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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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    Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run

    Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...

  • UK teen faces possible life sentence for cannabis smuggling

    UK teen faces possible life sentence for cannabis smuggling

    A missing UK teen feared lost in Thailand has turned up 4,000 miles away—in handcuffs, facing a possible life sentence for allegedly smuggling cannabis into Georgia. Bella Culley, 18, from Billingham, County Durham, was reported missing on Tuesday, May 13, after family members lost contact with her during what they believed was a solo trip through Thailand. She had previously…

  • Thai woman accuses monk and his family of physically assaulting her

    Thai woman accuses monk and his family of physically assaulting her

    A Thai woman is seeking justice after a monk and his family members allegedly manipulated her mother and physically assaulted her at their family home in the central province of Nakhon Sawan. The woman took to social media to share a video of the alleged assault by the monk and his elderly family members, which occurred on May 17. She…

  • Pattaya cracks down on cars blocking wheelchair paths

    Pattaya cracks down on cars blocking wheelchair paths

    Pattaya officials are finally parking the problem for good. In a bold crackdown that’s earning applause across the city, municipal officers and traffic police have launched a campaign to fine drivers who illegally park on wheelchair-accessible pathways. The first sweep took place on Soi Paniadchang, located behind Big C Central Pattaya, where enforcement teams issued tickets and fines to motorists blocking designated…

  • Krungsri delays new credit lines amid US tariff uncertainty

    Krungsri delays new credit lines amid US tariff uncertainty

    Companies are delaying the utilisation of new credit lines due to waiting for further clarification on US tariffs following the recent announcement of a 90-day suspension period, as reported by a Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri) executive. Prakob Phiencharoen, who leads Krungsri’s corporate and investment banking group, stated that the bank is maintaining vigilance over corporate loan demand for the rest…

  • Missing durian vendor believed safe after CCTV footage emerges

    Missing durian vendor believed safe after CCTV footage emerges

    Police assure that a female durian seller, who went missing in the southern province of Surat Thani, is safe, despite her family’s growing concern. The family of 43 year old missing durian vendor Sujittra, also known as Jay Kaew, filed a complaint with Mueang Surat Thani Police Station after she failed to return home at her usual time on May…

  • Pattaya cracks top 10 safest cities in ASEAN

    Pattaya cracks top 10 safest cities in ASEAN

    In a surprising twist that’s turning heads across Southeast Asia, Pattaya, long known for its wild nightlife, has been named one of the Top 10 Safest Cities in ASEAN for 2025. The ranking, released by Numbeo, a global database that tracks cost of living and quality of life, placed Pattaya at 9th with a Safety Index score of 53.9. The…

  • Murder mystery: Man’s body in barrel at Nakhon Sawan reservoir

    Murder mystery: Man’s body in barrel at Nakhon Sawan reservoir

    A series of investigative meetings were convened by Police Major General Narewitch Sukonthawit, commander of Nakhon Sawan provincial police, to address the case of a man’s body found in a submerged barrel at the Takro Reservoir, Nakhon Sawan, yesterday, May 19. The deceased, an approximately 50 year old Thai man, had a gunshot wound to the chest and was wearing…

  • Chiang Rai water contamination raises public health alarm

    Chiang Rai water contamination raises public health alarm

    A toxic tide is rising in northern Thailand. Dangerous levels of arsenic and lead have been found in the Sai River and parts of the Kok River in Chiang Rai, triggering serious concerns over public health, the environment, and local food sources. According to a damning new report from the Office of Environmental and Pollution Control Region 1 in Chiang…

  • Man dies in expressway crash caused by pineapple peel spill

    Man dies in expressway crash caused by pineapple peel spill

    A tragic accident occurred on the Kanchanaphisek Expressway towards Bang Khun Thian, resulting in the death of a 34 year old man. The accident today, May 20, at 3.50am, involved a black Mazda sedan that skidded on pineapple peels and crashed into a ten-wheel truck. Police are investigating the incident. Police Lieutenant Iserat Tansoo from Phra Pradaeng Police Station in…

  • Thai principal axed for forcing kids into rain for flag ceremony

    Thai principal axed for forcing kids into rain for flag ceremony

    A Thai school principal has been removed from her post after she forced students to hoist the national flag during a raging storm, sparking fury among parents and outrage across the country. Jeeraporn Sanguansuchart, director of Ban Hin Kob School in Pathiu district, Chumphon, ordered three students to march outside and raise the Thai flag on the first day of the new term, despite…

