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.

  • Sponsored

    9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand

    Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...

  • Now everyone can fly – from CNX to Hanoi | Thaiger

    Now everyone can fly – from CNX to Hanoi

    It’s getting easier and easier to get around the region with new start-ups opening up the skies and current operators always introducing new routes. Now, the people that brought us the slogan “now Everyone Can Fly”, Air Asia, is launched four direct flights a week between Chiang Mai and Hanoi, Vietnam’s northern capital. The Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday flights start…

  • Small boats ’should’ stay at port due to the weather | Thaiger

    Small boats ’should’ stay at port due to the weather

    The Phuket Marine Office has announced a warning for boats heading out onto the Andaman Sea from today until August 15. “Small boats less than 12 metres should not leave from port.” The announcement, issued yesterday (August 8), stated that due to the 2-4 metres waves in the Andaman Sea (translated)… Boats that are leaving from Phuket ports to Phi…

  • Police drag man out of Pattaya school after ex-wife clams he was carrying a gun | Thaiger

    Police drag man out of Pattaya school after ex-wife clams he was carrying a gun

    The father at the centre of a viral video has brought along his lawyer to the Bang Laming Police to discuss, what he claims, was an excessive use of force at a primary school in Pattaya yesterday. The issues relate to a long-term domestic custody issue. 35 year old Thara Welajaeng says he was having lunch peacefully with his daughter…

  • Navy help 177 tourists back from Koh Racha | Thaiger

    Navy help 177 tourists back from Koh Racha

    The Royal Thai Navy was called by tour operators on Koh Racha Yai yesterday (August 8) to help bring 177 Thais and tourists back to the Phuket Deep Sea Port following strong winds and high seas in the Andaman Sea. The Royal Thai Navy Third Area Commander Admiral Somnuek Prempramot says, “At about noon yesterday (August 8) we were asked…

  • Eight arrested with drugs, firearms and ammunition | Thaiger

    Eight arrested with drugs, firearms and ammunition

    A team of Mueang Phuket District officers led by Danai Jaikheang have arrested eight male and female suspects with a variety of illicit drugs, firearms and ammunition. The eight suspects arrested are 27 year old man Watanyu Jaiyen, arrested at a house in Soi King Kaew, Rassada. Officer seized 4.34 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 6 methamphetamine pills, 3 handguns and…

  • Phetchaburi town prepares for a soggy weekend | Thaiger

    Phetchaburi town prepares for a soggy weekend

    Phetchaburi town residents have their mops, buckets and sandbags ready for a wet weekend as they fend off the run-off from upstream dams. The Royal Irrigation Department say they’ve done their best to stem the flow from the overflowing dams but expect the remaining floodwaters to hit the Muang district over the coming weekend. The department expects the volume of…

  • Lombok earthquake toll climbs to 347 | Thaiger

    Lombok earthquake toll climbs to 347

    PHOTO: VOA News The death toll from Lombok’s devastating earthquake last Sunday evening rose alarmingly yesterday following the discovery of many bodies buried under rubble in the island’s northern towns. The death toll has now climbed to 347. Rescue networks report that around 200,000 people live in northern Lombok, a mountainous region away from the more touristy southern and western…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Thursday | Thaiger

    Thaiger Radio News – Thursday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.

  • Four of the Mu Pa 13 become Thai citizens | Thaiger

    Four of the Mu Pa 13 become Thai citizens

    PHOTO: Adul Samon, Mongkol Boonpium, Pornchai Khamluang and assistant coach Ekkapol Chantawongse. Good news for four of the stateless Mu Pa Academy footballers. During their time in the cave it was revealed that four of the team were officially stateless – unable to get a bank account, get legally married, start a business, etc. Tonight the four officially became Thai…

  • ‘Phoenix’ to be recovered by August 12 | Thaiger

    ‘Phoenix’ to be recovered by August 12

    The law suit relating to the Phoenix boat sinking is expected to be filed at the end of this month while authorities are waiting for the boat to be salvaged, hopefully by the end of this week. Phuket’s Provincial Police commander Maj Gen Teerapol Thipjaroen says, “the process of questioning witnesses and gathering evidence about the ‘Phoenix’ case is almost done.”…

