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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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    How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?

    Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....

  • Narathiwat unrest: suspicious sedan fire follows explosion

    Narathiwat unrest: suspicious sedan fire follows explosion

    Chaos continues in Narathiwat as a suspicious sedan is set on fire in Rueso district, luring rangers to inspect the scene after a morning explosion. At 8.56pm yesterday, July 5, paramilitary rangers from Company 4608 were alerted by the village head of Moo 5, Bue Cho village, Sao subdistrict, Rueso district, Narathiwat province, about a sedan being set ablaze along…

  • Police officer shot dead in Yala while on duty

    Police officer shot dead in Yala while on duty

    A police officer was fatally shot while on patrol in Yala province yesterday, July 5. The incident occurred as the officer was exiting a convenience store in the Mueang Krong Pinang district when an unidentified assailant opened fire from across the street. According to a report from the Yala Public Relations Department, the shooting took place at approximately 7.40pm outside…

  • Former UK Asda manager jailed for smuggling cannabis from Thailand

    Former UK Asda manager jailed for smuggling cannabis from Thailand

    Louisa De Marco, a 53 year old former Asda manager, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison, half to be served behind bars, for attempting to smuggle over 31 kilogrammes of cannabis into the UK via Manchester Airport. She was offered £10,000 (440,835 baht) for the job, allegedly orchestrated during a trip to Thailand, but pocketed nothing after losing her…

  • Tropical storm Danas intensifies monsoon, heavy rain in Thailand

    Tropical storm Danas intensifies monsoon, heavy rain in Thailand

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a warning regarding Tropical Storm Danas, which is intensifying the monsoon over Thailand. Weather forecasts predict heavy rainfall across 38 provinces tomorrow. As of 5pm yesterday, July 5, the TMD announced the sixth warning on Tropical Storm Danas, located in the northern South China Sea at latitude 20.6°N and longitude 117.7°E, with maximum…

  • Gambling despair: Buriram student drowns after losing savings

    Gambling despair: Buriram student drowns after losing savings

    A night of heartbreak ended in tragedy when a 21 year old university student leapt into a canal and drowned after losing his savings to online gambling. The harrowing incident unfolded yesterday, July 4, in Buriram municipality. Police Lieutenant Suphot Tukkraok was alerted to the drowning and immediately coordinated with the Buriram rescue diving team to search for the young…

  • Chinese man joins ‘Pattaya Flying Club’ in latest tragic fall

    Chinese man joins ‘Pattaya Flying Club’ in latest tragic fall

    A young Chinese man fell from a six-storey building in Pattaya, resulting in his death. The incident occurred at a hotel on Soi Paniadchang, North Pattaya, and raised suspicions of its use as a call centre operation base. Police Lieutenant Anirut Jehrao of Pattaya Police Station received the report yesterday, July 4, and coordinated with Police Colonel Ekkachai Sratongyu and…

  • Gamblers flee in panic as Bangkok casino busted in dramatic raid

    Gamblers flee in panic as Bangkok casino busted in dramatic raid

    A special operations team from the Department of Public Administration carried out a raid on a gambling den in Bangkok yesterday, located near a metro station. Acting on a direct order from Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, officials swooped in to enforce social order as part of the newly launched crackdown dubbed “Shut Down Saphan Mai Casino.”…

  • Bryde’s whales delight tourists at Bang saen Beach, Chon Buri

    Bryde’s whales delight tourists at Bang saen Beach, Chon Buri

    The tranquil shores of Bang Saen Beach in Chon Buri’s Saensuk district experienced a buzz of excitement yesterday when three Bryde’s whales, including a mother and her two calves, were spotted near Wonnapha Beach. Captured on a mobile phone by local fishermen, the video showed the whales playfully pursuing small fish, with seagulls diving for escaping prey adding to the…

  • Thailand’s interior minister launches nationwide anti-drug campaign

    Thailand’s interior minister launches nationwide anti-drug campaign

    Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has committed to a comprehensive nationwide campaign to address narcotics, crime syndicates, and mafia-style figures, highlighting the drug crisis as a significant threat to national security. Phumtham, currently acting as prime minister, outlined these policies to senior ministry officials and provincial governors across the country on his inaugural day at the Ministry of Interior. He underscored…

  • Foreign worker crackdown: 17 nabbed in Chon Buri street job sting

    Foreign worker crackdown: 17 nabbed in Chon Buri street job sting

    It was a morning of raids, arrests and shocked shopfronts as Thai police swooped in on street vendors and salons suspected of illegally employing foreign workers. The Chon Buri Employment Office, led by Phuwakorn Toshingkhon, teamed up with the Provincial Labour Office under Chalermphon Niamsakul and the Internal Security Operations Command yesterday, July 4, to launch a sweeping inspection operation…

