Is it just my algorithm, or does the Thai government really spend 80% of its time talking about bad foreigners? Or I’m getting a distorted picture of Thai politics from English-language news and social media?

On my newsfeed It seems like every other story involves another government announcement about cracking down on badly behaved tourists, visa overstayers, foreigners banking, foreigners working illegally, some other foreign-related issue or some new measure aimed at foreigners.

it got me thinking, how much attention do these issues actually receive within Thailand? For example, how much of the government’s time and public discussion is dedicated to things like infrastructure, economic growth, healthcare, education, wages and the cost of living? I’m not saying that those discussions aren’t happening. I’m just wondering whether I’m simply not being shown them.

What also makes it interesting to me is that this discourse seems very different from the immigration debates we have in Europe and the west, which tend to focus on asylum, employment, housing and public services. Whereas In Thailand, at least from what I’m seeing, the attention seems disproportionately focused on troublesome holidaymakers, overstayers and foreigners breaking local laws.

So for people who live in Thailand, particularly those who follow Thai-language news, how much attention do these foreigner-related issues actually receive? Is this a genuine top political priority in Thailand, or am I just seeing a very narrow version of Thai politics designed for foreign audiences?

Hit a massive wall after 5 years in corporate tech—laid off twice, completely burned out, and dealing with a failed engagement. Sold everything, zero debt, and clean slate. With my parents retiring and moving away, I know things are going to get heavy in a few years when I have to look after them, so this is my only window to pull the ripcord.

I’m heading out to Bangkok for a 6-month sabbatical and life reset. I've got a $25k runway (which I know I can stretch if needed) and zero connections holding me down in the US anymore.

I’ve spent the last few years flying back and forth to Asia, so I’m not coming in completely blind. Between the network and contacts I’ve built around Bangkok, I realistically know I can pull in around $1,500/month to keep the baseline covered, and I’ve got the US corporate tech matrix as a fallback parachute if everything goes sideways.

For the expats or long-timers who made a similar jump out to Thailand to clear their heads:

How did you manage the mental weight of the timeline while trying to actually build something or pivot out there?

Keeping a $25k stack fluid in Thailand—how fast do hidden costs creep up when you're trying to launch a project on a tight runway?

Did having the "corporate fallback" safety net soften your focus, or was it just necessary peace of mind?

Appreciate any grounded advice or hard truths from people who’ve done it.

Left : Royal Barge Narai Song Suban HM Rama IX 

Middle : Royal Barge Suphannahong

Right : Royal Barge Anantanakkharat

Royal Barge Narai Song Suban HM Rama IX 

Royal Barge Suphannahong

Royal Barge Anantanakkharat (Front)

The procession will happen on November 6th. You can view it along the Chao Phraya or on TV

The governors of Chon Buri and Rayong were out patrolling for pirates when they found him on the island of Koh Krabue. He told them he was the grandson of the King of Vietnam, and that his country had fallen to the enemy.

They told him to come to Bangkok. He was scared: his uncle had once fled to Siam and been put to death there. The governors reassured him: "The reign has changed. His present Majesty is deeply compassionate."

So he came, and Rama I took him in. Land for his family, a yearly allowance, a sword with gold bands, and a seat at court every day. He would arrive in a six-oared Vietnamese boat, a servant holding an umbrella over him, and sit cross-legged "in the Vietnamese manner" in the audience hall.

To thank the king, he trained Vietnamese acrobats and lion dances that chased a glass ball, and offered them to the court. They were performed at every royal festival, and the chronicle says it became a custom "that continues to this day."

Twenty years later he had won his war and become Emperor Gia Long. In 1803 his envoys brought gold, silver and silk to Bangkok. The chronicle says Siam's guns and gunpowder "had given him the strength to bring his war to a successful end."

He didn't forget the man who had first brought him to Bangkok either: the governor of Chon Buri, whose foster son he had become. When that governor later came to the Vietnamese capital as an envoy, he wasn't put in the usual guest house but in a brick building of his own, and every Vietnamese embassy after that brought him a gift.

From my published English translation of the Royal Chronicle of the First Reign (reign of King Rama I).

Do they even want anyone to come here?

https://www.thaienquirer.com/75105/opinon-thailands-proposed-travel-charges-overlook-people-who-call-it-home/

With additional charges at airports, constantly changing visa requirements leading to uncertainty, increasing problems opening and operating bank accounts, inordinately long queues at immigration, and other restrictions creeping into expat and tourist life here in Thailand, you are left to wonder if the Thai government even wants us here anymore. Thoughts?

