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Surin man detained in Cambodia prison after entering border forest
A missing Thai man is found detained in Cambodia prison after entering a border forest in Surin to search for natural resources, likely to be sold for income. The 58 year old man, Yot Sainoi, disappeared on April 25 after entering Huay Samroeng Forest near Ban Non Thong community in Kab Choeng district, an area bordering Cambodia. Yot’s wife, 47…
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Thailand confirms end to 60-day visa-free stays to attract quality tourists
Thailand’s visa-free entry for nationals of 93 countries is set to be cut from 60 days to 30 days after government officials confirmed plans to end the policy introduced in July 2024. The proposal, confirmed by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Foreign Ministry, is expected to go to Cabinet next week, and an official start date will…
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Sisaket man attacks Swedish relative with knife over chick deaths
A Swedish man suffered a fractured skull and serious head injuries after being attacked by his Thai uncle-in-law with a knife in Sisaket province allegedly over the deaths of chicks. The Swedish victim, 61 year old Jimmy, travelled from Sisaket to Bangkok to seek assistance from the Saimai Survive non-profit organisation. He claimed that despite filing a complaint with Khukhan…
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Chinese gamblers injured leaping from window in Pattaya poker den raid
Police and district officials raided a poker den in Pattaya late last night, May 13, arresting 16 Chinese gamblers and seizing about 100,000 baht (around US$3,090) in cash, along with other gambling equipment. The raid took place at 11.46pm at a luxury house in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district. The operation was led by Chon Buri Immigration Police, Nong…
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Chinese weapon suspect Mingchen remains on ventilator at Pattaya hospital
Doctors treating Chinese weapon suspect Mingchen Sun in Pattaya suspected that his deteriorating condition was caused by a medication overdose after discovering a blue liquid substance in his stomach. Police arrested the 31 year old Chinese man Mingchen after officers discovered a cache of military-grade weapons at his luxury residence in Chon Buri. The discovery was made after police found a…
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Anutin clarifies ‘miscommunication’, insisting foreign businesses still require permits
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul apologised after confusion surrounding a Cabinet policy that led many people to believe that foreign investors would be allowed to operate businesses in Thailand without permits. The controversy emerged after Deputy Government Spokesperson Patdarasm Thongsaluaykorn announced yesterday, May 13, that the Cabinet had approved changes affecting eight categories of businesses operated by foreign investors. Patdarasm assured…
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Phuket bar owners protest ‘benefit-seeking’ state officials
Operators and staff from Bangla Road entertainment venues in Patong Beach, Kathu district, Phuket, gathered for a protest yesterday, May 13, to oppose alleged extortion and “benefit-seeking” by state officials, while calling for faster action on business licensing issues. The gathering took place near the Bangla police box at the entrance of Bangla Road in Patong subdistrict, Kathu district, Phuket.…
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Officials say foreigners own only 6% of Koh Pha Ngan following locals’ concerns
The director of Thailand’s Land Department stated that foreign nationals own only six percent of land on Koh Pha Ngan, following growing concerns among residents about increasing foreign influence on the island. Concerns intensified in recent years as the number of long-stay foreign residents, particularly Israeli nationals, has increased on Koh Pha Ngan. Some locals fear the island could gradually…
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Thai taxi drivers accused of paying monthly bribes to escape traffic penalties
Taxi drivers and the Taxi Network Trade Association alleged that some drivers paid bribes to police in exchange for being allowed to park in a prohibited zone while waiting for passengers. The accusations were first raised by the Facebook page Thai Taxi Association, which claimed taxi drivers operating at Ginza Curve in the Rangsit area paid monthly bribes to local…
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American FBI suspect detained in Chiang Mai over US warrant
An American suspect was detained in Chiang Mai yesterday, May 12, after Thai police received information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that he was wanted in the United States for assault and stalking. The American, identified as 58 year old Joseph Frances Chinnock, also known as Joseph Kelly, was wanted on a US arrest warrant. The FBI reportedly…
