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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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    Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained

    Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...

  • Hooked: Thai sailors jailed by Myanmar court for illegal fishing

    Hooked: Thai sailors jailed by Myanmar court for illegal fishing

    In a legal ruling that’s sent shockwaves throughout the fishing community in Thailand, a Myanmar court has thrown the book at four Thai sailors, sentencing them to between four and six years in prison for fishing offences and illegal entry into the country. Sources from Kawthaung district broke the news today, December 16, revealing the fate of the Thai crew…

  • Grain gains: Thai farmers to receive 1,000 baht per rai support

    Grain gains: Thai farmers to receive 1,000 baht per rai support

    The Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) has initiated a comprehensive financial support programme, transferring 1,000 baht per rai to Thai rice farmers across the country. Deputy Finance Minister Jullapan Amornvivat presided over the first day of payments, aimed at providing relief and encouraging agricultural productivity. The support programme targets 4.61 million farming households, with total funding reaching 37.4…

  • Thai man stabbed to death after traffic dispute in Bangkok (video)

    Thai man stabbed to death after traffic dispute in Bangkok (video)

    A 23 year old man lost his life in a stabbing outside a condominium on Rama II Soi 54 in the Bang Khun Thian district of Bangkok following a traffic dispute with a suspect who remains at large. A witness reported the death of the 23 year old Thai man, named Apiwit, outside the condominium, at Tha Kham Police Station…

  • Living the Thai life: Kingdom rolls out red carpet for big spenders

    Living the Thai life: Kingdom rolls out red carpet for big spenders

    Thailand is upping the ante in its tourism game, spotlighting the allure of luxury and high-spending travellers to power up the economy post-pandemic. Known for its warm hospitality, stunning landscapes, and world-class attractions, the nation is seeing a surge in plush hotels and branded properties to cater to this elite crowd. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) set its sights…

  • Start 2025 right with a relaxing New Year’s escape to Novotel Koh Si Chang

    Start 2025 right with a relaxing New Year’s escape to Novotel Koh Si Chang

    As the end of the year approaches, the search for the perfect New Year’s celebration begins. If you want to forget the busy city crowds, why not head to Novotel Koh Si Chang instead? Koh Si Chang is a little island just a quick trip from Bangkok, but it feels like a world away. It offers peace, natural beauty, and…

  • Siblings flee drug-addicted father only to be targeted by rapist

    Siblings flee drug-addicted father only to be targeted by rapist

    Four siblings escaped their drug-addicted father in the central province of Chai Nat only to encounter a man posing as a saint who offered help and later attempted to rape the eldest girl. They were eventually rescued by police in Chon Buri. Officers from Nong Yai Police Station shared the siblings’ story with the media. They are now safe and…

  • Thailand unveils tax reform: Corporate tax cut, VAT hike rejected

    Thailand unveils tax reform: Corporate tax cut, VAT hike rejected

    Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira unveiled a bold tax reform plan to supercharge state revenue, drive national development, and level the economic playing field in Thailand. The announcement was made at the Sustainability Forum 2025, an event championing sustainable economic growth. Central to the plan is slashing the corporate income tax rate to 15%, aligning with OECD guidelines to keep Thailand…

  • Police seize 483kg of crystal meth in major Pathum Thani raid

    Police seize 483kg of crystal meth in major Pathum Thani raid

    Thai police recently arrested two suspects in Pathum Thani and seized 483 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine in the process. The pair, a man and a woman, confessed to planning to transport the drugs across borders, revealing a lucrative payment for their involvement. The operation was part of a broader government initiative to eradicate drug trafficking in Thailand, spearheaded by the Royal…

  • Relentless flooding in Nakhon Si Thammarat plunges city

    Relentless flooding in Nakhon Si Thammarat plunges city

    Severe flooding has devastated Nakhon Si Thammarat as relentless rain continues to batter the province, submerging key city areas and causing another fatality, bringing the death toll to four. Residents have been urged to stay alert as the situation worsens. Heavy rain has persistently hit Nakhon Si Thammarat for several days. Although there was a brief reprieve yesterday morning, December…

  • Grilling the corrupt: Pattaya vows to clean up squid scandal

    Grilling the corrupt: Pattaya vows to clean up squid scandal

    In a sizzling showdown, the Pattaya deputy mayor has sworn to weed out corruption among city officials extorting grilled squid vendors, promising severe consequences for those found guilty. At the crack of dawn today, December 16, Pattaya City Special Affairs officers swooped in on a group of street vendors illegally peddling their goods on Soi Pattaya Tai 15, right by…

