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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...

  • Drunk Swede run over after passing out in Pattaya car park

    Drunk Swede run over after passing out in Pattaya car park

    A drunken night ended in tragedy for a Swedish tourist in Pattaya after he collapsed in a parking lot and was fatally run over by a sedan in the early hours of the morning. At 3.50am today, June 20, emergency responders from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Unit received a report of a serious car accident in the parking lot…

  • Chalong sting nabs Uzbek woman in clinic raid

    Chalong sting nabs Uzbek woman in clinic raid

    A foreign woman offering backroom beauty treatments in Phuket has been arrested after police uncovered her secret unlicensed clinic. An Uzbek national, known only as Maftu, was caught red-handed operating an illegal beauty business in the Chalong area. The arrest took place on Tuesday, June 17, following a joint raid led by Phuket Provincial Police, Phuket Immigration, Chalong Police, and…

  • Thai man claims Cambodian accomplice pushed him to kill gay victim

    Thai man claims Cambodian accomplice pushed him to kill gay victim

    A Thai man who murdered a gay victim in the Isaan province of Surin and stole his gold accessories claimed a Cambodian man encouraged him to commit the crime. The 15 year old Thai boy discovered the body of his transgender neighbour, 63 year old Pratheep Kongthawee, on June 4. Pratheep’s body was hidden under a red blanket near a…

  • Storm alert: Thailand soaked as heavy rain triggers flood fears

    Storm alert: Thailand soaked as heavy rain triggers flood fears

    The Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasted increased rainfall across Thailand, particularly affecting the eastern, upper northeastern, and southwestern regions, warning locals to be cautious of heavy rain and potential accumulation. In Bangkok, residents can expect rain in the afternoon and evening, with a 60% chance. The intensified southwest monsoon, which covers the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand, combined…

  • Pink Line plunge: Ridership nosedives 68% after fares kick in

    Pink Line plunge: Ridership nosedives 68% after fares kick in

    It was all aboard the ghost train on Tuesday, as passenger numbers on Bangkok’s extended Pink Line dropped a staggering 68% overnight — the moment commuters were asked to pay. The Department of Rail Transport revealed the dramatic fall in ridership just one day after the end of the Pink Line’s free test-run period. The extended two-station line to Muang…

  • Singaporean duo busted in Thai sex trafficking crackdown

    Singaporean duo busted in Thai sex trafficking crackdown

    Two Singaporean men have been arrested in Thailand in a cross-border crackdown on a transnational sex trafficking syndicate that allegedly exploited foreign women and funnelled illicit earnings between countries. The suspects, aged 36 and 38, were apprehended on Tuesday, June 17, following a joint operation between the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Thailand’s Royal Thai Police (RTP). A 50 year…

  • Pattaya panic: Chinese tourists ditch Thailand for Japan

    Pattaya panic: Chinese tourists ditch Thailand for Japan

    Pattaya’s golden days with Chinese tourists may be fading fast, and local tourism operators are sounding the alarm. Once a firm favourite with Chinese travellers, Pattaya is now seeing a steady drop in visitors from the mainland, with Japan quickly emerging as their top choice instead. The shift is rattling Thailand’s tourism industry, where Chinese tourists have long made up…

  • Paris Air Show: Thailand and Textron join forces on fighter fleet

    Paris Air Show: Thailand and Textron join forces on fighter fleet

    A high-flying deal was struck at the Paris Air Show this week as Textron Aviation Defence LLC joined forces with Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) to launch a major support programme for the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF). In a Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) signed at the international aviation event, the two companies agreed to jointly sustain and support Thailand’s fleet…

  • Bank robbery thwarted by brave security guard in Buriram

    Bank robbery thwarted by brave security guard in Buriram

    A courageous Thai security guard successfully thwarted a knife-wielding thief attempting to rob a bank in the Isaan province of Buriram yesterday, June 18. Officers from Nonsuwan Police Station received an emergency alarm from the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, Nonsuwan branch, and rushed to the scene. Upon arrival, they found the suspect, 38 year old Somphon, already subdued…

  • Elderly man arrested for illegal excavation in Chiang Mai

    Elderly man arrested for illegal excavation in Chiang Mai

    An arrest has been made of a 70 year old man, accused of operating an illegal soil excavation site in Chiang Mai’s San Kamphaeng district, which has caused disturbance for over 20 years. Police seized equipment, including two excavators and three dump trucks, at the site located in Buakkang subdistrict. Ayree has been suspected of operating the excavation site without…

