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Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
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Sponsored Thailand health insurance that covers chronic conditions: What expats need to know
The Thaiger key takeaways Managing chronic conditions in Thailand requires health insurance that covers specialist visits, medications, tests, and hospital stays. Cigna offers high-coverage plans with access to top hospitals, direct billing, and telemedicine support for convenient long-term care. Expats...
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Thailand to host Tomorrowland festival with 2 billion baht budget
The Thai Cabinet has approved a budget of 2 billion baht, equivalent to approximately US$59 million, to host the globally acclaimed electronic dance music festival Tomorrowland in Thailand for the next five years. Pattaya has been chosen as the prime location for this event, and the official announcement was made today, August 27. The festival is expected to generate at least…
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Self-harming Brit in Pattaya hotel drama identified as missing Scot
A Scottish expat who vanished months ago has been found in a bloody hotel drama in Pattaya, shocking family back home in Fife and prompting a police probe into his disappearance. On August 23, emergency services and Pattaya City Police responded to a report of a 59 year old British man who was seriously harming himself on Second Road. Rescue…
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Chon Buri police bust illegal poker den, arrest nine foreigners
Chon Buri police, in collaboration with Chon Buri Immigration Police, successfully dismantled an illegal poker gambling den in a Pattaya residential village on August 25. The operation resulted in the arrest of nine foreign nationals, comprising five Chinese and four South Korean. Acting on tips from locals who reported foreign vehicles obstructing the neighbourhood, the officers seized gambling equipment and…
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Red light ban hits Pattaya ambulances after Rayong crash
Pattaya’s ambulance crews have been ordered to hit the brakes. A deadly smash in Rayong has sparked a new crackdown banning rescue vehicles from running red lights. The Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation in Pattaya has announced a strict directive forbidding ambulances and volunteer rescue vehicles from driving through red lights, even during emergencies. The move follows a tragic crash in…
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Phuket locals demand action after foreigners drift pickup outside convenience store
Locals called for legal action against two foreigners after a pickup truck was filmed drifting in the car park of a convenience store in the Bang Thao neighbourhood of Phuket. The video, which circulated widely on Thai social media yesterday, August 26, showed a white pickup drifting in front of a 7-Eleven in Bang Tao. The driver was reported to…
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AI takeover: Phuket trains officials for smart city revolution
Phuket has kicked off a new chapter in its smart city push with a training programme designed to help government officials understand and apply artificial intelligence (AI) in day-to-day administration. The initiative, titled Enhancing Knowledge on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Government Administration, was held at Phuket Vocational College yesterday, August 26, with Governor Sophon Suwannarat presiding over the…
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Fake police scam targets Nonthaburi businesses with 2,000 baht tickets
Today, August 27, a prominent lawyer received reports of a group allegedly posing as members of the Police Administration and Inspection Committee (PAIC) of the Rattanathibet Police Station. They were accused of forcing local businesses in Nonthaburi province to purchase concert tickets for a well-known female artist at 2,000 baht each. The tickets purportedly supported police activities, causing scepticism and…
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Thief steals gold necklace worth 300,000 baht in Udon Thani hotel
Yesterday, August 26, a robbery occurred at a prominent hotel in Udon Thani city, with a thief stealing a gold necklace valued at nearly 300,000 baht from a guest’s room. Police have launched an investigation to apprehend the suspect. Police Colonel Phattanawong Chanphon, along with the investigative team, visited the hotel in central Udon Thani following the incident. The victim,…
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Freedom fight: Court clears MP of lese majeste charges
A high-profile MP once at the forefront of Thailand’s protest movement has walked free after the Criminal Court threw out a lese majeste case against him, ruling there was no proof he even touched the post at the centre of the allegations. The Criminal Court yesterday acquitted People’s Party MP Piyarat Chongthep of both lese majeste and computer crime charges…
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Kuwaiti tourists pay 200,000 baht after attacking Phuket lifeguards
