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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Gun malfunction saves former Thai village headman from attack
On May 8, a man attempted to shoot 65-year-old Phurachai Phimsen, a former village headman and brother of a Bhumjaithai Party MP, at a shop in Mueang subdistrict, Tha Sala district, Nakhon Si Thammarat. The suspect’s gun misfired, allowing him to flee before later surrendering to police. The suspect, 41-year-old Sakorn, approached Phurachai at the shop and aimed a short-barrelled…
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Caregiver sentenced to 5 years for child swap in Thailand
The Appeal Court has sentenced a 32 year old caregiver, Wichuda “Som”, to five years in prison for swapping a three year old child under her care with another baby. The ruling follows an appeal against a lower court’s verdict, with the child’s mother still waiting to be reunited with her biological daughter. In a case previously reported, Paveena Hongsakul…
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Prisoner escapes with 23 days left in Thai jail term
A prisoner serving time at Thanyaburi District Prison in Pathum Thani has escaped with just 23 days left on his sentence, reportedly to search for his missing girlfriend. His father has pleaded with him to surrender. The Department of Corrections announced the escape of 37 year old Seksan Ruapthong on May 7. He had been convicted of bodily harm and…
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Chinese man held with C4 and grenades ‘to attack Thailand’
A car crash in Chon Buri has led police to one of the largest private weapons caches uncovered in recent memory, after a 31 year old Chinese national was found with C4 explosives, anti-personnel mines, and two M16 rifles at his rented home. Mingchen Sun was arrested after his sedan overturned in the Na Jomtien area of Sattahip district, Chon…
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True Academy Fantasia judge criticised for complaining contestant’s use of English
A commentator on True Academy Fantasia 2026 faced online criticism after remarks about the use of English of a contestant during an audition, saying it is “a bit showing off“. The incident occurred during a live audition aired on Wednesday, May 6, after the show began its online audition process on March 8. Contestants initially submitted video introductions and performances, with selected applicants…
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Nakhon Si Thammarat theft suspect consumes 25 meth pills before arrest
Police in Nakhon Si Thammarat arrested a theft suspect today, May 8, after he allegedly stole 40,000 baht, used part of the money to buy methamphetamine, and consumed 25 pills in less than 24 hours. Police identified the suspect as 39 year old Arin from Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district. He was arrested at a rented house in Tha Sala district…
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Thai monks deceive children into ordaining and use them for donations in Malaysia
Parents of seven children, aged between three and 11, sought assistance after two monks in Prachuap Khiri Khan deceived them into ordaining as novices and soliciting donations in Malaysia. The case came to light after police in Kedah, Malaysia, arrested two Thai monks on April 7 on suspicion of human trafficking. Malaysian police said they had monitored the pair’s activities…
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Coronavirus found in Thai bats poses low spread risk, DDC says
Thailand has found a coronavirus in bats during routine wildlife disease surveillance, but no human infections have been reported, and the public risk remains low, according to the Department of Disease Control (DDC). DDC Director-General Dr Montien Kanasawat said today, May 8, that the discovery reflected Thailand’s ability to rapidly detect emerging diseases through its monitoring systems. Researchers studying horseshoe…
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Philippines hosts talks as Thailand, Cambodia seek renewed trust
Thailand and Cambodia agreed to rebuild trust and open a new chapter in bilateral relations after three-way talks initiated by the Philippines during the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu yesterday, May 7. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr at the Shangri-La Mactan hotel in Cebu to discuss the Thailand-Cambodia situation,…
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Thai mother seeks help to locate missing child after babysitter swaps baby
A Thai woman is seeking help to locate her missing child after a babysitter allegedly lost the infant and replaced the baby with another child. The 24 year old mother, identified only as Joy, approached the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women to assist in finding her biological child. She said she had already taken legal action against the babysitter,…
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Thailand News | Eight suspects detained after Chinese tourist dies following Pattaya Club assault, Humanoid robot ordained as honorary buddhist monk in South Korea
In the news today, eight suspects have been detained after the death of a Chinese tourist following a Pattaya Night Club assault, in Phuket, a British man was reportedly filmed damaging motorcycles in a knife-wielding outburst, also in Phuket an Israeli family is being accused of using their children to steal snacks from a convenience store, in health news Mpox…
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Israel embassy warns Israelis as Phuket tightens foreigner rules
The Embassy of Israel in Thailand has warned Israeli nationals in Phuket to follow local laws after provincial officials reportedly ordered stricter enforcement measures against foreigners on the island. The statement, written in Hebrew, was shared yesterday, May 7, on the Facebook page Israel in Thailand. According to the post, authorities would strictly enforce local laws and regulations, with offenders…
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Chinese driver crashes into Chon Buri roadwork barriers
A Chinese driver and two others were injured after a luxury car crashed into barriers at a road repair site and overturned on Highway 331 in Chon Buri late yesterday, May 7. Rescue workers from Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation received reports of the crash at 11.40pm on the inbound side of Highway 331 toward Rayong. At the scene, emergency responders…
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Phuket teenager praised for saving foreign man after roadside collapse
A Thai teenager was praised after performing CPR on a foreign man who collapsed on a road in Kathu district, Phuket, last night, May 7. Images and videos of the rescue were shared by several Thai news agencies and Facebook pages, showing the boy assisting the injured foreign man, who had a visible head wound and was lying motionless on…
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Russian tourist praised for helping elderly vendor in Phuket
A kind foreign man, reportedly a Russian tourist, received praise online after stopping to help an elderly Thai vendor push a cart up a steep hill at a windmill viewpoint in Rawai, Phuket, yesterday, May 7. The incident was shared by the Facebook page โหดจัง จังหวัดภูเก็ต, which posted a video showing the Russian man helping push the vendor’s cart up…
