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.

  • Thai contract teacher caught robbing gold due to gambling debts

    Thai contract teacher caught robbing gold due to gambling debts

    A contract teacher was arrested after attempting a solo robbery of 22 baht of gold at a prominent shopping centre. He confessed his teacher’s salary was insufficient, compounded by online gambling debts, leading to his decision to commit the crime. Yesterday, July 15, Police Lieutenant Colonel Wathana Naipromraj, an investigator at Nam Yuen Police Station, received a report of a…

  • Thailand plots digital baht revolution to lure big-spending tourists

    Thailand plots digital baht revolution to lure big-spending tourists

    Thailand is taking a bold leap to cash in on the crypto craze, with regulators unveiling plans to let foreign tourists spend their digital coins directly on everything from street food to luxury hotels. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), in partnership with the Bank of Thailand (BoT), announced a groundbreaking crypto sandbox programme designed to boost tourism and inject…

  • Thai clinics exposed in massive gold card fraud scandal

    Thai clinics exposed in massive gold card fraud scandal

    A major healthcare scandal is rocking Thailand as the Ministry of Public Health cracks down on 16 clinics accused of defrauding the country’s universal health scheme out of nearly 30 million baht. Yesterday, July 15, Thanakrit Chitareerat, Secretary to the Minister of Public Health, revealed he had personally inspected several clinics in Sakhon Nakhon’s Song Dao district as part of…

  • Something smells fishy: Locals kick up stink over reservoir pollution fears

    Something smells fishy: Locals kick up stink over reservoir pollution fears

    Residents of Nong Prue subdistrict in Chon Buri expressed their concerns about the suspected illegal wastewater discharge into Mabprachan Reservoir, an essential water source for locals. The issue emerged yesterday, July 15, near the reservoir’s exercise area, opposite a popular restaurant near the Hot Two Point intersection on Phonpraphanimit Road 34. Upon receiving the complaints, reporters visited the location and…

  • Ham-fisted: Cambodian couple busted for illegal pork stall in Bangkok

    Ham-fisted: Cambodian couple busted for illegal pork stall in Bangkok

    A Cambodian couple was apprehended by police for illegally operating a pork stall in Bangkok’s Khlong Sam Wa district. The pair, identified as 31 year old Nga Phon and 30 year old Chanty Rav, were found selling fresh pork at a market in the Bang Chan subdistrict on Monday, July 14. The operation was led by Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom,…

  • Thailand builds giant bridges to save wild elephants from roads

    Thailand builds giant bridges to save wild elephants from roads

    Thailand has launched two colossal new bridges to stop wild elephants from meeting a grisly end under speeding cars. Yesterday, July 15, Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit declared open the towering structures built in Rayong’s Khao Chamao district and Chanthaburi’s Kaeng Hang Maew district—key corridors for elephant herds roaming the east. “These bridges will help wild elephants coexist with humans sustainably,”…

  • Thai man at large after brutal knife attack leaves 4 year old girl blind

    Thai man at large after brutal knife attack leaves 4 year old girl blind

    A Thai man remains at large after brutally attacking a four year old girl in the Isaan province of Ubon Ratchathani, leaving the young victim blind. The attack occurred on June 28, but only recently came to public attention after the girl’s family sought help from a local social media influencer. The influencer, who runs the Facebook page Ban Hia…

  • Fake AMLO boss gang busted in Bangkok for scamming student

    Fake AMLO boss gang busted in Bangkok for scamming student

    Police in Bangkok have dismantled a criminal gang posing as a fake director of the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), who deceived a postgraduate student into losing hundreds of thousands of baht. The group, notorious for its call centre scams, was apprehended at a popular shopping mall in the Bang Na area yesterday, July 15. The operation was led by Police…

  • Phuket MP fury as budget crumbs leave paradise island penniless

    Phuket MP fury as budget crumbs leave paradise island penniless

    A furious Phuket MP slammed the Government of Thailand over a shockingly low stimulus handout, calling the move “a betrayal” and “an insult” to one of the country’s top tax-contributing provinces. Chalermpong Saengdee, who represents Constituency 2 for the opposition People’s Party, hit out after Phuket was handed just 267.34 million baht from the 157-billion-baht national stimulus budget, ranking 75th…

  • Puff justice: Cops snuff out illegal cigarettes shop in Bangkok

    Puff justice: Cops snuff out illegal cigarettes shop in Bangkok

    A Chinese convenience store in the Prawet district of Bangkok was raided by police for selling illegal cigarettes. The operation yesterday, July 15, led by Police Colonel Santi Kornkasem, along with other officers, resulted in the arrest of Thai national, 32 year old Chutima or Yo and 29 year old Myanmar national, Naw Aye. They were found in possession of…

