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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 Digital nomading in Chiang Mai? What US$1,000 a month really gets you
Chiang Mai has become a popular destination for digital nomads due to its low living costs, rich culture, and active remote work community. The city offers affordable housing, tasty food, reliable internet, and many co-working spaces, making it a great...
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Thai park officials spot rare, endangered serow
Wild animal enthusiasts will be delighted to hear that Thai National Park officials spotted a rare, endangered serow in the past week. Officials at Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, located in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, spotted a serow on April 11, Hua Hin Today reported yesterday. Video footage from Thai media shows the majestic creature carefully and gracefully climbing the…
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100 police deployed to reservoir in the hunt for killer cop in South Thailand
There’s been a new development in the case around the cop in South Thailand who killed several of his family members, including his wife and son. The killer cop, 46 year old Pol. Snr. Sgt. Maj. Atthaporn Wichian, killed six people in Surat Thani province last week, including his wife, son, and father-in-law. Police have been on the prowl for…
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Tourist allegedly pickpocketed at Pattaya Songkran splashing event
A tourist was allegedly pickpocketed at a Songkran water splashing event in Pattaya. The tourist, 25 year old Chinnawut Lahoong from Bangkok, told police that his wallet was stolen during a splashing event on Pattaya’s Walking Street. Chinnawut informed Pattaya City Law Enforcement about the incident last night. He said that he stopped to buy a water gun while at…
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Woman searches for sister who went missing on Phuket trip
A woman is searching for her sister, who she says went missing on a trip from Bangkok to Phuket. The woman, Prangthip Kottathum, says her sister, 27 year old Vannapa Bamrab, went missing on April 11. Prangthip filed a missing person report to Hua Mak Police Station on Thursday, April 13, Khao Phuket reported. Pranthip said that Vannapa called one…
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3 detained in seizure of 100kg narcotics
In a significant narcotics bust in Thailand, authorities have apprehended suspects from three countries and intercepted over 100 kilograms of drugs, according to the Narcotics Control Board (NCB). On Tuesday, Thai authorities received information regarding the smuggling of heroin from Thailand to Australia. Working together with a joint task force, the NCB managed to seize 80 bricks of heroin, totalling…
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Oops! Cardi B rips hotpants onstage while twerking in Pattaya
It turns out, even American celebrities have wild nights in Pattaya. A twerking session in Pattaya went massively wrong for music sensation Cardi B after her hotpants ripped onstage, news outlets reported yesterday. This was at the event Rolling Loud Thailand 2023. The event began in Pattaya on Thursday and lasts until today (Saturday). Footage from Daily Mail shows the 30 year…
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Prime minister’s unexpected trip to Khao San Road
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha made a surprising appearance at Khao San Road on Friday, taking part in a lively water fight with enthusiastic locals and tourists. Gen. Prayut, the United Thai Nation Party’s prime ministerial candidate, arrived at the well-known location for Songkran festivities on Friday afternoon, accompanied by key party members. Upon arrival, he engaged in a discussion about…
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Mum of British backpacker who died in Thailand warns of signs of dengue fever
The mum of a British backpacker who died in Thailand in 2016 is warning others to spot the signs of dengue fever that her son experienced before his tragic death. Her son, 21 year old Bob Toulson-Burke, died just two weeks after developing flu-like symptoms while travelling. Bob’s mother, Jayne, told Evening Standard yesterday that his symptoms included headaches, nausea,…
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Egg-thrower convicted of threatening behaviour towards King Charles III
UK authorities found a young man who threw eggs at King Charles guilty of threatening behaviour at York Magistrates Court, BBC reported yesterday. The young man, 23 year old Patrick Thelwell, hurled five eggs at King Charles and the Queen Consort as they arrived at Micklegate Bar on November 9, 2022. All five eggs missed. At the time, Thelwell had…
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Pattaya motorcycle taxi rider threatens to kill 2 foreigners over fare dispute
