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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Starting a new life abroad is exciting—new culture, new lifestyle, and new chances to grow. But living far from home also means taking steps to protect your health in unfamiliar surroundings. Without the right coverage, even small health issues can...
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Man kills family of 3 in revenge shooting in central Thailand
A Thai man has shot dead his childhood friend, his friend’s wife and the couple’s 5 year old son at the family’s home in the central province of Pathum Thani at around 1 pm yesterday. The shooting is suspected to be a revenge attack since the perpetrator’s mother was recently arrested and sentenced to 25 years in prison for a…
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New Pattaya festival made over a million baht in revenue, association says
After Pattaya debuted its new ‘Squid Fair‘ seafood festival this weekend, a business and tourism association says it generated over a million baht in revenue. The president of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association told The Pattaya News that, the 20 vendors at the festival earned almost 30,000-40,000 baht a day. The festival lasted for 3 days. The festival was held…
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Man stabs ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend 30 times at market in central Thailand
A jealous Thai man stabbed his ex-girlfriend’s new partner over 30 times, leaving him lying in a pool of blood at a busy market in the central province of Samut Prakan province on Tuesday. Rescue workers rushed the unconscious victim to hospital where he died from his injuries. In a horror attack, 20 year old Korakitti stabbed his ex-girlfriend’s new…
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Security at Suvarnabhumi under review after axe-wielding man high on drugs reaches highly-restricted area
Officials are reviewing security measures at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, after a man, allegedly high on drugs, managed to reach highly-restricted areas at the facility on Tuesday. The airport’s general manager, Kittipong Kittikachorn, says the man managed to reach the aircraft airport, but the authorities followed the guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organisation in apprehending him. “I can assure everyone…
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Hoteliers less than enthusiastic about government’s tourism stimulus scheme
Hotel operators have given a mixed response to a Tourism Authority of Thailand proposal for the new phase of the domestic tourism stimulus campaign. The TAT have suggested that hotels could offer a 50% discount on an extra 1 million room nights, in addition to the government’s offering under the “We Travel Together” scheme. According to a Bangkok Post report,…
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Press freedom ranks slightly better in Thailand this year
Despite its reputation for censorship, and repeated threats against activists over alleged lèse majesté violations, Thailand’s press freedom is ranking slightly better this year from last year. On a list of 180 countries, Thailand now ranks at 115, while last year it ranked at 137. Meanwhile, press freedom in Asia-Pacific at large has gotten worst, according to Reporters Without Borders.…
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Improvement recorded in Thailand’s press freedom ranking in 2022
Thailand has been ranked 115 out of 180 countries in the 2022 World Press Freedom index, up from 137 last year. However, despite the rise in ranking, the organisation Reporters Without Borders points out that media in the Kingdom remains highly divided. They say an expectation from PM Prayut Chan-o-cha that the media should, “play a major role in supporting…
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Japanese expat dies in motorbike accident, 10 year old daughter seriously injured
A Japanese businessman died in a motorbike accident on a mountain in Chiang Rai province, northern Thailand, yesterday. His 10 year old daughter is seriously injured and is being treated at Mai Sai hospital. Yesterday, 52 year old Shimizu Masaeki was taking his 10 year old daughter up Doi Pha Hee mountain in Chiang Rai province when he is thought…
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Why is today a public holiday in Thailand? Coronation Day.
May 4 commemorates the annual anniversary of the coronation of the King of Thailand, HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn. This year is the third anniversary of this auspicious event. Saturday, May 4, 2019, was the start of a 3 day traditional ceremony which culminated in the coronation of Thailand’s 10th King of the Chakri Dynasty. Although his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej,…
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Thai police to delete criminal records where suspects have been cleared
The assistant chief of the Royal Thai Police says the force will delete the criminal records of anyone who has been cleared of earlier criminal offences. Surachate Hakparn says this will remove the need for people to formally request that their records be deleted. Currently, even when a case has been closed and a person cleared, investigation records remain on…
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Thai PM expects tourism to recover to half of pre-pandemic levels by next year
The Thai PM says he expects 20 million tourists to visit the kingdom next year, around half the number of pre-pandemic years. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says this prediction still relies on the Covid-19 situation not deteriorating. According to a Bangkok Post report, the PM has acknowledged that tourism numbers have increased significantly since the easing of some restrictions. ‘Significant’ is…
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PM shrugs off claims of MPs being bribed to vote against him in no-confidence debate
The Thai PM has dismissed allegations that MPs are being bribed to topple the government in a forthcoming no-confidence debate. The claims were made on Facebook by former deputy PM, Trairong Suwannakhiri, according to a Bangkok Post report. Trairong says he’s learnt that between 5 and 30 million baht has been offered to MPs from smaller coalition parties, in an…
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Thai PM Prayut warns about fake 1000 baht banknotes
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is warning about fake 1000 baht banknotes and is urging anyone who finds them to hand them back to any commercial banks nearby. The PM’s spokesperson also gave details about how to detect the counterfeit bills. Locals in the central province of Nonthaburi have found lots of the fake 1000 baht notes. One female victim told…
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Pattaya police invite media to inspect the Walking Street makeover – safer, better, more secure
Business owners and staff along Pattaya’s high profile Walking Street are ready to to welcome visitors, both Thai and foreigners, after waiting for over 2 years. Pattaya police have paid a visit the street in a media stunt to declare the street is now ready, and safe, for visitors to return. They’ve been setting up checkpoints and urging security guards…
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President of a top university resigns after air hostess photos
After images of female air hostesses being posted on his Facebook account sparked a public uproar, Silapakorn University president Chaicharn Thavaravej has now posted his resignation to defend the university’s reputation and credibility. His resignation takes full effect after the university baord selects his successor. “I would like to take responsibility by resigning as the Silapakorn University president.” Last week,…
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Phuket Taxi driver assaults 15 year old Australian passenger
An Australian father has filed an official complaint to Phuket police saying a local taxi driver assaulted his 15 year old daughter at a parking area in a shopping centre in the middle of the island. The driver was released after an investigation and confessing to police that he just wanted to admire the passenger’s short pants. Phuket taxis are…
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Anutin reports surge in Thailand Pass applications after Test & Go dropped
Thailand’s public health minister and deputy PM says there has been a jump in Thailand Pass applications since the ditching of Test & Go. According to a Nation Thailand report, Anutin Charnvirakul says registration has increased, with no problems reported with the simplified system so far. The health minister also commented on the Covid-19 situation in Thailand, saying that daily…
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Officials hope Test & Go cancellation will see flights to Thailand double by year end
With Test & Go now tested and gone, the Thai government hopes to see a surge in flights to the kingdom, up to twice the current number by the end of the year. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand is anticipating 83,500 flights a month across all airports by the end of 2022. The…
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Yay May. Covid numbers down, arrival numbers up in Thailand.
