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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.

  • Pattaya villa raid nets more than 20 Indians in investment scam | Thaiger

    Pattaya villa raid nets more than 20 Indians in investment scam

    Police arrested more than 20 Indian men at a luxury pool villa in Pattaya yesterday, April 20, after investigators found the group allegedly working without permits and soliciting fellow Indians to invest in businesses and stock trading schemes. The raid took place at 3.46pm after immigration police and tourist police received information that more than 30 Indian nationals were residing…

  • Technician arrested for gold theft at Chon Buri hotel using master keycard | Thaiger

    Technician arrested for gold theft at Chon Buri hotel using master keycard

    Police arrested a technician yesterday, April 20, for stealing valuables worth more than 500,000 baht from a guest’s room at a hotel in Najomtien subdistrict, Sattahip district, Chon Buri. The victim, 42 year old Laddawan, checked into the hotel at around 2pm on Sunday, April 19. She left her belongings in the room, including a waist bag containing gold items…

  • ‘Hallucinating’ Irishman held for setting Pattaya condo on fire | Thaiger

    ‘Hallucinating’ Irishman held for setting Pattaya condo on fire

    An Irishman allegedly set a Pattaya condo room on fire while experiencing hallucinations early today, April 21. Emergency crews rescued three people, including his partner and children, from the fourth-floor unit and took them to the hospital. Police were alerted to the incident at 3.46am. Officers at Pattaya City Police Station coordinated with Pattaya City disaster prevention officials and Sawang…

  • Thailand outlines military capability in 2027 budget | Thaiger

    Thailand outlines military capability in 2027 budget

    Military capability and national sovereignty will be central to the Thailand defence budget 2027, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said today, April 20, as the government unveiled a 3.788 trillion baht spending plan amid mounting global uncertainty. Addressing a budget policy seminar at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi, Anutin pointed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as evidence…

  • Thai man helps thieves steal gold from nephew-in-law | Thaiger

    Thai man helps thieves steal gold from nephew-in-law

    A man in Ranong province admitted to assisting thieves in stealing a gold bar worth more than 2.5 million baht from his nephew-in-law, claiming he acted out of frustration over the victim’s repeated displays of wealth. The theft took place on April 10 at a car garage in Mueang district. The victim later shared CCTV footage of the incident on…

  • Thai man arrested for deliberately starting forest fire in Phitsanulok for ‘fun’ | Thaiger

    Thai man arrested for deliberately starting forest fire in Phitsanulok for ‘fun’

    A 22 year old man was arrested in Phitsanulok province on Saturday, April 18, after admitting to deliberately starting a forest fire for “entertainment” purposes. Rangers from Chat Trakan Waterfall National Park were patrolling Kaeng Hat Oi Forest in Tha Sakae subdistrict, Chat Trakan district, following repeated reports of fires in the area. During the patrol, officers encountered a suspicious…

  • 9 victims, including 4 children, killed in Nan pickup truck crash | Thaiger

    9 victims, including 4 children, killed in Nan pickup truck crash

    A pickup truck crash in Nan province on Saturday, April 18, left nine people dead and six others seriously injured, with brake failure suspected as the cause. Police from Pua Police Station and rescue teams responded to the incident on the Pua–Doi Phu Kha Road in Doi Phu Kha National Park, Pua district, at around 5.55pm. The vehicle was found…

  • Nigerian, Swiss suspects arrested in cocaine network bust | Thaiger

    Nigerian, Swiss suspects arrested in cocaine network bust

    Police arrested four suspects, including Nigerian and Swiss nationals, in raids targeting a cocaine network after a months-long investigation, seizing cocaine and other assets in Bangkok and Nonthaburi, according to an operation reported today, April 19. The key suspect was identified as 47 year old Nigerian national Patric, who was arrested in Bangkok at about 11pm yesterday, April 18. He…

  • Woman accuses Chinese client of assault, detention in Bangkok condo | Thaiger

    Woman accuses Chinese client of assault, detention in Bangkok condo

    A woman has filed a complaint after allegedly being detained and assaulted at a condominium in Bangkok by a Chinese client she met through entertainment work, with police now investigating the case. The incident, first shared by the social media page “อยากดังเดี๋ยวจัดให้ รีเทิร์น part 7”, reportedly took place at a condominium in Ramkhamhaeng 24. The victim, identified as 31 year…

  • Thai Met Department issues 9th storm alert for upper Thailand | Thaiger

    Thai Met Department issues 9th storm alert for upper Thailand

    The Thai Meteorological Department has issued its ninth alert for intense summer storms across upper Thailand, with hazardous conditions forecast until April 20. The storms are expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds, hail, and lightning to Bangkok and dozens of provinces across the north, northeast, east, and central regions. Moist southern and southeastern winds drawing in from the Gulf…

