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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Sponsored How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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‘Rave for Maddi’ raises £5000 for British woman after balcony fall in Thailand
A charity fundraising event entitled ‘Rave for Maddi’ held in Coventry, England, raised 200,000 baht (£5000) to help the recovery of the young British woman who fell from a second-floor balcony in Koh Pha Ngan in southern Thailand on New Year’s Eve. A GoFundMe appeal raised over 3 million baht (£73,500) from over 1,400 donors to pay for 21 year old…
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PLTO continues crackdown on illegal taxis
The Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) and Sakhu Police have apprehended four more drivers for illegally operating their vehicles as taxis in Phuket. The joint operation took place at a checkpoint set up at the Sakhu-Nai Yang intersection on Thepkrasattri Rd in Mai Khao and resulted in the stop of two taxis registered in Bangkok with green plates and two…
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High Stakes: Police shut down Phuket cannabis store for 30 days due to gambling
Police ordered the closure of ‘Hi Kush’ cannabis store in Phuket, southern Thailand, for 30 days, from yesterday February 7 to March 8, after finding evidence of gambling at the establishment. Officers from Phuket City Police Station arrested a man named Ratchakrit and 13 others for, “organising gambling (poker), gambling at a property without permission and conspiracy to gamble.” The…
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Thailand rejects Thai princess Pfizer reaction claim as fake
A controversial claim that Thailand is abolishing its Covid-19 vaccine contract with Pfizer because it caused Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha to fall into a coma following a booster shot has been dismissed as false. Contradictory statements made by a retired microbiology professor, Sucharit Bhakdi, have been dismissed by the Thai government as “fake news.” Professor Bhakdi claimed that the Thai government…
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Thailand’s PM expects more than 30 million foreign tourists this year
Thailand’s prime minister says he expects the country to see more than 30 million foreign tourists this year. In light of his predictions, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed relevant agencies to facilitate tourists with travel plans and to ensure their safety in the country. According to Reuters, the government initially predicted a smaller number of foreign tourists to arrive this…
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Turkey, Syria earthquake death toll nears 8,000
The earthquake death toll in Turkey and Syria is nearing 8,000 as rescuers struggle in harsh weather conditions. One UN official says the death toll is likely to rise considerably with the expected number of child deaths to be in the thousands. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan issued a three-month state of emergency for 10 provinces in the country. But, residents…
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Convicted South African drug trafficker writes letter from inside Thai prison
A 23 year old South African woman serving a long prison sentence for drug trafficking wrote an eloquent letter offering a glimpse into how it feels to be locked away in Thailand. Ashley Oosthuizen was found guilty of international drug trafficking after she signed for a package containing MDMA at the restaurant she worked at in Koh Samui, ‘Hot in…
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Kite Festival on the Beach returns to Pattaya from February 24-28
The Kite Festival on the Beach 2023 returns to Pattaya with a flourish at the beach in front of the Central Pattaya Beach shopping mall at the end of this month. After a hiatus last year with no explanation, the festival is back from February 24 to 28. The highlight of this year’s festival has yet to be announced, but…
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Thailand’s first ever seaplane airline to launch this summer
Thailand‘s first-ever seaplane airline ‘Siam Seaplane‘ is preparing to launch this summer to take the kingdom’s tourism industry to the next level. Siam Seaplane has formed partnerships with 60 luxury hotels and resorts, including top brands Intercontinental and Four Seasons. In an interview with AirwaysMag, Chief Business Operator Dennis Keller revealed that the company faced plenty of setbacks during the…
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Two activists on hunger strike refuse granted bail despite deteriorating health
Two activists, who are on a hunger strike in Bangkok, are refusing to leave on bail as their health continues to deteriorate. Tantawan “Tawan” Tuatulanon, who is 21, and 23 year old Orawan “Bam” Phuphong have been on a hunger strike since January 18. They say they are refusing the granted bail to continue supporting the plight of political prisoners.…
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South American giants unite for joint bid to host 2030 FIFA World Cup
Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay plan to make history as they come together to submit a joint bid to host the highly-anticipated 2030 FIFA World Cup. The 2030 tournament will mark 100 years since the first World Cup was held in Montevideo, Uruguay, making it a momentous occasion for the sport of football. At the Argentine Football Association headquarters in…
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Nine Swedish tourists rescued after longtail boat capsizes in Thailand
Nine Swedish tourists and a Thai boat driver were rescued from the Krabi sea in southern Thailand when their longtail boat capsized near Hong Island on Sunday. At 12.30pm, Chief of Than Bok Khorani National Park Weerasak Srisatchang was informed that a longtail boat carrying “many foreign tourists” capsized in the waters of Koh Hong island in Krabi province. Park…
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Thailand’s Valentine’s Day spending expected to jump for first time in 5 years
Thailand’s Valentine’s Day spending is expected to jump for the first time in five years this year, according to a survey by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC). Spending is expected to hit over 2.4 billion baht this year, the survey said. The survey shows a 57.1% increase in spending compared to last year, with the majority…
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RTP unveils strict checkpoint measures, officers must wear bodycam at all times
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) has tightened checkpoint regulations in a bid to stamp out cop corruption amid the Taiwanese actress scandal. RTP officers have been ordered to be courteous and professional and to wear body cameras while working at checkpoints in the future. The Commissioner of the RTP, Damrongsak Kittipraphat, held an online conference with police officers across the…
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No one responsible for Service Hall collapse at Don Mueang Airport, confirms AOT
No one is responsible for the partial collapse of the newly-built Service Hall at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport in April last year, confirms Airports of Thailand (AOT). Excessive rainfall was blamed for the incident. Tomorrow, February 8, the repaired Service Hall will open for use, some ten months after its collapse. On April 17, 2022, parts of the roof and…
