Thailand News
Discover the most recent and relevant news from across Thailand on The Thaiger’s National News page. Covering a wide range of topics, including politics, business, crime, and lifestyle, our dedicated team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
Stay informed about the latest developments in Thai society, economy, and culture, as well as updates on travel, tourism, and expat life. With The Thaiger, you’ll never miss out on the essential news that matters to you.
- Sponsored
Working in Thailand: How expat health insurance protects your career and lifestyle
Starting a career in Thailand can be an exciting chapter, but it also brings unique challenges, especially when it comes to health and wellness. For expats, navigating Thailand’s healthcare system and meeting work permit requirements can be difficult. And while...
-
Crystal meth found floating in Thailand’s eastern seaboard waters
The coastal waters of Thailand’s eastern seaboard were recently afloat with 20 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine. This shocking find adds to the growing tally of illegal narcotics discovered in the region, with approximately 400kg of crystal meth found floating in the same area during the past month. The news broke today, April 2, when Thawatchai Kaewkhao, the mayor of Bang…
-
Songkran festival sees Rama II Road works delay till June 2025
Thailand’s transport minister announced that construction delays on Rama II Road will persist during the upcoming Songkran festival. Despite efforts to expedite the work, the completion date is now set for June 2025. The minister assured that compensation will be paid to the contractors to encourage faster progress. Government spokesperson Suriya Jungrungreangkit addressed the state of transportation during the Songkran…
-
Thai man, not foreigner, fined for driving sedan on Kamala Beach
A motorist who flouted the rules by driving a black sedan on Kamala Beach in Phuket yesterday was a Thai man, not a foreigner, contrary to initial assumptions. He received a fine of 1,000 baht for his action. A local in Phuket posted a video of a black Toyota Camry Hybrid sedan on Kamala Beach on Facebook yesterday, April 1,…
-
Car bursts into flames in Thailand from dry tissues and toothpicks
A car parked under the scorching Thai sun burst into flames, nearly burning the entire vehicle due to the presence of dry tissues and toothpicks. The incident, which serves as a stark warning about the dangers of leaving combustible materials in a car exposed to intense heat, occurred at noon today, April 2. The vehicle’s owner revealed the harrowing moments…
-
Big Joke woes: Warrant issued for money laundering
The Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road was the scene of significant legal developments as investigators sought an arrest warrant for Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, Deputy National Police Chief of Thailand, following three previously issued summonses. The request for his capture was rooted in allegations of money laundering and conspiring to commit a crime, related to an investigation into gambling websites.…
-
Pattaya restaurant owner criticised for beating her employees
A Thai customer and netizens condemned the owner of a BBQ restaurant in Pattaya for brutally punishing her employees with beatings. A customer at the restaurant witnessed the owner’s punishment on her staff and shared a video of the incident on social media. In the video, the female restaurant owner is seen beating a male staff member wearing a red…
-
Gunman sparks terror in Sai Mai district, police on manhunt (video)
A gunman sparked terror through the Sai Mai district yesterday when he started firing shots at Nong Bua Temple before walking with a gun along the busy Sukhapiban 5 Road. Police are currently hunting for the suspect and investigating the motives behind the incident, which occurred at 2pm on April 2. At the initial stage of the investigation, Sai Mai police…
-
Thailand’s waste-fighting wave: InterceptorTM 019 makes a splash
The fight against marine waste has taken a monumental step in Thailand with the official launch of the InterceptorTM 019, a solar-powered and fully automated device dedicated to capturing waste. This milestone is the result of joint efforts by The Ocean Cleanup, a Dutch non-profit environmental engineering organisation, and its first global implementation partner, The Coca-Cola Company, along with a…
-
Paws for alarm: Thai woman’s wrong turn ends in tragic mauling
