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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Bangkok Mini Cooper driver flees motorcycle hit-and-run, 1 dead (video)
A shocking hit-and-run in Bangkok’s Phasi Charoen district has left one person dead and another critically injured after a red Mini Cooper ploughed into a motorcycle and sped away. The incident occurred around 6am on Sunday, June 29, near the entrance of Soi Phetkasem 19. The Mini Cooper was reportedly descending a bridge when it struck the motorcycle carrying 27…
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Police boat capsizes in Loei River chase, officer missing
Police yesterday were in pursuit of a suspect involved in a serious crime in Loei province. During the chase, a police boat capsized in the strong currents of the Loei River, leading to the disappearance of Police Lieutenant Roengsak Khokkhiew, who remains unaccounted for. Police investigators were examining a burglary incident, yesterday, June 30 at 3pm, at a scrap shop…
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Thai tax scam gang busted for billion-baht VAT fraud racket
The Revenue Department and the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) have dismantled a sprawling value-added tax (VAT) fraud network, allegedly responsible for over 1 billion baht in state losses. On June 26, coordinated raids were carried out across 14 locations in Tak, Chiang Mai and Bangkok. The operation led to the arrest of 63 year old Samran Naowarat and nine associates…
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Welshman fights to come home after brutal attack in Thailand
A Welshman left clinging to life after a brutal attack in Thailand has woken from a coma and, in heartbreaking words, told his family: “I just want to go home.” Ashton Jones was viciously assaulted by unknown assailants while out partying in Bangkok. The father of two was found hours later, unconscious and connected to life-support machines, 55 miles from…
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2 e-cigarette vendors surrender after shooting 2 police in Pathum Thani
Two e-cigarette vendors surrendered to police at Pak Khlong Rangsit Police Station in the central province of Pathum Thani after shooting two police officers during a sting operation on Sunday, June 29. The 28 year old Police Sergeant Autsanai Rueangsai posed as a parcel delivery rider to buy an e-cigarette from the primary suspect, 35 year old Naphontorn “Toon” Fakfueangboon.…
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Motorcyclist dies after crash on Pattaya-Bangkok motorway
A tragic incident occurred when a motorcyclist veered off the road, crashing into a Pattaya-Bangkok motorway bridge railing, resulting in the rider’s fatal fall from a height of 5 metres. Rescue efforts were in vain as the injuries proved too severe. At 3.06am today, July 1, the Sawan Boriboon Pattaya Rescue Centre received reports of a motorcycle accident on the motorway…
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Storming the banks: Tree tops ATMs in Bangkok showdown
A powerful storm barrelled through Bangkok at the weekend, toppling a massive banyan tree that smashed into a row of bank ATMs in front of the Din Daeng 2 Housing Authority office. Despite the chaos, an unflappable woman calmly continued her cash withdrawal in one of the dangerously tilted booths. A photo of her undeterred focus amid the wreckage on…
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Rescuers retrieve 8 bodies from Saraburi factory fire, 2 still missing
A rescue team successfully brought a fire at a tissue factory in the central province of Saraburi under control and retrieved eight bodies from the scene. Two other victims remain missing. The blaze reportedly broke out at the tissue paper factory in the Hemaraj Industrial Estate, located in Bua Loi subdistrict, Nong Khae district, Saraburi province, at around 12pm yesterday,…
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Slithery surprise: Indian caught smuggling live snakes into Mumbai
An Indian passenger arriving from Bangkok was arrested at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on June 27 after customs officers uncovered a shocking stash of 16 live snakes concealed in his luggage. Yes, you read that right—live snakes! It’s a case that’s leaving everyone wondering: what exactly was he trying to scale his way through? The incident unfolded when…
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Thai-phoon forecast: TMD warns of heavy rain across the nation
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) issued a warning for severe weather across Thailand, predicting heavy rain, particularly in the south with a 40% chance, and in the north, northeast, central, and eastern regions, including Bangkok, with a chance of 60 to 70%. The weather forecast for the next 24 hours indicates heavy rainfall in several provinces due to the moderate…
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Weed out competition: Thailand’s cannabis shops face crackdown
