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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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  • Tide turns: Chinese man in hot water over risky Ping River plunge

    Tide turns: Chinese man in hot water over risky Ping River plunge

    A Chinese man faces a fine of up to 5,000 baht for swimming in the Ping River in Chiang Mai province during a strong current and flooding. A video of the man floating and relaxing in the Ping River during heavy flooding in Chiang Mai was first shared last month. The video drew widespread criticism, with many expressing concern that…

  • Thailand welfare card benefits updated for October

    Thailand welfare card benefits updated for October

    Thailand’s Comptroller General’s Department has updated the welfare card benefits for October. Eligible individuals will receive various allowances and benefits starting this month, including purchasing allowances, transport subsidies, and additional disability payments. The welfare card benefits for October began on Tuesday, October 1. Teeraporn Phasuk, Deputy Director-General of the Comptroller General’s Department and spokesperson for the department, stated that those…

  • Charging ahead: BYD owners left powerless by marketing spin

    Charging ahead: BYD owners left powerless by marketing spin

    In a surprising twist, BYD car owners stormed into the government offices yesterday, filing an official complaint against the Chinese auto giant. They claim the company’s aggressive marketing tactics amount to nothing less than unfair selling practices, leaving them out in the cold, literally. Led by officials from consumer protection, the disgruntled owners told tales of woe regarding access to…

  • Pattaya thief begs for mercy after stealing to aid sick grandmother

    Pattaya thief begs for mercy after stealing to aid sick grandmother

    A shop owner in Pattaya set a trap to catch a persistent thief who had been stealing from his stall, only to face a tearful plea for forgiveness as the suspect claimed he was stealing to feed his sick grandmother. Officers from Nong Prue Police Station responded to a call about a detained thief at the Khao Talo Market in…

  • Chon Buri man arrested for threatening mother, assaulting family

    Chon Buri man arrested for threatening mother, assaulting family

    A man in Chon Buri was arrested after he allegedly threatened to kill his mother, assault his son, and attempted to rape his daughter. Officials found methamphetamine in his possession. Police and administrative officers arrested 46 year old Sornchai (surname withheld) at his home in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri. The arrest followed a plea for help from a 64…

  • American woman makes long journey to Thailand to see Moo Deng (video)

    American woman makes long journey to Thailand to see Moo Deng (video)

    An American woman travelled by air for nearly 21 hours to see Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippopotamus who has become a global Internet sensation at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chon Buri. The US national, Molly, shared details of her journey on TikTok, noting that she flew for 18.5 hours and faced disbelief from immigration officials about her unique…

  • Bangkok on the ropes: Ex-boxer dodges arrest and takes hostages

    Bangkok on the ropes: Ex-boxer dodges arrest and takes hostages

    A former Thai boxer remains at large after evading arrest for theft. The fugitive then went on a rampage in Bangkok’s Phrayathai district, taking two innocent people hostage in the process. The 39 year old theft suspect, Santi Jehali, began his disturbing behaviour after officers from Tao Poon Police Station raided his home to arrest him yesterday, October 3, at around…

  • Pattaya car chase over Thai woman sparks gunfire

    Pattaya car chase over Thai woman sparks gunfire

    A dramatic car chase involving gunfire unfolded in Pattaya yesterday after a heated confrontation between two Thai men over a woman. Pattaya police responded to a report of the incident on Soi Khao Talo 5/1 at 11am, yesterday, October 3. Police officers apprehended 34 year old Thosawat at the scene, who is suspected of firing shots. A .32 calibre revolver…

  • Pattaya pool party busted: Cops dive into illegal ops crackdown

    Pattaya pool party busted: Cops dive into illegal ops crackdown

    Pattaya police raided three pool villas where a Chinese gang was operating illegal money lending and online gambling activities, seizing 13 computers and over 100 mobile phones. Chatchai Surachetphong, Deputy Regional Police Chief of Region 2, along with Navin Theerawit, Pattaya City Police Chief, and Thananon Athiphansri, Deputy Chief of Pattaya City Police, led a raid to investigate a pool…

  • Cabbie chaos: Thai app rider punches cop in Bangkok (video)

    Cabbie chaos: Thai app rider punches cop in Bangkok (video)

    A Thai app-based taxi rider physically assaulted a police officer and damaged his car, claiming the cop was responsible for an earlier road accident in Bangkok. The footage of the physical assault on 30 year old Police Corporal Wirodom Najaiboon, from the Protection and Crowd Control Division, went viral on Thai social media and was shared by many news outlets.…

