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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PM Anutin denies bending jail rules to help Thaksin
Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has denied accusations that his government amended prison regulations to help a former leader avoid jail or aid political allies. Speaking to reporters at Government House today, November 19, Anutin, also leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, defended changes relating to inmate medical transfers, sentence suspensions, and alternative detention arrangements. Critics suggested the revisions were politically…
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Police clarify viral bribe video is from 2019, officer dismissed
The Metropolitan Police Bureau clarified that the viral video showing a police officer demanding a bribe at the Morchit Bus Terminal in Bangkok was old footage from 2019, and the officer in question had already been dismissed from duty. Recently, former Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, accused more than 200 police officers of…
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Bangkok Remand Prison chief axed after misconduct scandal
A Bangkok prison director was removed from his post after a raid revealed staff misconduct, prompting the Ministry of Justice to launch an internal investigation. The Ministry of Justice has transferred the director of Bangkok Remand Prison following a surprise inspection that uncovered staff involvement in illegal activities. The move is part of a broader effort to ensure transparency and…
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Lampang man filmed abusing dog with compressed air denies wrongdoing
A Thai man, caught on a viral video abusing a dog by inserting compressed air through its mouth or anus, defended himself, claiming he was merely drying its fur and that the footage is from several years ago. The video, shared on Facebook, sparked widespread criticism and calls for harsher legal punishment for animal abusers. The man in the footage…
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Newborn baby girl’s body found dumped near Bangkok railway
A newborn’s body was discovered near a railway in Bangkok, shocking residents and prompting police to launch an urgent investigation to find the person responsible. The discovery was made yesterday, November 18, in a banana grove at the end of Wutthakat Soi 3, close to the railway tracks. Police Lieutenant Sirote Khayankan, deputy inspector of Talat Phlu Police Station, responded…
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Customer accuses Michelin-starred Jay Fai of poor service, bias
Jay Fai, a one-Michelin-star restaurant in Bangkok, is facing renewed criticism after a customer alleged she was denied entry and told to “mind her manners” for arriving before her dining companions. A Thai woman shared a video online documenting her experience at the restaurant, which she claimed demonstrated poor customer service. She called on others to stop supporting the venue…
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Key flight routes cancelled in Thailand, including at Suvarnabhumi
Several flights were cancelled at major Thai airports, including Suvarnabhumi, causing travel disruption for passengers on domestic and international routes. Travellers across Thailand have been hit by a wave of unexpected flight cancellations, causing widespread disruption at Udon Thani, Phuket, and Suvarnabhumi airports. The cancellations, affecting both domestic and international routes, have left passengers scrambling for alternative arrangements. At Udon…
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Nigerian man arrested for selling cocaine at Patong Hospital
A Nigerian man was arrested in Patong after undercover police caught him selling cocaine during a sting operation in a hospital car park at night. Patong Police have arrested a 31 year old man following a sting operation that caught him red-handed selling cocaine in the parking lot of Patong Hospital yesterday, November 18. The operation was launched at 6.55pm…
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Aussie journalist faces Thai trial over Malaysia blog posts
An Australian journalist living in Thailand will face trial after publishing blog posts criticising Malaysia, prompting legal action and international concern. Murray Hunter will stand trial in Thailand on December 22 after being charged with defamation over articles critical of the Malaysian government. The 64 year old Aussie, who resides in Hat Yai, faces prosecution following a complaint lodged by…
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Flash floods swamp Patong again, traffic brought to standstill
Patong was flooded again after sudden downpours caused severe traffic disruption, prompting police to respond and issue warnings across the tourist hotspot. Yesterday, November 18 at 4.30pm, Patong Police released a statement warning motorists to steer clear of several waterlogged zones. Officers were dispatched to monitor flood levels and assist in managing traffic as major intersections became submerged. The operation…
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Chinese, Russian tourists lose cash after showing money to Pattaya scammers
A Chinese tourist and a Russian couple reported losing cash to suspected foreign scammers in Pattaya on Monday, November 17, after being tricked into showing their money. All three victims filed complaints at Mueang Pattaya Police Station on the same day. Based on their descriptions, the suspects are believed to be foreign nationals, possibly from an Arab country. The first…
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Hitchhiking tourist gets surprise lift from Thai immigration officers (video)
A tourist hitchhiking in Thailand ended up catching a ride with immigration officers, leading to a humorous encounter that was later shared on social media. The video, posted on TikTok, shows the tourist beaming as he gets picked up on the roadside, unaware of the surprise that awaits. As it turns out, the vehicle he flagged down was no ordinary…
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Motorbike crash leaves man critically injured in Pattaya
A motorbike collision in Pattaya late at night left two riders injured, one critically, after they crashed head-on while travelling along a local soi. A 28 year old man is fighting for his life following a violent motorbike collision on Soi Nern Plub Wan in Pattaya last night. The crash left both riders injured, with one in critical condition. The…
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Tugboat hits riverside homes in Nonthaburi, causes 10m baht damage
A tugboat carrying more than 5,000 tonnes of gypsum boards crashed into three riverside homes along the Chao Phraya River in Nonthaburi yesterday, November 18, causing over 10 million baht in damage. The incident occurred at around 1am in the Koh Kret area of Pak Kret district. No injuries were reported. Pak Kret Police arrived at the scene around 5am…
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Royal Thai Army denies rangers assaulted Cambodian workers
The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has strongly denied accusations made by Cambodian officials and human rights groups, dismissing the claims as fake news and part of an orchestrated attempt to damage Thailand’s international reputation. The allegations surfaced between November 17 and 18, when Cambodian government agencies and civil society groups claimed that seven Thai rangers had detained, beaten, robbed, and…
