Hot News
Thailand hot news, breaking stories, crime, politics, tourism, and business—stay updated with in-depth reports and exclusive interviews on the latest events across the country. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Thailand news source.
-
Sponsored Limited-time deal: Save 20% on Cigna's expat health plans forever
Starting a new life abroad is exciting—new culture, new lifestyle, and new chances to grow. But living far from home also means taking steps to protect your health in unfamiliar surroundings. Without the right coverage, even small health issues can...
-
All bets off as MP faces gambling charge in Parliament
All bets are off according to spokeswoman Pongsri Tharaphume who revealed “an investigation will be launched” into an incident involving an unnamed MP who allegedly engaged in gambling activities at his office in Parliament. Parliament president Chuan Leekpai has requested an investigation to determine whether the MP violated the House’s code of ethics. The investigation was initiated in response to…
-
Thai Customs seizes 26,000 kg of opium seeds from Turkey
The Customs Department of Thailand last month seized 26,000 kilogrammes of opium seeds imported from Turkey at Laem Chabang Port in Chon Buri. The seeds were worth about 30 million baht. The Thai Customs and other related departments revealed the details of the seizure at the customs office on February 12 during a press conference on Wednesday. Director-General of Thai…
-
China responds to Thailand’s crackdown on grey businesses by reaffirming support
China is responding to Thailand’s crackdown on grey businesses by reaffirming its support. The two countries say they have been cooperating closely in suppressing transnational crimes. The Chinese Embassy pledged to help bring such businesses to justice on its Facebook page today. Online gambling and call centre scams are among the Chinese businesses that were found to be illegally operating…
-
Thailand strengthens tourism ties with China in high-profile meeting
Thailand is strengthening its tourism ties with China after the two countries inked a letter of intent in a high-profile meeting. Chinese Culture and Tourism Minister, Hu Heping, and Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, signed the Letter of Intent between the TAT and China Tourism Group Travel Services. As 2023 marks 48 years of diplomacy between the two…
-
Motorbike crash kills Phuket man
A motorbike crash killed a Phuket man in the early hours of this morning, while another two people were left injured. The fatal crash happened at 3am on Sri Soonthorn Road, in the Cherng Talay area of the Thalang district. Rescuers arrived on the scene to find the body of 51 year old motorbike rider Pomngnara. His female passenger had…
-
Two suspects in Tangmo case plead guilty to ‘recklessness causing death’
More than one year after Thai actress Nida ‘Tangmo‘ Patcharaveerapong drowned in the Chaophraya River, two suspects in the ‘speedboat gang‘ have confessed to all charges including recklessness causing death. The four remaining suspects denied all charges. Tangmo’s mother Panida Siriyuthyothin said the confessions follow new evidence she submitted to the court on February 24. The new evidence is dashcam…
-
Thailand wins award for ‘Best Tourist Country’ in Sweden
Thailand continues to make waves across the globe for its reputation as a tourist magnet. Thailand has been recognised as the Best Tourist Country at the 30th annual Grand Travel Awards 2023 in Stockholm, Sweden. Organised by TravelNews, the award is based on a survey conducted by research company Nordic Bench, which collected responses from 3,227 Swedish travellers and travel professionals…
-
Hong Kong launches free airline ticket giveaway to reboot tourism
Hong Kong’s government-supported “Hello, Hong Kong” ticket giveaway of half a million free airline tickets is swamping airline websites. Cathay Pacific, one of the carriers participating in the programme, said it had allocated all 17,400 round-trip tickets from Thailand to Hong Kong within the first hour of the giveaway, even though it was scheduled to last seven days. The airline…
-
11 Thai police officers arrested for alleged gang rape of 14 year old
A children’s foundation is rallying for justice after a 14 year old girl was allegedly gang-raped by 15 men. Eleven of the men are reported to be serving Thai police officers and the teenage girl was supposedly raped on multiple occasions in Leoi province in northeast Thailand over a two-year period. Today, officials from the Children, Youth and Families Foundation…
-