  • Thai-ing up the rain: Bangkok braces for a downpour of showers

    Thai-ing up the rain: Bangkok braces for a downpour of showers

    Thailand faces widespread rainfall today, with heavy showers expected in Bangkok and its surrounding provinces. This weather pattern affects 38 provinces, excluding the northeastern region, which experiences cooler morning temperatures. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts for the next 24 hours show significant rainfall in the western parts of the northern and central regions, the east, and the south. Cooler…

  • Ping River on the rise: Chiang Mai braces for watery wake-up call

    Ping River on the rise: Chiang Mai braces for watery wake-up call

    Chiang Mai braces for more flooding today as the Ping River is set to reach 4.95 metres, starting in the morning. Heavy rainfall in upstream areas has caused a rapid rise in the Ping River, according to Governor Nirat Pongsitthithaworn. He urged residents along the river to relocate their vehicles and valuables to higher ground. Hospitals and clinics in low-lying…

  • Winter story: Thai cool season arrives fashionably late with icy twist

    Winter story: Thai cool season arrives fashionably late with icy twist

    Brace yourselves, Thailand’s winter this year will arrive a little late but pack an extra punch of chill. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) announced that the cool season will kick off in the third week of October, with temperatures set to dip lower than last year. Although winter will extend until late February, the TMD is predicting cooler-than-usual temperatures. The…

  • Thai activist-turned-filmmaker takes home top award

    Thai activist-turned-filmmaker takes home top award

    Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, best known for taking on the Thai establishment as a student activist, has swapped protest placards for a camera, earning him a prestigious film accolade. His co-produced documentary, The Last Breath of Sam Yan, claimed Best Documentary Film at the 2023 Suphannahong Awards, bringing attention to an ongoing battle over Bangkok’s cultural heritage. The documentary, directed by Prempapat…

  • Chiang Rai slammed by new flooding amid fresh warnings

    Chiang Rai slammed by new flooding amid fresh warnings

    Chiang Rai just can’t catch a break! After being battered by devastating floods last month, Ko Sai and Mai Loong Khun communities have been hit by another round of intense flooding. Heavy rainfall overnight caused the Sai River to burst through a sandbag floodwall, swamping the area and leaving residents in disarray. Thankfully, swift action by troops ensured locals were…

  • Pheu Thai hits the brakes on Amnesty push

    Pheu Thai hits the brakes on Amnesty push

    The Pheu Thai Party has put the brakes on its push for an Amnesty Bill, aware that it could spark a political storm and risk the stability of its already fragile coalition government. The ruling party, led by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, is walking a tightrope, as opposition from the Senate looms large. Despite holding a slim majority in Parliament,…

  • Thailand’s new PM makes TIME100 Next list

    Thailand’s new PM makes TIME100 Next list

    Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has made waves by being included in the prestigious TIME100 Next list of leaders for 2024, as announced by Time magazine. This remarkable recognition marks a significant milestone for the 38 year old politician, who has emerged as a trailblazer in Thai politics. Elected as Thailand’s 31st Prime Minister following the dismissal of property tycoon Srettha…

  • Ayutthaya woman saved from sexual assault by good Samaritan

    Ayutthaya woman saved from sexual assault by good Samaritan

    A petrol station attendant attempted to sexually assault a woman after pretending to help her with directions. The incident occurred near a community road in Ayutthaya. The suspect, a 37 year old Myanmar national, was subsequently arrested and charged by local police. The incident involved a 29 year old woman (anonymous), who was riding her motorcycle to visit a friend…

  • Rice Department fraudsters cook up fake seed sales online

    Rice Department fraudsters cook up fake seed sales online

    The Rice Department’s Facebook page highlighted an increase in online scams. Fraudsters are using fake pages to impersonate legitimate businesses, luring victims to purchase rice seeds and disappearing after receiving payments. The Rice Department’s Facebook page revealed that scammers have created a fake page named Phantawee Mall Corporation, falsely using images and names of Rice Department officials to build trust.…

  • Penny-wise, pound foolish: Thailand’s budget delay leaves fiscal year in arrears

    Penny-wise, pound foolish: Thailand’s budget delay leaves fiscal year in arrears

    The Government of Thailand’s delayed budget approval led to significant underinvestment in the previous fiscal year, according to the Comptroller General’s Department (CGD). The state budget for the fiscal year is divided into a fixed fund and an investment fund. For fiscal 2024, which ended on September 30, the fixed fund amounted to 2.8 trillion baht (US$84 billion), covering expenses…

