News
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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Udon Thani storm kills frog hunter, destroys 40 homes
A severe storm battered the Kudjab district of Udon Thani on April 23, destroying dozens of homes and killing one man who crashed into a fallen tree on a darkened road. In Ban Non Thana, Moo 9, Saeng Ko subdistrict, powerful winds uprooted large trees, severing power lines and toppling rubber trees. Between 30 and 40 homes lost their roofs,…
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EC lines up 11 witnesses for Constitutional Court over QR ballot case
The Election Commission (EC) plans to present a list of 11 witnesses to the Constitutional Court next week as part of its defence in the QR code ballot case, EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee announced on Friday. The commission submitted a clarification statement to the court last week. Sawaeng also addressed concerns over one potentially contentious witness, describing the individual as…
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Thai-Cambodia border shut until ‘ceasefire adhered to’
Thailand’s defence minister has stated that border checkpoints with Cambodia will remain closed until Cambodia adheres to a ceasefire agreement. The announcement came during a ceremony marking the 139th anniversary of the defence ministry. Adul Boonthumjaroen stressed the need to comply with the truce and related bilateral protocols after the government cancelled Memorandum of Understanding 44 (MoU44) on Thursday. Taking…
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Foreign men caught on CCTV footage stealing guitar in Phuket
A Thai man is seeking help online after two foreign men stole his guitar from a motorcycle in Karon, Phuket, at around 2.30am yesterday, April 23. The 19 year old victim, Kasidit, shared details with the Phuket Times Facebook page and Khao Phuket in the hopes of identifying the two men and recovering his guitar. The theft was captured on…
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SRT shortens train booking period to 90 days to reduce unused seats
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) reduced the advance ticket sales period from 180 days to 90 days today, April 24, to improve seat management and reduce unused bookings. The SRT announced the adjustment on its official Facebook page today, April 24, saying the revised booking period is intended to make seat reservations more efficient and better reflect current passenger…
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Kao’s NEWTLAC earns Material Innovation Awards 2025 for sustainable asphalt innovation
Kao Industrial (Thailand) Co., Ltd. has announced that NEWTLAC, a chemical innovation that repurposes used PET plastic bottles into an asphalt additive, has won the Material Innovation Awards 2025 at Architect Lanna 2025. The company said the additive is designed to enhance road construction performance while supporting sustainability goals by converting recycled plastic waste into what it described as green…
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Schoolgirl jumps from moving motorcycle in Bangkok after Bolt rider refuses to stop
A 17 year old schoolgirl jumped from a moving motorcycle in Bangkok after a Bolt rider drove past her destination and refused to stop. Witnesses and motorists helped the female student after she fell at an intersection on Phet Kasem 81 Road in Nong Khaem district at around 1am yesterday, April 23. Dashcam footage from a motorcyclist who stopped to help…
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Thailand cites Cambodia attacks, scam syndicates in UN reply
Thailand exercised its right of reply on April 22 at the 2026 United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Forum on Financing for Development Follow-up, in response to allegations of Thai provocation by Cambodia during the General Debate. Cherdchai Chaivaivid, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations, reiterated that Thailand has consistently supported peace-building, nation-building, and development in…
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No GHB found in Thai woman who claimed Songkran water gun was spiked
Police confirmed that no gamma-hydroxybutyrate, or GHB, was found in the system of a Thai woman who claimed she may have been exposed to the spiked water sprayed from a water gun during Songkran celebrations in Bangkok. The Songkran GHB claim drew attention online after the woman shared her experience on TikTok on April 13. She said she attended an…
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Bang Kwang Prison escapee alleges corruption, phone access for inmates in leaked recording
A Thai inmate, who previously made headlines for a prison break in 2023, accused prison officers at Bang Kwang Central Prison of corruption and giving special privileges to some prisoners, including access to computers and mobile phones. The corruption allegations levied against Bang Kwang Prison were made by Chaowalit “Paeng” Thongduang, also known as Sia Paeng, in leaked voice recordings released…
