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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  • British couple busted for running Xanax scam in Thailand

    British couple busted for running Xanax scam in Thailand

    A British couple who led a multimillion-pound fake Xanax ring from a lavish Thai villa are facing a lengthy jail sentence. The couple, 29 year old Brian Pitts and 26 year old Katie Harlow, allegedly orchestrated an international drug empire from their opulent hideaway in Thailand, flooding the dark web with counterfeit Xanax pills produced in makeshift labs across the…

  • Alcohol dispute in Sisaket led to arson attack and fatal house fire

    Alcohol dispute in Sisaket led to arson attack and fatal house fire

    A manhunt is underway for a suspect who allegedly doused three people with gasoline before setting fire to a house, killing a bedridden individual and severely injuring two others. This heinous act follows a denied request for alcohol. Police are hunting for Khamphan Wannathong, following a fatal arson attack at a house in Khun Han District, Sisaket. The tragic incident…

  • Thailand and South Korea team up for global water festival

    Thailand and South Korea team up for global water festival

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Jeollanam-do have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly promote Thailand’s Songkran Festival and Jeollanam-do’s Jeongnamjin Jangheung Water Festival. The signing ceremony, held on Monday, June 17 in Seoul, South Korea, was graced by H.E. Tanee Sangrat, Ambassador of Thailand to the Republic of Korea. The MOU was officially signed by TAT…

  • Bangkok nightclub owner kills guard in dispute over staff behaviour

    Bangkok nightclub owner kills guard in dispute over staff behaviour

    A nightclub owner allegedly shot and killed a security guard this morning during a heated argument over the guard’s inappropriate behaviour with female staff. The incident took place at a popular bar and restaurant on Prasert-Manukit Road in Bangkok’s Bueng Kum district, with the owner surrendering to authorities shortly afterwards. Investigating officers from Khok Kram Police Station arrived at the…

  • Mystery deepens: Child’s drowning in isaan linked to dark stranger

    Mystery deepens: Child’s drowning in isaan linked to dark stranger

    The plot thickens regarding the death of a child who allegedly drowned in the Isaan province of Sisaket. The victim’s four year old classmate and friend reported seeing a man with dark skin taking the three year old girl out of the nursery. Her lifeless body was later found in a swamp 800 metres away. The parents of the dead…

  • TAT launches campaign with Labubu dolls to lure Chinese tourists

    TAT launches campaign with Labubu dolls to lure Chinese tourists

    To strengthen cultural ties and lure Chinese tourists, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) launched an exciting campaign starring Pop Mart’s beloved Labubu toy. Announced at the Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2024, this 1 million baht co-branding effort marks the 50th anniversary of the Thailand-China Relations Project in 2025. Labubu, the furry, adorable designer toy from China’s renowned Pop Mart,…

  • Food delivery market grows as economy threatens restaurants

    Food delivery market grows as economy threatens restaurants

    The online food delivery market in Thailand is experiencing growth but the challenging economy might force closures of between 50,000 and 100,000 small restaurants. Thailand has approximately 700,000 restaurants, including mobile street vendors, with the total business valued at 800 billion baht. Online food delivery services contribute 15% to this total. Chief Executive of Line Man Wongnai, Yod Chinsupakul, reports…

  • What to do in Bangkok this weekend (June 21 to 23)

    What to do in Bangkok this weekend (June 21 to 23)

    The best thing about living in Bangkok is that there are always so many fun things to do on the weekend. The worst thing is choosing one to experience. So, if your weekend schedule is still wide open, here are the top things to do in Bangkok this weekend, from June 21 to 23. For Pride events, check out our…

  • EC clarifies Senate election vote exchange, downplays complaints

    EC clarifies Senate election vote exchange, downplays complaints

    After questions arose regarding candidate vote exchange in the Senate elections, the Election Commission (EC) no longer deems wooing or exchanging votes in the Senate election as a breach. A petition challenging the initial restrictions on candidates’ election campaigning led the Administrative Court to rule against these restrictions on May 24, resulting in their repeal. EC Secretary-General Sawang Boonme addressed…

  • Udon Thani karaoke bar raided for underage human trafficking

    Udon Thani karaoke bar raided for underage human trafficking

    Police in Udon Thani raided a popular karaoke bar yesterday, uncovering a human trafficking operation involving underage girls. The raid, which took place at 10pm, on June 20, revealed a ledger containing customer names and a significant number of unused condoms. Governor Wanchai Kongkasem directed the operation, coordinating with Vimol Surasen, the district chief, along with police officers from Udon…

