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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.

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    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...

  • Thailand gears up for stricter AI regulations, eyeing legal framework

    Thailand gears up for stricter AI regulations, eyeing legal framework

    The need for stricter artificial intelligence (AI) regulations has been highlighted, as countries, including Thailand, prepare to develop comprehensive AI legal frameworks. This follows the approval of the world’s first comprehensive AI law, the AI Act, by the European Parliament. Putchapong Nodthaisong, Secretary-General of the National Digital Economy and Society Commission, revealed that the commission already has AI ethics guidelines…

  • Cross-border manhunt: Thai police search for 2 Japanese killers

    Cross-border manhunt: Thai police search for 2 Japanese killers

    Thai police officers are collaborating with the Japanese authorities to hunt for two killers involved in the murder and dismemberment of a Japanese man in Nonthaburi province. Officers also discovered that the two Japanese nationals were operating a call centre scam in Thailand. The body parts of the 47 year old Japanese man, Kabashima Ryosuke, were abandoned in a roadside…

  • Charter change up for a vote: Referendum needed, House speaker

    Charter change up for a vote: Referendum needed, House speaker

    A referendum is required to get voters’ approval before the charter amendment proposals can be considered, according to Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, the House Speaker. He was responding to questions about a possible special House session for the first reading of the 2025 fiscal year’s budget bill. He added that it remains undetermined if other significant legislation will be discussed…

  • Bank of Thailand warns government against digital wallet plan

    Bank of Thailand warns government against digital wallet plan

    Phumtham Wechayachai, Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister, dismissed concerns about a confidential Bank of Thailand (BoT) document warning the government against the proposed digital wallet handout initiative. Phumtham, a prominent figure in the Cabinet, stated he was unaware of the document’s contents and questioned its credibility, insisting that if it were a real warning, it would have been officially…

  • Man on drug-fuelled spree injures several in Samut Prakan

    Man on drug-fuelled spree injures several in Samut Prakan

    A violent rampage involving a man wielding a knife and damaging vehicles ended in multiple injuries and a police arrest under a motorway in Samut Prakan province yesterday, April 24. The incident began with the man attacking his family and colleagues, subsequently stealing a pickup truck, and eventually being subdued by police after a confrontation that left officers and a…

  • Minnie network’s luck runs out as AMLO confiscates 68 million baht

    Minnie network’s luck runs out as AMLO confiscates 68 million baht

    The high-profile online gambling network, known as the Minnie network and associated with Suchanun Sucharitchinsri, faced another blow recently when the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) confiscated additional assets worth around 68 million baht (US$1.8 million). The seizure took place under a court order and is the latest in a series of actions against the network. AMLO Secretary-General Thepsu Bowornchotedara announced…

  • Thailand issues alert for 43C heatwave and severe summer storms

    Thailand issues alert for 43C heatwave and severe summer storms

    As Thailand grapples with a scorching heatwave, the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) today issued an alert for extreme temperatures reaching up to 43 degrees Celsius, accompanied by summer storms, strong winds, and hail in some areas. The warning covers 45 provinces and advises the public to brace for potentially hazardous weather conditions. The entire upper part of Thailand is experiencing…

  • Thai government changes funding approach for digital wallet project

    Thai government changes funding approach for digital wallet project

    Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s coalition government has made a crucial change to its flagship scheme, a digital wallet project aiming to distribute 10,000 baht (US$270) to 50 million Thais. The government has switched from borrowing funds, which faced severe criticism and raised concerns about possible violations of financial and fiscal discipline regulations, to using money from the annual expenditure budget.…

  • Meth-induced crime wave hits Hat Yai leading to police chase

    Meth-induced crime wave hits Hat Yai leading to police chase

    A drug-fuelled crime spree has gripped the city of Hat Yai in Songkhla province, as a 35 year old man, identified by locals as Num Thip, went on a violent rampage following heavy consumption of methamphetamine and crystal meth. The series of events, which occurred today, April 25, resulted in the apprehension of Thitipong Kwamsup by a 50-officer police force,…

  • Scorching heatwave sparks record-breaking electricity surge

    Scorching heatwave sparks record-breaking electricity surge

    Energy officials revealed that electricity demand skyrocketed to a staggering 35,830 megawatts (MW) at precisely 8.58pm on Monday, shattering previous records amid a blistering national heatwave. Temperatures across the country soared between 35 and 38 degrees Celcius, peaking at a scorching 42 degrees Celcius on the same day. “This demand surge surpassed the previous record of 34,656MW set on April…