  • French tourists fined after swimming in restricted Maya Bay area | Thaiger

    French tourists fined after swimming in restricted Maya Bay area

    Two French tourists were fined after entering the water in a no-swimming zone at Maya Bay in Krabi, according to a statement posted yesterday, April 18, by Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. The park said an investigation found the incident took place on February 26 at about 12pm at the PP.5 national park protection unit in Maya…

  • Summer storm warning for upper Thailand from April 17-20 | Thaiger

    Summer storm warning for upper Thailand from April 17-20

    Thailand’s Meteorological Department has issued its seventh warning about a summer storm set to impact upper Thailand from April 17 to 20, bringing thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail to several areas. The storm will first strike the northeastern and eastern regions before moving to the central region, including Bangkok and surrounding provinces, then the north. A high-pressure system and cold…

  • Bangkok woman claims date rape drug was sprayed into her face at Songkran party | Thaiger

    Bangkok woman claims date rape drug was sprayed into her face at Songkran party

    A Thai woman issued a public warning after alleging that she was exposed to gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), or date rape drug, through water sprayed from a water gun during a Songkran event at an entertainment venue in Bangkok. The TikTok user, @jeeppji, shared a photo of herself unconscious in the hospital on Monday, April 13. In the caption, she wrote that…

  • Yala boy with special needs found dead in scrapyard car after four-day search | Thaiger

    Yala boy with special needs found dead in scrapyard car after four-day search

    A 12 year old Thai boy with special needs was found dead in a scrap car about 800 metres away, four days after he went missing from his home in Yala province. The 38 year old mother, Wanida, reported the disappearance of her son, Yuttasak, also known as Best, to Yarom Police Station on April 12 after the boy went missing…

  • Thailand set for slowest economic growth in ASEAN in 2026, IMF says | Thaiger

    Thailand set for slowest economic growth in ASEAN in 2026, IMF says

    Thailand is expected to record the slowest economic growth in ASEAN in 2026 after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its forecast to 1.5%, down from 1.6% projected in January. The downgrade, reported today, April 17, places Thailand behind its regional peers, including Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The IMF said Vietnam is expected to lead the region with 7.1% growth, followed…

  • 2 transgender suspects surrender after leaving hickey on victim’s neck | Thaiger

    2 transgender suspects surrender after leaving hickey on victim’s neck

    Two from three transgender suspects surrendered to police after sexually assaulting a man during Songkran celebrations in Phichit province, leaving a hickey on his neck. The 24 year old victim, Chitsanupong, filed a complaint with Mueang Phichit Police Station after the incident on April 15 at a Songkran event on Khao Tang Road. He had earlier shared details of the…

  • OPPO Find X9 Ultra and X9s are coming to Thailand — Here’s what you need to know | Thaiger

    OPPO Find X9 Ultra and X9s are coming to Thailand — Here’s what you need to know

    OPPO has confirmed that both the Find X9 Ultra and the Find X9s are heading to Thailand, with a global launch set for 21 April 2026. The two phones are being positioned as a pair, one for those who want the full flagship experience, and one for those who want something more compact without giving up too much. OPPO Find…

  • 1.47 million attend ICONSIAM’s THAICONIC SONGKRAN 2026 as event also tops 100m digital views | Thaiger

    1.47 million attend ICONSIAM’s THAICONIC SONGKRAN 2026 as event also tops 100m digital views

    ICONSIAM said its Songkran celebrations exceeded expectations this year, drawing more than 1.47 million visitors over the six-day festival and increasing in-mall sales by more than 15% compared with the same period last year. The company said attendance growth came from both Thai visitors and international tourists, while the campaign generated more than 100 million views across digital platforms. Supoj…

  • British man apologises after drifting car near Songkran event | Thaiger

    British man apologises after drifting car near Songkran event

    Police are seeking to revoke the driving licence of a British man who was caught drifting a car during Songkran celebrations in Hat Yai district of Songkhla province on April 12. Viral footage shared on Thai social media showed a red vehicle drifting on a concrete area near the Songkran event site close to Black Bridge in Hat Yai district.…

  • Bystander student hospitalised after Udon Thani Songkran brawl | Thaiger

    Bystander student hospitalised after Udon Thani Songkran brawl

    A university student was seriously injured after a beer bottle struck her face during a Songkran brawl in Mueang district, Udon Thani province, on April 14. The student, who was not involved in the fight, is being treated at a hospital for multiple injuries. The student’s mother, 51 year old Kie, filed a complaint with Mueang Udon Thani Police Station…

  • What does it cost to raise a family in Thailand? | Thaiger

    What does it cost to raise a family in Thailand?

