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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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    Thailand health insurance that covers chronic conditions: What expats need to know

    The Thaiger key takeaways Managing chronic conditions in Thailand requires health insurance that covers specialist visits, medications, tests, and hospital stays. Cigna offers high-coverage plans with access to top hospitals, direct billing, and telemedicine support for convenient long-term care. Expats...

  • Former Thai rock star arrested for alleged drug peddling and abuse | Thaiger

    Former Thai rock star arrested for alleged drug peddling and abuse

    Former Thai rockband I-Zax frontman Patcharapol “Zax” Parnpoom has been arrested in Bangkok for allegedly abusing and trafficking drugs, marking a dramatic fall from his former music fame. The arrest follows an investigation tied to a major drug network, with police linking the 47 year old former rock star to multiple illegal activities. Patcharapol, once the lead singer of the…

  • Irishman killed in high-speed crash in Phang Nga’s Khao Lak | Thaiger

    Irishman killed in high-speed crash in Phang Nga’s Khao Lak

    A tragic accident claimed the life of a 54 year old Irishman when he was struck by a speeding car in Khao Lak last night. The victim, identified as Neil Christopher More Oferrall, was killed instantly when a black Ford Everest hit him on Phetkasem Road, in front of the Sangsawan Resort, around 9pm yesterday, March 17. Police quickly arrived…

  • Myanmar woman arrested for illegal gambling in Pathum Thani | Thaiger

    Myanmar woman arrested for illegal gambling in Pathum Thani

    Police arrested a Myanmar woman for her involvement in running an illegal online gambling operation in Thailand. The arrest, carried out by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and Crime Suppression Division (CSD), occurred near a construction site in Pathum Thani province. Nin, who came to Thailand in 2023 for work, was recruited by a labour broker who convinced her to…

  • Baht boost: Thailand greenlights 200 billion for Bangkok transit line | Thaiger

    Baht boost: Thailand greenlights 200 billion for Bangkok transit line

    Thailand has sanctioned investment applications amounting to a total of 200 billion baht, spearheaded by a Bangkok transit line and three data centres, offering a potential uplift to the country’s subdued economic growth. The primary initiative is Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc’s 109 billion baht (US$3.2 billion) investment in the Orange Line, aimed at connecting Bangkok’s western and eastern suburbs,…

  • Motorcyclist dies after crashing into tree on dark Trang road | Thaiger

    Motorcyclist dies after crashing into tree on dark Trang road

    Police in Mueang Trang district yesterday were informed of a severe motorcycle accident involving a collision with a French mahogany tree, locally known as Yem Chuan, along a dark road in Moo 7, Ban Pho subdistrict. Fifty-three-year-old Koson Chaitong from Bangkok was found unconscious beneath a tree yesterday, March 17, with a blue Honda Dream motorcycle bearing the license plate…

  • Mae Hong Son strengthens cross-border efforts on forest fires | Thaiger

    Mae Hong Son strengthens cross-border efforts on forest fires

    Mae Hong Son province is stepping up its efforts to combat cross-border forest fires by ramping up cooperation with its neighbouring states. Deputy Governor Boonlue Thammathranurak highlighted the ongoing problem of illegal burning along the border between Mae Hong Son and countries such as Shan State, Karen State, and Kayah State. These areas have long faced the threat of uncontrolled…

  • Illegal Thai workers send billions home despite crackdowns | Thaiger

    Illegal Thai workers send billions home despite crackdowns

    Thailand’s workforce abroad is pumping an astonishing 400 billion baht into the economy each year—much of it from illegal workers, according to Labour Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn. Despite government crackdowns, the number of undocumented Thai workers overseas remains high, with 382,699 working illegally last year alone. While Thailand sent 92,392 legal workers abroad in 2024, a drop of 11% from 2023…

  • Tourists fume over persistent foreign beggars in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Tourists fume over persistent foreign beggars in Pattaya

    Tourists flocking to Pattaya, particularly around the notorious Walking Street area, are growing increasingly frustrated with the ongoing issue of foreign beggars harassing visitors. Many of these beggars, often accompanied by young children ranging from infants to seven to 10 years old, can be seen wandering the streets selling goods or soliciting money. When tourists refuse to buy, some beggars…

  • Cambodian woman claims friend stole 12 million baht lottery win | Thaiger

    Cambodian woman claims friend stole 12 million baht lottery win

    A Cambodian woman sought police assistance after her friend allegedly disappeared with two winning lottery tickets she had bought on her behalf. The tickets, valued at 12 million baht, were reportedly documented by the friend at the Bang Na Police Station. Piang, a Cambodian worker, yesterday, March 17, approached Police Lieutenant Colonel Kamonrat Phanoi, Deputy Superintendent (Investigation) at Bang Bua…

  • 6 thieves, including foreigner, wanted for robbing Laotian woman in Pattaya | Thaiger

