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.
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Sponsored 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Disability rights investigated for flyer in wheelchair
In 2019, an Israeli tourist booked a flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. He sent information about his wheelchair battery 48 hours before the flight, however, upon arrival at Chiang Mai airport, he was informed that the airline did not allow passengers with electric wheelchairs to fly. Now the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken up the…
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Victims of romance scams ‘at their wits end’
Most victims of romance scams in Thailand are women in their 40s. Middle-aged women are the main targets of criminal gangs who prey on those who have taken the questionable step of seeking true love online. Online fraud, including romance scams, has become a serious problem in Thailand, judging by the number of complaints filed with the Royal Thai Police.…
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FBI seeks extradition from Thailand for hit & run
Authorities in the US state of Michigan and the FBI are making a plea to the Thai government to extradite a Thai woman who is accused of causing the death of a college student in the American city of Oakland Township. The suspect, Tubtim “Sue” Howson, is a US citizen but is originally from Thailand and is now residing in…
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Seahorse Ferry relaunches Pattaya to Samui route
After a four-month hiatus, the Seahorse Ferry Company is finally ready to set sail again, resuming its weekly service between Sattahip and Koh Samui from Thursday, February 16. After a temporary pause for essential repairs and maintenance shortly after launching, the ferry is now back in business and ready to welcome passengers on board once again. If you’re planning a…
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Do fewer shark bites mean fewer sharks?
Shark attacks worldwide fell in 2022, resulting in fewer shark bite incidents compared to the past decade. In 2020, travel restrictions and beach closures were thought to have resulted in fewer encounters between humans and sharks and fewer shark bites. The majority of the 57 unprovoked bites last year occurred in the USA and Australia. Five proved fatal, down from…
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Chiang Mai tackles PM2.5 pollution with giant vacuum cleaner
Thailand‘s Disaster Department is testing out a giant vacuum cleaner as a way to tackle the PM2.5 dust pollution problem that plagues the northern city of Chiang Mai every ‘burning season.’ Every year, farmers around Thailand send their forests and fields up in smoke because it’s the cheapest way to prepare to plant new crops causing PM2.5 levels to shoot…
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Chinese tourists flock to Folding Umbrella Market in central Thailand
Chinese tourists are flocking to the Folding Umbrella Market in Thailand’s central province of Samut Songkram. The Folding Umbrella Market, also known as the Rom Hoop Market or Mae Klong Railway Market, is a unique tourist attraction. The market is set up alongside a railway line and when a train approaches, the vendors must quickly fold their parasols and clear…
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Is Google chatbot smarter than a pigeon?
Embarrassing stammering by Bard, the Google chatbot, has prompted the global public and stock markets to unreservedly rejected machine-generated garbage. The likes of Donald Trump and Elon Musk must be delighted that a talking Google chatbot is held in higher regard than talking billionaires. Google’s response to ChatGPT got off to an embarrassing start when its chatbot gave a wrong…
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Racing longtail boats collide with Chinese tour boat
Two longtail boat drivers collided with a tour boat as they raced each other in a canal at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market in the central province of Ratchaburi. Five Chinese tourists on the tour boat sustained minor injuries as a result of the crash. Somphong Nimnuan, the 64-year-old oarsman of the tour boat, told 77 Kaoded news agency that he…
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Consumer borrowing in Thailand in the red zone
The effects of consumer borrowing in Thailand during the pandemic is a serious campaign issue, with populist politicians pushing for a multi-year debt holiday. According to Nikkei, Thais owe more than any other people in the region, reflecting a huge jump in borrowing forced on an economy that relies heavily on tourism. Thai consumer debt last September stood at 15…
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Meteorological Department warns of extreme heat in some Thai provinces
Thailand’s summer season is coming and many are bracing for the heat. The summer season is expected to last from the end of February to mid-May, and Thailand’s Meteorological Department has warned that some provinces in the country may experience extreme heat. Temperatures in these provinces could rise as high as almost 45°Celsius, the department said. Although the highest temperature…
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Graffitist spray paints anti-Putin slogan in Phuket
A graffitist spray painted an anti-Putin slogan on a large rock on a Phuket beach. The Phuket News reported that the slogan criticising Russia’s president on the rock at Nai Thon Beach was first spotted by a foreigner yesterday morning. Lifeguards confirmed that the graffiti had not been on the rock at 7pm the night before it was found. Lifeguard…
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Turkey, Syria earthquake death toll climbs to 21,000 as teen found alive after 80 hours
As the earthquake death toll in Turkey and Syria surpasses 21,000 people, one teen has been rescued after being buried in rubble for 80 hours. Melda Adtas, a 16 year old girl, was pulled out alive after being buried for 80 hours in a rare happy ending. Her father was overjoyed when she was found and broke down in tears.…
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Whistle-blower Chuwit toots against online gambling
Whistle-blower Chuwit Kamolvisit has been tooting on his flute again. The ex-MP, ex-emperor of sleaze and current arch-nemesis of organised crime throughout the kingdom, has been blowing off that PM Prayut failed to honour two promises made when he seized power eight years ago. It’s anyone’s guess how Chuwit choose a particular two from the wide variety available, but he did.…
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Phuket gunman with mental health illness commits suicide
The gunman who shot two passengers on a Phuket-Phattalung minibus this morning left a suicide note before taking his own life inside the vehicle. Reports indicate that the gunman was a former soldier with a mental health issue. The gunman was identified as a 30 year old former conscript soldier Nawin. He was reported to have a mental illness, but…
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North Korean dictator’s daughter makes appearance spurring speculation of leadership role
