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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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    Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?

    Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...

  • Karma: Thai man killed by Buddha statue during temple rampage

    Karma: Thai man killed by Buddha statue during temple rampage

    A Thai man, who attacked a monk at a temple in Chon Buri province, later died after the sharp head of a Buddha statue pierced his chest during a rampage in the temple’s main hall. Locals suggested that his death appeared to be the swift result of karma. Residents in the Banbung district of Chon Buri province sought assistance from…

  • Street vendor’s phone stolen in Thailand, thwarting debt freedom dreams

    Street vendor’s phone stolen in Thailand, thwarting debt freedom dreams

    A street vendor’s hopes of eradicating debt through her ice cream sales were dashed when a cunning thief took advantage of her momentary distraction to steal her mobile phone and escape on a motorcycle. Tevi Chaihongsa, a 60 year old vendor known for her Pai Thong Ice Cream, reported to the Pratunam Chulalongkorn Police Station in Pathum Thani Province to…

  • German tourist sexually assaulted on Phuket motorcycle taxi ride

    German tourist sexually assaulted on Phuket motorcycle taxi ride

    A 37 year old female German tourist was sexually assaulted while riding a motorcycle taxi in Phuket in the early hours of yesterday. The victim, whose identity remains undisclosed, reported the incident to authorities at Patong Police Station around 4.26am. Following a night of exploring Phuket City’s Old Town, she sought a ride back to her hotel at approximately 12.45am.…

  • Chinese man arrested at Bangkok airport with 3,000 grammes of heroin

    Chinese man arrested at Bangkok airport with 3,000 grammes of heroin

    Airport Interdiction Task Force (AITF) officers at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok arrested a Chinese man who attempted to smuggle 3,000 grammes of heroin into Australia. The drugs were concealed in books and powder bottles. The Thai Narcotics Control Board Office (ONCB), stationed in China, reported the drug trafficking plan involving a suspicious Chinese man to the AITF. Further investigation…

  • Centel posts impressive Q4 results with 9% revenue increase

    Centel posts impressive Q4 results with 9% revenue increase

    Central Plaza Hotel Plc (Centel), known for operating Centara Hotels and Resorts, posted an impressive financial performance for the fourth quarter of 2023, with a total revenue of 6.02 billion baht marking a 9% increase year-on-year. The company’s yearly revenue for 2023 was also positive, amounting to 22.5 billion baht. This represented a significant growth of 24% or a revenue…

  • Fender bender escalates into Pattaya Police showdown (video)

    Fender bender escalates into Pattaya Police showdown (video)

    A minor traffic mishap in Pattaya spiralled into a full-blown confrontation outside a local police station yesterday, with tempers flaring and fists flying. A BMW driver, 36 year old Watcharaphon Phonpakdee allegedly collided with the back of Theerapong Manisri’s Toyota Yaris near a gas station on Soi Phothisan in Pattaya. As the two parties failed to reach an agreement at…

  • Dusit Thani Bangkok set for grand revival in 2024

    Dusit Thani Bangkok set for grand revival in 2024

    Dusit Hotels and Resorts unveiled its intention to resurrect Dusit Thani Bangkok hotel, with a projected reopening in September 2024. This new establishment will occupy the same prestigious location as its predecessor, a landmark in the Bangkok skyline from 1970 to 2019. Suphajee Suthumpun, the group chief executive of Dusit International, expressed that this new venture is a symbol of…

  • Thai woman arrested in Cambodia for murder of Taiwanese man

    Thai woman arrested in Cambodia for murder of Taiwanese man

    Thai police coordinated with the Cambodian authorities to arrest a Thai woman at a casino in Poipet City yesterday, for her involvement in the murder of a Taiwanese man. It is reported that three Taiwanese suspects are currently evading capture in Cambodia, while another has returned to Taiwan. An employee at Suvarnabhumi International Airport discovered the dead body of the…

  • Over 147,000 sign up for debt relief programme worth billions

    Over 147,000 sign up for debt relief programme worth billions

    Some 147,714 individuals have registered for the Interior Ministry’s debt relief programme within the past three months, an initiative aimed at combating a staggering debt value of 10.74 billion baht, confirmed Permanent Secretary Suttipong Juljarern on Monday. With the registration window, which started on December 1, set to close tomorrow, Suttipong urged those grappling with debt woes to expedite their…

  • Thai minister orders demolition of illicit resorts on Khao Yai farmland

    Thai minister orders demolition of illicit resorts on Khao Yai farmland

    Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thamanat Prompow mandated the demolition of illicit resorts and hotels erected on Sor Por Kor land around Khao Yai National Park, designated for agricultural use and granted to landless farmers. The minister’s mandate came as he pledged to rid the land of any illicit occupations. Thamanat Prompow announced yesterday that he has commissioned a fresh inspection…

