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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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Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Teenage motorcyclist killed by lorry driver while parked at red light
A 10-wheel truck driver yesterday crashed into and killed a teenage motorcyclist waiting for a red light to turn green on the Surat-Nasan Road in the southern province of Surat Thani. The fatal accident occurred at a traffic light intersection on the Surat-Nasan Road and was reported to Khun Talay Police Station at noon yesterday, August 19. The police subsequently…
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Heavy monsoon rains forecasted for 36 provinces in Thailand
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) warned of heavy monsoon rains in 36 provinces, with precipitation expected to cover 60 to 70% of the areas. The public is advised to remain cautious of potential flash floods and mountain runoff, particularly in low-lying areas and near waterways. The forecast for the next 24 hours indicates that the upper northern and northeastern regions…
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Chiang Rai nurses wear black in abusive doctor protest (video)
Thai nurses working at a state hospital in the northern province of Chiang Rai are wearing black in protest against an abusive doctor who brutally assaulted a nurse at the weekend. Nurses at the unidentified hospital changed their white uniforms to black yesterday, August 19, to call on the executive team to take action against the abusive doctor, whose identity…
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Thai Smile Bus launches electric bus services across Bangkok
Thai Smile Bus (TSB) launched 24-hour air-conditioned bus services across 13 routes in Bangkok, featuring electric-powered buses operating every hour. This initiative aims to assist night-shift workers who struggle with transportation. The service began today, August 20. Kulapornphas Wongmacharapinya, CEO of Thai Smile Group, announced that the licenced public transport provider has expanded its services to meet the demand for…
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Thailand urged to expand tax cuts for rooftop solar panels
The IEEE Power and Energy Society in Thailand is urging the government to expand its new tax reduction scheme for rooftop solar panel installations, aiming to boost the adoption of clean energy. Designed to offer tax incentives to 90,000 households from this year to 2027, the scheme is awaiting final approval within the second half of the year. Households purchasing…
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Bangkok police arrest man with nearly 2,000 meth pills
Police in Bang Sue district, Bangkok arrested a man with nearly 2,000 methamphetamine (meth) pills after he was spotted wandering suspiciously in a local alley. The drugs were found packaged in various quantities, and the suspect admitted to receiving them from a friend. Phuwadol Unpho, Chief of Bang Sue Police Station, and officers Kittpisit Rayayoi and Nipon Singthong, led an…
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Surin officer fatally shoots girlfriend in Saraburi
A district police officer in Surin lured his girlfriend into a meeting under the pretence of discussing compensation for a previous assault, only to fatally shoot her inside a vehicle in Saraburi yesterday. Thakorn Boonla-or, previously serving in Sangkha district, had been reassigned to Mueang Surin district following charges of assaulting 41 year old Kanya Greenfield in July, which left…
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Trang manhunt after fatal shooting over family dispute
A tragic shooting incident occurred in Trang, resulting in the death of a 56 year old Thai man. The man was allegedly shot over a perceived insult to the perpetrator’s dignity. Police launched a manhunt for the suspect. Police officers, led by Deputy Inspector Vechan Hiranyasuwan from Mueang Trang Police Station, were alerted to a shooting at house number 21/5…
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Suspected motorbike thief caught in Pattaya
A suspected motorcycle thief was apprehended in Pattaya yesterday after being recognised by his victim, who then alerted the police. Bang Lamung police received a report at 8.19am yesterday, August 19, from residents stating they had successfully detained a motorbike theft suspect. The police dispatched patrol officers to the scene on the road alongside the railway near Soi Nern Plub…
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Thai mother suspects murder after son’s suspicious suicide
A Thai mother is searching for the truth after suspecting her 15 year old son’s suicide was staged to cover up his murder in Samut Prakan province, near Bangkok. The teenager, C, disappeared from his home on Tuesday, August 13, prompting his family to share a missing person poster on social media, urging netizens to help locate the teenager. On…