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Let your romance blossom in these Valentine’s Day destinations in Bangkok, Thailand
Valentine’s Day may not be a traditional holiday in Thailand, but it’s quickly becoming a love-filled phenomenon! If you’re tired of the same old flowers and chocolates routine, it’s time to switch things up and celebrate in style. Whether you’re a hopeless romantic or not, we’ve got you covered with these creative and exciting ways to make this Valentine’s Day…
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Thai woman slashes Chinese tourist in row over Phuket tour package (video)
An angry Thai tour company owner slashed a Chinese tourist’s arm after a row over a tour package in Phuket. As a result, the woman’s tourism license has been suspended for six months from today and she faces imprisonment and a fine. The Chinese victim revealed the story of her horrific trip to Phuket on TikTok. In the victim’s video…
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Molestation charges for Indonesian woman luring boys with PlayStation
A disturbing arrest was made for molestation in Indonesia after a woman was accused of exchanging sexual favours with young boys in exchange for access to PlayStation games. The incident took place in Jambi, the largest city of the province of the same name, on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The woman was taken into custody by police on charges of…
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Pattaya records yet another unwanted suicide statistic
The popular tourist resort of Pattaya recorded yet another unwanted statistic this morning when a man plunged to his death in what some expats somewhat heartlessly refer to as the “Pattaya Flying Club.” The insensitively named Pattaya Flying Club is the term given to troubled foreigners who commit suicide by throwing themselves off a Pattaya hotel balcony and to their…
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Car fire stops traffic on central Bangkok motorway
A car on the Ploenchit exit ramp of the Chalerm Maha Nakhon Expressway in Din Daeng, Bangkok, briefly caused traffic to come to a halt in the bustling central business district when it burst into flames. The Expressway Authority of Thailand Police and the rescue unit of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department were prompt in reaching…
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Chinese tour groups begin landing in Thailand again
The first direct tour group flights from mainland China to Thailand marked a milestone in the recovery of the Thai tourism industry. One flight landed at Don Mueang International Airport yesterday morning with 40 Chinese tour group members and 90 other travellers. The second landed in the afternoon in Phuket. In total, 13 flights with tour groups from China landed…
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Indian man attacked by 3 fellow nationals in Thailand over business dispute
An Indian man filed a complaint with the Thai police after he was attacked by three fellow Indian nationals in the central province of Prachin Buri after a business dispute. The 33 year old Indian man named Rantusa filed a complaint at Kabin Buri Police Station that he was attacked by three other Indian men in front of the laundry…
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Death toll rising on 7.8 earthquake in Turkey
The 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey in the early hours of this morning has caused catastrophic destruction across both countries, leaving hundreds dead and many more injured. Some 650 people have been reported dead but the death toll is rising, with experts warning that aftershocks could continue for days or weeks. Tremors were also felt in Cyprus, Egypt,…
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‘Tame’ whale shark swims with tourists for 5 hours in eastern Thailand
A “tame” whale shark swam with tourists for five hours off the coast of Rayong province in eastern Thailand yesterday. Diving instructor Kru Off, from the Toy Boat Tour group, revealed that he took tourists out to Hin Pleng, a popular dive site about 13 nautical miles off the coast. As the tourists were swimming and looking at the coral,…
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Man accused of faking wife’s death for 10 million baht
A man has been arrested for fraud after allegedly faking the death of his wife to claim 10 million baht from life insurance companies. The man denied the charge and blamed his wife and brother-in-law instead. He did insist on paying back the insurance companies that were scammed. The Central Investigations Bureau (CIB) was notified about the fraud and after…
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Prayut goes right to Top News birthday party
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha typically runs from the media spotlight, so it came as quite a surprise when he popped up at the Top News birthday party to celebrate the far-right outlet‘s anniversary last week. Inviting viewers to watch Top News – Thailand’s answer to the Breitbart News Network – PM Gen Prayut said that the channel “presents the news…
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Thai customs end intrusive frisking of designer-brand wearers at airports
The Thai Customs Department has officially put an end to the embarrassing and intrusive practice of frisking travellers passing through border control with designer-brand items at airports. The department said the searches were a burden for travellers. According to the deputy director of the Customs Department, Phanthong Loykunlanan, the department has abolished frisking tourists to make travel more convenient. However,…
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Thai police can’t find alleged ‘macau888’ kingpin’s rare Lamborghini
UPDATE Police searched three locations in Thailand but the super rare Lamborghini they planned to seize from alleged macau888 gambling kingpin Benz Daemon today is nowhere to be found. Police did however seize other luxury cars belonging to various suspects in the case including Benz Daemon, who is believed to be in hiding in Hong Kong. Netizens are criticising the…
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Russian plane engine catches fire on Phuket runway
A Russian tourist plane bound for Moscow faced a terrifying moment when its engine caught fire before takeoff at Phuket International Airport. The 309 passengers and 12 crew on board the 26 year old Boeing 767-306ER, operated by Azur Air, were forced to evacuate the aircraft. Footage from the scene shows flames bursting from the right engine of the Russian…
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AI chatbot steers British woman out of troubled marriage and into arms of lover
Artificial intelligence is omnipresent: it is in healthcare, enables problem-solving and, in one case, helped one unhappily married British woman to decide to divorce her husband. In maybe a world first, a woman sought the advice of OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot to navigate the treacherous waters of a failing marriage and a steamy affair. Sarah, a 37 year old tech worker…
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