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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Central Thailand civil servant’s vow fulfilled with lucky numbers
A civil servant in central Thailand fulfilled a vow to a sacred Buddha statue after passing an exam, crediting his success to lucky numbers and faith. At 9.09am yesterday, November 11, Wat Klang Bang Phra in Nakhon Chai Si district, Nakhon Pathom, was buzzing with believers, gamblers and merit-makers. All came to honour Luang Por Somwang, a towering Buddha image…
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Police arrest foreign rider for dangerous stunts in Phuket
Police arrested a foreign motorcyclist yesterday, November 11, for dangerous riding, where he was captured on video performing wheelies on a road in Thalang district, Phuket. A Thai man recorded the act and shared the footage in the Facebook group แบบนี้ต้องประจาน ภูเก็ต (This kind of actions must be exposed – Phuket), captioning it… “This occurred near Nai Yang Beach. I have…
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Phuket leads Thailand’s tourist rebound with Russian boom
Phuket’s tourism sector has surged ahead of other Thai regions as international arrivals, led by Russian travellers, boosted hotel occupancy and revenue. From January to October this year, more than 4.16 million international travellers arrived directly in Phuket, bringing the island’s tourism recovery to 97.5% of pre-pandemic levels. That’s up from 4.09 million during the same period last year, according…
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Foreigner steals motorbike in Phuket after petting dog (video)
A foreign man pulled off a bizarre motorbike theft in Phuket by pretending to play with a dog before hopping on a parked bike and riding off in front of its stunned owner. The incident occurred yesterday, November 11, in the Samkong area of Phuket. According to witnesses and CCTV footage, the suspect casually approached the dog outside a property…
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Pattaya motorbike crash kills 2 in freak handlebar tangle
Two motorcyclists were killed and another injured in a crash on Sukhumvit Road in Pattaya after a collision involving tangled handlebars. The accident occurred around 7.30pm yesterday, November 11, along the Sukhumvit Road stretch heading towards Chon Buri. Rescue workers from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation and officers from Bang Lamung Police Station rushed to the scene following reports of…
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Bangkok dust levels spike as orange alert hits 3 districts
Bangkok residents are being warned to take precautions as PM2.5 dust levels have reached health risk levels in several districts across the city. Today, November 12, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) reported that while most areas in the capital recorded acceptable air quality, PM2.5 dust levels surged to orange-alert status in three districts, meaning the fine particulate matter is high…
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Thai man commits suicide in gold shop after 200,000 baht heist fails
A Thai man committed suicide at a gold shop in the Isaan province of Udon Thani to avoid legal consequences after attempting to rob 200,000 baht in cash from the store owner. The owner of the gold shop in Wua Kong Market, Ban Lueam sub-district, reported both the attempted theft and the suspect’s suicide to police at around 5pm yesterday,…
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Thai business loans expected to rise as year-end demand heats up
Business lending in Thailand is expected to rebound in the final quarter of the year, driven by rising demand from both large corporations and small firms, according to industry analysts. The uptick comes as the Bank of Thailand (BoT)’s latest regulations support the government’s debt relief initiative, giving financial institutions new tools to handle non-performing loans (NPLs) more effectively. Weerapat…
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PM Anutin wipes tears while comforting soldiers injured in border landmine
Prime Minister (PM) of Thailand, Anutin Charnvirakul, visited soldiers injured in a recent landmine explosion in Sisaket yesterday, November 11, and was seen wiping away tears while listening to one of them recount the incident. Two Thai soldiers, Sergeant Major First Class Thirdsak Samapong and Private Wachira Phantana, were injured after stepping on a landmine while patrolling the border between…
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Pattaya man attacks gran with metal bar over money dispute
A man in Pattaya assaulted his grandmother during a late-night argument over money, leaving her with serious head injuries and hospitalised. The assault occurred around 10pm on Monday, November 10, in front of the Khun Noi Jok porridge shop on Pattaya Third Road. Emergency responders from the Sawang Boriboon Rescue Foundation rushed to the scene and found the elderly woman,…
