World News
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Suvarnabhumi warns against lanterns and lasers this Loy Krathong
With the Loy Krathong Festival just days away, Suvarnabhumi Airport has issued a firm warning: no sky lanterns, fireworks, balloons, sparklers, or laser beams near the airport, or risk jeopardising aviation safety. The Airports of Thailand (AOT) is calling on government agencies, businesses, and residents in surrounding areas to refrain from festive activities that could pose dangers to aircraft operations…
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Prince Andrew loses title and royal lodge in scandal fallout
A British royal has been stripped of his title and ordered to leave his Windsor home following renewed scrutiny over ties to a convicted sex offender. Andrew has been officially stripped of his royal title and ordered to vacate his Windsor residence following weeks of mounting scandal over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In a stunning announcement…
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Thailand sets sights on sky-high role as aviation powerhouse
Thailand’s transport officials are collaborating with aviation leaders to transform the country into a regional hub for aircraft maintenance and connectivity. The Transport Ministry sets plans in motion to transform the nation into a premier aviation hub for Southeast Asia. The strategy focuses heavily on boosting its maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) sector while redirecting air traffic to ease congestion…
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Thailand welcomes new Norse Air route from London to Bangkok
Thailand welcomed the first Norse Atlantic Airways flight from London-Gatwick to Bangkok, marking a new route aimed at boosting British tourism during the winter season. The inaugural flight touched down at Suvarnabhumi Airport on October 27, where it was greeted with a warm Thai-style welcome ceremony. Executives from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Airports of Thailand joined the…
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Trump and Malaysia sign trade and minerals deals to counter China
Today on October 26, US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim signed a trade agreement and a critical minerals pact in Kuala Lumpur, aimed at enhancing trade across Southeast Asia and countering China’s restrictions on rare earth access. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer noted that Malaysia would adjust its tariffs and non-tariff barriers, which is expected to…
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New Norse Air routes boost Bangkok and Phuket winter arrivals
Thailand will welcome more European visitors this winter as a low-cost airline launches five new direct routes to Bangkok and Phuket from the UK and Scandinavia. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is celebrating the launch of five new direct flights by Norse Atlantic Airways, strengthening long-haul connectivity from Europe to Bangkok and Phuket for the 2025/2026 winter season. The…
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Prince Andrew accused of royal romps on Thai taxpayer dime
A former UK official has alleged that Prince Andrew used taxpayer-funded trips to Thailand to meet women while serving as a government trade representative. According to Ian Proud, a former senior diplomat at the British Embassy in Bangkok, the disgraced royal regularly mixed business with pleasure during his visits to Thailand as the UK’s special trade envoy. “The prince would…
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Suvarnabhumi Airport officials accused of corruption after seized belonging sold online
A Thai woman accused officials at Suvarnabhumi International Airport of corruption after finding that her pocket knife, which was confiscated on August 25, was sold on Facebook. Chongpriang Tainangam took to her Facebook account, demanding clarification from Suvarnabhumi Airport and the Airports of Thailand (AOT) regarding the sale of her seized knife. She discovered the item being sold on the Leatherman…
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Thai Airways boosts board, plots fresh flight to recovery
Thai Airways is expanding its board and fleet as part of a major governance overhaul aimed at boosting transparency and competitiveness post-rehabilitation. The airline’s chairman, Lavaron Sangsnit, confirmed the move as part of sweeping changes ahead of a key Annual General Meeting (AGM) in December. The expanded board will include a long-awaited risk management committee, aimed at strengthening oversight of…
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Amazon Web Services outage cripples major platforms worldwide
Websites, apps, and essential services across the United States and beyond were thrown into chaos yesterday after a major outage at Amazon Web Services (AWS), the cloud computing giant that powers much of the Internet. The disruption, which began around 3.11am ET (2.11pm Thailand time) yesterday, October 20, stemmed from a failure in AWS’s internal network load balancer system. The…
