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    Why health insurance costs more each year and how expats in Thailand can save more money

    Each year, many expats living in Thailand see their health insurance premiums go up and often without a clear reason. This can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to plan your budget. But by understanding why prices rise and learning...

  • Bangkok handshake: PM duo set to strengthen Thai-Anwar ties | Thaiger

    Bangkok handshake: PM duo set to strengthen Thai-Anwar ties

    Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will welcome Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to Bangkok tomorrow, April 17, for talks focused on strengthening bilateral relations and boosting regional cooperation between the two Southeast Asian nations. The visit marks a continuation of diplomatic dialogue between the two leaders, who first met during Paetongtarn’s official visit to Kuala Lumpur on December 16. They also…

  • Another arrest in 16 billion baht healthcare fraud case | Thaiger

    Another arrest in 16 billion baht healthcare fraud case

    This morning, a woman involved in the 16 billion baht medical fraud case linked to Thon Buri Healthcare Group founder Doctor Boon Vanasin was taken into custody. Police identified the suspect as an investment broker who had previously left Thailand but returned. Media reports later identified her as 39 year old Kotchaporn Suwannakut. Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong interrogated the suspect…

  • Songkran festival turns sour as woman drenched by teens (video) | Thaiger

    Songkran festival turns sour as woman drenched by teens (video)

    A young woman was left frustrated during the Songkran festival after being unexpectedly drenched with water by a group of teenagers, causing her to be knocked off balance. The water’s suspicious yellowish hue further added to her concern. Celebrated annually, the Songkran festival is eagerly awaited by many for its water festivities. However, participants are reminded to prioritise safety, as…

  • Traffic toll: Thailand ranks 4th in global road accident fatalities | Thaiger

    Traffic toll: Thailand ranks 4th in global road accident fatalities

    A recent report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Statista highlights Thailand as one of the countries with the highest road accident fatality rates globally. The country records a death rate of 25.4 per 100,000 people annually, significantly surpassing the global average. According to data from Statista, Thailand’s roads are alarmingly dangerous for users, placing the country among the…

  • Shooting in Sisaket leaves one dead, suspect in custody | Thaiger

    Shooting in Sisaket leaves one dead, suspect in custody

    A shooting incident in Sisaket has left one man dead and another critically injured. The violent event occurred at a community pavilion in Ban Khon, Mueang district, Sisaket province, when a group of young men opened fire. The assailant has since surrendered to the police. The incident transpired just after midnight yesterday, April 15. Yailak Jantho, the village headman of…

  • Myanmar earthquake rattles northern Thailand border towns | Thaiger

    Myanmar earthquake rattles northern Thailand border towns

    Northern Thailand was rattled awake in the early hours of this morning as tremors from a Myanmar earthquake crept across the border, stirring fears of more seismic shocks to come. The 4.1-magnitude earthquake rocked Myanmar just after midnight today, April 16, sending tremors rippling across the Thai-Myanmar border and unsettling residents in the north, according to the Thai Meteorological Department.…

  • Songkran 2025 boosts Thai tourism revenue by 26.5 billion baht | Thaiger

    Songkran 2025 boosts Thai tourism revenue by 26.5 billion baht

    Thailand’s tourism and sports minister, Suwong Thienthong, announced that the Songkran festival in 2025 generated an estimated revenue of 26.5 billion baht, marking an 8% increase from the previous year. The festival attracted approximately 470,000 foreign tourists, a 6.5% rise from last year, with visitors hailing from Malaysia, China, India, Russia, Taiwan, Europe, and South Korea. Social media buzz surrounding…

  • Pattaya locals question drink-driving checks during Songkran | Thaiger

    Pattaya locals question drink-driving checks during Songkran

    As Pattaya soldiers on with its Songkran celebrations, locals are raising doubts about the effectiveness of alcohol checkpoints in curbing drunk driving and road accidents. Local police have ramped up road safety measures during the annual 7 Dangerous Days campaign, including more checkpoints and alcohol breath tests. But residents are sceptical. Popular sentiment is the same, locals claim regulating drink…

  • Soaked: Flash floods fury leaves Phuket in deep water | Thaiger

    Soaked: Flash floods fury leaves Phuket in deep water

    Phuket woke up underwater yesterday as torrential overnight downpours triggered flash floods, swamped roads and sparked fresh fears of landslides, turning paradise into panic. Parts of of the popular holiday resort resembled rivers rather than roads yesterday morning, April 15, after relentless rain pummelled the island overnight, flooding key areas and prompting landslide warnings across southern Thailand. Among the hardest-hit…

  • Thailand dangles 30% rebates to lure big-budget film crews | Thaiger

    Thailand dangles 30% rebates to lure big-budget film crews

    The Thai government is rolling out the red carpet for foreign film producers, dangling increased rebates and support as global interest in the country as a shooting destination surges. A recent surge in major international productions, led by HBO’s The White Lotus Season 3, which was filmed in Thailand, has sparked renewed interest in the kingdom’s tropical locations and generous…

