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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....

  • Thai US tax talks stall as Vietnam races ahead

    Thai US tax talks stall as Vietnam races ahead

    Thailand’s hopes of clinching a breakthrough tax agreement with the United States have hit a stumbling block, leaving officials scrambling for solutions—and exporters nervously watching from the sidelines. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira admitted yesterday, July 4, that the much-anticipated deal remains out of reach despite days of high-level negotiations in Washington. Speaking during a stopover in…

  • 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…

  • Burmese duo busted after luxury handbag theft in Patong

    Burmese duo busted after luxury handbag theft in Patong

    It was a brazen late-night grab that stunned beachgoers—but police didn’t take long to track down the culprits. Patong Police have arrested two Burmese suspects accused of snatching a luxury handbag from a tourist in the early hours along Patong Beach. The arrest took place yesterday, July 4, when officers swooped on a property at 122/4 Soi Prom Phriang, in…

  • 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.”…

  • Bangkok gibbon smuggling busted at India’s Chennai Airport

    Bangkok gibbon smuggling busted at India’s Chennai Airport

    Chennai Airport has become the frontline in a bizarre wildlife trafficking saga after customs officers intercepted a passenger trying to smuggle two endangered gibbon monkeys from Bangkok — the second such brazen attempt in just two weeks. The passenger, who arrived on a Thai Airways flight in the early hours of Tuesday, July 1, aroused suspicion among customs sleuths. When…

  • 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…

  • Andaman manhunt: Bomb suspects vanish, truck seized

    Andaman manhunt: Bomb suspects vanish, truck seized

    Thailand’s tourist heartlands are still reeling after last month’s coordinated bomb attacks in Krabi, Phang Nga and Phuket and the manhunt to catch the suspects is far from over. Police have now arrested five of the 20 suspects believed to be behind the shocking explosions that sent locals and holidaymakers scrambling for cover in the Andaman coastal provinces. Fifteen suspects…

  • 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…

  • Thai woman injured as iron rods fly off pickup on Khon Kaen road

    Thai woman injured as iron rods fly off pickup on Khon Kaen road

    A Thai woman sustained serious injuries and received eight stitches after iron rods slid off a pickup and pierced her head while she was riding a motorcycle in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen. Thai social media users widely shared dashcam footage of the incident, sparking panic among motorists, particularly motorcyclists. The video depicts the woman parking her motorcycle near…

  • 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…

  • Wage war: Hotels reel as 400-baht mandate hits hard

    Wage war: Hotels reel as 400-baht mandate hits hard

    The government’s new minimum wage hike has sparked outrage among hoteliers already hanging by a thread. While Bangkok politicians celebrate, many in the provinces are calling it a death sentence for small businesses. On Tuesday, July 1, the Cabinet approved raising the daily minimum wage for hotel workers nationwide to 400 baht, with the decision fast-tracked into law via the…

  • 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…

  • Blanket escape: Buriram prisoner climbs over wall with makeshift rope

    Blanket escape: Buriram prisoner climbs over wall with makeshift rope

    The Buriram Provincial Administrative Office in northeastern Thailand is offering a reward of 50,000 baht for any tip-off leading to the capture of an escaped prisoner. Buriram Governor Piya Pijanam reported that 42 year old inmate Kowit escaped from Buriram Provincial Prison at approximately 1pm yesterday, July 3. According to the official, he tied several blankets together to create a…

  • Bangkok tailor arrested for stealing from unlocked cars

    Bangkok tailor arrested for stealing from unlocked cars

    A tailor in Bangkok was arrested for allegedly stealing bags from unlocked cars to solve his debts, claiming unpaid tailoring jobs led to his actions. Three victims reported losses totalling over 130,000 baht. Yesterday, July 3, at 11pm, Police Major General Khomsit Rangsai of Bang Khun Thian Police Station led a press conference announcing the arrest of 48 year old…

  • Grammar gaffe puts Thai deputy education minister in hot seat

    Grammar gaffe puts Thai deputy education minister in hot seat

    Thailand’s freshly appointed deputy education minister has come under fire, not for policy blunders, but for her punctuation. Dr Ying Linthiporn Varinvacharoj, unveiled this week as part of the kingdom’s new Cabinet, found herself facing a grammar grilling after social media users spotted basic Thai language slip-ups in her old Facebook posts. A popular Thai-language Facebook page called her out…

  • Sri Lankan man caught smuggling snakes in underwear at Bangkok airport

    Sri Lankan man caught smuggling snakes in underwear at Bangkok airport

    Officials from the Thailand Wildlife Enforcement Network (Thailand WEN) arrested a Sri Lankan man at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok for wildlife trafficking after discovering three snakes hidden in his underwear. Phonlawee Buchakiat, Director of the Wildlife Crime Intelligence Centre, reported the successful operation on the official Facebook page of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation yesterday,…

  • Seasonal deluge: Heavy downpours continue to drench Thailand

    Seasonal deluge: Heavy downpours continue to drench Thailand

    Heavy rainfall is predicted for 70% of areas across north, northeast, and East Thailand today, with 41 provinces facing heavy downpours and severe weather conditions. Flash floods are anticipated, including in Bangkok, as a strong monsoon trough affects the region. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) indicates that heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in the upper north, upper northeast,…

  • Masked burglar robs gran as family dog wags tail at thief in Pattaya

    Masked burglar robs gran as family dog wags tail at thief in Pattaya

    A bold daytime robbery has rocked a quiet Thai village, with a knife-wielding masked burglar stealing gold and jewels worth over 130,000 baht while the victim’s pet dog wagged its tail at him. The shocking heist happened between 10am and 11am on July 3 in Huay Yai, Chon Buri, when 67 year old Siriporn Kerdkum popped out for groceries, only…

  • Facebook flirt turns to threats: Thai woman blackmailed for 50,000 baht

    Facebook flirt turns to threats: Thai woman blackmailed for 50,000 baht

    A Thai durian vendor in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok filed a police complaint against a man who tricked her into sharing explicit images and later blackmailed her for 50,000 baht. The 36 year old victim, accompanied by her lawyer, visited Mueang Nonthaburi Police Station on Wednesday, July 2, to lodge the complaint. She also shared the details of her ordeal with…