Thai Times

FIFA’s Retreat Leaves a Larger Question Over Who Guards the Game

Gianni Infantino has abandoned a private-investment plan for football’s most valuable commercial rights, but the revolt it provoked has widened into a dispute over FIFA’s power, process and future leadership.

Chonburi Police Arrest Suspects in Murder Case Involving Two Russian Tourists

Police in Chonburi have arrested two main suspects accused of the robbery and murder of two Russian siblings whose bodies were found buried at Khao Chi Chan. Authorities said the victims were targeted for their vehicle and personal valua...

Thai Police Charge University Testing Center Director in Major Examination Fraud Investigation

Law enforcement authorities have filed seven serious criminal charges against the director of a university testing center following an investigation into alleged examination fraud. The suspect has denied the accusations, saying actions w...

Thai Foreign Ministry Defends Response After Death of Thai Citizen in Georgia Sparks Public Criticism

Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released an official timeline explaining its handling of the death of Thai national Hlun Solo in Georgia after criticism from the victim’s family over delayed communication and repatriation proc...

Two Firefighting Crew Members Die in Helicopter Collision West of Athens

A Danish pilot and a Greek fire-service liaison officer were killed while tackling a major wildfire near Psatha; a British pilot and a second Greek crew member survived with minor injuries.

Five Dead After Ferry Fire Off East Java as Search Continues

The Mutiara Sentosa 2 caught fire while sailing from Surabaya to Makassar, forcing passengers and crew into the sea and prompting a multi-vessel rescue operation.

Great Wall Motor Becomes First Chinese EV Brand to Meet Thailand’s EV 3.5 Production Requirements

Great Wall Motor has completed domestic production offset requirements under Thailand’s EV 3.5 policy, using its Rayong factory to expand local supply chains and increase local content beyond 50% as Thailand strengthens its position as a...

Thailand’s Thai Chuai Thai Plus Stimulus Program Injects 86 Billion Baht Into Local Economy

The government’s Thai Chuai Thai Plus initiative has generated more than 86 billion baht in economic activity within its first two months, supporting domestic consumption among more than 26 million registered participants and over one mi...

Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul Begins First Thai Leaders’ Visit to Indonesia in 15 Years

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has traveled to Indonesia for a two-day official visit focused on expanding cooperation with President Prabowo Subianto on trade, food security and regional energy connectivity as Thailand seeks closer ...

Thailand Issues Flash Flood Warnings as Strong Monsoon Rains Hit Northern and Coastal Areas

Thailand’s Meteorological Department has warned that heavy to very heavy rainfall from an active monsoon trough could trigger flash floods and forest runoff across northern, northeastern, eastern and western coastal provinces through ear...

Thailand Approves Four Special Economic Corridors to Attract Foreign Universities and Build Advanced Skills

The Thai Cabinet has approved new economic zones where leading overseas universities can establish campuses and partnerships, addressing a projected shortage of nearly 476,000 skilled workers in robotics, advanced manufacturing and other...

Thailand Targets Three Trillion Baht Tourism Revenue Through Higher-Value Travel Strategy

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has launched a new strategy focused on medical tourism, wellness, cultural experiences and higher-spending visitors, aiming to generate three trillion baht in tourism revenue with international travelers...

Thailand Pushes August Deadline for Delayed High-Speed Airport Rail Link Contract Changes

The State Railway of Thailand plans to issue a construction notice by August 2026 for the 224.5-billion-baht airport rail project, warning that the government may seek approval to take over civil works if the concessionaire fails to comp...

Thailand Attracts 1.37 Trillion Baht in Foreign Investment Applications as Global Tech Firms Expand

Thailand’s Board of Investment reported an 80% surge in foreign direct investment applications during the first half of 2026, driven largely by major technology companies investing in data centers, cloud services and artificial intellige...

Thailand Becomes First Overseas Delivery Hub for China's TSR20 Rubber Market

Chinese authorities have approved Thailand's first overseas delivery warehouse for technically specified rubber 20 (TSR20), strengthening the country's position as a regional hub for rubber trading, agricultural commodities and internati...

Thailand Unveils Low-Season Tourism Incentives to Boost Domestic Travel

Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports is accelerating plans for domestic travel subsidies, including co-payment schemes and flight incentives for September and October, to sustain tourism demand and support hospitality businesses in ...

Thai State Enterprises Disburse 172 Billion Baht to Accelerate Infrastructure Investment

Thailand's State Enterprise Policy Office said state-owned enterprises invested 172 billion baht during the first nine months of the fiscal year, reaching 69% of their annual target as the government pushes ahead with major transport and...

Mass Transfer of Thai Education Directors Sparks Calls for Greater Transparency

Thailand's Office of the Basic Education Commission is facing mounting scrutiny after the transfer of 40 educational area directors, with officials defending the reshuffle as a routine administrative measure while affected administrators...

Thailand Warns Illegal Chinese Freight Trucks Are Undermining Domestic Logistics Industry

Thai transport authorities and logistics groups have raised concerns over Chinese-registered freight trucks operating beyond designated cross-border trade routes into southern Thailand, warning that the practice bypasses safety regulatio...

Bank of Thailand Tightens Digital Transaction Limits on Minors to Curb Cybercrime

The Bank of Thailand has introduced stricter daily transfer and payment limits for accounts held by minors, with thresholds based on age, as authorities seek to prevent cybercrime syndicates from using children's accounts to move illicit...

Finland Deploys Commercial-Scale Thermal Batteries Using Crushed Rock to Store Renewable Grid Energy

A 100-megawatt-hour thermal storage system in Pornainen has eliminated the municipal heating network's reliance on oil, as engineers test bidirectional power conversion.

