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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    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...

  • TCC proposes temporary power tariff reduction for Thai households

    TCC proposes temporary power tariff reduction for Thai households

    The Consumers Council (TCC) has proposed a temporary reduction in power tariffs to alleviate the financial strain on Thai households during the summer’s peak demand. This request follows the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) suggested alterations to the current power rate, which critics argue would not result in cheaper electricity bills. Critics contend that the ERC’s adjustments primarily aim to lessen…

  • Thai EV market shifts into gear with Chinese investment

    Thai EV market shifts into gear with Chinese investment

    Major automobile companies are forecasting a rapid escalation in the Thai electric vehicle (EV) market, propelled by increased investment from Chinese EV manufacturers. This is anticipated to ignite a price war as manufacturers strive to lure consumers with competitive pricing. This viewpoint was shared by Narong Sritalayon, the managing director of Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor (GWM), in a statement…

  • True Corporation and DTAC merger lawsuit stirs telecom sector

    True Corporation and DTAC merger lawsuit stirs telecom sector

    A recent order from the Supreme Administrative Court may be causing ripples in the telecommunication sector. The court has asked the Central Administrative Court to accept a lawsuit filed by five individuals, aimed at nullifying the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission’s (NBTC) approval of the merger between True Corporation and Total Access Communication (DTAC). However, industry insiders view this order…

  • Thai fruit frenzy: Chanthaburi aims to peel away competition

    Thai fruit frenzy: Chanthaburi aims to peel away competition

    Chanthaburi is set to be promoted as the leading fruit exporter to China by the Commerce Ministry, to drive sales of durian and mangosteen to exceed 3 billion baht. This move has been catalysed by a recently signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Thai-Chinese Agricultural Import-Export Association and the China Fruit Marketing Association. Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai emphasised that…

  • Thai couple accused of physically and sexually abusing girl

    Thai couple accused of physically and sexually abusing girl

    A Thai mother accused two of her friends of physically and sexually abusing her four year old daughter after the girl sustained multiple injuries to her body, brain, and genitals. The babysitting couple deny the charges. The 26 year old woman, A, filed a complaint against the couple, a 33 year old woman named Rattanaporn Banyen and a 29 year…

  • Clumsy Meng the panda charms with human-like expressions

    Clumsy Meng the panda charms with human-like expressions

    A viral video of a giant panda named Meng Aor, which translates to Clumsy Meng, at a Chinese zoo has captured the hearts of viewers worldwide. The panda’s peculiar facial expressions every time it breaks bamboo stalks led to initial assumptions of its naivety, but further insights into its upbringing reveal a touching backstory of imitation and learning. Meng Aor,…

  • Woman apologises for provocative photos at Rama I monument

    Woman apologises for provocative photos at Rama I monument

    Social media erupted with controversy when a provocative, scantily-clad young woman, followed by over 200,000 people on Facebook, posted suggestive, racy images of herself with the monument of King Rama I, the Great Statue of King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, in the background. Her caption, “Please come visit my city,” quickly drew criticism, particularly from the people of Buriram province. The…

  • Suspected murderer of casino boss and woman arrested in Phuket

    Suspected murderer of casino boss and woman arrested in Phuket

    A joint operation by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and the Phuket Provincial Police culminated in the apprehension of the alleged murderer. Thanya “Bom” Wichaidit, is a suspect in the murder of a casino crime boss in Surat Thani in 2022 and the recent fatal shooting of a young woman near Don Sak Police Station. The arrest was executed at…

  • Police detective found dead in Nakhon Pathom hotel bathroom

    Police detective found dead in Nakhon Pathom hotel bathroom

    In a shocking discovery yesterday at 1pm, a high-ranking police investigator was found dead in a hotel bathroom in Nakhon Pathom city. The body of the detective, identified as Police Lieutenant Colonel Pongsak from the Metropolitan Police Bureau Division 6, was discovered draped in a white towel with no visible injuries. The Thai authorities are conducting an autopsy to determine…

  • Monkey business: Disruptive macaques from Lop Buri removed

    Monkey business: Disruptive macaques from Lop Buri removed

    In a bid to restore peace to the residents of Lop Buri province, park officials launched an operation to remove the disruptive macaques from the municipality permanently. This initiative was undertaken today, March 25, by a team of workers from the Natural Resources, Wildlife and Plant Conversation Department, who placed cages throughout the city to trap the monkeys. Ratchadamnoen Road…

