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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 much travel insurance should cost you in Thailand (By trip length)

    When planning a trip to Thailand, travel insurance is a smart investment that can save you from unexpected costs. Whether it’s medical expenses, lost luggage, or trip cancellations, the right coverage can provide peace of mind and financial protection against...

  • “Khao San Road should be a cannabis hotspot to boost tourism” – local businessman

    “Khao San Road should be a cannabis hotspot to boost tourism” – local businessman

    “The chance for the government to use cannabis to boost tourism shouldn’t be turned down.” The words of a local Khao San Road businessman who sees an opportunity in the government’s recent announcement to decriminalise cannabis products. President of the Khao San Road Businesses Association, Sanga Ruengwattanakul says that foreign visitors passing through the infamous party strip “could be encouraged…

  • Confused car finds itself driving a steep narrow pedestrian bridge

    Confused car finds itself driving a steep narrow pedestrian bridge

    We’ve all been there, driving along, spaced-out, and minding our own business, when we suddenly find ourselves driving on a pedestrian path with motorbikes honking and warning us. If this scenario hasn’t happened to you consider yourself luckier than a driver in Samut Sakhon, who ended up haplessly driving a car halfway across a narrow bridge intended only for pedestrians…

  • Ukrainian woman caught smuggling 116 live tortoises from Tanzania into Thailand

    Ukrainian woman caught smuggling 116 live tortoises from Tanzania into Thailand

    Police arrested a Ukrainian woman at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday after airport security found 116 live tortoises in her luggage. The woman smuggled the protected wildlife on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to Bangkok, transiting in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia along the way. Yesterday at 2:40pm, Chief of the Wildlife Checkpoint at Suvarnabhumi Airport Sathon…

  • Chadchart points finger at Bangkok’s corrupt high-profile officers

    Chadchart points finger at Bangkok’s corrupt high-profile officers

    Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt informed Thai media yesterday that there are a number of high-profile district officers in the city involved in corruption. The identities of those officers have not been revealed, but leaked media reports allege most of them worked under a former Bangkok governor. According to reports, leading district officers from Latkrabang, Bang Khum Tien, Prawet, Taling Chan,…

  • 2 Thai men face 20 years in jail for illegal felling of protected trees

    2 Thai men face 20 years in jail for illegal felling of protected trees

    Two men face up to 20 years in prison and a 2 billion baht fine after being arrested for the illegal felling of one of Thailand’s most protected trees in the Sangkha district. Acting on a tipoff, a police team swooped on a clearing in Huay Samran forest, south of Moo 10 village in tambon Thepraksa, to find the 2…

  • Bangkok taxi driver arrested a 7th time for random knife attacks

    Bangkok taxi driver arrested a 7th time for random knife attacks

    A motorbike taxi driver in Bangkok was arrested for criminal damage, again, with the police claiming it was due to their favourite new scapegoat, marijuana. He was taken into custody yesterday along with his Honda Wave motorbike, a 60 centimetre piece of wood, and a 16 centimetre long Sparta knife, both of which the taxi driver had been wielding in…

  • PM Prayut accelerates progress at Bangkok’s Benjaketti Forest Park

    PM Prayut accelerates progress at Bangkok’s Benjaketti Forest Park

    Before Her Majesty, the Queen Mother Sirikit’s birthday on August 12, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered agencies to speed up the progress of Benjakitti Forest Park. The development of Benjakitti Park is part of the government’s efforts to raise the number of public green spaces in Bangkok to a level that is acceptable on a global scale. “Once the development…

  • “Thailand should be a luxury and premier holiday destination” – Deputy PM

    “Thailand should be a luxury and premier holiday destination” – Deputy PM

    In the first half of 2022, Thailand welcomed around 2 million international travellers, marking a promising recovery after the Land of Smile’s tourism sector suffered from the outbreak and the restrictions imposed on entry requirements, such as the Thailand Pass. Thailand holiday Thailand holiday But rather than offering significant discounts to attract world travellers, hotels, businesses and private hospitals should…

  • Drug bonfire set alight today fuelled with 40 tonnes of illicit narcotics

    Drug bonfire set alight today fuelled with 40 tonnes of illicit narcotics

    Illicit drugs, valued at about 25 billion baht, are set to go up in smoke over the next 2 days. The confiscated drugs, which have been stored in a Food and Drug Administration location, are going to be creating some interesting smoke fumes for people living downwind of the FDA’s Bang Pu industrial facility in Samut Prakan. Some 40 tonnes…

