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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Singaporean TikTok user hospitalised after consuming fried silk worms in Thailand
A Singaporean TikTok user documented her gastronomic adventure at the night markets of Bangkok on January 14 when her intrigue in freshly fried insects landed her in hospital. In a 30-second video, Nicolette Wee enthusiastically showcased her purchase of a bag of grasshoppers. “So thick, fat, and juicy. Oh my gosh, the crunch and the legs were dangling out. I…
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Bhumjaithai’s Chontida Asavahame quits party
Chontida Asavahame, the fifth candidate on Bhumjaithai’s political roster, has quit the party. The move dashes any hopes she had of replacing former Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob as an MP, according to an inside party source. Supachai Jaisamut, Bhumjaithai’s registrar, confirmed the development, revealing that the party promptly notified the Secretariate Office of the House of Representatives about Chontida’s resignation. This…
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Chiang Mai court demands PM2.5 emergency plan
The Administrative Court in Chiang Mai demanded Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and the National Environment Board craft an emergency plan within the next 90 days. This decisive move comes as a response to the persistent threat of PM2.5 pollution plaguing northern provinces and signals a watershed moment for civil society in the region. The court’s verdict is a resounding call for…
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Massive international drug bust in Phra Khanong district
Officers from the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) and Immigration Police arrested a Nigerian national, along with eight other suspects linked to a sprawling drug trafficking network. The bust unfolded at Pavilion Mansion, Udomsuk 49 Alley, Bang Chak district, Phra Khanong, Bangkok. A total of nine individuals including 40 year old Nigerian national, identified only as Fabian, were apprehended, with a…
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Thai man arrested in South Pattaya for selling meth and firearms
A team of investigators arrested a Thai man for illegal trading of methamphetamine and unauthorised firearms in South Pattaya on January 18. The suspect, 35 year old Rueangrit (surname withheld) was found residing in an abandoned Soi Batman building. In an operation led by Bang Lamung Police Chief Police Colonel Navin Sinthurat, officers observed Rueangrit’s suspicious activities before initiating a search.…
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Thai PM pushes for minimum wage raise
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin declared yesterday that Thailand must abandon its reliance on low labour costs to entice foreign investments, pushing for a raise in the country’s minimum wage. Addressing a panel discussion titled Learning from ASEAN at the World Economic Forum in Davos, PM Srettha emphasised a paradigm shift in priorities. “Low labour cost should not be the attracting…
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Shocking teen crimes spark government debate on harsher punishments
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin revealed plans to reevaluate legal consequences for young offenders involved in heinous crimes. This revelation comes in the aftermath of a brutal slaying allegedly committed by a group of teenagers aged 13 to 16 in Sa Kaeo’s Aranyaprathet district. Caught on security cameras attacking a 47 year old woman with mental health issues named Buaphan Tansu, the…
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Naked British man found dead in luxury Chon Buri condominium
The owner of a luxury condominium in the Sriracha district of Chon Buri today found the dead body of a naked British man inside the room. The cause of death has not yet been confirmed. The juristic person of the condo told Channel 7 that the British man, 57 year old Matthew, usually bought products from a convenience store on…
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Thai government tests new lottery system with tickets as low as 20 baht
The Government Lottery Office (GLO) plans to experiment with the sale of three-digit and two-digit lotteries within a sandbox system mid-year this year. The test will involve one million numbers, both direct and permutation, to combat underground lottery operations. The cost per ticket is expected to range between 20 to 50 baht. The director of GLO revealed that the initial…
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Thai university student escapes attempted rape in dormitory
A Thai university student narrowly escaped an attempted rape in her dormitory in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen thanks to the help of her roommate. The victim, a 19 year old woman named Wirakarn, told Channel 7 that the incident happened at around 9pm on Monday, January 15. She was waiting for the lift to go to her room…
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Violent dispute between van drivers shocks tourists at Phuket Airport
