World News
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Sponsored Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Suvarnabhumi super expansion to handle 120 million flyers
Suvarnabhumi Airport is about to get supersized. Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) has updated its master plan to double the airport’s capacity. The revised target is to handle up to 120 million passengers annually as part of a bold new development push. According to acting AoT president Paweena Jariyathitipong, over 70% of this year’s master plan study is now complete…
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Air Serbia eyes Bangkok return after decades-long break
Thailand could soon welcome more Balkan tourists directly, as Air Serbia considers reviving long-haul winter flights to Bangkok, a destination not served from Belgrade since the collapse of Yugoslavia. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) confirmed it’s in talks with the airline as part of a push to boost direct air access from the Balkan region. TAT’s marketing representative for…
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Free flights frenzy: Tourists lured with 700 million baht giveaway
Thailand is betting big on tourism, with a 700 million baht budget set aside to hand out free domestic flights to foreign travellers. The government is rolling out a bold plan to lure at least 200,000 more international tourists into Thailand’s heartland by offering free domestic air tickets. Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong confirmed today, August 20, that he…
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Pattaya Airways turbocharges tourism with new jets
Thailand’s skies are about to get busier—and easier—as Pattaya Airways takes delivery of three ATR72 turboprop aircraft, a move aimed at fuelling domestic travel and making multi-city trips across the kingdom a breeze. The expansion, set to kick off in December, strengthens Thailand’s tourism rebound by adding more routes and increasing flight frequencies between major hubs and emerging hotspots. “These…
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Free shots of death: Brit blinded in Laos methanol horror (video)
A dream backpacking adventure in Laos turned into a nightmare when a 23 year old Brit was left permanently blind after drinking poisoned spirits at a hostel in Vang Vieng. The poisoning, which struck in November last year, claimed six foreign lives in total. Calum Macdonald, from the UK, was one of several travellers served free whisky and vodka shots…
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Thai trainer and Russian student injured in plane crash in Phuket
A small plane crashed into roadside woodland in the Paklok sub-district of Phuket yesterday, August 17, leaving two men injured, a Thai trainer and a Russian flying student. The plane, reportedly belonging to a private company, went down beside a road near a runway at around 4.30pm. The victims were identified as 40 year old Thai trainer Surasak Chana and…
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VietJet Thailand launches Phuket-Mumbai flights at 1,400 baht
VietJet Thailand has launched its inaugural flight connecting Phuket and Mumbai, expanding its network to India. Pinyot Phiboolsongkram, vice president of commerce and customer relations at VietJet Thailand, announced the new route on August 14, enhancing travel options between Thailand’s popular tourist destination and India’s largest city. The inaugural flight from Phuket to Mumbai was celebrated at Phuket International Airport,…
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AirAsia flight lands at Gimpo due to turbulence, not error (update)
AirAsia has refuted claims that one of its flights mistakenly landed at the wrong airport, which initially headed towards Seoul, explaining that the pilot diverted to Gimpo Airport due to turbulence. The budget airline clarified that flight D7506 from Sepang to Incheon initially landed at Gimpo for refuelling because of adverse weather conditions. AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismali stated that…
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Police seize 5 million meth pills in Sakon Nakhon warehouse raid
In Sakon Nakhon, police have confiscated five million methamphetamine pills from a pickup truck parked in a rented, closed warehouse in the Kham Ta Kla district of this northeastern province. Provincial Police Region 4 investigators executed a search warrant at a warehouse in Moo 16 village, tambon Kham Ta Kla, around 2pm yesterday, August 13. Inside a four-door Chevrolet pickup…
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Thai court weighs foreign pilot hiring dispute
Thai airlines are not currently hiring foreign pilots for domestic routes, but that could change next year depending on a key court ruling. In March, the Thai Pilots Association filed legal action against the Ministry of Labour, seeking a temporary injunction to halt the use of foreign pilots on domestic services. The case stems from last year’s high tourism season,…
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Thailand–Hong Kong flight ‘rat pack’ busted in mid-air bag theft
A Hong Kong passenger caught a suspected in-flight thief red-handed on a Thailand–Hong Kong flight, exposing “rat pack” gangs targeting travellers’ bags. What was meant to be a much-needed rest for one Hong Kong tattoo artist turned into a mid-air sting operation when he spotted a man rifling through his bag just 30 minutes after take-off from Thailand. The passenger,…
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WhatsApp wipes out 6.8 million scam accounts in global crackdown
WhatsApp has obliterated 6.8 million scam accounts in just six months, in what parent company Meta calls a major strike against global fraud networks. The social media giant says many of the accounts were tied to organised crime syndicates in Southeast Asia, notorious for running scam centres staffed by people forced into the work. Victims of these centres have been…
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Thai Airways soars with 12 billion baht profit in Q2
Thai Airways (THAI) is flying high again, racking up a staggering profit of more than 12 billion baht in the second quarter of 2025, fuelled by cheaper jet fuel and strong passenger growth. The flag carrier and its subsidiaries reported revenue of 44.83 billion baht (excluding one-time items) for the quarter, up 1.9% on last year. Passenger numbers climbed 4.2%…
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Danish zoo wants your unwanted pets for predator meals
A zoo in Denmark is turning heads—and stomachs—with its latest appeal: donate your healthy, unwanted pets to feed the lions, tigers, and lynxes. Aalborg Zoo has launched an eyebrow-raising campaign calling on the public to hand over live chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs—and even horses—to be used as food for its carnivores. The animals are reportedly “gently euthanised” by trained staff…
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China denies drone donation claims in border conflict
China has hit back at reports claiming it supplied drones to Cambodia amid ongoing tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border, branding the allegations “completely false.” In a firm statement issued by the Chinese Embassy in Thailand, officials clarified that the viral photos allegedly showing Chinese drones gifted to Cambodia were taken during a flight demonstration back in January and had nothing…