  • Foreigner in Thailand learns lesson after cultural disrespect (video) | Thaiger

    Foreigner in Thailand learns lesson after cultural disrespect (video)

    An unruly foreign man in Thailand faced severe consequences after disrespecting Thai culture and assaulting a woman in a bar. The incident, captured in a TikTok video by user @bagpaope, showed the unamed man mocking Thai boxing and provoking a bar security guard, on Soi 6 in Pattaya, ending in a physical altercation. The footage yesterday, April 15, depicted the foreign…

  • Foreign man criticized for bad behaviour at Songkran party (video) | Thaiger

    Foreign man criticized for bad behaviour at Songkran party (video)

    A TikTok user shared a video of an incident involving a foreign man displaying inappropriate behaviour during the Songkran festival in Thailand. The man is accused of deliberately splashing water on women’s faces and chests during the Thai New Year celebration, then smiling with satisfaction. He allegedly also spat at people and threw ice yesterday, April 15. In the video,…

  • 70 year old woman told to leave concert due to leg pain (video) | Thaiger

    70 year old woman told to leave concert due to leg pain (video)

    A 70 year old woman attended a Lamyai Haithongkham concert at Sanam Luang but was unexpectedly asked to leave by security after requesting a brief sit down due to leg pain. A young woman intervened to assist her. The incident, yesterday, April 15, captured by TikTok user @mamprapa, led to numerous discussions online. In the shared video, the elderly woman,…

  • Furious foreigner floored by water gun in Pattaya Songkran bust-up | Thaiger

    Furious foreigner floored by water gun in Pattaya Songkran bust-up

    A Pattaya Songkran party took a dark turn when a furious foreigner with a fresh tattoo got soaked against his will, only to be blasted in the face with a water gun during a heated bust-up, landing him in hospital and police on the hunt for the culprits. The Songkran celebration on Pattaya’s infamous Soi 6 descended into chaos last…

  • Thai finance minister to address US tariff impacts on economy | Thaiger

    Thai finance minister to address US tariff impacts on economy

    Thailand’s Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira is set to engage with the Bank of Thailand governor regarding the United States‘ reciprocal tariff measures ahead of his visit to the United States. Aiming for a formal meeting with the central bank governor by tomorrow, April 17, Pichai intends to evaluate the impacts of US trade policy, global economic trends, and the US’s…

  • Teenagers criticised for disrespecting Luang Phor To statue during Songkran | Thaiger

    Teenagers criticised for disrespecting Luang Phor To statue during Songkran

    Two teenagers sparked controversy after a video of them dancing and touching the head and face of a revered Luang Phor To statue circulated online. The incident, which occurred during the Songkran festival yesterday, April 15, has drawn significant criticism on social media, with many questioning the appropriateness of their actions. The video, capturing the teenagers’ disrespectful behaviour beside a…

  • Transgender woman’s topless dance at Songkran festival sparks backlash | Thaiger

    Transgender woman’s topless dance at Songkran festival sparks backlash

    A video showing a transgender woman dancing topless during the Songkran festival in Nakhon Ratchasima sparked criticism for damaging Thai cultural values. The incident occurred yesterday, April 15, during the festivities’ final day, with crowds of locals and tourists participating in water fights on main roads. In Nakhon Ratchasima, people celebrated Songkran by riding in pickup trucks loaded with water…

  • Cell shock: Thai cops gear up with Israeli tech to bust scam rings | Thaiger

    Cell shock: Thai cops gear up with Israeli tech to bust scam rings

    Scammers beware, the Royal Thai Police (RTP) are now armed with cutting-edge Israeli tech to crack phones, catch fraudsters and bring cyber crooks to justice faster than you can say “call centre con.” The RTP beefed up their cybercrime-fighting arsenal with state-of-the-art digital forensic tools from Israeli firm Cellebrite, giving officers the power to extract crucial data from phones and…

  • Pattaya police target water trucks causing Songkran traffic chaos | Thaiger

    Pattaya police target water trucks causing Songkran traffic chaos

    Pattaya police announced a crackdown on water trucks that obstruct traffic and pose safety risks during Songkran festivities. Yesterday, April 15, at 7.36pm, reporters in Chon Buri observed water trucks spraying people and causing traffic jams in Pattaya, creating potential hazards for those on and around the vehicles. Police Lieutenant Colonel Phanuphong Nimsuwan, a traffic inspector at Pattaya City Police…

  • Crime doesn’t pay-as-you-go: 130,000 Thai mule accounts axed | Thaiger

    Crime doesn’t pay-as-you-go: 130,000 Thai mule accounts axed

    The Government of Thailand slammed the brakes on a massive online scam operation, axing over 130,000 dodgy mule accounts and collaring hundreds of fraudsters in just three months. Sasikarn Wattanachan, deputy government spokesperson, said the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society’s Anti-Online Crime Operation Centre (AOC) had ramped up its war on online fraudsters. Between January and March, a staggering…

