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.
-
Sponsored Limited-time deal: Save 20% on Cigna's expat health plans forever
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...
-
North Korea fails to launch suspected ballistic missile
North Korea fired an “unknown projectile” yesterday, which reportedly appeared to fail immediately after it was launched. The United States’ military’s Indo-Pacific Command claimed it was part of a ballistic missile launch. The command did not mention the reported failure, but condemned the launch. It urged North Korea to refrain from further “destabilising” actions. South Korean media reported that disbris…
-
7 students at Thailand university face charges for allegedly beating a student to death
Since 19 year old student Padyos “Prem” Chonpakdi was beaten to death, allegedly by university students in a violent initiation ceremony on Sunday in Nakhon Ratchasima, seven upper-level students have confessed to using excessive violence against Prem which lead to his death. Prem was forced to undress, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, sing and was punched in the stomach and…
-
Thailand football player could face lifetime ban for elbow strike to opponent
A Bangkok Football Club player who struck his opponent with a Muay Thai-style elbow strike to the face could receive a lifetime ban. Aitsaret Noichaiboon slammed his elbow into the player’s face, fracturing his cheekbone. He received 24 stitches on his upper lip and doctors say he also suffered a blood clot in his nose. The football club terminated Aitsaret’s…
-
Officers find suspected hideout for alleged hitman on Thailand’s most wanted list
Officers found a camp at a mountain in the southern province Songkhla where they suspect an alleged hitman on Thailand’s most wanted list was hiding. The 45 year old who is wanted on multiple charges involving murder allegedly shot an M16 rifle during a police chase, killing an officer. Following the gunfire exchange, the alleged hitman Chamrat “Chui Chaochan” Rakchan,…
-
Thailand marine officials look into building cruise ship terminal on Koh Samui
Marine officials in Thailand are looking into building a cruise ship terminal on Koh Samui, a popular Gulf of Thailand island off the Surat Thani coast. A terminal is considered to be more convenient and safe for travellers as, at the moment, cruise ships must anchor by the island and smaller boats transfer travellers to the island and back to…
-
Police continue search for forest ranger in Isaan Thailand who allegedly killed ex-wife’s son
Officers in the Isaan province Buriram are still searching for the senior forest ranger who allegedly shot and killed his ex-wife’s son Sunday night. The victim’s family says the ranger called them after the shooting, saying he threatened to murder the entire family. He is believed to be hiding in a forest near the Dong Yai Wildlife Sanctuary. The 45 year…
-
Province in Western Thailand works to revive tourism in new scheme
The governor of one Western Thai province whose tourism income plummeted this year announced yesterday the need for a “comprehensive strategy” to revive tourism. The province of Prachuap Khiri Khan made 1.85 billion baht in tourism in 2020, but that dropped to 36 million baht in 2021. “We expect travel activities to pick up once Covid-19 is classified as an…
-
PM refuses to discuss possibility of early elections or confirm he will complete term
The Thai PM has refused to rule out the possibility of House dissolution and an early end to his tenure, in a change to his usual stance. Prayut Chan-o-cha has always reiterated his plan to remain in office until the end of his term next March and possibly beyond, ruling out any chance of early elections. However, while responding to…
-
25 kilograms of ketamine in tea bags wash up on eastern Thailand beach
A package containing more than 25 kilograms of ketamine washed up on a beach in Trat province on Thailand’s eastern coast yesterday. A 65 year old woman was out collecting rubbish on the beach when she found what appeared to be 25 bags of Chinese tea tied together washed up on the shore. Upon closer inspection, the bags were filled…
-
Illegal burning in Northern Thailand contributes harmful levels of air pollutant PM2.5
