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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Chinese groom’s dowry delivery goes viral, armouring his love with 48 million baht
A Chinese groom caused a stir on social media after using an armoured pickup truck and a team of bodyguards to transport a dowry worth more than 48 million baht (US$1.4 million) to his bride’s family. The Chinese dowry included cash, gold, luxury watches, diamonds, and jewellery. The elaborate dowry presentation took place on Tuesday, May 30, in Taizhou, Zhejiang…
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Heartbreaking plea: Thai couple seeks urgent aid to save daughter from China nightmare
A distressed Thai couple residing in the Isaan province of Udon Thani made an urgent appeal to the Thai authorities, pleading for financial aid of 100,000 baht to rescue their daughter from a personal nightmare in China. The couple, identified as 52 year-old Man Duangnate and 55 year old Manee Duangnate, shared their heart-wrenching story with ThaiRath, unveiling the nightmarish…
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MFP aims to break Thailand’s alcohol monopoly
Hopes are high among small breweries and local distilleries in Thailand as the Move Forward Party (MFP) seeks to liberalise the alcohol industry. The current heavily monopolised industry has made it challenging for small businesses to thrive due to strict laws and regulations controlling production and retailing. Taopiphop Limjittrakorn, the MFP MP in Bangkok’s Constituency 22 and a leading liquor…
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BTS to invest in Yellow Line’s missing link to MRT’s Green Line
The Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTS) expressed its readiness to invest in a 2.6-kilometre extension that would connect its Yellow Line monorail to the Green Line of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRT) at Ratchayothin and Lat Phrao stations. Surapong Laoha-Unya, CEO of BTS, stated that the extension would be advantageous for commuters and that the company…
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Thai fisherman slips into river: Rescuers face 4-hour search in strong currents
A 27 year old Myanmar fisherman tragically drowned in the Mae Klong River after he slipped while walking on a wet dock in Thailand’s central Samut Songkhram province. Despite challenging conditions, rescue teams found the body after an extensive four-hour search. Yesterday at 3pm, friends of the lost fisherman conducted a floating pillow ceremony, a ceremony that locals believed would…
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Bangkok considers Japanese central kitchen system for school lunches
Is there a solution to improve the quality of Thai schools’ cafeteria food? The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is exploring the possibility of implementing a central kitchen system, similar to the one used in Japan, to enhance the quality of school lunches in Thailand. The central kitchen concept was introduced by Nobuko Tanaka, a former Japanese school lunch specialist, during…
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Royal streak: Thai man arrested for naked motorcycle ride and nude hotel stroll
Police arrested a Thai man after he rode his motorcycle naked and strolled majestically around a hotel in the buff in Chacheongsao province near Bangkok. Prompted by a notification, officers from Bang Pakong Police Station swiftly responded to the Blue Diamond Hotel in the Bang Pakong district of Chachoengsao province at 8am yesterday. The report indicated that a 31 year…
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Minor Hotels to reach 600 properties amid optimistic tourism outlook
Minor Hotels is set to expand its portfolio to 600 properties across 59 countries, with over 91,000 rooms this year, as the global tourism industry shows signs of recovery following the easing of Covid-19 infections. Dillip Rajakarier, Group Chief Executive of Minor International Plc and Chief Executive of Minor Hotels, believes that pent-up demand will drive the industry for years,…
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Heavy rainfall warning: 33 provinces hit, 70% of South Thailand to be impacted
Heavy rainfall is expected in 33 provinces across Thailand, with the southern region facing a high risk of flash floods and landslides. The Thai Meteorological Department urges citizens to remain vigilant to sudden flooding from June 2 as 70% of the area is expected to experience torrential downpours. The department has issued a 24-hour weather forecast warning of thunderstorms and…
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Chinatown crackdown: 48 partying Chinese nabbed in Bangkok massage parlour drug bust
Forty-eight Chinese nationals were arrested by Children and Women Protection Sub-Division and Narcotics Control Board officers during a drug-fuelled party at a massage parlour on New Phetchaburi Road in Bangkok early this morning. The Superintendent of the Children and Women Protection Sub-Division, Theerasak Chantarapipat, shared the arrest details with ThaiRath. Theerasak disclosed that a tip-off had been received by the…
