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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Thai activists call for ban on hazardous PFAS in textile industry
Calls for the prohibition of Per-and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS), perilous chemicals found in the textile industry and other goods, have been made by activists. The campaigners argue that such a ban would generate awareness amongst customers who require environmentally friendly products for their health and the welfare of our planet. Thitikorn Boontongmai, Ecological Alert and Recover-Thailand (Earth) Planning Manager, highlighted…
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Thailand’s economy set for 3.3% growth amid global uncertainties
Thailand’s economy is projected to grow by 3.3% this year, despite vulnerabilities from international politics, foreign wars, and unrest in neighbouring countries. These factors pose risks to the nation’s export sector. Tawee Piyapatana, the Senior Vice President of the Federation of Thai Industries, expressed concerns after representing the chair at a Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB)…
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Mentally ill Thai man stabs woman on bus in Isaan (video)
A mentally ill Thai man stabbed a local woman he met on a coach bus in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen on February 6. The attacker’s mother revealed that her son had a mental illness but refused any treatment. The victim, Nittaya Pimthong, was rushed to hospital with several cut wounds on her arms. She is in stable condition…
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Bangkok Gems and Jewellery Fair set to boost Thailand’s economy
The 69th Bangkok Gems and Jewellery Fair is set to take place from February 21 to 25 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. The Department of International Trade Promotion and the Gem and Jewellery Institute of Thailand (GIT) are organising the event, in partnership with a joint committee that includes 13 government and private sector organisations. As one of…
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Misleading GPS directions left female driver stranded in Phetchabun (video)
A driver’s reliance on her GPS turned into an unexpected off-road adventure as she attempted to reach a coffee shop in Khao Kho, Phetchabun, resulting in the vehicle becoming stuck and necessitating assistance. The incident, captured on video and shared on TikTok by user @tulip_kunyapak, has attracted nearly 2 million views. The driver yesterday set out for a coffee shop…
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Flight fright: Panic-stricken passenger causes turbulence at Chiang Mai Airport
A Canadian passenger reportedly experienced a panic attack while a plane was taking off from Chiang Mai International Airport last night and attempted to open the plane door, causing chaos and a delay at the airport. The situation was brought under control at around 11pm. Facebook account Watcharapon Pethsurp posted about the incident at about 9.57pm yesterday, February 7. The…
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Khon Kaen buffet fines diner 9000 baht for uneaten food
A buffet restaurant in Khon Kaen made headlines after a customer was faced with a hefty fine of 9,100 baht for leaving an excessive amount of uneaten food. However, the situation was amicably resolved, resulting in satisfaction on both sides. Oshinei Khon Kaen, a Japanese buffet restaurant in Khon Kaen, took to Facebook to recount an incident where a group…
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Thailand and Cambodia to discuss joint exploitation of hydrocarbon resources
Thailand and Cambodia consented to further dialogues concerning the mutual exploitation of the hydrocarbon resources in the Overlapping Claims Area (OCA), located in the Gulf of Thailand, a territory claimed by both nations. The matter was discussed during the recent meeting between Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and Cambodian leader Hun Manet, as they aimed to enhance cooperation for the…
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Thai abortion rights advocates call for increased legal services access
Abortion rights supporters in Thailand called for improved access to legal abortion services, issuing a petition to Thossaporn Sereerak, a Pheu Thai MP for Phrae and member of the House Committee on Public Health. The Tamtang Group, a prominent advocate for safe abortion, yesterday, February 7, expressed concerns over the difficulties pregnant women face when seeking legal abortions, despite recent…
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Ancient dinosaur fossils discovered in Khon Kaen
Dinosaur fossils, estimated to be between 100 million to 110 million years old, have been unearthed in the Nam Phong district of Khon Kaen. The fossils, thought to be from the sauropod and spinosaurid species, were discovered by a team from the Department of Mineral Resources, led by Sasa-On Khansubha, a palaeontologist from the Sirindhorn Dinosaur Museum. The initial investigation…
