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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...

  • 1 billion baht in assets seized in human trafficking cases, officer “Big Joke” reports | Thaiger

    1 billion baht in assets seized in human trafficking cases, officer “Big Joke” reports

    Assets valued at more than 1 billion baht have been seized from human trafficking operations in Thailand where Burmese people were trafficked from the northern province Tak down to the Malaysian border. The Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, made the announcement at a recent press conference, adding that authorities are still investigating and plan…

  • Police arrest alleged kingpin of drug network in Northern Thailand | Thaiger

    Police arrest alleged kingpin of drug network in Northern Thailand

    Police arrested an alleged kingpin of a drug network in Northern Thailand known as “Polly.” Yesterday’s arrest follows a drug seizure of 2.3 million methamphetamine pills, or “yaba,” which means “crazy drug,” in the Phrae province back in January. 44 year old Amnatsin Jansuk, also known as “Ek Samrong,” was arrested in Samut Prakan, just southeast of Bangkok. He was…

  • Som tum seller arrested for allegedly luring Thai women into sex work in Malaysia | Thaiger

    Som tum seller arrested for allegedly luring Thai women into sex work in Malaysia

    A som tum vendor in Bangkok was arrested on sex trafficking charges for allegedly luring a woman into prostitution in Malaysia. The victim had contacted the Royal Thai Embassy in Malaysia for help after she got caught up in a prostitution ring. Authorities helped send her back to Thailand. The victim provided information to the Anti Human Trafficking Division, saying…

  • Motocross rider dies, another injured after falling from cliff in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    Motocross rider dies, another injured after falling from cliff in Chiang Mai

    A motocross rider died and another was severely injured after driving off a cliff in Chiang Mai and falling more than 50 metres. The two were on a motocross trip from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and were driving near the scenic village Mae Kampong and up to a mountain viewpoint when they fell from the cliff. The riders were going…

  • Booking.com predicts bumpy recovery for travel in Asia-Pacific region | Thaiger

    Booking.com predicts bumpy recovery for travel in Asia-Pacific region

    Online travel agency Booking.com says travel in the Asia-Pacific region will be slow to recover as a number of countries adopt a more cautious approach to re-opening. Laura Houldsworth, MD for Asia-Pacific, says while some countries in Southeast Asia are starting to re-open, with various levels of paperwork and restrictions, most North Asian destinations still have significant entry restrictions in…

  • US government tells citizens to avoid travel to Hong Kong, New Zealand – and Thailand | Thaiger

    US government tells citizens to avoid travel to Hong Kong, New Zealand – and Thailand

    Americans are being told to avoid travel to Thailand, Hong Kong, and New Zealand, due to the rise in Covid-19 infections in each country. According to a Reuters report, the travel advisory was issued by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has raised its travel alert for Thailand to “Level Four: Very High”. In total, the US…

  • Thai government looking at ways to help stranded Ukrainian, Russian tourists | Thaiger

    Thai government looking at ways to help stranded Ukrainian, Russian tourists

    The Thai government says over 7,000 Ukrainian and Russian tourists affected by flight cancellations will be allowed to extend their visas free of charge. It’s one of a number of measures officials are implementing to help visitors stranded as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Other measures potentially include offering shelter and access to a Chinese payment platform, according…

  • Commercial flights at Thailand’s newest airport in Yala to take off on March 14 | Thaiger

    Commercial flights at Thailand’s newest airport in Yala to take off on March 14

    Commercial flights at Thailand’s newest airport in the southern province Yala are set to take off on March 14. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announced that the first flight to Yala’s Betong Airport will depart from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport this month. The new airport is a part of the government’s strategy to strengthen the economy and stability in the three southern provinces,…

  • Cannabis is Thailand’s “secret weapon” to bring back tourists, health official says | Thaiger

    Cannabis is Thailand’s “secret weapon” to bring back tourists, health official says

    One public health official says Thailand has a “secret weapon” to bring back tourists… It’s cannabis. Some experts and officials hope that decriminalising marijuana, alongside declaring Covid-19 as endemic, will help tourism in Thailand bounce back to pre-pandemic levels. The public health official made the statement over the weekend at a medical marijuana conference at Surin’s Rajamangala University of Technology.…

  • Homeless man allegedly stabs Japanese man in Bangkok’s Nana area | Thaiger

    Homeless man allegedly stabs Japanese man in Bangkok’s Nana area

    Police officers arrested a Thai man for stabbing a Japanese expat in Bangkok’s Nana area on Sukhumvit Soi 13. Reports say the suspect ran down to Soi 19 with a bloody knife still in his hand. An officer shot him with a stun gun before detaining him. On Saturday, the man allegedly stabbed the 36 year old Japanese businessman in…