Thailand’s once-thriving cannabis industry is about to face its biggest shake-up yet, with new regulations that could see up to 12,000 cannabis flower shops shut down by the end of the year. The country’s Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM) revealed a wave of stringent rules that could spell the end for many who have jumped on the…
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Canadian man caught trying to ‘bag’ heroin at Bangkok airport
In a bizarre bid to ‘bag’ a fortune, a Canadian man was arrested at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok, after attempting to smuggle over three kilogrammes of heroin hidden in women’s handbags. The suspect, on his way to Taiwan, was caught in the act yesterday, June 30, after sharp-eyed customs officers became suspicious of his luggage. When they ran the bags…
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PM confirms flawed construction behind state office collapse
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra confirmed today, June 30, that flawed design and construction methods were to blame for the collapse of the State Audit Office building in Bangkok. After reviewing the final investigation report, Paetongtarn said the inquiry involved cooperation from the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, Chulalongkorn University, Kasetsart University and King Mongkut’s Institute of…
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Royal Irrigation Department mobilises for nationwide flash flood threat
Flood preparations are underway across Thailand as meteorologists forecast several days of intense rainfall from July 1 to 5. The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) confirmed it is mobilising personnel, machinery, and equipment to high-risk areas following an alert from the National Water Resources Office (NWRO). The NWRO has warned of flash floods, stagnant water, and potential mudslides in several provinces…
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Fire at Saraburi paper factory claims 6 lives and leaves over 10 missing
A fire at a paper factory in the central province of Saraburi reportedly claimed six lives, with at least 13 people reported missing at the time of reporting. The Facebook page Fire & Rescue Thailand reported at 1.20pm today, June 30, that the blaze broke out at a paper factory in the WHA Industrial Estate, also known as Hemaraj Land…
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Thai university ranked world’s best for gender equality
Walailak University in Bangkok was ranked the number one university in the world for its achievement in promoting gender equality. Other Thai universities also earned places in the global top 100. Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, Anukool Pruksanusak, announced today, June 30, that the Thai government congratulates the universities for their outstanding performances in the Times Higher Education…
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Karen refugee suspected in brutal murder of Thai employer
A Karen refugee from Myanmar was suspected of the murder of his Thai employer in Chiang Mai’s Mae Chaem district before fleeing to a refugee centre in Mae Hong Son province. The incident took place on June 27 when police were alerted to a murder in a mountain orchard in Ban Mae Satop Tai, Mae Suek subdistrict. Officers from Mae…
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Desperate Thai mother pleads for son’s arrest after he trades durians for Yaba
A Thai mother expressed her desperation on social media and called for police intervention after her drug-addicted son traded durians she had bought for him for Yaba, also known as methamphetamine. The mother in the Isaan province of Sa Kaeo took to her Facebook account on June 17 to vent her fears and frustration. She posted a photo of two…
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Japanese BBQ restaurant fire damages Chachoengsao mall
A fire erupted at a shopping mall in Chachoengsao, prompting an evacuation of employees and visitors as fire and smoke quickly spread throughout the mall. Firefighters reportedly battled the blaze for over two hours before bringing the situation under control. At 8.30pm yesterday, June 29, Deputy Inspector Chalermpol Satharam from Mueang Chachoengsao Police Station received a report of a fire…
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Brawl erupts between Swedish national and Thai men in Pattaya
A Swedish man took legal action against a group of Thai men following a gang assault in Soi Bua Khao, Pattaya, yesterday, June 29. One of the Thai men involved defended the group’s actions, claiming the foreigner acted violently. A video of the incident circulated on Thai social media, showing a foreign man pushing a Thai woman to the ground…
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Thailand eases citizenship rules for children of long-term migrants
