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

    See the best of Northern Thailand this winter on a budget

    The Thaiger key takeaways Peak season brings higher prices, but smart planning and local know-how can help you experience Northern Thailand affordably. Chiang Mai, Pai, and Chiang Rai offer plenty of free or low-cost attractions, from temples and canyons to...

  • Restaurant in northern Thailand promises to sell 3 baht noodles despite inflation | Thaiger

    Restaurant in northern Thailand promises to sell 3 baht noodles despite inflation

    A restaurant in the northern province of Chiang Mai promises to keep serving 3 baht noodles, despite the cost of ingredients being higher than ever. The restaurant’s owner Thawat Pirata said he hasn’t increased the price of noodles in 34 years and doesn’t plan to. The 64 year old owner of noodle shop Kway Teow Sam Baht – or “3…

  • “Mega rich” Bangkok father and daughter arrested in Bahrain trafficking case | Thaiger

    “Mega rich” Bangkok father and daughter arrested in Bahrain trafficking case

    Two members of a wealthy Bangkok family were arrested on warrants for human trafficking earlier this week. The father and daughter, 54 year old Wiraya and 37 year old Wachi, allegedly started recruiting women to work in Bahrain in 2015, saying they would give traditional Thai massages. Instead, the women were forced into sex slavery. Some of the women escaped,…

  • Thailand to borrow 20 billion baht to maintain fuel subsidies | Thaiger

    Thailand to borrow 20 billion baht to maintain fuel subsidies

    The Office of Fuel Fund plans to borrow 20 billion baht to top up the country’s oil price subsidies as residents and different departments are being increasingly affected by the rising oil price. The fund is seeking inbound loans from the Government Saving Bank and Krungthai Bank. The details are expected to be clear at the end of this month.…

  • Governor to drain the swamp with Bangkok’s criminal fraternity | Thaiger

    Governor to drain the swamp with Bangkok’s criminal fraternity

    Chadchart Sittipunt made over 200 pledges prior to his landslide election victory last Sunday with the economy, environment, and health, high on his list of priorities. And when the Bangkok governor-elect vowed to clean up the metropolis, he wasn’t kidding. The 56 year old’s four-year term as governor began in earnest this week and, his agreement to use criminals to…

  • Man threatens PM Prayut’s daughters on Twitter, sentenced to 5 years in prison | Thaiger

    Man threatens PM Prayut’s daughters on Twitter, sentenced to 5 years in prison

    A man who posted a threatening message on Twitter aimed at the twin daughters of Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has been sentenced to 5 years imprisonment with no parole. Yesterday, Southern Bangkok Criminal Court found the man guilty of “publicising a crime” and for breaking the Computer Crimes Act because of a Tweet he posted in March last year.…

  • Tourists who went missing in southern Thailand park found safe | Thaiger

    Tourists who went missing in southern Thailand park found safe

    Yesterday, park rangers in Thailand’s southern province of Surat Thani found 2 tourists who had gone missing the day before. The women, 19 year old Eliza Rose and 19 year old Matilda Cox, got lost in a jungle in Khao Sok National Park in Phanom district. Eliza is a British national, and Matilda is from Northern Ireland. Eliza and Matilda…

  • Japan lifts travel advisory for Thailand, 35 other countries | Thaiger

    Japan lifts travel advisory for Thailand, 35 other countries

    Japan has lifted a travel advisory for Thailand, which had requested that citizens avoid non-essential travel to the kingdom. A similar advisory was lifted for 35 other countries, including the UK, Canada, Hong Kong and the US. According to a Kyodo News report, Japan’s foreign ministry has downgraded Thailand and the other 35 nations from Level 2 to Level 1…

  • Tourism officials ramp up marketing campaigns to target short-haul markets | Thaiger

    Tourism officials ramp up marketing campaigns to target short-haul markets

    Tourism officials are looking to short-haul markets to attract holidaymakers during the off-peak season, with a number of marketing events planned. Thanet Phetsuwan from the Tourism Authority of Thailand says places like India, Australia, Singapore, and Malaysia are the target markets. “This strategic push for short-haul markets aims to create a quick win, attracting both repeat and first-time visitors all…

  • Phuket looks for new groundwater sources to cope with acute water shortages | Thaiger

    Phuket looks for new groundwater sources to cope with acute water shortages

    The Department of Groundwater Resources started a project to explore new groundwater sources in Phuket to cope with the ongoing water scarcity problem in the province. The project is also expected to be a model for other Thai islands to study groundwater resources and water management. The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Varawut Silpa-Archa, assigned the Groundwater Resources Department…