Illegal burning in more than 135 areas in the northern province Mae Hong Son has contributed to the rise of the air pollutant PM2.5 to levels considered to be harmful to human health. Authorities are also concerned that the poor air quality could also worsen the condition of Covid-19 patients in the area. Today, the air quality in Mae Hong…
-
Phuket tourism official reports low number of calls to Russian, Ukrainian helpline
An official from the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Phuket office says most Russian and Ukrainian tourists on the southern island appear to be “coping”. Nanthasiri Ronasiri says there have not been that many calls to a hotline set up specifically to help tourists stranded by cancelled flights or facing financial problems as a result of sanctions on Russia. Russia’s invasion…
-
Food delivery riders arrested for allegedly transporting ketamine, methamphetamine
Two food delivery drivers were arrested in Bangkok for allegedly transporting ketamine and methamphetamine to customers. The suspects allegedly confessed to trafficking the drugs for two years. Prior to the arrest, officers from the Children and Woman Protection Sub-Division arrested nine people, allegedly while they were getting high off benzodiazepines. Officers seized over 420 pills of the benzodiazepine Flunitrazepam. During…
-
Tangmo: Police examine ‘fresh evidence’ — CCTV video of person on speedboat
Police are examining “fresh evidence” from a CCTV camera that recorded footage of the speedboat TV actress Nida “Tangmo” Patcharaveerapong fell from before drowning in the Chao Phraya River last month. The video taken from a riverside building reportedly shows a person at the stern (rear) of the speedboat standing up and sitting down, as the boats moves along the…
-
UPDATE: Bus driver in fatal accident tests positive for methamphetamine
The bus driver in the fatal accident where eight passengers died was reportedly high on methamphetamine, also known as “ya ba” meaning “crazy drug.” Dashcam footage from a nearby vehicle shows the double-decker bus crashing into a concrete supporting pillar of an overhead bridge, ripping the right side of the bus. More than 20 people were injured. Drug tests for…
-
Health Ministry says to keep traditional Songkran activities dry
Thai officials have yet to set regulations on the massive water celebrations for Songkran, the Thai New Year, but the Public Health Ministry is recommending dry activities for the traditional ceremonies. To prevent the spread of Covid-19, the ministry is advising that Thais avoid the traditional act known as “rod nam dam hua,” where water is poured on the hands…
-
8 passengers killed, 20 injured after bus headed to Bangkok crashes into bridge pillar
Eight bus passengers were killed and more than 20 injured after a double-decker bus crashed into the concrete pillar for the overhead bridge. A total of 32 passengers were on the Bangkok – Suwannaphum bus operated by the state-run Transport Company. Five people died immediately at the scene and three later died at the hospital. 22 people, including the driver,…
-
Pattaya opens hotline to support stranded Ukrainian and Russian tourists
The Pattaya Tourist Police have launched a hotline to help Ukrainians and Russians facing financial issues or cancelled flights due to the conflict in Ukraine. Tourists and expats in Pattaya can call the hotline number at 1155 or use the application Tourist Police i lert u. Thousands of Russian tourists are stranded in Thailand due to flight cancellations and sanctions…
-
Thousands of Russians stranded in Thailand due to flight cancellations, sanctions
The Tourism Authority of Thailand says thousands of Russian holidaymakers are stranded in the kingdom as flight cancellations and sanctions over the war on Ukraine hit hard. According to Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya from the TAT, there are currently 3,100 Russian tourists stranded on Phuket, over 2,000 on Koh Samui, as well as Russian holidaymakers in Krabi, Phang Nga, and…
-
Successful young writer dies after balcony plunge, allegedly over Tangmo rumours
The Tangmo saga has had far reaching consequences, beyond a drowning mystery of a Thai TV star that has sparked Thai social media into a frenzy. Now a 20 year old has died from injuries sustained on March 3 when he fell from a balcony at a condo in Lat Phrao. Pattarathida “Tangmo” Patcharaveerapong drowned in the Chao Phraya on February…
-
Can we say good-riddance to the Thailand Pass on July 1?