  • Thai girl rescued after being pimped out by mother and aunt

    Thai girl rescued after being pimped out by mother and aunt

    The Pavena Foundation for Children and Women and police officers rescued a 13 year old girl who was pimped out by her biological mother and aunt in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan. The teenage victim confided in her father on April 26 after she successfully escaped from her abusive mother in Prachuap Khiri Khan to live with him in…

  • Tragic canal car accident in Samut Sakhon claims one life

    Tragic canal car accident in Samut Sakhon claims one life

    Police and locals worked against the clock to rescue people trapped in a car that had overturned and submerged in a canal. Three people were saved, but one later died at the hospital. At 1.30pm yesterday, May 19, Police Sub-Lieutenant Chaiwat Tiammeka, an inquiry officer at Ban Phaeo Police Station in Samut Sakhon province, received a report of a car…

  • Couple faces legal action for embezzling Nakhon Pathom temple

    Couple faces legal action for embezzling Nakhon Pathom temple

    Police are set to take legal action against a couple accused of embezzling funds from Rai Khing Temple in Nakhon Pathom. The investigation revealed that the couple was involved in handling annual fair rental fees, leading to suspicions of financial misconduct. Yesterday, May 19, police, led by Police Lieutenant General Jaroonkiat Pankaew and Police Major General Prasong Chalermpun, along with…

  • Top Thai vending brand to blend fresh fruit smoothies

    Top Thai vending brand to blend fresh fruit smoothies

    Forth Vending Co Ltd, which operates Tao Bin smart beverage vending machines, intends to procure fresh fruit directly from farmers to enhance its smoothie and juice range. Wittayakorn Maneenetr, Director General of the Department of Internal Trade (DIT), expressed that the department is advancing the government’s fruit management strategy for the 2025 harvest season. To stabilise fruit prices and boost…

  • Thai man fatally shoots employee over affair with his wife (video)

    Thai man fatally shoots employee over affair with his wife (video)

    A Thai man surrendered to police today after fatally shooting an employee in a pickup yesterday, over an alleged affair with his wife. The incident was reported to Bang Bua Thong Police Station at around 9pm yesterday, May 19, by a 47 year old petrol station worker on Bang Phai-Nong Prao Ngai Road in the Bang Bua Thong district of…

  • Cops bust Pattaya branch linked to Chinese scam syndicate

    Cops bust Pattaya branch linked to Chinese scam syndicate

    Pattaya locals were left stunned yesterday when more than 20 police officers—some in uniform, others in plainclothes—stormed a bank on Sukhumvit Road in a dramatic midday raid. The operation, linked to an investigation into a massive Chinese call centre scam network, sent shockwaves through the city’s financial and expat communities. The surprise raid was spearheaded by Major General Thirachai Chamnan,…

  • Body of Myanmar man missing after drowning in Phuket pond

    Body of Myanmar man missing after drowning in Phuket pond

    What began as a relaxing day off ended in heartbreak when a young Myanmar man drowned while swimming with friends in Phuket. The 20 year old man vanished beneath the surface in front of his horrified mates, sparking a desperate search by local rescue teams. The incident occurred on Sunday evening, May 18, in Srisoonthorn, Thalang district. At around 6.30pm, officers from Thalang…

  • Truck driver falls asleep, crashes into car in Phang Nga

    Truck driver falls asleep, crashes into car in Phang Nga

    An 18-wheel truck driver reportedly fell asleep at the wheel yesterday and collided with a Nissan March, which was stationary at a red light. The incident occurred yesterday, May 19, on Phetkasem Road in Phang Nga province. This accident resulted in one death and three serious injuries. Police Lieutenant Colonel Ekphop Phuthong of Takua Thung Police Station was informed of…

  • PM Paetongtarn explores UK, Monaco for Thai market expansion

    PM Paetongtarn explores UK, Monaco for Thai market expansion

    Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will visit the UK and Monaco tomorrow until Sunday, May 25, aiming to explore new market opportunities in food, sports, and tourism. Government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub announced yesterday that the prime minister, accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and other agencies, will leave for London this evening, with…

  • Thailand bets big on rain with 1.17tn baht tourism push

    Thailand bets big on rain with 1.17tn baht tourism push

    Who says the rainy season is a travel killer? Thailand’s tourism chiefs are flipping the script with a bold new campaign aiming to turn soggy skies into serious cash, targeting a jaw-dropping 1.17 trillion baht in domestic tourism revenue in 2025. On Sunday, May 18, Deputy Government Spokesperson Sasikarn Watthanachan announced the launch of 12 creative tourism campaigns under the…