  • Bystander struck in the head by rubber bullet in Bangkok rally dies | Thaiger

    Bystander struck in the head by rubber bullet in Bangkok rally dies

    A 64 year old man who had been struck by a rubber bullet fired during one of the violent clashes with police at Bangkok’s Din Daeng area back in August died after several months of being bedridden. The Din Daeng area had been the site of numerous clashes between police and anti-government protesters, particularly a young group called “Thalugas” which…

  • Prices for instant noodles, condensed milk to rise next month | Thaiger

    Prices for instant noodles, condensed milk to rise next month

    Prices for instant noodles and condensed milk are set to rise next month as the Ukraine-Russia conflict has affected imports and exports in Thailand, according to the Ministry of Thai Commerce. The ministry says that the situation could cause inflation, but says the state would try to control the price of food and necessary products as much as possible. Commerce…

  • National police chief suspects Tangmo’s death was an accident | Thaiger

    National police chief suspects Tangmo’s death was an accident

    Thailand’s national police chief says the death of actress Tangmo seems to have been an accident. He says evidence shows the death of the celebrity in Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River appears to have been an accident. An autopsy report shows the actress died from drowning. Her body also had a large cut on her leg, possibly from the speedboat’s propellor.…

  • Phuket, Krabi resorts no longer accepting credit cards from Russian guests | Thaiger

    Phuket, Krabi resorts no longer accepting credit cards from Russian guests

    Resorts and hotels in tourist destinations such as Krabi and Phuket are no longer accepting credit cards from Russian guests, according to a Thai PBS World report. The decision comes after 7 Russian banks were excluded from the SWIFT financial global messaging system, leaving many Russians overseas unable to use their credit cards. Card providers Mastercard and Visa have also…

  • Thai police ask Canadian court not to grant bail to Jimi Sandhu murder suspect | Thaiger

    Thai police ask Canadian court not to grant bail to Jimi Sandhu murder suspect

    Police in Thailand are asking a Canadian court to refuse a bail application for a man wanted for murder on the southern island of Phuket. Canadian national Matthew Dupre is 1 of 2 suspects wanted for the murder of Indian gang member Jimi Singh Sandhu, who was gunned down outside his Rawai villa on February 4. Dupre and his alleged…

  • “Joe Ferrari” objects to presence of human rights observers at torture-murder trial | Thaiger

    “Joe Ferrari” objects to presence of human rights observers at torture-murder trial

    Former police chief Thitisan Utthanaphon is calling for human rights observers to be blocked from attending his trial for torture and murder. Thitisan, who has been nicknamed “Joe Ferrari” because of the lavish lifestyle he lived and the luxury cars he accumulated while on a policeman’s salary, has asked the Criminal Court to stop the rights observers from attending his…

  • Russians in Phuket granted 1 month extension to stay | Thaiger

    Russians in Phuket granted 1 month extension to stay

    Despite Russia banning Facebook in the country just 2 days ago, the Russian Consulate in Phuket has posted on its own Facebook page yesterday to announce that Russian citizens in Phuket can stay at least month longer than the original date on their visa. To do this, Russian travellers must go to Phuket immigration with their original letter from the…

  • Russian embassy warns Thais “don’t fight with Ukrainians”, threatens prosecution | Thaiger

    Russian embassy warns Thais “don’t fight with Ukrainians”, threatens prosecution

    Yesterday, the Embassy of Russia in Bangkok posted on Facebook urging Thais not to join the Ukrainian military. The post was originally in Russian, but viewers can see a translated version in English. The embassy alleges that under international law, such ‘merceneries’ who join Ukrainian forces are not qualified as combatants, and have no status as prisoners of war. It…

  • Russia threatens up to 15 years for ‘fake news’ on military actions in Ukraine | Thaiger

    Russia threatens up to 15 years for ‘fake news’ on military actions in Ukraine

    Russia amended its criminal code yesterday and passed a law making the spread of ‘fake’ information a criminal offense. Intentionally spreading so-called fake information about the country’s military actions in the Ukraine can now be punishable with fines, and up to 15 years imprisonment. Russia’s lower house of parliament outlined a ‘sliding scale’ of penalties for people who have discredited…

  • Tangmo’s mother accepts apologies, for a price | Thaiger

    Tangmo’s mother accepts apologies, for a price

    The mother of drowned actress “Tangmo” says she forgives two witnesses to her daughter’s death, and would accept a “financial gift” from one of them. Panida Siriyuthayothin, the mother of drowned actress Nida “Tangmo” Patcharaveerapong, appeared on Channel 3 yesterday to announce that she had forgiven two of the people who were on the speedboat… the owner and captain of…