Pattaya Police yesterday arrested a Thai motorcycle taxi rider after he turned into a knife-wielding thug after a row with two foreign passengers over fare prices. According to reports, the taxi driver threatened to kill both foreigners during the altercation. The incident kicked off on Pattaya Second Road near Soi 6/1 early yesterday evening. Pattaya Police received a call about…
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Songkran celebrations turn sour: Over 100 lives lost, 1,000 injured in road accidents
According to the Director General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Boontham Lertsukheekasem, 114 fatalities and 1,064 injuries were recorded due to road accidents nationwide during the Songkran holiday. Between Tuesday and Thursday, there were 1,055 traffic incidents leading to these casualties a report today revealed. Chiang Mai, a province in the north, experienced the most accidents with…
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EC justifies Songkran trips to monitor early voting
The Election Commission (EC) in Thailand has come under scrutiny after all six of its members travelled abroad during the Songkran holiday on taxpayer-funded inspection visits. Former election commissioner and current MP candidate for the Seri Ruam Thai Party, Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, criticized the move, questioning the purpose and timing of the trips, given that the General Election has not yet…
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Limited access to Khao San Road due to overcrowding
Police temporarily blocked access to the renowned backpacker haven of Khao San Road last night, as the Songkran event attracted an overwhelming number of participants. Police are urging new visitors to await the departure of those already at the venue before entering the 400-metre-long road in Phra Nakhon district. Songkran festivities kicked off yesterday and are expected to continue well…
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Elderly in Thailand expect their children to look after them
A recent survey carried out by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) revealed that the majority of elderly people in Thailand expect to receive care from their families, specifically their daughters. This survey aimed to identify who the Thai elderly believe should be responsible for their care, questioning a sample of 1,310 individuals aged 60 and above. The study…
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PM Prayut to join 10 UTN rallies in push for election victory
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is set to attend at least 10 campaign rallies across Thailand, hosted by the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party in preparation for the May 14 General Election. As the UTN’s chief strategist, the 69 year old Gen. Prayut will start his campaign tour in Bangkok, and will put on festival attire to participate in Songkran festivities…
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Zoos in Thailand and Vietnam collaborate to protect endangered cranes
The Zoological Park Organization (ZPO) is joining forces with the Vietnam Zoos Association to increase the Eastern Sarus Crane population in Vietnam. Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the collaboration will also involve the People’s Committee of Dong Thap Province in Vietnam and the International Crane Foundation. Since 2009, ZPO has been reintroducing Eastern Sarus Cranes to Thailand by breeding…
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Air pollution increases in upper northeastern regions of Thailand
According to the Pollution Control Department, 23 locations, primarily in the northern region of Thailand, have been found to contain high levels of particulate matter 2.5 micrometres or smaller in diameter (PM2.5). The most severe levels were identified in Chiang Mai. These concentrations are considered detrimental to human health. As of 11am yesterday, PM2.5 dust levels in the north ranged…
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Songkran to generate billions in revenue for Thailand
After a three-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Thailand‘s famous Songkran Festival, or Thai New Year, officially kicked off yesterday. Locals and visitors from all around the world gathered at popular spots across the country to partake in the renowned water-splashing festivities. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) anticipates that both Thai and foreign tourists will contribute up to…
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Reunited mother and daughter share tears of joy after 32 years apart in northeast Thailand (video)
Tears of joy flowed when a mother and daughter in northeastern Thailand reunited after 32 years thanks to the power of social media. The heart-rendering story was reported from Ban Si Liam, Khao Khok sub-district, Prakhon Chai district, Buriram province, only three days ago, on April 11. Emotions were high and tears flowed as the mother and daughter hugged each other…
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Beware of passport scam targetting British nationals in Thailand warns UK Foreign Office