  • Young woman hospitalised due to infected sex toy

    Young woman hospitalised due to infected sex toy

    A randy teenage couple’s attempt to enhance their sexual pleasure while making love had an adverse effect, culminating in the female partner being admitted to the Police General Hospital with a severe infection caused by a goat’s eye ring which had been left in her vaginal canal. A goat’s eye ring is a sex toy which is wrapped around the…

  • 4 year old boy throws scissors at sister, causes serious head injury

    4 year old boy throws scissors at sister, causes serious head injury

    A four year old Thai boy imitated a fight scene from a movie by throwing scissors at his 10 year old sister, causing serious head injury. Fortunately, the girl is now in stable condition and under the care of doctors at a hospital in the Isaan province of Buriram. The 10 year old victim, Face, was rushed to the Satuek…

  • Roll the dice: Thai lottery enthusiasts brace for next draw

    Roll the dice: Thai lottery enthusiasts brace for next draw

    Anticipation is building among lottery enthusiasts as the next draw of the Thai government lottery approaches, scheduled for Monday, April 1. Lotto buffs will be interested in studying the past decade’s worth of statistics on lottery numbers drawn on Mondays, revealing intriguing patterns, including instances of repeat numbers. A review of the last ten years highlights the recurrence of certain…

  • Fare fight: Thai woman’s plea after Bangkok taxi driver slaps her

    Fare fight: Thai woman’s plea after Bangkok taxi driver slaps her

    A Thai woman took to social media to seek justice and also issue a warning to others after a male taxi driver in Bangkok slapped her in the face for refusing his dishonest service. The victim posted details of the incident on her Facebook account, stating that it occurred around 11pm on March 22. She mentioned flagging down a yellow…

  • Bowl brawl: Thai monk’s alms lid swipe has woman in stitches

    Bowl brawl: Thai monk’s alms lid swipe has woman in stitches

    A violent Thai monk struck a local woman with the lid of his alms bowl, leaving the victim with four stitches to her head. The monk’s thuggish attack was reportedly prompted by the woman’s delay in helping him pack his food offerings. A witness recorded a video capturing the moment when the monk, identified as Nart, attempted to flee after…

  • Thai gold prices see slight rise, now at 37,900 baht per baht-weight

    Thai gold prices see slight rise, now at 37,900 baht per baht-weight

    Thai gold prices have experienced a modest increase, catching the attention of potential buyers and investors. As of the latest update from the Gold Traders Association (GTA), the cost of gold ornaments rose by 50 baht since the last recorded prices, indicating a slight uptick in the precious metal’s market value. The GTS’s website revealed that as of 9.09am today,…

  • Thailand issues severe weather alert for 27 provinces

    Thailand issues severe weather alert for 27 provinces

    A severe weather warning has been issued for 27 provinces in Thailand, including Bangkok, as the Meteorological Department of Thailand (TMD) forecasts thunderstorms and potential heavy rainfall across various regions. The eastern part of the country is expected to face the brunt of the storms, with 40% of the area likely to experience intense downpours. The warning comes amid a…

  • Foreigners condemned for spray-painting Phuket footpath (video)

    Foreigners condemned for spray-painting Phuket footpath (video)

    Thai netizens condemned two foreign men for spray-painting graffiti on a footpath and several spots in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket. The Facebook page, โหดจัง จังหวัดภูเก็ต (meaning so brutal, Phuket province), shared the 13-minute video of the two foreign vandals on March 23. “This completely dares the power of Patong police officers. Foreigners are not afraid of Thai laws. They…

  • Metropolitan Police Bureau investigate Thai policewoman’s abuse

    Metropolitan Police Bureau investigate Thai policewoman’s abuse

    A distressing online complaint from a Thai policewoman, newly inducted into the force, has prompted an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Bureau in Thailand. The recruit alleges that she suffered continuous physical and mental abuse during her initial training year, leading to a depressive mental state. A police spokesperson has confirmed the knowledge of the complaint, posted on Sunday evening,…

  • 2 Thai workers killed, 1 injured in Taiwan aluminium plant explosion

    2 Thai workers killed, 1 injured in Taiwan aluminium plant explosion

    Two Thai workers lost their lives while another suffered a serious injury in an explosion at an aluminium plant in Taiwan, at the weekend. Officials from Kaohsiung City Fire Department in Taiwan told local news agencies that the explosion occurred at Juei Fang Aluminium Plant at around 8.23am, Saturday, March 23. Eight workers were injured in the incident, with one…