OPINION “Hopefully, and essentially, there has to be a radical Thailand Pass-ectomy.” July 1 seems so far away as the rest of the world has moved on and opened up, with many SE Asian destinations also dispensing with many of their Covid-arrival procedures already, or in the next month. Whilst the rest of the world has established new travel lanes…
-
Son of national police figure hits and kills Pakistani refugee with Porsche, Bangkok
The son of a former national police chief has allegedly struck and killed a Pakistani refugee whilst driving his Porsche, driving in Bangkok. The driver, 29 year old Pornmet, reported to police after he was treated for head and face injuries. He admitted that he carelessly changed lanes suddenly while driving near Thaksin Bridge at around 1am yesterday morning. A…
-
Thailand’s price cap on diesel will last through May
In the midst of skyrocketing fuel prices around the world, Thailand’s diesel price cap at 30 baht per litre will last until the end of May. After that, a loan of 40 billion baht that supports the subsidy allowing the cap is expected to run out. Thailand’s deputy prime minister, who is also the energy minister, said the country must…
-
After missile accidentally fired, Pakistan warns India “Be mindful of consequences”
After accidentally firing a missile into Pakistan on Wednesday, India’s military blames a “technical malfunction”. The military called the misfire “deeply regrettable”. Pakistan’s foreign ministry condemned the missile as an unprovoked violation by a ‘super-sonic flying object’. India’s charge d’affaires in Islamabad has now been summoned to the foreign office to counter Pakistan’s claim. The Indian military did not say…
-
Federation of Thai Industries wants gov to scrap Test & Go, stop fuel price crisis
The Federation of Thai Industries has called on Thailand’s government to scrap the Test & Go scheme, and stop the ongoing fuel price crisis. On Thursday, the president of the federation suggested easing Test & Go to support tourism and a recovery for the Thai economy. The FTI suggested that Thailand only require fully vaccinated travellers to show proof of…
-
Emergency food relief has reached Koh Samui
by Joanna Matlub Living Waters Phuket has expanded its charitable food donations from Phuket to Koh Samui. This week, Living Waters Phuket continued its efforts to support vulnerable communities in need, this time moving beyond the Phuket and Phang Nga areas and onto the communities in Koh Samui on the Gulf of Thailand. The LWP Foundation was set up to…
-
Columbia Pictures Aquaverse water park to open in Chon Buri next month
The new Columbia Pictures Aquaverse water park in Chon Buri is officially opening to the public next month after plans were delayed due to Covid-19. The themes for attractions are based on popular movies and animations like Jumanji, Ghostbusters, and Hotel Transylvania. The water park also offers the world’s first wave pool cinema, allowing guests to watch movies on a…
-
PM Prayut to board first official flight to Yala’s new airport, chair opening ceremony
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha will be onboard the first flight to the new Betong Airport in the southern province Yala to preside over the opening ceremony on Monday. The prime minister hopes the airport will stimulate the southern border provinces’ economic development, encourage domestic and international commerce and improve security in the area. The airport, under construction from 2017 to 2019,…
-
Man claiming to be Tokay gecko catcher allegedly kills 2 pet dogs, steals valuable rosewood house pillars
A thief who claimed to be a Tokay gecko catcher poisoned two pet dogs and stole two house pillars made from valuable rosewood in the early hours of yesterday morning in the Isaan province Surin. 42 year old Saman Sooklom, who rents a house in Surin, woke up yesterday to find that his two pet dogs were dead and the…
-
Thai prisons ban alcohol-based gel after inmate dies, others hospitalised from drinking hand sanitiser
Alcohol-based hand sanitiser is being banned at Thai prisons after one inmate died, another blinded, and 31 others injured from mixing the hand gel with soft drinks to get drunk. All forms of alcohol products are typically prohibited on prison grounds, but during the Covid-19 pandemic, with major outbreaks at Thai prisons infecting tens of thousands of inmates, rules were…
-
Forensic doctor denies ‘signs’ Thai TV actress Tangmo was hit in the head
A recent autopsy on the body of the Thai TV actress known as “Tangmo” shows that there was no sign she was hit in the head with a hard object before drowning in the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok last month, says a forensic doctor who examined the body of the 37 year old celebrity. There were reportedly no broken…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.