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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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 Crime Free scheme unveiled to ensure tourist safety during peak season
Phuket has launched the Phuket Crime Free scheme, an initiative aimed at safeguarding international tourists during the peak season. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on Monday, bringing together both governmental and private sector entities. Among those involved are the provincial administration, provincial police, tourism police, immigration office, and provincial land department office. Private sector representatives include the Phuket Chamber…
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Child injured by firework debris during Ayutthaya’s Loy Krathong Festival
A four year old boy suffered a head injury during a Loy Krathong Festival in Ayutthaya when debris from a firework struck his head. His mother is demanding accountability as she recounted the terrifying moment at 8.30pm when her son cried out in pain from the unexpected injury. The incident occurred at Wat Boromwong Isararam’s riverfront in the Suan Phrik…
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Low Chinese tourist influx despite Thailand’s visa exemption policy
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin unveiled an update on the nation’s tourism landscape following the introduction of a visa exemption policy, at a media briefing held at noon on November 25. Despite the waiver of visa fees, the daily influx of Chinese tourists has been unexpectedly low, averaging around ten thousand visitors. This surprising figure sparked questions from Thai journalists regarding…
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Illegal contraband network worth 75 million baht exposed in Prachinburi
A nationwide web of illegal contraband, including foreign tobacco and wine liquor, valued at over 75 million baht (US$2,138,580) was exposed by excise officers in Prachinburi on November 25. The illicit products were discovered during a raid operation at a postal centre in Kabinburi, led by Prachinburi excise officer, Nitipat Songnetichawalit. The operation was initiated based on suspicions of the…
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Commerce carnival: Ministry’s mega discount campaign aims to slash living costs for Thai citizens
In a grand gesture to ease the cost of living for Thai citizens, the Ministry of Commerce is joining forces with over 300 manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and convenience stores to roll out a colossal discount campaign. Scheduled to kick off on December 15 and last until January 15, 2024, this initiative is considered a new year present to the public…
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Hazy highway: Foreign duo sparks backlash for road trip cannabis cruise in Sukhumvit, Bangkok
Two foreign men faced criticism from Thai netizens after a video of them smoking cannabis on a motorcycle on a road in the Sukhumvit neighbourhood of Bangkok went viral on social media. The Twitter account, Red Skull, shared a video of the two foreigners yesterday, November 26. They were reportedly riding in Soi Sukhumvit 23 near the popular entertainment venue,…
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Unravelling the mystery of Mona Lisa and Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci, a name synonymous with the fusion of art and science, sought to understand the world around him, incorporating his scientific discoveries into his art and his enigmatic masterpiece the Mona Lisa. His passion for exploration and understanding was evident from his childhood. As a young boy, he would sit at the doorway, observing birds and cloud formations,…
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Fuelling the fire: Thai-Italian man arrested for stealing petrol in Bangkok (video)
Police arrested a half-Thai, half-Italian man for stealing 2,600 baht worth of fuel from a petrol station in the Lat Phrao district of Bangkok. The Thai-Italian suspect, 29 year old Tanrak Corsaro, stole fuel from a petrol station on Soi Lat Phrao 134 in Bangkok on October 5. Tanrak was seen on CCTV driving his white Mercedes-Benz C 350 into…
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Runaway love: Thai woman’s 20-kilometre vow at shrine unlocks divorce after five-year marathon
A Thai woman honoured a vow at the Kampaeng Phet City Pillar Shrine in the northern province of Kampaeng Phet after she successfully divorced her ex-husband after five years of trying by running 20 kilometres. Suphaporn Ninlabordee’s story became the talk of Kampaeng Phet province when yesterday, November 26, she ran 20 kilometres from the Kampaeng Phet City Pillar Shrine…
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Nakhon Ratchasima abuzz as lottery ticket prices reach 130 baht
Lottery enthusiasts in Nakhon Ratchasima are buzzing with anticipation as the Government Lottery Office is set to announce the draw on December 1. Hot numbers related to the provincial governor, Siam Sirimongkol, such as his age and vehicle registration number, are in high demand. The price per ticket has risen to 130 baht due to the increased interest. Nakhon Ratchasima,…
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Cosmic con: Fortune teller tricks Thai woman into sex and 14 million baht loss
A Thai woman issued a warning to others after a fortune teller tricked her into paying more than 14 million baht for rituals and lured her into having sex with him. The 30 year old victim, named only as A, shared her story with the non-profit organisation Saimai Survive to warn other women and process a lawsuit against the fortune teller.…
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Heavy rainfall warning in 13 Thai provinces, flash floods alert
The Meteorological Department of Thailand (TMD) warns of heavy rainfall in 13 provinces, alerting residents to potential floods and flash floods as a result of accumulated rainfall. In a statement issued today, the department cautioned residents of Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Pattalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang, and Satun. The risk is heightened by…
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Media neutrality questioned by Thai citizens, NIDA Poll reveals
A recent public opinion survey conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), shed light on the perceptions of Thai citizens regarding media neutrality. The survey carried out from November 21 to November 24 amongst individuals aged 18 years and older across various regions, education backgrounds, professions and income levels, gathered responses from a total of 1,310 participants. The…
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Man arrested for theft and fraudulent card use in Bang Phli, central Thailand
A 29 year old man was apprehended by authorities for multiple charges including theft and fraudulent use of another person’s electronic card in the Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan province. The arresting team consisted of officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau 2, who acted on an arrest warrant issued on November 17. The suspect was found driving a luxury Mercedes-Benz…
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Bangkok offers digital Krathong floating near Chinatown to reduce waste (video)