  • Thailand ‘worried’ about Ukraine violence, humanitarian crisis, representative tells UN | Thaiger

    Thailand ‘worried’ about Ukraine violence, humanitarian crisis, representative tells UN

    After Thailand backed a UN resolution against Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, the country’s Permanent Representative said it is ‘worried’ about the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in the Ukraine. At a special session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, the representative said the violence will impact the rest of the world as well. “…will cause wider impacts for…

  • Pattaya’s struggling entertainment sector calls for later closing times | Thaiger

    Pattaya’s struggling entertainment sector calls for later closing times

    Entertainment officials in Pattaya say the tourism economy would improve if the closing time for venues serving alcohol was 1am instead of the current 11pm. The secretary of the Pattaya Association of Entertainment Venue Operators told the Bangkok Post many pubs, bars, and karaoke parlours have delayed reopening as restaurants as they believe having an 11pm closing time would restrict…

  • Travel in 2022 – how Russia is reshaping the world’s travel industry | Thaiger

    Travel in 2022 – how Russia is reshaping the world’s travel industry

    Russians were the most visible travellers heading to Thailand post February 1, 2022, when the Thailand Pass Test & Go option was rebooted. Even with its 2 days of pre-booked SHA+ quarantine and PCR tests, along with US$50,000 Covid insurance (which has since been reduced to $20,000), the Russian travellers were delighted to jump on a plane and take the…

  • Tangmo: 8 new witnesses questioned, police dismiss bribery claims as investigation plods on | Thaiger

    Tangmo: 8 new witnesses questioned, police dismiss bribery claims as investigation plods on

    Nonthaburi police have interviewed another 8 witnesses in their ongoing investigation into the death of Thai Christian actress Nida “Tango” Patcharaveerapong, who drowned in the Chao Phraya River after allegedly falling from a speedboat last Thursday night. Earlier this week that all five witnesses face charges of negligence leading to death and giving false statements. they have not yet determined…

  • Tangmo: Police investigate mysterious male voice as new evidence comes to light | Thaiger

    Tangmo: Police investigate mysterious male voice as new evidence comes to light

    UPDATE: Police are investigating a video captured on the mobile phone of Tangmo’s manager, Idsarin “Gatick” Juthasuksawat, after Thai netizens pointed out a mysterious male voice off-screen. The video, which was obtained by Nation Thailand and has since gone viral online, shows the late Thai actress posing on the speedboat with a cup of wine and playing with her hair…

  • West Papua rebels shoot and kill eight technicians | Thaiger

    West Papua rebels shoot and kill eight technicians

    Gunmen in a mountainous district of Indonesia’s Papua shot and killed eight technicians at a tower owned by a telecoms company on Wednesday. Today, West Papua’s main rebel militia claimed responsibility. One technician had managed to escape and tell authorities about the attack. Police began to track down the attackers, when the West Papua National Liberation Army took responsibility. The…

  • Tourism officials recommend that tourists be allowed to enter without registering for Thailand Pass | Thaiger

    Tourism officials recommend that tourists be allowed to enter without registering for Thailand Pass

    Tourism officials are urging the government to allow tourists to enter the country without registering for a Thailand Pass. Officials have requested that the requirement be lifted in the next phase of easing restrictions, but no proposal for the government has been drafted. Travellers entering the country through the Test & Go and Sandbox scheme must register for entry using…

  • Phuket’s tuna industry falling behind, Phuket VP calls to train fishermen | Thaiger

    Phuket’s tuna industry falling behind, Phuket VP calls to train fishermen

    In a meeting yesterday, Phuket’s Vice Governor Pichet said the provincial government wants fishermen to develop stronger skills with tuna and tuna fishing practices. He said strict fishing laws have already lowered the number of tuna caught in the province. Another issue is that Thailand doesn’t have proper tuna fishing boats. VP Pichet said amendments to current laws on which…

  • Woman arrested on charges of trafficking to UAE, one of six suspects | Thaiger

    Woman arrested on charges of trafficking to UAE, one of six suspects

    Police in Chachoengsao, a province east of Bangkok, arrested a woman suspected of tricking another woman into working as a prostitute in the United Arab Emirates. She is one of six suspects in the case. The alleged victim told authorities she was invited to work as a masseuse at a spa in Dubai. The woman who invited her was called…

  • Woman allegedly stabs husband’s penis with a harpoon after heated argument | Thaiger

    Woman allegedly stabs husband’s penis with a harpoon after heated argument

    A woman allegedly stabbed her husband’s penis with a harpoon after a heated argument. Thai media reports that the woman stabbed him in his genitals and twisted the spear, just like “catching a fish.” The man drove a motorbike to his mother’s house and went to the hospital the next day where he got more than 17 stitches. Thai reporters…