Thailand
Trump’s Iran war is forcing Thai and Vietnamese farmers to rethink planting rice
Shipping delays and surging logistics costs tied to the Iran war are disrupting rice exports from Thailand and Vietnam, two of the world’s largest suppliers. Vietnam primarily ships rice to regional…
Floods across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia kill more than 1,400
More than 1,400 people have been killed across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia after days of heavy rain triggered severe flooding and landslides. Three cyclones formed in the same week…
Trump credited by Cambodian official with brokering ceasefire with Thailand
Lim Menghour, director general of the Commission on Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Cambodia’s National Assembly, credited former U.S. President Donald Trump with helping secure a…
Thailand, Cambodia agree to ceasefire talks after border clashes displace thousands
Clashes along the Thailand–Cambodia border erupted on July 24, marking the worst fighting between the two countries in more than a decade. At least 35 people have been killed, including civilians and…
Thai woman accused of extorting over $11 million from Buddhist monks
A 35-year-old woman was arrested in Nonthaburi, Thailand, on July 15 for allegedly engaging in sexual relations with senior Buddhist monks and using explicit materials to extort money from them.…
Thailand reverses historic cannabis legalization
Thailand has implemented new restrictions requiring medical prescriptions for cannabis purchases, effectively ending three years of recreational use after becoming the first Asian country to…
Nearly 2,000 couples tie the knot as Thailand approves same-sex marriage
Thailand made history Thursday as the first Southeast Asian nation to legalize same-sex marriage, with 1,832 LGBTQ+ couples registering their unions on the landmark day. At celebrations across the…
Moo Deng who? Thai zoo’s golden tabby tiger melts hearts with cuddly looks
A 3-year-old golden tabby tiger is melting the hearts of Facebook users with her cuddly looks, potentially giving baby hippo Moo Deng a run for her money. The Chiang Mai Night Safari debuted photos…
Thai woman sentenced to death in 1st of 14 murder trials for cyanide poisoning spree
Bangkok’s Criminal Court has sentenced Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, 36, to death for the cyanide poisoning of her friend, Siriporn Khanwong, in April 2023. Rangsiwuthaporn, dubbed “Aem Cyanide” (“Ms.…
Moo Deng gets her own catchy theme song in four languages
Moo Deng, the viral four-month-old pygmy hippo from Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo, now has her very own song. The 50-second track, titled “Moodeng Moodeng,” was produced and written by Thai composer…
Thailand takes historic step to end statelessness
Thailand has launched a landmark initiative to end statelessness by granting citizenship to 483,000 long-term residents and members of ethnic minorities. Announced by Prime Minister Paetongtarn…
Can this heartwarming hit bring Thailand its first Oscar?
Thailand has chosen “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” as its entry for the best international feature film at the 97th Academy Awards. The blockbuster film, directed by Pat Boonnitipat and…
Thai animal rights group defends zoo against PETA’s Moo Deng abuse claims
The Thai Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TSPCA) is defending Khao Kheow Open Zoo against the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (PETA) accusation of animal abuse against…
Thailand makes history as 1st SEA country to legalize same-sex marriage
Thailand has legalized same-sex marriage, becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to do so. The landmark bill, which received royal endorsement from King Maha Vajiralongkorn, will come into…
Superstar baby hippo Moo Deng gets her own 24/7 livestream
Moo Deng, a 2-month-old female pygmy hippo at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand, is set to have her own 24-hour livestream by the end of September, following her viral rise to fame on social media.…
Asia dominates list of best hotels in the world for 2024
Thailand luxury hotel Capella Bangkok, situated along the Chao Phraya River, topped this year’s “World’s 50 Best Hotels” list. The expert panel of judges behind the annual list highlighted the…
Thailand proposes new bill to regulate cannabis
Thailand has introduced a new bill to regulate its cannabis industry, focusing on medical and research uses as the government moves to curb recreational consumption. What it says: The draft…
Visitors to Thailand’s superstar baby hippo Moo Deng warned to behave
