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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  • Pattaya Sea Walker accident prompts police dive into safety checks

    Pattaya Sea Walker accident prompts police dive into safety checks

    An unfortunate incident involving an Indian tourist prompted the Pattaya Tourist Police to inspect a Sea Walker business, a popular water activity in the area. The tourist suffered severe injuries while participating in the Sea Walker experience and needed urgent medical care at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. The Sea Walker activity involves participants wearing helmets that supply air while they explore…

  • Time is up: Fake luxury watch scam busted in Bangkok condo

    Time is up: Fake luxury watch scam busted in Bangkok condo

    Police arrested a foreign couple at their condominium on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok for selling fake luxury watches that caused 12 million baht in damage. Mueang Thong Thani Immigration Bureau in the central province of Nonthaburi reported the successful arrest of the foreign couple yesterday, July 3. According to the officers, the arrest warrants were issued against the couple, a…

  • OnlyFans star arrested for explicit outdoor videos with minors

    OnlyFans star arrested for explicit outdoor videos with minors

    Thai police apprehended a transgender OnlyFans content creator accused of luring minors into producing explicit videos, generating a substantial monthly income. The arrest followed a detailed investigation into child pornography on social media platforms. Police officers from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division, directed by Police Major General Saruti Kwangsopa, executed the arrest warrant for 27 year old Patipat at his…

  • Thailand vows stronger action against transboundary haze pollution

    Thailand vows stronger action against transboundary haze pollution

    Thailand has pledged to intensify efforts against transboundary haze pollution in collaboration with regional partners, according to Environment Minister Phatcharavat Wongsuwan. Phatcharavat announced yesterday, July 3, at an ASEAN sub-regional ministerial committee meeting on haze pollution in Bangkok. Representatives from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand attended the meeting, with Timor-Leste participating as an observer. Expressing gratitude for the collaborative…

  • Government scandal: PM Srettha orders probe into ‘pay-for-passes’

    Government scandal: PM Srettha orders probe into ‘pay-for-passes’

    Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin launched an urgent investigation into claims that entry passes to Government House are being sold for cash. Speaking to reporters, the Thai PM expressed his dismay at the allegations. “I have never heard of such activity, but I find it utterly unacceptable. I have ordered those concerned to look into the reports and hope that they…

  • Bangkok garbage man finds bodies of newborn baby boys in trash

    Bangkok garbage man finds bodies of newborn baby boys in trash

    A garbage collector last night stumbled upon a shocking discovery: the dead bodies of two newborn twin boys at the rear of the garbage truck while working in Soi Phahonyothin 13 in the Phayathai district of Bangkok. Bang Sue Police Station officers, along with medical professionals from the Police General Hospital, yesterday, July 3, at 10pm, investigated the discovery of…

  • British couple outraged over price of Heinz Beanz in Thailand (video)

    British couple outraged over price of Heinz Beanz in Thailand (video)

    A British couple holidaying in Thailand discovered that home comforts come at a shocking price abroad. Mark and Nadine, originally from the UK and Ireland but residing in Australia, embarked on their tropical getaway only to be floored by the cost of a simple can of Heinz Baked Beanz. While perusing a local supermarket, the pair stumbled upon the familiar…

  • Retired cop threatens delivery rider over payment dispute

    Retired cop threatens delivery rider over payment dispute

    A Thai parcel delivery rider from logistics company Flash Express took to social media to seek justice after a man, believed to be a retired police officer or soldier, threatened to physically assault and shoot him over a payment dispute. A video of the incident, which was recorded by the rider, 22 year old Phonpipat, was shared by his brother…

  • Koh Samui’s drought nightmare vs Phuket’s flooding chaos

    Koh Samui’s drought nightmare vs Phuket’s flooding chaos

    Koh Samui is reeling from an acute water shortage as its reservoirs are drying up amid a prolonged drought. On the neighbouring island of Phuket, residents are battling heavy rainfall and flooding. Koh Samui’s main reservoir, with a capacity of 800,000 cubic metres, is down to a mere 10%, enough to last just two weeks. The Krajood reservoir fares slightly…

  • Lamphun dorm owner seeks media help to recover rent

    Lamphun dorm owner seeks media help to recover rent

    A distressed dormitory owner in Lamphun reached out to the media for help to recover rent, a loan, and a missing wall fan after police delays. Porntip Kamfubut, the owner of a dormitory in Mueang Nga subdistrict, Mueang district, Lamphun province, reported that a tenant, Chatchai, had taken a wall fan from the dormitory and failed to pay 1,500 baht…

