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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Earthquake fears rattle Songkran hotel bookings by 25%
Thailand’s most festive time of year is shaping up to be a major letdown—hotel bookings for Songkran have taken a nosedive, thanks to shaky nerves over last month’s earthquake. The Thai Hotels Association (THA) revealed on Thursday, April 3 that reservations across seven major tourist destinations have dropped by 25% compared to last year’s festival, spelling bad news for the…
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Teen racers busted in Phuket midnight police crackdown
Reckless teen bikers got a rude awakening this week as Wichit Police swooped in on a notorious Phuket racing hotspot, hauling in 17 underage riders and seizing 10 souped-up motorbikes in a late-night sting. The crackdown, carried out in the early hours of yesterday, April 4 in the Laem Dinso area, was part of an intensified campaign to tackle illegal…
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Retiree surrenders after fatal shooting over dog dispute in Lamphun
A 62 year old retiree surrendered to the police after fatally shooting the owner of a dog that allegedly caused him to suffer an accident. The incident occurred yesterday, April 4 in a field located in Mueang Lamphun district, Lamphun province. Police Lieutenant Colonel Phanupong Songsuwan, from Ban Thi Police Station, reported a shooting at Ban Chae Son, Village 1,…
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Mass grave unearthed at Bangkok train station site
Construction workers got more than they bargained for while digging near Bangkok’s Siriraj Hospital—a chilling discovery of dozens of human skeletons beneath the ground, believed to be victims of a mass execution over two centuries ago. The remains were found during a survey at the future site of the MRT Orange Line’s Siriraj Station, which will link Bang Khun Non…
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Mo Chit 2 gets flashy facelift ahead of Songkran holiday rush
Travellers heading out of Bangkok this Songkran are in for a big surprise—Mo Chit 2 just got a multimillion-baht makeover, and it’s looking slicker than ever. Chatchawan Prommoratham, Acting President of Transport Company Limited (BorKorSor), announced a major renovation to the Bangkok Bus Terminal (Chatuchak), popularly known as Mo Chit 2, aimed at improving passenger convenience, safety, and service speed.…
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Pattaya driver accused of misconduct by intoxicated passenger
A 24 year old woman reported being coerced by a driver into a non-consensual act after she was heavily intoxicated while returning home from a host bar in Pattaya in the early hours. Despite filing a complaint with Pattaya Police Station, she was initially told to gather her own evidence, causing considerable distress. Yesterday, Police Colonel Arut Saphanon and Pol.…
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Phuket lawyer arrested over harassment and multiple marriages
Police in Phuket apprehended a well-known lawyer following allegations of harassment and multiple marriages. An arrest warrant was executed yesterday, April 4, as the Phuket Provincial Investigation Unit detained Anantarak, a social media-famous lawyer, at a local car park. This comes after previous revelations on a television show regarding claims of harassment and his admission of being involved with over…
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Fugitive thief and hit-and-run suspect captured in Pattaya
A sleepy fugitive’s midday snooze turned into a rude awakening after Pattaya police busted a 23 year old man wanted for theft and a fatal hit-and-run. The arrest unfolded while the suspect was dozing off beside a motorcycle repair shop. At 1pm on Thursday, April 3, officers from Pattaya Police Station arrested Mintada, who had been on the run from…
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Slippery crash: Oil spill causes 7-vehicle collision in Pathum Thani
An oil spill on Phahon Yothin Road led to a seven-vehicle collision, resulting in injuries to six people, comprising three men and three women. Emergency personnel promptly responded to the scene to manage the cleanup and transport the injured to nearby hospitals. At 3am today, April 5, Police Lieutenant Warut Phumipak received a report of a multi-vehicle collision on the…
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US academic slapped with lese majeste charges in Thailand
A 58 year old American lecturer is in hot water after Thai authorities issued a rare lese majeste arrest warrant against him—sending shockwaves through the country’s academic and expat communities. The suspect, Paul Chambers, a long-time resident of Thailand and special adviser on international affairs at Naresuan University in Phitsanulok, is facing charges under Thailand’s strict royal defamation laws, known…
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Thailand heatwave hits 28 provinces with summer storms
Thailand’s Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a weather warning for today, April 5, highlighting intense heat in some areas and storms affecting 28 provinces, including Bangkok. Strong gusty winds and high waves in the sea are also expected, urging residents to exercise caution. In Thailand’s upper regions, low pressure from heat is causing overall hot weather, with extreme heat in…
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Barking mad! Thai woman finds dog heartworm wriggling inside her
A Thai doctor issued a public warning after a patient discovered a dog heartworm in her body, believed to have been transmitted from pets to humans via mosquito bites. The doctor from FMC Thailand Clinic in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima shared a video of a white worm moving on a tissue on the clinic’s official Facebook page. The…
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Pattaya hotels surge as Hua Hin struggles for tourists
Last weekend, local travellers flocked to Pattaya in the aftermath of the earthquake, causing hotel occupancy rates to soar to full capacity. However, the impact of the quake had a very different effect on Hua Hin, where concerns over road safety led to a sharp decline in bookings. “Travellers seeking refuge from the tremors in Bangkok drove a spike in…
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Warning: Sinkholes emerge in Mae Hong Son after earthquake
In a startling post-earthquake discovery, six sinkholes have appeared in Mae Hong Son’s Khun Yuam district, leaving locals on edge. The sudden appearance of these giant holes has prompted a warning from the Mineral Resources Regional Office 1, advising residents to exercise extreme caution. The sinkholes, which range in size from 2 to 30 metres in diameter, were first discovered…
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Dorm inspected in Phuket after quake sparks safety fears
In the wake of last week’s devastating earthquake in Myanmar, scrutiny has intensified on a Chinese contractor linked to multiple construction projects across Thailand, including a long-delayed female student dormitory at Phuket Rajabhat University. On April 3, officials from the Phuket branch of the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning (DPT Phuket) carried out an urgent inspection…