Kuwaiti tourists apologised and paid 200,000 baht in compensation to Thai lifeguards after a physical assault over a safety warning at Nai Han Beach on Monday, August 25. A group of foreigners was caught on video attacking two Thai lifeguards at Nai Han Beach in the Rawai sub-district. The confrontation began after one of the lifeguards warned a tourist not…
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Udon Thani man missing after fishing trip at dangerous weir
A search operation was launched following the disappearance of a 59 year old man who went fishing at Huai Suang Luang weir in Mueang district, Udon Thani, yesterday, August 26. Despite warnings from his wife, who stayed home due to the heavy rain, he insisted on fishing. Rescue teams are still searching for him. The incident was reported to Police…
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Caught on camera: Patong burglar snared with 300k baht loot
Patong Police have arrested a 28 year old man from Phuket after linking him to a series of burglaries worth 300,000 baht. The suspect, Kittipong Boonchuay, was caught yesterday, August 26, at a rented house in Patong after CCTV evidence allegedly tied him to late-night thefts, where police say he used a motorbike to make quick getaways. Police estimate the…
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Thailand video news Phuket Issues Over 17,000 Fines to Tourists Driving Without Permits,Monk Caught on CCTV Pilfering Second-Hand Laptop in Nakhon Sawan
Thailand has seen a surge in unusual and high-profile incidents this week, from Phuket cracking down on foreign drivers with over 17,000 fines to border tensions escalating as Thai forces used sound cannons against Cambodian intruders. Other notable stories include a monk caught on CCTV stealing a laptop, a psychiatric patient causing panic with a machete rampage, and…
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Rayong police officer found dead, stress linked to financial woes
A 33 year old police officer was found dead at his residence behind the Nikhom Phatthana Police Station in Rayong province, allegedly due to stress over failing to secure 100,000 baht to settle a car accident claim. The scheduled payment was missed yesterday, August 26, at 3.45pm. Police Lieutenant Jiranawat Nijai, deputy inspector of Nikhom Phatthana Police Station, received the…
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Thailand axes M81 tolls ahead of King’s Cup showdown
Thailand’s M81 motorway is going toll-free for nearly two weeks to get fans pitch-side for the King’s Cup without the pain of fees. The Department of Highways has announced that the M81 motorway, connecting Bang Yai in Nonthaburi to Kanchanaburi, will be toll-free from 3pm on Friday, August 29 to 9am on Wednesday, September 10. The move is part of…
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Supermarket raid uncovers unapproved Chinese products in Pathum Thani
The public health ministry, along with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Consumer Protection Police Division, conducted a raid on a supermarket near a university on Phahonyothin Road, Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang district, Pathum Thani, yesterday, August 26. The operation followed student complaints about products lacking FDA approval, raising safety concerns. The inspection revealed a single glass-encased stall…
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Phra Bat Nampu ex-abbot claims designing Petronas Towers under stolen identity
An ex-abbot of Phra Bat Nampu Temple admitted to stealing the identity of a friend in order to avoid military conscription and work illegally in Malaysia, falsely claiming to be a designer of the Petronas Twin Towers. Officers from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) and the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) arrested the former abbot of Phra Bat Nampu, Kriangkrai “George”…
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Songkhla teacher under fire after alleged assault on pupil (video)
In Songkhla province, a kindergarten student’s guardian has expressed dissatisfaction after a teacher allegedly struck the child’s head, causing him to fall during a sports event. The incident prompted calls for the teacher’s immediate removal. The school principal acknowledged prior warnings about the teacher’s behaviour and announced an investigation. A video shared on Facebook shows a teacher pushing the back…
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Pattaya panic: Visa crackdowns and QR codes shake expat life
Pattaya’s carefree days are fading fast. Last year, the city embraced digital control: cashless payments, visa crackdowns, surveillance tech, and retirees are struggling to keep up. Once a haven for easy living, Pattaya now demands QR codes, clean records, and compliance, leaving old-school expats wondering if they still belong. Some expats argue that Pattaya is the same as ever: just…
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Landslide in Chiang Mai’s Pang Ung kills 1, destroys 5 homes
A landslide in Pang Ung village, Chiang Mai province, has destroyed five homes, resulting in one fatality. Over 10 people were injured, and one person remains missing. The incident occurred at 2.50am today, August 27, with emergency services promptly responding to the scene. Dusit Pongsapipat, head of the Chiang Mai provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office, confirmed the landslide struck…