  • Blackchin tilapia fish threatens Songkhla Lake

    Blackchin tilapia fish threatens Songkhla Lake

    The Songkhla provincial fisheries office is urging the public to report any sightings of the invasive blackchin tilapia in local waterways. This predatory fish, originally from Africa, poses a severe threat to the delicate balance of Songkhla’s aquatic ecosystems. Sightings of the blackchin tilapia have been confirmed in several canals within the Ranot district, which are directly connected to Songkhla…

  • Consumer protection laws drafted to safeguard online shoppers

    Consumer protection laws drafted to safeguard online shoppers

    Shoppers in Thailand can now rejoice as new consumer protection laws have been introduced to safeguard online shoppers. These laws allow buyers to inspect goods before payment and request refunds within five days. Channel 3 reported that Prime Minister’s Office Minister, Jiraporn Sinthuprai revealed that many citizens have lodged complaints with the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB). Issues…

  • Thai singer battle swarm of termites while on stage (video)

    Thai singer battle swarm of termites while on stage (video)

    A young singer found himself battling a swarm of flying termites while performing on stage, a bizarre situation captured and shared widely online, earning him considerable support from online users. In a viral clip posted on the Mongkhon Sound & Studio Facebook page, the singer, identified as 29 year old Witthaya Siwakrothok from Mueang district, Buriram Province, can be seen…

  • Election scandal shocker: Senate results halted amid fraud claims

    Election scandal shocker: Senate results halted amid fraud claims

    The Election Commission (EC) delayed endorsing the 200 senatorial election winners due to a flurry of electoral fraud complaints, as announced by the chief commissioner. The eagerly awaited results, originally set to be revealed today, July 3, have now been postponed indefinitely, leaving the nation in suspense. EC Chairman Ittiporn Boonprakong stated that the process is not yet complete, offering…

  • Revised debt management plan pushes borrowing to 1.03t baht

    Revised debt management plan pushes borrowing to 1.03t baht

    The Thai Cabinet approved a revised public debt management plan for the 2024 fiscal year, incorporating an additional 275.87 billion baht in borrowing. Of this, 269 billion baht is designated for direct government use and lending to state enterprises for debt restructuring. According to Deputy government spokesperson Rudklao Suwankiri, this revision increases the total new borrowing for the current fiscal…

  • PM Srettha orders ‘X-ray’ ops to sniff out drug abusers

    PM Srettha orders ‘X-ray’ ops to sniff out drug abusers

    To combat the narcotics epidemic, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin launched an aggressive nationwide crackdown on drug abuse and trafficking. Dubbed the “X-ray” operations, this initiative aims to root out drug abusers and dismantle trafficking networks across the country. Government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke declared that drug abusers will be sent to rehab centres, while traffickers will be arrested and face justice.…

  • Senior Thai judge transferred after molestation accusation on train

    Senior Thai judge transferred after molestation accusation on train

    The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court urgently transferred a senior judge following accusations of molesting a female court officer on a sleeper train. A high-ranking source within the judiciary revealed the incident occurred during a staff development activity. The female officer lodged a complaint against the senior judge, who belongs to a major court in Bangkok, following the incident…

  • Thai passengers seek help from drug-addicted minibus driver

    Thai passengers seek help from drug-addicted minibus driver

    Minibus passengers today sought help from Nakhon Pathom Highway Police after the drug-addicted driver drove dangerously on a trip from the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan to Bangkok. Officers from Nakhon Pathom Highway Police Station today, July 3, were alerted that the Bangkok-Prachuap Khiri Khan minibus driver was driving at a very high speed, and the vehicle was swerving…

  • Vietnamese father shocked by son’s rare genetic disorder

    Vietnamese father shocked by son’s rare genetic disorder

    A Vietnamese father received a mysterious message claiming that his three year old son was not biologically his, leading him to question the paternity of his child. This suspicion was fuelled by ongoing marital issues and the fact that his wife had not completely severed ties with her former lover until their marriage. The man decided to take matters into…

  • Accountant arrested for 450 million baht tax fraud in Bangkok

    Accountant arrested for 450 million baht tax fraud in Bangkok

    The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) apprehended an accountant of a steel company involved in a major tax fraud case, who claimed tax credits with fake tax invoices, causing the state a loss of over 450 million baht. The suspect failed to meet the prosecutor’s scheduled appointment yesterday. DSI Deputy Director Yutthana Praedam received a report from the Director of…