  • Bangkok man caught stealing 1,100-litre water tank

    Bangkok man caught stealing 1,100-litre water tank

    A man was caught attempting to steal a 1,100-litre stainless steel water tank in Taling Chan, Bangkok, with plans to sell it to a junk shop. Police received a report about the incident early yesterday morning, December 15, leading to the arrest of 62 year old Prasert Jitthamphong, who was found with the stolen tank and a blue tricycle cart…

  • Holy smokes! Runaway monks in love go from robes to rogues

    Holy smokes! Runaway monks in love go from robes to rogues

    Police arrested two former monks fleeing from a temple in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen to the central province of Ratchaburi after their secret relationship was exposed and were implicated in operating an embezzlement scheme and a mule account. Locals in the Ban Haet district of Khon Kaen contacted highway police and reported that two monks, 24 year old…

  • Thai driver flees after crashing into old man, dragging body 10km

    Thai driver flees after crashing into old man, dragging body 10km

    A Thai man claimed he fled in shock after crashing into an 84 year old man and dragging the lifeless body for 10 kilometres from the scene of the incident in the central province of Ratchaburi. Officers from Photharam Police Station were alerted to the discovery of a corpse on a road alongside a railway track in the Photharam district…

  • Rain havoc: Four southern provinces swamped by floods (video)

    Rain havoc: Four southern provinces swamped by floods (video)

    Four southern Thai provinces are battling major flooding after a deluge that’s thrown daily life into chaos and knocked out key transport links, leaving thousands of families high and dry. Chumphon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ranong, and Surat Thani are bearing the brunt of relentless rain, with deluges forcing a halt to many bus and train services. Pasakorn Boonyalak, Director General…

  • Building trouble: Chinese workers nailed for illegal jobs in Bangkok

    Building trouble: Chinese workers nailed for illegal jobs in Bangkok

    Bangkok police officers arrested five Chinese nationals for working illegally as construction workers. They were earning 2,200 baht per day, significantly higher than Thailand’s minimum wage and the standard pay rate for legal construction workers. Officers from Huay Kwang Police Station received a complaint about illegal Chinese workers at a construction site in the Huay Kwang neighbourhood of Bangkok on…

  • Paetongtarn Shinawatra 29th on Forbes’ 2024 Power Women list

    Paetongtarn Shinawatra 29th on Forbes’ 2024 Power Women list

    Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been named among Forbes Magazine’s 100 World’s Most Powerful Women 2024, securing the 29th position globally and ranking third in Asia. This prestigious recognition places her among influential figures such as Sandy Ran Xu, CEO of China’s JD.com, and Nirmala Sitharaman, India’s Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, who hold the 27th and 28th positions,…

  • Senate to vote on divisive referendum double-majority rule

    Senate to vote on divisive referendum double-majority rule

    The Senate is set to convene tomorrow, December 17, to cast votes on a contentious referendum bill concerning constitutional amendments. The majority of senators are anticipated to uphold the divisive double-majority requirement, a decision that has sparked significant debate. Following a vote by a joint MP-Senate committee, the double-majority rule, necessary for passing a charter rewrite referendum, has been endorsed.…

  • Bangkok’s Purple Line extension nears halfway mark

    Bangkok’s Purple Line extension nears halfway mark

    The construction of the Purple Line’s southern extension, a crucial link between Tao Poon in the Bang Sue district and Rat Burana in southern Bangkok, is making significant progress. The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) reported that the project is nearly halfway finished. During an inspection conducted yesterday, December 15, Montri Dechasakulsom, alongside board members and executives, assessed…

  • Bangkok app-based rider steals 15,000 baht from Russian woman

    Bangkok app-based rider steals 15,000 baht from Russian woman

    Police arrested a Thai app-based motorcycle taxi rider for stealing 15,000 baht from a Russian woman in Bangkok and spending all the money on gambling. The Russian victim, 25 year old Anna Petrova Andreevna, filed a complaint at the Royal Palace Police Station on Friday, December 13, stating that she lost 15,000 baht in cash to the app-based motorcycle taxi…

  • Rama II Road reopens after crane accident caused fatalities (video)

    Rama II Road reopens after crane accident caused fatalities (video)

    Commuters can breathe a sigh of relief as traffic resumes on Rama II Road following a harrowing crane accident that claimed six lives and injured nine, leaving a trail of disruption in its wake. The nightmare began in the small hours of November 29 when a crane buckled under the weight of a concrete beam at the Ekkachai-Ban Phaeo Intercity…