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Airport Rail Link suffers 70 million baht monthly loss amid 25% commuter drop
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) reports that the Airport Rail Link (ARL) service has been losing 70 million baht per month, as it continues to carry fewer passengers than before the pandemic in 2019. To address long-standing operational issues, the SRT chose to involve a private company, Asia Era One, in managing rail operations during the pandemic. An agreement…
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Thai homeowner haunted by ghostly tokay gecko, forced to flee
A homeowner in Surin province has been driven to spend sleepless nights away from her own home due to the ghostly presence of a dead tokay gecko. Jitapha Pothisa, the distressed owner, claims to frequently hear the eerie calls of the phantom lizard but has never actually seen it. The unsettling experience has compelled the 32 year old mother of…
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Elderly woman killed during robbery, daughter with disability witnesses horror
An elderly woman was murdered during a robbery at her grocery store in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. The 74 year old victim was strangled by the intruders using her own clothing in front of her 43 year-old disabled daughter. The suspects fled, taking two mobile phones with them. In a shocking incident on June 1, the woman was brutally murdered…
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Illegal truck bribe stickers prompt Thai police chief to launch investigation
The existence of covert stickers indicating that trucks operating illegally on Thailand’s roads have paid bribes to police and other officials to avoid arrest has been confirmed by national police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas. This revelation comes after the issue was raised by Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, a Move Forward Party list MP-elect. As a result, Pol Maj Gen Ekkaraj Limsangkat,…
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Roadblock frustration: Chiang Mai woman’s year-long struggle to register and insure EV
A Chiang Mai woman revealed her distress after buying an electric vehicle (EV) only to find herself unable to register it with the transport authorities and get insurance for over a year. The woman claims that numerous others face the same issue. A Facebook user named “Sipim Manassawat,” a young woman living in Chiang Mai province shared her harrowing experience…
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Jackpot triumph: Lucky winner pockets 36 million baht from digital lottery ‘E-Wallet’
One lucky winner claimed the first prize of the digital lottery “E-Wallet” and scooped 36 million baht (US$1,000,000) from six tickets. Following the announcement of the government Lottery results today, June 1, the winning ticket numbers for the first prize were 125272, while the three-digit suffix prize numbers were 971 and 386. The two-digit suffix prize numbers were 09. According…
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Scam alert: Thai men charged for deceiving foreigners with false promises to resolve criminal charges
Police charged two Thai men for allegedly deceiving foreigners in Thailand by promising to resolve their criminal charges in exchange for cash. The suspects denied the accusations, arguing that they intended to assist the foreigners. The Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Torsak Sukvimol, received a tip off that two Thai men claimed to have connections with him…
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Nakhon Ratchasima hosts 11-day grand Vesak celebration with renowned Thai monks
Nakhon Ratchasima province in northeast Thailand is set to hold an 11-day grand event to celebrate Vesak Week, featuring the veneration of holy relics from Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Thailand. The celebration, starting today, coincides with the 555th anniversary of Nakhon Ratchasima City and will take place at MCC Hall on the third floor of The Mall. Attendees will have…
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Free rides on Bangkok’s Yellow Line monorail during June trial
The (MRTA) announced that a one-month trial run of the Yellow Line monorail will start on Saturday, June 3, offering free rides for commuters during this period. The decision was made during a meeting between the Department of Rail Transport and Eastern Bangkok Monorail (EBM), the company responsible for the line’s concession. Staff members working on the Yellow Line will…
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Myanmar migrant killed, 10 arrested after pickup truck overturns in Kanchanaburi
A tragic incident occurred in Kanchanaburi’s Sangkhla Buri district when a pickup truck smuggling illegal migrants from Myanmar overturned, resulting in one fatality and ten arrests. A police officer was also injured during the operation as he was struck by one of the three pickup trucks involved in the smuggling. Late Wednesday night, a joint team of soldiers, police, and…
