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 Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Rama II expressway lane reopens after fatal bridge collapse
The inbound lane to the expressway on Rama II Road, affected by the bridge project collapse last Saturday, will reopen by tomorrow. The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) stated that demolition work on the collapsed bridge is 90% complete, with the contractor, Italian-Thai Development (ITD), pledging compensation for victims. The collapse on Saturday, March 15, involved a concrete beam under…
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Police mistake mannequins for bodies in Chon Buri trash pile
Officers from Huai Yai Police Station in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district responded to a report of two bodies found in an embrace amidst a pile of trash. The incident occurred on Thong Chai 1 Alley, near the railway road in Mueang Huai Yai, yesterday, March 18, at 11pm,. However, upon investigation, it was revealed that the figures were not…
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Bangkok creator hunts aliens at Thailand’s Area 51 (video)
A Bangkok content creator set out on a pilgrimage to Thailand’s Area 51 to discover any truth in locals’ belief that UFOs, aliens and extraterrestrials not only exist in the mountain region of Khao Kala, but walk among us. Residents believe that when they meditate in front of a Buddha statue in Khao Kala, Thailand’s Area 51, they hear alien…
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PM rejects opposition’s request for full 30-hour debate control
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has not approved the opposition’s request to control the entire duration of a 30-hour censure debate. She acknowledged that determining the length of the debate is not within her authourity. Yesterday, March 18, the Thai PM commented that the opposition’s request might not be logical, a sentiment echoed by the coalition government, which found the demand excessive.…
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Man found dead in Chachoengsao cattle pen amid financial woes
A 29 year old man was found dead in an abandoned cattle pen in Chachoengsao province, leaving behind his wife and three children. He was reported missing after expressing stress over financial issues and poor sales. The discovery was made on March 19 at 3am, when Police Lieutenant Colonel Attachapan Kochasi from Khlong Khuean Police Station was informed of the…
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Pattaya takraw players forced to practice in darkness
Residents and athletes are in the dark, literally, at a local sports facility in Chon Buri, where the lack of lighting has left players stranded in the shadows. The Nong Pla Lai Takraw Group is urgently calling on Thai officials to fix the issue, which has made night-time training impossible and raised safety concerns. In a recent complaint, 31 year…
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Bite club arrest: German man sinks teeth into chaos in Korat
The German man has been arrested after he went on a jaw-dropping rampage in Korat, biting female dentists and leaving chaos in his wake. The German, Matthias Ebner, infamous in Nakhon Ratchasima province for his savage antics, has finally been apprehended following a biting incident that left the city in uproar. Dubbed the “Dental Menace,” Ebner, married to a local…
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2 German models steal from Koh Pha Ngan shop twice in one day
The Thai owner of a handcrafted home goods store on Koh Pha Ngan in the southern province of Surat Thani refused to compromise with two German male models who stole products from her store twice on the same day yesterday, March 18. The owner of the Sprout store, Ploy, took to Facebook and Instagram to expose the two German thieves after…
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Wombat woes: American flees to Thailand after Aussie uproar
An American woman’s ill-fated encounter with a wombat joey has sparked uproar Down Under, sending her fleeing to Thailand in the wake of a furious Aussie backlash. An Australian influencer called out the American on TikTok labelling her a “pig,” “narcasist” and a “terrible woman” after she posted a video of her snatching the joey from its distressed mother. The…
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German tourist’s love for Thai salted mackerel goes viral on TikTok
A German man went viral among Thai TikTok users after sharing a video of his favourite Thai dish, bought from a market in the southern province of Krabi, in an attempt to discover its exact name from Thai netizens. The German tourist, Manuel Calumet, shared a video of himself and his family visiting a market in Krabi on Friday, March…
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Thai it all together: Storms, PM2.5 smog and rough seas ahead