  • Busted: Aussie caught with 22kg of crystal meth at Bangkok airport

    Busted: Aussie caught with 22kg of crystal meth at Bangkok airport

    An Australian man’s flight to freedom ended in handcuffs after he was caught trying to smuggle a staggering 22 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as “Ice,” aboard a plane bound for Melbourne. The suspect, 28 year old Tran Huybao Khang, was arrested on Sunday, May 18, at Suvarnabhumi International Airport next to Thai Airways flight TG461. He was reportedly…

  • Thailand postpones digital wallet scheme indefinitely

    Thailand postpones digital wallet scheme indefinitely

    The Thai government indefinitely postponed the digital wallet programme, citing world economic issues and a new US tax policy as the reasons for the delay. The digital wallet scheme was a flagship campaign of the Pheu Thai Party and has been promoted since the General Election. The initiative is reported to be of the former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. The…

  • Tragic shooting in Pattani claims lives of two volunteers

    Tragic shooting in Pattani claims lives of two volunteers

    Two members of a volunteer protection unit died, and two others were injured in a shooting in Pattani province yesterday, May 19, at 5.30pm. The attack targeted five local volunteers running for exercise in Mueang Mai Kaen district’s Don Sai subdistrict. The assailants, dressed in hijabs to disguise themselves as Muslim women, arrived on motorcycles. Upon reaching the village’s main…

  • Transwoman nicked after Pattaya Beach brawl with Israeli tourist

    Transwoman nicked after Pattaya Beach brawl with Israeli tourist

    A Thai transwoman who fled the scene of a violent late-night brawl with an Israeli tourist has been arrested by Pattaya police. The suspect vanished shortly after chaos erupted on Pattaya Beach Road during the early hours, where at least five transgender women were caught on video attacking an Israeli tourist in a black T-shirt. The row reportedly kicked off…

  • Tragic collision in Ayutthaya leaves one dead and another injured

    Tragic collision in Ayutthaya leaves one dead and another injured

    A tragic collision occurred early this morning involving a speeding pickup truck crashing into a cement-carrying trailer, resulting in one fatality and one person critically injured in Ayutthaya. The trailer then lost control, crashing through a wall and damaging a spirit house shop at a petrol station. Police are investigating the true cause of the incident. Today, May 20, Police…

  • Rescue volunteer shocked as foreigner trashes Pattaya booth

    Rescue volunteer shocked as foreigner trashes Pattaya booth

    A shocked rescue volunteer in Pattaya is pleading for justice after a mystery foreigner allegedly smashed into his emergency booth, causing thousands of baht in damage, including wrecking a defibrillator. Thawin Siangkong, who works unpaid for the Sawang Boriboon Rescue Unit, reported the late-night break-in to Pattaya police in the early hours of today, May 20. Armed with CCTV footage…

  • Near miss: Cement chunk smashes woman’s car on Rama II

    Near miss: Cement chunk smashes woman’s car on Rama II

    A terrified motorist narrowly escaped injury after a chunk of cement came crashing down from an overpass and smashed into her rear window while she was driving. The alarming incident occurred yesterday, May 19, on Phra Ram 2 Road near The Niche ID Rama 2 condo, at the expressway exit ramp. The road, notorious for its endless construction and traffic…

  • Ex-British air hostess busted in Sri Lanka over 67 million drug stash

    Ex-British air hostess busted in Sri Lanka over 67 million drug stash

    An ex-British air hostess has been busted in Sri Lanka over a massive £1.5 million (66.5 million baht) cannabis haul, just days after another young Brit was arrested for a similar smuggling run from Thailand. Charlotte May Lee, from Coulsdon in South London, was arrested at Colombo Airport, Monday, May 12, after touching down on a flight from Bangkok. Customs…

  • Runaway van slams into 4 taxis outside Phuket Airport

    Runaway van slams into 4 taxis outside Phuket Airport

    A chaotic crash unfolded outside Phuket International Airport’s international arrivals terminal yesterday afternoon when a van’s accelerator reportedly jammed, setting off a domino-effect collision involving four taxis. The incident happened around 12.50pm yesterday, May 19, right on the first-floor platform. Despite the heavy impact, no injuries were reported. Witnesses were left stunned as the Toyota Commuter van, bearing the distinctive…

  • Thailand braces for heavy rain and flash floods warning

    Thailand braces for heavy rain and flash floods warning

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) issued another warning for heavy rainfall across Thailand, urging residents to exercise caution due to potential flash floods and forest runoffs. The weather forecast for the next 24 hours indicates heavy showers in parts of north Thailand, northeast Thailand, central Thailand, including Bangkok and its vicinity, east Thailand, and the west coast of south Thailand.…