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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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Tourist police crackdown on overcharging on Khao San Road
Bangkok Tourist Police on Khao San Road yesterday were approached by several angry foreign tourists after they had been ripped off. The victims told officers that tuk tuk and taxi drivers in the area had tricked them into buying expensive products and services. According to the Bangkok Tourist Police, some tuk tuk and taxi drivers near Khao San Road reportedly…
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Three suspected Burmese migrants found brutally murdered in southern Thailand forest
Police have launched a murder investigation after the bodies of three men were found dumped in a forest in Songkhla province in southern Thailand yesterday. Police suspect the men were migrant workers, possibly from Myanmar. At 7.30am, officers at Bang Klam Police Station were informed that three men were found dead at a fly-tipping spot in the forest, around 200…
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Thailand’s voters say no to legalisation of casinos and e-cigarettes
A recent survey conducted by the Center of Alcohol Studies (CAS) across 12 provinces in Thailand revealed that the majority of citizens do not want the government to gamble on their health and fortune, rejecting the legalisation of casinos and e-cigarettes. The CAS yesterday held a meeting in Bangkok to discuss the report’s findings with family and youth networks urging…
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Thai tourism officials to monitor impact of SVB collapse
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will monitor the long-term impact of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) on Thailand’s tourism. However, TAT believes that the situation is unlikely to cause an immediate slowdown in long-haul markets. The bank’s closure last Friday raised concerns about possible economic turbulence, especially given the number of startups and tech companies it served.…
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Patong bar raided for child prostitution, 6 teenagers rescued
The special operation unit from the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) conducted an undercover raid on Velvet bar on Bangla Walking Street in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket yesterday after being notified of child prostitution involving teenagers under 18 years old. The international anti-trafficking organisation, Operation Underground Railroad, complained to the DOPA that Velvet bar on Bangla Walking Street lured…
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Windsurfing and paddleboarding competition coming up in Pattaya
An exciting windsurfing and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) competition is coming up in Pattaya from March 16 to March 26, in a bid to promote tourism and boost the economy. The competition will take place in Jomtien near the Beach Sports Service Center. The event is divided into two categories, with windsurfing taking place from March 16 to 19, and SUP…
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SUV crashes into motorcycle killing 4 including 2 young children
A tragic accident involving a sidecar motorcycle and SUV occurred on a road in the central province of Suphan Buri on Monday, resulting in the deaths of four people, including two young children, a four year old girl and eight month old baby. The SUV driver blamed the motorcycle rider for cutting off his car but a witness reported a…
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Thailand to adopt stricter firearm controls amid rise in gun-related crimes
Thailand is adopting stricter firearm controls amid a rise in gun-related crimes. The Cabinet is set to draft a firearms act which deems all privately owned firearms and ammunition must be registered with a government agency. According to The Star, the draft act was approved on Tuesday. Government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek confirmed the news adding that the current measures in…
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Pod of dolphins makes an appearance in Phang Nga
A pod of dolphins made an appearance in Phang Nga‘s Mu Ko Surin National Park in the Khura Buri district, much to the delight of tourists. A tour boat was travelling through the park when the captain spotted the dolphins. The captain slowed the speedboat to let the tourists admire the creatures. The dolphins stayed to hang out around the…
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Lime growers in central Thailand pick up guns to patrol for thieves
Lime growers in central Thailand aren’t playing around when it comes to protecting their produce. Lime growers in Kamphaeng Phet province are picking up guns after thieves snatched their limes in broad daylight. The farmers have formed an armed patrol unit to protect their lime gardens from theft after unprecedented price hikes. Retail prices for lime in Bangkok and major…
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Woman says Prime Minister’s security assaulted her
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is facing new scrutiny for the alleged misconduct of his security staff. Yesterday, The Thaiger reported on a woman charged with causing chaos in public as the prime minister passed. But now, former Puea Chart Party election candidate, Wanthana Othong, is telling her side of the story. She has filed a complaint against PM Prayut’s security…
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Ancient Buddhist stupa emerges from Mekong river in Thailand
A Buddhist stupa believed to be over 700 years old has emerged from the Mekong River between Laos and northeast Thailand. Buddhists are flocking to Nong Khai province in Isaan to catch a glimpse of the sacred structure, which has emerged as the river’s water level has drastically fallen as Thailand enters the summer season. Phra That Lah Nong –…
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Bali to ban foreigners from renting motorbikes
Governor of the Indonesian island of Bali, I Wayan Koster, said that foreigners will soon be banned from renting motorbikes and scooters on the island. He said he will request all motorbike rental shops to ban foreigners from using their services. The governor has had enough of foreign tourists violating traffic rules… “As tourists, act as tourists, using the vehicles prepared…
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Pattaya officials discuss motorcycle taxis and other issues plaguing Walking Street
Pattaya officials, police, and business owners on Walking Street held a meeting yesterday to discuss motorcycle taxis and other issues plaguing the street. One of the main issues discussed was the complaints of motorcycle taxi riders driving in pedestrian areas. The city officials have planned to move them to nearby areas. Garbage disposal was also discussed at the meeting. It…
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Thai woman mysteriously leaps to her death from Pattaya condominium
Police officers are investigating a mysterious scene after a woman appeared to have lost her mind and jumped naked from the seventh floor of her room at a condominium in Pattaya. The woman’s younger sister reported that she screamed “I’m scared” before leaping to her death. Officers from Mueng Pattaya Police Station rushed to the condominium in Soi Thappaya in…
