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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Thailand to spend US$250 million on private VIP jets
The Cabinet approved an 8.8-billion-baht (US$270 million) budget to procure private VIP jets for members of the Thai royal family, ministers and honoured guests. Proposed by the prime minister’s secretariat and approved on Tuesday, the plan includes the procurement of new aircraft and components and the training of personnel. It’s just the latest of many curious budget decisions we can…
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Bolt vs Win motorbike taxi gang violence continues in Pattaya
Violence between rivalling motorbike taxi operators continues in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, where three ‘Win‘ drivers were injured after being beaten with a baseball bat and an iron bar, allegedly by Bolt drivers. Yesterday evening, a brawl broke out between three Bolt drivers and three Win drivers at Thappraya Soi 7, South Pattaya, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province, near Jomtien…
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Huge waves in the southern Thai sea destroys beach and 200 palm trees
Thap Sakae Beach and 200 palm trees in the southern province of Prachup Khiri Khan were devastated as huge waves battered its shoreline yesterday morning. According to Thap Sakae sub-district chief Maria Phaopratarn, the waves and wind at Thap Sakae Beach in the southern province of Prachup Khiri Khan were unusually strong yesterday morning and began to subside around 4pm.…
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End of the World (of Warcraft) for China’s gamers
The land of Azeroth has been a dreamland of freedom for millions of locked-down Chinese gamers since Covid-19 struck. But just as the lockdown ends at home, fans of the roleplaying epic World of Warcraft (WoW) are being locked out of their fantasies. It’s the end of the world (of Warcraft) as they know it. The game is set to…
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Koh Samui welcomes first Taiwanese tour group in 3 years
Thailand’s tropical holiday island of Koh Samui welcomed its first Taiwanese tour group in nearly three years on Tuesday. The group of 142 tourists enjoyed Koh Samui’s nature tourism, as well as its temples and shrines. The group also plan to travel to Koh Ang Thong, Koh Tao, and Koh Nang Yuan for four days. The group had a three-night…
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Thai man mistakes friend for wild boar and shoots him dead
A Thai man shot dead his best friend in the forest in Lampang province in northern Thailand yesterday morning. Distraught, the gunman said he thought his friend was a wild boar. At 7am, officers from Mae Tha Police Station were informed of a fatal shooting in the forest on the mountain in Wan Ngern subdistrict. At the scene, officers found…
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Taiwanese actress warns tourists to be aware of Thailand’s ‘bastard police’
A famous Taiwanese actress warned foreign tourists coming to Thailand to be aware of the kingdom’s “bastard police!” The actress revealed on social media that the Royal Thai Police (RTP) extorted 27,000 baht from her and her friends on fake, trumped-up charges while they were travelling in Thailand at the beginning of this month. The Thai Facebook page Hello Taiwan!…
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Pattaya prepares for return of Chinese tour groups
Cities across Thailand continue to prepare for the expected rise in the number of Chinese tourists to the kingdom. Pattaya is preparing for Chinese tour groups to finally return to the renowned party city. On Tuesday, Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches met with the Thai-Chinese Tourism Association to discuss how best to accommodate the influx of Chinese tourists to the city.…
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Bangkok and six northern provinces to see air quality worsen over weekend
Bangkok and six northern provinces in Thailand are expected to see air quality worsen over the weekend, according to Thailand’s Pollution Control Department (PCD). The PCD reported yesterday that air quality across the country ranged from very good down to a health-threatening level at 11 am. The amount of PM2.5 dust particles in the atmosphere also exceeded the standard level…
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Thailand beats foreign arrivals goal for 2022
Thailand has reportedly beaten its goal for foreign arrivals in 2022 after seeing a total of 11.15 million tourists enter the country last year. Initially, the kingdom had set a goal for 10 million tourists to arrive in 2022. But, as the world opened up after the Covid-19 pandemic, the country saw a significant jump in arrivals compared to 2021’s…
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Bangkok, Songkhla, Chon Buri provinces to host 2025 Southeast Asian Games
Bangkok, Songkhla, and Chon Buri provinces are the new hosts of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games. The Sports Authority of Thailand decided at a meeting that was presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon yesterday. During the meeting, Nakhon Ratchasima was also chosen to host the 13th ASEAN Para Games in 2026. A budget allocation from the National Sports…
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Thai police swiftly arrest thief who robbed German tourist
Netizens are praising the work of police in Sukhothai in central Thailand for tracking down and arresting a thief who robbed a German tourist in just 30 minutes and reuniting her with all of the stolen items. Not only did police crack the case, but one investigating officer interrogated the thief and posted the video on his TikTok account earlier today.…
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2 Chinese tourists injured after fight at bar in Chiang Mai
Two Chinese citizens were injured after two groups of Chinese tourists brawled at the end of a boxing match at a bar in Chiang Mai. The fight also caused a heavy backlog of traffic near Tha Phae Gate. Members of the Ruamlanna Chiang Mai Rescue Association rushed to the bar on Loi Kroh Road near Chiang Mai Old City after…
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Thailand promotes tourism with subsidies, vouchers nationwide
Thailand is promoting tourism by offering rate subsidies on hotels and food vouchers at participating businesses nationwide. According to Bangkok Post, the Thai Cabinet approved a budget of 3.95 billion baht to stimulate tourism, which includes 2.02 billion baht set aside for food-tour vouchers and room discounts of up to 40%. Under the government’s “We Travel Together” campaign, 560 hotel…
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Locals seek 5 billion baht from oil spill
After an oil spill a year ago, villagers and small businesses in Rayong are suing all involved and seeking 5 billion baht in damages. Star Petroleum Refining (SPRC), PTT Global Chemical and several government agencies are named in the suit for their part in the oil spill last January. The lawsuits have been filed by the Rising Sun law firm, which…
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Bangkok governor urges the capital to work remotely as pollution deteriorates
