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 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Kok River pollution triggers health alert in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai
The discovery of arsenic and lead contamination in the Kok River, particularly in the Mae Ai district of Chiang Mai province, has prompted health warnings for residents in both Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Levels of arsenic and lead were found to exceed the standard limits, with arsenic measured at 0.026 mg/litre and lead at 0.076 mg/litre. The acceptable levels…
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Chinese fugitive arrested in Bangkok after two decades on the run
Thai police have apprehended a 52 year old Chinese national, owner of a popular mala restaurant in Bangkok, for allegedly shooting a compatriot in 2003. The suspect, Zhang Lao Er, had been evading police for over two decades before being captured. Yesterday, April 5, Police Major General Witaya Sriprasertphap directed the arrest of Zhang in connection with an outstanding warrant…
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Phatthalung man burns thief’s motorcycle after banana theft
A 45 year old man from Phatthalung set a motorcycle ablaze after catching a thief stealing bananas from his garden. The incident occurred at 9.30pm yesterday, April 5, when Bunrin (surname withheld) discovered the thief in his banana plantation in Mueang district’s Na Nod subdistrict. Bunrin, who cultivates namwa, egg, and cavendish bananas on his four rai plot, has faced…
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Woman claims doctor urged her to die in Udon Thani hospital
A 24 year old woman, from Nong Han district in Udon Thani province, reported a distressing encounter with a doctor at a local hospital’s emergency room. Chompoo claims the doctor used harsh language, telling her to die, which left her in tears. The incident occurred on April 3, when she sought medical attention for depression and bipolar disorder. Chompoo explained…
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Fatal crash on Bangkok expressway leaves woman dead, man injured
A collision occurred on the Chalerm Maha Nakhon Expressway in Klong Toei, Bangkok, when a car crashed into the rear of a parked six-wheel truck. The female driver died at the scene, while a male passenger in the front seat sustained severe injuries. Police Lieutenant Colonel Phakamart Kamonsan from the Expressway Police Station 1 and her team, along with rescue…
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Woman arrested after cutting painter’s rope in high-rise incident
A woman charged with cutting a rope used by a painter in a high-profile 2021 incident has been apprehended. She had evaded a court summons after being convicted of attempted murder and property damage. Known for her reclusive behaviour, she was finally captured by police. In 2021, a painter working on a 32-storey building in Pak Kret was forced to…
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Bangkok street cleaner attacked in viral video, governor vows action (video)
A video shared on the Red Skull XXX page has sparked significant public discussion. The clip shows a Bangkok street cleaner being violently struck by a man, culminating in a blow from behind that causes the cleaner to fall to the ground. The accompanying post noted, “Influential person hits street cleaner in Samphanthawong district. This is all the information available…
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Tragedy in Bangkok: Fatalities rise in building collapse
A spokesperson from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration confirmed an increase in fatalities within Zone B, beneath the rubble of the collapsed State Audit Office building. Efforts to penetrate Zone C continue, as it is believed more people may be trapped there, a location where many fled during the incident. At 5pm yesterday, April 5, T the new State Audit Office…
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Chinese tourist found dead on Pattaya beach with unexplained injuries
A 40 year old Chinese tourist, holding a Thailand Privilege Card visa, was discovered dead on Yin Yom Beach in South Pattaya yesterday morning, April 5. The man, who had bruises on his forehead and neck, was found face down behind a hotel. Police Lieutenant Colonel Saijai Khamjulla of the Pattaya City Police Station was informed of the incident at…
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51 Thai provinces brace for storms and severe heat
Weather forecasts indicate that 51 provinces in Thailand, including Bangkok, are experiencing thunderstorms, strong winds, and some hail. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) warns of severe heat in parts of the region, with a 20% chance of thunderstorms in Bangkok as of today, April 6. The weather forecast for the next 24 hours reveals that a moderate high-pressure system from…
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Chon Buri hospital simulates mass crash ahead of Songkran chaos
With the deadly Songkran road rush just around the corner, one hospital in Chon Buri isn’t taking any chances—staging a mass casualty drill to brace for the holiday’s inevitable accident surge. Samitivej Sriracha Hospital recently ran a full-scale emergency exercise simulating a horrific collision between a passenger truck and a motorcycle that left 15 people “injured.” The high-intensity drill, though staged,…
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Steel firm faces axe over Bangkok quake collapse
A steel manufacturer under fire for producing substandard materials linked to the collapse of a Bangkok government building is now facing the axe—Industry Minister Akanat Promphan demands that their investment privileges be revoked. In a fiery Facebook post yesterday, April 4, Akanat announced he had signed a letter seeking the removal of benefits granted to Xin Ke Yuan Steel, accusing…
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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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Mild earthquake shakes Pai as Myanmar tremors surge nearby
Tourists in Thailand’s popular northern getaway Pai woke up to an unexpected jolt after a mild earthquake struck the area early this morning, April 5—part of a cluster of tremors shaking nearby Myanmar. At around 6am, a 2.1-magnitude earthquake was recorded in Pai district, Mae Hong Son province, at a shallow depth of just 1 kilometre. While the quake was…
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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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Trat city opposes Koh Chang expressway, fears economic impact
Residents and business owners in Trat city have expressed strong opposition to a proposed 5.9-kilometre expressway connecting Laem Ngob district to Koh Chang. They contend that this new route, which bypasses the city, could adversely affect the local economy. A second public consultation for the expressway project took place at Trat City Hotel in Mueang district on Wednesday, April 2.…
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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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Phuket trials emergency alert system after earthquake failures
In the wake of the March 28 earthquake that rocked Thailand, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has swiftly rolled out a trial run of a new Cell Broadcast alert system in Phuket, aiming to overhaul the country’s emergency alert infrastructure. During the trial, the system showed promising results on Android devices, providing real-time alerts without delays. However,…
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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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Meth, mayhem and the macabre: Pattaya man busted
In a twisted tale straight out of a crime thriller, a Pattaya man was arrested after police caught him using methamphetamine (meth) in a junkyard, surrounded by stolen human remains. The shocking discovery left locals stunned and police scrambling for answers. At around 10.30pm on Wednesday, April 2, officers from Bang Lamung Police swooped in on a notorious abandoned area…
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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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