  • South Korean man’s cat-killing spree lands him in prison

    South Korean man’s cat-killing spree lands him in prison

    A South Korean man, identified only as being in his twenties, has been handed a 14-month prison sentence for slaughtering 76 cats. This harrowing revelation emerged from the recent verdict delivered by the Changwon District Court, which condemned the perpetrator for violating South Korea’s stringent animal protection laws. According to court documents obtained by the Associated Press, the man’s gruesome…

  • Thailand’s heatwaves claims 30 lives so far

    Thailand’s heatwaves claims 30 lives so far

    The Ministry of Public Health issued a warning about the dangers of Thailand’s heatwaves after 30 deaths were attributed to heatstroke this year. Medical professionals are advising the public to avoid prolonged exposure to intense sunlight and to take precautions against a potential spike in Covid-19 cases, particularly among vulnerable groups. With the temperature soaring, Thailand is grappling with the…

  • Six month old Thai baby’s foot swollen due to tight pulse band

    Six month old Thai baby’s foot swollen due to tight pulse band

    A six month old baby was hospitalised with severe bruising on his foot after a Thai hospital used an elastic band to measure his pulse, resulting in swelling and discolouration. The incident came to light today when the baby’s 37 year old mother shared images of the injuries on social media, sparking widespread concern and prompting calls for better child…

  • Buddhism Office probes monks over ‘Mind Connection’ cult claims

    Buddhism Office probes monks over ‘Mind Connection’ cult claims

    A controversial spiritual practice in Thailand, dubbed the “Mind Connection” technique, has prompted an investigation by the National Office of Buddhism (NOB). The director of the NOB, Intaporn Jantaeiam, recently announced a legal pathway to take action and initiated a probe into two monks whose images appeared at an event related to this practice. The case came into the spotlight…

  • Songkran festival boosts Thailand’s tourism with 140 billion baht

    Songkran festival boosts Thailand’s tourism with 140 billion baht

    This year’s Songkran festival, spanning over three weeks, spurred a remarkable 140 billion baht influx into Thailand’s tourism sector, surpassing the anticipated 132 billion baht. Foreign tourist arrivals soared to a hefty 1.9 million amidst the celebrations, divulged the Tourism and Sports Ministry. The festival, running from April 1 to April 21, witnessed multiple sectors cashing in on the festive…

  • Koh Pha Ngan: French tourist nabbed for drug dealing

    Koh Pha Ngan: French tourist nabbed for drug dealing

    Surat Thani police officers, alongside the Pa Cha Da Special Operation Unit, apprehended a 41 year old French national at a hotel bar on Koh Pha Ngan yesterday. Authorities unveiled a stash of narcotics and incriminating evidence. Among the damning items seized were 19.7 grammes of cocaine, 23 ecstasy pills, a digital scale, and 6,000 baht in cash, along with…

  • Buriram teen brutally attacked, family seeks justice

    Buriram teen brutally attacked, family seeks justice

    A Buriram teen was brutally attacked by a group of teenagers, including one army conscript, during the Songkran festival on April 14. After nearly collapsing from injuries and receiving threats online, the family of the victim is seeking justice, while the case remains unresolved as of today. The joy of Thailand’s traditional Songkran celebrations turned into a nightmare for a…

  • Phuket gets new Australian Consul-General

    Phuket gets new Australian Consul-General

    Following an announcement made by Penny Wong, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kirsten Fletcher was named the new Australian Consul-General for Phuket and its nearby provinces. Fletcher’s appointment was confirmed yesterday. Fletcher, known for her active involvement in sustainability and tourism, was recently seen at an event in Phuket last month, where locals shared ideas on reducing plastic waste. Angela…

  • Thai airports soar in Skytrax rankings: Suvarnabhumi leaps to 58th

    Thai airports soar in Skytrax rankings: Suvarnabhumi leaps to 58th

    The global airport ranking agency, Skytrax, recently unveiled its 2024 report on the World’s Best Airports. A notable mention in this year’s list is Thailand’s very own Suvarnabhumi International Airport, which has impressively climbed up ten places from the previous year to secure the 58th spot. The rise in the ranking can be attributed to a number of various improvements…

  • Thai woman spills beans on corrupt cop’s love-linked traffic fines

    Thai woman spills beans on corrupt cop’s love-linked traffic fines

    A Thai woman took to social media to expose a corrupt police officer from Mueang Khon Kaen Police Station in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen after the officer instructed locals to transfer traffic fines to a girlfriend’s bank account. The woman recounted the corrupt behaviour of the police officer, known only as Police Senior Sergeant Major S., through the…