  • Thaksin unfazed as court reviews hospital stay legality

    Thaksin unfazed as court reviews hospital stay legality

    Thaksin Shinawatra‘s legal representative has stated that the former prime minister remains unconcerned about the current court proceedings scrutinising his stay at the Police General Hospital. The lawyer highlighted that the process is adhering to legal protocols without any political interference. The case, being reviewed by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions, continued on Friday with…

  • Thailand denies imminent artefact return to Cambodia

    Thailand denies imminent artefact return to Cambodia

    Suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has refuted claims that Thailand is on the verge of transferring 20 ancient artefacts to Cambodia. Yesterday, July 4, speaking as the new culture minister, Paetongtarn clarified that 23 artefacts were returned to Cambodia in 2015 following confirmation of their origins. Although the Cabinet approved in principle the return of another 20 artefacts related to…

  • Ranong drug bust: Fishermen caught in boat crackdown

    Ranong drug bust: Fishermen caught in boat crackdown

    A sweeping crackdown on drugs among Ranong’s fishing fleet has exposed a troubling undercurrent of substance abuse, with nearly 40 workers testing positive in just four days. Yesterday, July 4, Marine Police in Ranong province joined forces with a network of agencies to root out drug use aboard local fishing boats. The coordinated operation, part of the so-called White Fishing…

  • Thailand warned of continued heavy rain and flood

    Thailand warned of continued heavy rain and flood

    The Meteorological Department forecasted heavy rainfall across northern, northeastern, and eastern Thailand, with warnings for 42 provinces today for potential flash floods and landslides. Bangkok is expected to experience rain in 70% of its area. Residents in Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Sakon Nakhon, and Nakhon Phanom are urged to be cautious of heavy rain and possible…

  • Thai Mercedes-Benz driver allegedly slaps student over parking dispute

    Thai Mercedes-Benz driver allegedly slaps student over parking dispute

    A Mercedes-Benz driver allegedly slapped a female university student during a parking dispute outside a convenience store on Soi Sukhumvit 62 in Bangkok. The student shared a video on social media showing her and her boyfriend engaged in a heated argument with the driver. In the video caption, she wrote, “Wealthy Mercedes-Benz driver slaps university student in Soi Sukhumvit 62.”…

  • Ubon Ratchathani police arrest 4 for violent assault on woman

    Ubon Ratchathani police arrest 4 for violent assault on woman

    Police in Ubon Ratchathani apprehended four men on charges related to a violent assault involving a 65 year old woman. The suspects allegedly attacked the woman with an iron object during a dispute. Police Lieutenant General Wathana Yijeen, commander of Region 3, and Police Major General Patiyut Singsamorot of the Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Police, announced the arrest of 27 year…

  • Man found dead in idling car at Udon Thani petrol station

    Man found dead in idling car at Udon Thani petrol station

    Shoppers at a quiet Udon Thani petrol station were left reeling after a grim discovery early this morning: a man found dead inside his car, which had been running non-stop for nearly 17 hours. Emergency services rushed to the scene in Nong Han district after a stunned cleaner raised the alarm. “I came in at 7am and saw the same…

  • Mae Manee Ponzi scheme leader arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport

    Mae Manee Ponzi scheme leader arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport

    The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) apprehended a key figure in the Mae Manee Ponzi scheme at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. The arrest, yesterday, July 3, occurred as Panhathai, also known as Narissara, was preparing to leave the country for a birthday celebration. Accused of deceiving over 1,000 victims into investments exceeding 200 million baht, she was detained based on an…

  • Thailand and Bhutan join forces for sustainable tourism push

    Thailand and Bhutan join forces for sustainable tourism push

    Thailand is rolling out the green carpet for Bhutan as the two nations team up to redefine what sustainable tourism can look like. In a landmark exchange last month, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) hosted a high-level delegation from Bhutan’s Department of Tourism and the Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators for four days of hands-on learning and collaboration. “This…

  • App chaos: Half-Half travel scheme stalls, millions left stranded

    App chaos: Half-Half travel scheme stalls, millions left stranded

    Thailand’s Half-Half travel scheme descended into chaos after a failed registration rollout left travellers locked out and scrambling for subsidies. Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong faced the music today, July 4, admitting on the Inside Thailand programme that the Half-Half Thai Travel campaign was plagued with system failures from day one. “The problems began immediately,” Sorawong said. “Users couldn’t…

