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.
-
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...
-
Singapore’s key exports drop for seventh month amid electronics slump
Singapore‘s non-oil domestic exports (NODX) suffered a decline for the seventh consecutive month, with a 9.8% drop in April compared to the same month last year. This is according to data from Enterprise Singapore, which also revealed an 8.3% contraction in March. The decline in April was worse than the 9.4% drop predicted by a Reuters poll. The slump in…
-
FTI urges swift Thai coalition to back high-tech hub and green growth
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) is preparing a position paper outlining the economic policies favoured by businesses, with plans to submit it to the newly formed government once it takes office. Montri Mahaplerkpong, the FTI vice-chairman, stated that the paper is in its final stages and should be approved by the end of the month. The document will highlight…
-
Man mysteriously jumps off bridge after crashing car into truck
A Thai man mysteriously jumped off a bridge after he crashed his car into a 10-wheel truck on the New Ratchaphruek bridge in Pathum Thani province near Bangkok. It is believed that the man committed suicide because he was suffering from overwhelming stress. According to the police, a 26 year old man named Chayanin Sipho, crashed his white Honda City…
-
Suspect says he stabbed Chinese businessman to death in South Thailand
UPDATE In the latest development on the killing of a Chinese businessman in South Thailand‘s Trang province, police have caught three suspects believed to be involved. One of the suspects says he stabbed the victim to death. Colonel Sakda Jaroenkun, Deputy Commander of the Region 9 Police, told The Phuket Express that police in Satun successfully arrested three suspects identified…
-
Brigitte Macron relative attacked near family’s chocolate shop
In an apparent politically motivated attack, a family member of French first lady Brigitte Macron was assaulted outside the family’s chocolate shop in Amiens, northern France. Jean-Baptiste Trogneux was returning to his apartment above the renowned Trogneux chocolate shop when he was surrounded by anti-government protesters who insulted the president, his wife, and their family before physically attacking him. Jean-Alexandre…
-
Tesla to test traditional advertising, Elon Musk reveals irony
In a surprising move, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced today that the electric vehicle manufacturer would experiment with advertising to evaluate its effectiveness. This decision comes as a notable shift for Musk, who has previously shunned traditional advertising methods for Tesla. Interestingly, Musk’s recent acquisition of Twitter, a platform heavily reliant on advertising, may have influenced his change of heart.…
-
Thailand’s economy defies global recession fears with post-election boost
Thailand’s economy is predicted to gain momentum during the last three quarters of this year, despite the looming threat of a global recession, partly due to the boost from the May 14 General Election, according to analysts. The country’s GDP growth for the first quarter was 2.7% year-on-year, surpassing the expected 2.3% and marking an improvement from the 1.4% growth…
-
Huge brawl erupts at Thailand v Indonesia SEA Games football final (video)
The SouthEast Asia (SEA) Games football final between Indonesia and Thailand turned into a Muay Thai match yesterday when Thailand netted an equalising goal in injury time, sparking a dramatic brawl. But Indonesia ran out victors scoring three more goals in extra-time to win their first SEA Games men’s football medal in 32 years with a 5-2 victory. After a…
-
MP candidate loses election but wins 24 million baht lottery
He may have lost out trying to be a Member of Parliament (MP) in Sunday’s General Election but Pheu Thai Party MP Udom Kanmuang was a lucky winner in yesterday’s Thai lottery, scooping an incredible 24 million baht. Udom represented the Pheu Thai Party in the 1st constituency of the Mueang district of Samut Sakhon. The former village chief of…
-
Council of Europe gathers to discuss future prosecution of Russian leaders
A year after Russia’s expulsion from the Council of Europe (CoE) due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the leaders of the 46-nation human rights body convened in Iceland to take preliminary steps toward the potential prosecution of Russian leaders. The summit’s main focus was the creation of a “register of damages” to document evidence for use in a special…