On October 28, Pol. Lt. Gen. Tinnakorn Rangmat, Commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), ordered investigators to gather evidence and petition the court for an arrest warrant for the administrator of the popular Facebook page “Godd Dam” after discovering alleged cybercrime activity. The page had published information about a so-called “tea money transfer slip,” claiming it showed a transfer of 7 million baht from an individual to an account allegedly belonging to the prime minister.

However, Dr. Aekphop Phianphiset, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, later responded by stating that the claim was “fake news.”

The Facebook page Godd Dam subsequently shut down. In the latest development, at 11:40 a.m., investigators from CCIB Division 1 summoned the page’s owner to provide information. The individual was undergoing detailed questioning as police proceeded with the legal process.

While officers were seeking an arrest warrant, a man identified as Chairat arrived at the police station voluntarily, accompanied by a female lawyer from the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights organization, to present himself to investigators. His arrival appeared to suggest that he already knew an arrest warrant was about to be issued. Police therefore took him into custody, read him the arrest warrant, and continued questioning him.

While officers were taking him into custody, reporters asked whether, as reported in the news, Chairat was the person who had forged the document. He replied, “I’m not the owner of the page.”

*** Ice Rakchanok Srinok, a Bangkok MP from the People’s Party, also shared the fake news. Creating or sharing false information on social media is an offense under Section 14 of Thailand’s Computer Crime Act, punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DTpoHf7fa/

แอดมินเพจ Godd dam มอบตัวแล้ว ตร.คุมสอบปมโพสต์สลิป 7 ล้าน | จับข่าวคุย | 28 ต.ค. 69 - YouTube

On October 27, 2026, Police Sub-Lt. Jennarong Ari, a deputy investigation inspector at Lat Krabang Police Station, received a report that a foreign man had been killed and another seriously injured in an assault at a construction site in Soi Phatthana Chonnabot 3, Yaek 15, Khlong Song Ton Nun, Lat Krabang, Bangkok.

Inside the workers’ camp, officers found 39-year-old Chinese national Yang Zhongxu lying with shallow breathing and serious injuries to his head and face, apparently caused by a blunt object. He was bleeding from the mouth and nose. Officers attempted CPR, but their efforts were unsuccessful, and he later died. Another Chinese national, 49-year-old He Shisheng, was also injured. He had been struck on the head and stabbed once in the back before being taken to Sirindhorn Hospital.

At the scene, officers found a bloodstained, 60-centimeter-long piece of ribbed steel rebar and a bloodstained envelope containing workers’ wages. Both items were collected as evidence.

Preliminary questioning of witnesses revealed that at around 6:30 p.m., Yang, the deceased, and He, the injured man, had arrived to pay monthly wages to more than 60 Myanmar workers. During the payment process, Yang reportedly berated four Myanmar workers-two couples-over the poor standard of their work.

The four workers then abruptly asked to resign, but Yang refused to pay them because they had not given advance notice as required under their agreement. This reportedly angered them, prompting all four to attack the two men. They allegedly used the steel bar to strike Yang on the head and stabbed the victims with a knife, leaving one dead and the other injured. The suspects then fled with approximately 40,000-50,000 baht in cash intended for wages.

Investigators from Lat Krabang Police Station are urgently reviewing CCTV footage along the suspects’ escape routes. One of the four suspects has reportedly been identified as Soe Htike Aung, 25, a Myanmar national. Police are continuing efforts to track down all four suspects and bring them to justice.

https://youtu.be/2nU4zcqCais?si=XXsff22qJ2aHeklS

Pokemon Center Bangkok will be open on 1 December 2026 at Central World.

The official pokemon mascot for Bangkok is Shaymin).

I'm looking into getting a Thai driving licence as a foreigner and wanted to hear from anyone who's gone through the process recently.

Is it possible to apply while visiting Thailand on a visa exemption, without having a long-term visa or residency? I've been travelling to Thailand every 2 months.

What documents are required, how long does the process take, and is it possible to complete everything during a short visit?

Would appreciate any firsthand experiences or advice. Thanks!

Originally from up north (England), but been living in Thailand for the past 5 years without going back.

Before my move, I was never really bothered by the cold. In winter, I'd usually be out in shorts and a T, maybe chucking on a hoodie or a light jacket if it was chilly.

For anyone who's spent 5+ years abroad without returning home, did you find the cold hit you harder when you came back, or was it pretty much business as usual?