    Thailand regularly ranks among the top destinations for expat families, but cost estimates online tend to assume you are moving as a single person or a couple. Add children, and the numbers change considerably. Thailand international schools, healthcare in Thailand for expats, family housing, and dependent visas all carry costs that tend to get underestimated until you are already here.…

  • Songkran finished but Pattaya is still going — Here is the full Wan Lai 2026 schedule | Thaiger

    Songkran finished but Pattaya is still going — Here is the full Wan Lai 2026 schedule

    Songkran in Pattaya runs longer than anywhere else in Thailand, and that is not an accident. The local tradition known as Wan Lai extends the water festival well beyond the national three-day holiday, with different districts rotating their celebrations across the entire month of April. If you missed the main Songkran dates or simply want more, Pattaya is where you…

  • Chinese woman stages her own kidnapping to extort money from father | Thaiger

    Chinese woman stages her own kidnapping to extort money from father

    Thai police arrested four Chinese nationals in Samut Prakan after a Chinese woman staged her own kidnapping with her boyfriend and two other men to extort money from her father. The case came to light after the woman’s father filed a complaint with police in China, saying his daughter, identified only as Tong, was kidnapped in Cambodia. He was told…

  • ONE Championship launches lawsuit against Thai boxer over contract dispute | Thaiger

    ONE Championship launches lawsuit against Thai boxer over contract dispute

    ONE Championship launched legal action against Thai boxer Rodtang Jitmueangnon over alleged breaches of contract. In a post published on its Facebook page, ONE Championship Thailand, the promotion said it had started legal proceedings in Thailand, Japan and Singapore against Rodtang, whose real name is 28 year old Tinnakorn Srisawat. ONE said the action followed multiple alleged contract breaches, including…

  • 2 Frenchmen arrested for assault on Thai motorcyclist in Phuket Songkran celebrations | Thaiger

    2 Frenchmen arrested for assault on Thai motorcyclist in Phuket Songkran celebrations

    A Thai man suffered serious injuries after he was attacked by Frenchmen in Phuket on April 13 after refusing to join a Songkran water fight. The victim’s girlfriend, 27 year old Maytinee Sila, went to Patong Police Station on the day of the incident to report the assault on her 29 year old boyfriend, Kunanya Phokham. The incident took place at…

  • Phichit man reports sexual assault by women and transwomen during Songkran | Thaiger

    Phichit man reports sexual assault by women and transwomen during Songkran

    A man filed a police complaint after a group of women and transwomen sexually assaulted him during Songkran celebrations in Phichit province, leaving a hickey on his neck. The victim, identified only as Chitsanupong, shared photos of marks on his neck on Facebook yesterday, April 15. Based on the tagged location in the post, the sexual assault took place at…

  • 5 things to do in Bangkok this weekend (April 17 to 19) | Thaiger

    5 things to do in Bangkok this weekend (April 17 to 19)

    After the water fights, traffic, and noise of Songkran, Bangkok settles into a different rhythm this weekend. The holiday energy is not completely gone, but it is shifting into something easier, with free concerts, riverside live music, thoughtful exhibitions, and smaller creative events replacing the biggest splash zones. If you are ready to head out again after an electric week,…

  • Phuket tourists arrested after soaking police at Songkran command post | Thaiger

    Phuket tourists arrested after soaking police at Songkran command post

    Patong police have arrested a group of foreign tourists after video footage showed them directing high-pressure water guns at officers on duty during the Songkran festival in Patong, Phuket, on April 13. The incident occurred at a police command tent set up in Patong Municipality for the Patong Songkran Beach Festival 2026. Footage of the incident, which circulated on social…

  • Chiang Mai records highest drink driving cases during Songkran | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai records highest drink driving cases during Songkran

    Drunk driving accounted for 3,726 cases recorded during the 2026 Songkran Festival, with Chiang Mai reporting the highest number, according to Thailand’s Department of Probation. Director-General Piya Raksakun said the department instructed probation offices nationwide to enforce strict measures under campaigns promoting road safety, including “safe driving, reduce speed, reduce accidents,” and efforts to reduce road incidents during the holiday…

  • Trat officials seize five boats in Cambodia smuggling bust | Thaiger

    Trat officials seize five boats in Cambodia smuggling bust

    Officials intercepted a smuggling operation transporting consumer goods and animal products from Thailand to Cambodia along the coastal border in Hat Lek, Trat, on April 12, seizing multiple boats and arresting six suspects. The operation was carried out by the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (Thai MECC) in Trat, working with the Royal Thai Marine Corps task force and border…