  • Two drug gangs busted | Thaiger

    Two drug gangs busted

    Two big drug hauls today in different parts of the country. Firstly, police arrested six suspects including the alleged drug-trafficking gang leader Phusinthorn Jomtharak, along with over 68,000 methamphetamine pills in Chaiyaphum province. 24 year old Phusinthorn, a Nong Bua Dang district native, was nabbed yesterday (Tuesday) while visiting a drug inmate friend at Chaiyaphum Prison. Police say that Phusinthorn…

  • Special welcomes for Chinese tourists at Krabi Airport | Thaiger

    Special welcomes for Chinese tourists at Krabi Airport

    The Krabi Immigration Office at Krabi Airport has provided special warm welcomes for Krabi Chinese tourists including more exclusive Visa checkpoint lanes. Krabi Immigration Office Chief Col Suparueak Pankomon led the warm welcome for 138 Chinese tourists who were arriving with a charter flight on Uron Airlines from China. It’s all part of the recent ‘charm offensive’ to encourage Chinese…

  • Warning out for Samui ferry as waves reach 3 metres in Gulf of Thailand | Thaiger

    Warning out for Samui ferry as waves reach 3 metres in Gulf of Thailand

    The Samui Harbour Office has issued warnings to the ferry operator to be careful in both directions on the Surat Thani run with waves up high as three metres today in the Gulf of Thailand. The office has also prohibited small boats from leaving the shores of Koh Samui. The ferry boat operator was warned to check lifejackets and all…

  • Laos government inspecting all dams, shelving new hydro projects | Thaiger

    Laos government inspecting all dams, shelving new hydro projects

    PHOTO: EJAtlas The Laos government is announcing a full examination of safety standards applied to the construction of hydropower dams across the country. This follows the avoidable deadly disaster when a dam in the southern Attapeu province breached spilling millions of cubic litres of deadly floodwater downstream. Vientiane Times is reporting that the Laos cabinet made the announcement shortly after…

  • ‘If in doubt, don’t go out” – ISLA warnings | Thaiger

    ‘If in doubt, don’t go out” – ISLA warnings

    The International Surf Lifesaving Association (ISLA) is recommending that Phuket’s exposed west coast beaches be closed to swimmers, until current conditions subside. The following warnings are in effect: • High surf • Dangerous shorebreak • Severe rip currents in some locations • High winds • Sudden squalls • Rapid beach erosion in some areas A warning means these conditions are…

  • ‘Serenata’ captain and company manager charged | Thaiger

    ‘Serenata’ captain and company manager charged

    A law suit has been filed against the Serenata’s boat captain and the Chinese marketing manager of the company that owns the yacht. The Serenata was found to be of alleged ‘defective maintenance’. Serenata sank on the same day as Phoenix, July 5, but didn’t suffer any casualties with all passengers saved. Phuket’s Provincial Police commander Maj Gen Teerapol Thipjaroen says… “for…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Wednesday | Thaiger

    Thaiger Radio News – Wednesday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.

  • Update: Phetchaburi dam overflows reach town | Thaiger

    Update: Phetchaburi dam overflows reach town

    Downstream communities in Phetchaburi’s main business and residential districts are expected to be flooded for about two weeks after run-off from the overflowing Kaeng Krachan Dam hit the area last night “Although we must discharge water from the dam, we are trying to reduce the volume that will go into the river by diverting some 55 cubic metres of runoff…

  • Phuket’s beach lifeguard situation is not sustainable | Thaiger

    Phuket’s beach lifeguard situation is not sustainable

  • Man arrested with drugs (not very well) hidden in his underwear | Thaiger

    Man arrested with drugs (not very well) hidden in his underwear

    Police have arrested a man with 4,000 methamphetamine pills hidden inside his underwear at Phuket checkpoint this week. A team of police at the Phuket Checkpoint in Mai Khao arrested 22 year old Kriengkrai Jongrak from Krabi after found the 4,000 methamphetamine pills. Kriengkrai was taken to the Tha Chatchai Police Station where he was charged with illegal possession of…

