News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. The Thaiger delivers the latest national news that matters.
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Sponsored How one hospital visit in Thailand could cost more than your whole trip
Thailand is a favourite spot for travellers who want to enjoy more while spending less. From cheap street food to low-cost hotels and fun attractions, it’s easy to stretch your budget here. But there’s one thing many people don’t think...
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Phuket Court denies bail in alleged property fraud case
PHOTO: Emerald Development Group Facebook page Bail has been denied at a hearing in the Phuket Provincial Court earlier today in the case of Sawit ‘Mai’ Ketroj who was arrested at Phuket International Airport on May 1 over a case involving alleged fraud related to the Emerald Development Group. Khun Mai’s lawyers say they will appeal the decision of the Court…
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10th ‘X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner’ sting – another 63 foreigners arrested
In what’s becoming a regular weekly announcement, Pol Maj-General Surachet Hakpa from the national tourist police says another 63 foreigners have been arrested last night in the latest ’10th X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner’ sting. As before, the searches have focussed on international schools and language schools. General Surachet says five were arrested for overstaying their visa – one Lao, one Indian, one…
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Couple arrested over Facebook luxury goods scam
A couple has been arrested for allegedly stealing an ID card which they used to set up a fake retail business selling luxury goods through a Facebook page without delivering the goods. The arrest of 34 year old Napat Jun-anporn and 24 year old Suthiwat Mansathit was announced yesterday (Thursday) after they were apprehended at their home in Pathum Thani’s…
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Only one Patong bar staff failed the ‘purple pee test’
Only one out of 47 bar staff tested in Patong was found with purple urine (when added to a reagent) in drugs tests conducted in a raid of the party zone last night (Thursday). Officials from Kathu District Office led by Kathu District Chief Somprach Prabsongkram along with Patong Police and medical staff from Patong Hospital were randomly selecting Patong…
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Ten illegal hotels found in Krabi
Yesterday (May 3) more than 50 officers led by the Krabi Vice governor Apinan Pueakpong, along with soldiers from the Royal Thai Army Region 4, inspected the popular Ao Nang tourism area. Officers found 10 illegal hotels. Some of illegal hotels had never sought permission to renovate the buildings or permission to conduct and host tour guide businesses. Some of them…
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Crackdown on illegal hotels
Tourist Police have announced a continuation of the crackdown on illegal hotels in Phuket. Tourist Police are also continuing to locate and get rid of tour operators’ nominees – using Thai people as a ‘front’ for foreign tour companies. The owner of a condominium project development company has been arrested after the condos were sold but the construction had never…
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AKSARA Collection appoints new Director of Hotels and Resorts
The Pattaravornee Family of Phuket are very proud to announce that Mr. Matthew C Hindmarch, who joined the company as General Manager for Kata Sea Breeze Resort and part of the development team of The SIS Kata Phuket four years ago, has been promoted to position of Director of Hotels and Resorts. In this role, Khun Matthew who has been…
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French man killed trying to stop a fight in Bangkok
PHOTO: Thai Visa Sanook website is reporting today (May 3) that police were notified that a foreign man had been stabbed to death at a bar in a guesthouse in Phra Nakhon, Bangkok. See story here Sanook Witness at the scene told police that a Thai man named only as ‘Pae’ was drinking alcohol with his girlfriend last evening until…
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Homesick Chaiyaphum worker (and his dog) bikes 500 kilometres
A homesick Chaiyaphum man was spotted cycling home from Sattahip in Chon Buri with his pet dog. In a viral video clip and Facebook post by a reporter in Prachin Buri, 39 year old Kaen Homsanthia, is seen riding his bicycle on the Kabin Buri-Pak Thong Chai road in Prachin Buri, just to the north-east of Bangkok, yesterday (Wednesday) with…
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More than 50 Patong operators releasing untreated wastewater
Patong Municipality is preparing to dredge the Pakbang Canal at the southern end of Patong Beach this week before more heavy rain. Operators who are releasing untreated wastewater into drains are being asked to urgently to solve the problem before legal action will be taken and enforced. Patong’s Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup says, “We are solving the problem of black and…
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COMMENT: The fall of the Emerald Development Group
Today is Mai Sawit Ketroj’s birthday. He’ll be spending it behind bars after being questioned by police about alleged fraud involving the Emerald Development Group. In a packed media conference yesterday Tourist Police Deputy Commander Maj Gen Surachet Hakpan outlined the unravelling of the prominent Phuket property development company. “The suspect admitted that he has a lack of financial resources…
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Phuket Town Gold shop thief arrested within five hours
Quick work by Phuket Town police in yesterday’s gold shop robbery case. The Phuket Town Police have arrested 35 year old Sermsin Thepwong from Khon Kaen at 6:30pm last night (Wednesday). Police seized many gold items and a gun during the arrest. He was arrested at a house on Anuphas Phuketkan Road in Phuket Town. Read yesterday’s story HERE. After…
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Four month old foetus found in Chalong canal
Chalong Police were notified about the body of a foetus found in a canal in Soi Kuwattana, Chalong at about midday today (May 2). Chalong Police, along with the Forensic Police and rescue workers, went to the scene to investigate. At the scene they found the foetus of an undetermined gender. The body was covered with a white cloth and…
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Huge narcotics haul seized from four major drug operations
Police said four successful recent drug busts had led to the confiscation of a huge haul of narcotics, including more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, three kilograms of highly concentrated hashish oil, over 100,000 methamphetamine pills, some 5,300 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 850 grams of ketamine. Deputy police chief Pol General Chalermkiat Srivorakhan and Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) head…
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Six Kalasin state officials sacked over alleged drugs involvement
