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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?...

  • Finance minister reveals final contenders to lead Bank of Thailand | Thaiger

    Finance minister reveals final contenders to lead Bank of Thailand

    Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira confirmed yesterday that he has officially signed off on his nominee to lead the Bank of Thailand (BoT) and submitted the selection to the Cabinet for consideration today. Speaking to reporters, Pichai made it clear he had no reservations about collaborating with whichever candidate ultimately gets the nod. “Whoever is selected, I’ll…

  • Highway: Foreign tourist tries to pay Pattaya taxi fare with marijuana | Thaiger

    Highway: Foreign tourist tries to pay Pattaya taxi fare with marijuana

    A foreign tourist tried to pay his 2,000-baht taxi fare from Bangkok to Pattaya with a giant bag of marijuana, leaving the stunned cabbie out of pocket and steaming mad. The bizarre incident unfolded in the early hours of today, July 15, when 54 year old veteran driver Prachuap, picked up the man at Suvarnabhumi International Airport for a trip…

  • Cambodian mother suspects school bullying in daughter’s suicide | Thaiger

    Cambodian mother suspects school bullying in daughter’s suicide

    A Cambodian mother believed her daughter committed suicide at a school in Nonthaburi province, near Bangkok, yesterday, July 14, after allegedly being bullied due to ongoing tensions between Thailand and Cambodia. A Thai man, Wanlop Yimdee, was the first person to discover the body of the 15 year old Cambodian girl, Jittinan Suksawat. She was found lying lifeless on a…

  • Transgender Thais win free hormone therapy in gold card revolution | Thaiger

    Transgender Thais win free hormone therapy in gold card revolution

    Thailand’s Board of the National Health Security Office (NHSO) has approved a sweeping plan to make hormone therapy for gender affirmation an official health benefit under the country’s Universal Health Coverage, known as the Gold Card system. The move, green-lit with a budget exceeding 145 million baht for fiscal year 2025, aims to promote equality and improve the well-being of…

  • Brollies up as Bangkok and 38 provinces brace for floods | Thaiger

    Brollies up as Bangkok and 38 provinces brace for floods

    Get ready to be drenched, the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) warned that Bangkok and 38 provinces are in for a lashing, with heavy rain, flash floods and forest runoffs on the cards. The TMD have sounded the alarm, urging residents, especially those in low-lying areas or near rivers and canals, to stay on high alert as the downpours roll in. The…

  • Helmet-wielding lunatic causes chaos in Pattaya fast food joint | Thaiger

    Helmet-wielding lunatic causes chaos in Pattaya fast food joint

    A helmet-wielding lunatic sparked panic on a busy Pattaya street after attacking innocent bystanders in a bizarre bid to make headlines, so his estranged wife would notice him. Police scrambled to Soi Nern Plab Wan at 11.06pm, yesterday, July 14 after reports of a deranged man lashing out with a safety helmet outside a fast-food joint. The scene was already…

  • CCTV captures foreign men taking Thai man’s cat in Phuket | Thaiger

    CCTV captures foreign men taking Thai man’s cat in Phuket

    A Thai man urged two foreign men to return his pet cat after they were caught on CCTV taking the animal from outside his restaurant in Phuket. The cat’s owner, Win Mungkon, took to social media yesterday, July 13, to search for his missing pet, whose name was not revealed. He asked Newshawk Phuket to help publicise the incident in…

  • Youth clashes in Buriram spark fear with explosive disturbances | Thaiger

    Youth clashes in Buriram spark fear with explosive disturbances

    Youths wielding weapons clashed in a mass brawl in Buriram’s Mueang district, causing alarm among locals due to explosive noises over three consecutive nights. The incident reportedly involved nearly 50 people, some armed with long knives. A viral Facebook video captured the chaos where one group was heard shouting, “Don’t talk to me about the law; it can’t do anything.”…

  • Boot and run: Thug kicks young Thai woman in Pattaya bar assault | Thaiger

    Boot and run: Thug kicks young Thai woman in Pattaya bar assault

    A 21 year old woman was left traumatised and housebound after being viciously kicked in the head by a stranger during a shocking unprovoked attack at a Pattaya bar, all because someone allegedly thought she was “staring.” The victim, known only as Piano, had been enjoying a night out with two friends in the Nong Prue area of the resort…

  • Baht’s life: Monsoon gloom rains on Phuket’s holiday parade | Thaiger

    Baht’s life: Monsoon gloom rains on Phuket’s holiday parade

    Phuket raked in nearly 3 billion baht during the four-day religious holiday but tourist numbers have taken a worrying dip, with Chinese arrivals more than halved and Middle Eastern travellers staying away. The Khao Phansa Buddhist holiday on July 10–11 gave locals a golden excuse for a long weekend, sending thousands of Thai tourists flocking to the island. Foreigners, meanwhile,…

