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.
-
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...
-
Burglar steals TV and fan, uses drugs and sniffs underwear
A burglar climbed into a woman’s house, cutting the chain on her door, stealing a TV and a fan, and then casually using drugs and sniffing underwear in the kitchen. The police are actively pursuing the suspect. Police in Udon Thani were alerted to a burglary at a single-storey cement house in the Ban Muang community near Wat Thammasena. The…
-
Police seize 240,000 meth pills after high-speed chase
A high-speed chase involving a drug trafficking gang in Mukdahan province led to the arrest of one suspect and the seizure of 240,000 methamphetamine pills, while another suspect managed to escape into the forest. Under the supervision of Chatchai, the provincial police chief, officers were instructed to intensify drug trafficking inspections. The operation, led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Phonchai Phuchomchit…
-
Six-wheel truck rampage damages 20 cars on Rama II Road (video)
A chaotic scene unfolded on Rama II Road as a six-wheel truck went on a rampage, crashing into over 20 parked vehicles. Locals and police joined forces to chase the vehicle but the driver did not stop. A video clip circulated online yesterday, July 17, showing a group of motorcyclists pursuing a six-wheel truck that had caused multiple collisions and…
-
15 year old boy arrested after motorcycle theft and crash in Pattaya
A 15 year old boy has been taken into custody by police after allegedly stealing a motorcycle and causing an accident in Pattaya early yesterday. The incident unfolded at 3.30am in Soi Khao Noi, Nongprue sub-district, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province. Emergency responders arrived at the scene to discover a Honda Wave 125 motorcycle, driven by the 15 year…
-
Thailand’s digital wallet disaster: MFP oppose budget
Opposition parties have taken a firm stand against the supplementary budget bill, targeting the controversial digital wallet scheme. Estimated at a staggering 450 billion baht, the scheme is criticised for its alleged inefficacy in boosting the GDP and potential legal issues, which could set a detrimental precedent for future national budgeting and fiscal policies. Sirikanya Tansakul, Deputy Leader of the…
-
Byte-sized shopping: TikTok dances into ASEAN e-commerce scene
TikTok, the social media phenomenon owned by ByteDance, is now a formidable force in e-commerce. According to a recent report by Momentum Works, published in Nikkei Asia, TikTok Shop’s gross merchandise volume (GMV) soared from US$4.4 billion (around 158 billion baht) in 2022 to a staggering US$16.3 billion in 2023. This explosive growth has catapulted TikTok to second place in…
-
Elderly woman forced to sell meth to support four grandchildren
Krabi Provincial Narcotics Suppression Unit, targetted a local drug hotspot in Krabi Noi subdistrict today, July 17, but a subsequent raid uncovered a drug operation run by an elderly woman, who sold methamphetamine pills to care for her grandchildren. During the investigation, a search of her residence yielded 122 methamphetamine pills hidden in her bedroom. The dealer, 64 year old…
-
Foreign man found sleeping in monk attire on Pattaya Beach
Concerned locals and tourists alerted the Pattaya police to the presence of an unidentified foreign man sleeping on Pattaya Beach at around 3.40am today. The man, who was dressed in a monk’s robe and a white shirt, was found lying on the sand. Upon closer inspection, police discovered he was also wearing white pants. When questioned, the man was incoherent,…
-
Royal flush: Thai cops deal out arrests in billion-baht gambling bust
Royal Thai Police (RTP) swooped on a gambling website with over five billion baht in circulation and arrested two Thai men behind the operation. One of them, the son of a former senator, was arrested during a Dhamma retreat. Officers from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) and the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) launched Operation Shutdown, targeting two e-payment service…
-
Fast and furious food delivery rider wrecks Pattaya ATM
In a shocking act of vandalism caught on camera, a man in a green GrabFood delivery uniform went on a destructive spree, smashing an ATM at a bank in Soi Nern Plub Wan, East Pattaya. The incident, which occurred on Monday, July 15 amid heavy traffic, has left locals stunned and alarmed. Witnesses reported that the rider’s frustration escalated after…
-
Cluck and awe: Thai chicken butcher’s meth side hustle foiled
