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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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Child seat vehicle laws go into effect in Phuket: 2,000 baht fine
Buckle up kids! The public, particularly parents, have once again been reminded about the new safety regulations regarding child seats in vehicles within Phuket. As relayed by the Phuket Info Centre today, the National Police Agency’s legislation demands the use of industry-approved child safety seats. The fledgeling law, enforced from August 17, mandates that all children below the age of…
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Phetchabun karaoke bar raided for suspected child exploitation, owner arrested
Police conducted a raid on a karaoke bar in Phetchabun, arresting a 39 years old woman, for allegedly running a service offering underage girls catering to customers’ pleasures. The bar, advertised under the Facebook account E ลำยองโอ้ลั้นล้า, allegedly allowed teenagers under 18 years old to engage with customers in a salacious manner. The bar raid was conducted as part of…
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Stabbing: Ex-lover murders woman at hotpot over 1,000 baht
Last night, a 40 year old man reportedly stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death in a rage. The stabbing took place in front of a grocery store near a table used for hotpot and beer, located in a residential area of Samut Sakhon, Thailand. The 37 year old woman was sitting with her friends when the brutal act was committed. Police Colonel…
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ATM theft: Police nab debt-driven man who stole 400,000 baht
Police in Nakhon Si Thammarat successfully apprehended a lone desperate man responsible for the theft of a Krungthai bank ATM. The incident took place in front of the Rajaprajanukroh 8 School, a secluded area in the Ban Na Thap community. The arrest was made following an investigation into the theft from August 16, where the culprit made away with almost 400,000 baht.…
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Exat toll hike on key expressways pauses by Ministry of Transport
The Progressive Ministry of Transport has issued a directive to the Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) to maintain the current toll charges for Chalong Rat and Bang Na expressways for another six months, running through February of next year. This development will stave off the proposal by Exat to implement a 10% increase in tolls on both routes. The toll…
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Chinese resurgence transforms Bangkok’s Huai Khwang district into new Chinatown
Bangkok’s Huai Khwang district, home to a rising number of Chinese expatriates, is reinforcing its reputation as the city’s second Yaowarat or New Chinatown. The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a temporary withdrawal of Chinese vendors from the district, but with the Chinese government deciding to lift border restrictions earlier this year, investors appear to be flocking back. The district’s pulse…
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Nearly extinct Eastern Sarus Crane eggs discovered in rice field
In a significant win for wildlife conservation, eggs of the Eastern Sarus Crane – also known as Thai Cranes – were found in a rice field adjacent to the Huai Talat Reservoir Non-Hunting Area in the Mueang district of Buriram, according to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP). The cranes were believed to be mostly extinct…
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Thailand Consumer Council appeals for higher elderly pension
In a recent online forum, the Thailand Consumers Council (TCC) voiced a call to the new government the reconsideration a policy that restricts certain elderly individuals from obtaining monthly grants, advocating instead for the reinstatement and enhancement of the universal pension scheme to pay 3,000 baht each month. Nimit Tienudom, the vice-chair of TCC and the representative of the People’s…
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Songkhla mother alleges neighbour tricked son into drug use
A mother in the province of Songkhla has filed a complaint with the Paveena Hongsakul Foundation for Women and Children, claiming that her 10 year old son has recently been showing signs of drug abuse. His erratic behaviour included destructiveness, verbal abuse towards family members, and attempting to harm a cat. The distressing behavioural shift came to a head when…
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Online fraud declines as Thais embraces digital safety measures
Chaiwuti Thanakamanusorn is confident that online crime measures are effective, as statistics of online scams show a decline. The public is also increasingly aware and cautious, preventing themselves from becoming victims of online fraud. Chaiwuti, the Thai Minister of Digital Economy and Society (MDES), is urging the public to adopt measures to protect themselves from becoming victims of organized cybercriminal…
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Khai Huang international drug trafficking gang busted in Bangkok
A sophisticated cross-border drug trafficking gang named Khai Huang led by four prominent figures was busted in a luxurious house in the heart of Bangkok. The gang had been smuggling crystal methamphetamine concealed within the axle rods of trucks for international shipment. The head operatives, 34 year old Chen Yu Ning and 26year old Li Ming Zhen, were arrested today at…
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12 year old girl duped into sending explicit photos by school fraudster
Soliciting explicit images under the guise of a teacher, a person online commanded a 12 year old girl to capture and send revealing photos of herself. After these images were posted on social media, they were discovered by the girl’s mother who was shocked to stumble upon her daughter undressing. A plea for help yesterday was submitted to the Nakhon…
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Prachinburi print shop overcharges customer, shocking Internet
A disheartening incident unfolded when a woman was charged 500 baht for scanning four documents, at a print shop in the area of Ban Rabao Phai, Sri Maha Pho District, Prachinburi. The shop owner extended his apologies due to a lack of knowledge about appropriate pricing and offered a reimbursement, which the woman declined. Upon scanning the documents, the customer,…
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Cockroach’s thrilling 2,000-km journey rivets Chinese plane passenger
An exciting in-flight encounter with a stowaway cockroach caught the attention of social media after a female Chinese passenger on a flight from Shibaoshan to Ningbo noticed the critter. The insect’s surprising endurance while clinging onto the aeroplane window during a 2,000-kilometre journey at high altitudes added a thrill to the passenger’s air travel experience. The passenger, who opted for…
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Pick-up truck wrecks government-owned rest spot in Nakhon Ratchasima
A pick-up truck driver lost control of his vehicle, causing a multi-flip crash, which ultimately led to the destruction of a state pavilion in Nakhon Ratchasima province. Given the severity of the crash, an investigation was immediately launched to ascertain the circumstances around the incident, which occurred earlier today. Responding to the incident were officers from the Phimai police station,…