  • BMW to establish first SE Asian EV battery factory in Thailand

    BMW to establish first SE Asian EV battery factory in Thailand

    BMW Group Thailand revealed plans to establish an electric vehicle (EV) battery factory in the country this year. This move is in response to China’s escalating EV investment and supply chains in Thailand. The factory, to be positioned in Rayong, will bolster the firm’s sales of battery EVs and plug-in hybrid EVs. The company’s president and CEO, Alexander Baraka, revealed…

  • Thailand aims to become SE Asia’s leading halal hub by 2028

    Thailand aims to become SE Asia’s leading halal hub by 2028

    The Thai government greenlit plans to transform Thailand into a leading halal hub in Southeast Asia by 2028, to elevate the nation’s GDP by 1.2%, or approximately 55 billion baht. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, speaking after the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, disclosed the government’s intent to constitute a national halal industry committee and the Thai Halal Industry Centre. The aim…

  • Chiang Mai tops world’s most polluted cities

    Chiang Mai tops world’s most polluted cities

    Chiang Mai province in northern Thailand has been blanketed by worsening haze, catapulting it to the top of the list of the world’s ten most polluted cities. The thick smog is a direct consequence of forest fires that have been burning unabated for approximately two weeks. The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) detected 1,420 hotspots on Monday alone.…

  • Bangkok’s eastern and central bus terminals set for relocation

    Bangkok’s eastern and central bus terminals set for relocation

    Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit announced plans yesterday to move the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai) and the Bangkok Bus Terminal (Mo Chit 2) to the Krung Thep Abhiwat Central Terminal. The intention behind the move is to offer more convenience to travellers as the Central Terminal can be easily reached using the MRT electronic rail system. In the proposed new location,…

  • Heatwave alert in Thailand with temperatures hitting 39 degrees Celsius

    Heatwave alert in Thailand with temperatures hitting 39 degrees Celsius

    Thailand’s Meteorological Department (TMD) issued a weather warning forecasting sweltering conditions across the country today, with peak temperatures expected to soar between 37 and 39 degrees Celsius. Despite the heat, there is a possibility of isolated thunderstorms during the afternoon, with some regions experiencing light rainfall. The TMD’s 24-hour forecast indicates that a low-pressure area resulting from intense heat is…

  • Thai cyber-attacks surge as Trojans target biometric data

    Thai cyber-attacks surge as Trojans target biometric data

    Thailand has been identified as a hotbed for Trojan malware that steals biometric data, such as facial recognition, as the country’s rate of cyber-attacks exceeds the global average over the last half of 2023, according to state reports from top cybersecurity companies. Andrey Polovinkin, a malware analyst at the Singapore-based cybersecurity firm Group-IB, warned that biometric systems may fall prey…

  • Thai man arrested for cross-border sperm cell smuggling

    Thai man arrested for cross-border sperm cell smuggling

    The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) officers arrested a Thai man at his home in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok for illegally smuggling sperm cells across the border into Laos and Cambodia for surrogacy. CIB police arrested the suspect, 33 year old Teerapong at his home in Nonthaburi province on February 24. Teerapong was found smuggling to Thailand’s neighbouring countries. Teerapon faced…

  • Former RTP boss and 7 others sued for reducing Red Bull heir’s sentences

    Former RTP boss and 7 others sued for reducing Red Bull heir’s sentences

    The Office of the Attorney General (AGO) filed a lawsuit against former Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP) Somyot Poompanmoung, and seven other relevant political or judicial figures for allegedly reducing the sentences of hit-and-run suspect Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, better known as the Red Bull heir. This year marks the 12th anniversary since the Red Bull heir, Boss, successfully evaded…

  • Releasing sharks on an island holiday: SAii’s latest sustainable adventure

    Releasing sharks on an island holiday: SAii’s latest sustainable adventure

    Whether you’re an avid travel buff or not, chances are you’ve encountered the latest buzzword of ecotourism making rounds on the Internet, your social media feeds, and airport billboards. But what exactly is ecotourism? The popular definition of ecotourism is to travel with sustainability in mind. In other words, eco-tourists are travellers who preserve the integrity of a natural environment…

  • 8 million meth pills seized in Chiang Mai drug courier arrest

    8 million meth pills seized in Chiang Mai drug courier arrest

    A 24 year old drug courier named Jiraphat, hailing from the Phrao district of Chiang Mai, was apprehended by drug suppression police. The arrest took place at an intersection in Chiang Dao district. Approximately 8 million methamphetamine pills were confiscated from the pickup truck driven by Jiraphat. The seizure was made on Monday, with the methamphetamine pills found stashed in…