Police arrest Cambodian for raging fire at Pattaya ‘secret’ beach (video)
Police arrested a homeless Cambodian national yesterday under suspicion of starting a raging fire at a secret beach in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, on Monday night, causing damages amounting to 300,000 baht. On Monday, 41 year old fisherman Teeraphat Iampinyo discovered a raging fire at a secret beach – mostly used by fishermen to sell fish and store equipment. The beach…
-
Frenchman pays the price for revving noisy motorbike in Phuket
Police tracked down and fined a Frenchman yesterday for annoying residents by revving his loud rented motorbike along the Bangla Road in Phuket, southern Thailand, in the early hours of Monday morning. At 5am on Monday, Phuket traffic police were tipped off that a group of four to five ‘dek waen’ (motorbike racers) were causing a ruckus outside a convenience…
-
Blogger’s reaction to eating live shrimp salad in Thailand goes viral on Instagram
A blogger’s reaction to eating a live shrimp salad in Thailand has gone viral on Instagram. Popular blogger Sam Pepper, who is known for his bizarre travel videos, posted his reaction on the social media website. He called the salad a ‘LIVE Jumping’ Shrimp Salad.’ “This one is really out there. But when in Thailand! Live shrimp salad.” According to…
-
Over 7,000 Russians in Phuket apply for visa extensions
Over 7,000 Russians in Phuket are applying for visa extensions in a bid to stay in Thailand. Local immigration chief, Thanet Sukchai, says the great weather is one factor in their attempts to stay. “Phuket is a nice place to visit with delicious food and good weather. As word has spread about the island, Russian tourists keep coming to the…
-
Greta Thunberg detained twice during demonstration over Indigenous rights
Greta Thunberg has been detained twice during a recent demonstration over indigenous rights. The environmental campaigner was participating in the demonstration in Oslo, Norway, when police removed her and other activists. According to the Japan Times, Thunberg joined protesters on Monday in demanding the removal of 151 wind turbines from reindeer pastures used by Sami herders in central Norway. The…
-
Expensive flights to Thailand too hot for Chinese mainland mainstream
Expensive flights to Thailand from bigger cities in China are delaying Thailand’s tourism recovery. Most tariffs are still one and a half times more than pre-pandemic prices, while for smaller cities, fares are more than double previous levels According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn, while most tickets are cheaper than last year, prices for March…
-
Makha Bucha Day Monday: lots of Buddhism, no booze
Buddha Days: holidays of religious celebration for Thais and sober frustration for foreign tourists. Next week Thailand will celebrate Makha Bucha Day, an important religious holiday for Thai Buddhists. The holiday falls on Monday, March 6. While the day may not hold the same religious significance for non-Buddhists, it is still recognized as a significant day in Thai culture, and…
-
4 police officers and 3 men arrested for smuggling motorcycles
Authorities arrested four police officers, one Thai man, and two Cambodian men yesterday at a pier in the southeastern province of Trat for smuggling six motorcycles into a neighbouring country. The Marine Special Unit 182 received a tip-off from an authority spy that the smuggling was to take place at a pier in the Mai Root sub-district, Khlong Yai district…
-
Northern Thailand sees thousands of fire hotspots
Northern Thailand is seeing thousands of fire hotspots, with some 2,201 detected yesterday. The majority of these hotspots are located in conservation forests, according to the Region 3 centre for prevention and mitigation of air pollution. The upper part of the region had 1,388 hotspots, while the lower north had 813. Provinces with the highest number of hotspots included Tak,…
-
2 men arrested for animal trafficking, over 100 carcasses seized
Two men were arrested yesterday in the central province of Suphan Buri for trafficking protected animals. The authorities seized over 100 carcasses of monitor lizards and turtles, making the largest number on record. Authorities from the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division, or Greencop, and U-Thong Police Station were notified that a house owner, later identified as 73 year old…
-
Tel Aviv – Bangkok flight time reduced by 2.5 hours