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un’s daughter has made an appearance again spurring speculation that she may be in line for a leadership role. Although she has not been named in state media, South Korean intelligence officials believe her name is Ju Ae. She was called this name by Dennis Rodman, the former American basketball player who spent time with…
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The 4 Traveller Tribes of the next decade
Travel-tech outfit Amadeus has identified what it calls the four “Traveller Tribes” of the next decade – experientialists, influencers, memory makers and pioneers. According to the Nation, Singapore’s Amadeus examined emerging traits, behaviours, and preferences, to pinpoint what travellers will want a decade from now. Pioneers, more than 40% of all travellers globally and the largest tribe, live fast-paced lives…
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Suspected Jimi Sandhu hitman in Canadian jail wants to face trial in Thailand
A Canadian man accused of being a hitman in the murder of Indian gangster Jimi Sandhu in Phuket last year said he wants to face trial in Thailand despite having to potentially face the death penalty. Canadian Forces veteran Matthew Dupre is one suspect accused of murdering Sandu in February last year on behalf of a Canadian-based gang. Sandu did not…
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Pattaya woman crushed to death by pickup truck in tragic accident
A Pattaya woman was crushed to death by a pickup truck in a tragic accident after being hit head-on when walking around her car. According to The Pattaya News, the woman pulled over her car beside the road in front of Lotus Express in the Nongprue sub-district of Banglamung district yesterday at 5pm. Then, CCTV footage at the front of…
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Police catch Kazakhstani overstayer with fake passport stamps in Phuket
Immigration police caught a Kazakhstani overstayer with fake passport stamps at Phuket International Airport. The woman was identified as 27 year old Xeniya Kopeikina. An officer stated that authorities are now charging Kopeikina for using counterfeit documents, as well as overstaying her visa in the country for 89 days, The Phuket Express reported. Kopeikina was arrested and will be facing…
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Thailand’s royal family sends earthquake condolence letter to Turkey, Syria presidents
Thailand’s royal family sent a condolence letter to the presidents of Turkey and Syria in light of the recent earthquake tragedy. The king and queen of Thailand say they are very saddened to learn about the 7.8 magnitude earthquake and subsequent aftershocks, which was an unbelievable phenomenon. The earthquake’s death toll has now exceeded an astonishing 15,000 people, with authorities…
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Starbucks ruins family’s dream holiday to Thailand by overcharging US$4.5k for 2 coffees
An American couple had to cancel their dream holiday to Thailand after a Tulsa Starbucks outlet charged them almost US$4,500 for two cups of coffee. The US multinational apologised for the mistake and sent them cheques to cover the cost. They bounced! The drama unfolded when the happy couple, Jesse and Deedee O’Dell, and their four kids went shopping at…
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Rowdy Pattaya teens terrify tourists by throwing ping pong bombs
A rowdy crowd of Pattaya teens terrified tourists and residents by throwing ping pong bombs at Bali Hai Pier on Wednesday night. The incident is the latest case of trouble-making teens causing chaos in Pattaya, which is commonly known as Southeast Asia’s sin city. Residents reported seeing a group of approximately 10 teenagers arrive on motorbikes and begin throwing the…
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i360 City Virtual Tours takes city exploration to the next level
Press Release i360 City Virtual Tours, the first-of-its-kind virtual tour platform, is making city exploration easier than ever before. With 360-degree views of cities in Thailand, users can get a sense of each city’s atmosphere, culture, and lifestyle before they even visit. Founder Bulent UNAT fell in love with the nature and culture of Thailand after moving there in…
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Thailand to expand major airports to deal with rising tourist numbers
Thailand is set to expand at least four of its major international airports in response to the predicted return of foreign tourists following the Covid-19 pandemic. Deputy Government Spokeswoman, Traisulee Taisaranakul, announced the plans today. She noted that the expansion is aimed at accommodating predictions made by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) of 200 million foreign arrivals by 2031.…
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Thai Airways rehabilitation ahead of schedule
Thai Airways expects to exit its rehabilitation plan ahead of schedule. The airline is already looking for new aircraft as the recovery in global tourism bolsters earnings. CEO Chai Eamsiri said Thursday that the carrier will be able to leave its court-supervised debt plan “much earlier” than the late-2024 target, according to Bloomberg. The company is also in talks with…
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Bank worker and spouse accused of embezzling 36 million baht, they say it’s a lie!
A bank worker and her spouse are accused of embezzling 36 million Thai baht from bank clients. The suspects deny the claims against them. Yesterday, Lata, the 33 year old bank employee, and Pharanyu, her 36 year old partner, were apprehended at a condominium located on Din Daeng Road in Bangkok’s Ratchathewi district. Lata faces charges for violating Section 335…
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Nepali man caught smuggling 5.6 kilograms of hashish into Thailand
A Nepali man was arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday after customs found 5.6 kilograms of hashish hidden in his luggage with an estimated value of 560,000 baht. At 6.45pm, airport customs officials inspected a suitcase belonging to a man flying in from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. As the unnamed Nepali national passed through with nothing to declare, customs…
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Land Transport Department will collect traffic fines
The days of blowing off traffic tickets and fines left on your car or motorbike may be coming to a close. At least if you drive legally and pay your taxes. The Royal Thai Police (RTP) and the Land Transport Department (LTD) have joined forces in a landmark agreement aimed at tackling the problem of unpaid traffic ticket fines. Under…
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Thailand to give nation’s SMEs a digital leg up
Thailand plans to give the nation’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) a digital leg up to help improve their businesses and boost the kingdom’s economy at the same time. Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn announced the department will include another 25 provinces in its plan to improve SME businesses, reported Bangkok Post. The “New-normal Market Transformation” initiative,…
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