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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Starting a new life abroad is exciting—new culture, new lifestyle, and new chances to grow. But living far from home also means taking steps to protect your health in unfamiliar surroundings. Without the right coverage, even small health issues can...
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Nanny-napped: Israeli woman detained in Thailand for unauthorised nursery
An Israeli woman was detained in Surat Thani on accusations of running an unauthorised nursery facility for foreign children on Koh Pha Ngan. Four other international individuals were also apprehended for unlawful employment and associated transgressions. Noppadol Khaomali, the Koh Pha Ngan district leader, guided local authorities, police, immigration officials, and representatives from pertinent agencies to a house inspection in the…
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Malaysian e-hailing driver receives surprise panties gift from Thai woman
A Malaysian e-hailing driver found himself in for a wild surprise after a recent passenger encounter which ended with him receiving a pair of panties from a Thai woman. Shared on the Facebook group, Drivers and Passengers Chinese Language Platform, the unnamed driver recounted his encounter with a group of lively Thai women. Amidst their banter, the driver found himself…
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Bangkok’s children gasp for air amidst pollution nightmare
Children in Bangkok suffer daily from heavy air pollution, battling constant coughs and other possible respiratory illnesses. Pupils at Suan Lumphini School confront the harsh reality of their environment each morning as they assemble under coloured flags denoting the day’s air quality: a distressing routine with red signalling the worst and blue the best. Thailand grapples annually with dire air…
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Borrowed money turns to ashes: Thai man loses 100,000 baht in van fire (video)
A Thai man’s fortunes went up in smoke when he borrowed 100,000 baht from a bank to settle an informal debt, only to lose the entire sum in a van fire accident in the central province of Prachin Buri. Firefighters from Prahantakam District Office in Prachin Buri rushed to extinguish the fire that broke out in the van owned by 34…
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Jetstar flight fiasco: Passengers grounded as 24 hour delays soar
Jetstar Airways faced criticism from passengers when a flight from Bangkok to Singapore was delayed by more than 24 hours. The low-budget airline came under fire after 161 passengers found themselves stranded at Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Wednesday, March 13. Passengers were scheduled to board Jetstar Asia flight 3K516 for a 1.35pm departure, Singapore time, with an arrival at Changi…
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US asks TikTok to cut ties with China or face ban
In a landmark decision, the US House of Representatives voted to pass a bill that could force TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, to cut all ties with its Chinese parent company or face a ban in the United States. With United States President Joe Biden signalling his readiness to sign off on the legislation pending Senate approval, fears over Beijing’s sway on…
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Man physically assaulted by teens after Korat festival
A 55 year old man was physically assaulted by a group of teenagers in Nakhon Ratchasima, sparking outrage from his daughter who demanded justice and called for witnesses. The incident occurred on Wednesday, March 13 at approximately 3.30am, during the final night of the Thao Suranari victory celebration in the Korat region. The man fell victim to a brutal attack…
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Third Russian woman nabbed in Patong for illegal sex services
Phuket Immigration arrested a third Russian woman at a Patong hotel for providing sex services illegally. The operation unfolded following a tip-off about illegal activities involving Russian prostitutes in the area. The undercover sting operation orchestrated by the police targeted the woman, who had been discreetly advertised on an undisclosed website. Going by the moniker Linda Agency on WhatsApp, the Russian…
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Decade-old Thai rice from controversial scheme found fresh
Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai conducted a rice inspection following an invitation from the Association of Thai Agricultural Product Surveyors. The association, keen to dispel allegations regarding the quality of rice held under the contentious rice-pledging scheme, orchestrated an eventful visit to warehouses owned by Poonpon Trading Ltd and Kittichai Ltd in different districts of the northeastern…
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Deputy spokesperson exposes deadly truth about colon cancer
Deputy Government Spokesperson Radklao Inthawong Suwankiri warned against the silent killer, colon cancer. Radklao brought the grim reality of colon cancer to the forefront, shedding light on its menacing rise globally. She highlighted how changing lifestyles have propelled its prevalence, transforming it into a leading cause of death and a pressing public health crisis each passing year. In Thailand alone,…