  • Truck brake failure causes pile-up, four injured near Bangkok

    Truck brake failure causes pile-up, four injured near Bangkok

    A 10-wheel truck experienced brake failure and collided with eight vehicles, resulting in four injuries, outside a prominent shopping mall in Ngamwongwan. The incident led to severe traffic congestion. The driver faced charges but was released temporarily. Yesterday, July 15, at 8.30pm, officers from the Rattanathibet Police Station received reports of a 10-wheel truck experiencing brake failure and causing a…

  • Thai travel subsidy fiasco triggers backlash

    Thai travel subsidy fiasco triggers backlash

    Thailand’s flagship tourism stimulus project has spiralled into disarray, sparking fury among hotel operators and senators alike as delays drag on with no end in sight. The Senate Committee on Tourism and Sports is now demanding answers from Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong over the botched rollout of the much-touted Half-Half Thai Travel scheme. Senate Committee Chairperson Phisut Rattanawong…

  • Malaysian caught smuggling drugs worth 90 million baht in Nan

    Malaysian caught smuggling drugs worth 90 million baht in Nan

    A Malaysian national was apprehended at the Huai Kon border checkpoint in Nan province while attempting to smuggle 72 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine, valued at over 90 million baht, into Thailand. The arrest took place on July 14 after customs officials at the Thung Chang checkpoint noticed a suspicious vehicle with black smoke billowing from it. The suspect, Surrenthiran Jayabalan,…

  • RTA ready to fence Ta Muen Thom temple amid tensions

    RTA ready to fence Ta Muen Thom temple amid tensions

    The commander of Thailand’s 2nd Army Region has declared the military’s readiness to erect a fence around the disputed Ta Muen Thom temple in Surin province if the government and the Department of Fine Arts give the green light. Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang confirmed that, despite the simmering dispute, stability currently prevails along the border. He noted that while local…

  • Ladyboyz n the hood: American left reeling after Pattaya rock attack

    Ladyboyz n the hood: American left reeling after Pattaya rock attack

    An American holidaymaker ended up bloodied and battered after a run-in with two transgender sex workers near Soi 6 in Pattaya turned violent, with one of them allegedly smashing a rock into his skull. The victim, Mr Saber, who was strolling through the notorious alley at around 4.30am, yesterday, July 15, told police he was approached by two scantily dressed…

  • Thai man’s face impaled by durian in pickup crash in Buriram

    Thai man’s face impaled by durian in pickup crash in Buriram

    A Thai man sustained facial injuries after his motorcycle crashed into the back of a pickup in the Isaan province of Buriram, with a durian fruit on the truck believed to be responsible for his wounds. Buriram Provincial Police officers were alerted to the accident at approximately 5pm yesterday, July 15. Police subsequently attended the scene near the Nong Muang Intersection,…

  • Anutin dismisses Khao Kradong land dispute investigation

    Anutin dismisses Khao Kradong land dispute investigation

    Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul dismissed a renewed investigation into the Khao Kradong land dispute in Buriram, asserting that all actions taken during his tenure as interior minister were lawful. The dispute involves land claimed by both the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and private individuals linked to Bhumjaithai. In 2021, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the SRT,…

  • Bomb attack injures four rangers in Yala’s Bannang Sata district

    Bomb attack injures four rangers in Yala’s Bannang Sata district

    A group of unidentified perpetrators orchestrated a bomb attack on a unit of rangers from the 3306 Task Force in Bannang Sata district, Yala province. The attack, which took place around 1.20pm, yesterday, July 15, left four rangers injured while on patrol in Moo 2, Ban Kue Da village. They were promptly transported to Bannang Sata hospital for urgent medical…

  • Uzbek man arrested for abusing, stealing from girlfriend in Phuket

    Uzbek man arrested for abusing, stealing from girlfriend in Phuket

    Phuket police officers yesterday arrested an Uzbek man on suspicion of physically abusing his girlfriend and stealing her belongings. The victim, whose nationality was not reported, filed a complaint with Wichit Police Station on Sunday, July 13, alleging that her Uzbek boyfriend, later identified as 41 year old Artur Amirbekov, had attacked her at her condominium in the Wichit sub-district…

  • Bangkok launches waste separation campaign with fee discounts

    Bangkok launches waste separation campaign with fee discounts

    The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has launched a new waste-separation campaign named This House Doesn’t Mix Waste. This initiative encourages city residents to sort their waste correctly in exchange for discounts on trash collection fees. Registration for the campaign starts on August 1, with the official rollout scheduled for October. The programme involves collaboration with the private sector and offers…