May kicks off with an upbeat beginning in Thailand. Today’s May Day substitution public holiday saw the CCSA-reported daily Covid numbers drop below 10,000 for the first time since the start of February. And the number of daily deaths continues to fall below 100 after sitting over the milestone for most of April. 9,331 new Covid infections were reported in…
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BKFC Thailand first-ever championship belts are announced
Press Release Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) Thailand, presented by Singha, is set to crown its first two champions at BKFC Thailand 2: Iconic Impact and they will receive the first-ever BKFC Thailand championship belts. Created by ProAm Belts, the BKFC Thailand championship belt is designed after the original BKFC belt but adds a Thai flair to it. The main…
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Thailand braces for higher fuel and energy costs
The full impact of international fuel price rises and inflation is about to arrive in Thailand. After many months of shielding the full impact of price rises, mostly with a diesel subsidy which capped the pump price at 30 baht a litre, the prices are now set to soar The government’s diesel subsidy has been in place since last October…
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Thailand’s wet seasons and the annual monsoons
Thailand has just three seasons… damn hot, not-quite-so-hot and wet (sometimes torrential). The wet time of the year is variously called the wet season, the green season or monsoon. Whilst some people view the rain, sometimes very heavy, as a disruption, other embrace the annual downpours and enjoy the break from the hot weather. Depends if you’re riding on a…
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Thai troops kill 8 drug smugglers in Chiang Rai jungle, seize 6.7 million yaba pills
8 suspected drug traffickers have been shot dead in a firefight with Thai drug and border police that took place in the early hours of the morning in a Chiang Rai jungle. According to a Thai PBS World report, security forces have also seized around 6.7 million methamphetamine (yaba) pills in the operation. It’s understood the Thai troops were on…
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Federation of Thai Industries concerned about plans for minimum wage hike
Thailand’s Federation of Thai Industries has expressed concern about the impact a rise in the minimum wage could have on small and medium-sized businesses. The federation says if a proposal to increase the minimum wage to 492 baht goes ahead, it will have a severe impact on such firms. According to a Bangkok Post report, the FTI was responding to…
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New upper speed limit increases to 120 kilometres per hour on some Thai motorways
From yesterday, the speed limit for all traffic will now increase to 120 kilometres per hour. The change covers at least four highways in Thailand as a pilot program. The announcement was made by the director-general of the Highways Department and is already published in the Royal Gazette. There’s been a few false starts on the raising of the national…
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Another Phuket festival showcases the island’s traditional clothing
Another Phuket seafood festival, but this time, there’s a unique new feature! From Friday until Saturday night, officials in Kathu district Phuket organised the ‘Suk Jai Naithu’ festival. The festival included a parade of people dressed in colourful, elaborate costumes. These costumes are the traditional clothing of Phuket. ‘Suk Jai Nathu’ means ‘Happy Naithu’. Phuket Vice Governor Amnuay Pitsuwan and…
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How are expats coping with Thailand’s rising cost of living? – VIDEO
Sunday Thailand news update. Tim goes through the main headlines of the day then takes your questions and comments in our new weekend Thaiger Weekend Update. The main topic is the rising cost of living in Thailand and if it’s going to push out more expats who are on fixed incomes. But where will they go? An hour of the…
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First flight arrives in Phuket under revised “Thailand Pass”
Phuket’s first arrival flight under the Thailand Pass updated ‘eased’ restrictions has arrived! A flight from Qatar carrying with 324 passengers landed at Phuket International Airport this morning, and an airport director said 4,482 travellers in total are expected to arrive today. The director said that throughout May, an average of 27 flights per day were expected to arrive at…
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Officials worried about low number of Irrawadday dolphins in Thailand
Thai officials are worried about the low number of dolphins of a particular breed in Thailand. Despite campaigns in past years to preserve Irrawaddy dolphins, only 14 of them were found in Songkhla Lake, and 89 in the Mekong River, according to a 2020 survey. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said that dolphins often die when they get…
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Thailand tourism authorities want to attract 1 million tourists a month in final quarter
Things are looking up for Thailand’s tourism sector as several entry restrictions are set to ease tomorrow (Sunday). On April 25, it was reported that 713,183 international travellers had arrived in Thailand this year, more than 50% actual tourists. Now, the Tourism Authority of Thailand reportedly hopes to attract at least 1 million tourists every month heading into the next…
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