  • Naked American man in Bangkok sewer refuses help and bites rescuers | Thaiger

    Naked American man in Bangkok sewer refuses help and bites rescuers

    A naked American man, trapped in a Bangkok sewer, refused assistance from a rescue team and bit one of the rescuers on her wrist. Officers from Bang Khun Thian Police Station today, July 14, responded to an incident outside a condominium on Kanlapaphruek Road in the Chom Thong district of Bangkok after the condo manager reported seeing a naked foreign…

  • Ruff justice: Phuket MP bites back over ‘mafia dog’ slur | Thaiger

    Ruff justice: Phuket MP bites back over ‘mafia dog’ slur

    A Phuket MP has filed a police complaint after being branded a “servant dog of the Chinese mafia” in a vicious online smear campaign that he says was designed to destroy his reputation. Chalermpong Saengdee, Member of Parliament for Constituency 2 in Phuket, marched into Phuket City Police Station at 10am, yesterday, July 14, with his lawyer in tow, demanding…

  • Truck crash in Lop Buri kills woman at fruit stall | Thaiger

    Truck crash in Lop Buri kills woman at fruit stall

    A six-wheel truck with a trailer lost control and crashed into a roadside fruit stall, leading to the death of a woman yesterday, July 13. Her husband narrowly escaped the incident, which occurred in Lop Buri province, while the driver is suspected to have fallen asleep at the wheel. Police Lieutenant Colonel Natthapong Wongwang from the Tha Hin Police Station…

  • Bangkok shop raid uncovers kratom juice and dangerous drugs | Thaiger

    Bangkok shop raid uncovers kratom juice and dangerous drugs

    Police raided a shop called TOM GUN KUP near a university in Bangkok, seizing a large quantity of kratom juice and dangerous drugs. The operation yesterday, July 13, led to the arrest of 26 year old Jirakit and 23 year old sales employee, Nanthanat. Police Colonel Santi Kornkasem, along with his team, including Deputy Superintendent Voraprat Wuttarak and Police Captain…

  • GI dough! Retired American blows a fuse in Pattaya bar brawl | Thaiger

    GI dough! Retired American blows a fuse in Pattaya bar brawl

    A retired American soldier turned English teacher went berserk at a South Pattaya bar last night, frightening staff and sending security into full alert. But, his fury ended up in handcuffs after a full-blown meltdown on Soi 5. The former American GI, James, thought to be around 60, is accused of spitting at bar girls, smashing a pot of incense,…

  • Ladies’ night bust-up in Pattaya leaves serial sleaze in cuffs | Thaiger

    Ladies’ night bust-up in Pattaya leaves serial sleaze in cuffs

    Pattaya police have appealed for more witnesses after a suspected serial sleazebag, dubbed the “Boom Khunphaen Rider,” was dramatically restrained by a group of angry women in the heart of Pattaya on Saturday night. He has been accused of blackmail, threats and physical violence. The 26 year old motorbike courier, named as Phonlawat, was reportedly chased down and cornered outside…

  • US author issues grim warning for dream-chasers in Thailand | Thaiger

    US author issues grim warning for dream-chasers in Thailand

    A retired American expat who swapped Wall Street for Sukhumvit issued a stark warning to farangs chasing a dream retirement in Thailand in his latest book: “Come unprepared, and Thailand will chew you up and spit you out.” The blunt advice comes from a former finance and cider mogul who cashed out young and moved to Thailand in his forties,…

  • Pae’s the limit: New poll reveals most Thais want PM to quit | Thaiger

    Pae’s the limit: New poll reveals most Thais want PM to quit

    Pressure is piling on currently suspended Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, with a new poll showing most of the public want her to quit or call fresh elections, just weeks after a leaked audio tape threw her government into crisis. The latest survey by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA poll), titled “What path should Thai politics take?” found…

  • Ex-monk arrested for stealing 18,000 baht from donation box | Thaiger

    Ex-monk arrested for stealing 18,000 baht from donation box

    A former monk, recently defrocked for 10 days, has been apprehended for stealing 18,000 baht from a donation box. He claims he was drunk and heard voices instructing him to commit the theft. Yesterday, July 13, Police Colonel Wisit Buasongwong assigned Police Lieutenant Colonel Patipat Nuekhoomueang, Police Lieutenant Colonel Suwit Phumprakhon, and Police Sub-Lieutenant Nueng Chaiyamongkol to arrest 54 year…

  • Snack thief armed with scissors caught after convenience store heist | Thaiger

    Snack thief armed with scissors caught after convenience store heist

    Police arrested a Thai man in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen after he threatened a convenience store employee with a pair of scissors and fled with stolen snacks. The incident was reported to Mueang Khon Kaen Police Station at 2.36am yesterday, July 13, after the suspect escaped on a motorcycle. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. According to the employee,…