A chicken butcher at a local market in Rayong, discreetly selling methamphetamine pills on the side in pursuit of quick wealth was arrested, following a delivery attempt which was thwarted by the police. The Chief of Bang Lamung district, Police Colonel Nawin Sinsuttharat, and Deputy Police Colonel Supawat Latthapreecha, along with the Narcotics Suppression Division yesterday, July 16, apprehended a…
-
Bangkok’s Wat Pho climbs Asia’s top travel list
Bangkok’s Wat Phra Chetuphon, famously known as Wat Pho, clinched a coveted spot among TripAdvisor’s 25 most popular destinations in Asia for 2024. This year, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha proudly stands at 9th place, a testament to its enduring appeal since it first made the list in 2020. TripAdvisor’s glowing recommendation highlights the tranquil allure of Wat Pho,…
-
Beach horror: Lower body find sends shockwaves in central Thailand
A hotel employee yesterday discovered the lower part of a human body on Laem Sadet Beach in the central province of Chanthaburi. Police are struggling to identify the deceased due to the missing upper half, including the head. The 39 year old hotel worker, whose name has not been disclosed, told Matichon that he found the human remains at approximately…
-
Mae Hong Son cracks down on inappropriate tourist behaviour
Mae Hong Son Governor Chucheep Pongchai issued an urgent directive to tighten regulations and enhance supervision of tourism activities in the Pai district, following reports of inappropriate behaviour by some foreign tourists during river tubing on the Pai River. The matter came to the fore when a local resort owner in Pai raised concerns about the current state of tubing…
-
PM Srettha’s 122 billion baht budget boost to stimulate economy
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin launched the first reading of an additional budget for fiscal 2024, earmarking a whopping 122 billion baht for economic stimulus through the digital wallet scheme. Addressing the House, the Thai Premier outlined the government’s plan to disburse a 10,000-baht digital handout, aimed at enhancing the quality of life and generating job opportunities. “We cannot afford to…
-
Marriott International report reveals trends amongst affluent Asia Pacific travellers
A recent Marriott International report has outlined key emerging trends amongst high-income travellers in the Asia Pacific. The New Luxe Landscapes Report written by The Luxury Group (a brand which falls under the Marriott International business portfolio) explored how affluent tourists prefer to travel. The data included insights from the wealthiest 10% of people across six markets, Australia, Singapore, South…
-
NBTC suspends SIM cards to tackle call centre scams
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) of Thailand, in partnership with the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), launched a significant operation aimed at regulating mobile banking and combating call centre scams. The initiative led to the suspension of 1,096,000 phone numbers registered to users holding more than 101 SIM cards. A member of the NBTC board, Police General Nathathorn Prousoontorn,…
-
Bangkok bike bungle: Drunk taxi driver’s crash leads to two injuries
A drunk Thai taxi driver crashed his car into four motorcycles in Soi Ratchadaphisek 66 in Bangkok resulting in two injuries. He initially claimed he was not drunk and that the bottles found in his car contained milk, not alcohol. Ratchadaphisek neighbourhood residents stopped the 52 year old taxi driver, Udon, on Saturday, July 13, who had fled the scene…
-
Court snubs Move Forward Party’s plea: Verdict moved to August 7
The Constitutional Court has thrown out the opposition Move Forward Party (MFP)‘s request for an inquiry, claiming it has ample evidence to make a ruling. The Election Commission (EC) has been pushing for the party’s dissolution and a 10-year political ban on its executive committee, due to their election campaign advocating for the amendment of the lèse majesté law. Despite…
-
Online gambling crackdown: Police bet big, net 400 million baht
Police swooped on a major online gambling network, resulting in the arrest of two key figures and the seizure of assets worth over 400 million baht. The operation, named Shutdown, targeted the Askmepay and Hengpay payment systems implicated in the illegal activities. At 10.30am yesterday, July 16, police officials announced the successful raid on three locations in Bangkok. The operation…
-
Siblings face prison time for extortion, coercion of former monk