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has warned of summer storms across much of Thailand today, with thunderstorms and rough seas expected in the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea. Meanwhile, northern Thailand continues to face persistent PM2.5 pollution. The TMD forecasts weather conditions over the next 24 hours, indicating that a high-pressure system or a relatively strong cold air mass…
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Former Thai rock star arrested for alleged drug peddling and abuse
Former Thai rockband I-Zax frontman Patcharapol “Zax” Parnpoom has been arrested in Bangkok for allegedly abusing and trafficking drugs, marking a dramatic fall from his former music fame. The arrest follows an investigation tied to a major drug network, with police linking the 47 year old former rock star to multiple illegal activities. Patcharapol, once the lead singer of the…
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Myanmar woman arrested for illegal gambling in Pathum Thani
Police arrested a Myanmar woman for her involvement in running an illegal online gambling operation in Thailand. The arrest, carried out by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and Crime Suppression Division (CSD), occurred near a construction site in Pathum Thani province. Nin, who came to Thailand in 2023 for work, was recruited by a labour broker who convinced her to…
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Baht boost: Thailand greenlights 200 billion for Bangkok transit line
Thailand has sanctioned investment applications amounting to a total of 200 billion baht, spearheaded by a Bangkok transit line and three data centres, offering a potential uplift to the country’s subdued economic growth. The primary initiative is Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc’s 109 billion baht (US$3.2 billion) investment in the Orange Line, aimed at connecting Bangkok’s western and eastern suburbs,…
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Off-duty nurses try to save crash victim in fatal Pattaya accident
A tragic accident on Highway 36 in East Pattaya left a 63 year old motorcyclist dead after he crashed into the back of a 10-wheel trailer. Despite the heroic efforts of three off-duty nurses who happened to be passing by, the man could not be revived. Emergency responders were alerted to the crash in the Pong area of Bang Lamung…
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Motorcyclist dies after crashing into tree on dark Trang road
Police in Mueang Trang district yesterday were informed of a severe motorcycle accident involving a collision with a French mahogany tree, locally known as Yem Chuan, along a dark road in Moo 7, Ban Pho subdistrict. Fifty-three-year-old Koson Chaitong from Bangkok was found unconscious beneath a tree yesterday, March 17, with a blue Honda Dream motorcycle bearing the license plate…
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Pickup truck’s unsafe metal door transport sparks expressway safety alert
A post from the ข่าวสารงานจราจรทางพิเศษ บางพลี-สุขสวัสดิ์ (Bang Phli-Suksawat Expressway Traffic News) Facebook page today highlighted a safety concern involving a pickup truck carrying metal doors on an expressway. The image accompanying the post showed the truck transporting oversized doors without proper securing methods. The post indicated that such vehicles are not allowed on expressways, as it violated regulations and poses…
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Illegal Thai workers send billions home despite crackdowns
Thailand’s workforce abroad is pumping an astonishing 400 billion baht into the economy each year—much of it from illegal workers, according to Labour Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn. Despite government crackdowns, the number of undocumented Thai workers overseas remains high, with 382,699 working illegally last year alone. While Thailand sent 92,392 legal workers abroad in 2024, a drop of 11% from 2023…
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Walking the talk: Bangkok chief to revamp Asoke footpaths by July
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt plans to renovate footpaths along Asoke Montri Road, with the project expected to start by July this year. Governor Chadchart, accompanied by Deputy Governor Wissanu Subsomphon, inspected the footpath along Asoke Montri Road on Sunday, March 16, to assess pedestrian issues in the area. He also livestreamed his visit on his Facebook page. The governor revealed…
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Man meditates on Bangkok’s Democracy Monument, sparks emergency response
A man dressed in white robes drew the public’s attention when he climbed the Democracy Monument and meditated on one of its ledges. The incident, which occurred around 3.40pm yesterday, March 17, prompted police and rescue workers to respond to the scene. The man, sitting in a meditative pose, caused confusion among passersby on Ratchadamnoen Road. Police and rescue teams,…
