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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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    Top 10 reasons for expats to get a comprehensive health insurance in Thailand

    Moving to Thailand offers a prospect full of excitement and adventure, but in the same vein, if any injuries were to occur (and god forbid it does), the local healthcare system can be confusing at first glance for many expats...

  • Body of Burmese fisherman found in oil tank in southern Thailand’s Surat Thani | Thaiger

    Body of Burmese fisherman found in oil tank in southern Thailand’s Surat Thani

    The body of a Burmese fisherman was found in an oil tank on a fishing boat docked in the southern province of Surat Thani. The tank was on a fishing boat where the man had worked which was found by a painter who was going to clean and paint the boat’s engine room. He tried to move the tank out…

  • Tangmo: Senators warn police to store speedboat ‘properly’ | Thaiger

    Tangmo: Senators warn police to store speedboat ‘properly’

    Store the boat properly, you dummies! That’s the key takeaway, after senators visited the police headquarters in Muang district of Nonthaburi last week, where they found police had not been properly storing a key piece of evidence — the speedboat that drowned actress Nida “Tangmo” Patcharavirapong allegedly fell from. Members of the Senate committee on human rights, liberty and consumer…

  • Officers investigate death of elderly American expat in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Officers investigate death of elderly American expat in Pattaya

    Police in Pattaya are investigating the death of an 80 year old American man who was found lying in bed with a plastic bag covering his head. Officers also note that the door to the safe was left open. Investigators will review surveillance camera footage from the condominium to determine if anyone entered his room. The elderly expat had lived…

  • Finance Ministry expected to adjust 2022 economic forecast from next month | Thaiger

    Finance Ministry expected to adjust 2022 economic forecast from next month

    The Finance Ministry will adjust the 2022 forecast for Thailand’s economic growth to focus on the rise in both inflation and energy prices, from next month. According to an unnamed Bangkok Post source, the ministry is concerned about the impact Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will have on overseas arrivals this year. At the start of the year, the ministry had…

  • Getting a motorcycle taxi in Bangkok, or anywhere in Thailand | Thaiger

    Getting a motorcycle taxi in Bangkok, or anywhere in Thailand

    We’ll start off by stating that there is nothing quicker and more efficient than getting a motorcycle taxi around Bangkok, compared to just about any other form of transport. We’ll also admit that there are dangers involved with riding on a motorcycle or motorbike around Thailand, especially if you’re not wearing a helmet (which you can ask the rider for).…

  • Foreigner in Pattaya bleeding after alleged altercation with security | Thaiger

    Foreigner in Pattaya bleeding after alleged altercation with security

    A foreign man in Pattaya was left bleeding from several serious injuries in what witnesses say was an altercation with security. The witnesses found the man lying on the ground in the middle of Pratumnak Soi 5. The altercation allegedly happened at night in front of a ‘restaurant’ there. As the man lay on the ground, a few other foreigners…

  • Pattaya police arrest ‘restaurant’ manager who allegedly violated Covid-19 rules | Thaiger

    Pattaya police arrest ‘restaurant’ manager who allegedly violated Covid-19 rules

    Pattaya City Police reported yesterday that they arrested a ‘restaurant’ manager in Pattaya for allegedly selling alcohol without a permit, opening a venue without a permit, and breaking the Chonburi Disease Control Orders. Only former bars and clubs that have been converted into ‘restaurants’, and have proper certification, are approved by authorities are allowed to operate. Alcohol can be served…

  • 2 people per hour were killed in road accidents in Thailand in 2020 | Thaiger

    2 people per hour were killed in road accidents in Thailand in 2020

    A Thai health foundation has found that two people were killed in road accidents every hour in Thailand in 2020. The total number of people killed in road accidents throughout that year was 17,831. The foundation, Thai Health Promotion Foundation, said motorcycle drivers and riders made up the 74% of fatalities. The International Health Policy Program said in its report…

  • British and Thai armies train in jungle together | Thaiger

    British and Thai armies train in jungle together

    The UK announced in a press release yesterday that 120 of its military’s Grenadier Guards are training in the jungle with Thailand’s army. The UK Defence Minister visited Thailand this week and met with Thailand’s deputy defence minister. The Minister signed the first Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries, to continue building defence cooperation between the countries’ militaries. The…

  • BMA and CCSA will meet Monday, decide on Songkran water splashing in Bangkok | Thaiger

    BMA and CCSA will meet Monday, decide on Songkran water splashing in Bangkok

    Thailand’s CCSA and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will meet on Monday to decide (again) if Bangkokians can splash water during Songkran. This news comes after officials announced last week that Songkran will be dry, for both alcohol and water splashing, for the third year in a row. That week, Thai officials said only traditional Songkran activities would be allowed. This…