  • Position impossible: Director’s promotion sparks drama in Surin

    Position impossible: Director’s promotion sparks drama in Surin

    Drama erupted among education professionals after an education centre director in the Isaan province of Surin was transferred to a better position, despite allegations of dereliction of duty. The alleged misuse of power and inappropriate behaviour of a female education centre director, Nittaya Phupanna, came to light after the Facebook page, Watchdog Anti-corruption Organisation of Thailand, shared a picture and…

  • Village headman in Udon Thani kills son in self-defence

    Village headman in Udon Thani kills son in self-defence

    A tragic event unfolded when the village headman of Nong Wua So district in Udon Thani province, found himself in a life-and-death situation with his youngest son who was under the influence of methamphetamine (meth). The confrontation ended with the village chief fatally shooting his son in self-defence after the latter fired at him. The incident occurred yesterday, October 2.…

  • Men with swords and bats storm Udon Thani children’s centre

    Men with swords and bats storm Udon Thani children’s centre

    Two men wielding swords and baseball bats stormed a children’s development centre in Udon Thani, causing panic among teachers and children. CCTV footage captured the incident, which took place at 12.40pm yesterday, October 2, showing the men attacking each other. Police Lieutenant Precha Kangkhonnok of the Na Kha Police Station received a call from 59 year old Praipai Sintipla, the…

  • Indian ice cream vendor killed by train after ignoring railway barrier

    Indian ice cream vendor killed by train after ignoring railway barrier

    A tragic incident occurred when an ice cream vendor riding a motorcycle was struck and killed by a train. The accident, which took place yesterday, October 2, involved a foreign national who ignored an automatic railway barrier. Police Lieutenant Thanayot Theerinimman from Prachantakham Police Station received a report from the Sawangbamphen Thammasathan Foundation about a fatal collision between a train…

  • Chalong cops stage ‘active gunman’ drill amid festival fears

    Chalong cops stage ‘active gunman’ drill amid festival fears

    Shoppers at Chalong’s popular Robinson Lifestyle mall were left in shock as police staged a dramatic active gunman drill, simulating a gunman on the loose. A video, posted by Chalong Police on Tuesday, October 1, shows a man pulling up on a motorbike, wielding what looks like an assault rifle, before storming the mall in a mock mass shooting. As…

  • New ‘Dee-Delivery’ regulation to combat COD fraud epidemic

    New ‘Dee-Delivery’ regulation to combat COD fraud epidemic

    With online scams skyrocketing, the Government of Thailand is stepping in to crack down on delivery fraud. Enter the new Dee-Delivery regulation, designed to shield cash-on-delivery (COD) shoppers from getting duped. According to Minister Jiraporn Sindhuprai from the Prime Minister’s Office, this drastic move comes after a jaw-dropping 365,000 scam cases were reported in the last 18 months, causing financial…

  • Moo-ving in on trouble: SAO official nabbed for stealing 50 cows

    Moo-ving in on trouble: SAO official nabbed for stealing 50 cows

    Police arrested a member of the Sub-district Administrative Office (SAO) in the northern province of Mae Hong Son for stealing 50 cows and buffaloes from locals and selling them at a slaughterhouse. More than 10 residents in the Mae Sariang district of Mae Hong Son province sought help from officers at Mae Sariang Police Station after their livestock was stolen.…

  • New opposition leader takes the helm after party collapse

    New opposition leader takes the helm after party collapse

    People’s Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut has officially taken on the role of opposition leader, following a royal command issued by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua. This appointment, made on September 25, marks the beginning of a crucial chapter for Natthaphong and the People’s Party, as they step into the role of holding the government to account. The royal…

  • Thailand’s wellness powerhouse: A health revolution in Phuket

    Thailand’s wellness powerhouse: A health revolution in Phuket

    BDMS Wellness Clinic has teamed up with Sri Panwa Phuket and Bangkok Hospital Phuket to create an unparalleled fusion of relaxation and medical excellence, as part of the ambitious Phuket Wellness Hub project. With wellness tourism projected to hit a staggering US$1.4 trillion (around 46 trillion baht) by 2027, and Thailand already ranking seventh globally with a market value of…

  • Thai woman wanted for tricking victim into delivering drugs to South Korea

    Thai woman wanted for tricking victim into delivering drugs to South Korea

    Police are searching for a Thai woman who tricked an innocent man in the Isaan province of Udon Thani into delivering drugs to South Korea. The victim, 20 year old Auan, was hired for 500 baht by a woman, named Eye, to deliver a parcel for her on two occasions. Auan became suspicious about the contents and suspected they might…