  • Thai energy chief suggests senators shed suits to save energy

    Thai energy chief suggests senators shed suits to save energy

    The Deputy PM and Energy Minister, Supattanapong Punmeechaow, has urged the nation’s senators to be energy-saving role models for Thailand. The 62 year old MP has suggested every senator should avoid wearing suits to reduce the use of air-conditioning in Parliament. During today’s senate meeting at the Parliament House senators, Sakon Satjayanit and Suradet Jirathiticharoen raised questions about solutions to…

  • Student’s body ripped in half in freak motorbike accident in central Thailand

    Student’s body ripped in half in freak motorbike accident in central Thailand

    A 20 year old engineering student died in a motorbike accident at around 8am this morning in Pathum Thani province, central Thailand. Police found the man’s body completely ripped into two pieces after he crashed into a power pole. Witnesses said they saw the man waiting at a red light on the Rangsit – Nakhon Nayok road outside Nattawan village.…

  • Thai student caught smoking cannabis, threatened to punch teacher

    Thai student caught smoking cannabis, threatened to punch teacher

    A Thai high school student locked himself in a classroom during lunch break to smoke cannabis with other classmates, which was hidden in a water bottle. The teacher tried to stop the students from smoking the weed, but one of the students threatened to “punch the teacher.” A Ramathibodi Hospital paediatrician shared the story on her Facebook page. The event…

  • Teen killed and 2 year old in critical condition after motorcycle tragedy

    Teen killed and 2 year old in critical condition after motorcycle tragedy

    A teenage boy has died and a 2 year old child is in critical condition after an accident yesterday at a motorcycle racing charity event near Krapang Surin Public Park in the southern province of Trang. A motorcycle racer lost control and crashed into the watching crowd alongside the racing track causing 1 death and injuries to 7 people. Sixteen-year-old…

  • Hang on! BTS booty post draws viral attention to train etiquette

    Hang on! BTS booty post draws viral attention to train etiquette

    “Does it have to be that tight?” a user asked after a post by the Bangkok Mass Transit System went viral. The comment was one of over 500 at the time of this writing in response to an eye-catching post on BTS’s Facebook page asking people not to lean on the handrail poles on trains and featuring a shocking image…

  • AirAsia Thailand resumes Bangkok – Hong Kong flights, pilots new China route

    AirAsia Thailand resumes Bangkok – Hong Kong flights, pilots new China route

    In August, Thai AirAsia will resume direct flights between Bangkok and Hong Kong. The airline will also pilot a special flight to Guangzhou in China this month, on July 13. Thai AirAsia is a joint venture between Thailand’s Asia Aviation and budget Malaysian airline AirAsia. The airline will operate weekly flights between Bangkok’s Don Muang International Airport and Hong Kong…

  • “Casinos should be legalised and will create revenue for Thailand” – Chuwit Kamolvisit

    “Casinos should be legalised and will create revenue for Thailand” – Chuwit Kamolvisit

    Chuwit Kamolvisit, a former politician and controversial owner of a massage parlour, has backed the legalisation of casinos in Thailand, believing it will boost revenue and draw tourists from abroad. “It shouldn’t be ignored any longer, and people should face the truth that many locals take part in gambling.” Chuwit Kamolvisit is a controversial Thai politician who was once the…

  • Pickup truck explosion kills 2 in Bangkok

    Pickup truck explosion kills 2 in Bangkok

    On Saturday morning, a pickup truck crashed into the barrier in the middle of a 4 lane road in Bangkok and exploded. Witnesses saw 2 men escape the vehicle, but both men got caught in the flames and died at the scene. At 6:30am on Saturday, fire engines from Thanon Chan Fire Station were called to put out a fire…

  • Thailand-France business investment discussed in PM meeting

    Thailand-France business investment discussed in PM meeting

    PM Prayut Chan-o-cha recently met with MEDEF International, the largest employer federation in France, to discuss future partnerships with Thailand. Francois Corbin, the Vice President of the Movement of the Enterprises of France, along with other delegates, met with the Thai prime minister on Friday to look at the future of Thai-French business partnerships. French firms are examining the post-pandemic…

  • Unvaccinated tourist turned away at check-in desk en route to Thailand

    Unvaccinated tourist turned away at check-in desk en route to Thailand

    An unvaccinated tourist en route to Thailand was turned away at the check-in desk at Manchester Airport in England on Saturday after an airline didn’t get the memo about Thailand’s updated entry restrictions. If you are unvaccinated and plan to travel to Thailand, The Thaiger has advice about how to avoid this happening to you. Thailand Pass was scrapped on…

  • Thai health delegate says we must do more to protect kids from sex crimes

    Thai health delegate says we must do more to protect kids from sex crimes

    A spokesman for the Thai Department of Health says schools must do more to protect children from sexual crimes after the alleged rape of an 11 year old girl by her 12 year old classmate caused outrage in the Wichian Buri district of Phetchabun province on Tuesday, June 21. Police launched an investigation into why the female director of the…