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Explicit dance video from Lopburi tattoo contest triggers body-shaming debate
A viral video of an explicit dance at a tattoo contest in Lopburi province sparked a debate online after many left disrespectful comments about her body, mocking her genitalia for resembling a wood ear mushroom. A Thai woman yesterday, November 11, publicly apologised after the explicit video from the contest was widely shared online. The footage showed her dancing provocatively…
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Thailand’s booze rules baffle drinkers with surprise fines
Thailand’s new alcohol law now imposes hefty fines on those caught drinking or being served during restricted hours, causing confusion among locals and tourists. A government committee overseeing alcohol policy will meet tomorrow, November 13, to address widespread confusion caused by a recent amendment to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, which came into effect on November 8. The law introduces…
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Thailand vows to tear down rogue scam towers in forests
Thailand’s Senate committee is pushing for the removal of illegal telecom towers built in forest areas that are allegedly aiding cross-border scam operations. Committee chairperson Chiwaphap Chiwatham announced the move ahead of a committee meeting this week, revealing that numerous telecom towers suspected of supporting scam syndicates in Myanmar and Cambodia had been illegally built in protected forest areas. “These…
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Speeding trailer overturns in Phatthalung, crushes traffic flow
An 18-wheel trailer overturned in Phatthalung, South Thailand, after colliding with a car, blocking both lanes and causing major traffic disruption. No serious injuries were reported. The crash occurred at 4am today, November 12, in Na Thom subdistrict, when the trailer lost control and slammed into an oncoming car, blocking both lanes of the highway and causing a major traffic…
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Rohingya boat sinks leaving 27 dead and dozens missing
A boat carrying Rohingya refugees sank in the Andaman Sea, leaving at least 27 dead as Malaysian and Thai police race against time to find survivors. The victims were part of a group fleeing persecution in Myanmar and dire conditions in Bangladeshi refugee camps, attempting the treacherous journey by sea to reach Malaysia. Rescue teams recovered nine bodies yesterday, November…
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Phuket duo arrested with 2,000 packs of smuggled cigarettes
Officials in Phuket Town busted two suspects for selling smuggled cigarettes after raids were launched in response to complaints from concerned residents. The sting was launched after concerned residents tipped off officers about untaxed cigarettes being sold openly in shops. Leading the crackdown were Mueang District Chief Pairoj Srilamul and Administrative Chief Sukanda Srirak, with backup from the Phuket District…
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Stormy southern seas and chilly dawns grip Thailand
Thailand braces for shifting skies as a weak high-pressure system from China continues to influence the country’s upper regions, bringing cooler mornings to the north and northeast. Meanwhile, scattered thundershowers remain a possibility across much of the country due to changing wind patterns. The forecast from 6pm yesterday, November 11, to 6pm today, November 12, is as follows: In the…
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Malaysian man arrested for swindling 22 million baht from retired Thai teacher
Today, police arrested a Malaysian man for posing as a policeman and medical professional to swindle more than 22 million baht from a retired Thai teacher in the central province of Uthai Thani. The 70 year old retired teacher, Kanjana, reported to Mueang Uthai Thani police that she was tricked by a scammer. She transferred a total of over 22…
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Chinese-Cambodian gambling kingpin to be extradited: Thai court
A Chinese-Cambodian man accused of running a vast gambling ring will be extradited to China, following a Thai court ruling upholding an earlier decision. The Thai Court of Appeal has upheld a lower court’s ruling to extradite She Zhijiang, a dual Chinese-Cambodian national accused of masterminding a vast illegal online gambling operation, back to China. The decision, announced yesterday, November…
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Thai man at large after attacking and threatening boy with gun at school
A Thai man remains at large after attacking and threatening a 14 year old boy with a gun at a school in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat today. Rescuers from the Tai Tek Siang Tung Foundation were called to a school on the outskirts of the city to transport the injured boy to hospital. The boy sustained a…