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Thai neighbours seeks help for Burmese girl abused by mother
Thai residents in Chachoengsao sought help for a 13 year old Burmese girl after alleging she had been repeatedly abused by her mother at their home. The case came to public attention after neighbours contacted social media influencer Chalida “Ton Or” Palamart to assist the girl, identified as Namwhan. Officials from the Chachoengsao Provincial Shelter for Children and Family accompanied…
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Thailand eases foreign business red tape in eight sectors to cut regulatory overlap
Thailand’s Cabinet has approved in principle two pieces of draft subordinate legislation under the Foreign Business Act 1999, exempting eight service business categories from the requirement to obtain a foreign business licence, the government announced on May 12. Deputy Government Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, Patdarasm Thongsaluaykorn, announced the Cabinet meeting. The two instruments, a draft royal decree and…
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Man drugged and robbed of 85,000 baht camera by buyer
A Thai man issued a public warning after allegedly being drugged with spiked orange juice after meeting up with a buyer for his camera at a university in Bangkok, resulting in the theft of photography equipment worth 85,000 baht. The victim shared details of the incident in a Facebook group for photography enthusiasts and said he had already filed a…
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Koh Pha Ngan nominee raids target 32 suspected companies
More than 300 police officers raided 32 companies on Koh Pha Ngan this morning, May 13, as part of a crackdown on suspected foreign nominee businesses allegedly using Thai nationals to hold land on behalf of foreigners. Deputy national police chief Samran Nualma led the operation at 9am alongside officers from multiple police units, including the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau,…
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Singha heir releases voice recording as evidence of sexual abuse by brother
A renowned environmentalist and heir of the Singha beer brand released a voice recording as evidence today, May 13, in response to a denial issued by his older brother over allegations of sexual abuse during their childhood. The former national park ranger and conservation activist, Siranudh “Psi” Scott, first addressed the issue publicly in a video shared on his social…
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Foreign man filmed provoking Thai man before street fight
A video of a confrontation between a foreign man and a Thai man has gone viral after footage appeared to show the foreigner slapping the Thai man before a street fight broke out. The clip, posted by a user named “Mai Tong Pood,” showed a brief altercation and included a caption claiming the foreign man had tried to provoke the…
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Saraburi man arrested in 20 million baht hotel booking scam case
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) arrested a man in Saraburi on May 11 over a fake hotel booking scam that allegedly used copied hotel webpages to trick victims into transferring accommodation payments. DSI officers and Nong Khae police arrested the suspect, Chinawat, outside a house in Nong Khae district, Saraburi province, at around 3.10pm. The arrest was made under…
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PM Anutin monitors crackdown on foreign-operated businesses using Thai nominees
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Samui in Surat Thani today, May 13, following investigations into more than 10,000 businesses operated by foreigners through Thai nominees. The Department of Business Development (DBD) and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) recently launched a nationwide crackdown targeting illegal foreign-operated businesses using Thai nationals as nominees, particularly in major tourist…
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Thailand alcohol ban takes effect in eight public areas
Eight updated alcohol control notices took effect in Thailand yesterday, May 12, banning the consumption or sale of alcohol in designated public transport, state, and government-related areas. The Royal Gazette published the eight notices under alcohol control regulations. The measures update rules first introduced in 2008 to make them more suitable for current conditions. The updated rules ban alcohol sales…
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Bolt strengthens safety measures after Bangkok schoolgirl case
Bolt Thailand announced stricter safety measures on May 11, including AI monitoring and expanded facial recognition checks, after a rider impersonation case involving a schoolgirl in Bangkok late last month. The company said that it continues to operate as usual in Thailand while working with relevant agencies on its platform certification process. The new measures are intended to strengthen checks…