  • Thailand, a yacht racing destination | Thaiger

    Thailand, a yacht racing destination

    It all started in 1986 when a select group from the elite Royal Varuna Yacht Club (RVYC) got together and decided to launch a regatta in Phuket in 1987 – as a special tribute for the 60th birthday of the then King of Thailand, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Thus the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta (PKCR) was born. Royally connected…

  • Iran-backed Houthis attack Saudi petroleum storage facilities | Thaiger

    Iran-backed Houthis attack Saudi petroleum storage facilities

    Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi party says it struck Saudi petroleum facilities in Jeddah with missiles yesterday, just as Saudi Arabia prepares to hold a motor race on Sunday. The missiles caused fires in two storage tanks, however there were no casualties. A Houthi spokesman says they targeted ‘vital facilities’. Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest oil exporter. Saudi’s energy ministry said…

  • Two southern men accused of killing police officer arrested in Bangkok | Thaiger

    Two southern men accused of killing police officer arrested in Bangkok

    Police arrested two southern men in Bangkok today who are accused of killing a police officer. The two men are the prime suspects in the fatal shooting of a sergeant major in southern Phattalung province earlier this month. A police lieutenant general said the suspects were also linked to other cases involving drugs and attempted murder. The two men allegedly…

  • Human bones found in tank buried at Surat Thani plantation | Thaiger

    Human bones found in tank buried at Surat Thani plantation

    Warning: The photo below contains images that some may find disturbing. Human bones were found in an oil tank buried at a rubber plantation in the southern province of Surat Thani. The landowner guessed the skeletons might belong to a Burmese worker who was missing four years ago. The land is being cleared for durian trees and workers were using…

  • Bangkok man arrested for allegedly luring boys into porn, believed to be part of ring | Thaiger

    Bangkok man arrested for allegedly luring boys into porn, believed to be part of ring

    Today, police arrested a Bangkok man they believe is involved in a child pornography ring. The arrest was part of a raid in four spots today, which are Bangkok, Ang Thong, Chaiyaphum and Kanchanaburi. A police major general said police started investigating the ring when a child pornography suspect was arrested in the northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom in February.…

  • Two Thai women allegedly drug tourist at Bangkok hotel, steal US$4,000 | Thaiger

    Two Thai women allegedly drug tourist at Bangkok hotel, steal US$4,000

    A foreign tourist who took two Thai women back to his hotel room in Bangkok was reportedly drugged and robbed. The women allegedly took off with US$4,000 and 15,000 baht in cash as well as other belongings. It is believed that drugs were mixed in the man’s coffee cup. The tourist, who is a firefighter from Kuwait, travelled to Thailand…

  • City Guide: How to open a bank account in Thailand 2022 | Thaiger

    City Guide: How to open a bank account in Thailand 2022

    Opening a bank account in Thailand is important if you’re going to stay here for the long run. Expats frequently have trouble opening a bank account or are uninformed about the process. This’s where we come in… Having a Thai bank account can help you manage your finances more effectively, including sending and receiving money from overseas. Obviously, it’s necessary…

  • To splash or not to splash? Bangkok mulls Songkran parties on Khao San Road, after tourism industry rebuke | Thaiger

    To splash or not to splash? Bangkok mulls Songkran parties on Khao San Road, after tourism industry rebuke

    Fret not, splash happy expats. The tourism industry is fighting for your right to a Songkran water fight. Now the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is mulling whether to allow Songkran water splashing festivities to be held on Khao San Road, after the CCSA’s unpopular announcement banning water splashing activities for a third consecutive year sparked much backlash from local businesses last…

  • Thai government pushes use of electric vehicles to reduce carbon emissions | Thaiger

    Thai government pushes use of electric vehicles to reduce carbon emissions

    The Thai government has approved a budget of 3 billion baht to subsidise the price of electric vehicles and has installed free-to-use EV charging stations at Benjakitti Park in Bangkok to promote the shift to a low carbon society. The spokesperson for the prime minister, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchan, announced today that PM Prayut Chan-o-cha aims to promote electric vehicles and make…

  • Police in Isaan Thailand search for man allegedly caught skinning a cat | Thaiger

    Police in Isaan Thailand search for man allegedly caught skinning a cat

    Villagers in the Isaan province Udon Thani are being advised to look after their pets after a woman said she came across a man skinning a cat outside a nearby temple. The man fled, leaving only the cat skin at the scene. Police are now searching for the man. The village chief spoke with Thai media about the incident, saying…

  • Reward offered for reporting people who spread fake Covid news in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    Reward offered for reporting people who spread fake Covid news in Chiang Mai