  • Chiang Rai residents protest lignite coal pollution from Laos

    Chiang Rai residents protest lignite coal pollution from Laos

    Residents of Chiang Khong are facing severe distress due to pollution caused by a private company transporting lignite coal from Laos. Despite multiple complaints, the issue remains unresolved, prompting the district chief to order a temporary halt to the transportation. Mong Saenyai, a resident of Chiang Khong district, Chiang Rai Province, yesterday, July 2, revealed that villagers from Ban Mai…

  • Buddhist monks rescue temple dog attacked with sharpened nail

    Buddhist monks rescue temple dog attacked with sharpened nail

    A Buddhist abbot shared distressing images of a temple dog that was cruelly attacked with a sharpened nail. The dog, found in a state of fear and exhaustion, received immediate help from the monks. A Facebook post by Phra Khru Koson Wachirakit, Deputy District Dean of Mueang Kamphaeng Phet and abbot of Wat Pradoo Lai in Kamphaeng Phet, yesterday, July…

  • Thailand boosts financial aid for dependent individuals

    Thailand boosts financial aid for dependent individuals

    The Government of Thailand is set to increase annual financial aid for dependent individuals from 6,000 baht to 10,442 baht per person while expanding the target group to cover up to 600,000 people. Deputy government spokesperson Karom Ponpolklang announced today, July 3, that each year, approximately 320,000 dependent individuals receive care from the state. However, additional groups in the community,…

  • Canadian military man confesses to gangster’s murder in Thailand

    Canadian military man confesses to gangster’s murder in Thailand

    A former Canadian soldier pleaded guilty in Bangkok for his role in the February 2022 murder of notorious British Columbia gangster Jimi Sandhu. Matthew Dupre, hailing from Sylvan Lake, Alberta, admitted his involvement on the trial’s opening day, June 27. The dramatic hit occurred at a beachfront resort in Phuket, captured on CCTV. Sandhu, staying in a private waterfront villa,…

  • Political turmoil and economic strife rock Thailand’s elite

    Political turmoil and economic strife rock Thailand’s elite

    The fate of Thailand’s business-friendly Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, a former real estate mogul, hangs by a thread less than a year after taking office. Political turmoil has shaken investor confidence in Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, resulting in a 15% drop in the benchmark stock index since last year. Compounded by a weaker baht, the combined wealth of the nation’s…

  • Phuket: 4 foreigners arrested for overstaying visas by up to 5 years

    Phuket: 4 foreigners arrested for overstaying visas by up to 5 years

    Immigration officers in Phuket apprehended four foreign men for overstaying their visas, with periods ranging from 234 days to over five years, during random inspections yesterday morning. Police conducted passport checks at locations known for harbouring visa overstayers as part of the ongoing Operation X-ray, targeting individuals violating visa regulations. Among those arrested were two Egyptians, one Pakistani, and one…

  • British teacher suits up for legal battle after tailor-made trouble

    British teacher suits up for legal battle after tailor-made trouble

    A British teacher residing in Phuket has taken legal action after an altercation with a well-known local tailor turned violent, sparking concerns over the handling of such incidents by local police. Miss Inder, a teacher at an international school in Phuket, shared her harrowing ordeal. She detailed how a disagreement over tailoring prices escalated into a physical assault. According to…

  • Thailand’s economic growth forecast cut to 2.4% amid weak exports

    Thailand’s economic growth forecast cut to 2.4% amid weak exports

    Thailand’s economic growth is forecasted to slow to 2.4% this year, a decrease from the 2.8% projection made in April, primarily due to weaker-than-expected exports and public investment in the early months of the year, the World Bank announced. The World Bank today, July 3, highlighted that the growth of Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy will be supported by consumer spending,…

  • Seized cars drive Thai social media wild as auction lot goes viral

    Seized cars drive Thai social media wild as auction lot goes viral

    A parking lot filled with seized vehicles, ranging from pickup trucks to motorcycles, awaiting auction went viral on social media today. Vehicles, both old and new, are being auctioned at starting prices as low as 3,000 baht for cars and 100 baht for motorcycles. However, buyers must handle overdue taxes, fix damages and manage repairs by themselves. Images of the…

  • Noodle vendor injured in Lampang motorcycle crash

    Noodle vendor injured in Lampang motorcycle crash

    A noodle vendor in Lampang suffered severe injuries after her motorcycle lost control and crashed while she was on her way to the market to buy ingredients. The accident left her unconscious with scattered ingredients on the road. Police from Thoen Police Station responded to a report of a self-inflicted motorcycle accident near Thoen Vocational College on the Thoen-Thung Saliam…