  • Taxi’s brakes fail causing 10 vehicle accident in Bangkok | Thaiger

    Taxi’s brakes fail causing 10 vehicle accident in Bangkok

    A taxi driver’s brakes failed as he pulled up to a queue of traffic at a red light in Bangkok earlier today, causing a crash involving 10 vehicles. Four people are injured including a motorbike driver who is in a critical condition. Today, May 26, Pol. Col. Jeerasak Boonyuennan from Phaya Thai Police Station received a report of an accident…

  • Thai PM suggest people only drive for “essential journeys” | Thaiger

    Thai PM suggest people only drive for “essential journeys”

    Amidst the global surge in fuel prices impacting Thailand, a spokesman for PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is giving drivers some advice. The spokesman, Thanakorn Wangbunkhongchana, said yesterday that Prayut wants to keep prices as low as possible to help people avoid economic hardship. He said Prayut suggests people only use their private vehicles for “essential journeys” since the price of petrol…

  • UPDATE: French woman dies riding bicycle in central Thailand | Thaiger

    UPDATE: French woman dies riding bicycle in central Thailand

    UPDATE: The Toyota sedan’s dashcam footage confirmed that the traffic lights were on green when the driver struck and killed 26 year old Camille, who was riding a bicycle across a zebra crossing in Ayutthaya in central Thailand yesterday evening. The driver tried to break and swerve out of the way but couldn’t stop in time. Police arrested the driver…

  • Prayut says government wants to cut Thailand’s road deaths by 2 thirds | Thaiger

    Prayut says government wants to cut Thailand’s road deaths by 2 thirds

    Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday announced another major goal in reducing Thailand’s infamous problem with road deaths. At a Bangkok forum titled “New Decade, New Normal, Safe Driving Is Priority”, Prayut said the government aims to cut the number of road deaths by almost 2 thirds by 2027. Thailand has the ninth highest road death rate in the world, with…

  • Thailand will not starve, says Commerce Minister | Thaiger

    Thailand will not starve, says Commerce Minister

    Deputy PM, and Commerce Minister, Jurin Laksanawisit, yesterday moved to ease fears of food shortages in Thailand on the back of recent protectionism measures introduced by neighbouring countries, export bans, and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict threatening to worsen world food supplies. Jurin declared Thailand has an “abundance of food” produce and there will be no shortages despite the recent embargos.…

  • Thai Parliament app launched to remind forgetful MPs | Thaiger

    Thai Parliament app launched to remind forgetful MPs

    To cope with meetings failing because of absence and lack of quorums, the Secretariat of The House of Representatives has developed the ‘TH Parliament’ mobile app to notify the MPs of upcoming meetings. The ‘innovation’ presumes that MPs have failed to turn up because they simply forgot… that’s usually not the case. Yesterday, Nattakarn Chochana, announced that the Information Technology…

  • Prepare for rain and floods in Thailand (again) | Thaiger

    Prepare for rain and floods in Thailand (again)

    Thailand’s wet season is still alive and well. From tomorrow, May 27, until May 31 (Tuesday), expect heavy to very heavy rains in the country’s northeast, central, east, and southern regions. The current Monsoon in Thailand’s southwest is expected to get stronger. As has been the case in Thailand for the past month, expect strong winds and high waves in…

  • Things looking up in Phuket following return of international tourism | Thaiger

    Things looking up in Phuket following return of international tourism

    Provincial officials on the southern island of Phuket say the return of tourists has raised income levels and created more jobs. According to a Bangkok Post report, the return of international tourists has started to revive the island’s economy and reduced unemployment across Phuket. Data shared by Phuket governor, Narong Wunciew, reveals that since the launch of the Phuket sandbox…

  • Pattaya officials say Walking Street should be repaired by August | Thaiger

    Pattaya officials say Walking Street should be repaired by August

    After Pattaya’s famous Walking Street welcomed back visitors last month for the first time since Covid-19 broke out, the city’s officials have put in a big budget to give the street a ‘makeover‘. Pattaya city officials announced yesterday that the city has now spent 13 million baht on road repairs for the street, and these repairs are expected to be…

  • American cruise company looking for 1,000 Thai service staff | Thaiger

    American cruise company looking for 1,000 Thai service staff

    All aboard! The American cruise company that owns the Princess Cruise, Holland America Line, has visited Thailand’s Department of Employment seeking Thai staff to work onboard. The company says they have more than 1,000 positions available for Thai people saying that the famous Thai smile is perfect for the hospitality industry. The Director-General of the Employment Department, Pirot Choticsathian, welcomed…

  • Thai PM Prayut questions Chadchart’s 200+ policies for Bangkok | Thaiger

    Thai PM Prayut questions Chadchart’s 200+ policies for Bangkok

    He’s only been elected for 3 days and the sniping has already started. Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has told Thai media that he is ready to work with the incoming Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt. But the PM says he’s curious how Chadchart will achieve the 200 policies he promoted during the election campaign. The PM said Chadchart would be “more powerful…

