Thailand News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, and lifestyle—get breaking updates from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. Stay informed on Thai society, economy, tourism, and expat life with The Thaiger.
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Jomtien Beach drainage pipe seen releasing wastewater into sea
Concerns are growing at Jomtien Beach in Pattaya after locals and beachgoers reported that a large drainage pipe has become visible on the sand and is releasing dark, foul-smelling wastewater directly into the sea. The issue surfaced publicly yesterday, February 17, after videos shared online showed a large rectangular drainage pipe, partly buried in sand, discharging polluted wastewater into the sea…
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Four arrested as police seize cocaine in Patong and Phuket airport
A joint operation in Phuket last night, February 17, led to the arrest of four foreign suspects and the seizure of more than 3.1 kilogrammes of cocaine, as police move to disrupt an alleged transnational drug network targeting tourists. The operation was led by the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) under Lieutenant General Achayon Kraithong, along with Phuket Provincial Police commander…
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Thai father seeks answers after 10 month old daughter dies at Chon Buri nursery
A Thai father suspected foul play in the death of his 10 month old daughter after staff at a nursery in Chon Buri told him that the CCTV footage could not be accessed. The father, Sathit, reported the case to officers at Samet Police Station on Monday, February 16, following the death of his daughter, Palita. He said the nursery was…
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Railway officer criticised after motorcyclist dies in collision with train
A Thai woman died after her motorcycle collided with a moving freight train at a railway crossing in Chon Buri yesterday, February 17. CCTV footage showed a railway officer opening a barrier before the train had passed. Security camera footage recorded the crash at about 12.50am. The video prompted mixed reactions, with some users blaming the motorcycle rider, identified as…
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Khao Lak routes go dark after transformer thefts in Phang Nga
Residents and tourism operators in Takua Pa district, Phang Nga, complained yesterday, February 17, after thieves allegedly cut power cables and stole roadside electrical equipment at multiple locations, leaving several routes towards the Khao Lak tourist area without street lighting. The complaints were received by reporters after locals said they had been hit hard by repeated thefts involving streetlight wiring…
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Chinese man assaulted and robbed by 3 Pattaya transwomen
A Chinese man invited a Thai transgender party entertainer to his hotel room in Pattaya, only to be attacked and robbed by her and two other transwomen. Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station were alerted to the incident at Easy Planet Hotel on Pattaya Sai Song Soi 4 at 4.36am yesterday, February 17. They attended the scene with rescuers from…
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Thailand News | Thai man dies in detention after arrest for assaulting ex-girlfriend, Foreign tourists caught in Lewd Act video at Pattaya beach
Today we will talk about several major stories making headlines across Thailand and the region — including a Thai man who died in police detention after his arrest for assault, a series of controversial incidents involving foreign tourists in Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Pattaya, and the arrest of four Myanmar nationals over the fatal attack of an American man in…
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YouTube outage reported worldwide early today
A reported YouTube outage disrupted access to the video platform for users worldwide today, February 18, after problems emerged at around 8am and monitoring site Downdetector recorded a rise in user reports. Downdetector, a website that monitors online service disruptions by collecting real-time reports from users, recorded more than 240,000 reports worldwide within 20 minutes, suggesting the problem was affecting…
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Cambodian woman found dead in freezer outside home in Trat
Police in Trat are investigating the death of a Cambodian woman after her body was found inside a freezer outside her home, with one of her legs tied with a plastic rope. A Thai rescuer worker, Songyot, reported the discovery of his dead neighbour to Mueang Trat Police Station and the Sawang Boon Chuay Lue Dhammasatan Trat Foundation at about…
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Russian tourist rescued after leg slips into drainage in Phuket
Police in Sakhu, Phuket, assisted a Russian tourist yesterday evening, February 17, after her leg slipped into a drainage opening at Naithon Beach, with officers and bystanders working together to free her. Sakhu Police said they were alerted at 5.45pm following a report that a Russian tourist had fallen into a drain in the Naithon Beach area. The response was led…
