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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Sponsored 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Phuket taxi rider denies sexually assault of German woman
A German woman filed a complaint against a Thai motorcycle taxi rider in Phuket, accusing him of sexual assault. The suspect denied the allegation, claiming that the foreign woman hugged him throughout the ride. The victim, a 37 year old German woman, reported the sexual assault to the Mueang Phuket Police Station yesterday, February 26. The foreign victim said the incident…
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Thailand braces for heat and storms across 27 provinces
Today’s weather forecast in Thailand is demanding attention due to an expected combination of extreme heat and significant thunderstorms. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) warns that 27 provinces, including Bangkok, should brace for stormy conditions. The southern region is anticipated to experience heavy rainfall, affecting 20% of the area, with high waves predicted on Tuesday, February 27. A low-pressure system…
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Man admits to killing wife’s grandmother in northern Thailand
A tragic incident unfolded in Nong Bua Lamphu province as a Thai man confessed to the shocking murder of his wife’s grandmother and another family member, leaving the local community in disbelief. The man, Watthayu, overcome with remorse, admitted to the crime following a heated argument with his wife, Chanthana, also known as Nam. The devastating turn of events led…
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5 suspects flee Bangkok for Cambodia after killing Taiwanese man
Five suspects fled Thailand for Cambodia after killing a Taiwanese man and leaving his body in an abandoned restaurant near Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok. The dead body of the Taiwanese man, 44 year old Shih Mou Chiang, was discovered in the abandoned restaurant on Suvarnabhumi 4 Road in the Bang Phli district of Samut Prakarn on…
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Thailand’s State Audit Office to streamline large-scale govt projects
In a recent development, the State Audit Office (SAO) of Thailand announced the inauguration of a new section dedicated solely to auditing large-scale government projects. This new initiative will come into effect from April 1, as per the announcement made by the State Audit Commission in the Royal Gazette last month. The SAO Auditor-General, Prajuck Boonyoung, highlighted the necessity of…
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Thai-Chinese high-speed train project faces delay and extra costs
The Thai-Chinese high-speed train project is set to experience a delay of approximately two years, alongside an additional funding requirement of around 4 billion baht (US$111 million). This arises from a proposed track modification in Nakhon Ratchasima, according to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). The State Railway of Thailand Governor, Nirut Maneephan, disclosed that this change involves contracts numbered…
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Thailand’s prime minister unfazed by triple prime minister’s scenario
Despite the growing public opinion of a potential triple prime ministers scenario, Thailand’s current Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin remains unfazed. He expressed confidence in his ability to execute his duties as the nation’s sole leader, regardless of differing perceptions. Speculation about the possible return of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to politics has been rife since his parole release two weeks…
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Pour decisions: Thailand to splash health warnings on booze bottles
The Thai government is in the process of developing a new regulation, requiring producers of alcoholic beverages to feature large, graphic health warnings on their products, much akin to those found on cigarette packaging. This move, orchestrated by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee and the Department of Disease Control, has sparked criticism from alcohol producers and the tourism industry, who…
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Elderly Swiss cyclist killed in hit-and-run in Sattahip district
A 73 year old Swiss cyclist, was tragically killed in a hit-and-run accident on Sukhumvit Road, in the Sattahip district of Chon Buri, late on Sunday night. The local police received a report of the incident around 11.30pm, near the vicinity of tambon Na Jomtien. On arrival, they found the senior cyclist in an unconscious state, but attempts at resuscitation…
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Power bank explosion sparks panic on Thai AirAsia flight
An explosion of a power bank on a Thai AirAsia flight destined for Nakhon Si Thammarat sparked alarm on a recent Saturday morning. Pimphattra Wichaikul, the Industry Minister, who was among the 186 passengers on the flight, witnessed the incident that filled the cabin with smoke. The crew, however, managed to extinguish the fire within two minutes, enabling the flight…
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Tragedy strikes over land dispute as neighbour takes own life
Shock reverberated through the community as news broke that a neighbour involved in a land dispute tragically ended their life. The sudden turn of events in this ongoing property conflict has sparked a wave of reactions, including from the renowned lawyer Decha Kittiwittayanan, who represents Sun, the nephew of the landowner known as Agu and Agu himself. Decha took to…
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Retired district chief drowns as SUV plunges into Mae Klong River
An unfortunate accident on the Thana Rach Bridge over the Mae Klong River resulted in a tragic loss of life yesterday evening at around 6.30pm. The incident involved a collision between a sports car and an SUV, which led to the latter vehicle plunging into the river, taking with it a retired district chief and his wife, both of whom…
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Cobra Gold military exercise introduces Muay Thai training
Cobra Gold, the annual joint military exercise, kicks off today, and for the first time, it will feature Muay Thai training as an essential component. The decision is an integral part of the government’s strategy to elevate the Thai martial arts as a symbol of the nation’s soft power. The Defence Ministry announced that the 43rd iteration of Cobra Gold…
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New agricultural land reform policy to implement buffer zones
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thamanat Prompow is set to propose a new agricultural land reform policy tomorrow. The policy seeks to establish a buffer zone between forest reserves and agricultural land, with the explicit specification that this zone will not be allocated to individual farmers. This comes in the wake of an ongoing dispute between the Agricultural Land Reform Office…
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Ancient painting discovered in Nam Phong National Park
Rangers in Nam Phong National Park, Nong Ruea district, Khon Kaen stumbled upon an ancient painting whilst combating local forest fires. The discovery was made within the grounds of the Hin Chang Si Protection Unit, roughly 4 kilometres from its headquarters, according to a Facebook post by the rangers yesterday. The team, having extinguished the forest fire, took a moment…