  • Thai government pays 750k baht to families of tortured conscripts

    Thai government pays 750k baht to families of tortured conscripts

    The Thai government awarded 750,000 baht per family to the relatives of two conscripts who died from torture. Today, June 19, at 9am, at the Ministry of Justice on Cherng Watthana Road, Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong, the justice minister, presided over the compensation ceremony for the victims’ families under the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act 2022.…

  • Thai police nab suspect in 10 million baht luxury theft

    Thai police nab suspect in 10 million baht luxury theft

    Hong Kong police coordinated with Suvarnabhumi Immigration to apprehend a suspect involved in a 10 million baht luxury brand theft, following his flight to Thailand. Yesterday, June 18, Police Major General Choengron Rimpadee, commander of Immigration Division 2, announced the arrest of Su Kai, a suspect in a high-profile robbery case. This operation was part of a broader initiative to…

  • Clip leak scandal: Paetongtarn says ‘This isn’t the time to fight’

    Clip leak scandal: Paetongtarn says ‘This isn’t the time to fight’

    Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra publicly apologised after an explosive leaked audio clip of her private conversation with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen sparked a diplomatic firestorm. In an urgent press conference, the Thai PM addressed the nation and confirmed she had no idea the conversation was being recorded, let alone that it would be released to the public. “I didn’t…

  • Teen motorcyclist dies in Bang Pakong road collision

    Teen motorcyclist dies in Bang Pakong road collision

    A tragic accident occurred yesterday involving a teen motorcyclist who lost control and collided with a barrier, resulting in fatal injuries. The incident, which also involved a car, took place yesterday, June 18, around 10.30pm on Bang Na-Trat Road, outbound to Bangkok, in Bang Samak subdistrict, Bang Pakong district, Chachoengsao province. Police Lieutenant Veerawat Khunsuk, Deputy Inspector of Bang Pakong…

  • Thai restaurants struggle with 400 baht minimum wage hike

    Thai restaurants struggle with 400 baht minimum wage hike

    The Thai Restaurant Association expressed concern about the impact of the recent decision to raise the daily minimum wage to 400 baht on the already struggling restaurant sector. This adjustment, effective from July 1, will apply to all workers in Bangkok and is extended to employees in most hotels and entertainment venues across the country. Currently, the minimum wage in…

  • Thai man with heart disease dies allegedly after clinic refuses him

    Thai man with heart disease dies allegedly after clinic refuses him

    A clinic in the Pracha Uthit area of Bangkok on Tuesday reportedly refused to treat a Thai man with heart disease, resulting in the patient’s death. The Facebook page, Jmoi V+, reported the incident, which occurred to the 60 year old man with a heart disease named Somchai, at a clinic in Soi Pracha Uthit 33 yesterday, Wednesday, June 18,…

  • Thai political instability threatens economy amid US tariff concerns

    Thai political instability threatens economy amid US tariff concerns

    Political instability between Thailand’s ruling Pheu Thai Party and its coalition partner, the Bhumjaithai Party, is expected to further weaken investor confidence. This comes amid threats of a 36% US tariff on Thai exports. Poonyawat Sreesing, a senior economist at Siam Commercial Bank’s Economic Intelligence Centre (SCB EIC), highlighted that the Thai economy has been enduring political uncertainty for some…

  • The ‘Ultimate Fitness Force 2025’ concludes with a bang

    The ‘Ultimate Fitness Force 2025’ concludes with a bang

    Fitness First Thailand created an exhilarating phenomenon of the year, reaffirming its position as a global fitness leader after collaborating with ICONSIAM and Les Mills Asia Pacific to organise the “Ultimate Fitness Force 2025.” This grand group fitness extravaganza previously took place on June 7 to 8, at TRUE ICON HALL, ICONSIAM. A massive number of participants flocked to showcase…

  • Bangkok woman arrested for selling husband’s ammunition online

    Bangkok woman arrested for selling husband’s ammunition online

    Bangkok investigators detained a 33 year old woman for selling her husband’s ammunition online without his knowledge. Police charged her with illegal distribution and possession of ammunition. The arrest occurred yesterday, June 18 at Thaniya Soi 2 in Bangkok following an undercover operation. On June 12, around 1am, officials discovered a Facebook post in the group Food and Goods in Rama…

  • 8,000 tonnes of illegal waste found in Prachin Buri factory raid

    8,000 tonnes of illegal waste found in Prachin Buri factory raid

    A secret industrial dumping ground packed with over 8,000 tonnes of toxic waste has been uncovered in Prachin Buri, exposing a massive illegal recycling racket run by foreign nationals in defiance of Thai law. The shocking discovery was made during a joint raid led by the Industry Ministry and its so-called “Sudsoi Team,” a taskforce spearheaded by Industry Minister Akanat…

