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.
-
Sponsored Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained
Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...
-
Truck tyre bursting on Chon Buri road kills one, injures five
A six-wheeled truck suffered a frightening malfunction at 6.30pm yesterday, when its tyre burst while returning from marking traffic lines, resulting in one death and five injuries. The incident occurred on Route 344 in Chon Buri. The accident took place on the Ban Bueng-Klaeng Road, in Nong Yai District. Police and rescue units from the Sila Dharma Association in Nong…
-
DES Ministry snags Starlink sets in cosmic online crime crackdown
Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry officials confiscated 58 sets of Starlink satellite equipment allegedly intended for use by fraudsters to send and receive high-speed Internet signals via satellite, as part of a broader campaign to combat online crime. DES Minister Prasert Jantararuangthong highlighted that efforts to curb online crimes, such as removing unauthorised cell signal towers and cross-border cables, have…
-
Thailand shoots to the top, leaves Malaysia trailing in ASEAN rankings
Thailand has rocketed up the global competitiveness rankings, leaving Malaysia in the dust and securing the second spot in ASEAN. The IMD World Competitiveness Centre’s 2024 report catapulted Thailand from 30th to 25th place worldwide, highlighting a significant leap in economic performance. Danucha Pichayanan, the Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council, briefed the Cabinet yesterday regarding this…
-
Thailand’s cybersecurity spend critical as cybercrime costs surge
Thailand’s current expenditure on cybersecurity stands starkly low at just 0.2% of corporate revenue, despite the looming surge in cybercrime-related costs projected to reach US$10.5 trillion globally by 2025, according to cybersecurity firm Fortinet. Krungthai Compass, the research division of Krungthai Bank, anticipates that Thailand’s cybersecurity investment will climb to 18 billion baht (US$490 million) by 2025. This growth, averaging…
-
Climbing new heights: Chiang Mai tourism to scale rock enthusiasts
Chiang Mai tourism operators are eager to market the province’s mountainous allure to tap into the global rock climbing community of 44.5 million enthusiasts, while also advocating for government support to promote this sport across various provinces to boost the tourism sector. The acting president of the Tourism Council of Chiang Mai, Punlop Saejew, recently highlighted the rock climbing market’s…
-
Gold prices in Thailand rise to 40,950 baht per baht weight
Gold prices in Thailand saw a significant rise today, prompting many to check the latest rates. Compared to the closing price from yesterday, June 18, gold ornaments are now being sold at 40,950 baht per baht weight. According to the Gold Traders Association, the price increase today was 150 baht. As of 9.08am, the local gold bar buying price stands…
-
British Airways flights to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur resume soon
British Airways (BA) resumes flights to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok this year, marking a significant step in its regional expansion strategy. Chairman and CEO Sean Doyle expressed the importance of this strategic return. “For a global carrier like us, expanding our network in Asia as quickly as possible is crucial. With more aircraft joining our fleet in the coming years,…
-
Tourism troubles: Zero-dollar tours rock Thai industry
Zero-dollar tours, notorious for their rock-bottom prices, are once again plaguing Thailand’s tourism sector and posing unfair competition for Thai operations, particularly targeting visitors from China, Russia, and India. The President of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, claims that this resurgence is severely impacting the industry due to the substandard quality of tours, leaving legitimate Thai…
-
High-speed songthaew accident injures student in Samut Prakan
A blue songthaew taxi travelling at high speed caused a female student to fall off the vehicle, resulting in injuries. The driver claimed that the student jumped off the vehicle herself, while a witness reported that the driver did not immediately assist the injured girl. A CCTV camera captured the incident on Rattanarat Road, near Bang Bo intersection in Samut…
-
Residents protest over false advertising and dilapidated clubhouse
Residents of a housing estate are up in arms over false advertising that promised top-notch amenities, only to be shocked by the dilapidated state of the clubhouse. The celebrity Tuck Boriboon allegedly could not tolerate the situation and joined the protest. Dr Monchai Jongkairattanakul, also known as Lawyer Kaew, shared the plight of the residents yesterday through the Facebook page…