Khao Kheow Open Zoo, located near Pattaya, is asking its visitors to be on their best behavior when coming to see Moo Deng (“Bouncy Pig”), a 2-month-old female pygmy hippopotamus who has gained…
Super Typhoon Yagi continues deadly path across Asia as it hits Thailand
Thailand deployed military special forces to Chiang Rai province after severe flooding, caused by Typhoon Yagi, left thousands stranded. The storm has killed at least nine people in the past week,…
Viral video shows Thai mom sending love to daughter via CCTV
A heartwarming video of a Thai mother giving her daughter virtual hugs and kisses through a CCTV camera on Aug. 27 has gone viral on TikTok, amassing over 1.7 million views. TikTok user Aum Aum…
Thailand ex-police chief among 8 charged in Red Bull heir hit-and-run cover-up
Multiple high-ranking officials, including Thailand’s former National Police Chief Somyot Poompanmoung and former Deputy Attorney General Nate Naksuk, were charged in connection with an alleged…
Son of Spanish actors sentenced to life in Thai prison for murder of surgeon
On Thursday, a court in Thailand sentenced Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, the son of famous Spanish actors, to life in prison for the premeditated murder and dismemberment of 44-year-old Colombian plastic…
1st case of new mpox virus strain in Asia recorded in Thailand
Thailand has recorded Asia’s first case of clade 1b, a new strain of the mpox virus formerly known as monkeypox. Thongchai Kiratihattayakorn, the head of Thailand’s Department of Disease Control,…
Thailand elects its youngest-ever prime minister
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 37, became Thailand’s youngest prime minister on Friday, stepping into a role previously held by her father and aunt. The former business executive was the parliament’s sole…
Taekwondo star becomes Thailand’s first two-time Olympic gold medalist
Thai taekwondo athlete Panipak “Tennis” Wongpattanakit marked her 27th birthday with a historic win, securing Thailand’s first gold medal at the Paris Olympics and becoming the first Thai athlete to…
Dogs resort to eating dead owner in Bangkok house
Over two dozen dogs were found locked in a Bangkok house, having resorted to eating the remains of their deceased owner, 62-year-old Attapol Charoenpithak, in a desperate attempt to survive.…
Thailand gets its first Olympic medal in badminton
Kunlavut Vitidsarn made history by becoming the first badminton player from Thailand’s national team to reach the finals on Sunday. The Thai badminton star defeated Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia with scores…
Apple sparks controversy in Thailand over ‘outdated’ portrayal in promo video
A recent Apple promo video set in Thailand has ignited strong reactions, with critics arguing that it presents an outdated and stereotypical view of the country. Apple, which has not responded to the…
Thailand to regulate cannabis instead of recriminalization
Thailand plans to regulate its growing cannabis industry through new legislation, potentially shelving controversial plans to reverse decriminalization. Anutin Charnvirakul of the Bhumjaithai Party,…
Vietnamese tourists fatally poisoned in Bangkok hotel
Six Vietnamese tourists, including two Vietnamese American dual citizens, were found dead in a locked hotel room at the Grand Hyatt Erawan in Bangkok on Tuesday. Authorities believe they were…
Thailand waives visa requirements to 93 countries
Thailand has expanded its list of visa-free entry countries from 57 to 93 in order to boost tourism. People traveling from the 93 eligible countries can stay in Thailand as tourists or for short-term…
Thai teen designs Red Bull’s Formula One cars
Team Red Bull has incorporated the design created by Chalaj Suvanish, a grade 11 student at Prince Royal’s College in Chiang Mai, Thailand, into its cars after the 16-year-old boy won the brand’s…
Thai teen goes viral for uncanny resemblance to Blackpink’s Lisa
Yeehwa, a 17-year-old fried chicken seller from Thailand, has gone viral for her remarkable resemblance to Blackpink’s Lisa. The secondary school student from Phichit province helps her mother at a…
Poll: Most Thais support reclassifying cannabis as a narcotic
A majority of participants in a Thai government poll surveyed between June 11 and June 25 expressed support in reclassifying cannabis as a narcotic to ban recreational use, with over 80% of 111,201…
Thai activist’s death in custody reignites calls for justice reform in Thailand
The death of a 28-year-old Thai activist in pre-trial detention earlier this month has reignited calls for reform in Thailand’s justice system. Key points:
Thai official lowers himself into sewer to retrieve woman’s winning lottery ticket
A local Thai official used a crane to descend into a sewer to retrieve a winning lottery ticket a woman had accidentally dropped. Key points:
