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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.

  • Steel bar dropped from condo crane pierces through Phuket home | Thaiger

    Steel bar dropped from condo crane pierces through Phuket home

    A steel bar reportedly fell from a crane at a high-rise condominium construction site and pierced through a home near Surin Beach in Phuket on the night of Wednesday, January 14. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, despite the close call. The female homeowner shared a video of the shocking incident on social media, showing a long steel bar embedded through…

  • PM Anutin orders termination and blacklisting of Italian-Thai Development | Thaiger

    PM Anutin orders termination and blacklisting of Italian-Thai Development

    Thailand’s Prime Minister (PM) Anutin Charnvirakul ordered the Ministry of Transport to terminate construction contracts with Italian-Thai Development (ITD) and blacklist the contractor, following a series of deadly infrastructure accidents that sparked intense public backlash. The decision comes in the wake of two high-profile tragedies: the crane collapse onto a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima and the crane accident on Rama…

  • 35 Thais detained after allegedly being forced to work in Cambodia | Thaiger

    35 Thais detained after allegedly being forced to work in Cambodia

    Thai police yesterday, January 15, detained 35 Thai nationals near the Aranyaprathet border in Sa Kaeo province after they illegally crossed back from Cambodia, claiming they had been unknowingly taken out of the country and forced into online scam operations. The Burapha Task Force, along with rangers from the 12th unit’s Company 1206, found the group walking along a forested…

  • Bangkok ranked 3rd best city to visit by New York Times | Thaiger

    Bangkok ranked 3rd best city to visit by New York Times

    Bangkok was named the third best city to visit in the world today, January 16, in The New York Times’ 52 Places to Go in 2026 list, praised for its green spaces, vibrant art scene, and recent innovations in public transport. According to Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) spokesperson Aekvarunyoo Amrapala, the city is proud to see its urban development and…

  • 3 missing passengers in Korat crane-train collision found alive | Thaiger

    3 missing passengers in Korat crane-train collision found alive

    A medical official confirmed yesterday, January 15, that three people previously reported missing after a construction crane collapsed onto a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima were found safe and receiving treatment at hospital. The deadly incident occurred on Wednesday, January 14, when a crane from the elevated railway construction for the Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed train collapsed onto a moving passenger…

  • What to do in Bangkok this weekend (and the next!) | Thaiger

    What to do in Bangkok this weekend (and the next!)

    How is January already moving this fast? You blink, survive the workweek, suddenly it’s Friday again. If your New Year motivation peaked somewhere around Wednesday lunch, this weekend is here to save you. Bangkok is doing what it does best, mixing slow hangs, cultural gems, food worth leaving the house for, and a few reasons to stay out later than…

  • Phuket unveils ‘Dheveena’ sea goddess sculpture as new landmark | Thaiger

    Phuket unveils ‘Dheveena’ sea goddess sculpture as new landmark

    Phuket unveiled a new landmark, “Dheveena,” a large-scale public sculpture installed along the seafront at Saphan Hin Park in the Wichit sub-district, as part of the Thailand Biennale 2025. The fourth edition of the Thailand Biennale returned to Phuket on November 29 last year and will run for five months until April 30 this year. Under the theme “Eternal Kalpa,”…

  • Chinese man spotted roaming around Pattaya after robbing real estate agent | Thaiger

    Chinese man spotted roaming around Pattaya after robbing real estate agent

    Pattaya police are continuing their manhunt for a Chinese man wanted for robbing a fellow Chinese woman, after the suspect was spotted on CCTV at a convenience store near Jomtien Beach today, January 15. The victim, 35 year old Chinese real estate agent Yang Wang, filed a complaint with Nong Prue Police Station after the robbery occurred at around midnight…

  • China steps in with 90 million baht aid after Thai train tragedy | Thaiger

    China steps in with 90 million baht aid after Thai train tragedy

    China has reaffirmed its close diplomatic ties with Thailand today, January 15, by donating 20 million yuan, approximately 90 million baht, in humanitarian aid, in the wake of a crane collapse at a high-speed rail construction site. At 11am today, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jianwei met with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul at the Government House to formally deliver the assistance. The…

  • Elusive crested jayshrike spotted on Kaeng Krachan forest trail | Thaiger

    Elusive crested jayshrike spotted on Kaeng Krachan forest trail

    A rare crested jayshrike made a surprise appearance yesterday, January 14, on a forest trail in Phetchaburi’s Kaeng Krachan National Park, stunning birdwatchers and park officials. Mongkol Chaiphakdi, chief of Kaeng Krachan National Park, said the elusive bird was seen near the 18-kilometre forest trail known as Ban Chang Yieb, which leads up to Panoenthung mountain. The encounter was captured…