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Schools in Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi closed after shooting threat
Police are searching for a Thai man after he assaulted his girlfriend, shot at a rescue team vehicle on a motorway in Chon Buri and issued a shooting threat at a school in parts of Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi. The suspect was later identified as Nopparat. A motorway rescue team said they approached him after he parked his car in a…
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TAT welcomes Chinese tourists at Suvarnabhumi for Chinese New Year
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) hosted a welcome event for Chinese visitors at Suvarnabhumi International Airport yesterday, February 17, as the Chinese New Year 2026 travel period continues. The reception took place at Suvarnabhumi, where TAT organised activities to greet travellers arriving from Shanghai, China. Those taking part in the welcome included TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool and Patanong Na…
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Foreign women attend Phuket temple fair in bikinis, sparking online debate
An online debate ensued after two foreign women attended a Phuket temple fair in bikinis. Some netizens disapproved of the revealing clothes, while others criticised the Thai man for being rude in his video recording. The Thai man recorded the two women walking through the fair at Chalong Temple and shared the video with the local news Facebook page Phuket Andaman News.…
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Monitor lizard invasion in Korat sees 200 to 300 reptiles gather
Safety concerns are rising in Nakhon Ratchasima after hordes of water monitor lizards turned up along the city moat and wandered into the nearby market, prompting residents to call for agencies to manage the animals. Today, February 17, reporters visited the moat area behind Municipal Market 5, known by locals as Talat Pratu Phi, within Nakhon Ratchasima municipality, after reports…
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Thai environmentalist criticises Moo Deng’s living condition at zoo
A Thai environmentalist and social media influencer criticised Khao Kheow Zoo in Chon Buri over the living conditions of its well-known pygmy hippo, Moo Deng, prompting divided reactions among Thai netizens. Siranudh “Sai” Scott, an environmentalist and a former national park ranger, posted images of a pond within Moo Deng‘s habitat on his X account and said in the caption……
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Rangsit mayor leads under-bridge sweep after drug and loitering complaints
A multi-agency operation took place today, February 17, in Prachathipat, Thanyaburi, after officials received complaints that an area beneath a bridge was being used as a gathering point by homeless people and suspected drug users. Rangsit mayor Police Captain Dr Trelup “Mayor Bowling” Toopgrajank brought teams from Pratunam Chulalongkorn Police Station, along with relevant officials, to surround and search the…
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Foreigners caught on CCTV stealing statue from Chiang Mai pub
A pub owner in Chiang Mai has filed a police report after CCTV footage allegedly showed a foreign man and woman acting together to steal a gold lion statue from inside the venue on February 11. In the footage, a foreign man in a white T-shirt is seen approaching a table where a gold lion statue is placed and lingers…
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Foreigners jump on moving car and damage it on Pattaya road
A Thai Bolt driver successfully sought compensation from two foreign men who climbed onto his car and damaged it while he was driving in Pattaya on February 14. The Bolt driver, Phuritha Aramwong, raised the case online, claiming police released the foreign suspects and told him to gather evidence himself. Phuritha said he was driving on Pattaya Soi 6 when two…
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Pattaya salon owner alleges ex-boyfriend breaks in and assaults her
A beauty salon owner in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung, Chon Buri, filed a police complaint today, February 17, alleging that her former boyfriend has continued to harass and threaten her since their breakup, with police now investigating the claims. The woman, identified as 31 year old A, said she decided to report the matter to the Nong Prue Police Station…
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Missing British man last seen near Sukhumvit in Bangkok
A British woman is seeking information about her missing brother, whose last known location was near Soi Sukhumvit 71/1 in Wattana district, Bangkok. A missing person poster for Wayne Charles Smith has been circulating in Facebook groups for expats in Bangkok and Pattaya, shared by his sister, Alison Jacks. She first posted the appeal in January and said she has…