  • Hungarian couple injured due to hole on Chiang Mai road

    Hungarian couple injured due to hole on Chiang Mai road

    A Hungarian couple sustained minor injuries when their motorcycle fell into a 100-centimetre-deep hole on a road near Chang Phueak Gate in Chiang Mai province on the evening of March 23. A video showing the Hungarian couple riding a motorcycle before tumbling into a hole swiftly gained traction on Thai social media. The footage captured the pair travelling in the…

  • Thai tensions thaw as peace talks resume between NSC and BRN

    Thai tensions thaw as peace talks resume between NSC and BRN

    Peace talks between Thailand’s National Security Council (NSC) and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) are set to continue next month, despite recent setbacks, according to deputy spokeswoman Rudklao Suwankiri. This announcement follows a series of arson attacks on March 22 in Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla, and indications that 45 other locations are likely targets during the holy month of…

  • Thai-China high-speed rail set to boost ASEAN connectivity

    Thai-China high-speed rail set to boost ASEAN connectivity

    Chinese Ambassador Han Zhiqiang projected a significant enhancement in the collaboration between Thailand and China upon the conclusion of the anticipated high-speed rail project. The statement came during a seminar addressing the economic ties between the two nations and the Thai-China visa-free agreement, held by the Thai-Chinese Journalists Association recently. The ambassador emphasised that the completion of the Thai-China high-speed…

  • Significant expansion planned for Thailand’s Red Line rail network

    Significant expansion planned for Thailand’s Red Line rail network

    The State Railway of Thailand‘s (SRT) Red Line electric commuter rail network is set to undergo a significant expansion, according to Deputy Transport Minister Surapong Piyachote. The Transport Ministry will put forth proposals for the construction of three extensions this week: the Taling Chan-Salaya extension, the Rangsit-Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus extension, and the Taling Chan-Siriraj extension. The proposals will be…

  • Songkhla man arrested for multiple sexual offenses against teen

    Songkhla man arrested for multiple sexual offenses against teen

    The arrest of a 43 year old man, Sativat, on charges of multiple sexual offenses in Songkhla province has triggered a meticulous police operation led by the Commander of the Anti-Human Trafficking Division. The suspect, identified as the father of the victim’s friends, is accused of committing heinous acts against a 17 year old girl, including rape and molestation. Yesterday,…

  • House fire in Kra Chon causes 100,000 baht damage, sparks investigation

    House fire in Kra Chon causes 100,000 baht damage, sparks investigation

    A single-storey concrete house was engulfed in flames, leading to extensive damage and a call for those responsible to come forward. This incident, which occurred today, March 24, is believed to have originated from local farmers illegally burning rice straw in nearby fields, causing the fire to spread uncontrollably. The 50 year old homeowner, Duangsamorn, returned home to a scene…

  • Child abuse case surfaces involving stepmother and malnourished 5-year-old

    Child abuse case surfaces involving stepmother and malnourished 5-year-old

    A five year old child was allegedly subjected to abuse by their stepmother, who reportedly left bruises and signs of malnutrition on the child’s body. The 31 year old biological mother, Jiraporn, has filed a police report against the 34 year old stepmother, identified as Fon. The 32 year old child’s father, Warut, previously won a lottery prize of 12…

  • Notorious elephant See Do Nok relocated for public safety in Thailand

    Notorious elephant See Do Nok relocated for public safety in Thailand

    A wild elephant known as See Do Nok has been safely relocated after posing a danger to locals in the Kabin Buri district of Prachinburi province, Thailand. The elephant, which had previously been responsible for a fatality and damaging property while foraging for food, was moved in a complex overnight operation. Last night, a joint effort by volunteers, local conservation…

  • Undernourished dugong spotted in Trang raises alarm for marine life

    Undernourished dugong spotted in Trang raises alarm for marine life

    A dugong, appearing undernourished and weak, was spotted in Trang’s Koh Libong area, a well-known sanctuary for these marine creatures. The animal’s condition has generated alarm among the public and researchers, considering the diminishing seagrass around the island due to human activities and climate change. Santi Nirawat, director of the Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre (Lower Andaman Sea) at…

  • Motorcycle crash on Suwinthawong Road claims life in Bangkok

    Motorcycle crash on Suwinthawong Road claims life in Bangkok

    A catastrophic traffic incident occurred on Suwinthawong Road, near the Harajuku curve in Bangkok, when a motorcycle collided with a parked pickup, resulting in the rider’s death. The accident, which took place today, March 24, saw the motorcycle rider tragically killed after being run over by another vehicle. Police Lieutenant Colonel Somkuan Nasommai, an investigator from the Suwinthawong Police Station,…