  • Former Thai PM issues death penalty warning to coup-makers | Thaiger

    Former Thai PM issues death penalty warning to coup-makers

    Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra last night fired a warning to the nation’s coup-makers that they could still face the death sentence in the future. Thaksin, who also turned his ire on current PM Prayut Chan-o-cha labelling him “a dictator” and someone “increasingly disconnected from reality,” says he hopes he will receive justice for the wrongs against him and punishment…

  • Thailand exempts cryptocurrency transfer VAT until 2023 | Thaiger

    Thailand exempts cryptocurrency transfer VAT until 2023

    The Royal Thai Government Gazette has formally announced a VAT exemption for transferring cryptocurrency from now until the end of 2023. The cabinet had approved the exemption of the value added tax, or VAT, for transferring cryptocurrency or digital tokens in March. Yesterday, the decision was passed into Thai law and will be in effect from yesterday until December 31,…

  • As fuel prices climb, Thailand’s delivery workers struggle | Thaiger

    As fuel prices climb, Thailand’s delivery workers struggle

    As Thailand’s fuel prices climb, some delivery drivers are saying the country’s attempts at subsidies aren’t helping them much. One motorcycle taxi driver told Thai PBS World that, even though the government offers a 250 baht discount per month on benzene or gasohol, it’s not worth it when he has to travel a long distance for it. The driver added that…

  • Notorious hitman arrested in southern Thailand | Thaiger

    Notorious hitman arrested in southern Thailand

    Yesterday, police and military forces in Thailand’s southern province of Ranong arrested a notorious hitman. The hitman, 41 year old Nirut Krajang, had fled to Myanmar when a Chumphon court issued an arrest warrant for murder. There, he worked for 4 months in forestry before his eye was injured and he returned to Thailand for treatment. But coming back home…

  • Large banana plantation near Bangkok goes viral, Thai netizens say owner wants to avoid land tax | Thaiger

    Large banana plantation near Bangkok goes viral, Thai netizens say owner wants to avoid land tax

    One of the biggest exhibition centres and event venues, Impact Arena, in the central province of Nonthaburi, basically just north of Bangkok, is showing off its large banana plantation on their official Facebook page. The page claims the CEO desires to increase green spaces for people, but Thai netizens have figured out it’s just a way the controlling company is…

  • Phuket police search for kidnapper and young girl he abducted months ago | Thaiger

    Phuket police search for kidnapper and young girl he abducted months ago

    Police are still on the hunt for a man who kidnapped a young girl on Rawai Beach in the main city district of Phuket in February. The girl’s mother reported the kidnapping on February 9, saying that a 33 year old man named only as ‘Camp’ abducted her 13-year-old daughter while the girl was selling flowers on Rawai Beach in…

  • Thai nurse arrested for conning the public out of millions of baht in flu vaccine scam | Thaiger

    Thai nurse arrested for conning the public out of millions of baht in flu vaccine scam

    A Thai nurse has been arrested, accused of defrauding the public in a flu vaccine scam that netted millions of baht. According to media reports, 38-year-old Thonglim Jitpeng was arrested in the Bang Na district of Bangkok. She has denied the charges against her. According to reports, Thonglim ran a business selling hand sanitiser during the pandemic, which enabled her…

  • Bangkok governor-elect calls for calm and unity to get through the political storm | Thaiger

    Bangkok governor-elect calls for calm and unity to get through the political storm

    Chadchart Sittipunt has called for the citizens of Bangkok to put their differences to one side and come together in unity. The Bangkok governor-elect celebrated his 56th birthday yesterday with twin brother, Dr Chanchai Sittipunt, an associate professor and dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University, but still made time to send out a positive message amid squabbling…

  • Tesla registers as a company in Thailand | Thaiger

    Tesla registers as a company in Thailand

    Tesla Company (Thailand) Ltd is now a registered company in Thailand, according to information found on the Department of Business Development’s website. The company registered today, on May 25, with an initial registration capital of 3 million baht. The primary purpose of Tesla in Thailand is to sell electric vehicles, or EVs. The company will also install and sell energy…

  • Teenage gunman goes on rampage killing 19 children and 2 adults at a Texas primary school | Thaiger

    Teenage gunman goes on rampage killing 19 children and 2 adults at a Texas primary school

    Nineteen children and 2 adults have been shot dead at a Texas elementary school. The 18 year old gunman burst into the Robb Elementary School in the city of Uvalde just before noon on Tuesday, Texas time, and opened fire on students aged between 5 and 11, fatally shooting 19 victims before making his escape. The alleged shooter, identified by Texas…