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Tourists fume over persistent foreign beggars in Pattaya
Tourists flocking to Pattaya, particularly around the notorious Walking Street area, are growing increasingly frustrated with the ongoing issue of foreign beggars harassing visitors. Many of these beggars, often accompanied by young children ranging from infants to seven to 10 years old, can be seen wandering the streets selling goods or soliciting money. When tourists refuse to buy, some beggars…
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High-speed chase: Thai mother rescues autistic son from gang
A Thai mother successfully rescued her autistic son from a call centre scam gang following a high-speed chase on a road in the Isaan province of Buriram. The 38 year old mother, Suthiya, contacted Channel 8 to share her and her son’s experience in order to issue a warning to others. Suthiya stated, “Call centre scammers are still everywhere around…
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Cambodian woman claims friend stole 12 million baht lottery win
A Cambodian woman sought police assistance after her friend allegedly disappeared with two winning lottery tickets she had bought on her behalf. The tickets, valued at 12 million baht, were reportedly documented by the friend at the Bang Na Police Station. Piang, a Cambodian worker, yesterday, March 17, approached Police Lieutenant Colonel Kamonrat Phanoi, Deputy Superintendent (Investigation) at Bang Bua…
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6 thieves, including foreigner, wanted for robbing Laotian woman in Pattaya
Six thieves, one a foreigner, robbed and brutally slashed a Laotian woman’s face with a knife in Pattaya. The Laotian woman reached out to a famous Thai social media influencer for help as there has been no developments since the attack a month ago. Guntouch “Gun” Pongpaiboonwet accompanied the Laotian victim, Waewta, to Mueang Pattaya Police Station to follow up…
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Suicidal Thai woman thanks public donations relieving hardship
A suicidal Thai woman expressed gratitude for the support she received, alleviating her financial burdens. Her husband previously resorted to eating dog food due to hunger. The situation came to light when Police Lieutenant Pornsak Saneha received a report of a potential suicide attempt near a pier along the Bang Pakong River in Mueang Chachoengsao district. Rescue workers found the…
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Branching out: Bangkok governor vows to plant over a million trees
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt announced a plan to plant 1.06 million trees in the eastern suburbs of the capital by April next year. The initiative will span nine districts, with the majority of 400,000 trees being planted in Nong Chok district. Klong Sam Wa and Lat Krabang will each see 300,000 trees, while the remaining districts will receive 10,000 trees…
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Neighbour attacks Buriram couple with machete over noise
A 37 year old woman reported to Mueang Buriram Police Station after a neighbour allegedly assaulted her husband with a machete. The incident took place on March 15, resulting in injuries to both the woman’s husband and herself. Following the attack, the husband was hospitalised at Buriram Hospital. The incident occurred while the couple was playing online slots at their…
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Illegal kratom and cigarette ring busted in Bangkok
Three young people were apprehended today in the Thon Buri district of Bangkok for operating an illicit business involving the sale of contraband cigarettes and kratom juice mixed with cough syrup. The operation yielded daily earnings of nearly 10,000 baht. Police Major General Thathapoom Charupradit, head of the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECS), directed Police Colonel Naruepol Karuna and Police…
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Thailand urges Singapore to boost rice and egg imports
Thai Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan has urged Singapore to increase its imports of Thai rice and free-range eggs following the seventh Singapore-Thailand Enhanced Economic Relationship (STEER) meeting. Held on March 14 in Singapore, the meeting was co-chaired by Doctor Tan See Leng, Singapore’s Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry. The discussions aimed at boosting trade and…
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Holy serpent! Monk spotted cruising Pattaya with a snake
A Thai woman captured a monk riding a motorcycle with a snake draped over his shoulder on a Pattaya road. The video has since exploded on social media, instantly going viral. The 40 year old woman, Bang-on Chom-ngam, witnessed the alleged monk’s reckless riding and recorded a video of him, sharing it with local media outlets. She hoped to verify…
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