Thailand News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, and lifestyle—get breaking updates from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. Stay informed on Thai society, economy, tourism, and expat life with The Thaiger.
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Sponsored 12Go introduces Japan Rail Passes to enhance travel accessibility for international travellers
For those who have travelled throughout Thailand, 12Go is a well-known provider of various trips, though the platform itself has a much wider reach. Ranging from buses to planes, 12Go is undoubtedly a leading booking platform for travel throughout the...
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Road-blocking complaint leads to Thai taxi driver arrest for drug use
A complaint by a homeowner in Bangkok about road blocking led to the arrest of a Thai taxi driver using drugs in his vehicle. Officers from Bang Sue Police Station were called to Soi Pradiphat 15 in the Phaya Thai district of Bangkok at 9.10pm on September 20 to remove a taxi that was blocking access to a home. Upon…
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New facial scan system leaves elderly Thai couple without welfare
An elderly couple in Buriram, who are heavily reliant on their state welfare cards, faced a significant hurdle with the new system requiring facial scans for verification. The couple, Lom Chaisuwan who is bedridden, and his 87 year old wife, anxiously await the outcome as their monthly welfare is a crucial part of their livelihood. Yesterday, September 22, Lom, residing…
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Rail-y bad landslide derails Lampang-Chiang Mai train services
Travel chaos struck the northern rail line today as the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) announced an indefinite shutdown of services between Lampang and Chiang Mai due to a devastating landslide and severe flooding. The dramatic incident unfolded last night, wreaking havoc on the track between Mae Tan Noi Railway Station in Lampang and Tha Chompoo in Lamphun. The rail…
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Monk with sword causes stir in Bangkok’s Lad Ya area (video)
A monk wielding a sword caused a commotion in the Lad Ya area, Bangkok, late last night. Residents alerted the police, leading to a tense situation before the individual was taken into custody for questioning. A startling incident unfolded yesterday, September 22, when a man dressed as a monk was seen walking in the middle of Lad Ya Road, brandishing…
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Sketchy business: Cops arrest last suspect in decade-old human trafficking case
Police officers from the Anti Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) triumphantly captured the last suspect in a gruesome decade-old human trafficking case, ending an exhaustive month-long chase. Their breakthrough? A single clue: a sketch of an unidentified woman, said Police Major General Sarut Kwaengsopha, the ATPD commander after the suspect was arrested in Samut…
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Teacher with air gun causes chaos at Chumphon college
A dramatic incident unfolded today at a vocational college in Chumphon, where a teacher brandishing a gun threatened students and faculty members. Police were called to de-escalate the situation, which took over an hour before the teacher calmed down. The emergency call was received at 8.30am, today, September 23, reporting a disturbance at the college located on the Chumphon-Pathio Road…
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Indonesian woman arrested for illegally working as tour guide
Police arrested an Indonesian woman at Wat Pho in Bangkok yesterday for illegally working as a tour guide. Tourist Police Bureau officers received a complaint that an Indonesian woman illegally offered a travel package in Thailand to 133 Indonesian tourists between September 19 and 22. The woman did not possess a tour guide permit and her travel package was not…
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New law mandates urine, blood tests for driver alcohol checks
The Thai Government Gazette published a new ministerial regulation to include urine and blood tests for measuring alcohol levels in drivers when breathalyser tests are not possible. This regulation aims to enhance road safety and ensure accurate alcohol detection in drivers. The regulation, dated today, September 23, was issued under the authority of the Road Traffic Act of 1979, which…
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Throttle trouble: Thai motorists hit the brakes on new car buys
Thai motorists are hitting the brakes on new car purchases due to economic jitters, revealed in a new report by Differential (Thailand) Co Ltd, a data analytics, technology, and research firm. The 2024 Customer Experience Report, which polled over 2,500 Thai car buyers from November 2020 to December 2022, found that a whopping 70% of respondents intend to buy a…
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Chiang Mai police bust online booking scam, arrest key suspect