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Thai cop sparks debate for participating Miss Thailand 2024
A well-known Thai policewoman sparked a debate on Thai social media after participating in the Miss Thailand 2024 beauty pageant. Netizens directed their inquiries towards the Royal Thai Police (RTP), asking about the potential impact of her crown-chasing adventure when on police duty. Before starting her career in the police force, Police Captain Cat, also known as Atitiya “Cat” Benjapak,…
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Thai govt announces largest ever Songkran festival
The Thai government recently sent waves of panic through Thai expats with an announcement that this year’s Songkran, the Thai New Year, would be the largest ever, celebrated from April 1 to April 21. The terror stemmed from the misconception that this would mean 21 days of water-throwing, a popular but divisive feature of Songkran, which is also known as…
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Thai Tourist Police enhance Grand Palace facilities ahead of Chinese New Year
In a recent endeavour to uplift the image of Thailand’s tourism, the Thai Tourist Police and associated agencies carried out an intensive inspection at the iconic Grand Palace in Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, at 10am on February 7. The operation was part of an initiative to gear up for the arrival of tourists, especially considering the upcoming Chinese New Year. In…
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Four year old boy found dead in central Thailand fishpond
A four year old boy was found lifeless after a disappearance mobilised the community in a frantic search effort in Bang Khla, Chachoengsao province yesterday at around 9.15pm. The young boy was discovered submerged in a fishpond near his home, leading to an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the harrowing incident. The boy went missing from his home in Moo…
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Thai gold market opens with steady prices at 34,700 baht
The Gold Traders Association (GTA) today announced the Thai gold market’s opening prices, which remained steady compared to yesterday’s close. Ornamental gold was quoted at 34,700 baht per baht weight today. According to the GTA’s morning update, the price of gold bars, which contain 96.5% pure gold, was set at a buying rate of 34,100 baht per baht weight and…
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DJ Tonhom embraces bar host business on fortune-teller’s advice
The entertainment industry is abuzz with the latest venture of the vivacious DJ Tonhom Sakuntala Tianpairot, who is making waves with her foray into the bar host business. The DJ’s new investment is the talk of the town, not just for its promising prospects but also due to a curious prediction by a fortune-teller, who prophesied wealth for her through…
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Authorities takes action to curb urban macaques in Lop Buri
In a bid to tackle the escalating monkey mayhem in Lop Buri, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) teamed up with local authorities, unleashing a joint effort aimed at disciplining, relocating, and sterilising the troublesome urban macaques. The historic Phra Prang Sam Yot temple in Mueang district has become a battleground for the bustling macaque population,…
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Man dies holding inhaler during social gathering in Prachuap Khiri Khan
A middle-aged man suffering from asthma passed away during a casual gathering with friends in the Khlong Wan district of Prachuap Khiri Khan. The deceased, identified as 46 year old Subin, was found lying on his side with an asthma inhaler tightly gripped in his right hand, suggesting he might have been struggling with a severe asthma attack before his…
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Stop the pigeon! Chinese bird evades dastardly espionage suspicions, flies to freedom
In a plotline more fitting to the 1969 children’s cartoon series Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines attempting to “Catch the Pigeon,” a pigeon suspected of espionage for China was finally freed after eight months in captivity, thanks to the intervention of animal rights crusaders, PETA. The bird’s release from the clutches of Indian officials this week marks the climax…
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Thai patient seeks HIV prevention after alleged syringe attack in Bangkok mall
A Thai doctor shared that one of her patients sought post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), for possible exposure to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), after she was stabbed with a syringe when walking in a shopping mall in Bangkok. The doctor posted the story of her patient on her Twitter account, @VorachatMD, on February 3. “#Warning! A patient requested PEP (a medicine to…
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Cambodian PM hails Thai counterpart for preventing political interference