  • Government urges caution as PM2.5 levels hit dangerous highs | Thaiger

    Government urges caution as PM2.5 levels hit dangerous highs

    Thailand‘s government has issued a warning today, January 15, over rising levels of PM2.5 air pollution expected between January 14 and 16, urging strict control of pollution sources and greater public caution, particularly in Bangkok and surrounding areas. Deputy Government Spokesperson Lalida Pairsawetthawana said the Air Pollution Solution Communication Centre under the Pollution Control Department (APSC) had reported a significant…

  • Thai foreign minister seeks clarity on US immigrant visa halt | Thaiger

    Thai foreign minister seeks clarity on US immigrant visa halt

    Thailand’s foreign minister met with a top United States diplomat in Bangkok today, January 15, to seek clarification over Washington’s recent decision to suspend immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, including Thailand. Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said he had summoned the US chargé d’affaires in Thailand to discuss the move, after Thailand appeared on a newly released list of…

  • Thailand’s conservative parties push back on charter rewrite | Thaiger

    Thailand’s conservative parties push back on charter rewrite

    Yesterday, January 14, three of Thailand’s conservative political parties reaffirmed their opposition to replacing the current constitution, warning that the move could be costly and politically risky. Key figures from the Rak Chart Thai Party, Thai Pakdee Party, and the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party voiced their stance during campaign activities in Nakhon Ratchasima and Surat Thani, stating they would…

  • UAE tourist loses 14,500 baht to foreign pickpockets in Pattaya | Thaiger

    UAE tourist loses 14,500 baht to foreign pickpockets in Pattaya

    A tourist from the United Arab Emirates lost around 14,500 baht in cash after being pickpocketed by two foreign men in Pattaya yesterday, January 14. The victim, 45 year old Mohamed Abdelkaliq Abdalla Khadim Almaazmi, filed a complaint with Mueang Pattaya Police Station at around 7am on Tuesday, January 13, after realising that cash had gone missing from his trouser…

  • People’s Party MP candidate arrested over alleged online gambling links | Thaiger

    People’s Party MP candidate arrested over alleged online gambling links

    Police arrested a Member of Parliament (MP) candidate from the People’s Party yesterday, January 14, at his home in Bangkok over alleged involvement in an online gambling network and money laundering. Officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) raided the residence of 32 year old Ratchapong “Pond” Soisuwan at around 5.30pm. The property is located in Nuan Chan Village,…

  • 2 killed as crane collapses onto 2 vehicles on Rama II Road | Thaiger

    2 killed as crane collapses onto 2 vehicles on Rama II Road

    At least two people were killed after a construction crane collapsed onto two vehicles travelling along Rama II Road in Samut Sakhon province near Bangkok this morning, January 15. The fatal incident occurred at around 9.25am outside the Paris Garden Hotel in the Tha Chin sub-district. The crane was part of a bridge construction project above Rama II Road, one…

  • Thailand among 75 nations hit by US visa processing suspension | Thaiger

    Thailand among 75 nations hit by US visa processing suspension

    The United States will temporarily suspend immigrant visa processing for Thailand and 74 other countries, effective January 21, 2026, as part of tighter immigration screening under its America First policy, the US State Department announced on January 14. The immigration visa freeze targets applicants from countries where migrants are said to disproportionately rely on public assistance after settling in the…

  • German and South Korean among 32 killed after crane collapses onto train in Korat | Thaiger

    German and South Korean among 32 killed after crane collapses onto train in Korat

    A German man and a South Korean national are among 32 people killed after a construction crane collapsed onto a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima province yesterday morning, January 14. The devastating incident occurred at around 9am on a railway track in the Baan Thanon Kot community in Sikhiu district, also known as Korat. The area is located beneath the…

  • ITD accepts responsibility after crane collapse kills 31 in Korat | Thaiger

    ITD accepts responsibility after crane collapse kills 31 in Korat

    Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited (ITD) issued an official statement expressing condolences and accepting responsibility following a crane collapse that struck a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima province on Tuesday morning, January 14. The fatal incident occurred at around 9am when a construction crane from the elevated Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway project collapsed onto the Bangkok–Ubon Ratchathani passenger train as…

  • SHIELD system unveiled at Thai-led trafficking talks with 18 nations | Thaiger

    SHIELD system unveiled at Thai-led trafficking talks with 18 nations

    Thai police have intensified international efforts against human trafficking and cyber scams after officials from 18 countries met in Bangkok yesterday, January 13, to discuss cooperation, data sharing, and tools to tackle transnational crime. The high-level meeting took place at the Royal Thai Police headquarters and was chaired by Police General Thatchai Pitaneelabutr, deputy national police chief and director of…

