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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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Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained
Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...
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Online app helps monitor health of residents from air pollution
The Ministry of Public Health is launching an application to track the health of citizens in the Na Phra Lan tambon, located in the Chalerm Prakiat district of Saraburi, in response to rising concerns about air pollution and contamination caused by nearby limestone mines and cement manufacturing plants. Rungruang Kitpati, the chairman of the ministry’s Intelligence Unit, acknowledged the impact…
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Quackdown: Rubber duck escorted to police station in Thailand
An inflatable rubber duck waddled down to the police station in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand, during the Songkran holidays after guests at a pool villa were accused of fowl play. In a TikTok clip filmed on Saturday morning, the displeased customers carry the duck down to Ladya Police Station, explaining… “Today we came to visit a pool villa, don’t ask me…
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Thailand set to cruise into marine tourism boom with revived project
Thailand’s Marine Department is set to revive the Cruise Terminal Development Project to cater for the growth in marine tourism. In 2018, Thailand ranked third globally for most cruise ship stopovers, with 581 ships stopping per year and 14% growth year on year. Despite this growth, the country lacks a legitimate standard cruise terminal. A department report showed that the…
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8 victims injured during RCA Songkran party shooting in Bangkok
Police arrested a gunman in connection with a shooting at a Songkran party in front of Onyx bar at the popular entertainment venue Royal City Avenue (RCA) in Bangkok in the early hours of this morning. Four victims were injured by gunfire, while four others were hurt while trying to flee the scene. Officers from Makkasan Police Station were notified…
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Thai official says 91% of serious injuries during Songkran due to not wearing seat belts
The Songkran festival, which is celebrated annually in Thailand, is known for its festive water fights and partying. However, it has also gained a reputation for being one of the deadliest times on the roads due to increased traffic and road accidents. According to the Secretary General of the Thai Public Health Ministry, Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, there was an uptick…
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New York State celebrates Songkran
The state of New York in the US officially celebrated Songkran this year. New York State Representative Steven Raga proposed a bill to celebrate the Thai Songkran festival, the Thai Post reported. Raga wrote a letter to the leaders of the Thai and Asian communities in New York, informing them of the successful resolution to celebrate the festival. Several New…
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Pattaya debtor allegedly stabs loan shark in self-defence
A Pattaya debtor allegedly stabbed a loan shark in self-defence last night. The incident occurred near the Rueangwilai apartment complex in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district at 10pm. Police found the victim, 33 year old Sarawut Kamsaiprom lying in pain at the front of the apartment with serious stab wounds to his left ribcage. Pattaya authorities found a bloodstained kitchen…
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Pattaya cops swoop on Chinese and Burmese nationals for illegal entry and overstay
Pattaya cops swooped on a group of Chinese and Burmese nationals caught illegally entering Thailand, and overstaying their visas. Pattaya Police raided a house in the Takhian Tia sub-district of Bang Lamung district of Bang Lamung district yesterday. This was after an investigation revealed that the house residents reportedly got into Thailand without obtaining proper documents. The group included three…
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100 police deployed to reservoir in the hunt for killer cop in South Thailand
There’s been a new development in the case around the cop in South Thailand who killed several of his family members, including his wife and son. The killer cop, 46 year old Pol. Snr. Sgt. Maj. Atthaporn Wichian, killed six people in Surat Thani province last week, including his wife, son, and father-in-law. Police have been on the prowl for…
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Tourist allegedly pickpocketed at Pattaya Songkran splashing event
A tourist was allegedly pickpocketed at a Songkran water splashing event in Pattaya. The tourist, 25 year old Chinnawut Lahoong from Bangkok, told police that his wallet was stolen during a splashing event on Pattaya’s Walking Street. Chinnawut informed Pattaya City Law Enforcement about the incident last night. He said that he stopped to buy a water gun while at…
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3 detained in seizure of 100kg narcotics
In a significant narcotics bust in Thailand, authorities have apprehended suspects from three countries and intercepted over 100 kilograms of drugs, according to the Narcotics Control Board (NCB). On Tuesday, Thai authorities received information regarding the smuggling of heroin from Thailand to Australia. Working together with a joint task force, the NCB managed to seize 80 bricks of heroin, totalling…
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Phuket kitchen staffer stabs colleague to death
A Phuket kitchen staffer stabbed his colleague to death in the car park of a well-known hotel in Cherng Talay on Thursday, The Phuket Express and The Phuket News reported last night. The suspect, 20 year old Sarayut stabbed 23 year old Roongroj, in the stomach. Cherng Talay Police rushed to the scene after being informed of the incident at around 4.30pm. Upon arriving…
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Pattaya motorcycle taxi rider threatens to kill 2 foreigners over fare dispute
Pattaya Police yesterday arrested a Thai motorcycle taxi rider after he turned into a knife-wielding thug after a row with two foreign passengers over fare prices. According to reports, the taxi driver threatened to kill both foreigners during the altercation. The incident kicked off on Pattaya Second Road near Soi 6/1 early yesterday evening. Pattaya Police received a call about…
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Songkran celebrations turn sour: Over 100 lives lost, 1,000 injured in road accidents
According to the Director General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Boontham Lertsukheekasem, 114 fatalities and 1,064 injuries were recorded due to road accidents nationwide during the Songkran holiday. Between Tuesday and Thursday, there were 1,055 traffic incidents leading to these casualties a report today revealed. Chiang Mai, a province in the north, experienced the most accidents with…
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EC justifies Songkran trips to monitor early voting