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Heartbreaking secret: Chinese couple’s repeated miscarriages unravel wife’s hidden sacrifice
A Chinese couple’s repeated miscarriages raised concerns and worries until the husband discovered that his wife had been secretly taking abortion pills to protect the feelings of her 8 year old stepdaughter, who did not want a new brother or sister. The 30 year old man from Zhenjiang, Hefei, married a woman three years older than him. He faced emotional distress…
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Ownership nightmare: British buyer’s 15 million baht condo purchase in Koh Samui hits legal roadblock
A British man filed a complaint with the Thai authorities after he bought a 15 million baht condominium in Koh Samui from a real estate company in the southern province of Surat Thani but could not obtain legal ownership. Many foreigners fell victim to this company, resulting in estimated damages of 100 million baht. A representative of the Thailand Consumers Council,…
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Thailand intensifies efforts to end childhood statelessness
In a seminar held in Bangkok, officials from the Thai Government, civil society organisations, and UN agencies gathered to reinforce their efforts towards ending childhood statelessness in Thailand. The seminar was part of the UNHCR-UNICEF Joint Strategy for Addressing Childhood Statelessness and aimed to evaluate the progress made in the country, identify challenges, and explore solutions for improved collaboration among…
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Thailand targets 3 trillion baht tourism revenue in 2023 with sustainability focus
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is optimistic that the country’s tourism industry will achieve a revenue of 3 trillion baht in 2023, equal to the revenue generated in 2019. Tanes Petsuwan, TAT’s deputy governor for Asia and the South Pacific, revealed that the agency is developing new promotional strategies for the next fiscal year and anticipates finalising its proposal…
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Pavement rage: Food delivery rider ‘delivers’ slap to pedestrian for blocking his path
A food delivery rider who violated the law by riding on a pavement slapped a pedestrian in the face because the victim blocked his path. Two days ago, the victim, Kitti Panantanannon, shared a video of the moment when he was attacked on his Facebook account. In the caption, he said… “I filed a complaint at Phra Khanong Police Station.…
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Tragedy strikes as cement truck fatally runs over 2 year old boy near Bangkok
A heart-wrenching incident unfolded in Pathum Thani province near Bangkok, where a two year old boy lost his life after being run over by a cement truck. The driver of the truck blamed a broken brake system. The devastating event took place at the TPI Concrete Company in Pathum Thani. Officers from Mueang Pathum Thani Police Station swiftly arrived at…
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Phuket nightclubs raided for late trading, serving alcohol to minors
Two Phuket nightclubs in the Kathu district have been raided by officials from the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) and the Volunteer Defense Corps (OrSor). The clubs, the Ratree Club and Mahanakorn Phuket were accused of late trading, public disturbance, serving alcohol to minors, and operating without proper permits. The raids were carried out early this morning after a plain-clothes officer confirmed…
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Van carrying migrants crashes and catches fire, leaving 4 dead
A van carrying migrant workers fled from police before crashing and catching fire in Thailand’s central Ayutthaya province, resulting in four deaths. Authorities are currently investigating the accident and searching for any additional injuries or casualties. The accident occurred at around 1am this morning on Highway 3543 near Chiang Rak Noi School in Bang Pa-in district. A van transporting migrant…
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Speeding car flips over after taxi cuts in front at Bangkok traffic light
A white Honda City car flipped over after speeding through a red light and colliding with a taxi on Local Road in Bangkok last night. The 40 year old driver was shaken but not seriously injured, as police and volunteers attended the scene to investigate. At the accident site on Local Road approaching Ngam Wong Wan Road, the white Honda…
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Undercover payments: Lottery vendors reveal ‘protection fees’ to local police in Kamphaeng Phet
A sticker coined “lottery protection fees” has emerged in Kamphaeng Phet province, with lottery vendors revealing they pay a monthly fee of 500 baht per booth to local police. The fee allegedly allows them to sell lottery tickets above the set prices within their territory only, but it doesn’t guarantee they won’t be fined. According to a lottery vendor in…
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