Gratitude was expressed by Cambodian PM Hun Manet towards Srettha Thavisin, Prime Minister of Thailand, for his commitment to preventing Thailand from becoming a platform for interference in Cambodia’s internal affairs. The statement was made today, February 7, following the apprehension of two Cambodian human rights activists and a former political detainee by Thai officials. The arrests have engendered criticism from…
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15 Vietnamese arrested for illegally working on cannabis farm in southern Thailand
Thai police arrested 15 Vietnamese workers yesterday for working illegally on a cannabis farm in the southern province of Phetchaburi. The owner of the farm is under investigation. Phetchaburi Provincial Public Health Office and Administration Office received a complaint from locals in the Tha Yang district that a number of Vietnamese nationals were working on a cannabis farm in the…
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Food for thought: Activist hospitalised after 11-day hunger strike
Political activist Netiporn Sanesangkhom, aka Bung, was transferred from prison to the Correctional Hospital yesterday, following a hunger strike lasting 11 days, as confirmed by her legal representatives. Suffering from symptoms including hepatitis and cystitis, Netiporn was too frail to walk, as stated by Thai Lawyers for Human Rights on their official account. Her confinement began at the Central Women’s…
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Australian actor Gregory Rivers dies in Hong Kong, suspected suicide
Tributes flooded in for the late Australian actor Gregory Charles Rivers following the news of his suspected suicide at his residence in Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong last Friday, February 2. The Hong Kong TV drama icon, discovered near a tray of burning charcoal at his home in Tai Au Mun Village, left a void in the hearts of his…
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Sandal scandal: Thai temple thief swaps white flipflops for black in Chiang Mai (video)
A CCTV camera at Phra That Doi Suthep Temple in the southern province of Chiang Mai captured a Thai man stealing a pair of shoes from a South Korean tourist. The man entered the temple wearing white flipflops but left wearing black ones. The leader of the security team at the temple, Porramate Ngamchuen, told Channel 7 that the theft took…
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Amnesty Thailand urges government to free activist Arnon Nampa
Amnesty International Thailand urged the Pheu Thai-led administration to immediately free political activist Arnon Nampa, who stands accused of insulting the monarchy. Despite facing serious threats from Thai conservative groups, the pressure mounts for his release. Amnesty, alongside numerous political activists, gathered near the government house, some donning wizard costumes akin to Arnon’s attire at previous protests. The NGO submitted…
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Thai prime minister pressures Bank of Thailand for rate cut
The Bank of Thailand (BoT) is under increasing strain today as Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin publicly urges a 25 basis point reduction in rates. The demand is part of a continued push from the government for the BoT to decrease interest rates, a tactic it views as crucial for stimulating an economy it believes to be struggling. The government also…
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Heroic rescuer saves abducted kids from drunken woman in Isaan
A Thai man successfully rescued four children from a drunk woman who abducted the kids from the Isaan province of Udon Thani. A 54 year old resident, Phatcharaporn Phonla, told PPTV HD that she noticed a suspicious black Mitsubishi Xpander SUV parked at the playground in her community, Baan Nong Phueng, in the Kumphawapi district of Udon Thani. She saw…
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Korean Air’s sky-high soar: More flights to Bangkok amid tourism rebound
Korean Air unveiled plans for two more weekly flights from Incheon to Bangkok, reflecting the resurgent appetite for travel as the world emerges from the grip of the pandemic. Kim Jongmin, the airline’s country manager, revealed that the added flights on the Incheon-Don Mueang route are in response to surging demand, particularly from South Koreans seeking reprieve from the winter…
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Thailand reduces foreign tech reliance with home-grown AI system
Thailand is taking proactive steps to lessen its dependence on foreign technologies, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence(AI). To this end, the nation is intensifying its efforts around the development of a home-grown version of the generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) model known as Open ThaiGPT, said Chai Wutiwiwatchai, executive director of the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (Nectec).…
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