  • River on the rampage: Chiang Rai braces for dangerous floods

    River on the rampage: Chiang Rai braces for dangerous floods

    Chiang Rai residents were jolted awake by urgent phone alerts today as local officials warned the Sai River was set to burst its banks, threatening to inundate homes and businesses across four communities. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) confirmed that water levels have been steadily climbing at monitoring stations in Myanmar’s Jotada and near Thailand’s 1st Friendship…

  • Thai man dies after seeking help with mysterious cut wounds in Bangkok

    Thai man dies after seeking help with mysterious cut wounds in Bangkok

    Mystery surrounds the death of a Thai man who sought help from locals in Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district, bearing several deep cut wounds, before tragically losing his life. Officers from Chorakhe Noi Police Station rushed to the side of Luang Phaeng–Chachoengsao Road in Lat Krabang on Wednesday, July 2, after being alerted about a seriously injured Thai man. Sadly, the…

  • Phuket’s billion-baht bet: New cruise port promises tourism boom

    Phuket’s billion-baht bet: New cruise port promises tourism boom

    To prove that it’s more than just one of Thailand’s most popular holiday hotspots, Phuket is poised to become Southeast Asia’s cruise capital. The island has unveiled its gleaming new cruise terminal at Ao Makham Port, a project officials believe will supercharge tourism and catapult Phuket onto the itineraries of the world’s biggest cruise lines. The facility, which opened its…

  • Tomorrowland hits Thailand: Chon Buri to host mega festival

    Tomorrowland hits Thailand: Chon Buri to host mega festival

    Thailand is about to crank up the volume. The world’s most famous electronic dance festival, Tomorrowland, is finally coming to Asia — and Chon Buri is set to become the epicentre of a billion-baht party. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), confirmed the blockbuster news this week. “Tomorrowland has decided to choose Chonburi Province, Thailand, for…

  • Coup freeze or countdown? Thailand’s military walks tightrope

    Coup freeze or countdown? Thailand’s military walks tightrope

    Thailand’s military top brass says the era of tanks rolling through Bangkok is over, at least for now. But as political chaos looms, sceptics wonder if history could yet repeat itself. After nine months steering the Defence Ministry, Phumtham Wechayachai insists the armed forces are shedding their old ways. “The mindset of military leadership has evolved,” he said. “They want…

  • Pattaya’s purge: Homeless camps cleared in sweeping crackdown

    Pattaya’s purge: Homeless camps cleared in sweeping crackdown

    Pattaya’s shiny tourist image is taking a battering and city leaders are scrambling to clean it up. In a dramatic crackdown this week, police swept through beaches, bridges and backstreets, clearing homeless encampments, beggars, and suspected human trafficking victims in an attempt to reclaim public spaces. The operation, ordered by Mayor Poramet Ngampichet, brought together municipal police, the Social Welfare…

  • Bar from grace: British man gets 21 years for human trafficking

    Bar from grace: British man gets 21 years for human trafficking

    A British man has been reportedly sentenced to 21 years in prison after being found guilty of human trafficking at a notorious Pattaya bar, Bangkok Criminal Court heard. William Bilton originally from Barrow-in-Furness, was the manager of Flirt bar, a venue in Soi 6 of the seaside resort of Pattaya, when police raided it two years ago and hauled off dozens…

  • New marine protection zones established around Koh Phayam

    New marine protection zones established around Koh Phayam

    The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has introduced new marine and coastal protection zones around Koh Phayam in Ranong. The initiative aims to safeguard the area’s rich biodiversity from the growing environmental challenges posed by tourism, fishing, and coastal development. Environment Minister Chalermchai Sri-on declared the implementation of a fresh ministerial regulation for the region. Published in the Royal…

  • Casino bill meltdown: Government on brink amid public fury

    Casino bill meltdown: Government on brink amid public fury

    Thailand’s controversial casino bill to legalise vast entertainment complexes could collapse, as ministers rush to ease public outrage and political divisions. The government is now widely expected to withdraw the Entertainment Complex Bill from the House agenda, just days before MPs are set to meet on July 9. Chousak Sirinil, Minister attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, revealed yesterday, July…

  • Busted: Phuket grocery shop doubled as Yaba drug den

    Busted: Phuket grocery shop doubled as Yaba drug den

    A quiet neighbourhood grocery shop in Phuket has been exposed as a brazen front for drug dealing, after stunned officials swooped in on a sting operation that netted hundreds of methamphetamine (meth) pills. The arrest unfolded on Wednesday evening, July 2, at around 6.30pm, in Baan Phru Samphan, Thepkrasattri subdistrict. Phuket Provincial Defence Officer Akkara Suwatthikul led the raid, backed…