The Southern Bangkok Criminal Court today sentenced a woman and her brother for their involvement in extortion, and coercion of a well-known monk, squeezing over 300,000 baht out of him. The siblings expressed remorse but still faced a prison sentence. The legal proceedings stemmed from incidents occurring between April 5 and April 21 last year. During this period, Weerinchita allegedly…
-
Thailand to boost exports with soft power in China and Hong Kong
In a move to boost exports, Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) is targeting China and Hong Kong markets with a potent mix of soft power. From tantalising Thai food to fashion and films, the DITP is pulling out all the stops. DITP Director-General Phusit Ratanakul Seriroengrit announced Monday that eight offices in China and Hong Kong are spearheading…
-
Drug trafficking in 25 Thai provinces to be eradicated in 3 months
The Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) declared its commitment to achieving Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s ambitious goal of eradicating drug trafficking in 25 of Thailand’s most affected provinces within three months. The Bangkok-born PM announced his national priority to eliminate illegal drugs during a Cabinet meeting yesterday, July 16, setting a strict three-month deadline for state agencies to address the issue.…
-
Murder-suicide: 6 Vietnamese deaths linked to 10 million baht debt
Following the suspicious deaths of six Vietnamese nationals at a hotel in Bangkok, Thai police discovered that one of the deceased, a Vietnamese-American woman, allegedly poisoned her friends before committing suicide with the toxin over a 10 million baht debt. The Metropolitan Police Bureau of Thailand revealed more details of the case in a press conference, today, July 17, following…
-
Chinese influencer murder suspect arrested in Macau
A suspect linked to the alleged murder of Chinese influencer Yan Ruimin has been arrested in Macau, ensnared by a pawnshop scam. Macau police announced the capture of the 34 year old suspect on Monday, July 15, identified only by his surname Ma, who had allegedly tried to defraud a pawnshop with a counterfeit luxury watch. During his detention, local…
-
Pervert surrenders after clip of him masturbating at uni goes viral
A man voluntarily surrendered to the police after a video of him exposing himself and masturbating near a prominent university went viral on social media yesterday, July 16, causing alarm among female students. The public masturbation was reported by Anan Worrasart, a senior police officer at Bang Khen Police Station. Last night, Anan, along with his colleagues accepted the surrender…
-
Phuket cleanup in full swing after storm wreaks havoc
Teams of workers are diligently clearing debris across Phuket after a severe storm struck the island overnight. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) reported that the storm brought intense rain and winds reaching up to 68 kilometres per hour, causing significant disruption. The municipalities of Wichit and Thepkrasattri confirmed that several trees were uprooted, minor flooding occurred, and there was damage…
-
Thailand’s industrial sentiment hits two-year low amid political strife
Thailand’s industrial sentiment index experienced a decline for the third consecutive month in June, reaching its lowest point in two years, according to the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). The drop is attributed to a sluggish economy, weak demand, and increasing bad debt problems. The FTI reported that the industrial sentiment index fell to 87.2 in June, down from 88.5…
-
Bangkok police arrest Thai woman for trafficking underage girls
Police apprehended a 22 year old Thai woman for trafficking underage girls for prostitution at a well-known hotel in Bangkok. A 14 year old girl was among the victims and police are providing immediate assistance. Officers from the Bang Rak Police Station, led by Thammasak Saraboon and Tharet Wongwaranurak, arrested a Thai woman named Luksana (surname withheld) at a hotel…
-
Thailand undecided between Swedish Gripen and US F-16 jets
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin confirmed the government remains undecided on whether to select the Swedish-made Gripen or the US-made F-16 for the Royal Thai Air Force‘s (RTAF) new fighter jet procurement project. Details of the required offset policy from Saab AB and Lockheed Martin, manufacturers of the Gripen E/F and the F-16 Block 70/72 respectively, are still pending, according to…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.