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Phuket tackles youth e-cigarette control through educational drive and policy reform
Phuket leadership convened yesterday with members of anti-tobacco organisations, reaching an agreement aimed at new control to limit e–cigarette access to young individuals across the island. Yesterday’s gathering saw Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew meet with representatives from the Non-Smoking Campaign Foundation and the Phuket Smoke-Free News Centre Network. The meeting took place at the Royal Phuket City Hotel, where a…
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InterContinental attends funeral for hotel employee’s mum after denying leave request
The InterContinental Khao Yai Resort in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Chong district expressed its condolences and empathy towards a former staff member whose mother died. But after they denied her leave – a move that went viral – the hotel management attended the funeral of the employee’s mother. Is it a change of heart, or a desperate bid to look caring…
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Bangkok hotel’s eerie statue to stay despite public outcry, officials seek shield solution
A controversial statue displayed at Bangkok’s Bazaar Hotel on Ratchadaphisek Road stirred a debate within the community, prompting the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to weigh in on the matter. Despite public criticism, the unique sculpture has been permitted to remain at the hotel premises by the BMA. Chadchart Sittipunt, the Governor of Bangkok, responded to inquiries about any potential legal…
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Drunken motorcyclists plunge into power cable pit on Ladprao road
Emergency responders rushed to help two Burmese men after they reportedly plunged their motorcycles into a conduit for power cables on Ladprao Road, located in front of the Lumnai Bar, home to controversial figure Kru Kai Kaew. The unfortunate incident occurred a little after 1am yesterday, due to alleged careless motorcycle riding. The two victims, believed to be intoxicated, had…
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Luxury car owner threatens debt collectors with pistol before fleeing
A video went viral yesterday showing a posh sedan owner brandishing a pistol to threaten repossession officials, before speeding off. The video was posted to Twitter by user Red Skull. In it, viewers could see a debt collection agency attempting to seize a luxurious car due after consecutive defaults on instalment payments. The attempt was thwarted when the in-debt owner…
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Rayong lottery seller scoops 6 million baht first prize following temple rites
A local lottery vendor in Rayong Province struck gold recently with the first prize in the national lottery, following a round of prayers at Wat Lao-ok. The win came soon after the lucky aura of Toa Wessuwan at Wat Lao-ok presumably assisted in a second-prize win. The extraordinary turn of events unfolded on August 18 when 61 year old vendor…
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University student falls for double onlinescam, losing 350,000 baht
A university student found himself in a web of deception after falling victim to an online scam, only to be scammed again by fake police officers who offered to reclaim his lost money. The young man ended up losing a total of 350,000 baht. The incident led to a warning about such online scams appearing on the Facebook page Drama-addict.…
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Restroom alert: Thai man’s warning after pervert offers ‘blow job’ at petrol station
A Thai man issued a warning to people using a bathroom at a petrol station after a pervert approached him, seeking to give him a “blow job.” The victim, a 28 year old man named A, revealed to ThaiRath that the incident occurred on Tuesday night, August 15. As he was making his way home from work, a natural need arose,…
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Runway cracks resolved: Phuket Airport gets back on smooth flight path
Airports of Thailand’s Phuket branch, responsible for managing Phuket International Airport, confirmed yesterday, that the runway cracks which led to multiple flight delays and one diversion to Krabi have been addressed and rectified. The announcement was initially made via state-run Radio Thailand Phuket last night. It was also announced by the National News Bureau of Thailand’s national platform but it…
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Pattaya taxi turf war leaves four ride-share drivers severely injured
An otherwise quiet alleyway in Pattaya erupted in violence at around 2.30am today when an eruption of animosity between rival motorbike taxi groups led to a serious altercation. The stand-off which unfolded nearby a popular tourist spot, Central Mall, and within a stone’s throw of the Pattaya Police Station, involved traditional orange-vested motorbike taxi riders, known as Win, and ride-sharing…
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Phuket braces for rain havoc: Urgent weather alert signals flood risk
The southern province of Phuket has been included in an urgent weather notification that advocates for all hands on deck amid the risk of flash floods possibly instigated by heavy, persistent rain forecasted to batter the Andaman coast starting from Sunday, August 20. This alert was issued yesterday by Boonsom Cholpitakwong, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Office of National Water…
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Monk stabs fellow monk at temple in Rayong over alleged misunderstanding
Last night, an incident unfolded at a temple in the eastern province of Rayong where one monk stabbed another monk. The monk who carried out the act stated that he mistakenly believed the victim to be a potential thief. Phe Police Station officers rushed to the unnamed temple at 10pm yesterday after being notified about the stabbing incident. Upon arrival,…
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Bangkok property developers anticipate economic rebound
Bangkok-based property developers on the Stock Exchange of Thailand are optimistic about an economic bounce back in the latter half of the year, expecting it to help meet their annual performance targets after a subdued start to the year. Property Perfect Plc., under the management of Wongsakorn Prasitvipat, is set to launch nine fresh housing ventures in the second half.…
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Cash caper: Thieves on the run after snatching 400,000 baht from Krung Thai Bank ATM
Thieves remain at large after stealing about 400,000 baht from a Krung Thai Bank ATM in front of Prachanukroh School in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. The deputy manager of the Krung Thai Bank, Janjira Saelim, yesterday lodged a complaint at Tha Sala Police Station complaining that thieves had stolen money from the ATM in the early hours…
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Brewing trouble: Woman fined for stirring up coffee chaos with laxative prank
In a recent ruling by a South Korean court, a woman in her twenties has been fined 2 million won (53,000 baht), for spiking a man’s coffee with laxatives last year. The incident led to health issues and emotional distress for the 19 year old victim, who alleged that the resultant trauma hampered his performance in college entrance examinations. This…
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