An alarming event unfolded at the Phuket International Airport recently, where a violent dispute erupted between two van drivers. The altercation unfolded before a crowd of tourists and was vividly captured in a video that has subsequently circulated widely on social media. The incident occurred in the early evening, prompting a swift response from the police who were promptly alerted…
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STARLUX Airlines to launch LA and San Francisco to Chiang Mai flights
Taiwanese airline, STARLUX Airlines, is launching new routes from Los Angeles and San Francisco to the northern province of Chiang Mai. The launch event, held at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on January 16 showcased the distinct traditions of Chiang Mai while underscoring TAT’s unwavering commitment to enhancing US-Thailand travel. As a warm Chiang Mai welcome, passengers on the inaugural…
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Police officer arrested for using and selling Yaba from police station
Officers of Nong Pling Police Station in the central province of Nakhon Sawan arrested a colleague for selling methamphetamine, also known as Yaba, on the police premises. Nong Pling Police Station‘s narcotics suppression unit discovered 55 year old Police Sub-lieutenant Suttirat Ampasawet offering drugs to addicts in the province. Officers then posed as customers and ordered 50 tablets of Yaba…
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Demand for stricter juvenile law after brutal murder by teenagers in Sa Kaeo
The brutal murder of a woman in Sa Kaeo’s Aranyaprathet district by five teenagers has triggered demands for stricter penalties for serious offences committed by juvenile delinquents. The incident, which occurred on Thursday, January 11, saw the teenagers, aged between 13 and 16, captured on security camera footage attacking the woman, 47 year old Buaphan Tansu, and later confessing to…
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13 year old Thai volunteer rescuer dies in drunk driving accident
A 13 year old Thai volunteer rescuer tragically died on duty in a multi-vehicle accident, the result of a collision caused by a drunk driver in Nonthaburi province, near Bangkok. The teenage Thai rescuer, Weerayut Jindadaeng, was pronounced dead at the accident scene on the road under the Ngam Wong Wan Toll in Nonthaburi province. He suffered serious head injuries from…
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Thai Consular introduces electronic documents services including e-passports
Thailand‘s Department of Consular Affairs has introduced biometric e-passports and AI-powered consular applications. Below is a list of the e-services that the Department of Consular Affairs have launched: E-passports. The star of the show is the e-passport, boasting biometrics galore – facial images, fingerprints, and iris scans, all in line with international standards. E-visa. With an online system already rocking…
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Thai health chief champions surrogacy for same-sex couples
In a move anticipating the impending legalisation of same-sex marriage in Thailand, the nation‘s Health Department Director-General Atchara Nithiapinyasakul is pushing for a revision of the Surrogacy Act. The aim is to open the doors for homosexual couples to adopt a baby through a surrogate mother, addressing not just personal desires but also a national crisis. As Thailand grapples with…
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PM Srettha discusses direct flights from Brussels to Bangkok at WEF
At the 54th World Economic Forum in Davos, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin met Belgium Prime Minister Alexander De Croo to discuss stronger ties between the two nations at the Congress Centre on January 17. Coming out of the high-profile meeting, the prime minister-cum-finance minister pledged to explore the prospect of direct flights between Brussels and Bangkok with the involvement of…
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Thai commerce minister targets US for premium rice exports boost
Thai Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, during his visit to the US, affirmed his determination to boost exports of premium rice and other food products from Thailand. His ambition is to amplify exports of rice and food items from the Land of Smiles by 1.75 billion baht. The US, Thailand’s second largest trading partner and the principal importer of Thai hom…
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Thai-German man arrested for sexually assaulting daughter and distributing child porn
Officers from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) arrested a half Thai half German man in northeastern Thailand on January 14 for sexually assaulting his seven year old daughter and distributing child porn online. The Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany, Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), handed over information and evidence on the Thai-German suspect, identified only as Tony, to the DSI on…
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PTTEP boosts gas production at Erawan to avoid hefty fine