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Thailand News | BMW reverses into crowd, injuring five foreigners in Pattaya, Thailand launches cannabis shop tracking map
Today we’ll be talking about a shocking incident involving a reckless driver in a BMW, a Turkish engineer who was on the lamb has been arrested in Pattaya over a fatal building collapse, in ASEAN News a fuel tanker explosion at a Myanmar port has had deadly consequences, then would you like some drugs, eh? A Canadian suspect has been…
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Information from over 300,000 accounts leaked as Engineers Council system hacked
A senior engineer warned that the Council of Engineers Thailand’s system has been hacked, potentially placing personal information of more than 300,000 members at risk. It was alleged that the data leak may have allowed criminals to access member details that could be used by call centre scam gangs. A senior professional engineer and high-profile council member, Chulert Jitjuejun, posted…
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30,000 baht reward offered in search for missing Ayutthaya abbot, last seen in Tak
A missing abbot from Ayutthaya has been traced to Tak and was last seen travelling to Phitsanulok yesterday, April 23, as police continue efforts to locate him. The missing Ayutthaya abbot case centres on 58 year old Sombat Sirisuwanno, abbot of Sanam Chai Temple, who was reported missing after leaving the temple on the night of March 16. Temple staff…
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Thai woman forced to pay 100,000 baht to retrieve her dog from caretaker
A Thai woman today, April 23, reunited with her pet dog after a dispute with a caretaker who allegedly refused to return the animal and demanded 100,000 baht. The 35 year old woman, Pare, sought help from a social media influencer and posted her case on TikTok, explaining that she wanted her white Pomeranian, Kati, returned. The dog had been…
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TikTok video of 150 baht coconut in Phuket divides Thai internet
A foreign TikToker recently posted about the price of a coconut on Patong Beach in Phuket yesterday, April 22, pointing out the upcharge in tourist areas, which were met with mixed reactions as debates raged on in the comments. The video, which focused on the price of coconuts in Phuket, left many viewers, Thai and foreign, divided. Some are defending…
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Thailand launches online map to track cannabis shops nationwide
The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine in Thailand has launched an interactive online map to monitor licensed cannabis shops nationwide, as the government moves to tighten oversight and restrict use to medical purposes only. The system went live as related legal processes remain underway. Deputy Director-General Dr Thewan Thaneerat said on April 21 that the platform, formally known…
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Rising fuel costs force Lufthansa to suspend 20,000 flights
Lufthansa Group suspended more than 20,000 short-haul flights until October in response to rising fuel prices and the risk of fuel shortages in Europe linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The Lufthansa short flight suspension affects services across six major European hubs, while long-haul operations continue as normal. The airline group announced on Tuesday, April 21, that…
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Brits assault German man after hurling WW2 taunts in Pattaya bar
Two British tourists allegedly assaulted a German man outside a bar in Pattaya yesterday, April 22, following a confrontation that reportedly began with insults about the Second World War. The incident, which occurred at around 2am, was captured on video. The altercation began inside the bar, where the two unidentified British men were drinking. According to the German man’s girlfriend, the…
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Turkish engineer arrested in Pattaya over fatal building collapse
A Turkish engineer wanted under an Interpol Red Notice was arrested in Pattaya on Wednesday, April 22, after allegedly fleeing legal action linked to a fatal building collapse in Turkey. Officers from Chon Buri Immigration identified the suspect as 76 year old Abdullah Ayababa, who had been living in Thailand after working as an engineer in Turkey. Turkish authorities sought…
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Thailand News | Pattaya Bar fight leaves German Tourist hurt, Family turns funeral into farewell celebration in Nakhon Si Thammarat
Today we’ve got a whole lot of misbehaving people in store for you. First, the badly behaving foreigners in the form of Pattaya bar fights and lazy Phuket travelers, Then, the badly behaving monks in the form of a 50-year sentence for temple embezzlement not to mention the ones drinking and sniffing glue! After that we’ve got ladyboys getting naughty…