The governor of Kalasin province, north-east Thailand, Kraisorn Kongchalard, has terminated the employment of six state officials and employees while proceeding with serious disciplinary charges against them involving drugs. A monthly meeting of Kalasin kamnans and village headmen on Wednesday also saw participants undergo urine tests for substance abuse as a proactive measure. Kraisorn instructed all 18 district chiefs and…
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Panwa Boonak crowned 2018 Thailand Optimist National Championship
131 Optimist dinghies competed at the 2018 Top of the Gulf Regatta in Pattaya, all vying for top honours in the Thailand Optimist National Championships, and the three-day competition was fierce, with reigning champion Panwa Boonak (THA) looking to hold off strong challenges from fellow Thai juniors and many of the best young sailors from around Asia. Thailand’s premier youth…
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Police hunting for gold shop thief
A thief has broken into the ‘Tanet Hok Gold Shop’ on Hatchananiwet Road in Phuket Town by breaking through the ceiling. The Phuket City Police were notified at 8.40am today (May 2). Police were investigating the scene this morning. They found that the shop had been ransacked and the ceiling damaged. Some gold items and a gun were stolen. The items…
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Planned projects for Karon wastewater treatment
Karon Municipality is planning to construct a sediment trap system or wasteland to prevent black and wastewater flowing into the sea. Today (May 2), officials were inspecting the area. No more black water was found. The Bangla Canal which is about 800 metres long has water flowing into it from the Karon community. Tourists were enjoying the beach as normal.…
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Bryde’s whales thrill tourists off Chumpon coast
People along the shore of Pathiu district in southern Chumphon province have been treated to the sight of a pair of Bryde’s whales today (Tuesday). The whales – commonly referred to as Bruda whales because of the pronunciation of the Norwegian name Bryde – surfaced repeatedly for about an hour near Koh Ran Ped and Koh Ran Kai, about…
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Residents complain about pet crematorium in Paklok
Paklok residents have complained that they are facing problems from smoke from a private pet cremation business. The operator has responded to the complaints at the Damrongdhama Centre saying that they have a legal construction license to conduct the cremation services. Residents are opposing the business after the first three months of operation. The new pet cremation business was established…
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Two race shoot-out brings 2018 Top of the Gulf Regatta to an end
PHOTOS: Guy Nowell The 2018 Top of the Gulf Regatta has lived up to its reputation for delivering close and competitive racing, and this year the weather made the racing even tougher. Over the past four days sailors have experienced everything from moments of becalm to 25 knot squalls, thunder and lightening, and blue skies indicative of sailing in the…
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Not this year – PM rejects activists calls for a 2018 election
The Thai PM is playing down rallies by pro-democracy groups planned for this month to press the NCPO to hold the long-delayed election this year. Prayut Chan-o-cha is insisting that the election would have to be held next year following a conclusion by the junta-appointed legislative assembly to delay the implementation of the MP election laws. “I have told the…
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Pattaya tour boat operators continue to use beachfront
Many boats have continued to use the beachfront area to pick up and drop off tourists despite being ordered to resume using Chon Buri’s Southern Pattaya Pier (Laem Balihai) from today (Tuesday). Boat owners had been using the beach temporarily during the restoration of the pier. They claimed they could not switch back to using the pier as they were…
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Lights, camera, MONEY – Thailand’s earnings from foreign film makers
PHOTO: PRLog.org. Behind the scenes, filming The Hangover Part II on Phang Nga Bay. Figures are out from the Department of Tourism showing that revenue from foreign film productions shot in Thailand generated 799 million baht in only first quarter of 2018. The Director-General of the Department of Tourism, Anan Wongbenjara, Department Director General Anan Wongbencharat, says that a total…
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One man dead and 3,300 homes damaged by a week of storms
File photo The toll on property has been heavy following a week of storms around the central, north-east and northern regions. One man has died and more than 3,300 houses damaged by windstorms and thunderstorms from April 23-28. According to the director-general of Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, windstorms struck 32 provinces, 84 districts, 172 tambon and 393 villages,…
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WARNING: Shocking accident between motorcyclist and pick-up
WARNING: Graphic photos Gruesome pictures of an accident in Phuket show the aftermath of a collision between a female motorcyclist and the rear of a pick-up truck. The woman was impaled on the back bumper suffering severe injuries to her left leg and losing a lot of blood. Rescue organisations used cutting equipment to get her free then she was…
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Seven year old Trang Twins marry in a big ceremony
Translated from Thai Tharaporn and Tharapong – seven year olds – are the children of Natthapong and Pilanthana Pankhong who own a big agricultural equipment supply firm in the southern Thai town. The twins were married in a lavish ceremony. Some 1000 guests turned up for the ceremony that is held to satisfy old beliefs that by so doing the…
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Brits behaving badly
British nationals are more likely to be arrested in Thailand than in any other overseas country, official figures reveal. However, it’s in Spain and the USA where the highest number of arrests of British nationals were recorded. According to the most recent stats available, which record the period from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016, a total of 194…
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Peeling back the red tape – Thailand 4.0
A committee tasked with propelling needed reforms under the Thailand 4.0 policy on Monday heard progress updates from state bodies in a meeting chaired by PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha. A series of measures must be implemented to aid in the nation’s digital transformation including, this August, cancelling state agency requirements for photocopies of the Thai national ID card and household…
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Officials raising the yellow flags on Krabi beaches
Officials raised yellows flags at two popular beaches warning tourists against swimming following strong winds and high waves that kicked up from Sunday evening. Champen Phomphakdee, chief of two national parks – Mu Koh Hong National Park and Than Bokkhoranee National Park – said officials put up yellow flags on the beach in front of Koh Hong beach to warn…
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