  • Power outage in parts of Chalong tomorrow | Thaiger

    Power outage in parts of Chalong tomorrow

    FILE PHOTO: PEA Residents of Chalong should be aware that there is a scheduled power outage from 9am to 4.30pm tomorrow (Wednesday) as the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) continues its work on high power voltage systems in the area. The blackouts will affect… from the intersection near the TOT Chalong office to an intersection near Country Home Housing estate Luang…

  • Good news from dams in the north-east | Thaiger

    Good news from dams in the north-east

    Whilst provinces bordering the Mekong River, and areas in Phetchaburi downstream of the hillside dams, are all under threat from flooding at the moment, the situation is a lot better in the lower north-east provinces. The Irrigation department has issued assurances today about the water situation covering some 77 dams in the region. The Nation reports that 77 reservoirs in…

  • Cambodian tour guides cry foul over new tour guide audio Apps | Thaiger

    Cambodian tour guides cry foul over new tour guide audio Apps

    Digital technology is disrupting many older technologies – travel bookings, buying real estate, booking flights, media, dating – and now tour guides are getting the digital make-over with new Apps taking their jobs. Tour guides at Cambodia’s historical sites are voicing concern over a new audio tour App they say is threatening their careers. Developed by local company Angkor Audio,…

  • ATMs not filled after money trucks crash – Koh Tao | Thaiger

    ATMs not filled after money trucks crash – Koh Tao

    ATM machines on Koh Tao will have to make do with cash on hand after two security trucks crashed on their way to deliver more refill banknotes early today (Tuesday). The Ban Nai Hood police station in Chumphon’s Lang Suan district was alerted to the accident on the Asia highway No 41 at 5.55am, with the trucks headed to Koh…

  • TECNO hit the smartphone sweet spot | Thaiger

    TECNO hit the smartphone sweet spot

    PRESS RELEASE Leading Chinese smartphone brand, TECNO Mobile, is experiencing exponential growth in Thailand on the back of success with its Camon CM and SPARK CM models which have proven a big hit with Millennials due in large part to their mid-market price point and use of the latest state-of-the-art technologies. “The Camon CM and SPARK CM are the first…

  • Online romance scam gang busted | Thaiger

    Online romance scam gang busted

    Nigerian nationals are again being rounded up in a concerted effort to get rid of some of the Nigerian-based scams operating inside Thailand. In the latest sting, 8 Nigerians and 6 Thai suspects have been arrested for alleged collusion in an online romance scam, swindling nearly 2 million baht from Thai women in Ratchaburi, Samut Sakhon, Phitsanulok, Chon Buri and…

  • Rescuers try to free people trapped in collapsed mosque – Lombok | Thaiger

    Rescuers try to free people trapped in collapsed mosque – Lombok

    PHOTO: Basarnas National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho says that on Monday at 3pm heavy equipment arrived in the Lading-lading village, Tanjung district, Lombok, to assist with the search for people thought to be buried under the debris from a collapsed mosque. Local devotees were busy with their evening prayers when the quake hit. At 7pm last…

  • “No mafia in Patong” – Patong businessman | Thaiger

    “No mafia in Patong” – Patong businessman

    The Patong Police Chief and a famous Patong businessman claim that there is no mafia in Patong. The comments come, unprompted, after arrest warrants were issued for three suspects last week in connection to the double, execution-style, murders in Sattaphip, near Pattaya on July 29. One of them is well-known local Patong businessman, known as ‘Sia Auan’ aka. 39 year old…

  • 98 confirmed dead. Rescuers fear more as relief pours into Lombok. | Thaiger

    98 confirmed dead. Rescuers fear more as relief pours into Lombok.

    International aid organisations are now seeking assistance some of the key groups get people onto the ground to start providing much-needed relief to the northern parts of the island. Following the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Indonesia’s Lombok Island on Sunday evening, rescue workers are actively searching the province to rescue and aid victims. According to The Guardian, Katy Flay, who…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Tuesday | Thaiger

    Thaiger Radio News – Tuesday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.