  • High alert: Phuket to zone out cannabis amid tourist backlash

    High alert: Phuket to zone out cannabis amid tourist backlash

    Phuket officials are cracking down on the island’s cannabis free-for-all, announcing plans to restrict where weed can be sold and smoked after a flood of complaints from locals and tourists. Governor Sophon Suwannarat revealed on Tuesday, June 17, that local officials are pushing to create designated “green zones” for cannabis sales and consumption. The move aims to control the island’s…

  • Man in Prachuap Khiri Khan arrested for drug possession

    Man in Prachuap Khiri Khan arrested for drug possession

    Following suspicions from neighbours about a man who seemed to own luxury motorcycles without a visible job, police arrested a man known as Ball in Prachuap Khiri Khan. Officers discovered over 700 methamphetamine pills and drug paraphernalia, also seizing three vehicles. Today, June 19, Police Colonel Phaitoon Promkhian, together with Pol. Col. Khranchit Khawattachai, and other local police officials, conducted…

  • Thailand drought relief cash halted amid graft claims

    Thailand drought relief cash halted amid graft claims

    A massive 51 billion baht drought relief fund has been frozen amid explosive claims of political meddling and potential budget abuse, sparking fears over delayed aid for struggling communities. Deputy Prime Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong confirmed this week that the Budget Bureau has issued a formal notice halting the disbursement of funds earmarked under the 2025 fiscal mid-year budget for water…

  • 15 year old Thai boy shoots father after enduring 8 years of abuse

    15 year old Thai boy shoots father after enduring 8 years of abuse

    A 15 year old Thai boy shot his biological father at their shared home in the Isaan province of Buriram, following eight years of physical abuse that the teenager had endured. Officers from Lam Plai Mat Police Station arrested the boy at his home in the Ban Nong Hua Chang Phattana community, located in Buriram’s Lam Plai Mat district, after…

  • Ex-Bangkok MP jailed after Supreme Court slams defamation plea

    Ex-Bangkok MP jailed after Supreme Court slams defamation plea

    A disgraced ex-Bangkok MP has been marched off to jail after Thailand’s Supreme Court upheld a defamation conviction linked to a fiery hospital confrontation. Sira Jenjaka, once a high-profile figure for the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), was sentenced yesterday, June 18, to six months and 20 days in prison without suspension, following a long-running feud with Mongkutwattana Hospital director Majoe…

  • 54 arrested in Bang Yai raid on illegal gambling den

    54 arrested in Bang Yai raid on illegal gambling den

    Police and administrative officials conducted a raid on a dragon-tiger gambling den in Bang Yai, arresting 54 gamblers and seizing 218,340 baht. This is the second such raid in the area within a fortnight. Yesterday, June 18, at 3pm, Kiattisak Trongsiri, Governor of Nonthaburi, along with Police Major General Kittithane Thananantawisin, Commander of Nonthaburi Provincial Police, and other officials led…

  • Chinese grey businesses under fire in Thailand over steel scam

    Chinese grey businesses under fire in Thailand over steel scam

    A wave of shady Chinese-owned factories is wreaking havoc on Thailand’s economy — and the environment — as the government launches a crackdown on so-called “grey businesses” operating illegally under the radar for years. Industry Minister Akanat Promphan declared war on unlawful foreign-owned industrial operations, particularly in the steel and recycling sectors. Under his “Sud Soi” campaign — meaning “all…

  • Commander takes no offence over PM’s private phone call

    Commander takes no offence over PM’s private phone call

    The Commander of the 2nd Army expressed his understanding after being mentioned in a private phone call between Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and Cambodian President Hun Sen. PM Paetongtarn was accused of positioning herself against the Thai armed forces, particularly 2nd Army Commander Boonsin “Big Kung” Padklang, due to remarks made during her conversation with Hun Sen, yesterday, June…

  • High-ranking cop medic linked to ghost patient drug fraud

    High-ranking cop medic linked to ghost patient drug fraud

    A senior police psychiatrist has landed in hot water after police uncovered a twisted drug racket involving the identities of hundreds of dead patients. Police Colonel Anchulee Theerawongpaisal, a psychiatrist at Police General Hospital in Bangkok, was arrested last week after alprazolam, a powerful anti-anxiety drug, worth millions of baht was found stashed inside her police accommodation. The bombshell case…

  • Bhumjaithai Party exits from govt over PM phone call scandal

    Bhumjaithai Party exits from govt over PM phone call scandal

    The Bhumjaithai Party, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul,, announced its withdrawal from the governing coalition yesterday, June 18, in the wake of the leaked phone call scandal involving Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. PM Paetongtarn admitted that she had held a private phone conversation with former Cambodian PM Hun Sen. The call, a portion of which…