A dog tragically mauled a 74 year old Thai woman to death after she entered the wrong house in the Thawi Watthana district of Bangkok due to her Alzheimer’s condition. The incident was reported to Saladaeng Police Station and Por Teck Tung Foundation by a homeowner around 8pm on March 31. Police investigated the scene and found Prapaipit lying in…
-
Health Ministry warns against eating geckos for sexual benefits
The Department of Health of Thailand issued a warning against consuming live geckos in the belief that they can enhance sexual performance, stressing the lack of scientific evidence and potential health risks. Health authorities have raised alarms over a dangerous trend among middle-aged men in Thailand, involving the consumption of live geckos as a supposed sexual enhancement remedy. A 59…
-
Love con: Thai woman nabbed for 1.7 million baht romance scam
Thai authorities have successfully apprehended a 24 year old woman in connection with a sophisticated romance scam operation that swindled a victim out of 1.7 million baht under the guise of a lucrative investment in London gold shares. The arrest of the woman identified only as Saovaluck, which took place yesterday in front of a convenience store in Samrong Klang…
-
Shocking surge: Thailand market sparks rise in EV loans
The Thai market is seeing a rise in loans for electric vehicles (EVs), as they are projected to lead the expansion in auto lending this year. Krungsri Auto, a prominent auto loan provider and a Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri) unit, has projected new EV sales to climb to 100,000 units this year, a significant increase from 76,000 units the previous…
-
Dust distress: Thailand choked by PM2.5 air pollution surge
Air pollution levels in parts of Thailand have surged into the red-coded category, indicating serious health risks. Particularly hard hit was Chiang Mai, where excessive PM2.5 dust levels were detected on today, April 4. The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) revealed that 21 provinces were grappling with dangerous PM2.5 particulate levels – fine airborne particles measuring 2.5 micrometres…
-
Thai man’s arm severed outside liquor store after smoking dispute
Two suspects embarked on a barbaric act of severing the arm of a Thai man after the victim warned the attackers against smoking cigarettes outside his liquor store in the Sriracha district of Chon Buri last night. The Sriracha Police Station received reports of the knife attack at the liquor store at around 8am yesterday, April 1. They met a…
-
British backpacker murderers make fresh appeal against sentence (video)
The British backpacker murderers have made fresh appeals against their sentence claiming they are innocent of beating an English couple to death in Thailand ten years ago Two Burmese bar workers were accused of murdering British couple David Miller and Hannah Witheridge on Koh Tao Island in 2014. The bar workers, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun, who have consistently maintained…
-
Surat Thani ex-engineer wins 30 million baht lottery
A former municipal engineering director from Surat Thani province hit the jackpot, winning a staggering 30 million baht in the national lottery. The 61 year old, who has been living and working in Nonthaburi province since 1978, walked into a local police station today, April 2, with his family to officially record their life-changing win. Polkrit, the lucky winner, alongside…
-
Isuzu revs up green initiative with PTT union for clean fuel trials
Tri Petch Isuzu, Thailand’s Isuzu vehicle distributor, is joining forces with PTT Plc to test vehicles powered by a novel clean fuel. This initiative is aimed at supporting efforts to reduce the high carbon dioxide emissions from Thailand’s transport sector. The transport and power generation sectors are the main contributors to over 60% of Thailand’s greenhouse gas emissions, as per…
-
Foreigner condemned for driving car on Kamala Beach in Phuket
Phuket residents and Thai netizens condemned a foreigner for ignoring warnings from lifeguards and vendors and driving a sedan on Kamala Beach. A Thai man shared the video of a black sedan, a Toyota Camry Hybrid, on Kamala Beach on Facebook yesterday, April 1. “Foreign tourists cause trouble every day! A foreign tourist, of unidentified nationality, driving a sedan on Kamala…
-
Thailand seeks more flight routes from Laos and China
The Government of Thailand has its sights set on elevating the country’s aviation industry, with plans in the pipeline to request additional flight routes from Laos and China within the next two years. The move is part of a broader “Ignite Thailand” vision, articulated by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, aiming to position Thailand as a hub in eight key sectors,…