Thailand’s Ministry of Interior has announced new citizenship regulations aimed at resolving decades-long issues of statelessness among children born to long-term migrants. The order, signed by Deputy Interior Minister Teerarat Samretwanich, was published in the Royal Gazette today, June 30. will take effect immediately and will remain valid for one year, unless extended by the Cabinet. Under the new criteria,…
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Australian man smashes window and hurls objects from Pattaya hotel
An Australian man caused a scene yesterday, June 29, after he smashed a hotel window on Pattaya Sai Song Road and hurled random objects from the 12th floor onto the street below. Passersby scrambled to avoid falling debris as shards of broken glass, a chair, a sofa, a speaker, and bedding items rained down onto the road, prompting repeated screams…
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Thailand sends team to Myanmar for Kok River pollution talks
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is set to dispatch an expert team next week to engage with Myanmar officials regarding arsenic contamination in the Kok River. This decision follows Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa’s recent Facebook post, addressing questions raised to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra about water quality issues during her visit to Chiang Rai. Maris highlighted that water pollution has…
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Thailand funds gender-affirming hormone therapy in 145 million baht package
The Ministry of Public Health has sanctioned a 145 million baht healthcare package to offer gender-affirming hormone therapy to transgender and gender-diverse people through the nation’s 30-baht universal healthcare scheme. Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, serving as chairman of the National Health Security Office (NHSO) board, has approved the addition of six hormone-related medications to the national procurement list under…
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Thailand Video News | Mass protest in Bangkok demands PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s resignation over leaked call, Philippines holds first grassroots stonewall-inspired pride protest in Manila
In Thailand, over 6,000 protesters demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra following a leaked call with Cambodia’s former leader, while the government also faced growing public resistance to its delayed cannabis regulations. A shocking robbery involving a Russian journalist unfolded in Pattaya, and the country made headlines by securing the Tomorrowland music festival for 2026, a major step…
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Shower-time heist: Indian man loses 20,000 baht in cash to Pattaya sex worker
An Indian man sought assistance from Pattaya police officers after a Thai sex worker shattered his expectations and disappeared with 20,000 baht in cash. The 45 year old Indian national, Sudip, filed a complaint at Mueang Pattaya Police Station yesterday, June 29, after his night was ruined by a Thai sex worker. He reported losing a total of 20,000 baht,…
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Japanese tourist drowns at Phuket’s Karon Beach
A Japanese tourist drowned at Karon Beach, Phuket, shortly after arriving with his wife. Hikaru Oami, a 34 year old, was declared dead at Patong Hospital after being pulled from the water on June 28. Police received notification of the incident around 12.30pm on June 28. Police Lieutenant Colonel Charas Lempan from Karon Police Station was informed by Patong Hospital…
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Thailand, France to strengthen defence and trade links
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said yesterday, June 29, she felt honoured to speak by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron, announcing Thailand and France’s commitment to deepen bilateral ties across multiple sectors, particularly space technology, defence and clean energy. In a statement posted on social media today, Paetongtarn said the discussion aimed to elevate Thai-French relations to a strategic partnership…
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Motorcycle crash leaves young man critical in Chon Buri
In the early hours of yesterday, June 29, a significant motorcycle accident took place in front of the Moo Moo Wash shop, located in Village 3 of Bo Win Subdistrict, Si Racha District, Chon Buri. At approximately 3am, Kampanat Saentho, the assistant village headman of Village 3, came across the scene while returning from inspecting local entertainment venues. Upon arrival,…
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E-cigarette vendor shoots 2 police in sting operation in Pathum Thani
An e-cigarette seller shot two police officers during a sting operation outside a convenience store in the central province of Pathum Thani yesterday, June 29, before managing to escape arrest. One of the officers suffered a serious gunshot wound to his genital area. Customers and staff at the convenience store, along with diners at a nearby restaurant, rushed to find…
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