    6 thieves, including foreigner, wanted for robbing Laotian woman in Pattaya

    Six thieves, one a foreigner, robbed and brutally slashed a Laotian woman’s face with a knife in Pattaya. The Laotian woman reached out to a famous Thai social media influencer for help as there has been no developments since the attack a month ago. Guntouch “Gun” Pongpaiboonwet accompanied the Laotian victim, Waewta, to Mueang Pattaya Police Station to follow up…

  • Phantom fail: Ghostly Chiang Mai gold heist ends in ghastly gaffe | Thaiger

    Phantom fail: Ghostly Chiang Mai gold heist ends in ghastly gaffe

    In an audacious plot fit for a Halloween flick, a bungling gold thief’s disguise as a horror movie ghost backfired spectacularly when he found himself trapped in a shopping mall, leading to his swift arrest. The wannabe thief, Etsara, dreamed up a daring heist at a renowned Chiang Mai shopping mall, planning to loot a gold shop by posing as…

  • Suicidal Thai woman thanks public donations relieving hardship | Thaiger

    Suicidal Thai woman thanks public donations relieving hardship

    A suicidal Thai woman expressed gratitude for the support she received, alleviating her financial burdens. Her husband previously resorted to eating dog food due to hunger. The situation came to light when Police Lieutenant Pornsak Saneha received a report of a potential suicide attempt near a pier along the Bang Pakong River in Mueang Chachoengsao district. Rescue workers found the…

  • Illegal kratom and cigarette ring busted in Bangkok | Thaiger

    Illegal kratom and cigarette ring busted in Bangkok

    Three young people were apprehended today in the Thon Buri district of Bangkok for operating an illicit business involving the sale of contraband cigarettes and kratom juice mixed with cough syrup. The operation yielded daily earnings of nearly 10,000 baht. Police Major General Thathapoom Charupradit, head of the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECS), directed Police Colonel Naruepol Karuna and Police…

  • School rejects ‘slum’ label for Phuket Myanmar community (video) | Thaiger

    School rejects ‘slum’ label for Phuket Myanmar community (video)

    The director of a Catholic-operated school in Phuket has contested the description of a Myanmar community in the province as a “slum” by a foreign YouTuber. A video on the YouTube channel Ride with Gabi, which claims to document a “Myanmar slum in Phuket,” has ignited debate, showing a significant Myanmar migrant community in the southern province. The footage depicts…

  • Thailand urges Singapore to boost rice and egg imports | Thaiger

    Thailand urges Singapore to boost rice and egg imports

    Thai Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan has urged Singapore to increase its imports of Thai rice and free-range eggs following the seventh Singapore-Thailand Enhanced Economic Relationship (STEER) meeting. Held on March 14 in Singapore, the meeting was co-chaired by Doctor Tan See Leng, Singapore’s Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry. The discussions aimed at boosting trade and…

  • Holy serpent! Monk spotted cruising Pattaya with a snake | Thaiger

    Holy serpent! Monk spotted cruising Pattaya with a snake

    A Thai woman captured a monk riding a motorcycle with a snake draped over his shoulder on a Pattaya road. The video has since exploded on social media, instantly going viral. The 40 year old woman, Bang-on Chom-ngam, witnessed the alleged monk’s reckless riding and recorded a video of him, sharing it with local media outlets. She hoped to verify…

  • Udder chaos: Family car ploughs into herd on Buriram road | Thaiger

    Udder chaos: Family car ploughs into herd on Buriram road

    A family car collided with a herd of cattle on Road 24 in Buriram province, resulting in the deaths of four cows and significant damage to the vehicle. The crash occurred today, March 18, at around 3am, just 500 metres beyond the Prakhon Chai highway maintenance unit, on the route leading to Nang Rong district. Upon receiving the report, Police…

  • Thai call scam losses fall by 200 million baht after power cuts | Thaiger

    Thai call scam losses fall by 200 million baht after power cuts

    The Thai government’s controversial decision to cut power, oil, and Internet services to border areas near Myanmar has reportedly paid off, with losses from call scams plummeting by at least 200 million baht. Digital Economy and Society Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong revealed that since the power cut-off on February 5, there has been a significant drop in cybercrime activity, with call…

  • Broken jaw blunder: Botched surgery leaves Thai man unable to eat | Thaiger

    Broken jaw blunder: Botched surgery leaves Thai man unable to eat

    A botched operation on a Thai man’s broken jaw has left him unable to eat. The Thai man reached out to the Social Security Office (SSO) after suffering from a broken jaw but the operation went horribly wrong. The 42 year old Thai man, Sommai, reached out to the non-profit organisation Saimai Survive after failing to receive proper medical treatment…