PTT Exploration and Production Plc (PTTEP) is stepping up gas production at the Erawan gas block in the Gulf of Thailand to avoid a hefty fine. The penalty would be due to a failure to supply the volume of gas stipulated in a contract signed with PTT Plc, Thailand’s sole gas dealer. The chief executive of PTTEP, Montri Rawanchaikul, expressed…
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Tourists arrested for refusing to pay for beach chairs in Pattaya
Two tourists were arrested by Pattaya police yesterday, January 18, for refusing to pay for beach chairs. According to eyewitnesses, the drama unfolded when the two men, one sporting a shirtless bravado and described as aggressive, attempted to commandeer beach chairs without paying. The eagle-eyed owners promptly reminded them that the coveted chairs came at a cost, igniting a fiery…
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Frenchman arrested in Chiang Mai for selling fake ID cards
Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) officers arrested a Frenchman in the northern province of Chiang Mai for making and selling fake identification (ID) cards of French citizens. Unfortunately, another French suspect managed to evade the arrest. The French authorities discovered the sale of counterfeit ID cards on the dark web. These fake identities were used to commit several crimes in…
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Reef-rescue ripples: Marine department dives deep to tackle 338kg ghost net near Rin Island
In a splash of environmental heroism, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, along with volunteer divers, dove into action to tackle a colossal problem near Rin Island in Chon Buri’s Sattahip district. On Wednesday, January 17, the team embarked on a mission to untangle a whopping 338kg ghost net that had ensnared a coral reef. Prompted by concerned divers,…
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Heavy-duty: Thai police to crackdown on overloaded trucks
The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) has been empowered to crack down on trucks exceeding legal weight limits. Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul inked the amendment to the ministerial order, marking a significant shift in highway law enforcement, disclosed ministry spokesperson Trisulee Trisaranakul yesterday, January 18. Before this regulatory facelift, only local highway officials, primarily from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), wielded…
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Prosthetic police probe: Thai man accuses hopalong cop of wife’s murder confession coercion
A Thai man accused a hopalong cop with a prosthetic leg at Aranyaprathet Police Station in the Isaan province of Sa Kaeo of torture and forcing him into confessing to the murder of his wife. Buaphan Tansu was brutally assaulted and murdered by a group of five teenagers, who are now in police custody. Initially, the police wrongly arrested 54…
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Thai activist Arnon Nampa sentenced to four years in prison for royal defamation
Activist and lawyer Arnon Nampa has been given a four-year prison sentence by the Criminal Court. Arnon was charged with violating the lèse-majesté law under Section 112 of the Criminal Code and the Computer Crime Act. This decision comes after 39 year old Arnon was found guilty of defaming the monarchy, a crime carrying a maximum sentence of 15 years.…
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Thai PM tweets from the top: Srettha’s Swiss summit scoop at Davos World Economic Forum
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin took to his Twitter account to keep his compatriots in the loop about his diplomatic encounters in Davos, Switzerland at the World Economic Forum (WEF). The 61 year old Thai prime minister spared no detail in sharing snippets of his discussions with a constellation of influential figures at the WEF. From rubbing shoulders with executives of…
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Thai PM hails Thailand as top Airbnb hotspot and UK Telegraph’s 6th best destination this year
Thailand emerged as the ultimate getaway for Chinese tourists, clinching the top spot on Airbnb‘s coveted list and securing the 6th position in The Telegraph’s must-visit destinations for 2024. Government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke revealed that Thailand outshone all rivals on Airbnb’s hotel booking platform during the winter season of December 2023 to February 2024. “Thailand is the most sought-after destination…
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Police general takes flight: Aims to soar Suvarnabhumi Airport into global top 50 in 2 years
The new chairman of Airports of Thailand (AoT), Police General Visanu Prasattongosoth, announced an ambitious plan to elevate Suvarnabhumi International Airport into the top 50 global airports within two years. The strategy, revealed yesterday, January 18, is part of AoT’s broader initiative to upgrade and increase the capacities of six airports under its jurisdiction, in response to the anticipated global…
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