News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. The Thaiger delivers the latest national news that matters.
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Sponsored Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained
Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...
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UK teen faces possible life sentence for cannabis smuggling
A missing UK teen feared lost in Thailand has turned up 4,000 miles away—in handcuffs, facing a possible life sentence for allegedly smuggling cannabis into Georgia. Bella Culley, 18, from Billingham, County Durham, was reported missing on Tuesday, May 13, after family members lost contact with her during what they believed was a solo trip through Thailand. She had previously…
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Thai woman accuses monk and his family of physically assaulting her
A Thai woman is seeking justice after a monk and his family members allegedly manipulated her mother and physically assaulted her at their family home in the central province of Nakhon Sawan. The woman took to social media to share a video of the alleged assault by the monk and his elderly family members, which occurred on May 17. She…
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Pattaya cracks down on cars blocking wheelchair paths
Pattaya officials are finally parking the problem for good. In a bold crackdown that’s earning applause across the city, municipal officers and traffic police have launched a campaign to fine drivers who illegally park on wheelchair-accessible pathways. The first sweep took place on Soi Paniadchang, located behind Big C Central Pattaya, where enforcement teams issued tickets and fines to motorists blocking designated…
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Krungsri delays new credit lines amid US tariff uncertainty
Companies are delaying the utilisation of new credit lines due to waiting for further clarification on US tariffs following the recent announcement of a 90-day suspension period, as reported by a Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri) executive. Prakob Phiencharoen, who leads Krungsri’s corporate and investment banking group, stated that the bank is maintaining vigilance over corporate loan demand for the rest…
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Missing durian vendor believed safe after CCTV footage emerges
Police assure that a female durian seller, who went missing in the southern province of Surat Thani, is safe, despite her family’s growing concern. The family of 43 year old missing durian vendor Sujittra, also known as Jay Kaew, filed a complaint with Mueang Surat Thani Police Station after she failed to return home at her usual time on May…
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Pattaya cracks top 10 safest cities in ASEAN
In a surprising twist that’s turning heads across Southeast Asia, Pattaya, long known for its wild nightlife, has been named one of the Top 10 Safest Cities in ASEAN for 2025. The ranking, released by Numbeo, a global database that tracks cost of living and quality of life, placed Pattaya at 9th with a Safety Index score of 53.9. The…
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Murder mystery: Man’s body in barrel at Nakhon Sawan reservoir
A series of investigative meetings were convened by Police Major General Narewitch Sukonthawit, commander of Nakhon Sawan provincial police, to address the case of a man’s body found in a submerged barrel at the Takro Reservoir, Nakhon Sawan, yesterday, May 19. The deceased, an approximately 50 year old Thai man, had a gunshot wound to the chest and was wearing…
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Chiang Rai water contamination raises public health alarm
A toxic tide is rising in northern Thailand. Dangerous levels of arsenic and lead have been found in the Sai River and parts of the Kok River in Chiang Rai, triggering serious concerns over public health, the environment, and local food sources. According to a damning new report from the Office of Environmental and Pollution Control Region 1 in Chiang…
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Phuket Covid surge: Island ranks 3rd in Thailand
Phuket’s picture-perfect beaches may be drawing tourists in droves but the island is quietly battling a Covid-19 surge that places it among the top three provinces for infection rates in Thailand this year, though remarkably, not a single death has been reported. According to the Department of Disease Control, from January 1 to May 10, 2025, Phuket recorded 1,287 cumulative…
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Man dies in expressway crash caused by pineapple peel spill
A tragic accident occurred on the Kanchanaphisek Expressway towards Bang Khun Thian, resulting in the death of a 34 year old man. The accident today, May 20, at 3.50am, involved a black Mazda sedan that skidded on pineapple peels and crashed into a ten-wheel truck. Police are investigating the incident. Police Lieutenant Iserat Tansoo from Phra Pradaeng Police Station in…
