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 12Go introduces Japan Rail Passes to enhance travel accessibility for international travellers
For those who have travelled throughout Thailand, 12Go is a well-known provider of various trips, though the platform itself has a much wider reach. Ranging from buses to planes, 12Go is undoubtedly a leading booking platform for travel throughout the...
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Massage parlour in northern Thailand raided for underage sex trafficking
Police swooped on a massage parlour in the northern province of Tak after a tip-off on underage sex trafficking. The owner of the parlour was arrested and two teenage Burmese girls were rescued. The Anti Trafficking In Persons Division Police (ATPD) received a tip-off that a Thai woman, 40 year old Suphaporn Makaew, was operating an underage sex trafficking racket…
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SAS to launch direct Copenhagen – Bangkok flights
Danish flag carrier SAS Scandinavian Airlines will launch a direct route between Copenhagen in Denmark and Bangkok in Thailand in October this year to meet increasing demand, the airline announced on Tuesday. SAS first opened a route from Copenhagen to Bangkok way back in 1949, which was discontinued in 2014. Bangkok was SAS’s first-ever destination in East Asia. The relaunched…
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Honest Thai couple hand over bag with lost 100,000 baht to police in Ratchaburi
An honest Thai couple discovered a bag with 100,000 baht inside in front of a shopping mall in the central province of Ratchaburi and notified the police so they can search for its owner. Eighteen year old Kittisak “Zen” Thaweechokhirun, and his 18 year old girlfriend, Potchathawat “Mali” Sabumuang, last night reported the cash-filled bag they found at a shopping mall…
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Prachuap Khiri Khan braces for rainy season to start in mid-May
Thailand’s Prachuap Khiri Khan province is bracing for the rainy season to start in mid-May. The Thai Meteorological Department predicts that the rainy season in Thailand will start around the third week of May 2023, with one to two tropical storms possibly passing through the northeastern and northern regions in August and September. Thailand’s rainy season typically occurs from May to…
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Cannabis crooks caught on camera: Foreigners caught stealing from Phuket pharmacy
CCTV footage captured two foreigners stealing cannabis from a pharmacy in Phuket. Fortunately, a member of staff caught them red-handed on the job. The Facebook page, Phuket Info Center, posted two videos of the incident yesterday, May 4, with a caption that said… “Warning! Foreigners stole cannabis from a shop on Rat U Thit 200 Years Road in the Patong…
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PWO collaborates with NACC and Amlo for lawsuits over rubber glove corruption scandal
The Public Warehouse Organisation (PWO) is collaborating with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to proceed with lawsuits against individuals involved in the corruption surrounding the procurement of 500 million boxes of rubber gloves worth 112 billion baht in 2020. PWO director Kriangsak Prateepvisut disclosed last week that the organization is preparing to file civil and…
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Thailand’s pollution control department to lower safe PM2.5 levels following WHO guidelines
The Pollution Control Department (PCD) yesterday announced plans to align with the World Health Organisation guidelines and reclassify the safe level for ultra-fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from 50 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3) to 37.5 µg/m3 in an effort to address dust pollution concerns. Jatuporn Burutphat, the permanent secretary for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, expressed the ministry’s…
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Thailand to close several popular islands for environmental restoration
Four islands in Trang province, southern Thailand, will close for four months to give nature a chance to restore itself after a hectic tourist season, namely Koh Muk, Koh Kradan, Koh Chuek, and Koh Waen. Thailand’s Similan Islands will also close for the monsoon season. Yesterday, the Chief of Hat Chao Mai National Park Prit Narasaritkul announced the temporary cease of…
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Rare strong winds topple tree at Doi Suthep temple, causing panic among visitors
A rare windstorm, known locally as “Lom Luang“, surprised tourists and monks when it struck Doi Suthep Temple in Chiang Mai, resulting in a large tree collapsing across the Naga staircase. The incident occurred at 4pm today, when the forceful winds swept through the summit, causing a large red tree, big enough for three people to hug, to fall, blocking…
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Karen villagers’ settlement in Kaeng Krachan National Park sparks public outcry