-
MFP candidate demands General Election in Sattahip to be void
A Member of Parliament (MP) from the Move Forward Party (MFP), Nitchanan Wangkahart, demanded the Election Commission of Thailand (EC) invalidate the General Election results in the Sattahip district of Chon Buri province after corruption allegations emerged. On Monday, May 15, a Thai voter, Wiranda Pandee, and others spotted that votes in the 10th constituency of the Sattahip district exceeded…
-
Buddhist monk wins lottery in Thailand
A Buddhist monk won the 6 million baht jackpot in Thailand‘s national lottery draw yesterday. He says he will spend the money on making repairs at his temple in Nakhon Ratchasima province. Phra Ajahn Praphas, a 63 year old monk residing at Wat Nong Bua in Ban Pho subdistrict of Korat’s Mueang district, won the lottery’s first prize of 6…
-
American tourist rescued from 4-hour nightmare in Pattaya sewers
An American tourist was rescued from the sewers beneath Pattaya, eastern Thailand, yesterday after getting trapped in the murky, pungent pipe system for more than four hours. A security guard was bewildered when he heard a voice coming from beneath a covered drain at the entrance of Soi 8 Thep Prasit, Moo 11, Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district. He…
-
Beijing woman catches subway harasser, awaits police while holding him
A woman in Beijing bravely stood up against a man who sexually harassed her on a subway train, grabbing his collar and taking him to the police herself. The South China Morning Post reported that the incident took place on May 9 at the East Sihui subway station in the Chinese capital. Initially, the woman tried to evade the man,…
-
Cleaners find Chinese businessman’s body with stab wounds at South Thailand resort
Cleaners at a resort in South Thailand‘s Trang province found a Chinese businessman‘s body with stab and slash wounds yesterday. Police were alerted of the incident in the Tub Tieng sub-district of Trang’s main city district in the afternoon. The victim was 43 year old Zhiru Li, The Phuket Express reported. According to resort staff, a room cleaner attempted to…
-
Interfering mother-in-law’s secret affair exposed after accusing daughter-in-law of cheating
An interfering mother-in-law’s secret affair was exposed after she accused her daughter-in-law of cheating. The meddlesome mum-in-law’s remarks on how different her new granddaughter looked compared to other members of the family forced the new mother to insist on DNA tests for all of the family. The woman had given birth to a beautiful daughter with mesmerising green eyes that,…
-
Police help 9 foreign tourists stranded at the border of Thailand
The Royal Thai Police helped nine foreign tourists who were stranded near the Cambodian border in Sa Keao province, eastern Thailand, to find a place to rest their heads last night. The tourists, including six Spanish nationals, one Ukrainian national, and two Indian nationals, were “very impressed” with the work of Sa Keao Tourist Police, soldiers of the 13th Ranger…
-
Malaysia braced for heatwave until September, no emergency declared yet
Despite the sweltering weather in Malaysia, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that the government has no immediate plans to declare the heatwave an emergency. However, he added that the government is prepared to do so if necessary. This decision was made after a National Disaster Management Committee meeting, which Ahmad Zahid chaired. “For now, we don’t think there…
-
Prayut’s political career uncertain as United Thai Nation suffers election losses
Bangkok’s Deputy leader of the United Thai Nation, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, expressed doubt yesterday over whether Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will continue his political career after their party’s losses in the General Election. Wangboonkongchana mentioned that 69 year old Prayut has not discussed his future plans, but he may have to step down from politics. The preliminary results from Thailand’s Election…
-
Thailand opposition faces hurdles despite election win
The formation of a new government in Thailand faces significant challenges following the opposition’s victory in the May 14 General Election. The 500 newly-elected Members of Parliament (MPs) are required to vote for a new prime minister alongside 250 senators appointed by military generals who staged the coup, according to Professor Duncan McCargo, director of the Nordic Institute of Asian…
-
Burmese people celebrate MFP General Election victory