Chiang Mai police swooped on a fraudulent online accommodation booking scam gang, arresting a key figure in Sa Kaeo. The operation aimed to boost tourist confidence during the high season by targeting tech-based crimes. The Chiang Mai Tourist Police, under the directive of Police Lieutenant General Saksira Phuak-am, focused on dismantling mule accounts used by criminals to scam tourists. Police…
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Mama noodles maker supports 400 baht minimum wage hike
Thai President Foods PLC, the producer of Mama instant noodles, expressed no opposition to the proposed minimum wage increase to 400 baht, according to Managing Director Phan Phaniangwet. He urged the Thai government to finalise the decision promptly, citing the recent volatility of the Thai baht. The baht’s rapid appreciation in recent weeks has had mixed effects on the company.…
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Thai woman caught after fleeing arrest to join call centre scam gang
Police arrested a Thai woman after she stole cash and valuables worth about 200,000 baht from her boyfriend in July and fled arrest to work as a call centre scammer in a neighbouring country. The 27 year old Thai man, named Ton, took to social media on July 24 to expose the criminal behaviour of his girlfriend, 21 year old…
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Armed chaos: Gunmen turn Hala Bala into a fiery hostage jungle
In a chilling turn of events, police are on an urgent manhunt for approximately 20 armed men who took four officers hostage and torched four buildings in the Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary, Waeng district. The harrowing incident, which unfolded yesterday, September 22, marks the first terror attack on the sanctuary in three decades, as confirmed by the Department of National…
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Thailand seizes 5 billion baht in assets targeting fraud, corruption
Thailand’s Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) seized over 5 billion baht in assets this year, targeting fraud, online gambling, and corruption. AMLO Secretary-General Theppasu Bavornchotidara, along with Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) assistant Secretary-General, Bhumivisan Kasemsook, disclosed the outcomes of the year’s 11th AMLO Transaction Committee meeting. A total of 12,300 assets, valued at 4.5 billion baht, were confiscated in 48…
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Ride-share rage: Bolt driver surrenders after slapping passenger (video)
A Thai Bolt driver surrendered himself to the police after slapping a female passenger inside her home in Chon Buri province on Saturday due to a payment delay. The victim, 37 year old Jutathip Motanee, filed a complaint against the Bolt driver who physically assaulted her on Saturday, September 21, at Nongprue Police Station. Jutathip also provided police with two…
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Washed up: Risso’s dolphin meets tragic end on Kata Noi Beach
Tragedy struck the shores of Thailand as officials confirmed yesterday the discovery of a rare Risso’s dolphin carcass, tragically entangled in a pile of rubbish on Kata Noi Beach in Phuket. Residents and lifeguards sounded the alarm around 7am, yesterday, September 22, alerting the Rare and Endangered Marine Animals Group, part of the Upper Andaman Marine and Coastal Resources Research…
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Rules eased to attract super yachts to Thai waters
Thailand’s Transport Ministry relaxed regulations to permit larger cruise ships or super yachts, to operate in Thai waters, aiming to establish the country as a premier marina hub in Asia. Deputy Minister Manaporn Charoensri announced yesterday, September 22, that the Marine Department recently revised a regulation concerning the arrival of super yachts and sports boats. According to Manaporn, this change is…
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Thai man arrested in murder of missing Nakhon Pathom Bolt driver
Police arrested an ex-con in connection with the murder of a female Bolt driver whose body was found on the side of Huay Plu Road in the central province of Nakhon Pathom. A Thai woman took to social media to search for her girlfriend, 47 year old Thitirat “Kati” Chatput, who worked as a Bolt driver and lost contact with…
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Teacher dies in motorcycle crash after party in East Thailand
In a heartbreaking turn of events, a much-loved teacher from Laem Chabang Municipal School 1 lost his life in a devastating motorcycle crash in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province. The tragic accident happened in the early hours of yesterday, September 22, at 1.29am, sparking an immediate response from Bang Lamung police and the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation rescue team.…
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British man’s high-stakes Thailand trip goes up in smoke