  • Burned skeleton: Thai woman arrested for death of girlfriend (video)

    Burned skeleton: Thai woman arrested for death of girlfriend (video)

    Police arrested a Thai woman for the death of her girlfriend after her burned skeleton was discovered at a landfill in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen. The suspect admitted to setting her girlfriend on fire but denied the murder, claiming that her girlfriend died of a congenital illness. The burned skeleton of a woman was discovered at a dump site…

  • Ex-politician cleared of murder plot in Thai political feud

    Ex-politician cleared of murder plot in Thai political feud

    The Criminal Court acquitted a former local politician of orchestrating a murder plot on a current local political figure due to insufficient evidence, sparking intentions to appeal the verdict. The case stems from local political rivalries and allegations of corruption. Yesterday at 9.45am, the Criminal Court in Ratchadapisek Road, Bangkok, delivered its verdict on the high-profile case of attempted murder…

  • Thailand gold prices stable at 35,050 baht with steady market

    Thailand gold prices stable at 35,050 baht with steady market

    Gold prices in Thailand remained stable, with no increase or decrease compared to the previous closing figures yesterday The Gold Traders Association (GTA) listed the selling price for gold ornaments surpassing the 35,000 baht mark today in the Western calendar. The latest figures from the association’s website, recorded at 9.02am, indicated that the selling price for gold ornaments was 35,050…

  • Sweeping fires devastate 30,000 rai of forest in Chiang Mai

    Sweeping fires devastate 30,000 rai of forest in Chiang Mai

    Sweeping fires engulfed an estimated 30,000 rai (approximately 4,800 hectares) of forest across three districts in the province of Chiang Mai, reported local authorities. The flames, which sparked roughly a week ago, primarily ravaged the Ob Luang National Park. The districts of Hot, Chomg Thong, and Mae Cham are the most severely impacted, with the fires still ablaze and uncontained.…

  • Bangkok’s air quality improves as PM2.5 levels drop

    Bangkok’s air quality improves as PM2.5 levels drop

    Bangkok’s populace can anticipate a breath of fresh air in the forthcoming week as the levels of PM2.5 pollutants are projected to undergo a downswing. AirBKK, the Air Quality Monitoring Centre of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), confirmed on a Sunday morning that the PM2.5 concentrations in the capital city were well below the 24-hour safe exposure threshold, which is…

  • Nakhon Ratchasima tackles water scarcity amid El Niño

    Nakhon Ratchasima tackles water scarcity amid El Niño

    The province of Nakhon Ratchasima is facing a water management challenge due to the impact of the El Niño phenomenon, which has led to a critical decrease in water levels across 27 reservoirs. These water sources now contain less than half of their capacity, prompting local authorities to adopt stringent water management strategies. In contrast, the Huai Chorakhe reservoir, almost…

  • Thai woman attacked husband with knife for touching her vagina (video)

    Thai woman attacked husband with knife for touching her vagina (video)

    A Thai woman attacked her husband with a knife after he touched her vagina while they were drinking alcohol together in the Isaan province of Surin. The wife apologised, and the husband forgave her saying the incident kept their relationship lively. Surin Rescue Foundation was alerted to the knife attack at a house in the Mueang district of Surin province…

  • Thailand aims to become Southeast Asia’s data centre hub

    Thailand aims to become Southeast Asia’s data centre hub

    The Thailand Data Centre Council (TDCC) is pushing to establish Thailand as the central hub for data centres in Southeast Asia in the next three years, amid rising competition with foreign data centre providers joining the market. From the United States, Japan, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, and India, global cloud data centre operators are turning their investment focus towards Thailand.…

  • Thailand braces for heat and storms across 27 provinces

    Thailand braces for heat and storms across 27 provinces

    Today’s weather forecast in Thailand is demanding attention due to an expected combination of extreme heat and significant thunderstorms. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) warns that 27 provinces, including Bangkok, should brace for stormy conditions. The southern region is anticipated to experience heavy rainfall, affecting 20% of the area, with high waves predicted on Tuesday, February 27. A low-pressure system…

  • Thailand’s border trade faces slowdown amid regional politics

    Thailand’s border trade faces slowdown amid regional politics

    The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) predicts a slowdown in Thailand’s border trade for the current year due to political turmoil in Myanmar and economic issues in other neighbouring nations. Myanmar, Laos, Malaysia, and Cambodia, nations that share borders with Thailand, are facing obstacles to their economic growth, says Montri Mahaplerkpong, the FTI Vice-Chairman. Among the challenges, he highlights the…