Protests have erupted among local residents in Phetchaburi over the Thai government’s decision to settle 150 Karen villagers in Kaeng Krachan National Park. The controversy was sparked on April 30 when the prime minister issued an order permitting the villagers to return to arable land located deep within the Bang Kloy Bon area of the national park. This decision has…
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Twist in Thai cyanide serial killer case: Actress and nurses investigated for buying same poison as killer
There has been another twist in the Thai cyanide serial killer case. Not only has the serial killer’s husband been charged with aiding and abetting her crimes and released on bail but the Royal Thai Police (RTP) is investigating the purchase of some cyanide by a famous Thai actress and 10 nurses, who reportedly bought the poison from the same…
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Body found floating near Koh Samui, Thailand
A dead body was found floating in the sea between Koh Samui on Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province, southern Thailand, yesterday. The deceased appears to be a foreign woman, reports MGR Online. Yesterday, the Facebook page “Chalerm Yord Phongsri” posted photos of a swollen body floating face down in the sea, wearing only underwear/swimwear, with the caption… “I…
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US and Thailand advance energy cooperation in recent discussions
The United States and Thailand have recently agreed to advance energy cooperation during talks in Washington, DC. The Office of the Spokesperson for the US Department of State issued a joint press statement revealing that the discussions took place during the third US-Thailand Energy Policy Dialogue, held from April 18 to April 20. Both nations aimed to deepen their ties…
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Woman cries in cafe after seeing lady resembling her late mother
A young woman burst into tears while visiting a café with her friends, as she found a woman at a nearby table who resembled her late mother. Eventually, she received a comforting hug from the woman who reminded her of her mother. The recently reported online story shared a heartwarming video capturing the emotional moment when the young woman burst…
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Video of drunken transgender woman urinating by roadside sparks online backlash
A video that has garnered heavy criticism in the online world features a drunken woman, later revealed to be a transgender, caught urinating by the roadside near Lumpini Police Station. The friend who recorded the incident did so with amusement before posting it on Facebook. Toward the end of the clip, two police officers are seen escorting the two individuals…
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Devastated mother mourns loss of son, fatally stabbed by mentally ill man
A mentally ill young man with an ankle monitor fatally stabbed a security officer, leaving the officer’s mother devastated. The incident occurred near the Bang Talat Canal in Tha Sai Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nonthaburi Province. The police, accompanied by a forensic doctor and a foundation officer, quickly arrived to investigate. At the crime scene in the Bang Talat community, the…
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Thailand accelerates shift to renewables amid global energy crisis fallout
The global energy crisis has prompted Thailand to accelerate its transition to renewable energy after years of hesitation, joining other countries in adopting wind and solar power to reduce dependency on imported fuels. Thailand’s reconsideration of its renewable energy strategy came after a surge in natural gas prices last year caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to Wattanapong Kurovat,…
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RTN defends 50 million baht drone procurement amid transparency concerns
On Wednesday, the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) defended a nearly 50 million baht drone training procurement after critics raised concerns regarding the project’s transparency. Admiral Pokkhrong Monthatpalin, RTN spokesperson, affirmed that the project was above board while elaborating on the Naval Ordnance Department‘s 49.8 million baht acquisition of Phoenix Jet Unmanned Aerial Targets from Air Affairs Australia. Critics questioned why…
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No political vacuum following May 14 election, says deputy PM
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam addressed concerns regarding the potential for political deadlock following the May 14 General Election. Despite foreseeing a delay in the formation of a new government, he dismissed the possibility of a political vacuum emerging. Wissanu’s remarks come as polls indicate that leading parties are continually growing closer in terms of popularity. While he acknowledges that…
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MFP’s popularity rising as election looms, new poll reveals