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Immigration raid in Pattaya nets 15 Indian visa offenders
Immigration police in Pattaya detained a group of Indian men during a late-night raid, after reports of suspicious activity linked to visa overstaying and illegal work. The operation was carried out under orders from Police Major General Songprod Sirisukha, Commander of Immigration Division 3, and Police Colonel Hrit Ekuru, Deputy Commander, following directives from the Royal Thai Police and the…
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Volunteer divers stunned to find second body in pickup driven off Phuket bridge
Volunteer divers searching for a pickup truck in a suspected suicide of a Thai man at the Sarasin Bridge in Phuket today, November 18, found two bodies inside the vehicle, not just one as was initially anticipated. Officers from Tha Chatchai Police Station, together with rescuers from the Kusol Dham Foundation, were called to Sarasin Bridge in Thalang, Phuket, after…
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2 held at Phuket checkpoint for transporting illegal migrants
Two men were arrested at a Phuket checkpoint after police discovered they were transporting 20 illegal migrant workers in pickup trucks from another province. Two men from Chiang Rai were arrested early yesterday, November 17, after police intercepted two pickup trucks attempting to smuggle 20 illegal migrant workers into Phuket. The arrests occurred at approximately 8.30am at the inbound lane…
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Foreign fugitive arrested on Koh Samui over fake ticket scam
Thai immigration officers arrested an Israeli man on Koh Samui, wanted for an alleged online ticket scam, following a joint operation with foreign police. The 30 year old suspect, identified only as Abudyan, was detained by Surat Thani Immigration officers after authorities tracked him to a hotel in the popular Chaweng area. He had been staying there since November 10…
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Retired Thai police officer threatens, harasses, and exposes himself to neighbours
A 71 year old retired police officer allegedly disturbed neighbours in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok by feeding pigeons, urinating into neighbours’ gardens, splashing water on public roads, shining lights into homes, and exposing himself. Residents of a village in the Bang Kruay neighbourhood contacted Channel 3 after Bang Kruay Police Station officers failed to take action on a complaint filed…
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Ex-con shot with crossbow in Northeast Thailand phone row
A former inmate was seriously injured in northeast Thailand after being shot with a crossbow during a drunken row over a borrowed phone request. Police in Buriram province are investigating an altercation that left a man with a fishing arrow lodged in his neck after he allegedly tried to attack a high-school student who refused to lend him her phone.…
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Man stabs girlfriend in front of young son, cites affair and jealousy
A jealous Thai man stabbed his girlfriend in the neck in front of her two year old son at a condominium in Samut Prakan province, just outside Bangkok. The child was later rescued unharmed. Officers from Samrong Nuea Police Station investigated the condominium in the Thepharak district just after midnight yesterday, November 17, following a report of a stabbing. Upon…
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Austrian man arrested at Phuket airport over fake stamps
A foreign national was arrested at Phuket Airport after immigration officers discovered forged passport stamps and a visa overstay during a departure check. A 41 year old Austrian man was arrested at Phuket International Airport after immigration officers discovered forged entry and exit stamps in his passport, and found he had overstayed his visa by a staggering 578 days. The…
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Thai loan shark surrenders after detaining debtor’s mother and baby
A Thai loan shark has surrendered to police after allegedly locking an elderly woman and her six month old grandson inside their home in Nan province over a missed loan repayment. The incident occurred on November 12 in the Mueang Jang subdistrict of Phu Phiang district. The woman contacted Phu Phiang Police Station after she and the baby were locked…
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Bangkok-bound van slams into truck, 7 injured
A passenger van heading to Bangkok crashed into a trailer truck on a major highway in Ang Thong province, injuring seven and prompting a police investigation. The crash occurred around 6am today, November 18, at kilometre marker 63+400 in Lak Fa subdistrict, Chaiyo district, Ang Thong province. The van, a Toyota with Bangkok plates, had been travelling from Mae Hong…
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4 foreigners at large after stealing at Phuket shopping mall
A group of foreigners remain at large after allegedly stealing wallets and cardholders from a leather goods store in a shopping mall in Patong, Phuket. The owner of a leather goods store in The Botanica shopping mall in Patong shared CCTV footage of the theft with the Newshawk Phuket Facebook page yesterday, November 17, to warn other business operators in…
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Thailand seals China deal to export 500k tonnes of rice
Thailand plans to negotiate rice delivery terms with a Chinese state-owned firm after securing a deal to export 500,000 tonnes under a G2G agreement. The Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) has confirmed plans to finalise delivery negotiations with China’s Cofco Corporation, a state-owned agricultural importer. The shipment will include 280,000 tonnes already agreed upon under previous contracts, and a fresh…
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Thai man denies claims of deliberately spreading HIV
A Thai man, accused of deliberately spreading HIV, denied the allegations and shared his side of the story with the public. The man, identified only as A, told several news agencies that his younger brother contracted HIV because his 29 year old boyfriend, Joe, hid his HIV-positive status. The brother only discovered the truth upon finding Joe’s medication. Apart from…
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Court grounds order allowing foreign pilots on Thai routes
Thailand’s Administrative Court has revoked a Labour Ministry order that allowed foreign pilots to fly domestic routes, ruling it an unlawful exemption. The court decision, handed down yesterday, November 17, annuls a ministerial announcement issued last year that temporarily authorised foreign pilots to operate within the country under a wet-lease arrangement. The ruling comes after the Thai Pilots Association and…
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Jomtien one-way system slammed as traffic chaos worsens
A one-way traffic system on Jomtien Beach Road has drawn criticism from residents, tourists and business owners for creating confusion, delays and safety risks. Instead of smoother traffic and safer streets, locals say the area is now more chaotic than ever. Confusion, delays, and rising safety concerns have become the norm, with many calling for the system to be scrapped…
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