THAI.NEWS - Thailand Breaking News

Pattaya has rolled out its much-anticipated annual flu vaccination drive, turning a routine public-health task into a community-minded celebration of prevention. The campaign kicked off on Thursday, August 28, at the Pattaya Community Medical Centre (Wat Boon Kanjanaram), where deputy mayors Wuttisak Rermkitjakan and Krisana Boonsawat dropped by to cheer on medical staff, high-five volunteers and meet residents lining up for their free jabs. Organised by the Public Health Services Division of Pattaya’s Health and Environment Office, the drive aims to make flu protection easy, quick and—most importantly—free. The goal is straightforward: reduce illness, blunt the seasonal spike in cases and build community-level immunity so Pattaya’s families, workers and visitors can enjoy the city with fewer sniffles and more smiles. City officials stress that the initiative aligns with the Better Pattaya policy, a broader push to improve public health and wellbeing across the city. What happened at Wat Boon Kanjanaram…

Get ready to rethink weekend road trips—Bangkok to Kanchanaburi might soon feel like a short, scenic hop instead of a half-day slog. Thailand’s much-anticipated M81 motorway, a 96-kilometre ribbon of asphalt stretching from Bang Yai in Nonthaburi all the way to Kanchanaburi, is rolling into its final stages and expected to be fully open before the end of the year. The Department of Highways says only the finishing touches remain. Director-General Apirat Chaiwongnoi confirmed crews are wrapping up road systems and maintenance work so the motorway can move out of trial mode and into full service. Designed to slice through four provinces—Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi and Kanchanaburi—the M81 blends six-lane and four-lane sections to balance capacity with terrain and demand. But this isn’t just a wider road. Think smarter: the route will be kitted out with modern traffic-management features such as M-Flow automatic toll collection, speed detection systems and roadside…

Thailand’s Political Rollercoaster: Anutin Throws His Hat into the Interim-PM Ring Thailand has a new twist in its never-dull political drama. Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul surprised observers by declaring himself ready to lead an interim government after the Constitutional Court removed Paetongtarn Shinawatra from the premiership. With crucial backing from the opposition People’s Party, Anutin says he’s canvassing allies and — if the arithmetic holds — could shepherd Thailand through a short, high-stakes transition. At a press conference at Bhumjaithai headquarters on August 29, Anutin announced his willingness to assume the premiership for a temporary coalition. He emphasized the short-term nature of the plan: the interim government would govern for no more than four months before dissolving the House and paving the way for fresh political arrangements. It’s a compact, deadline-driven strategy that aims to offer a quick exit from paralysis rather than a long-lived compromise government. Numbers, Names and…

On Wednesday, August 27, a quiet ripple turned into a noticeable stir across Thailand’s activist circles and social feeds: dozens of prisoners convicted under the country’s controversial lese majeste law were released after royal pardons issued earlier this year. The Corrections Department confirmed the mass release, which included a cross-section of people long familiar to human-rights monitors — activists, artists, a grandmother, and even a mother who had been jailed while pregnant. Faces behind the headlines One of the most striking stories belongs to 65-year-old Anchan Preelert, a former civil servant who had received a jaw-dropping sentence of 43 years and six months for sharing 29 audio clips from underground radio host Banpot that were deemed insulting to the monarchy. After serving eight years, four months, and 19 days, Anchan walked free from Bangkok’s Central Women’s Correctional Institution, reentering a world that has shifted dramatically during her time inside. (Photo…

A quiet late‑afternoon drive turned tragic on August 28 when a speeding pickup truck ploughed into a motorcyclist at a U‑turn in Khao Lak, Phang Nga. The crash — which occurred at about 5:15pm near the Kukkak Subdistrict Health Centre on Phetkasem Road, en route to Thai Mueang — left the rider dead at the scene and the community shaken once again. What happened at the U‑turn Police from Khao Lak Station were called to the scene and found a badly mangled motorcycle and the wreckage of a red Isuzu pickup truck bearing Phuket plates. The driver of the pickup, identified as Samart Chiplek, was reportedly driving in the right‑hand lane at speeds in excess of 100 kilometres per hour. As the pickup approached the U‑turn, the motorcycle — which had been parked at the turning point and was preparing to head toward Thai Mueang — was struck with devastating…

The sky over Thailand is handing out umbrellas — whether you want one or not. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a blunt heads-up: heavy rain, flash floods and dangerous runoff are set to batter large swathes of the country from today, August 30, through Wednesday, September 3. The northern and northeastern regions are forecast to bear the brunt, and even Bangkok looks likely to trade commuter sunshine for a soggy commute — chance of rain there jumps from about 40% on August 29 to roughly 70% by August 31. What’s driving the deluge? A low-pressure system forming over northern Vietnam is teaming up with a mild southwesterly wind feeding in from the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. That meteorological mix is supercharging rains across much of the nation. Adding complexity, a tropical depression was detected early today in the central South China Sea, about 210 kilometres…