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Gun-toting dad holds daughter hostage in Bangkok standoff
A dramatic hostage situation unfolded yesterday in Lat Krabang Soi 16, Bangkok, as a father armed with a gun held his ten year old daughter captive inside their home. Police swiftly cordoned off the area, barring any unrelated individuals from entering the tense scene. The alarming incident came to light when the child’s mother alerted the police, reporting that her…
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Knife-wielding man causes chaos in Udon Thani over inheritance
A knife-wielding man, reportedly under the influence of drugs, caused chaos as he attacked his relatives, claiming his mother was unfairly dividing the family inheritance. The incident took place in Mueang district, Udon Thani province. Police today, August 19, were called to the scene after reports of a man acting violently at a house on Phon Phisai Road, Mak Khaeng…
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Police seize e-cigarettes disguised as toys worth 10 million baht
Police raided a warehouse belonging to the major northern Thai online e-cigarette dealer, YAI VAPE, seizing 30,000 items worth 10 million baht. The police found the e-cigarettes disguised as toys to avoid detection by parents and teachers. The Ministry of Public Health is pushing for legislative changes to close legal loopholes. Thai police conducted a press conference today to announce…
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Thai man faces jail for raping, blackmailing young stepdaughter
Police in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok arrested a depraved Thai man for raping and blackmailing his eight year old stepdaughter. The pedophile’s tattoos and explicit videos on his mobile phone were used as key evidence. The victim’s mother, 24 year old Mew, sought help from the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women after finding explicit pictures and videos of…
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Labour minister intervenes in unpaid wages of 700 migrant workers
Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakan directed ministry officials to address a situation involving a Chinese company in Prachin Buri that has not paid the wages of over 700 foreign workers for the past two months. Some 700 migrant workers from Myanmar yesterday, August 18, demonstrated at the Rojana Industrial Estate due to the non-payment of their daily wages. Phiphat has tasked…
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DoH advises toll cuts over extension to ease Bangkok costs
The Department of Highways (DoH) urged the Government of Thailand to focus on reducing toll fees rather than extending the concession for the Don Mueang Tollway, as a strategy to lower living costs in Bangkok. Caretaker Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit recently proposed extending the current concession for Don Mueang Tollway Plc, which is set to expire in 2034. Suriya argued…
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Former PM Thaksin faces court over 2015 lese majeste allegations
Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister of Thailand, made a dramatic return to the Criminal Court today, facing charges in a high-stakes lese majeste case linked to a controversial 2015 interview in Seoul. Arriving at 8.53am, today, August 19, in a yellow shirt and black jacket, the 75 year old Thaksin appeared unfazed as he briefly addressed the press. “I’m…
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Motorcyclist dies after crash on new coastal bridge in Chon Buri
A motorcyclist tragically lost his life yesterday after his big bike skidded off a sharp curve on a new coastal bridge in Chon Buri, crashing into a lamppost. The incident occurred at 5.30pm yesterday, August 18. Police Lieutenant Thitirattapoom Jaipinta, Deputy Inspector of Samed Police Station in Chon Buri, received a report about the accident near the descent of the…
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Thai monk murders ex-girlfriend and her friend in Rayong
A Thai monk turned himself in at Phe Police Station in the eastern province of Rayong after the brutal murder of his ex-girlfriend after she broke up with him. The unhinged monk also killed his girlfriend’s friend for supporting their separation. The 36 year old perpetrator, Sumate, surrendered to police today, August 19, for the murders of the two Thai women,…
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Berry big deal: over 1,000 Thai pickers to jam in Sweden, Finland
Thai workers are set for Sweden and Finland as the new berry-picking season kicks off. In a major move, the Department of Employment has given the green light to a whopping 1,129 Thai workers to pack their bags and head to the Nordic lands. Labour Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan broke the news, revealing that the first wave of over 1,000 Thai…
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Thai man stabs transgender girlfriend to death in Koh Samui