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Body of Thai hostage killed in Israel-Hamas conflict identified and returned
Israeli officials confirmed that one of the bodies returned by Hamas on Saturday, October 18, is that of a Thai hostage who was abducted and killed last year. Israel’s local media outlet, i24News, reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced yesterday, October 19, that one of the bodies handed over by Hamas the previous night was identified as a…
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American woman wins 3 million baht using AI for lottery numbers
A 45 year old American woman has won a lottery prize worth 3 million baht after using ChatGPT to choose her numbers, enabling her to pay off her mortgage. Today, on October 19, international media reported that Tammy Carvey, from Wyandotte, Michigan, emerged as the fortunate winner of over 2.6 billion Vietnamese dong (approximately 3 million baht) after employing ChatGPT…
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Thai temples in Europe hit by wave of foreign break-ins
Thai temples in Europe are being warned to tighten security after several were targeted by foreign thieves who broke in and damaged property and donation boxes. Yesterday, October 16, Phra Ratchawachirasasanawithet, chairman of the Thai Dhammaduta Union in Europe, issued a public warning to all Thai temples abroad following several burglaries in Sweden and the United Kingdom. The union released…
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Suvarnabhumi Airport ranks 12th among world’s most connected airports
Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok is ranked 12th in the world’s 50 most connected airports in 2025, according to the Official Airline Guide (OAG). Airports of Thailand (AOT) announced the news following the release of OAG Megahubs 2025. Suvarnabhumi Airport is placed 12th in the Global Airport Megahubs category and fifth in the Asia-Pacific region in the Top International by…
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Thailand aces global aviation safety audit with sky-high score
Thailand’s civil aviation authority has achieved a top safety score in a global audit conducted by an international body assessing aviation oversight standards. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has announced a stellar performance in a recent international safety audit, scoring a preliminary 91.35% in the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme – Continuous Monitoring Approach (USOAP CMA) conducted by…
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New RTAF chief to train female pilots and boost drones
Thailand’s new air force commander announced plans to train female fighter pilots and enhance drone capabilities as part of a modernisation strategy. Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Sakesan Kantha outlined his 2026 strategy at the Navaminda Kasatriyadhiraj Royal Thai Air Force Academy in Muak Lek district, Saraburi. His speech came amid rising border tensions with Cambodia and set the tone for…
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Sky Angkor cancellations disrupt Bangkok-Phnom Penh travel
Travellers flying between Bangkok and Phnom Penh were hit by unexpected cancellations and delays from Sky Angkor Airlines, disrupting plans and itineraries. The disruption stemmed from the airline’s operations at Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Techo International Airport in Phnom Penh. According to data from FlightAware, three flights: SWM672, SWM673, and SWM675 were cancelled, and three others experienced significant delays, impacting…
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Thai AirAsia adds Luang Prabang–Hanoi link via Bangkok
Thai AirAsia is launching a new daily route connecting Bangkok, Luang Prabang, and Hanoi to enhance travel options and regional connectivity in ASEAN. The service, starting December 1, will operate once daily using an Airbus A320 aircraft configured with 180 economy seats. The outbound flight, FD1038, will depart Bangkok at 1.55pm, arriving in Luang Prabang at 3.15pm (local time), before…
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RTN plane blunder shuts Phuket runway, delays 70 flights
A military aircraft’s landing gear failure forced Phuket Airport to shut its runway, disrupting dozens of flights and prompting an emergency response. Phuket International Airport was brought to a standstill yesterday, October 8, after a Royal Thai Navy (RTN) aircraft suffered a landing gear malfunction during touchdown, forcing a temporary closure of the runway and affecting 70 flights. According to…
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Taiwan metro brawl granny busted over old theft case (video)
A woman involved in a viral metro brawl in Taiwan was later arrested by police on an outstanding theft warrant, drawing renewed public and media attention. The elderly woman, 73 year old Tseng, was filmed on Monday, September 29, swinging her bag at a young man after he refused to give up his seat on a Red Line train in…