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Tasty travels: Thai SELECT campaign spices up tourism
The Travel, Taste, Eat Thai SELECT campaign, a collaboration between the Commerce Ministry and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, has been unveiled. This initiative is part of a soft power strategy aimed at promoting and bolstering Thai businesses, particularly certified Thai SELECT restaurants. The Deputy Commerce Minister, Napintorn Srisunpang, emphasised that the campaign is designed to ensure these establishments meet…
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Neighbour’s pit bull goes on rampage, seriously injures woman
In a chilling incident captured on CCTV in Chiang Mai’s Sansai district, a ferocious male pit bull, approximately 10 years old, launched a horrifying assault on a 30 year old woman, leaving her arm perilously close to being severed. The footage reveals the pit bull viciously attacking the woman, only halted by the intervention of her boyfriend and the dog’s…
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MSDHS holds workshop to find solutions for family stability
In a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS), Chulalongkorn University’s Institute for Population and Social Research, the Chula Art Project, and the World Bank, the workshop produced a white paper titled Family Stability on Top, Stop Demographic Crises. Minister Varawut Silpa-archa, spearheading the initiative, declared that the comprehensive white paper encapsulates pivotal solutions derived…
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UN official urges stronger action for sustainable development goals
The Chief of Outreach & Engagement at the UN Global Compact highlighted a pressing need for stronger collective action from all stakeholders to reach the United Nation’s sustainable development goals by 2030. During a media interaction in Thailand, Sue Allchurch expressed concerns about the sluggish progress towards these goals, despite global recognition of their importance. Allchurch outlined various obstacles that…
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Sole searching: Thai man hits Buddha with flipflop after ex-wife return wish fails
CCTV footage at a temple in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat showed a Thai man hitting a Buddha statue with a flipflop after a wish for the return of his ex-wife was unfulfilled. A local in the Ron Phibun district of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Piyapong Sutthiphakdee, took to social media to condemn the Thai man for his disrespectful…
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Thailand Tourism Festival held in Bangkok from March 28
The 42nd Thailand Tourism Festival will be held from March 28 to April 1 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC) in Bangkok. Organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), this year’s festival promises a spectacle of unparalleled experiences, blending tradition with innovation and sustainability. TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool stated that the Thailand Tourism Festival 2024 will incorporate…
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US pledges boost in semiconductor investment for Thailand
To ramp up global semiconductor production, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo promised investment in Thailand’s manufacturing sector. Raimondo, speaking at an event in Bangkok hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce, asserted that Thailand stood to benefit significantly from increased US investment in semiconductor production, stating that American firms were poised to supercharge their investments in the nation. Highlighting the…
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Thailand seeks OECD membership with Germany’s support
Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced the country’s ambition to gain membership in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). He sought Germany’s support for this endeavour during a joint press conference with the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, in Berlin. Government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke outlined the meeting’s details, indicating that Chancellor Scholz expressed Germany’s interest in bolstering relations, especially…
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Chiang Mai crowned world’s most polluted as smog crisis worsens
Chiang Mai recently ascended to an undesirable top spot on the global stage as it experiences severe air pollution, making it the most polluted city in the world. The air quality in this northern Thai city has reached levels that pose significant health risks due to the pervasive spread of PM2.5 particles. At 3am today, March 15, the air quality…
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HTMS Chon Buri fires at another Thai vessel, 14 sailors hurt (video)