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Foreign woman dies after motorcycle hits van on Phuket road
A foreign woman died, and a man was seriously injured after a head-on motorcycle crash involving a van on Patak Road in Karon, Phuket, at around 8pm on Wednesday, May 6. Footage of the incident circulated on Thai social media yesterday, May 7. The crash occurred on a curve near the Holiday Inn hotel in Karon district. The video showed…
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Foreign family caught using children to steal from Phuket convenience store
A foreign family allegedly stole items from a convenience store in Patong, Phuket, on May 6, and challenged the staff to pursue legal action. The incident occurred at around 8pm, with video later posted by the Phuket Times Facebook page on May 7. The family’s nationality was reported as Israeli, but this has not been confirmed by police. CCTV footage…
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Malaysian man possible blacklisted for damaging Hat Yai police wheel clamp
A Malaysian man faces a 3,000 baht fine and possible blacklisting from Thailand after damaging a police wheel clamp in Hat Yai district, Songkhla, on May 4. A traffic police officer from Hat Yai Police Station had placed the clamp on a black Mercedes-Benz registered in Malaysia after it was parked in a prohibited area on Prachathipat Road. A traffic…
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Mpox cases in Thailand reach 48 after Songkran period
Thailand is closely monitoring mpox after the Songkran travel period, with 48 confirmed cases reported this year as of May 3 and health officials warning that more cases may appear during the disease’s incubation period. Department of Disease Control (DDC) chief Dr Montien Kanasawat said today, May 7, that mpox remains under close watch, especially the Clade Ib strain. The…
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Thai man accuses fortune teller of sexual assault during ritual
A businessman has accused a well-known fortune teller of sexual assault during a healing ritual, allegedly presented as a way to cure illness and resolve karma, with a complaint set to be filed with police today, May 7. The man, identified only as 32 year old Ae, went to the Bangkok office of Sai Mai Tong Rod, a social media…
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Chinese programmer caught in Bangkok over game company hack
A Chinese programmer was arrested in Bangkok today, May 7, and is set to be deported after he was accused of hacking a major game company in China and causing damages worth about 9 million baht. The man, identified as 34 year old Wang, was detained at a building on Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok. Thai police and…
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Singaporean woman arrested at Samui airport over nominee businesses
A Singaporean woman was arrested at Koh Samui International Airport in Surat Thani on May 4 for allegedly operating nominee businesses on the island. Officers from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and Surat Thani Immigration tracked down the suspect, identified only as Janis, before her scheduled flight. She was taken into custody at the airport and transferred to a…
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Burmese man sustains severe burns after alleged attack by 6 Chinese nationals
A Burmese construction worker alleged that six Chinese supervisors beat him, poured boiling water over his body, and threatened to remove his nails during an hours-long attack at a restaurant in Rayong on April 30. The victim, identified as 27 year old Tata, sought help from Thai social media influencer Guntouch “Gun” Pongpaiboonwet after suffering severe injuries with extensive burn…
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EV locks itself during charging, traps one year old girl inside
A mother has warned EV drivers after her car locked itself while charging at a station in Kamphaeng Phet at 11pm, leaving her one year and six month old daughter alone inside before a locksmith helped open the car. The incident was shared online by a Facebook user as a warning to EV drivers who may leave their keys inside…
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Thai driver, Chinese nationals caught in Sa Kaeo after 70km chase
A suspected smuggling operation was exposed in Sa Kaeo yesterday, May 6, after police arrested a Thai pickup driver following a 70-kilometre chase through Prachin Buri, Chachoengsao and Sa Kaeo, with six Chinese nationals found inside the vehicle. The pursuit began after highway police received a tip-off that Chinese nationals were being transported from the Sa Kaeo border to Bangkok.…
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Thai couple arrested for stealing animals from 2 Bangkok zoos
Two suspects were arrested at their accommodation in Don Mueang after stealing three animals from two zoos in Bangkok on May 1. Pata Zoo shared sketch images of the suspects, a man and a woman, on its official Facebook page yesterday, May 6, along with details of the incident and descriptions of the pair. The theft took place at around…
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MP urges action as Thai youth depression hits 26.9%
Democrat Party MP Karndee Leopairote, yesterday, May 6, urged the government to strengthen mental health support for young people after citing rising rates of depression and self-harm among Thai youth. Speaking during a House of Representatives meeting at Parliament, Karndee said she was raising the issue both as an MP and as a mother after her daughter told her that…
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Airports of Thailand confirms higher international passenger fee from June 20
Passenger service charge (PSC) for international departures are set to increase from 730 baht to 1,120 baht starting June 20, following approval from the Ministry of Transport of Thailand. Airports of Thailand (AOT) President Paweena Jariyathitipong announced yesterday, May 6, that the revised passenger service charge (PSC) had officially received approval after earlier plans were proposed in February. The PSC…
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Chinese tourist beaten to death inside unlicensed Pattaya pub
A Chinese tourist died after being attacked inside an unlicensed entertainment venue in South Pattaya, following a fight that began during a snooker game late yesterday, May 6. The Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Pattaya rescue centre received a report of an assault at 11.06pm inside a venue in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri. Police from Pattaya City Police…
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French students describe their Mirror Foundation internship as valuable experience
Two French university students shared their experiences working with the Mirror Foundation internship programme in Thailand, describing the placement as an opportunity to support underprivileged communities while learning about Thai culture and teamwork. The Mirror Foundation published the students’ experiences on its official Facebook page on Tuesday, May 5, as part of efforts to promote its internship programme and encourage more…
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