-
Parked tragedy: Teen motorcyclist crashes into truck in Samut Prakan
A 17 year old motorcyclist tragically lost his life after crashing into the back of a parked truck in Samut Prakan. Witnesses confirmed the young rider was speeding and weaving between lanes before the fatal incident occurred. At around 10pm yesterday, officers from Bang Phli Police Station in Samut Prakan were alerted to a fatal accident involving a motorcycle and…
-
Illegal spiritual retreat seized in Thai national forest reserve
The Forest Department, military, police, and local administrative bodies joined forces to seize an unauthorised spiritual retreat within a national forest reserve. The site included roads, buildings, and accommodations constructed illegally. Pongpetch Kasupha, head of the Operation Unit of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, and Chanchai Kijsakdapap, leader of the Forest Department’s Tiger Unit, accompanied by officers from…
-
Police officer sells grilled pork to supplement income in Phetchabun
A young police officer in Wichian Buri, Phetchabun province, has taken up selling grilled pork skewers as a side business before his regular duties. Officer Prasert Praphaso, stationed at Wichian Buri Police Station, has been seen operating a food stall named Siaw Ta Haek Moo Ping near Niyomsilp Anuson School. This initiative aims to supplement his income while providing convenience…
-
Tourists spot black panthers at Kaeng Krachan National Park (video)
A black panther was spotted by tourists at Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi province, calmly walking along the road to Panoen Thung without showing signs of fear towards vehicles. Mongkol Chaiphakdee, head of Kaeng Krachan National Park, confirmed that a tourist named Amy captured the rare sighting near Kilometre 20 on the way to Panoen Thung. Amy managed to…
-
Couple found dead in car in Suan Luang, Bangkok
A couple was found dead in a parked car on Phatthanakan Soi 12 in Bangkok with the engine running until the fuel was exhausted. CCTV footage revealed they had entered the vehicle after leaving their workplace. The incident occurred around 8.20pm yesterday. Police Lieutenant Sirichai Kaewprasith from Khlong Tan Police Station responded to the discovery of two bodies, one male and…
-
Police escort eight oil tanker crew to Bangkok for questioning
Police escorted eight oil tanker crew members to Bangkok for further questioning after arresting them for allegedly stealing three confiscated vessels and smuggling oil. The suspects were apprehended and brought ashore in Songkhla, where initial investigations occurred. Deputy Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), Jaroonkiat Pankaew, led the operation, which saw the crew members transported to Wing 56 in…
-
Autostore drives into Thailand for robotic expansion
AutoStore, a leading automated fulfilment system company based in Norway, has chosen Thailand for its second overseas robot manufacturing base to strategically position itself closer to key markets. Mats Hovland Vikse, chief executive at AutoStore, revealed the thinking behind the move. “Since 2012, our robots have been manufactured and shipped exclusively from Poland. With increased demand in our automated fulfilment…
-
Wat’s the charge? Temple’s electricity bill leaves abbot in asterisk-ing confusion
The abbot of Wat Pa Amphawan Khunanusorn in Buriram was left puzzled after receiving the temple’s electricity bill, which lacked both the FT charge and the total amount due, instead showing only asterisks. This led to confusion about how to pay the bill or if the temple might be getting free electricity this month. He urged officials to thoroughly check…
-
Big Joke demands impeachment of anti-corruption commissioner
Police General Surachate Hakparn, better known as Big Joke, who has been suspended from his Deputy Police Chief position, has gathered enough signatures for a petition to lay charges against a member of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). Big Joke submitted a petition with 20,000 signatures, demanding the impeachment of a NACC commissioner. The petition was handed over to House…
-
Air pollution crisis: Village chief defends age-old burning practices (video)
As the haze season begins, villagers of Ban Mae Lan Kham are preparing to burn their land, adding to some of the world’s worst air pollution. When the haze season descends upon northern Thailand, village chief Nanthawat Tiengtrongsakun and his community start their annual preparations. They cut down shrubs and trees on their small plots, then set controlled burns to…