A near-catastrophe unfolded yesterday when the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) ship HTMS Chon Buri inadvertently discharged its weapon, firing at another naval ship, HTMS Khirirat, causing injuries to 14 sailors aboard HTMS Khirirat. HTMS Chon Buri docked at Laem Thian Pier within the Sattahip Naval Base in Chon Buri province, had just completed training on March 13. While the vessel…
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Bank of Thailand likely to cut policy rate in April, predicts SCB EIC
Siam Commercial Bank’s research centre, SCB EIC, anticipates that the Bank of Thailand is likely to initiate a decrease in the policy rate in April due to structural economic issues. The research centre predicts that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will slash the policy rate by 50 basis points in the first half of this year. The initial rate cut…
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Illegal workers in South Korea: Amnesty for Thai nationals
The Labour Ministry of Thailand has approached the South Korean government to consider granting amnesty to around 150,000 Thai workers currently residing and working unlawfully in South Korea. The plea was made yesterday by Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. Phiphat met with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jeong-sik, in Seoul on Wednesday, March 13, to examine the predicament. According to Phiphat,…
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Visa-free policies boost international travel and economies
The international travel industry experienced a significant rebound last year, following the implementation of visa-free policies by various governments. These policies aimed to rejuvenate their ailing economies through the influx of spending by foreign tourists. Thailand, for instance, witnessed 28 million arrivals in 2023 largely due to the strong performance in the last quarter. This surge was precipitated by visa…
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Driving economic growth: Thailand’s quest for clean energy
The call to action resonates through Thailand’s corridors of power as demands surge for the nation to lead the clean energy revolution across the region, igniting economic growth. Burin Adulwattana, the managing director and chief economist at Kasikorn Research Centre (K-Research), underscores the urgency of this endeavour, stressing its pivotal role in ensuring competitive pricing for clean energy within Thailand.…
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Bangkok rescue team pulls off penis ring after Thai man makes prick of himself
A rescue team in the Klong Toey district of Bangkok successfully removed 11 steel rings from a Thai man’s penis after he made a prick of himself trying to enlarge his todger. Channel 7 reported that a 30 year old man was admitted to the hospital unconscious yesterday, March 14. According to media sources, he encountered difficulty urinating following a…
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Update: Female police corporal gets 13-year sentence for torture
After a harrowing ordeal that lasted over two years, the court has sentenced a female police corporal to 13 years and five months imprisonment for the brutal treatment of a former female soldier who served under her. The close male friend of the corporal was also convicted, receiving a four-year and one-month jail term. The case came to light when…
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Thai woman defends husband for shooting her with harpoon
A Thai woman in the Isaan province of Buriram defended her husband, who shot her with a harpoon, to prevent him from being arrested, saying the shooting was an accident. Her husband said otherwise. Rescuers from the Siam Ruamjai Pu-in Foundation in the Nang Rong district of Buriram province hurried to assist a 46 year old woman named Phan who…
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DSI to probe Phuket businesses over potential labour law evasion
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has disclosed that a rigorous probe will be undertaken into nine Phuket-based businesses suspected of employing Thai nominees to evade labour laws limiting specific industries to Thai nationals only. Among these organisations is the Green Elephant Sanctuary Park, managed by Urs Fehr, a 45 year old Swiss national known for an incident last month…
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Mo Chit 2 drivers demand fare increase and illegal taxis crackdown
A demand for an increase in the starting taxi fare at Mo Chit 2 to 50 Thai baht (US$1.40) was presented to the Transport Ministry by the Professional Association of Public Taxi Motorists on Thursday. The association simultaneously appealed for the resolution of the persistent issue of illegal taxi operations in the area. Khanesuan Gamkhuntod, the President of the association,…
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Illegal immigration spikes in Thong Pha Phum as Myanmar nationals seek refuge
A recent surge in illegal immigration was witnessed in Thong Pha Phum, Kanchanaburi, as 22 Myanmar nationals attempted to cross the border into Thailand on March 13. The Thong Pha Phum police, along with other authorities, responded swiftly to a tip-off about the unlawful activity. Upon reaching the specified location, the officers discovered a vacant pickup truck parked close to…
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