Flights between Tel Aviv and Bangkok, Thailand, just got three hours shorter thanks to the government of Oman who made the long-awaited decision to open its airspace to aircraft from all countries, including Israel. On Sunday, an EL AL Israel Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Bangkok flew through Oman’s airspace, becoming the first Israeli airline to do so, three…
-
Man arrested 19 times for thefts in Pattaya
Maybe the 19th time is the charm? A man was arrested in Pattaya for stealing a Russian woman’s phone, and, as it turns out, he had previously been arrested for theft 19 times before. The 54 year old Thai man was arrested this time after he was caught stealing a phone from a Russian woman. She reported to the police that…
-
Fisherman claims Pattaya beach fire was an act of arson
A fisherman claims that a recent fire on a lesser-known Pattaya beach was a deliberate act of arson. The beach, located on Soi Naklua 18, is mostly used by fishermen who store their fishing gear, tables, and chairs. They later sell their catches in the nearby area. The blaze occurred between 3am to 4am on Monday, burning some of the…
-
Grab driver caught on tracking app stealing passenger’s phone
A group of friends turned detective to successfully track down a lost mobile phone using a tracking application after it had been stolen by their Grab driver. They cancelled pre-booked flights and a vacation trip worth over 10,000 baht and set out to track down the thief. The incident was captured on video by one of the victim’s friends, 26…
-
Tourist films himself smoking blunt while riding elephant in Thailand
A tourist in Thailand has filmed his experience riding an elephant while smoking a blunt and posted it on Instagram. According to Leafly, Mikhail Harrison rolled up some GUMBO and went into the jungle for an exotic experience. He posed the question, “If you could smoke weed with an elephant, which strain would you pick?” on his Instagram page. In…
-
Thai ambassador to UK attends football captain ‘Dom’s’ funeral
Thailand’s ambassador to the UK joined the funeral service for Duangphet Phromthep, or “Dom,” who was captain of the Thai football team that was rescued from a cave. The Royal Thai Embassy said Ambassador Thani Thongphakdi attended yesterday’s funeral along with students and teachers from Dom’s school, the CEO of Leicester City Football Club and others. The embassy says Buddhist…
-
British labradors head to Thailand to sniff out smuggled pangolins
Two sharp-nosed Labradors from England are heading to Thailand to save critically-endangered pangolins from wildlife smugglers. The elusive, nocturnal pangolin – able to roll up into an armour-plated ball when threatened – is the most trafficked animal in the world. Known as “scaly anteaters,” these unique mammals disguised as reptiles are trafficked primarily for their scales, which are used in…
-
Thailand’s Cobra Gold war games sees largest US attendance in decade
Thailand’s annual Cobra Gold war games have seen the largest attendance by the US in a decade. The international military exercise started yesterday and runs to March 10. The unprecedented attendance by the US military is thought to be part of Washington’s efforts to build ties with a key security partner as geopolitical competition with China is on the rise.…
-
Agoda says these are the most popular vacation spots for Thai families
According to early 2023 search data from the travel platform Agoda, Pattaya is the most popular destination for Thai families looking for a domestic vacation this year. Hua Hin/Cha-am, and Phuket followed in second and third place. The full list of the top 10 most searched domestic destinations by families includes: Pattaya, Hua Hin/Cha-Am, Phuket, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri,…
-
Cowardly British man on run in Thailand after abusing ex-girlfriend
A cowardly British man is on the run and believed to be in Thailand after administering the “most despicable psychological, emotional, and physical abuse,” on a former girlfriend. Nicholas Cash was found guilty of several charges, including controlling or coercive behaviour, assault causing bodily harm, criminal damage, and administering a poisonous or noxious substance with intent. These convictions followed a…
-
Phuket officials respond to black water at beach
UPDATE Phuket officials have responded to the incident involving black water flowing into the sea at a beach. The black wastewater at Karon Beach near Nong Harn Lake came to officials’ attention on Sunday. A report by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department said the water was “causing tourists to panic and run away from the sea.” Officers from…
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.