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Thai principal axed for forcing kids into rain for flag ceremony
A Thai school principal has been removed from her post after she forced students to hoist the national flag during a raging storm, sparking fury among parents and outrage across the country. Jeeraporn Sanguansuchart, director of Ban Hin Kob School in Pathiu district, Chumphon, ordered three students to march outside and raise the Thai flag on the first day of the new term, despite…
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Thai girl rescued after being pimped out by mother and aunt
The Pavena Foundation for Children and Women and police officers rescued a 13 year old girl who was pimped out by her biological mother and aunt in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan. The teenage victim confided in her father on April 26 after she successfully escaped from her abusive mother in Prachuap Khiri Khan to live with him in…
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Phuket thief busted with 18 stolen gadgets including smartphones
A high-tech thief’s lucky streak came to a crashing halt after police caught the light-fingered 26 year old man red-handed with a stash of stolen electronics, including iPads and smartphones, allegedly taken from multiple shops across Phuket’s popular Kata-Karon area. Somwang ‘Jay’ Phonpradit was arrested at around 8pm yesterday, May 19, at a rental room on Mueang Thong–Khao Khad Road…
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Couple faces legal action for embezzling Nakhon Pathom temple
Police are set to take legal action against a couple accused of embezzling funds from Rai Khing Temple in Nakhon Pathom. The investigation revealed that the couple was involved in handling annual fair rental fees, leading to suspicions of financial misconduct. Yesterday, May 19, police, led by Police Lieutenant General Jaroonkiat Pankaew and Police Major General Prasong Chalermpun, along with…
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Top Thai vending brand to blend fresh fruit smoothies
Forth Vending Co Ltd, which operates Tao Bin smart beverage vending machines, intends to procure fresh fruit directly from farmers to enhance its smoothie and juice range. Wittayakorn Maneenetr, Director General of the Department of Internal Trade (DIT), expressed that the department is advancing the government’s fruit management strategy for the 2025 harvest season. To stabilise fruit prices and boost…
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Thai man fatally shoots employee over affair with his wife (video)
A Thai man surrendered to police today after fatally shooting an employee in a pickup yesterday, over an alleged affair with his wife. The incident was reported to Bang Bua Thong Police Station at around 9pm yesterday, May 19, by a 47 year old petrol station worker on Bang Phai-Nong Prao Ngai Road in the Bang Bua Thong district of…
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Honda Jazz gutted in Hua Hin car fire on Phetkasem Road
A car caught fire along Phetkasem Road in Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan province, late at night, leaving a Honda Jazz completely gutted. The incident occurred today, May 20, when the driver, a 41 year old woman from Pran Buri district, noticed smoke and flames while driving home. Fortunately, she managed to escape unharmed. Police and fire services were alerted…
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Phuket shopper horrified by squirming surprise in salted fish
Nothing says “good morning” like finding live worms wriggling in your breakfast. That’s exactly what happened to one unfortunate shopper in Phuket who made a stomach-churning discovery in a serving of fried salted fish bought from a local shop. The shocking incident, which quickly went viral, sparked a wave of online outrage and renewed calls for stricter food safety standards…
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Udon Thani police arrest man with 167,600 methamphetamine pills
Police apprehended a 26 year old man in Udon Thani for possessing 167,600 methamphetamine tablets. The arrest of Tanakorn, also known as Jango, yesterday, August 19, followed a six-month investigation tracking his activities in Ban Phue district, Udon Thani province. Police Colonel Korn Chaisuea, along with officers from the Narcotics Suppression Unit, reported that the arrest resulted from prior detentions…
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Body of Myanmar man missing after drowning in Phuket pond
What began as a relaxing day off ended in heartbreak when a young Myanmar man drowned while swimming with friends in Phuket. The 20 year old man vanished beneath the surface in front of his horrified mates, sparking a desperate search by local rescue teams. The incident occurred on Sunday evening, May 18, in Srisoonthorn, Thalang district. At around 6.30pm, officers from Thalang…