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South Korean temporarily restricts Thai workers from 4 provinces in Isaan
South Korea temporarily restricted workers from four northeastern Thai provinces after some labourers reportedly absconded from their employers during seasonal employment programmes. Thailand’s Anti-Fake News Centre confirmed the measure yesterday, May 11, following widespread discussion on social media about an alleged ban on Thai workers entering South Korea. In a statement posted on its official Facebook page, the centre clarified…
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Thailand tightens Hantavirus screening for South America arrivals
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) has tightened screening for travellers arriving from 13 South American countries as part of Hantavirus surveillance, although no cases have been found in Thailand. Today, May 12, DDC director-general Montien Khanasawat inspected the international disease control checkpoint at Suvarnabhumi Airport. The visit followed screening measures introduced for travellers arriving from South America yesterday, May…
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Elderly Thai woman confesses to fake robbery after gambling losses
An elderly woman in Nong Bua Lamphu admitted staging a robbery at her home after selling gold jewellery gifted by her daughter to fund gambling activities. The case came to public attention after the woman’s daughter, who lives overseas, contacted Channel 8 to complain about delays in the police investigation into the robbery at her mother Pranee’s home. According to…
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Honey collector fatally stung by bees in Maha Sarakham forest
A man died after being stung by a swarm of bees while hunting for wild honey with a relative in a forest near a school in Ku Thong subdistrict, Chiang Yuen district, Maha Sarakham, yesterday, May 11. The man, identified as 62 year old Noo Ken, had gone into the area with his 59 year old relative, Narong, who climbed…
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Chaiyaphum man faces home seizure despite clearing bank debt
A 55 year old Chaiyaphum homeowner is seeking answers after receiving a house seizure notice, despite saying he cleared his bank debt in full last year and has documents to prove it. Today, May 12, Kriengsak, from Phon Thong subdistrict, Mueang Chaiyaphum district, submitted evidence to the media after receiving a property seizure notice from the Chaiyaphum Legal Execution Office…
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Thai woman caught in Oman with over 4.4 koligrammes of cannabis
Omani Customs officials arrested a Thai woman for smuggling cannabis weighing more than 4.4 kilogrammes through Muscat International Airport. The Oman Customs Department shared footage of the arrest on its official X account on May 5. In the accompanying statement, officials stated… “Customs officers at Muscat International Airport thwarted an attempt to smuggle 4,384 grammes of marijuana, which was found in…
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EV charging station fire damages truck at Samut Prakan factory
An EV charging station fire in Samut Prakan damaged a small electric truck at a factory in Bang Sao Thong district yesterday, May 11, with no injuries reported. At 2.10am, officers at Bang Sao Thong Police Station received a report of a fire at an electric vehicle charging station inside a company in Bang Sao Thong subdistrict, Bang Sao Thong…
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Krabi official registers marriage for drug suspect before arrest
A district chief in Krabi allowed a suspected drug dealer to register his marriage before the man was sent to prison following his drug arrest yesterday, May 11. Officials in Mueang Krabi district said the suspect, known as “Dome Koh Klang,” was arrested during an operation targeting small-scale drug dealers in Khlong Prasong subdistrict. Officers allegedly found 399 methamphetamine pills in his…
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Indian tourists accused of ganging up on Thai man in Phuket
A Thai man was allegedly attacked by a group of Indian tourists in Phuket early this morning, May 12, after he tried to stop a dispute over one of the tourists sitting on the bonnet of a parked car. The incident reportedly happened at around 4.30am near the end of Bangla Road in Patong subdistrict, Kathu district, Phuket. Officers later…
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Foreign man remains at large after injuring Phuket teenager in hit-and-run
A Thai mother is seeking public assistance in identifying a foreign motorcyclist after her teenage son was seriously injured in a hit-and-run in Phuket on May 10. The crash occurred at around 2.30pm in Rawai subdistrict. According to the mother, who shared details on her Facebook account, Rainbow Sarnrach, a foreign man riding a motorcycle with two passengers, suddenly changed lanes…
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