  • Heavy rainfall warning for 40 Thai provinces, flash floods likely

    Heavy rainfall warning for 40 Thai provinces, flash floods likely

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) today issued a warning for heavy rainfall across 40 provinces in Thailand, with 60% of these areas expected to be affected. Nine provinces, including Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit, Loei, Nong Khai, Chanthaburi, and Trat, are particularly at risk of flash floods and forest runoffs on July 16. This weather pattern is influenced by…

  • Mother seeks justice after 9 year old daughter alleges sexual abuse by abbot

    Mother seeks justice after 9 year old daughter alleges sexual abuse by abbot

    A Thai mother is seeking justice for her nine year old daughter, accusing an abbot in the central province of Pathum Thani of sexually abusing the girl in a temple bathroom. The 39 year old mother, May, reported the alleged sexual abuse via the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women‘s hotline number 1134 on July 1. May revealed in the…

  • Off her bag: Pattaya bar girl dumped as dodgy duo do a runner

    Off her bag: Pattaya bar girl dumped as dodgy duo do a runner

    A boozy night ended in mystery and mayhem after a dazed Pattaya bar girl was found dumped by the roadside, mumbling and confused, as two unscrupulous men rifled through her handbag. In the early hours of yesterday, July 15, rescue workers and police were called to the scene near Mae Wilai Market after reports of a woman in distress. The…

  • Thai ministers deny US bid for Phang Nga navy base (video)

    Thai ministers deny US bid for Phang Nga navy base (video)

    Top Thai ministers have slammed swirling rumours that the United States tried to swap tariff perks for military access to a strategic naval base on the Andaman coast, calling the claims baseless and speculative. Three senior Cabinet ministers today firmly denied a report suggesting the US had demanded use of Thailand’s Phang Nga naval base during recent tariff negotiations. Deputy…

  • Phuket bust: Dealer caught with meth in sea gypsy village

    Phuket bust: Dealer caught with meth in sea gypsy village

    A late-night raid in Phuket’s Rawai Sea Gypsy Village landed a 22 year old in handcuffs after security officers uncovered a stash of crystal methamphetamine and pills hidden along a narrow walkway. Yesterday, July 14, Phuket police swooped to arrest Sompop, also known as Oh, a young man from Rawai subdistrict, on charges of dealing and possessing illegal drugs. The operation…

  • Bangkok sinking: City could be underwater by 2030

    Bangkok sinking: City could be underwater by 2030

    Bangkok, already notorious for choking traffic and fierce floods, is now staring down an even grimmer fate—sinking beneath the sea within the next decade if climate change and unchecked development continue unabated. Recent studies have singled out Bangkok alongside Jakarta as two of Southeast Asia’s fastest-sinking cities. According to The Guardian, Bangkok is subsiding by over one centimetre a year…

  • Thailand shelves tourist tax plan over fears of deterring visitors

    Thailand shelves tourist tax plan over fears of deterring visitors

    Thailand’s controversial 300-baht entry fee for foreign tourists has been kicked down the road yet again, with officials admitting that sluggish demand and global uncertainty make this the wrong moment to squeeze travellers’ wallets. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has announced that the long-discussed Travel Fee—dubbed the Kha Yeap Pan Din, meaning “stepping onto Thai soil”—will not be enforced…

  • Thai delivery rider sued for sharing client’s image leading to cyberbullying

    Thai delivery rider sued for sharing client’s image leading to cyberbullying

    A Thai woman is taking legal action against a parcel delivery rider after he secretly took her photograph and shared it on social media, leading to cyberbullying and body shaming. The victim, known as Mint, is seeking justice after receiving offensive comments from strangers, despite having no prior conflict with them. She shared the incident on her Facebook account, writing……

  • Cambodia accused of claiming Thailand’s royal literary treasures

    Cambodia accused of claiming Thailand’s royal literary treasures

    A storm is brewing between Thailand and Cambodia after claims emerged online that 22 classic Thai literary works have been quietly registered as Cambodian cultural heritage with UNESCO, sparking outrage over what critics are calling a brazen cultural grab. Social media erupted this week when reports circulated alleging that Cambodia had listed dozens of Thai literary masterpieces—many composed by Thai…

  • Butts out: Beach smoke ban sparks flaming row in Pattaya

    Butts out: Beach smoke ban sparks flaming row in Pattaya

    A fresh crackdown on smoking at Pattaya’s beaches sparked a fiery debate among expats and long-term tourists, who say the ban is little more than a cosmetic fix masking deeper problems. Pattaya’s new smoking ban, which threatens offenders with a 5,000 baht fine for lighting up on the sand or nearby footpaths, was billed as a bold step to clean…