  • Rare red-headed krait spotted in Kaeng Krachan National Park | Thaiger

    Rare red-headed krait spotted in Kaeng Krachan National Park

    A rare and highly venomous snake was spotted yesterday, January 13, in Thailand’s Kaeng Krachan National Park, after a park ranger photographed it during a routine patrol on Phanoen Thung Mountain. The snake has been identified as a red-headed krait, a highly venomous species known for its distinctive glossy black body, bright red head and tail, and raised triangular back.…

  • Thai rapist remains at large after drugging and raping 15 year old girl | Thaiger

    Thai rapist remains at large after drugging and raping 15 year old girl

    A Thai mother demanded a punishment on a rapist who drugged and sexually assaulted her 15 year old daughter in Rayong province in 2024. The 52 year old victim’s mother met the commander of the Rayong Provincial Police, Pramote Ngampradit, to seek justice after the rape case had no development since it occurred in July of 2024. The suspect remains…

  • People’s Party MP candidate sues Thai woman for staging vote-buying | Thaiger

    People’s Party MP candidate sues Thai woman for staging vote-buying

    A parliamentary candidate from the People’s Party in Saraburi province announced legal action against a woman who admitted staging a fake vote-buying incident to attract attention on social media. The controversy began on Monday, January 12, when a Thai woman posted a photo on her Facebook account, Rungnapa Kotphuthorn. The image showed a 1,000-baht banknote placed together with a election…

  • 6 boat workers at Chalong Bay Pier in Phuket tested positive for drugs | Thaiger

    6 boat workers at Chalong Bay Pier in Phuket tested positive for drugs

    Phuket Tourist Police intensified safety measures at Chalong Bay Pier following a fatal speedboat accident involving a drug-fuelled driver, with random drug tests revealing that six boat workers tested positive for illegal substances. Officers from Phuket Tourist Police, Marine Police, Chalong Police Station, and Marine Department Region 5 jointly announced stricter controls targeting drug use among workers in the tourism…

  • At least 4 killed after crane collapses onto train in Nakhon Ratchasima | Thaiger

    At least 4 killed after crane collapses onto train in Nakhon Ratchasima

    An elevated railway construction crane collapsed onto a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima this morning, January 14, killing at least four people and injuring more than 20 others. The incident occurred at around 9am on a railway line near the Baan Thanon Kot community in the Sikhiu district. The area lies beneath the Bangkok–Nong Khai High-Speed Railway, which is currently…

  • Thai man attacks 3 Cambodian nationals after repeated ‘ladyboy’ taunts | Thaiger

    Thai man attacks 3 Cambodian nationals after repeated ‘ladyboy’ taunts

    A Thai worker at a cannabis shop in Bangkok physically attacked Cambodian customers after allegedly enduring repeated harassment and being mocked as a “ladyboy”. The shop owner released CCTV footage of the incident, which occurred at around 2am on Sunday, January 11, saying he wanted justice for his employee. The video shows the 26 year old shop worker, Jirayu, rushing…

  • How is Thailand using virtual reality to train doctors, students, and workers? | Thaiger

    How is Thailand using virtual reality to train doctors, students, and workers?

    Virtual reality has moved from novelty to necessity across Thailand’s education sector. The technology now addresses real problems such as training medical teams, teaching environmental conservation, and upskilling industrial workers, aligning with the national Thailand 4.0 strategy that prioritises digital infrastructure and innovation-driven growth. The investment backing this transformation is substantial. The Ministry of Education’s Anywhere Anytime initiative allocated US$800 million…

  • Russian mother flies to Pattaya to search for son missing with US$10,000 | Thaiger

    Russian mother flies to Pattaya to search for son missing with US$10,000

    A Russian mother travelled to Pattaya to search for her son, who has been missing since January 7 after reportedly carrying US$10,000 in cash, or about 320,000 baht. The 51 year old Russian woman, Olga, gave an interview to Thai media through an interpreter in the early hours of today, January 14, expressing deep concern for the safety of her…

  • Filipina tourist apologises after viral rant about English in Thailand | Thaiger

    Filipina tourist apologises after viral rant about English in Thailand

      The Filipina tourist, Ann Berdin, who sparked online backlash for complaining that English is useless in Thailand, has responded in a video posted today, January 13, clarifying that she meant no harm and was simply sharing her experience. In the now-deleted viral clip, the tourist had vented her frustration, saying no one in Thailand seemed to understand English, including…

  • Russian drug dealers arrested during ‘mushroom temple’ raid in Phuket | Thaiger

    Russian drug dealers arrested during ‘mushroom temple’ raid in Phuket

    Police arrested two Russian men and seized around 10 kilogrammes of magic mushrooms during a raid on a property dubbed the “Mushroom Temple” in the Rawai district of Phuket today, January 13. A Russian woman managed to escape from the arrest. Officers from Chalong Police Station launched the operation after receiving complaints that Russian nationals were illegally selling magic mushrooms…