-
Thailand in talks with China to swap submarine for naval vessels
Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang is near finalising discussions with China to acquire alternative naval vessels instead of a submarine, aiming to conclude the talks by the end of this month. The negotiations began following Klungsang’s recent trip to China, where he introduced the proposal. China has shown openness to Thailand’s request to purchase two offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) or a…
-
Thai monk allegedly rapes woman, demands she divorces husband
A Thai man sought help from the non-profit organisation Saimai Survive after a monk demanded he end his relationship with his wife so he could have her. The monk had previously raped the woman making her pregnant. The 36 year old Thai man, Warut, revealed in the press conference yesterday, March 31, that he married his wife, 31 year old…
-
Thai rice redemption price drops ahead of farming season
The upcoming farming season in Thailand, set to start this month, is witnessing a significant drop in the rice redemption price. This sharp decline, according to the Thai Agriculturist Association, is primarily due to market mechanisms and an oversupply of rice, particularly a Vietnamese variety. Agriculturist Association President Pramote Charoensilp noted that during the first crop season of the year,…
-
Don Mueang Airport prepares for Songkran holiday travel spike
Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport gears up for an influx of approximately 625,000 passengers during the Songkran holiday period, which runs from April 11 to 17. It expects over 4,000 flights, marking a substantial 10.58% rise from the previous year’s data. Don Mueang Airport General Manager Wichit Kaewsaitiam attributed this surge to the government’s strategic policies aimed at bolstering domestic…
-
Gold soars to unprecedented heights amid geopolitical tensions
As the second quarter of the year commences, gold has reached unprecedented heights, thanks to geopolitical tensions and the Federal Reserve’s impending rate cuts. The precious metal’s price soared to as high as US$2,259.69 per ounce, marking an increase of 1.3% from its value at the end of last week. The Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of core inflation, the core…
-
Thai woman’s fake robbery covers ex-marital money matters
A Thai woman faked a robbery to hide from her new husband that she was previously married and was still sending money to her ex-husband and their child. The 30 year old woman, Walisa, filed a theft complaint at Pak Chong Police Station at 11.30pm yesterday, March 31. She reported that a thief stole 2,200 from her, the amount she…
-
World Bank predicts 2.8% economic growth for Thailand
The World Bank predicted a modest economic growth of 2.8% for Thailand in 2024, with an acceleration of 3.0% in 2025. This forecast announced today, April 1, is underpinned by the nation’s struggling exports and a postponed budget. This projection for 2024 and 2025 marks a decrease from the previously estimated figures of 3.2% and 3.1%, respectively, set in December.…
-
Northern Thailand grapples with severe global air contamination
The hazardous red-coded levels of PM2.5 shrouded most northern provinces of Thailand today, with Chiang Mai earning the unenviable title of the city with the most severe air contamination globally. The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) disclosed today, April 4, at 8am that 14 provinces were grappling with red (highly detrimental) levels of particulate matter 2.5 micrometres and…
-
Isaan residents urged to avoid risky sex after 9 new Mpox cases
The Office of 9th Disease Prevention and Control Nakhon Ratchasima (ODPC 9) urged residents in the southern Isaan region to avoid engaging in any risky monkey business after nine new Mpox cases were reported between January 1 and February 13. The director of the ODPC 9, Thaweechai Wissanuyothin, said the number of Mpox cases (formerly monkeypox) in Thailand was decreasing…
-
Thai woman narrowly escapes injury as demolition goes wrong
A near-miss incident involving a building demolition and a woman in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand, took centre stage yesterday afternoon. The woman, employed at an eatery, narrowly escaped injury when a building under demolition collapsed unexpectedly, part of it crashing into the eatery. The incident occurred around 2pm, yesterday, March 31, on Charoen Mueang Road in the Mueang district of the…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.