  • Thai and mighty: Tourism takes off with a Bangkok load of visitors

    Thai and mighty: Tourism takes off with a Bangkok load of visitors

    Thailand’s back on the world’s travel map with a record-breaking wave of tourists flooding its shores, boosting the nation’s coffers and setting sights on even sunnier outcomes. In a spectacular show of popularity, more than 37.72 million globe-trotters have flocked to the Land of Smiles between January 1 and December 8 this year, according to Government Spokesperson Jirayu Huangsap. This…

  • Police arrest loan shark gang at Ministry of Culture

    Police arrest loan shark gang at Ministry of Culture

    A dramatic arrest unfolded at the Ministry of Culture when police apprehended members of a loan shark gang accused of charging extortionate interest rates and intimidating debtors. The operation, led by Montri Teshakun, targeted 30 year old Veeraphat, and 23 year old Meentada, who were charged with operating an unauthorised personal loan business and lending money at rates exceeding legal…

  • Police Region 5 seizes 6.8 million meth pills in major bust

    Police Region 5 seizes 6.8 million meth pills in major bust

    Police Region 5 coordinated with various agencies to announce a major drug bust, seizing 6.8 million methamphetamine pills from a drug trafficking network along the border. The operation, aiming to curb drug distribution within the country, was highlighted in a press conference held yesterday at the Police Region 5 headquarters. Key figures including Police Lieutenant General Kritthapol Yeesakhorn, the Commissioner…

  • Intoxicated driver wreaks havoc in Pattaya, crashes into sidecar

    Intoxicated driver wreaks havoc in Pattaya, crashes into sidecar

    A heavily intoxicated driver caused chaos in Pattaya today when he crashed a minivan into a motorcycle sidecar selling fresh vegetables. The incident unfolded on Pattaya Beach Road, near Soi 13/3, Nong Prue, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province. An attempt to flee the scene led to further collisions with several parked vehicles, resulting in additional injuries to two individuals.…

  • Heavy rains and strong winds expected in 19 Thai provinces

    Heavy rains and strong winds expected in 19 Thai provinces

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) issued a weather warning, predicting heavy rains across 19 provinces with rainfall affecting 80% of the area. The Gulf of Thailand is expected to experience waves over 3 metres high, and temperatures are set to drop by 3 degrees Celsius with strong winds. The strong northeast monsoon sweeping through the Gulf of Thailand and the…

  • Hua Hin Airport to gain international status by next year

    Hua Hin Airport to gain international status by next year

    The Transport Ministry announced plans to elevate Hua Hin Airport to international status by next year, marking a significant step in enhancing regional connectivity. Transport Deputy Minister Manaporn Charoensri revealed this initiative yesterday, directing the Department of Airports, Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, and other relevant agencies to develop Hua Hin’s operations and secure the necessary international airport certification. Heightened passenger…

  • Chinese murder suspect caught at Phuket Airport

    Chinese murder suspect caught at Phuket Airport

    A Chinese national, wanted in his home country for murder, was apprehended at Phuket Airport. The suspect, identified as Qian Guofeng, arrived on a flight from Shanghai to the popular Thai resort island. On the night of December 13, immigration police revealed that they received orders to intercept Qian, who became a suspect following a fatal altercation in China. Chinese…

  • Myanmar boat seized in Thailand for shrimp smuggling

    Myanmar boat seized in Thailand for shrimp smuggling

    A Myanmar fishing boat has been seized, and its six crew members arrested for smuggling in Ranong, southern Thailand. The incident occurred after officials discovered a significant quantity of salt-fermented shrimp aboard the vessel. Thailand Maritime Enforcement Command Centre Region 3 reported that naval officers were dispatched to Waithong pier in tambon Pak Nam, Ranong, at 9pm yesterday, December 14.…

  • Woman arrested with 2,000 meth pills in Bang Yai

    Woman arrested with 2,000 meth pills in Bang Yai

    Police in Bang Yai, Nonthaburi, in collaboration with Bang Mae Nang police, have arrested a woman found with 2,000 methamphetamine (meth) pills hidden in a mango bag. The woman claimed she was unaware of the bag’s contents, stating a friend had asked her to pick it up. The incident took place yesterday, December 13, under the directive of Yanipat Srikhot,…

  • British suspect arrested for Pattaya gold chain thefts

    British suspect arrested for Pattaya gold chain thefts

    A muscular British man was apprehended for his involvement in a series of daring gold chain snatches from tourists in Pattaya. Despite denying the accusations, CCTV footage and witness testimonies have implicated him in the crimes. The arrest took place at 4.30pm yesterday, December 13, when Thananon Athipansri, Deputy Superintendent of Pattaya City Police Station, along with the Provincial Investigation…