Just wondering if 5 years of Thai heat and humidity has made me soft. Should I be investing in some proper winter gear before heading back.

a few of us high schoolers here in the city are organizing Haven Bangkok, a free 12-hour hackathon backed by the nonprofit Hack Club.

If you're 13 to 18 (or have a kid who is), you spend the day teaming up with other students to build a playable game or coding project from scratch. You don't need any coding experience since we'll run beginner workshops and have mentors around to help with code, art, and music. Entry, meals, snacks, drinks, and swag are all free. You can sign up at https://haven.hackclub.com/bangkok.

We're also looking for local sponsors to help cover food, venue costs, prizes, or in-kind donations like snacks, drinks, and hardware. All of our money runs through Hack Club's public ledger, so you can see where every baht goes. If your company wants to sponsor, or if you're a developer who wants to mentor or judge, DM me or email bangkok@haven.hackclub.com.

It seems like everything in this world is getting more expensive, except taxis in Bangkok. Today I took a classic cab instead of a Grab from DMK airport. The meter started at 35 THB, just like it did fifteen years ago, and ended at 273 when we reached my hotel in lower Sukhumvit, just like it did fifteen years ago.

How do these poor bastards live??

I sort of fell into taking care of a newborn kitten that must have been rejected by its stray mother while we were at my uncle's house in Phitsanulok. It wasn't so rough on me early on, but he's about 10 weeks old now and I'm really struggling. I apparently don't have the energy required to keep him from getting into a bunch of crap I don't want him getting into unless I keep him in a separate room for most of the day, but he's 10 weeks old and shouldn't be kept in a separate room for most of the day. The problem is if he's not in his separate room, the little fucker just does not sit down. Also, as a solo kitten, he seems to only selectively remember that biting me makes me yelp and ignore him. I've found myself losing my temper with him, and then hating myself for it afterwards. I have heard that adopting a second kitten is a possible solution and I am considering it, but with how much I'm struggling with one, I'm extremely hesitant to get a second.

I don't necessarily want to give up yet, but I need to know if there are ethical options available in case I do reach the end of my rope. The reason I'm asking here instead of just searching on the internet is I'm a little familiar with the existence of the grey market pet trade in Thailand, and I don't want him falling into that. Also, simply abandoning him is obviously not an option.

Hi all,

I live in a neighboring country near Thailand. I am wondering where I can get a stable supply of Oestradiol Benzoate 5mg injection for my HRT regimen. From where, I live it not readily accessible.

I was recently perscribe with injections from a Thai hospital but the cost for life-long HRT treatment is quite expensive if we are looking at it in the long term. I am just wondering if any local or native Thai Trans Woman know the location to get a steady supply of Oestradiol Injections.

For a few reasons I(US) need to go to Thailand and would like to bring my Khmer girlfriend, however we are concerned about her safety? We would be together most of the time and I speak decent Thai but wondering if maybe it’s a bad idea for her to visit? Thoughts? Obviously there would be times when she goes out alone and when locals approach to try and speak Thai with her would realize she’s not local.

Kinokuniya, prime comic.. they are attending a book fair but I can’t go to it so I’ll have to go there when they open their actual store again

Hello everyone, I'm thinking about studying abroad at Thammasat for my Fall 2027 semester. I'll most likely be studying at the business school on the Tha Prachan campus. I would love to hear about others experiences at Thammasat. This will be my first time ever traveling and it'll most likely be a solo one too. I would love to know all the tips or recommendations if you guys have any! Also where do you guys recommended to live?

Basically I wrote down a bad review on a massage shop since we had a very bad exp my gf and me.
now the owner went to the police to fine a complain about this.

Could this end up badly for me?

Not sure if I should worry or not.

The review was done on google maps.

long story short:
The complain is because they were asking personal questions about my gf's boobs. Where she did it, if she does the massage, even questioning if the doctor was a real doctor.

We do massage regularly and we never had to answer these kind of personal questions.
I can understand few but not this many and even questioning the doctor. We felt really bad about it, specially her and we wrote down two reviews.
One for her and one for me.

Should I be worried?

I live near Central World. I want to buy clothing at an affordable prices including underwear, pants, shirts, jackets… and the same goes for my girlfriend. We will be there for a few days and we want to take photos for our trip but haven’t bought any clothes yet. We can’t afford anything more than 1000 baht a piece since that’s expensive to us.
There are so many malls like siam, mbk, centralworld, big C.. and we don’t have time to explore them all.