  • Major traffic accident in Nakhon Ratchasima leaves 10 vehicles damaged | Thaiger

    Major traffic accident in Nakhon Ratchasima leaves 10 vehicles damaged

    A major accident involving over 10 vehicles occurred on Mittraphap Road, Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima province, causing substantial traffic congestion. Police swiftly responded to assist those trapped in vehicles after receiving a report at 12.20pm yesterday, July 13. Police Lieutenant Colonel Thanachok Patanatawee from Klang Dong Police Station, along with emergency services from Klang Dong Subdistrict Municipality, Simamongkol Municipality,…

  • 4 Thai and Chinese men arrested for kidnapping and extortion in Pattaya | Thaiger

    4 Thai and Chinese men arrested for kidnapping and extortion in Pattaya

    Police arrested two Thai men and two Chinese nationals for kidnapping and extorting a Chinese tourist in Pattaya. The 52 year old victim, Lin, was abducted by four men posing as police officers on July 10 while standing outside a noodle shop on Pattaya Sai Sam Road. The gang arrived in an SUV and forced him into their vehicle. According…

  • Pattaya mechanic batters customer to death after row over parts | Thaiger

    Pattaya mechanic batters customer to death after row over parts

    A petty row over motorbike parts turned into a fatal street brawl in Pattaya, leaving a 33 year old man dead and his long-time mechanic friend facing a murder charge. The deadly drama unfolded in the early hours of Saturday, July 12 when 31 year old Somjet Sapprasert, allegedly bludgeoned his customer, 33 year old Sonthaya “Toomtam” Nuchlek, to death…

  • Pickup truck crashes into expressway pillar in Nonthaburi | Thaiger

    Pickup truck crashes into expressway pillar in Nonthaburi

    A pickup truck collided with an expressway pillar, severely damaging the vehicle. Police and emergency services arrived at the scene in Mueang Thong Thani, Nonthaburi. They are set to review CCTV footage to determine the cause of the accident that took place at 2.40am today, July 14. The accident occurred in the Ban Mai subdistrict, Pak Kret district, where a…

  • Holy scandal! Monks caught with robes down in Miss Golf romp | Thaiger

    Holy scandal! Monks caught with robes down in Miss Golf romp

    A saucy scandal involving 11 randy monks and a mystery woman known only as Miss Golf has sent shockwaves through Thailand’s Buddhist community and now the country’s top clerics are scrambling to clean up the mess. Thailand’s Sangha Supreme Council (SSC) is forming a special committee to review monastic regulations in the wake of a sex scandal that’s left the…

  • Soaked and furious! 39 Thailand provinces braced for drenching | Thaiger

    Soaked and furious! 39 Thailand provinces braced for drenching

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a warning for today, July 14, indicating that 39 provinces in Thailand will experience heavy rainfall, covering 60% of the area. Seven provinces, including Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Nong Khai, and Bueng Kan, are advised to prepare for potential hazards such as flash floods and runoff. The weather…

  • Man’s failed gold heist thwarted by brave staff in Ranong | Thaiger

    Man’s failed gold heist thwarted by brave staff in Ranong

    A man, identified as 35 year old Sumet from Trang province, attempted a daring theft at a renowned gold shop in Ranong. He managed to seize gold necklaces valued at approximately 500,000 baht before being captured by a quick-thinking employee and good Samaritans. The incident occurred at 7.29pm yesterday, July 12, when local police were alerted to a robbery at…

  • Buriram man caught with stolen motorcycle and drugs | Thaiger

    Buriram man caught with stolen motorcycle and drugs

    A 22 year old man has been apprehended for stealing a motorcycle from residents in Buriram, intending to impress a girlfriend. The police, upon investigation, discovered drugs and stolen money with him. The suspect is now in custody. Today, July 13, Police Lieutenant Colonel Theerapong Phonarin, an investigator at Baan Dan Police Station in Baan Dan district, Buriram province, received…

  • Thai soldiers intercept illegal entrants from Cambodia | Thaiger

    Thai soldiers intercept illegal entrants from Cambodia

    Yesterday, July 12, Thai military personnel discovered two people, a man and a woman, entering Thailand from Cambodia through an illicit route. They were found without passports and had reportedly been working in Poipet, Cambodia, under false pretenses. The pair, who were suspected of illegal entry, were intercepted by soldiers from the Burapha Force and the 1201st Ranger Company along…

  • Motorcyclist’s body found in canal after Bangkok accident | Thaiger

    Motorcyclist’s body found in canal after Bangkok accident

    A motorcyclist’s tragic accident resulted in his body being found in a drainage canal, prompting police to examine CCTV footage for a clearer understanding of the incident. Witnesses questioned whether a public transport vehicle was involved. At 1.30am today, July 13, Police Lieutenant Nattapong Kanarat from Bukkhalo Police Station received a report of a fatal motorcycle accident at the entrance…