitement is the filming of episodes for the popular Chinese reality and variety show “Keep Running.” The show features famous Chinese…
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China-Africa Expo to boost trade, explore emerging sectors
The upcoming third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, set to take place in Changsha from June 29 to July 2, is expected to further enhance economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa. The expo, which occurs every two years in Hunan Province, has gained significance as a platform under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation framework. China currently holds the…
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Neighbour arrested for murder after 3 year old girl found dead in Narathiwat pond
A village man has been arrested for allegedly abducting, assaulting, and killing a three year old girl in Narathiwat. The case of a missing three year old girl in Narathiwat province tragically turned into a murder investigation when her body was discovered in a pond 500 metres from her home on May 16. The girl had disappeared from her house on…
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Eeling lucky: Sausage seller reels in twin albino eels, locals hooked on fortune
Two albino eels caught within two days by a sausage seller have captured the attention of residents, who believe the eels are bringing good fortune. The fortunate fisherman also found lottery success in the last draw. At 1pm yesterday, reporters were informed that 42 year old Boonmee Marman, a sausage seller living in the Mueang district of Loei province, discovered…
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Thai government weighs extending diesel excise tax cut beyond July
The Thai government is considering extending the excise tax cut on diesel, which is set to expire on July 20. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha directed the Finance Ministry and other relevant agencies to evaluate the feasibility of prolonging the tax reduction. Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow revealed that the Finance Ministry has been tasked with determining the appropriateness of an extension.…
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Pattaya parades: International PRIDE and Festival march to be hosted simultaneously
Pattaya is gearing up for a spectacular day on June 24, 2023, as the city prepares to host two major parades simultaneously. The International PRIDE Parade and Pattaya Festival Parade are set to attract thousands of participants and visitors, while also causing traffic disruptions in the area. The International PRIDE Parade will kick off the day’s celebrations, with a colourful…
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Motorcyclist injured in accident near notorious Phuket black spot
A motorcyclist is recovering at Thalang Hospital after a crash with a pickup truck outside Tha Ruea Shrine, Phuket earlier today. The woman, 28 year old Soolfa Taemtophol from Kamala, sustained a facial cut and several abrasions on her body. Following initial reports, care providers and local law enforcement responded just before 11am, finding the motorcyclist injured on Thepkrasattri Road…
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Neo Pattaya project revitalises Old Town Naklua with multimillion-baht budget
Pattaya’s deputy mayor, Manoch Nongyai, yesterday oversaw a restoration project at Chalerm Phrakiat Public Park in Old Town Naklua. The initiative is part of the larger Neo Pattaya project, which aims to transform Pattaya into a central hub for commerce and tourism within the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) zone. This ambitious endeavour is supported by a multimillion-baht budget, and authorities…
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Pattaya bar workers and Indian tourists fight
In the early hours of this morning, a violent altercation took place between a group of bar workers and two Indian tourists at the entrance of Soi 16 and Walking Street in Pattaya. The incident occurred in front of Kamaa Club, located at the entrance of Walking Street from Soi 16 in South Pattaya, Nong Prue sub-district, Bang Lamung district,…
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Driver asleep at wheel injures 5, including 3 foreigners, in Phatthalung crash
A passenger van en route to Krabi met with an accident in Phatthalung, resulting in injuries to three foreign nationals and two Thai individuals. The incident took place yesterday on Petchkasem Road, with Sri Nakarin Police being notified in the afternoon. Emergency services discovered the damaged minivan on the side of the road, having crashed into a power pole. A…
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Tragic love triangle ends in fatal shooting: Jealous Thai woman admits accidental killing of boyfriend in Bangkok
A jealous Thai woman fatally shot her boyfriend at a condominium in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok. Initially denying the murder, the woman later confessed that the shooting was an unintended consequence of a heated argument. Officers from the Bang Kluay Police Station swiftly launched an investigation into the untimely death of Suppasin Sisook. The lifeless body of the 30 year…
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Thai Cabinet supports Ethanol Bioplastic for eco-friendly transition
The Thai Cabinet has given the green light for the promotion of ethanol in the production of bioplastics, aiming to develop more eco-friendly materials, according to government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri. This decision supports the ethanol bioplastic manufacturing industry with tax exemptions for bioethylene, a key precursor in bioplastic pellet production. Current legislation states that domestically produced ethanol can only be…
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Driver who severely injured Thai actor ordered to pay 4.17 million, still battles case
News has emerged of Thai actor Off Thanakrit, who became bedridden after a severe road accident involving a drunk woman crashed her car into the back of his motorcycle. The court recently sentenced the woman to one year imprisonment and ordered her to pay a total of 4,172,962.62 baht (US$120,577) in damages, while the defendant continues to battle the case…
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Germany returns ancestral remains, artefacts to New Zealand in heartfelt gesture
In a poignant gesture, Germany has returned the ancestral remains of 95 Indigenous New Zealanders, along with artefacts and cultural treasures, to their homeland. The remains of the Maori and Moriori individuals, including six mummified tattooed heads known as toi moko, were received at Te Papa, New Zealand’s national museum, in a private ceremony. Craig Hawke, New Zealand’s Ambassador to…
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Malaysia anticipates improved US human trafficking report ranking
Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has expressed optimism that Malaysia’s ranking in the US Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report will show improvement this year. Currently, Malaysia is placed in Tier 3, which puts the country in a disadvantageous position. The TIP report is scheduled to be released tomorrow night, and the Home Ministry is set to have an engagement session…