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Rohingya boat sinks near Thai-Malaysia border, dozens missing
Dozens are feared dead and many more remain missing after a packed boat carrying Rohingya refugees capsized near the Thailand-Malaysia maritime border. Malaysian and Thai police have intensified their search for survivors and victims following the sinking of a boat believed to be carrying 70 Rohingya refugees. The incident, which occurred near the maritime boundary between the two nations, has…
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Binance eyes Thai crypto tourists in new baht conversion push
Binance TH is exploring local partnerships to join a new Thai initiative allowing foreign tourists to convert digital assets into baht during their visits. Binance Thailand, the local arm of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, is gearing up to join the government’s TouristDigiPay programme, a digital finance sandbox designed to let foreign tourists convert crypto into Thai baht for spending…
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Thai taxi rider seeks justice after being banned for rejecting passenger’s sexual advances
A Thai motorcycle taxi rider is seeking justice after his ride-hailing app account was suspended for cancelling a service mid-journey, following sexual harassment by a male passenger during the ride. According to the rules of most ride-hailing platforms, each driver or rider must take passengers safely to their destinations. If a service is cancelled without reasonable cause or receives a…
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Aussie woman dies in Phuket after hotel fling with German tourist
A German tourist found his Aussie companion unresponsive after a one-night stand at a Phuket resort, hours after penning a heartfelt letter as she slept beside him. A 49 year old German man found himself at the centre of a heartbreaking incident after a night of drinking and intimacy with 47 year old Australian tourist Karla Drescher, originally from New…
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Indian tourist’s gold necklace swiped in Pattaya hug scam
An Indian tourist was robbed of his gold necklace on Pattaya Beach after being approached by two transgender persons posing as friendly companions late at night. At around 11.30pm on Saturday, November 8, a 24 year old Indian man, identified as Kirubakaran Sankar, reported to Pattaya City Police that he had been robbed of his gold necklace, worth over 70,000…
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Phuket parents demand removal of school director over integrity
Parents in Phuket staged a protest outside a local school, calling for the removal of its director over leadership concerns and alleged mismanagement. Angry parents staged a protest demanding the immediate transfer of Cherng Talay Witthaya School’s director, Pajaree Suwatthikun, citing poor leadership, internal conflict, and financial transparency concerns. On Sunday, November 9, around 20 frustrated parents and residents gathered outside…
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Thai theft suspect drowns after jumping into canal to escape arrest
Yesterday, a Thai man drowned in a canal in Samut Prakan province after allegedly attempting to steal from a parked car and evading arrest by jumping into the water. Locals alerted Bang Sao Thong Police Station officers and Por Teck Tung Foundation rescuers to a canal within the Eua Arthon Mueangma Bangphli Community in the Bang Sao Thong district after…
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Chiang Rai’s White Temple to double tourist fee in 2026
Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai will double its entry fee for foreign tourists to support maintenance and upgrades at the popular temple attraction. Starting January 1, 2026, Wat Rong Khun, also known as the White Temple, will increase its entry fee for foreign tourists from 100 baht to 200 baht. The new ticket price includes access to the popular…
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Thailand pulls Cambodia peace deal after landmine hits soldiers
Thailand suspended a key agreement with Cambodia after soldiers were injured by landmines near the border, prompting swift action from national security leaders. At a high-stakes National Security Council (NSC) meeting chaired by Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, officials approved the suspension of the four-point Thai-Cambodian Kuala Lumpur Declaration. The decision came in response to a recent explosion…
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Myanmar man found dead after booze binge in Samut Prakan
A Myanmar man was found dead in a Samut Prakan condo after a night of heavy drinking with friends, prompting police to investigate the cause of death. At around 9pm yesterday, November 10, police officers from Bang Pu Police Station were called to a condominium in the Bang Pu Mai subdistrict, Mueang district, after reports of a dead man in…
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