A Thai man fatally stabbed his transgender girlfriend at a shopping mall on Koh Samui Island in the southern province of Surat Thani. He said he stabbed her to death because she insulted and belittled him. Officers from Bor Phut Police Station rushed to the shopping mall after receiving a stabbing report. The injured victim, 23 year old Rinlada, was taken to…
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Thailand’s economy grows 2.3% in Q2, surpassing forecasts
Thailand’s economy roared back to life in the second quarter, fuelled by a surge in consumption, tourism, and exports, according to today’s eye-popping official data. This economic boost has prompted the government to up its growth forecast for the year. The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) revealed that Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy expanded by 2.3% from the same…
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Thai Vietjet takes off: Targets nearly 8 million passengers this year
Low-cost airline Thai Vietjet aims to attract nearly eight million passengers this year by enhancing aircraft utilisation and increasing flights on existing routes, with plans to introduce new Boeing 737 Max jets next year. Thai Vietjet Chief Executive Woranate Laprabang highlighted that the visa-free scheme has significantly boosted demand on international routes, particularly to China. The airline operates flights to over…
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Thai teen arrested in Bangkok gold heist to support wife and child
A 17 year old Thai yesterday admitted to stealing a gold bracelet worth over 200,000 baht from a gold shop in the Ratchada area of Bangkok. He stated that he needed the money to take care of his wife and their one year old child. The robbery took place yesterday, August 18, at a shop on the second floor of…
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Pattaya targets traffic congestion with new management strategies
Efforts to address Pattaya’s persistent traffic congestion took a significant step forward as Bang Lamung district chief Wikit Manarojkit led a pivotal meeting with key stakeholders at Pattaya City Hall just before the weekend. The gathering included Pattaya City Mayor Poramese Ngamphiches, Police Colonel Nawin Thirawit, Superintendent of Pattaya City Police Station, Police Colonel Tawi Kutthaeng, Superintendent of Nong Prue…
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PPP scandal: Prawit defends reporter assault as a joke (video)
Palang Pracharath Party (PPP) leader Prawit Wongsuwan responded to critics demanding the politician be held accountable for assaulting a female reporter on Friday, August 16, saying he was only joking and teasing the reporter, with whom he was familiar. Multiple videos of the PPP leader, Prawit, striking the female Thai reporter on the head were shared on social media on…
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Pattaya’s big splash: New app to make Chinese tourists feel at home
Pattaya launched a groundbreaking initiative aimed at enriching the travel experience for Chinese tourists. The Pattaya Business and Tourism Association, led by Boon-anan Pattanasin, hosted a meeting at the Sabai Sabana Hotel on Pattaya Soi 2 to unveil the “Wei Tai Guo” application. During the event, Panawika Limpaphan, Executive Chairman of Digilink (Thailand) Co., Ltd., introduced the new app. Panawika…
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Pattaya Tourist Police catch Cambodian duo in water safety sting
Pattaya Tourist Police arrested two Cambodian men as they conducted a water safety plan in the popular holiday seaside resort. Pattaya Tourist Police, in collaboration with the Water Transport Inspection Unit, Regional Harbor Office 6 (Pattaya Branch), and the Chon Buri Marine Disaster Prevention Division, intensified their efforts to enhance water safety over the past weekend. The joint inspection aimed…
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Paetongtarn’s pledge: No more Shinawatra slip-ups
Thailand’s youngest Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra pledged to avoid the political disasters plaguing her father and aunt. Addressing the media for the first time after her royal endorsement yesterday, the 37 year old Thai premier made a bold promise to dodge the fate of Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra. The Bangkok-born Thai politician made known she is keen to avoid her…
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People’s Party to turn the electoral tide
New People’s Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut demanded his party perform much better in the next General Election. The 37 year old was unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight as the new head of the freshly minted People’s Party (PP). This surprise appointment comes hot on the heels of the Constitutional Court’s bombshell decision to dissolve the Move Forward Party (MFP) and…
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