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Seven arrested in Malaysia over Pakistani human trafficking suspicions
Seven Pakistani men were arrested in Kuala Lumpur on suspicion of involvement in a human trafficking case. The suspects, aged between 21 and 44, were apprehended at an apartment in Taman Pandan Perdana, Ampang. The police were alerted to the situation by a 23-year-old Pakistani male victim who had been beaten by four of the suspects, who were believed to…
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22 PR1MA housing projects underway, 13 ‘sick’ projects targeted for 2024 completion
Twenty-two 1Malaysia People’s Housing Programme (PR1MA) projects are currently under construction, including 13 that are classified as ‘sick’ projects. Deputy Local Government Development Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir reported that as of yesterday, 54 PR1MA projects had been completed, with another 10 still in the planning stage. “Of the 54 projects that have been completed, two of them have received…
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Thai interest rates raised to 2% by BoT amid core inflation worries
The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Thailand (BoT) anticipates ongoing economic growth with some potential risks, as evidenced by their decision to increase the key Thai interest rates for the sixth consecutive meeting, according to the minutes released recently. On May 31, the committee unanimously agreed to increase the one-day repurchase rate by a quarter point to 2%,…
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Malaysia seeks Interpol help to find comedian over MH370 joke outrage
Interpol’s assistance is being sought by Malaysia’s police chief to track down Jocelyn Chia, a New York-based, Singapore-born comedian whose joke about the missing MH370 flight has sparked outrage and led to diplomatic apologies. Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani announced the decision to request Interpol’s help in the ongoing investigation. Chia, a former lawyer believed to have become…
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UK economy grows 0.2% in April driven by pubs and car sales
The United Kingdom’s economy experienced growth in April, with a 0.2% increase following a 0.3% contraction in March, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The data revealed a 0.1% growth over the three months leading up to April. ONS Director of Economic Statistics, Darren Morgan, attributed the bounce back to strong performance in bars and pubs, a rebound…
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El Niño threatens Thai agriculture with 5% rainfall drop and water shortages
The El Niño weather pattern’s impact on Thailand is becoming more apparent, with hot and dry conditions persisting despite the rainy season’s official commencement on May 22. The Meteorological Department has announced that this year’s total rainfall will be approximately 5% lower than the annual average, leading to potential water shortages and prolonged dry spells. The El Niño phenomenon, which…
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Phallic procession invokes divine showers: Thai residents parade huge wooden penis to summon rain gods (video)
Residents in the central province of Kanchanaburi took part in a ritual with an enormous wooden sculpture of a penis to invoke rain and paraded it around the community while praying to Devas, also known as Buddhism angels. The 600 kilogrammes wooden phallic sculpture, called Palad Khik in Thai, serves as an amulet that many Thai people carry with them,…
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Thai folk legend Pumpuang Duangjan’s anniversary sparks lottery frenzy
Luck favours the bold! On the 31st anniversary of the singer Pumpuang Duangjan’s passing, her legion of devoted followers planned to enter the lottery in the hopes of winning her blessings. The passing of Pumpuang Duangjan, known as the Queen of Thai Folk Music, was commemorated yesterday by family, friends, and fans who continue to admire the exceptional quality of…
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Over 200,000 parents miss out on £53m Healthy Start vouchers
Over a third of eligible parents are not receiving the Healthy Start voucher scheme, which is intended to help families afford essential items like baby formula. This revelation comes after a Sky News investigation into the extreme measures UK families are taking to feed their infants due to the soaring cost of baby formula milk. Labour MP Emma Lewell-Buck is…
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Royal Thai Air Force defends 50 million South Korean guidance kit acquisition
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) yesterday defended its purchase of guidance-extended range kits from South Korea, worth 50 million baht, asserting that the acquisition adheres to regulations. RTAF spokesperson AVM Prapas Sornchaidee explained that the kits will be utilised with 500-pound air-dropped bombs to improve the air force’s long-range air strike capabilities, in line with the country’s defence preparation…
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Brake urges 20mph limit near schools to cut child road casualties
Safety charity Brake has called for a 20mph speed limit to be imposed on all roads near schools in the UK to reduce child fatalities. Last year, 2,456 children under 16 were seriously injured or killed on the country’s roads. Many councils have already implemented 20mph zones near schools, but Brake claims that two-thirds of parents report higher limits on…
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Malaysia allocates $750m to tackle rural poverty, plans new job programmes
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is set to convene a meeting with district officers across Malaysia next week to address the pressing issue of hardcore poverty, particularly in rural areas. Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan revealed that the government has allocated US$750 million in the 2023 budget for this purpose, which will be directed to the Ministry of Economy to implement…
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KLIA aerotrain service upgrade set for 2023 completion, minister urges haste
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is set to have one of its two Automated People Mover (APM) or aerotrain services back in operation next year. The Transport Minister, Anthony Loke, has instructed Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) to ensure the upgrading works are completed on schedule or earlier. The aerotrain has been in service for 25 years and is now…
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Terrifying near-miss in Ratchaburi prompts calls for improved road safety measures
A terrifying incident occurred on a dark, poorly lit road when a white sedan suddenly emerged from a side road, narrowly missing a pickup truck, before crashing into a road sign and street isle. The drivers of both vehicles, as well as passengers, escaped unharmed from the ordeal in Ratchaburi province. A social media user shared a video of the…
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