The British Foreign Office issued a warning to both UK residents and expats in Thailand about a passport scam that is currently targetting British nationals in the kingdom. Fraudsters are attempting to capitalize on the recent strikes by government workers in the UK, which have caused delays in passport renewals, by promising to bypass the three-month waiting period for a…
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Notorious Aussie drug lord sentenced to 20 years in jail
The notorious head of a South Australian drug-trafficking network has been sentenced to almost 20 years in jail. Robert Gordon Pollybank Gee, the alleged drug lord, was sentenced yesterday in the District Court for drug charges dating back to 2006, ABC News reported. The court heard how the 64 year old was a pivotal figure in the operation of a…
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Speed demon down: Former world motorcycle champ crashes near Phuket
A former world motorcycle racing champion, who holds multiple speed records, has been involved in an accident near Phuket. Eric Teboul, better known in the motorcycle community as “Rocketman” after breaking the world quarter mile record on a bike just months ago, collided with another Honda ridden by Oleg Afanasenko, a Russian holidaymaker, on a bend near the scenic viewpoint…
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EC reports 2.3 million people register for advance voting
The Election Commission (EC) yesterday announced that 2,350,969 people have registered for advance voting ahead of the May 14 General Election. Registration was open between March 25 and April 9, and the EC reports that this year’s figures were similar to those of 2019, when 2.63 million people registered for advance voting, including 119,000 overseas voters, reported Bangkok Post. Of…
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Airstrike massacre: Myanmar junta turns up the heat
The situation in Myanmar just escalated. Northwest Myanmar’s Sagaing area felt the full force of a junta airstrike on Tuesday, which reportedly wiped out up to 100 people – children included. Myanmar’s been a mess since the 2021 coup decided to ruin everyone’s lives and snuffed out a decade of shaky progress. The coup put an end to the civilian…
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K-pop dance by Thai soldiers sparks controversy and admiration among netizens
Thai soldiers came under fire from Thai netizens after they danced to K-pop music in the Siam neighbourhood of Bangkok last weekend. The soldiers also had a few admirers and many praised the soldier group for their talent. A Smile Army Facebook page posted a video of the soldiers dancing to K-pop music on Sunday, April 9. In the video,…
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Thai woman arrested for surrogacy fraud, identity theft, and human trafficking (video)
Police arrested a Thai woman for her involvement in illegal surrogacy, identity theft, and colluding with Chinese citizens in human trafficking. The Thai woman, Nawaporn Pakiatsakun, who was originally Chinese, married a Thai man to gain Thai citizenship and facilitate her crimes. It was later revealed that several government officials from Thailand were also involved in the corrupt scheme. The…
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Scaly thief steals 100 chickens and ducks from farm in northeast Thailand
A four-metre-long python was caught red-handed stealing poultry from a farm in Udon Thani province in northeast Thailand yesterday. The fat snake devoured nearly 100 chickens and ducks in total, causing significant damage to the farmer. The farmer, 58 year old Chaiwichit Sarito, was dumbstruck when chickens and ducks kept going missing from his farm day in and day out.…
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Thai govt warns drivers to keep a brake on road mishaps during ‘Seven Deadly Days’ of Songkran Festival
The Thai government has issued a warning to drivers who are travelling during the Songkran Festival, urging them to be careful on the road. This warning comes after the Thailand Road Accidents Data Centre for Road Safety Culture (ThaiRSC) reported 74 fatalities and 2,322 injuries on the first day of the “Seven Deadly Days” of the Songkran Festival. As of…
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Thai man goes on rampage: Attacks 6 people after married woman rejected his advances (video)
A Thai man went on the rampage, attacking six victims, including a couple after a married woman rejected his advances in the central province of Kanchanaburi. The wife’s husband, 24 year old Adisak Wiatesing, filed a complaint with the police after the couple were attacked by a man named Pae on April 10. Adisak told police that he went to…
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Latest Thai social media craze, sweet soy sauce soda, poses serious health risk, says health dept
The Department of Health issued a warning to the public regarding the consumption of a trendy Thai social media beverage called sweet soy sauce soda. According to the department, the drink has unhealthy quantities of sodium and sugar, which surpass the recommended daily intake and can pose a health hazard. The drink is trending after a famous Thai sauce company,…
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