The Move Forward Party (MFP) is gaining momentum as Thailand’s General Election approaches, according to a recent pre-election poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA). While the Pheu Thai Party continues to lead in terms of constituency and party-list Members of Parliament (MPs), the MFP is rapidly gaining popularity. NIDA’s third pre-election poll was released on Wednesday,…
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Unhinged Bangkok taxi driver threatens to murder passenger
A Thai woman took to social media to reveal that a seemingly unhinged taxi driver in Bangkok threatened to murder her because her destination was too far. The woman posted a video on her TikTok account, @toeyly.n, to recount her frightening experience with a taxi driver who threatened to kill her. The video caption said… “Warning! Taxi driver threatens to…
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Taiwanese model’s embarrassing airport experience: Items that vibrate in the night
Renowned Taiwanese model Xin Yu Li, known for being a top-tier talent in the industry, recently shared her embarrassing yet amusing experience at an airport after returning from an international work assignment. While preparing to return, Yu Li encountered a situation that left her red-faced and others nearby witnessing the ordeal. In her recount, Yu Li mentioned that she had…
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Gas cylinder explosion wreaks havoc, damages 8 houses, a car and injures teenage boy
A gas cylinder explosion damaged eight houses and a car in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok while a 15 year old boy living in the incident house suffered serious burn wounds all over his body. The incident occurred yesterday in a three-storey townhouse owned by a 39 year old man named Weeraphat Chuensomsong. He was not home during the explosion. Unfortunately,…
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Former Yala governor sentenced to 8 years for malfeasance in GT200 bomb detector case
Former Yala governor, Teera Mintrasak, aged 59, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for malfeasance in connection with the purchase of fraudulent GT200 bomb detectors from 2007-2009. The sentence was delivered by the Region 9 Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases. Teera was among 12 defendants involved in the case, with the other 11, all of whom…
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Pattaya gears up for 600,000 Indian tourists this Year
At least 600,000 Indian tourists are anticipated to visit Pattaya this year, returning the visitor numbers to levels similar to those prior to the pandemic, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Anoma Vongyai, director of TAT’s Pattaya office, revealed that over 900,000 Indian tourists travelled to Thailand in the year preceding the pandemic, with approximately 600,000 of them…
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Thai youth vote for reform despite political hurdles
Three years ago, 24 year old Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul was at the forefront of a democracy movement in Thailand as thousands of young protesters clashed with police firing tear gas and rubber bullets on the streets of Bangkok. The movement shook the kingdom with its calls for reform and unprecedented demands to curb the power of King Maha Vajiralongkorn but gradually…
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Woman commits suicide in car with 11 pet dogs
A Thai woman in Pathum Thani province near Bangkok allegedly committed suicide in her car by using a charcoal stove to kill herself with her 11 Poodle dogs. A rescue team, Ruamkatanyu Volunteer Association, was alerted to the death of the Thai woman and her 11 pet dogs and reported the news on its official Facebook page today. According to…
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Bizarre wedding prank goes wrong as groom left in torn clothes
Most weddings in the West are generally sedate, uneventful affairs, with toasts to the bride and groom while there are others which push the boundaries of tradition like one ceremony in China which resulted in torn trousers for the groom and revealing underwear that shocked guests outraged by tradition. In rural parts of China, certain long-standing wedding traditions continue to…
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Police ex-husband charged for supporting cyanide serial killer’s reign of terror
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) confirmed that the cyanide serial killer’s police officer ex-husband aided and abetted his former wife during her psychotic reign of terror. Although the specifics of his involvement have not been disclosed, he is currently facing three criminal charges. The cyanide serial killer, Sararat “Am” Rangsiwuthaporn, is facing charges for the murder of 10 victims in…
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Krabi tour bus crash injures driver, 42 passengers survive
A tour bus crash in Thailand’s Krabi province left the bus driver with moderate injuries, however, the bus’s 42 passengers fortunately survived. The bus crashed into a power pole on Petch Kasem Road in the South Klong Tom district on Monday. Witnesses said that a pickup truck cut in front of the bus, and the driver avoided the collision before…
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