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt urged the capital’s workers and car drivers to stay at home and work remotely as the pollution levels continue to deteriorate in the city. The 56 year old city chief advised residents to refrain from going to the office, wear masks outdoors, and if drivers must travel, use public transport. “Residents should work from home if…
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Blue Tree Phuket becomes World-Class Event Venue with Basta’s phenomenal concert
Press Release Blue Tree Phuket, a second-to-none entertainment hub on the famous Thai resort island, shows its potential to be a new world-class event venue with its recent successful concert from ‘Basta’, the best-known Russian rapper and hip-hop artist. Basta’s phenomenal concert wowed a crowd of 3,000 hip-hop fans singing and dancing at Blue Tree’s 4,000-square-meter concert venue earlier this…
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Thai Cabinet approves electricity bill discounts over next four months
The Thai Cabinet has approved electricity bill discounts over the next four months for more than 19 million households. According to the Bangkok Post, the discounts will span from the remainder of this month (January) to April, 2023. Deputy Secretary-General to the prime minister, Anucha Burapahaisri, says the discounts have been approved to help with the high power tariff. Households…
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Monkeys in central Thailand being trafficked abroad
A caretaker of the Khao Nor Temple in the central province of Nakhon Sawan urges authorities to investigate wildlife traffickers after the temple’s monkeys disappeared and over 50 tranquillizer darts were discovered in the area. Khao Nor Temple is a popular attraction among domestic tourists. Thais usually visit the area to climb the limestone mountain inside the temple and enjoy…
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Carmen Software Co. Ltd. launches new Cloud Version and Vietnamese Version of Accounting Software
Press Release Carmen Software Co. Ltd., a leading provider of hotel accounting and procurement software, is excited to announce the launch of the new Carmen Accounting Software Cloud version and the Vietnamese version. This new version of Carmen is now available in 9 countries in the Asia Pacific region, catering to the needs of hotels in the region. The Carmen…
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Aussie visitors to Phuket reach almost 90% of pre-Covid level
The number of Australians visiting Phuket has reached almost 90% of pre-pandemic levels, according to Australian Consul-General to Phuket, Matthew Barclay. The news comes as Barclay met with Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew at Provincial Hall. Barclay told the Phuket News… “It’s clear that 2023 will be a significant year for Phuket. The meeting was a great opportunity to discuss the…
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Thai police seize 1.1 tonnes of crystal meth in just one week
Southeast Asia‘s synthetic drugs trade is booming with Thai police seizing over one tonne of crystal meth (“Ice”) in just one week. Police displayed the fruits of their hard work – 1.145 tonnes of seized methamphetamine disguised as Chinese tea – at the Narcotics Suppression Bureau in Bangkok yesterday. The crystal meth was produced in neighbouring countries and smuggled into…
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Sawasdee by AoT app adding e-payment, calendar
The “Sawasdee by AoT” app is continuing to grow, with new features stretching outside the scope of airports. Sky ICT, an aviation technology firm, announced that it will be adding an e-payment feature to the app by April. Sawasdee by AoT now includes 64 active features and growing. Coming next? The payment feature and tourism calendars for different popular regions.…
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Bidding method for train station redesign project inappropriate
An investigation into the 33-million-baht redesign project for Bang Sue Grand Station revealed that the selection method to choose a nameplate and logo designer was inappropriate. The probe, headed by Sorapong Paithoonpong, a deputy interior permanent secretary, revealed its findings yesterday. After His Royal Majesty King Vajiralongkorn decided to rename the station “Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal” in September last…
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Over 158,000 tourists in Phuket for Chinese New Year, officials say
Thai tourism officials say the Chinese New Year Festival drew over 158,000 tourists to the holiday paradise of Phuket. From January 21-22, the festival drew 158,414 Thai and foreign tourists to Phuket, said the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket Office director Nanthasiri Ronnasiri. Nanthasiri said the festival generated at least 2.6 billion baht, Thai media reported. Over the two…
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Thieves steal 27 public defibrillators in Bangkok, Thailand
Thai news outlet Drama-addict reported that 27 public Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) dotted around the streets of Bangkok, Thailand, have been stolen. In total, 262 AEDs are stationed all around the city to be used to help people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. AEDs are life-saving, yet easy-to-use medical devices that can analyse the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an…
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Thailand VIP packages offered on Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) insists no VIP service packages or fast passes have been made available for purchase in China despite a Thai travel blogger revealing that those services and elite visas are indeed available to buy on the Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao. Thai police are already under fire over the scandalous video of three police officers escorting…
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Mass shootings in the US this year up to 70 (video)
The total number of killings in mass shootings in the United States this year is 70 and the month of January still has a week to go. California is currently wrestling with the aftermath of two consecutive mass shootings, the latest shooting saw a man kill seven ex-colleagues in Half Moon Bay, a coastal city south of San Francisco. The…
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Police catch Phuket couple with half a kilogram of crystal meth
There’s been another meth bust in Phuket, this time involving a couple. Police caught a Phuket couple with half a kilogram of crystal methamphetamine in the island province’s main city district on Friday night. Officers from the Narcotics Control Board seized 510.98 grams of crystal meth from the couple at Saphan Hin Public Park. They also seized two meth pills.…
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Bangkok delivery driver nabbed robbing cars on the side
A motorbike delivery driver in Bangkok was busted after police tracked him down and revealed him as a serial thief. The investigation started after a woman reported her car had been burgled earlier in the month. On January 13, a saleswoman named Saowalak reported a break-in of her car. It had been parked outside of the temple of Wat Traimit…
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