  • Booze clues: Underage drinking promos soak Songkran spirit | Thaiger

    Booze clues: Underage drinking promos soak Songkran spirit

    Songkran’s splashy celebrations may have cooled the crowds but things are heating up for Thailand’s booze industry after a leading watchdog exposed widespread law-breaking underage alcohol drinking over the holiday. Teera Watcharapranee, director of the StopDrink Network, claims major alcohol brands brazenly flouted the law with flashy promotions and events in more than 137 locations nationwide. “Among these, 42 were…

  • Fake monk caught soliciting donations during Nakhon Pathom Songkran | Thaiger

    Fake monk caught soliciting donations during Nakhon Pathom Songkran

    Residents in Nakhon Pathom raised concerns about a man impersonating a monk to solicit donations during the Songkran festival. Today, April 15, the incident was reported to Phra Khru Phalat Sitthiwat, also known as Luang Pi Namfon, who chairs the committee addressing complaints within the monastic community of Region 14. The man, suspected of being a fake monk, was seen…

  • Stabbing incident in Bangkok leaves man critically injured | Thaiger

    Stabbing incident in Bangkok leaves man critically injured

    Today, April 15, in Bangkok’s Yan Nawa district, a violent altercation led to a severe stabbing incident. The conflict arose between a former couple, culminating in one person sustaining critical injuries. The police were promptly notified and dispatched to the scene alongside emergency services. At the scene, the police discovered a man, identified only as A, suffering from a severe…

  • Cattle dispute leads to fatal shooting in Chon Buri | Thaiger

    Cattle dispute leads to fatal shooting in Chon Buri

    A group linked to a cattle dispute has been apprehended after a deadly shooting incident. The confrontation left 53 year old cattle farm owner Sompong (surname withheld) dead at his farm in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri. The incident arose from a misunderstanding over stolen cattle, leading to an altercation followed by the shooting. Police captured 40…

  • Myanmar worker fatally stabbed during Songkran festival | Thaiger

    Myanmar worker fatally stabbed during Songkran festival

    A violent altercation among Myanmar workers during the Songkran festival in Mueang Samut Sakhon district resulted in the fatal stabbing of a 25 year old, Zay Ya Kyaw. The suspect managed to flee amidst the chaos of the water festival celebrations. Police Colonel Pichetphong Jangkaikom, along with other officers from the Mueang Samut Sakhon Police Station, investigated the incident at…

  • Man attacks woman, damages cars during Songkran in Nakhon Ratchasima | Thaiger

    Man attacks woman, damages cars during Songkran in Nakhon Ratchasima

    A man wielding a baseball bat attacked a woman and damaged two cars, stealing car keys in the process, during the Songkran festival in Nakhon Ratchasima. The incident, which occurred today, April 15, left several people injured and has prompted a public call for the man’s capture. Facebook user จรรยาพร เสาโร shared photos and videos of the assault, describing how…

  • Indian man injured in Pattaya apartment altercation | Thaiger

    Indian man injured in Pattaya apartment altercation

    A 43 year old Indian national was injured in an altercation with his Thai girlfriend at their apartment in Pattaya. The incident, yesterday, April 14, involving a broken bottle attack, resulted in the man sustaining chest and arm injuries. The incident occurred shortly after midnight at an apartment in Soi Kromtheedin 6, Nong Prue, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province.…

  • Pickup truck ploughs into Songkran crowd, injuring 12 in Thailand | Thaiger

    Pickup truck ploughs into Songkran crowd, injuring 12 in Thailand

    A pickup truck drove into a group of Songkran festival celebrants, injuring 12, with six in serious condition, prompting a chaotic scene as bystanders pulled the driver from the vehicle. Police have since charged the driver, who was found to be over the legal alcohol limit, with related offences. Yesterday, April 14, at 7.05pm, a pickup truck crashed into people…

  • PM Paetongtarn invites tourists to Chiang Mai’s vibrant cultural fest | Thaiger

    PM Paetongtarn invites tourists to Chiang Mai’s vibrant cultural fest

    Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has encouraged both Thais and tourists to partake in the Pee Mai Mueang San Kamphaeng event, highlighting the enchanting Lhong Him Khao community in Chiang Mai. Lhong Him Khao, located in the San Kamphaeng district, is a vibrant community celebrated for its traditional Lanna arts, crafts, and cultural expressions. Residents have transformed their homes into cafes,…

  • Heavy rain forecasted for Bangkok and 33 provinces post-Songkran | Thaiger

    Heavy rain forecasted for Bangkok and 33 provinces post-Songkran

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasted heavy rain across 33 provinces, including Bangkok, as the Songkran festival comes to an end. The weather is expected to include thunderstorms, strong winds, and possible lightning today, April 15. The upper regions of Thailand will experience rising temperatures, with hot weather prevailing in central areas, Bangkok, and surrounding vicinities, as well as the…