The Election Commission (EC) in Thailand has come under scrutiny after all six of its members travelled abroad during the Songkran holiday on taxpayer-funded inspection visits. Former election commissioner and current MP candidate for the Seri Ruam Thai Party, Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, criticized the move, questioning the purpose and timing of the trips, given that the General Election has not yet…
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Limited access to Khao San Road due to overcrowding
Police temporarily blocked access to the renowned backpacker haven of Khao San Road last night, as the Songkran event attracted an overwhelming number of participants. Police are urging new visitors to await the departure of those already at the venue before entering the 400-metre-long road in Phra Nakhon district. Songkran festivities kicked off yesterday and are expected to continue well…
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Songkran to generate billions in revenue for Thailand
After a three-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Thailand‘s famous Songkran Festival, or Thai New Year, officially kicked off yesterday. Locals and visitors from all around the world gathered at popular spots across the country to partake in the renowned water-splashing festivities. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) anticipates that both Thai and foreign tourists will contribute up to…
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Beware of passport scam targetting British nationals in Thailand warns UK Foreign Office
The British Foreign Office issued a warning to both UK residents and expats in Thailand about a passport scam that is currently targetting British nationals in the kingdom. Fraudsters are attempting to capitalize on the recent strikes by government workers in the UK, which have caused delays in passport renewals, by promising to bypass the three-month waiting period for a…
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Speed demon down: Former world motorcycle champ crashes near Phuket
A former world motorcycle racing champion, who holds multiple speed records, has been involved in an accident near Phuket. Eric Teboul, better known in the motorcycle community as “Rocketman” after breaking the world quarter mile record on a bike just months ago, collided with another Honda ridden by Oleg Afanasenko, a Russian holidaymaker, on a bend near the scenic viewpoint…
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EC reports 2.3 million people register for advance voting
The Election Commission (EC) yesterday announced that 2,350,969 people have registered for advance voting ahead of the May 14 General Election. Registration was open between March 25 and April 9, and the EC reports that this year’s figures were similar to those of 2019, when 2.63 million people registered for advance voting, including 119,000 overseas voters, reported Bangkok Post. Of…
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Apple making big move to Thailand as production shifts from China
Late last year, news broke that Apple Inc. was planning to shift production from China to Thailand, it now appears that this move is becoming a reality. According to a report by Nikkei today, the multinational technology company based in California is currently in discussions with suppliers regarding the manufacturing of MacBooks in Thailand, as part of its strategy to…
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Thai woman arrested for surrogacy fraud, identity theft, and human trafficking (video)
Police arrested a Thai woman for her involvement in illegal surrogacy, identity theft, and colluding with Chinese citizens in human trafficking. The Thai woman, Nawaporn Pakiatsakun, who was originally Chinese, married a Thai man to gain Thai citizenship and facilitate her crimes. It was later revealed that several government officials from Thailand were also involved in the corrupt scheme. The…
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Thai govt warns drivers to keep a brake on road mishaps during ‘Seven Deadly Days’ of Songkran Festival
The Thai government has issued a warning to drivers who are travelling during the Songkran Festival, urging them to be careful on the road. This warning comes after the Thailand Road Accidents Data Centre for Road Safety Culture (ThaiRSC) reported 74 fatalities and 2,322 injuries on the first day of the “Seven Deadly Days” of the Songkran Festival. As of…
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Sergeant major-turned-cyberpunk surrenders after allegedly hacking 55 million Thais’ data
UPDATE: The sergeant major turned cyberpunk accused of hacking the personal data of 55 million Thais surrendered to police this morning. The alleged hacker, Sgt. Maj. Khemarat Boonchuay, arrived at the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) this morning with his wife for questioning. Police said the suspect remained silent and did not respond to any questions. Sgt. Maj. Khemarat was suspended…
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TAT expects Phuket to generate at least 4.5 billion baht during Songkran
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects Phuket to generate at least 4.5 billion baht during the Songkran Festival, with over 200,000 tourists expected to visit the island province. The director of TAT’s Phuket Office, Lertchai Wangtrakundee, stated that 84% of hotel rooms have already been booked from April 13 to April 16. Additionally, 258 international flights with 48,302 passengers…
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Pepsi Thailand introduces bottles made from 100% recycled plastic
Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand) will switch to 100% recycled plastic for its 550ml Pepsi bottles, expected to enter the market later this month, under the campaign “Appreciate Fizz: Dare to Change the World.” PepsiCo joined forces with Chulalongkorn University and ENVICCO Co., Ltd. to launch the project, “Pepsi Recycled PET Bottle Campaign.” Pepsi will be the first carbonated drink brand to…
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Tourism Authority of Thailand pushing for 150,000 Saudi tourists this year
Thailand continues to set new tourism goals. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is now pushing for 150,000 Saudi tourists this year, according to Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, TAT’s deputy governor of Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas. The improved diplomatic relations between Thailand and Saudi Arabia have had a very positive impact on Thailand’s tourism sector, Siripakorn said. There…
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Porsche driver caught using fake registration plate to avoid tollway fees
A 69 year old Porsche driver who has a history of repeated traffic offences was charged by the police. The driver had been using a fake license plate to evade tollway fees on 22 separate occasions. The police took action after receiving a complaint from the legitimate owner of the license plate. Last year, Thailand introduced a new payment system…
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Top Songkran dining spots in Bangkok – April 2023
For those who want to celebrate Songkran in a calmer way, away from the noisy crowds and water fights, we have the perfect solution for you. Enjoy a quiet, indoor place where you can taste delicious food and be happy with your loved ones. As the Thai New Year begins, there is no better way to honor this special time…
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