-
Tying the knot: Thailand Senate approves same-sex marriage bill
Thailand is set to become the first nation in Southeast Asia to legalise same-sex marriage following the Senate’s approval of a marriage equality bill today. This monumental milestone was passed with an overwhelming majority, with 130 senators in favour and only four against. The bill now awaits the king’s endorsement before it can become law. Once approved, the law will…
-
Island hopping: Thailand’s new maritime route to revolutionise tourism
Thailand spearheads an ambitious project to link its stunning islands with Vietnam and Cambodia, promising to boost investment, trade, and tourism across the region. The Governor of Trat province, Natthapong Sanguanjit, recently chaired a meeting that gathered officials and business leaders from six provinces of the three countries. This initiative is part of the Cambodia-Vietnam-Thailand Economic Corridor (CVTEC) Trat Business…
-
Faux paw: Cops seize over 84 million baht of fake animal meds
A recent police crackdown on counterfeit animal medication targeted two major Chinese gang networks in Nakhon Pathom and Samut Sakhon, yielding over 84 million baht worth of fake drugs. According to the Vice-Minister for Public Health, Thanakit Jitareerat, officers from the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) and officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized 222,360 illegal items from…
-
Soda bottle explosion at local store injures worker
A soda bottle explosion at a local store left a worker injured, prompting medical professionals to issue safety guidelines. The incident occurred when the worker was placing soda bottles into an icebox, resulting in an unexpected explosion that caused glass shards to scrape their hands, necessitating three stitches. The incident was shared in the Facebook group พวกเราคือผู้บริโภค (We Are Consumers),…
-
Colour con: Woman’s 7,000 baht hair dye disaster leaves her seeing red
A woman expressed her disappointment after paying 7,000 baht for a hair colouring service that did not meet her expectations. She had requested a dark grey shade but the result was far from what she envisioned. The woman also experienced scalp irritation during the process. The incident took place at a hair salon in Ton Tann Market, Khon Kaen Province.…
-
Thai monk disgraces faith by killing man at temple
Yet another Thai monk brought disgrace to the Buddhist faith by killing a man with a spoon who repeatedly asked for food at Khao Peep Temple in the southern province of Chumphon. A Thai woman, Onpreya, had been searching for her husband, Suppapong, who disappeared from their home in Chumphon on June 14. Onpreya believed her husband had gone to…
-
More than 50 Burmese nationals nabbed in border bust
Sangkhla Buri Police, immigration officers, and several agencies successfully apprehended 56 Burmese nationals who allegedly snuck into Thailand through a remote passage in Kanchanaburi. The sting was sparked by an anonymous tip-off, which revealed that a large group of Burmese nationals were attempting to bypass a subdistrict police checkpoint by trekking through dense forests along the notorious 323 Road. Upon…
-
Gauze gaffe: Thammasat Hospital apologises for surgical slip-up
Thammasat University Hospital issued an apology for leaving gauze in a patient’s vaginal cavity, explaining the cause and pledging full responsibility and support. The hospital revealed that the incident occurred after a patient, diagnosed with endometrial cancer, received radiotherapy and brachytherapy on June 4. During the procedure, the medical team inserted a brachytherapy device and gauze roll to ensure the…
-
Cyber police bust online gun-selling network in Thailand
Cyber police executed raids at four locations across three provinces yesterday, capturing an online gun-selling network and seizing a significant amount of illegal firearms and modification equipment. Following months of meticulous investigations, the Commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), Police Lieutenant General Worawat Watnakornbancha directed an operation to execute warrants to search the identified sites suspected of illegal…
-
Phetch-Hua Hin Airport set to go international by 2025
To catapult Thailand’s aviation industry into the global elite, Hua Hin Airport in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province is undergoing a spectacular transformation. Rebranded as Phetch-Hua Hin International Airport, this dazzling upgrade is slated for completion by late 2025. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin made his second visit to the construction site, rallying support from key agencies to ensure…
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.