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BANGKOK: The Thai government aims to complete the construction of a 250-kilometre (155-mile) section of a high-speed rail line that will connect ‌it to China by 2030, as Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul concluded a five-day visit to the country.

Tuesday 21 July 2026 09:45 AM

Government plans to cut civil service

BANGKOK: The government's proposal to encourage civil servants as young as 40 years old to leave the bureaucracy voluntarily could become one of the most ambitious efforts in years to reduce the size of the state workforce.

Monday 20 July 2026 11:30 AM

Former Phuket governor backs metropolis plan ‒ then warns of risks

PHUKET: Former Phuket governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn has publicly backed plans to establish Phuket as a metropolitan administration, but warned that dismantling the province’s existing administrative structure could create risks for national security, emergency response and public services.

Saturday 18 July 2026 11:30 AM

Anutin, Xi to meet in Shanghai

SHANGHAI: Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shanghai today (July 17) during his visit to China, with Thai-Cambodian border security expected to be high on the agenda.

Friday 17 July 2026 09:19 AM

ASEAN envoy meets Myanmar rebel groups in Thailand

BANGKOK: ASEAN’s special envoy on Myanmar has held talks with ethnic minority rebel groups and ‌a government-backed negotiation committee in an effort to tackle the country’s civil war, with both sides expressing openness to dialogue, the Philippines said yesterday (July 14).

Wednesday 15 July 2026 12:43 PM

US strikes Iran for third day, will reimpose blockade

TEHRAN: The United States launched a third night of strikes on Iran today (July 14) as President Donald Trump reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports and floated a 20% fee on cargo in the vital Strait of Hormuz.

Tuesday 14 July 2026 12:12 PM

Polapee raids follow day after hotel licensing deadline expires

PHUKET: Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee personally led raids on three Phuket hotels on Saturday (July 11), less than 24 hours after the deadline he had extended for operators to seek legalisation under a special government consultation programme expired.

Monday 13 July 2026 10:31 AM

Governor calls for Phuket Red Cross to have ‘greater cultural focus’

PHUKET: Phuket Governor Chotinrin Kerdsum has urged the Phuket chapter of the Thai Red Cross Society to play a greater role in promoting the province's cultural heritage, as the local branch sets out its operational plans for the 2027 fiscal year.

Sunday 12 July 2026 10:00 AM

Phuket MP blasts ‘sham’ anti-corruption efforts

PHUKET: Phuket MP Chalermpong Saengdee has used a speech in Parliament to accuse authorities of merely pretending to tackle corruption in Phuket, arguing that repeated transfers of senior officials and high-profile investigations have failed to address entrenched problems on the island.

Friday 10 July 2026 04:42 PM

Parliament approves amnesty for hundreds of activists

BANGKOK: Thailand’s parliament passed an amnesty bill on Wednesday (July 8) benefiting hundreds of activists found guilty over the last 20 years - but not those sentenced for corruption or violating the royal insult law.

Friday 10 July 2026 10:00 AM

Trump orders new strikes on Iran over attacks on shipping in Hormuz

TEHRAN: US President Donald Trump ordered new strikes on Iran yesterday (Juy 8) and warned of “much worse” if Tehran continues to attack vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the vital oil shipping channel.

Thursday 9 July 2026 10:05 AM

Thailand deepens US defence ties

BANGKOK: Thailand seeks to deepen defence, cybersecurity and academic cooperation with the United States while maintaining its neutral foreign policy and supporting a peaceful, rules-based Indo-Pacific, Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told reporters during an official visit to Hawaii on Monday (July 6).

Wednesday 8 July 2026 11:56 AM

International concern after China test-fires missile into Pacific

WASHINGTON: The United States voiced alarm yesterday (July 6) over Beijing's nuclear program after China test-fired a purported long-range missile into the Pacific Ocean, the latest move in its rapid military modernisation.

Tuesday 7 July 2026 12:32 PM

FIFA have ‘crossed a red line’ in Balogun reprieve: UEFA

FOOTBALL: FIFA “crossed a red line” with the controversial decision to suspend US star Folarin Balogun’s one game ban for a year, European football's governing body UEFA said yesterday (July 6).

Tuesday 7 July 2026 09:42 AM

Rungruang now accused of illegal land dealing

PHUKET: Former Phuket Provincial Palad (Chief Administrative Officer) Rungruang Thimabut has now been accused of extortion following a multi-agency investigation that uncovered an alleged money trail in an extortion case in Phuket to a separate local government recruitment exam bribery case in Southern Thailand.

Tuesday 30 June 2026 06:27 PM

New Phuket governor officially begins duties

PHUKET: New Phuket Governor Chotinrin Kerdsum officially began his duties yesterday (June 29), arriving at Phuket Provincial Hall to take up the province's top administrative post.

Tuesday 30 June 2026 10:30 AM

Rungruang arrested in national exam corruption probe

PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Palad Rungruang Thimabut has been arrested by anti-corruption police over allegations that he acted as a middleman in a bribery scheme linked to local government recruitment examinations, just hours after returning to his post following a temporary transfer to Bangkok.

Monday 29 June 2026 11:18 AM

Phuket hotel operators take legal vacuum fight to Parliament

PHUKET: Small and medium-sized hotel operators in Phuket have taken their long-running licensing dispute to Parliament, warning that a legal vacuum has left more than 5,600 hotels unable to apply for or renew hotel business licences despite years of efforts to bring operators into the legal system.

Monday 29 June 2026 11:00 AM

Phuket finally confirms governor's transfer after two-week limbo