A British man was dramatically arrested at Heathrow Airport after allegedly attempting to smuggle a staggering £1 million (44 million baht) worth of cannabis into the country –while travelling with his two young children. Nathaniel Benson, from Leeds, West Yorkshire, had just landed from Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday, September 18, when sharp-eyed Border Force officers swooped. Officers claim they discovered…
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Naked foreign man plunges to death from Pattaya condo
A naked foreign man fell to his death at a 22-floor condominium in Pattaya in the early hours of today. His identity and the cause of his death are still under investigation. Officers from the Mueang Pattaya Police Station and rescuers from the Sawang Borriboon Dhammasatan Foundation investigated the death of the foreign man, who was estimated to be between…
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Smoke gets in your eyes: Rayong residents warned of toxic blaze
Residents near the Thai Plastic and Chemicals Plc plant in Rayong’s Mueang district have been urged to steer clear of toxic smoke following a fire sparked by a gas leak. The drama unfolded at the company’s facility within the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate. The firm has issued a warning, advising locals to either stay indoors or don face masks…
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Rain it in! Thailand braces for a deluge of trouble
Heavy rainfall is expected across Thailand, with 80% of the country set to experience severe weather. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) issued warnings for potential flash floods and sudden surges of water, particularly in mountainous and low-lying areas. The TMD forecasts continuous rain for the next 24 hours, with heavy downpours in several regions. The lower northern, northeastern, central, and…
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Pheu Thai Party defends ethics in political face-off
The Pheu Thai Party has firmly denied accusations of undermining ethical standards for political figures as outlined in the constitution. They claim they aim to clarify what constitutes grounds for prosecuting those in public office. Critics are raising alarms that the party’s push for a constitutional amendment to relax ethical conduct standards could pave the way for a power grab.…
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Khao Kheow Zoo earns 12 million baht from Moo Deng’s live stream fame
Khao Kheow Open Zoo has captured global attention with live streaming of Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo, drawing fans from around the world. The zoo reported a significant surge in visitors, earning over 12 million baht from September 1 to 19, and anticipates revenue up to 200 million baht from one million visitors by the end of its fiscal…
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Man found dead in Thailand home with knife wounds
A tragic incident occurred when a man was found dead with knife wounds to the head in his under-construction house. Villagers pointed fingers at a local man, who had been seen wandering around with a knife the previous night, about 100 metres from the victim’s home. The suspect denied the murder, claiming the blood on his shirt was not from…
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Fisherman finds woman’s body in Pattaya pond, police investigate
A fisherman in Pattaya stumbled upon the body of a young woman in a pond surrounded by barbed wire, prompting an investigation by local police. The woman, wearing a black T-shirt and cream trousers, had been dead for at least 10 hours. At 10.06pm yesterday, Chonlawit Athiphansee, Deputy Inspector of Pattaya City Police Station in Chon Buri, received a report…
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Car crashes into palm tree after motorcycle cuts lane in Pattaya
A car driven by 36 year old Chayapat, lost control and crashed into a palm tree and a large signpost on a traffic island in Pattaya, causing significant damage to the vehicle. The incident occurred after a motorcycle cut across the lane. At 2.30am today, the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Radio Centre in Pattaya received a report of a car…
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Missing baby girl found safe in Nakhon Sawan after abduction
A nine month old baby girl was reported missing but has been found in Nakhon Sawan, sparking relief and further investigation. The incident began when Pang, a 24 year old woman with a disability, took the baby, named Fern, from her mother, 21 year old Sananthika, around 5pm yesterday. The abduction occurred at the Dee Dee Land Market in Uthai…
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Gunman disguised as food delivery rider shoots contractor in Trang
A gunman disguised as a food delivery rider ambushed and shot a construction contractor in Trang, Thailand, leaving him with a bullet wound in his right arm. The police are investigating the incident, suspecting a targeted assassination. On September 20, a man identified as 43 year old Sitthikorn, was shot while parked outside his residence in Mu 4, Bang Rak,…
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