In astonishing scenes, thousands of Burmese people gathered in Myanmar to celebrate the 2023 General Election victory of the Move Forward Party (MFP). Burmese netizens made known that the MFP triumph will have a positive effect on the rights and well-being of Burmese workers in Thailand. Local media agencies in Myanmar reported yesterday, May 15, that thousands of Burmese took…
-
Thai motorcyclist dies in high-speed Chon Buri sign post collision
A tragic accident occurred today in Chon Buri, as a 34 year old Thai motorcyclist lost his life after crashing into a signpost. The motorcyclist, Eknakakorn Krasaechan from Sisaket province, was found dead near the 132+800 kilometre marker in the Thung Krat sub-district of Banglamung district, Chon Buri. He had sustained severe lacerations on his forehead and head and was…
-
China’s April economic data falls short amid low demand, high youth unemployment
Official figures have revealed that China’s economic data for April failed to meet expectations, with low demand and high youth unemployment contributing to an uneven recovery after the easing of strict Covid-19 regulations. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), retail sales, a crucial gauge of domestic consumer activity, grew by 18.4% year-on-year. However, this fell short of the…
-
CIA seeks Russian whistleblowers with emotional Telegram video
The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) ramped up its efforts to encourage Russians to disclose their country’s secrets, releasing a poignant video on Telegram targeting individuals dissatisfied with President Vladimir Putin‘s regime. The brief video portrays a Russian bureaucrat and a woman at home with a child, both seemingly discontent with their lives, and asks if this is what they had…
-
Taiwan permits joint adoption for same-sex couples in marriage equality milestone
Taiwan‘s parliament approved an amendment permitting same-sex couples to adopt children jointly, a significant milestone for marriage equality in the country. Taiwan has been a leader in Asia’s growing LGBTQ+ rights movement since becoming the first nation in the region to legalise same-sex marriage in 2019. However, same-sex couples still faced limitations, such as being unable to adopt children together.…
-
Thai cyanide serial killer reveals cyanide source, x-husband implicated
The Thai cyanide serial killer, Sararat “Am” Rangsiwuthaporn, yesterday made a shocking confession to investigating officers that she obtained the poison from her now-dead ex-husband. While Sararat has yet to confess to any murders, she did acknowledge giving cyanide to her late husband, Suttisak “Dae” Poonkwan, as well as one of the victims, Siriporn “Koy” Khanwong. Police Officer Namkiat Theerarojanapong…
-
Future MFP MP arrested for drink driving in Bangkok
A soon-to-be Member of Parliament from Thailand’s Move Forward Party (MFP) was arrested for drink driving in Bangkok in the early hours of the morning. Today, she apologised for her behaviour and announced her resignation from the party. The drink driver held the 27th spot on the MFP’s party list, meaning she would have definitely become an MP once MFP…
-
Dresden heist verdicts due: Historic jewels’ fate hangs in balance
A German court is set to announce verdicts for six members of a criminal gang accused of stealing priceless 18th-century jewels from Dresden’s Green Vault museum in a heist dubbed the biggest in modern history by German media. The theft, which occurred in November 2019, saw the criminals make off with artefacts worth over US$123 million. The trial, which began…
-
Active gunman training in Thailand with FBI boosts police crime response
In a proactive move to address the increase in crime, Deputy National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Torsak Sukwimon organised an active gunman training session yesterday. The event took place at the Border Patrol Police Headquarters in the Cha-am district of Phetchaburi province, located in western Thailand. A total of 150 police officers participated in the training, which aimed to enhance…
-
Thai tycoon’s firm doubles spending amid tourism boom and economic growth
Asset World Corporation, the property and hotel development unit owned by Thailand‘s wealthiest individual, is set to more than double its spending on acquisitions and development of hotel resorts and commercial properties this year due to the tourism boom. The company plans to invest over 20 billion baht (US$590 million) in 2023, up from around 10 billion baht last year,…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.