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Truck driver falls asleep, crashes into car in Phang Nga
An 18-wheel truck driver reportedly fell asleep at the wheel yesterday and collided with a Nissan March, which was stationary at a red light. The incident occurred yesterday, May 19, on Phetkasem Road in Phang Nga province. This accident resulted in one death and three serious injuries. Police Lieutenant Colonel Ekphop Phuthong of Takua Thung Police Station was informed of…
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Thai paratrooper cheats death as parachute fails mid-air (video)
A Thai paratrooper had a brush with death after his parachute failed to open mid-air, in a terrifying training mishap that was caught on camera by a shocked jogger nearby. The heart-stopping incident unfolded at around 4.30pm, yesterday, May 19, when soldiers from the 4th Army’s Sichon Special Warfare Training Camp were performing an annual parachute jump at Vajiravudh Military…
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PM Paetongtarn explores UK, Monaco for Thai market expansion
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will visit the UK and Monaco tomorrow until Sunday, May 25, aiming to explore new market opportunities in food, sports, and tourism. Government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub announced yesterday that the prime minister, accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and other agencies, will leave for London this evening, with…
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Thailand bets big on rain with 1.17tn baht tourism push
Who says the rainy season is a travel killer? Thailand’s tourism chiefs are flipping the script with a bold new campaign aiming to turn soggy skies into serious cash, targeting a jaw-dropping 1.17 trillion baht in domestic tourism revenue in 2025. On Sunday, May 18, Deputy Government Spokesperson Sasikarn Watthanachan announced the launch of 12 creative tourism campaigns under the…
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Thailand video news | Thailand COVID-19 cases surge amid warnings of underreporting, Miss Grand International arrested in Vietnam
In today’s Thailand video news, Alex and Jay report major stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Thailand battles a spike in COVID-19 cases, with experts warning of underreporting. In Trang, a father shocks the nation by kicking a child at a kindergarten. A violent fight erupts on Pattaya Beach between foreign tourists and transgender individuals. Rescue teams race to…
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Family of three electrocuted in tragic Trang accident
A tragic incident occurred yesterday in Trang province where three family members died from an electric shock. The victims, found at a house in Mueang subdistrict, Huai Yot district, were 50 year old homeowner Preecha, his 52 year old wife Amnuay, and 89 year old Joo. The accident was reported at 2pm, yesterday, May 19. The family home is a…
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Busted: Aussie caught with 22kg of crystal meth at Bangkok airport
An Australian man’s flight to freedom ended in handcuffs after he was caught trying to smuggle a staggering 22 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as “Ice,” aboard a plane bound for Melbourne. The suspect, 28 year old Tran Huybao Khang, was arrested on Sunday, May 18, at Suvarnabhumi International Airport next to Thai Airways flight TG461. He was reportedly…
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Thailand postpones digital wallet scheme indefinitely
The Thai government indefinitely postponed the digital wallet programme, citing world economic issues and a new US tax policy as the reasons for the delay. The digital wallet scheme was a flagship campaign of the Pheu Thai Party and has been promoted since the General Election. The initiative is reported to be of the former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. The…
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Transwoman nicked after Pattaya Beach brawl with Israeli tourist
A Thai transwoman who fled the scene of a violent late-night brawl with an Israeli tourist has been arrested by Pattaya police. The suspect vanished shortly after chaos erupted on Pattaya Beach Road during the early hours, where at least five transgender women were caught on video attacking an Israeli tourist in a black T-shirt. The row reportedly kicked off…
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Sky high fixes: Bangkok’s traffic nightmare gets new overpasses
Bangkok’s endless traffic jams might soon have a silver lining—up in the sky. The Transport Ministry has announced an ambitious plan to tackle the capital’s notorious congestion by building a series of new overpasses in the city and surrounding provinces. The move comes as part of a wider push to ease pressure on key transport routes during peak hours, particularly…
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