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Thai Airways denies US pressure behind Boeing deal
Thai Airways (THAI) has grounded speculation that its planned multibillion-baht aircraft acquisition is tied to US trade deals, insisting the fleet expansion is based purely on business logic—not political bargaining. The national carrier is pushing back hard against claims its recent deal to acquire up to 80 aircraft, including 45 firm orders from Boeing, is part of backroom trade talks…
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Vietjet offers Bangkok flights from less than 1 baht
Vietjet Thailand is pulling out all the stops with two brand-new direct routes from India to Bangkok — and headline-grabbing base fares starting from just 1 Indian rupee (0.50 baht). The airline will launch direct flights from Kolkata and Ahmedabad to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, making them its third and fourth connections between the two countries, as it continues to grow…
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Thai Airways shares take off again after 5-year pause
After five years of being grounded, Thai Airways (THAI) shares are finally cleared for takeoff. Trading of the national carrier’s stock will resume on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) yesterday, August 4, marking a significant milestone in the airline’s dramatic recovery from one of the biggest corporate meltdowns in Thai history. The move follows THAI’s exit from court-supervised debt…
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Missing French woman found dead near Angkor Wat in Cambodia
A French woman was found dead near the popular tourist attraction, Angkor Wat, in Cambodia after going missing during a morning jog on Saturday, August 2. A friend of the French woman, Lisa Girard, provided an update on the search at 12.55pm today, August 4, confirming that Girard’s body had been found earlier in the day. The friend also expressed…
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Etihad’s A321LR brings luxury to Phuket flights
Etihad Airways has just upped the ante in luxury air travel, launching its first commercial flight of the all-new A321LR to Phuket. Etihad Airways has officially launched its all-new A321LR, marking a new chapter in luxury short and medium-haul flights. Flight EY414, which departed from Zayed International Airport yesterday, August 1, heralded the arrival of the aircraft designed to provide…
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Thai airport fees set to soar, passengers brace for hike
Travellers flying out of Thailand could soon be hit with higher airport fees, as officials move to raise Passenger Service Charges (PSC) for the first time in years. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) confirmed it expects to decide on the proposed hike by October, with a potential increase of up to 100 baht per international passenger. If approved,…
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Aeroflot flight drama: Phuket return sparks hacker rumours
An Aeroflot flight bound for Novosibirsk was forced to return to Phuket International Airport yesterday morning just minutes after takeoff, following what was reported as a technical malfunction, but speculation is swirling after the airline confirmed a cyberattack just one day earlier. The Airbus A330, operating as flight SU637, took off at 9.53am local time, around 30 minutes behind schedule. But…
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‘Flying Giant’ A380 becomes a costly nightmare for airlines
Two decades after its maiden flight, the Airbus A380 is back in demand as international travel roars back to life post-Covid. But while passengers may love its spacious cabins, airlines are groaning under the weight of its soaring maintenance costs. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued 95 airworthiness directives for the aircraft since 2020, more than double…
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Japan and US issue tsunami alerts after mega quake
A colossal magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula today, sparking tsunami warnings and urgent evacuations from Japan to Hawaii. The quake, initially measured at 8.7, struck about 126 kilometres southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at a depth of 18 kilometres, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). In the Russian Far East, waves as high as 4 metres battered parts…
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Flights scrambled as Thai travellers flee Cambodia chaos
Thai authorities are urging travellers to brace for flight chaos as escalating border tensions with Cambodia spark a rush home. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has advised all passengers flying between Thailand and Cambodia to keep a close eye on updates, warning that schedules may change without notice due to the deteriorating situation. Amid reports of increasing demand…
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Thailand ramps up flights as border unrest worsens
Thailand’s government is scrambling to evacuate its citizens from Cambodia as tensions escalate along the border, triggering fears of potential conflict. On Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit ordered the Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) to work urgently with seven Thai airlines to boost seating capacity for Thai nationals wishing to…
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Nok Air rebounds with freebies and fresh routes
Budget airline Nok Air is soaring back into profitability and promises even bigger things on the horizon—including free flights for foreign tourists. The embattled carrier, once drowning in debt, now expects to complete its rehabilitation programme by mid-2028, with outstanding debt trimmed to under 400 million baht from a staggering 5.4 billion. The airline’s resurgence comes after two consecutive profitable…
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Thailand’s ageing F-16s, what’s the next move?
Thailand’s Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) is facing an important challenge: how to replace its ageing fleet of F-16 fighter jets while keeping pace with regional security demands and budget realities. For decades, the F-16 has been the backbone of Thailand’s air defence. But with many of these jets approaching their retirement age, the RTAF has now shifted gears, looking…
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Air Cambodia hits back at Thai Airways copycat claims
Air Cambodia is fighting back after being accused of copying Thai Airways’ signature look—insisting its purple-and-gold design is 100% Khmer. A social media storm erupted following the airline’s debut flight between Shenzhen, China and Siem Reap on July 18, with Thai netizens claiming that Air Cambodia’s aircraft livery and cabin crew uniforms looked suspiciously similar to those of Thai Airways.…
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Qantas passengers forced to surrender passports in Bangkok (video)
Aussie travellers were left fuming in Bangkok after their Qantas flight was cancelled at the last minute—forcing them to choose between handing over their passports or sleeping on the airport floor. The service from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport to Sydney was initially delayed for six hours before being officially cancelled late on Monday night, July 21, stranding dozens of passengers…
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