    Chiang Mai tourism operators are offering gift vouchers to anyone who can provide information that leads to the arrest of people spreading news about the city’s Covid-19 situation. Concerned that such false accounts could jeopardise Songkran tourism in the northern city, businesses have come together to offer vouchers worth up to 50,000 baht. According to a Nation Thailand report, tourism…

  • Test & Go, Thailand Pass could be gone by June if no Covid surge after Songkran | Thaiger

    Test & Go, Thailand Pass could be gone by June if no Covid surge after Songkran

    Thailand’s tourism minister says if there’s no surge in Covid cases following next month’s Songkran holiday, entry restrictions could be eased further. According to a Bangkok Post report, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says Test & Go and Thailand Pass could be scrapped from June 1, if there’s no spike in Covid cases or deaths after the Thai New Year holiday. Phiphat is…

  • Thailand cuts quarantine for unvaccinated travellers to 5 days | Thaiger

    Thailand cuts quarantine for unvaccinated travellers to 5 days

    Starting April 1, the mandatory quarantine period for unvaccinated travellers entering Thailand will be reduced to five days. Travellers will also no longer need to take a pre-departure PCR Covid-19 test. The new requirements are pending publication in the Royal Gazette and the official announcement is expected to be published at the end of the month. Unvaccinated travellers can enter…

  • Four suspects allegedly smuggled fake tobacco in Chanthaburi | Thaiger

    Four suspects allegedly smuggled fake tobacco in Chanthaburi

    Officials seized 83,154 packs of fake tobacco worth more than 10 million baht from four suspects in Chanthaburi yesterday. A police investigation found they smuggled the tobacco via the Ban Laem Immigration Checkpoint in Pong Nam Ron district, and sold the tobacco online. Two of the suspects were charged with allegedly selling fake tobacco, while the other two were charged…

  • Chiang Mai forest used as illegal landfill | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai forest used as illegal landfill

    A forest in Chiang Mai has been illegally used a a landfill. Information about the suspects have not yet been reported, but they will be charged with violating the National Reserved Forest Act. A police chief said police flew a drone over the protected area in Wiang Haeng district after they got reports of possible illegal burning there. He said…

  • Tangmo: Boating buddies should take polygraph tests, again — says senator | Thaiger

    Tangmo: Boating buddies should take polygraph tests, again — says senator

    The five boating buddies of the Thai actress Nida “Tango” Patcharavirapong should take lie detector tests — again. That’s the recommendation of Senator Somchai Sawangkarn, head of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights, Rights, Liberties and Consumer Protection. Somachai made the statement to the media after a meeting on Monday, during which he heard reports from the police and…

  • Thailand’s tourism operators despair at another lost Songkran | Thaiger

    Thailand’s tourism operators despair at another lost Songkran

    Following the CCSA’s decision to ban water throwing during this year’s Songkran celebrations, tourism operators have been left despairing – for the third year in a row. Sanga Ruangwattanakul, president of the Khao San Road Business Association, questions how the government can ban water splashing events on one hand, while, on the other hand, say Covid-19 will be endemic by…

  • AirAsia to launch ride-hailing platform in Thailand, expand digital services in Asean | Thaiger

    AirAsia to launch ride-hailing platform in Thailand, expand digital services in Asean

    Bangkok ride-hailers can grab a new option next month. AirAsia’s parent holding company Capital A plans to launch its ride-hailing platform in the Thai capital in April, as it continues an aggressive foray into non-aviation businesses after the Malaysian airline suffered significant pandemic-era losses. The new service, dubbed AirAsia Ride, will begin with some 5,000 taxis in Bangkok, before expanding…

  • Upcoming seafood festival at Nai Yang Beach this Friday and Saturday, Phuket | Thaiger

    Upcoming seafood festival at Nai Yang Beach this Friday and Saturday, Phuket

    Phuket’s Roi Rim Lay seafood festival will be hosted at Nai Yang Beach this coming weekend on Friday and Saturday. The festival will start at 4pm on Friday, and end at 11pm on Saturday, March 25-26. The festival will host over 100 food stands, live ‘Luk Thung’ Thai folk music, and cooking competitions with chili paste and grilled seafood. The…

  • Buriram battle: 50 youths shoot guns, throw explosives and glass bottles | Thaiger

    Buriram battle: 50 youths shoot guns, throw explosives and glass bottles

    A 50 man fight broke out in the middle of the street at 1am this morning after the annual Red Cross music festival held in the northeastern province of Buriram. Two groups of young men, approximately 50 in total, started out by arguing and chasing each other on motorcycles and then began throwing glass bottles, homemade grenades and shooting guns…