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Indian getaway: SpiceJet adds daily Phuket flights
India’s domestic airline SpiceJet has announced new daily non-stop flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Phuket, giving Indian travellers more options for short-haul international holidays. SpiceJet has announced new daily services linking Delhi and Mumbai to Phuket, one of Thailand’s most popular holiday hotspots. The flights are timed to coincide with the busy winter travel season. According to the airline,…
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Thai woman and toddler missing after Melbourne sighting
Police in Melbourne are searching for a Thai woman and her two year old daughter, who went missing after last being seen in the Central Business District on a recent morning. Victoria police are appealing for public help to locate a Thai woman, 36 year old Priyanud and her two year old daughter, who have not been seen for several…
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Suvarnabhumi flies high with booming flights and upgrades
Suvarnabhumi Airport has reported a rise in flights and passengers, as officials reveal strong growth and outline expansion plans for the year ahead. The airport has recorded a strong recovery in air travel, with 58.10 million passengers passing through its gates in the first 11 months of fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to August 2025). Kittipong Kittikachorn, General Manager of…
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AOT pushes for new global flight routes at Hong Kong forum
The Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) engaged global airlines at a major aviation forum in Hong Kong to expand flight routes and boost international travel. The AOT ramped up efforts to transform Thailand into a leading aviation hub by participating in the 30th World Route Development Forum, or Routes World 2025, held from September 24 to 26 at…
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Ex-Thai Airways boss: Ditch all govt shares or risk relapse
A former Thai Airways executive has urged the government to sell its remaining shares, warning that political control could derail the airline’s recovery. Banyong Pongpanich, a former board member of Thai Airways International (THAI), called on the government to sell its remaining shares in the airline, insisting that only full privatisation can protect the company from sliding back into bureaucratic…
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Bangkok Airways bags 5-star award for eco-friendly flights
Bangkok Airways received a 5-star sustainability award from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) for its efforts to promote greener aviation and responsible tourism. The award, part of TAT’s Sustainable Tourism Acceleration Rating (STAR) programme, recognises tourism operators who embrace sustainable practices in line with global standards. For Bangkok Airways, it cements its reputation as a leader in environmentally responsible…
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Air India Express launches daily Bangkok link from Bengaluru
Air India Express will launch daily direct flights linking Bengaluru and Bangkok, offering travellers more convenience and competitive fares. The new non-stop service begins on October 18 and aims to boost connectivity for both leisure and business travellers. To mark the launch, the airline has rolled out introductory Xpress Value fares starting at 16,800 Indian rupees (about 7,300 baht) for…
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Thai Airways cancels Hong Kong flights as super typhoon hits
Thai Airways cancelled several flights between Bangkok and Hong Kong after a super typhoon forced airlines to adjust schedules for safety. The flag carrier had earlier warned passengers heading to Kaohsiung in Taiwan and Hong Kong to closely monitor flight updates as the massive storm advanced. By yesterday evening, September 22, the airline confirmed cancellations for services scheduled today and…
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Thai Airways warns of flight disruptions due to Typhoon Ragasa
Thai Airways has issued a notice to passengers regarding potential disruptions from Typhoon Ragasa, which is currently moving across Taiwan and Hong Kong. The typhoon may affect flights between Bangkok and Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and Bangkok and Hong Kong from September 22 to 24. The affected flights include TG630 from Bangkok to Kaohsiung and TG631 from Kaohsiung to Bangkok on September…
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Phuket-bound IndiGo flight diverted after bomb threat
An IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Phuket was diverted to Chennai, India after a bomb threat claimed explosives were onboard, prompting a full security response. The aircraft, carrying 176 passengers and six crew members, had taken off from Mumbai yesterday, September 19, before the scare unfolded. Midway through the journey, Mumbai airport staff received a call from an unidentified person who…
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