  • Progressive Movement urges party unity against dissolution law

    Progressive Movement urges party unity against dissolution law

    The Progressive Movement (PM) called on the ruling Pheu Thai Party and the opposition Move Forward Party (MFP) to unite against a controversial dissolution law, urging them to resist the legislation rather than attack each other. PM Secretary-General Piyabutr Saengkanokkul posted on Facebook today, June 21, advocating for the two largest parties to find common ground. He criticised the dissolution…

  • MFP urges budget reform, reassures public with its scrutiny efforts

    MFP urges budget reform, reassures public with its scrutiny efforts

    In a heated budget debate, the Move Forward Party (MFP) claims a significant victory in its relentless scrutiny of the 2025 budget. Party leaders assure the public that their meticulous examination has met expectations, confident that their efforts won’t disappoint. Natthapong Rueangpanyawut, a party-list MP from MFP, highlighted a pressing issue during the debate: the need for fundamental budgetary reform.…

  • Thailand’s durian diplomacy: Cracking the chinese market wide open

    Thailand’s durian diplomacy: Cracking the chinese market wide open

    Thailand is going all out to secure its crown in the lucrative Chinese durian market. The government has rolled out a series of innovative strategies, including high-tech farming enhancements and stringent quality controls, to ensure Thailand remains the top durian supplier to China. Prime Minister’s Office spokesman Chai Wacharonke announced at a press conference that Thailand has significantly bolstered its…

  • Student narrowly escapes sexual assault attempt

    Student narrowly escapes sexual assault attempt

    A young female student narrowly escaped an attempted sexual assault near her residence yesterday when a man followed and tried to attack her outside her apartment. Her quick thinking and cries for help thwarted the assailant. Footage from a CCTV camera installed near a housing project on Bang Sao Thong Road in Samut Prakan captured the incident. The video showed…

  • Belgian tourist dies after horrific attack by German in Hua Hin

    Belgian tourist dies after horrific attack by German in Hua Hin

    A 64 year old Belgian tourist tragically succumbed to severe injuries following a brutal assault in Hua Hin in early April. The attack left him with a fractured skull and 10 broken bones, leading to a coma from which he never awoke. Jan Valkenborg was holidaying with his Thai girlfriend in the resort town when he was ambushed. He was smoking…

  • Summer solstice brings longest day and shortest night tomorrow

    Summer solstice brings longest day and shortest night tomorrow

    The summer solstice tomorrow will mark the longest daylight period of the year and the shortest night. The sun is expected to rise at around 5.51am, remaining visible for approximately 12 hours and 56 minutes. The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT), under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation, reported that the summer solstice marks the…

  • PM Srettha in talks with BoT chief over handout scheme

    PM Srettha in talks with BoT chief over handout scheme

    Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has yet to address Bank of Thailand (BoT) Governor Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput’s staunch opposition to the government’s colossal 500-billion-baht handout scheme. Acknowledging the brewing conflict, PM Srettha admitted he and the central bank governor held divergent views, necessitating urgent discussions. Governor Sethaput, in a candid Bloomberg interview, criticised the sweeping economic stimulus, suggesting it was excessive…

  • Defence ministry clarifies salary guidelines

    Defence ministry clarifies salary guidelines

    To quell public outrage, the Defence Ministry unveiled comprehensive guidelines detailing what can and cannot be deducted from conscripts’ salaries. The move follows a recent scandal involving dubious salary deductions by the 22nd Logistics and Supports Battalion. The guidelines, released on the ministry’s website today, clarify the permissible deductions from the 11,000 baht monthly salary of conscripts. This announcement comes…

  • South Korean tourist plummets from 27th floor in Chon Buri

    South Korean tourist plummets from 27th floor in Chon Buri

    A 54 year old South Korean tourist was found dead after leaping from the 27th floor of a luxury condominium in Sri Racha, Chon Buri. Police were alerted to the scene at an undisclosed condominium in Sri Racha. Upon arrival, police and rescue workers found the lifeless body of Min Chucha, a South Korean tourist, lying motionless on the ground.…

  • Exploitative Chinese tour operations targeted by Tourism Ministry

    Exploitative Chinese tour operations targeted by Tourism Ministry

    The Ministry of Tourism and Sports pledged decisive action against Chinese zero-sum tour operations exploiting Thai nominees to dominate the influx of Chinese tourists by offering significant price cuts, posing a severe threat to local Thai tour operators. The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) raised the alarm earlier this week, noting a surge in Chinese tour groups reminiscent of…