Valued at $109 Million: F-35B Fighter Jet Crashes in Southern California

Valued at $109 Million: F-35B Fighter Jet Crashes in Southern California

An advanced stealth aircraft went down in an open field near San Diego, prompting a Class A military accident investigation after the pilot safely ejected.

Mass Transfer of Education Officials Triggers Calls for Administrative Review

Thailand's Office of the Basic Education Commission is under growing scrutiny after the abrupt transfer of 40 educational area directors, with affected officials questioning the transparency of the reshuffle and the agency preparing a fo...

Thailand Cracks Down on Fraudulent Overseas Recruitment Schemes

The Ministry of Labour has launched a nationwide campaign against illegal recruitment agencies accused of misleading Thai workers with fake job offers in Ireland, warning applicants to verify agencies through official channels before pay...

Thailand Tightens Oversight of Foreign Trucks Operating Beyond Approved Border Routes

Thai transport authorities are facing calls to strengthen enforcement after foreign-registered heavy trucks were found operating outside designated transit corridors, with industry groups urging tighter border controls, vehicle tracking ...

Thai AirAsia Consolidates Bangkok Domestic Operations at Don Mueang Airport

Thai AirAsia will temporarily transfer nine domestic routes from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Don Mueang Airport through 30 September as the airline seeks to improve efficiency and manage higher fuel costs.

Bangkok Land Prices Continue Rising Along Mass Transit Corridors

The Real Estate Information Center said vacant land prices in Greater Bangkok increased 6.2% year on year in the second quarter, with the strongest gains recorded in eastern suburbs and areas served by expanding rail networks.

Line BK Targets Double-Digit Loan Growth After Strong First Half

Kasikorn Line's digital banking platform Line BK increased its loan portfolio by 7.4% to 29 billion baht in the first half while expanding its customer base to more than 8.8 million users, keeping it on track for double-digit annual growth.

Thailand Replaces Land Bridge Megaproject With Chumphon-Ranong Transport Plan

The government has abandoned its proposed one trillion baht Land Bridge project in favour of upgrading Ranong Port and building a 100-kilometre dual-track railway linking Chumphon with the Andaman coast.

Thailand Government Revenue Beats Fiscal Target in First Nine Months

Thailand collected 2.15 trillion baht in net government revenue between October 2025 and June 2026, exceeding the fiscal target by 50.9 billion baht on stronger value-added tax receipts and higher state-owned enterprise dividend payments.

Thailand Tightens Standards for AI Data Center Investments

The Thai government and the Board of Investment have introduced stricter requirements for new AI data centre projects, placing greater emphasis on clean energy, sustainable water management and long-term economic value.

Thailand Investment Applications Jump to US$43.6 Billion as AI Data Centers Drive Growth

Thailand's Board of Investment said investment applications rose 37% year on year to 1.47 trillion baht in the first half of 2026, led by a surge in artificial intelligence data centres, cloud services and digital infrastructure projects.

US Says It Has Carried Out Heavy Strikes on Iran After Attempted Attacks on Its Forces

US Central Command said dozens of Iranian targets were hit after missiles were fired towards US forces in Jordan, while Iranian media reported civilian deaths on Qeshm island.

The World's Most Terrifying Smartphone: Recording, Documenting, and Reporting to the Regime

A Washington Post investigation reveals how North Korea has transformed modern smartphones into sophisticated tools of state surveillance and social control.

Thai Logistics Industry Calls for Tighter Oversight of Foreign Freight Vehicles

Transport authorities and logistics groups have urged stricter enforcement after reports of foreign commercial trucks operating unauthorized routes in southern Thailand, prompting calls for digital tracking and stronger regulation as cro...

Police General Samran Nuanma Appointed Thailand's New National Police Chief

Thailand's Police Commission unanimously approved Police General Samran Nuanma as the 16th Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police, with the appointment intended to ensure leadership continuity and support modernization, anti-corru...

Thailand Targets Up to 2.9 Trillion Baht in Tourism Revenue Under 2027 Strategy

The Tourism Authority of Thailand aims to generate 2.8 trillion to 2.9 trillion baht in tourism revenue in 2027 by shifting to a "Value over Volume" strategy that combines artificial intelligence, major international events and higher-qu...

The AI User Nightmare: Private Claude Conversations Leaked to the Internet

Hundreds of Anthropic Claude chat logs, containing medical records and internal documents, appeared in Google search results after being shared by users.

Forbidden Love: China severs millions from their virtual partners

New Chinese regulations prohibit AI chatbots from forming emotional dependencies with humans, even as the nation advances hyper-realistic humanoid robotics.

Over 24 Hours in the Air: Qantas Airbus Completes Record-Breaking Test Flight

A modified Airbus A350-1000ULR traveled over 23,000 kilometers from Melbourne to Toulouse, drawing millions of real-time viewers.

Debate Intensifies Over Proposed Co-Payments in Thailand's Universal Healthcare System

Political divisions have deepened over proposals to introduce patient co-payments under Thailand's 30-baht universal healthcare scheme, with supporters arguing the measure would help contain rising healthcare costs while opponents warn i...

Prime Minister Anutin Plans Interior Ministry Overhaul to Break Bureaucratic Factions

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said a major reshuffle at the Ministry of Interior will take place in August to dismantle long-standing bureaucratic factions and promote merit-based appointments, in a move aimed at strengthening gover...

U.S. Imposes 12.5% Tariff Cap on Thai Imports, Pressuring Exporters

The United States has imposed a 12.5% ceiling tariff on imports from Thailand as part of broader trade measures affecting more than 60 trading partners, prompting Thai policymakers and businesses to reassess supply chains and seek ways t...