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Buddha sculpture found in Thai-US navy salvage operation of sunken HTMS Sukhothai
The collaborative salvage operation between the Royal Thai Navy and the United States Navy unearthed a Buddha sculpture and several documents from the sunken HTMS Sukhothai on its third day. This information was relayed by Royal Admiral Veerudom Muangjin, a spokesperson for the Royal Thai Navy, who shared that these items were found by a combined diving team near the…
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PM Srettha orders immigration control improvement at Suvarnabhumi
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has ordered improvements to the immigration control services at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, citing concerns over long queues and excessive waiting times. PM Srettha conducted an unexpected inspection of the airport on Saturday evening, his second unannounced visit since February 5. The prime minister revealed that he had personally timed the duration of various procedures from the…
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Brake failure causes deadly crash at Yala wedding procession
A tragic accident occurred yesterday at noon when a chartered bus, part of a wedding procession, suffered brake failure and crashed into a house, killing one person and injuring 22 others, four critically, in Yala province. The incident unfolded on a road near a waterfall in Ban Haer, Tharn To district, where the bus, hired for a wedding convoy, was…
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Fatal motorcycle crash leaves one dead, another in coma
Tragedy struck as two young men’s night ride on a motorcycle ended in a fatal crash. A 22 year old lost his life when the bike skidded off a dark, curve-ridden road in Samut Songkhram province. His 27 year old friend suffered serious injuries and is now in a coma. The incident happened on the evening of February 25, when…
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Songkhla’s lottery fever spikes as March 1 draw nears
Lottery enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating the upcoming government lottery draw on March 1, which will be held in Songkhla province. With the event nearing, the buzz around the so-called lucky numbers and popular digits for this draw is growing, prompting many to speculate on what might bring them a fortune. The current Governor of Songkhla, Somnuek Promkheaw, who assumed office…
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Abused temple dog rescued by Thai gold heir finds care
A formerly abused temple dog has found a new lease on life after being adopted by the heir to a prominent gold shop empire. The dog, once blind due to mistreatment by a temple abbot, now enjoys the comforts of a loving home, complete with personal caretakers. The dog’s plight came to light when the abbot’s actions led to its…
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Thai businesswoman forgives debts, returns land in Chumphon
A Thai businesswoman captured hearts by forgiving debts and returning land titles to two of her debtors without demanding repayment. A 37 year old woman has demonstrated an extraordinary act of kindness in Chumphon province, amidst the financial struggles brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Onanong Kanpat, known as Nong On, who runs a business trading business in fresh kratom leaves,…
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Newborn rescued from bag in Nakhon Ratchasima cornfield
A solar panel installer made a startling discovery of an infant’s hand protruding from a bag, leading to the rescue of an abandoned newborn in a cornfield hut in Nakhon Ratchasima province. A 36 year old man was the first to find the baby boy and immediately reported the matter, which prompted a swift response from local authorities and healthcare…
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Tragic three-car crash in Chon Buri kills two, injures five
A catastrophic collision involving three vehicles in Chon Buri province claimed the lives of two individuals and left five seriously injured in the early hours of today, February 25. The accident, which saw vehicles mangled beyond recognition, occurred on the Don Hua Lo – Sattahip route near the Sony intersection in the Don Hua Lo sub-district. Authorities rushed to the…
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Police officer’s knife attack in South Thailand leaves one dead
A police officer went on a frenzied rampage in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, leaving an elderly woman fatally stabbed and another seriously injured. The incident occurred yesterday, February 24, when the officer, reportedly suffering a mental breakdown, charged out of a police flat, kicked over a motorcycle carrying two women, and attacked them with a knife. Eyewitnesses describe a scene…
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Betong tourism association pushes for airport runway extension
The Betong District Tourism Association is pressing for an extension of the runway at Betong International Airport. The expansion is integral to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s tourism enhancement agenda. The longer runway is anticipated to allow larger aircraft to land, subsequently increasing the influx of tourists. Deputy President of the association, Narin Ruangwongsa, expressed the intention to propose this expansion…
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Freed baby elephant Tofu begins new life in sanctuary (video)
In a heart-wrenching tale of suffering and salvation, a baby elephant named Tofu, just 8 months old, has been plucked from a life of torment in Laos and given a fresh start. Chained and mistreated, his plight symbolises the ongoing battle against exploitation in the tourism industry across Asia. Planting Peace, a stalwart organisation dedicated to the rehabilitation of captive…
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Krabi national park makes astonishing revenue in tourism boom
In less than four months, Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park in Krabi has become a gold mine, pulling in nearly 300,000,000 baht in entry fees from over 126,000 tourists. This meteoric rise in revenue dwarfs the previous fiscal year’s earnings, ringing in at 276 million baht. National park chief Yutthaphong Damsrisuk noted that the park has witnessed…
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Police Chief’s directive to protect Royal Thai Police’s reputation
National Police Chief Police General Torsak Sukvimol has issued a stern order to all police officers, commanding them to refrain from divulging any information to the press that could tarnish the image or operational integrity of the Royal Thai Police (RTP). Moreover, officers have been explicitly warned against actions that could potentially serve their personal interests, sparking a firestorm of…
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Phimai farmers hit by early drought, Mun River runs dry
Farmers in the district of Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima province, are facing a severe drought that has swiftly dried up the Mun River. On the auspicious day of Makha Bucha, traditionally a time of potential earnings for lotus farmers, the parched riverbeds have left many without income or water for their daily needs. The situation, recorded today, underscores the urgency of…
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