  • Man shot dead on cassava farm in Udon Thani, police seek motive

    Man shot dead on cassava farm in Udon Thani, police seek motive

    A 60 year old man was brutally shot dead while operating his tractor in the heart of a cassava plantation in the Udon Thani Province of Thailand. The incident occurred today, April 24, in the Non Sa-at district, sending shockwaves throughout the local community. The Thai authorities are investigating potential motives, including personal disputes or romantic entanglements, as they hunt…

  • Thaksin hospital release: Justice Minister denies misconduct

    Thaksin hospital release: Justice Minister denies misconduct

    Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong remained resolute, shrugging off the latest petition urging the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to delve into the ministry’s alleged misconduct surrounding Thaksin Shinawatra’s hospital release and parole. Police Colonel Tawee reiterated the ministry’s adherence to regulations governing prisoner treatment outside confinement and parole eligibility. However, he acknowledged citizens’ rights to petition the NACC if they perceive…

  • Phuket model: Thai govt’s innovative approach to tourist safety

    Phuket model: Thai govt’s innovative approach to tourist safety

    Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and the acting Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Police, Police General Kittirat Panphet, convened with local consuls to discuss the Phuket Model – an innovative approach to law enforcement. The meeting took place yesterday at the Banyan Tree Hotel in Phuket. The Phuket Model, a comprehensive strategy aimed at safeguarding the interests of tourists, was unveiled…

  • Thailand’s central bank defends policy rates amidst govt pressure

    Thailand’s central bank defends policy rates amidst govt pressure

    Amidst persistent governmental pressure to decrease borrowing costs and stimulate slow-paced growth, Thailand’s central bank (BoT) defended its current policy interest rate settings today, stating they are resilient and capable of tackling future economic risks. The bank warned that although rate reductions could alleviate debt in the short term, they could also invite long-term hazards. By maintaining a steady rate…

  • Thai Teen girl sexually assaulted by chief’s son, family seeks justice

    Thai Teen girl sexually assaulted by chief’s son, family seeks justice

    A 17 year old girl was reportedly lured and sexually assaulted by the son of a village chief, leading to a family’s outcry for justice in a case that has stirred up the local community. Despite attempts at hushing the matter with monetary compensation, the family remains resolute in their pursuit of legal action. In the small community of Huai…

  • British tourist’s beach blunder lands him in trouble

    British tourist’s beach blunder lands him in trouble

    A British tourist found himself in a sticky situation after driving onto the sidewalk and getting trapped in the sand on Kamala Beach on Monday. The mishap led to police intervention and hefty fines for the Brit’s reckless escapade. Officers from the Kamala Police Station, Phuket Province, launched an investigation into the baffling trend of tourists driving onto the sidewalk…

  • Bangladesh prime minister visits Thailand

    Bangladesh prime minister visits Thailand

    Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to make waves in Thailand as she embarks on a high-profile six-day mission, kicking off with her arrival today at the invitation of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Government House confirmed Hasina’s stay until next Monday, April 29, promising a flurry of diplomatic activity. A series of significant signings, including official agreements and memoranda…

  • Thailand expects nearly a million Chinese and Japanese visitors

    Thailand expects nearly a million Chinese and Japanese visitors

    Tourism in Thailand is set to experience a significant boost as an estimated 996,000 Chinese and Japanese tourists are predicted to visit during the Labour Day holiday and Japan’s Golden Week. This figure indicates a 29% increase from the corresponding period last year, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). From April 26 to May 5, Thailand is expected…

  • Thailand’s State Railway unveils tour adventures on Kiha 183 train

    Thailand’s State Railway unveils tour adventures on Kiha 183 train

    To attract tourists, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has rolled out an array of thrilling train tours aboard the Kiha 183 locomotive. Culture vultures are being invited to embark on a journey through the heart of Thailand’s cultural and natural wonders with 14 exhilarating trips spanning nine distinct routes. From Phetchaburi’s tranquil shores to Lopburi’s lush forests, each escapade…

  • Thai tourism operators brace for impending annual low season

    Thai tourism operators brace for impending annual low season

    Thailand is set to face its annual tourism low season, warned Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, the leading figure of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA). The transition into the low season comes after the country’s Songkran Holidays, a peak period for tourism. This shift leaves tourism operators grappling with the challenge of keeping their businesses afloat during the lull in tourist…