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Thailand goes shadowless: Sun overhead phenomenon begins
Get ready to look up because Thailand is about to go shadowless. The rare and dazzling astronomical event known as the sun overhead phenomenon is sweeping across the country, starting today in Yala’s Betong district and continuing through to May 22 in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district. The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) confirmed that this solar spectacle…
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Battery blast injures crewman off Phuket’s Cape Panwa
A fishing trip turned into a terrifying ordeal yesterday evening when a battery exploded on board a trawler off the coast of Cape Panwa, leaving one crew member injured and sparking a coordinated rescue mission. The incident occurred aboard the vessel L. Thanakorn, which was approximately 7.3 nautical miles south of Cape Panwa at the time. The Thai Maritime Enforcement…
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Brit son’s race against time to save dying dad in Thailand
A heartbroken British man is fighting to bring his dying dad home from Thailand for life-saving treatment, before it’s too late. Reginald Leo had been chasing his retirement dreams in Pattaya but now he’s clinging to life after a foot wound spiralled into a catastrophic medical crisis. Leo’s devastated son, Jonathan, who moved to Thailand in 2017, has given up…
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Bangkok governor apologises after woman’s cries go unanswered
In a heartbreaking development that has gripped the nation, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt issued a public apology after rescuers were unable to locate a woman whose desperate cries for help were heard beneath the rubble of a collapsed structure in Chatuchak district on April 2. Rescue operations yesterday, April 3, were concentrated in Zone B, where a woman’s voice and…
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Thai mother fights for baby taken by ex-husband and his mother
A Thai mother is fighting to regain custody of her daughter after her ex-husband and his mother took the baby from her before physically assaulting her at her home in Bangkok last month. The victim, identified only as A, sought help from the non-profit organisation Be One, hoping it would offer her a chance to see her daughter again. The organisation shared…
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Grim discovery: Pattaya vendor finds bloated corpse in jungle
In a chilling twist that sounds straight out of a horror flick, a papaya salad vendor stumbled across a bloated corpse while relieving herself in a remote thicket in Pattaya. What was meant to be a routine break from work quickly turned into a nightmare she’ll never forget. The grisly discovery was made yesterday, April 3 at 3.06pm. Police Lieutenant…
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Bangkok builder rapes teenage worker, threats to kill her
A lecherous Bangkok builder has been arrested for raping a 14 year old employee at a construction site, threatening to kill her unless she kept his vile deed a secret. He later confessed to the rape because he was drunk and horny. Police swooped to apprehend the 52 year old suspect, Arong (surname withheld) today, April 4, after a warrant was…
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Tourist sparks outrage in Phuket with fake cash stunt (video)
A foreign tourist has come under fire after being caught on video throwing fake dollar bills out of a moving car in Phuket, sparking outrage among locals and reigniting debate over Thailand’s visa exemption policy. The bizarre incident, believed to be a social media stunt, took place along Yaowarat Road in Samkong and quickly went viral. The footage, posted to…
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Rice and fall: Thai fragrant rice at risk as US tariffs give Vietnam edge
Thailand’s Hom Mali fragrant rice faces a major threat in the US market as new reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US could see the country lose its competitive edge to Vietnam. The Thai Rice Exporters Association has raised concerns after the US imposed a steep 36% tariff on Thai rice, which will push prices up to US$1,400 per tonne from…
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Bullet banquet: Politician’s son shot dead at market feast
A politician’s son was shot dead and two others were injured in a brutal daylight attack during the grand opening of a new market in Samut Prakan. The gunman, a man with a grudge, unleashed a hail of bullets at a Chinese banquet, sending guests fleeing in terror. The lunchtime bloodbath erupted at around midday today, April 4, at Ton…
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Indian PM meets Thaksin to strengthen India-Thailand ties
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a significant meeting with former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday, April 3, sparking discussions aimed at strengthening India-Thailand relations in key areas such as defence, trade, and culture. Modi, who was in Thailand for a two-day visit to attend the sixth BIMSTEC summit, described the meeting as a “delight” and praised Thaksin’s vast…
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BoT launches debt relief and fraud crackdown in Phuket
To ease the financial burden on struggling debtors and combat rampant financial fraud, the Bank of Thailand’s Southern Office unveiled a new initiative in Phuket yesterday, April 3. The You Fight, We Help programme aims to provide critical support for citizens and small businesses facing financial difficulties while also tackling the growing issue of financial crime. Thatlap Paoleuangthong, Senior Director…
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2 Thai teenagers admit to homemade bombs that kill boy
Police yesterday arrested two Thai teenagers for making bombs that led to the death of a nine year old boy in the Isaan province of Phichit. The young boy lost his life after picking up an unidentified object he found on the road, which turned out to be a homemade bomb that exploded immediately upon contact. The fatal explosion occurred…
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Hayward bound: Aussie star rewriting family’s drug-tainted legacy
Rising Aussie footie star Bailey Hayward may be making headlines on the field for the right reasons but his surname carries a history that once made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Hayward is proudly forging a new chapter in a family saga steeped in both sporting brilliance and a harrowing criminal past. The footy star is turning heads in…
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Entertainment Complex Bill to be debated in Parliament by April 9
The much-discussed Entertainment Complex Bill is set to be reviewed in Parliament soon, with a likely discussion date of April 9, according to Chief Government Whip Wisut Chainarun. The bill, which was approved by the Cabinet on March 27, is designed to boost Thailand’s economy by diversifying tourism beyond its traditional seasonal peaks. Wisut, a Pheu Thai list-MP, provided an…
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