  • Phuket crowned Thailand’s tech haven

    Phuket crowned Thailand’s tech haven

    Phuket has been declared Thailand’s most technologically advanced province among 23 smart provinces, while Wangchan Valley in Rayong clinched the top spot in the city category, according to a report by the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA). The rankings, unveiled by DEPA’s Smart Cities Office in the Thailand Smart City Competitiveness Index (TSCCI) 2023 report, evaluated 30 smart cities across…

  • Cops hunt Khon Kaen w*nker: Serial flasher exposed on video

    Cops hunt Khon Kaen w*nker: Serial flasher exposed on video

    Police are searching for a Thai pervert for repeatedly masturbating in public in front of a group of women in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen. The man was arrested for theft just a few weeks before the debauched incidents. The depraved suspect, identified only as 32 year old Billy, is wanted by officers at Thapra Police Station in Khon Kaen…

  • 81% of hazardous cadmium waste returned to Tak province

    81% of hazardous cadmium waste returned to Tak province

    Nearly 81% of mishandled hazardous cadmium waste, totalling approximately 13,000 tonnes, has been returned to its source in Tak province, with the remaining waste in Samut Sakhon and Chon Buri provinces awaiting transport. The Ministry of Industry reported today that 10,507 tonnes of tailings had been delivered to Bound and Beyond Plc in Tak, accounting for 81% of the 12,948…

  • Online shoppers in Thailand warned about second-hand scams

    Online shoppers in Thailand warned about second-hand scams

    Online shopping for second-hand goods offers convenience and variety at the click of a button but it also comes with risks. Anti-Fake News Centre Thailand recently warned the public to be vigilant when purchasing second-hand items online to avoid falling victim to scams and inadvertently buying stolen goods. The rise in popularity of online shopping has attracted not only genuine…

  • TAT’s plan to lure long-haul tourists with 3.5 trillion baht goal

    TAT’s plan to lure long-haul tourists with 3.5 trillion baht goal

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) unveiled an ambitious strategy to boost tourism revenue to a staggering 3.5 trillion baht by year-end, focusing on long-distance markets. Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, TAT’s Deputy Governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas, outlined the plan yesterday, revealing that tourists from far-flung corners of the globe are crucial to hitting the government’s lofty…

  • Torsak Sukvimol reinstated as National Police Chief

    Torsak Sukvimol reinstated as National Police Chief

    Police General Torsak Sukvimol has resumed his role as National Police Chief following an investigation into a prominent internal conflict, as announced by Wissanu Krea-ngam, an advisor to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Wissanu disclosed the results of the investigation, which was initiated by the prime minister through a fact-finding committee led by Chatchai Promlert. The inquiry scrutinised the discord between…

  • Forest fires cut Thailand tourism revenue by 400 million baht

    Forest fires cut Thailand tourism revenue by 400 million baht

    Forest fires in Thailand have severely impacted the economy, with annual tourism revenue dropping from 2 billion baht to 1.6 billion baht. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) is urgently implementing prevention plans to address these issues. Director of the National Park Office at the DNP, Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn revealed that most forest fires are human-induced, resulting…

  • Could cannabis help combat Covid-19?

    Could cannabis help combat Covid-19?

    Recent research suggests that cannabis compounds may play a role in preventing and treating Covid-19. Studies have shown that cannabinoids, the active compounds in cannabis, could potentially prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and reduce the severity of the disease. Cannabinoids and Covid prevention A comprehensive review conducted by researchers at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, indicates that cannabinoids might be used…

  • Buriram bust-up: Minibus driver assaults woman over school run

    Buriram bust-up: Minibus driver assaults woman over school run

    A heated altercation occurred in Buriram yesterday when a local minibus driver assaulted a woman, who was picking up village children for school, the driver was angered by the encroachment into his minibus territory. The incident, which occurred around 7am yesterday on a village road in Prakhon Chai District, Buriram, was witnessed by several parents and schoolchildren who were left…

  • Malaysia and China join forces on billion-dollar rail project

    Malaysia and China join forces on billion-dollar rail project

    China’s plans to extend the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) into Thailand are set to transform Southeast Asian trade. Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced the initiative during his visit to Malaysia yesterday. The US$10 billion (approximately 366 billion baht) ECRL, a key project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, aims to connect Malaysia’s east and west coasts by 2026. Initially…