  • Cyber police bust illegal gambling ring in Pattaya valued at 100 million baht

    Cyber police bust illegal gambling ring in Pattaya valued at 100 million baht

    Cyber police busted an illegal online gambling ring in Pattaya and arrested 11 suspects in connection with the illicit activity that pulled in over 100 million baht in revenue. Director of the Cybercrime Suppression Center Region 2, Surachit Chingnawan, yesterday announced the arrest of the 11 suspects accused of operating the illegal online gambling website in the Chon Buri area.…

  • Runway temporarily closed for repair, flights to and from Phuket affected

    Runway temporarily closed for repair, flights to and from Phuket affected

    Last evening Phuket International Airport closed for 2 hours whilst quick repairs were made to the runway. Earlier in the day, small cracks were found on the tarmac causing airport officials to postpone some flights and divert others that were on their way to Phuket. Repairs were made on the runway between 5 – 7pm as repairs were affected by…

  • Pattaya man taken to hospital after smoking cannabis

    Pattaya man taken to hospital after smoking cannabis

    A man has been taken to a hospital after smoking Cannabis on Pattaya Beach. Rescue workers believe that the man, 29 year old Seksan, may have suffered a panic attack after experiencing unfamiliar symptoms from smoking the Cannabis. The incident happened between last night and this morning. Seksan said he had only smoked it once in the past, many years…

  • Koh Pha Ngan ranked top workation location in the world

    Koh Pha Ngan ranked top workation location in the world

    Open your suitcases and your chakras – Koh Pha Ngan has been ranked as the top destination for a workation – an increasingly popular way of squeezing in a getaway while continuing to work. The popular tourist island in the southern Thailand province of Surat Thani ranks number one out of 16 choices gathered and analyzed by William Russell, a prominent…

  • Bangkok is best city in Southeast Asia according to travel mag

    Bangkok is best city in Southeast Asia according to travel mag

    Bangkok is at the top of a list of the 2022 10 best cities in Southeast Asia, ranked by travel magazine Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia. The list was published last week. The next 9 best cities in Southeast Asia, in order, are: Singapore, Danang, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, Chiang Mai, Hong Kong, Saigon, Phenom Phen, and Jakarta. So why is…

  • Thailand tourism: 9.3 million arrivals predicted, south busy

    Thailand tourism: 9.3 million arrivals predicted, south busy

    In its latest estimates, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports predicts that the second half of 2022 will bring more than 7 million travellers to Thailand. The first 6 months nearly hit the 2 million tourist mark, with 1.987 million visitors arriving from abroad from the beginning of January until June 28. Tourism generated around 114 billion baht so far…

  • Warning to Thai travellers: Don’t take cannabis to other countries

    Warning to Thai travellers: Don’t take cannabis to other countries

    With the decriminalisation of cannabis on June 9, many in Thailand have gone buckwild with the newfound freedom to grow, sell, and partake of the popular plant. The government is taking steps to rein in the free-for-all and bring some regulations and restrictions to its usage, and now they’re warning people to keep in mind that legalisation in Thailand does…

  • Thai PM Prayut ‘positive’ about expected tourist influx

    Thai PM Prayut ‘positive’ about expected tourist influx

    Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says he is confident about the country’s expected tourist influx this year, according to a government spokesperson. Thailand’s CCSA scrapped the Thailand Pass on Friday, July 1. Now, the Tourism and Sports Ministry expects a total of about 9.3 million foreign visitors to arrive in the ‘Land of Smiles’ this year. The compulsory US$10,000 insurance was…

  • Coalition calls for cannabis regulation, ban for youth

    Coalition calls for cannabis regulation, ban for youth

    If like many, you doubted the legalisation of cannabis without regulation in Thailand as too good to be true, the backlash that has already begun will be no surprise. PM Prayut Chan-o-Cha has already curbed cannabis patents to prevent foreign market domination and banned its use on military sites, while vendors selling joints were shut down on Khaosan Road after…

  • Travel to Surat Thani, it’s where the fun begins | Jay and Natty’s Adventures

    Travel to Surat Thani, it’s where the fun begins | Jay and Natty’s Adventures

    The Thaiger‘s Natty and Jay recently went on a long weekend trip to Thailand’s southern province of Surat Thani, and they’re dying to show our viewers their adventures. People typically see Surat Thani as a passing point to somewhere exciting like Koh Samui, Koh Tao, and Koh Phangan. But The Thaiger’s top news presenters want people to know about Surat…