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Thailand could scrap visa-free entry for 36 countries to target ‘higher-quality visitors’
Thailand is considering limiting its visa-free policy as the Ministry of Tourism and Sports looks to attract more long-stay and higher-quality visitors while introducing measures to support domestic tourism. Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworrakun said yesterday, April 22, that the government is currently reviewing Thailand’s visa-free scheme after criticism over its impact. In July last year, Thailand expanded its…
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Thai woman found dead in Nakhon Si Thammarat hotel after meeting her ex
A Thai woman was found dead in a hotel room in Nakhon Si Thammarat yesterday, April 22, after arriving with her ex-boyfriend, who told staff that the woman had fainted and left the scene. Officers from Mueang Nakhon Si Thammarat Police Station were called to the hotel at around 9pm. The woman, later identified as 31 year old Kimyong, was…
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Foreign tourists slammed for abandoning rental motorcycles at Phuket airport
Two foreign men were seen abandoning rental motorcycles outside the passenger terminal at Phuket International Airport despite signs banning motorcycles and parking, drawing criticism online. The Phuket Times Facebook page shared photos of the men and the two rental motorcycles today, April 22, with the caption, “Foreign tourists rode rental motorcycles to the second-floor of Phuket airport despite no entry…
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Korat men in monk robes filmed drinking alcohol, sniffing glue
Officials in Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) launched an inspection today, April 22, after a video circulated online showing a group dressed in clothing resembling monk robes allegedly drinking alcohol and sniffing glue near a public area. The incident was reported near a Bodhi tree along the city moat behind the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Administrative Organisation, prompting criticism over damage to the…
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Boxing team member allegedly offers spiked drink to Thai boxer before bout
A Thai boxer poisoning case is under investigation after CCTV footage at a boxing stadium allegedly showed a member of a boxing team handing a drink to a fighter before a bout on March 28. Avatar PK Saenchai Muay Thai gym shared on its official Facebook page last month that one of its boxers, Supachai Sakunwong, also known as Pharuehatnoi…
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Woman says fake police officer ex-boyfriend stole gold from safe
A single mother sought help from a social justice organisation yesterday, April 21, after accusing her former boyfriend of posing as a police officer, borrowing money from her, and stealing gold and cash from her safe. The woman, 39 year old Waraporn, met Ekaphop Lueangprasert, founder of the Sai Mai Tong Rod organisation in Bangkok, yesterday. She accused her ex-partner,…
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Chinese man injured after groping Thai woman outside Pattaya nightclub
A Pattaya sexual assault case is under investigation after a Thai woman accused a Chinese man of groping her outside a nightclub earlier today, April 22. Mueang Pattaya Police Station officers responded to a report of an altercation at a nightclub on Southern Pattaya Road at around 1am. At the scene, officers found two Thai women standing near a Chinese man…
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MPs push law reform over unlicensed nightlife venues
Concerns over the regulation and licensing of nightlife venues in Bangkok and other tourist areas were formally raised today, April 22, after Members of Parliament highlighted widespread non-compliance under current laws, pointing out Khao San Road as an example. People’s Party MP for Bangkok, Bhuntin Noumjerm, along with fellow Bangkok MPs Paramait Vithayaruksun and Chorayuth Chaturapornprasit, and Nakhon Ratchasima MP Nueng…
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Thailand seeks closer cooperation in Myanmar visit
Thailand said talks with Myanmar’s new leadership today, April 22, would focus on key bilateral and regional issues, including border security, pollution and the country’s return to ASEAN. Speaking in Naypyidaw at 8.15am local time, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said the official visit had three main objectives. The first was to congratulate Myanmar on the formation…
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Thai man confesses to fatal assault on pregnant wife in Chiang Mai home
A Thai man fatally assaulted his pregnant wife at their shared home in Chiang Mai on Monday, April 20, and initially attempted to cover the murder with an accident claim. Mae Ping Police Station officers were called to the house on Monday afternoon to investigate the death of 33 year old Yardrung. Officers found her body inside the accommodation. She was…
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