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Thailand video news | Spanish couple accused of staging assault video in Chiang Mai, Phuket officials condemn racist behaviour after entry fee dispute
In Thailand video news, Jay covers stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Today’s headlines include a staged assault clip in Chiang Mai, a minor quake in the north, police arrested over cannabis theft, and controversy in Phuket over racist behaviour. Spanish Couple Accused of Staging Assault Video in Chiang Mai A Spanish couple triggered outrage after posting a video…
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Thai man arrested after pouring petrol over bank manager in attempted robbery
A Thai man poured petrol over a bank manager and attempted to rob a bank inside a shopping mall in Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan, yesterday, February 16, before staff and witnesses restrained him. The incident happened at about 4.30pm at a bank branch inside the mall. Police later identified the suspect as 49 year old Suthidon, who reportedly entered…
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Army monitors Cambodian-side forest fire, says security unaffected
Yesterday, February 16, the Royal Thai Army said it was closely monitoring reports of forest burning on the Cambodian side opposite Chong Bok, Phra Wihan and Chong Khana, adding that the situation is not a cause for concern. Army spokesperson Major General Winthai Suvaree said local units had reported forest burning in Cambodia, confirming that the blaze did not originate…
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Siberian Husky abused and burned in Songkhla after escaping home
A Thai man is seeking the attacker who abused and set his Siberian Husky on fire after the dog escaped from his home in Songkhla on February 12. The owner, 52 year old Somchai Chanawanno, shared details of the attack on his two year old female dog, Molly, with several media outlets and the Watchdog Thailand Foundation (WDT) as he…
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4 Myanmar nationals arrested in Bangkok for fatal attack on American man
Four Myanmar nationals fatally attacked an American man in Jom Thong district, Bangkok, yesterday, February 16, and claimed that the victim had been harassing the younger sister of one of the men. Officers from Bang Mod Police Station were alerted to the violent assault by residents and the suspects’ employer. The American victim, 55 year old Cole Stein Heath, was…
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DDC says no Nipah virus cases found in Thailand, drills continue
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) said today, February 16, that no Nipah virus infections have been detected in the country, while officials continue preparedness exercises and communications to reduce confusion and any potential risk of spread. The department’s director-general, Dr Montien Kanasawat, said Thailand had been closely monitoring disease developments overseas while maintaining active, ongoing surveillance at home. He…
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Spanish couple allegedly fake assault video to discredit Chiang Mai laundry shop
A Thai owner of a self-service laundry shop in Chiang Mai accused a Spanish couple of generating an artificial intelligence (AI)-edited video to falsely claim he physically assaulted them, following a dispute over washing machine usage and a 2,000-baht fine. The owner of Fatcat Cafe & Laundry shared his version of events on the shop’s official Facebook page on February…
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Phuket officials rules entry fee legal but condemn racist behaviour
Officials from the Phuket Provincial Commerce Office addressed public backlash after a souvenir shop owner was filmed making a racist gesture towards a Chinese tourist and charging an entry fee of 40 baht. The controversy erupted after a video of the owner of a ceramic and souvenir shop called “Positive Thinking” went viral on the Chinese social media platform Douyin.…
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PM2.5 expected to rise during Chinese New Year, PCD says
Thailand’s Pollution Control Department (PCD) has urged the public to adjust Chinese New Year practices to reduce smoke and PM2.5 exposure, warning today, February 16, that incense, firecrackers and burning joss paper can release harmful pollutants. Surin Wongkitthamrong, director-general of the Pollution Control Department, said the burning involved in these traditions is often a byproduct of incomplete combustion. This can…
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Udon Thani man says he faces threat after posting vote-buying video
A Thai man in Udon Thani said he received a threat of violence after reporting alleged vote-buying involving a candidate for the Member of Parliament (MP) from the Bhumjaithai Party. The allegation emerged after the man, identified only as Waeng, shared footage of a canvasser distributing 500 baht to residents. Waeng said he was among those who accepted the money…
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