THAI.NEWS - Thailand Breaking News

Early on the morning of September 13, a routine ride home turned into a nightmare near Indy Market in Dao Khanong. What began as a chase between groups of youths erupted into gunfire, leaving a 15‑year‑old boy — known only by the pseudonym “Ae” — fighting for his life in a Bangkok hospital. Social media footage of the pursuit and the moment he was struck spread quickly online, deepening the anguish for his family and igniting fresh public anger over teenage gang violence in the capital. Ae’s mother, 35‑year‑old Amara, described the frantic hours that followed. She said she had spoken to her son just after midnight; he sounded fine and reassured her he was safe. Later, when calls went unanswered, her fear grew. “Around 1 a.m., a friend called to tell me he had been shot,” Amara recalled, still visibly shaken. When she arrived at the hospital, doctors told…

Phuket is steering toward a splashy new chapter in island travel. On 12 September, a long-discussed boat taxi service for the west coast moved from idea to ink when senior officials signed a Memorandum of Understanding at Phuket Provincial Hall — a practical step that could make commuting across Phuket as breezy as a sea breeze. The MoU was signed by Atthaphon Charoenchansa, director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), alongside Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat. Also on hand were Therdthai Kwanthong, director of the DNP’s Protected Area Management Office 5, Natchapong Pranit, director of the Phuket Marine Office, plus representatives from other government agencies and private-sector partners. The message was clear: this project aims to broaden transport choices, ease gridlock and give visitors — and locals — a faster, greener option for getting around. A 40-minute shortcut across paradise The pilot run is ambitious and…

Chalermchai Sri-on, the long-serving face of Thailand’s Democrat Party, quietly handed in a letter that rippled through the nation’s political waters: he has stepped down as party leader, citing health issues that have curtailed his ability to steer the ship. The resignation, submitted to the Election Commission’s political party registrar on September 12, came with a candid note — at 60 years old, Chalermchai concluded he could no longer perform his duties at full capacity and feared his condition might end up doing more harm than good for a party already navigating choppy seas. Born in the peaceful coastal province of Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chalermchai’s career is the kind of slow-burn political saga that’s become increasingly rare. First elected to the House of Representatives in 2001, he climbed the ranks steadily and most recently served as minister of agriculture and cooperatives in former Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s government from 2019…

Chaos broke out at Central Westgate in Bang Yai, Nonthaburi, on the evening of September 12 when a shopping trip took a traumatic turn. According to eyewitnesses and police statements, a woman discovered a man allegedly using an iPad to film beneath her skirt. Staff were alerted, security responded, and what followed was a frantic escape attempt that ended with the 21‑year‑old plunging from the mall’s fourth floor to the ground below. The scene, eyewitnesses say, was instantly terrifying. People shouted, children were hurried away, and the cacophony of alarmed shoppers filled the multi‑level complex. “People were screaming and crying,” one witness told reporters, describing the raw shock that rippled through the crowds as the man fell. Mall security quickly cordoned off the area while bystanders recorded what they could on their phones — adding another layer of urgency as police raced to secure evidence and comfort distressed customers. Police…

This morning’s early calm was briefly rattled when the Earthquake Observation Division registered a 3.6-magnitude quake off the northern coast of Sumatra — a little tremor that managed to send mild shudders into parts of northern Thailand. Happily, the shaken-but-not-stirred report is simple: no injuries, no damage, and no reason to panic. The jolt struck at 4:27 a.m. local time on September 13, centred in Indonesia’s northern Sumatra at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres. The epicentre sat roughly 367 kilometres southwest of Satun’s Mueang district — distant enough that southern Thailand never faced a tsunami or significant risk. Still, the event wasn’t an isolated blip. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) noted that, alongside the offshore quake, a couple of smaller local tremors were recorded closer to home. In the predawn hours — when most of us are sharpening snores rather than wits — Mae Hi subdistrict in Pai district,…

The sleepy riverside calm of Ban Aen was shattered on September 12 when locals making their usual rounds along the Ping River stumbled upon a grim and unsettling sight: a decomposed body floating near the bank. The discovery, made in Ban Aen village in Ban Aen subdistrict of Doi Tao district, Chiang Mai, prompted an immediate response from local rescue teams and police and has left the tight-knit community searching for answers. Rapid response, limited answers Rescue groups—including the Dewarit Metta Tham Chiang Mai Rescue Association, the Disaster Response Club of Amphoe Yom Thong, and Hod Rescue—rushed to the scene alongside officers from Doi Tao Police Station. Teams retrieved the remains, which were found face down in the water. Authorities say the advanced state of decomposition suggests the woman had likely been in the river for several days, making visual identification and an initial determination of cause of death impossible…

An anonymous tip, a half-dozen municipal engineers and a sunscreen-scarred house in Rattanakorn 15: that was the scene in Nong Prue around 2pm on September 12, when deputy mayor Wanchai Saenngam led a team to investigate claims that a home was being built taller than permitted and possibly without the proper paperwork. Local officials arrived with tape measures, clipboards and that particular blend of politeness and purpose municipal officers always bring to a neighbourhood quarrel. The initial complaint had been enough to trigger a formal inspection: neighbours worried the structure might breach the eight-metre height limit, and rumours had circulated that construction had continued despite an earlier stop order. What investigators found, however, was less scandal and more bureaucracy resolved. The house in question had indeed been issued a stop order previously — not because it was secretly morphing into a skyscraper, but because permit documentation was incomplete. The homeowner…

Get Ready: Pattaya’s Sky Is About to Explode (In the Most Beautiful Way) Pattaya is turning up the volume — and the pyrotechnics. The Chon Buri Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) has just greenlit an extra 5 million baht to supercharge the Pattaya International Fireworks Festival 2025, and organizers promise the biggest, brightest two-night spectacle the city has ever seen. Block your calendar for November 28–29: from 8:00 p.m. to midnight each night, Pattaya Beach will light up with international fireworks teams competing to dazzle crowds and judges alike. This isn’t just a fireworks show. Think of it as a carnival for the senses: towering multi-colour shells bursting over the Gulf of Thailand, live concerts featuring local and international acts, cultural performances that celebrate Thai heritage, and bustling food markets serving everything from spicy street snacks to global comfort food. Rooftop bars and beachfront hotels will offer premium vantage points for…