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Bangkok expats raise over 350,000 baht for charity with football event
A group of German-speaking expats presented a Bangkok charity with a cheque of over 350,000 baht on Monday. The money had been raised at a football fundraiser in January. The group of expats are called the Thai.Ger Supporters. The 12th annual THAI.GER Charity Soccer Event was held on January 28 at the Ruamrudee International School- Swiss Section, a German-speaking school…
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‘Discipline’ vs science: 5.30am school start in Indonesia
The early bird catches exhaustion. Starting school early in the morning has been found in numerous studies to result in a lack of sleep and decreased focus among students. In 2014, a landmark study suggested that school should never start before 8.30am. Additionally, a 2017 study found that starting classes at 10am led to a 20% improvement in the national academic…
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Attacker slashes Burmese worker, reportedly over drunkenness
An unidentified attacker slashed a Burmese gas station worker in Chon Buri on Monday morning, reportedly over the worker’s drunkenness. Police and rescuers rushed to a gas station in the main city district at around 7am, after they were alerted of a serious assault. They found the worker, Myaung Paing, lying in a pool of blood at the gas pump.…
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No ripple effect in Thailand from US banking crisis, says Finance Minister
Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith insists that the recent troubles faced by some major banks in the United States have had no impact on Thailand so far. Arkhom added that the government is prepared to take action in case of any potential volatility that may arise from global markets. The comments were made in response to the recent collapse of Silicon…
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Bangladeshi man arrested for trying to enter Singapore by walking along Causeway
A Bangladeshi man was arrested after trying to enter Singapore through the Causeway train tracks. Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) arrested the man after he was spotted walking along the tracks. Upon reprimanding him, police say he was not carrying any identification or travel documents. According to Channel News Asia, the ICA wrote about the situation on Facebook. “The man…
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Phuket gets green light for Songkran water splashing
Phuket has been given the green light for water splashing festivities during the upcoming Thai New Year of Songkran. The president of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation, Rewat Areerob, confirmed the good news after a three-year break of no water splashing. The official celebrations will be held in Phuket Town on Dibuk Road, in front of the Limelight Avenue shopping…
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Thai man lauded after saving drowning child in Germany
A Thai man, who works in Germany, committed an act of bravery after jumping into the water to save a drowning child. According to Thai Residents, the child accidentally fell into the water, with the Thai man jumping in after. A video that was shared on Tik Tok, showed the man and child getting out of the water after they…
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Former Hong Kong fugitive flies to US from Thailand to face stock manipulation charges
A former Hong Kong fugitive has flown back to the US to face the music over his alleged stock manipulation crime. The businessman, Peter Coker junior, was allegedly involved with a money-losing New Jersey deli that was once valued at US$100 million. The defendant is expected to appear in US District Court in Newark, New Jersey after his co-conspirators were…
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Missing woman found buried in southern Thailand forest
Nakhon Si Thammarat Provincial Police Office discovered the dead body of a woman who went missing last month buried in the forest behind Khao Lom Monastery in southern Thailand. Police believe her murder was motivated by a conflict within a drug gang. Officers from the Nakhon Si Thammarat Provincial Police Office discovered the corpse of an unidentified woman buried in…
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Patong Police bust 7 for allegedly illegally processing cannabis buds
There’s been another bust in Patong over nightlife and substances. Patong Police on Monday night busted seven people for allegedly illegally processing cannabis buds. Police apprehended the seven individuals on Bangla Road, and Soi Sane Sabai. This was after the police, along with staffers from the Department of Traditional Thai medicine, inspected cannabis shops on the roads. The seven people…
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SWAT team shoots frenzied Bangkok police officer 3 times as he jumps from window (video)
UPDATE #3 The frenzied police officer who opened fire in Bangkok yesterday is seriously injured after being shot three times in the left arm, left thigh and left side of his chest by SWAT officers as he jumped out of the window holding a knife at 12.25pm. After Pol. Lt. Kitikarn Sangboon fired more than 30 continuous shots at 12:13pm,…
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Pheu Thai debt policy a vote winner
The Pheu Thai Party yesterday announced a set of policies aimed at addressing Thailand‘s mounting debt crisis in the run-up to the 2023 General Election. The party believes that these policies will be well received by voters and will help secure their victory in the upcoming polls. The election, expected to be held on May 6 or 7, will see…
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Teacher reverses over and kills 8 year old girl with pickup truck at school in northern Thailand
An eight year old girl was killed when a female teacher reversed over her head in her pickup truck at a school in Phetchabun province in lower northern Thailand yesterday. At 7am, eight year old “Nong Fangkhao” was on her way to school with her grandmother in Ban Wai subdistrict, Lom Sak district, when she was struck by a female…
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BREAKING: Frenzied police officer finally detained 24 hours after opening fire in Bangkok
UPDATE #2 At 12.25pm, SWAT police entered the frenzied police officer‘s house in the Sai Mai district in Bangkok and were able to detain him, more than 24 hours after he opened fire into the street. Officers entered the house upon hearing more than 30 continuous gunshots from inside the property at 12.13pm. Pol. Col. Kitikarn Sangboon was taken to…
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Resort encroaching on Navy land ordered demolished
The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) has ordered a luxury resort to cease its operations and to be demolished after an inspection found that it was illegally built on state land under the care of the RTN. The resort boasts six modified shipping containers made into pool villas and is located on a hilltop in the Samae San sub-district, Chon Buri.…
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