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Heavy rains forecast in 39 Thai provinces, including Bangkok
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a warning for August 27, forecasting heavy rains in 39 provinces, including Bangkok, with 80% of the area expected to experience significant rainfall. Residents are advised to remain vigilant against flash floods and forest run-offs. Due to the monsoon trough passing through Myanmar into a low-pressure area in northern Thailand, coupled with moderate…
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Court rejects plea to block bail for woman who fatally stabs restaurant owner
A woman accused of fatally stabbing a Kamphaeng Phet restaurant owner was released on bail after the victim’s family failed to object. The attack reportedly stemmed from an incident in which the deceased was blamed for not protecting the suspect from a sexual assault. Officers from Khlong Khlung Police Station arrested 32 year old Jaruwan Jaifai for stabbing to death…
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Illegal Pattaya hotel ordered torn down after resident complaints
Pattaya residents have scored a victory after city officials ordered the demolition of parts of a controversial hotel project that locals say has been disrupting their neighbourhood. Deputy Mayor Manoch Nongyai, Acting Head of Building Control Marut Uthaiwattananon, and engineers from Pattaya City Hall, inspected the Super Villa Village on Soi Chaloem Phrakiat 29 following complaints. Residents said demolition and…
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Thai monk caught stealing second-hand laptop in Nakhon Sawan
A Thai couple shared CCTV footage online to expose a monk who stole a second-hand laptop from their shop in the northern province of Nakhon Sawan on Sunday, August 24. The couple, Oak and Nat, revealed details of the theft, which occurred at their shop on Sri Thep Road in Takhli district, during an interview with Workpoint News. They said…
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Prisoners and soldiers eyed to fix Thailand labour crisis
Thailand’s labour minister has unveiled a drastic plan to plug crippling worker shortages: by deploying prisoners, soldiers, and even youth offenders into the country’s struggling workforce. Labour Minister Pongkawin Jungrungruangkit said urgent action was needed to tackle a labour crisis gripping the agriculture and production sectors. He confirmed he would propose measures to the Cabinet this week to get more…
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Zimbabwean romance scammer escapes arrest from Phuket to Bangkok
Police arrested a Zimbabwean man at an apartment in Bangkok on Thursday, August 21, for operating a romance scam in Phuket and overstaying his visa. Multiple Thai women filed complaints against a Zimbabwean teacher, later identified as 37 year old Valentive Tandier, at Katu Police Station, saying they had been scammed out of valuables while in a relationship with the…
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Greenland mother’s baby seized despite ban on parenting tests
A young Greenlandic mother has been left heartbroken after Danish officials seized her newborn baby just an hour after birth, despite a new law banning the controversial parenting competence tests used to justify the removal. The young mother, 18 year old Ivana Nikoline Brønlund, who was born in Nuuk and has represented Greenland in handball, gave birth to her daughter,…
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Health Ministry crackdown on fake medical certificates for migrant workers
Deputy Health Minister Chaichana Deddejoh has revealed that several private hospitals in Samut Sakhon have been issuing fraudulent medical certificates to foreign workers, allowing them to register legally without undergoing proper health checks. The unlicensed hospital in question reportedly conducted health certificates for 15,000 migrant workers. Officials are now in the process of revoking all certificates issued. Chaichana explained that…
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Psychiatric patient causes chaos with machete rampage
At 9am today, 26 August, Lieutenant Yongyut Payungyat, Deputy Inspector for Crime Prevention at Mueang Ang Thong Police Station, was notified of a man wielding a machete on the side of Khlong Chonprathan Road, Village 7, Pang Ngiu Subdistrict, Mueang District, Ang Thong Province. Police rushed to the scene fully equipped with batons, a stun gun, and protective shields. …
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Thais hooked on AI holidays as 98% trust tech to plan trips
Thais are embracing artificial intelligence like no other, with almost everyone wanting AI to plan their next trip, according to a global survey by Booking.com. The Global AI Sentiment Report, which polled more than 37,000 people across 33 countries, shows Thailand topping the charts for enthusiasm, with 98% of respondents excited about AI and 96% saying they would use it…
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