  • Woman kicks husband unconscious in domestic dispute in Trat | Thaiger

    Woman kicks husband unconscious in domestic dispute in Trat

    A domestic incident in Bo Phloi, Bo Rai district, Trat province, resulted in a woman knocking her husband unconscious with a kick to the neck. This occurred after the husband, inebriated and jealous, became incoherent. The altercation took place at their home, yesterday, March 17, leading to the husband being taken to the hospital. Fortunately, medical assessments revealed no brain…

  • Fatal shooting mars Udon Thani village festival amid youth clash | Thaiger

    Fatal shooting mars Udon Thani village festival amid youth clash

    A tragic incident unfolded in Udon Thani’s Chai Wan district when a 31 year old man was fatally shot amidst a village festival dispute. Police were alerted to the shooting yesterday, March 17, which occurred in the vegetable garden behind a house in Phon Sung subdistrict, and promptly investigated the scene with Police Colonel Ratpholchai Pensongkhram. Narinthorn “Sek” Thongjuea was found…

  • Landslide at pipe installation site claims 2 lives in South Thailand | Thaiger

    Landslide at pipe installation site claims 2 lives in South Thailand

    A landslide during a pipe installation in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat claimed the lives of two workers and injured another. Officers from Khanom Police Station investigated the fatal accident at 2.30pm yesterday, March 17, at a construction site on Pu Chao Saming Road in the Khanom district of Surat Thani. Upon arrival, officers encountered the landslide at…

  • Jet fuel spill in Khon Kaen prompts emergency response | Thaiger

    Jet fuel spill in Khon Kaen prompts emergency response

    A collision involving an 18-wheel truck and a truck carrying 48,000 litres of jet fuel occurred in Khon Kaen province. Emergency services yesterday, March 17, worked to transfer the highly flammable fuel, which is three times more volatile than petrol, to prevent any ignition. The incident took place on a bypass road in Khon Kaen’s Mueang district, specifically between Ban…

  • Vape and escape: Pattaya police snuff out illicit puff trade | Thaiger

    Vape and escape: Pattaya police snuff out illicit puff trade

    In a bold move to clamp down on the illegal vape trade, Pattaya City Police arrested three in a late-night sting operation. The raid resulted in the confiscation of seven fruit-flavoured vapes and the arrest of the suspects for illegally selling electronic cigarettes. At around 11.36pm, yesterday, March 17, the police launched the operation after gathering intelligence about a group…

  • British pedophile’s 27-year run in Thailand ends (video) | Thaiger

    British pedophile’s 27-year run in Thailand ends (video)

    A notorious British paedophile, who evaded capture for nearly three decades by living under a stolen identity in Thailand, has finally been brought to justice. Richard Burrows, faced Chester Crown Court and was found guilty of a staggering 54 offences against young boys, marking the end of one of the UK’s longest-running manhunts. The shocking extent of Burrows’ crimes was…

  • Assumption University addresses Myanmar student’s death | Thaiger

    Assumption University addresses Myanmar student’s death

    Assumption University in Bangkok is facing fierce criticism following the tragic death of a Myanmar student in a motorbike accident. The accident, which took place on November 18 last year, sparked accusations of negligence from both the university and emergency responders. The victim, along with his 17 year old cousin, was en route to the university when disaster struck. A…

  • Breath of trouble: Drunk Thai asthmatic attacks hospital staff | Thaiger

    Breath of trouble: Drunk Thai asthmatic attacks hospital staff

    A drunk Thai man with asthma attacked three medical workers at a hospital in the Isaan province of Udon Thani, claiming he was simply afraid of dying from medical devices. Pictures and videos showing a Thai patient attacking medical workers at Nong Han Hospital in Udon Thani circulated on Thai social media yesterday, March 17. Three medical workers were injured…

  • Thailand considers raising pension age to 65, SSO clarifies | Thaiger

    Thailand considers raising pension age to 65, SSO clarifies

    The Social Security Office (SSO) has clarified that the proposed increase in the retirement age for pension eligibility from 55 to 65 is a suggestion from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and is not yet implemented in Thailand. SSO Secretary General Marasri Jairangsee indicated that this idea, initially presented by the ILO, has been under consideration by the SSO since…

  • Thailand halves visa-free stay to curb illegal business activities | Thaiger

    Thailand halves visa-free stay to curb illegal business activities

    Thailand plans to shorten the visa-free stay period from 60 to 30 days to mitigate the misuse of the visa exemption programme by illegal businesses. This decision follows a principle agreement among relevant government officials, as reported by the Tourism and Sports Ministry. Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong indicated that the Foreign Ministry has acknowledged the issue, which has…

  • Thai and mighty: Thunderstorms roll in with a chilly twist | Thaiger

    Thai and mighty: Thunderstorms roll in with a chilly twist

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) warns of thunderstorms across 28 provinces from today, including Bangkok, with strong winds and hail expected in some areas. Temperatures are predicted to drop by up to 3 degrees Celsius. The weather forecast for the next 24 hours indicates thunderstorms, strong winds, and possible hail in the northern, central, and southern upper regions of Thailand,…