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is inviting locals and foreigners to celebrate the Loy Krathong Festival with an eco-friendly concept that allows visitors to float their digital Krathong into the Ong Ang Canal near Bangkok’s Chinatown. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt and the BMA team announced on Twitter (X) today, November 27, that this is the first year that Bangkok will…
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Job-jitters in Thailand: Employment growth hits five-quarter low
The state planning agency of Thailand revealed today that the country’s employment growth has slowed to a five-quarter low of 1.3% year-on-year in the third quarter amid a sluggish economy and weak demand for exports. This comes as Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy recorded a meagre growth of 1.5% in the July-September period, marking the slowest pace witnessed this year. The…
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Belgian man found dead at house in Chiang Mai, murder suspected
The lifeless body of a Belgian man was discovered with a bag over his head after a Thai maid stumbled upon his suicide note in a Chiang Mai province residence. Thai police suspect murder rather than suicide. The Thai maid reached out to San Kampaeng Police Station after finding the suicide note of a 73 year old Belgian businessman, Vachaudez,…
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Thai stock exchange under SEC review for high-frequency trading programs’ suitability
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) has been requested by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to carry out a comprehensive review of the use of trading programs, including high-frequency trading (HFT). This initiative has been launched to assess the current trading volumes and their suitability for the Thai stock market. SEC’s secretary-general, Pornanong Budsaratragoon, revealed in a Bangkok Post…
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Green pioneer leaves earthly roots: Thai environmentalist branches out at 77
The notable Thai environmentalist and tree-planting fanatic, dubbed Dab Wichai, passed away at the age of 77 yesterday. Wichai Suriyuth, better known as Dab Wichai, was renowned for planting over two million trees in Prang Ku district, Sisaket Province. His efforts transformed a once barren forest into a thriving eco-haven. Born on August 3, 1946, in Uthumphon Phisai district, Sisaket…
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Mentally ill Thai man beats victim to death with pestle in Bangkok (video)
A mentally ill Thai man used a pestle to beat his male victim to death in front of a house in the Bang Kae district of Bangkok at 3am yesterday, November 26. A Thai woman reported the death of her boyfriend, 23 year old Kittiphon Chobsin, to officers at Lak Song Police Station early yesterday morning. Kittiphon’s lifeless body was…
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Northern lights illusion debunked by biology professor
The spectacle of Northern Lights appearing in Kaeng Krachan National Park was debunked by biology professor, Jessada Denduangboriphan from Chulalongkorn University, who confirmed that such a natural phenomenon could not occur in Thailand. Through a post on Facebook, Jessada clarified the misconceptions surrounding the strange green lights observed over Phanern Thung Mountain in Kaeng Krachan National Park on the night…
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Baht-lash: South Korean man goes on rampage after being scammed by Thai girlfriend in Pattaya
A distraught South Korean man went on a rampage yesterday by discarding 100,000 baht banknotes and trying to leap from the eighth floor of a Pattaya condominium after losing money to a Thai girlfriend. Officers from Muang Pattaya Police Station rushed to the condominium on Soi Bua Khao in Pattaya after residents reported a foreign man on a rampage. The…
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Motorbike accident near central Thailand temple sparks police investigation
A motorbike accident involving two fatalities occurred at around 2.30am today on the Bang Khan-Nong Suea road in Pathum Thani. The deputy chief of the Khlong Luang Police Station, Police Lieutenant Colonel Siroj Naenian, revealed that a pickup truck had collided with a motorbike, resulting in the death of the two male motorbike riders. The motorbike accident occurred near the…
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Peace dialogue: Chatchai to head panel in far south, says PM Srettha
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin appointed Chatchai Bangchuad, the deputy secretary-general of the National Security Council (NSC), as the head of the government’s peace dialogue panel in the far South, replacing Gen Wanlop Rugsanaoh. The latter’s term concluded after the constitution of the new government. Despite two former Fourth Army chiefs being among the proposed candidates, the 61 year old prime…
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Thai groom kills bride and other 3 victims before committing suicide
Jealousy led to a deadly shooting at a wedding ceremony in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima. A Thai groom killed his bride, her family members, and a guest before taking his own life. Wang Nam Khiao Police Station officers rushed to a house in the Wang Nam Khiao district in Nakhon Ratchasima after receiving a report of the shooting.…
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Thai deputy PM raises concerns over MFP’s political amnesty bill
Thailand Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai expressed reservations about the Move Forward Party’s (MFP) political amnesty bill. The MFP, led by Chaithawat Tulathon, proposed an amnesty for individuals involved in politically motivated incidents dating back to the protests of February 2006. This proposition was initially introduced last year and is now under consideration for parliamentary debate. Phumtham stated that while…
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December horoscope: Astrologer reveals fortune in Thai baht
As the year-end approaches, astrologer Thosporn cautions zodiac signs to stay vigilant during the final month of this year. The warning comes as he unveils the horoscope for December, highlighting the signs that will enjoy good fortune, those set to receive a significant monetary windfall, and those expected to experience luck in their relationships. However, some signs may face deception.…
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Thai military officer fatally shot after high-speed pursuit
A 22 year old military officer from the Royal Thai Armed Forces, identified as Ekkarat Suea-am, was fatally shot after a high-speed pursuit involving an aggressive pickup truck driver in Prachin Buri province. The incident, which unfolded over a distance of 10 kilometres, occurred at around 9pm yesterday. Ekkarat, who was driving his girlfriend from Saraburi to Sa Kaeo, was…
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Visa-free travel policies boost global tourism and economy
Countries worldwide are recognising the importance of travel freedom in bolstering their economies and accelerating the recovery post-pandemic. As tourism and trade flourish without border restrictions, governments are implementing strategies to enhance their tourism competitiveness, such as visa-free travel policies and the digitalisation of pre-travel processes. Prominent countries like China and India, with their vast populations, are primary targets for…
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