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.
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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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MPs approve 2026 education budget, but some are sceptic
The House of Representatives has given its approval to the Ministry of Education’s budget proposal during the second reading, as discussions on the 2026 fiscal year budget bill proceeded in a special session. The budget allocations received the support of 253 MPs, while 121 opposed and 26 abstained. The second reading involved a detailed section-by-section review, with the Ministry of…
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Karon Municipality ordered to clear Kata Beach chairs in 15 days
The National Anti-Corruption Commission’s (NACC) Phuket office has instructed Karon Municipality to remove all beach chairs from Kata Beach within 15 days; failure to comply will result in legal action. The directive was announced by Suwat Saowarat, Director of NACC Phuket, during a meeting with the Karon Mayor and local officials yesterday, August 15. Following the meeting, an inspection took…
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Bangkok nightclub raided, 328 detained in Huai Khwang operation
Yesterday, August 15, police conducted a raid on an illegal nightclub in Huai Khwang district, Bangkok, detaining 328 patrons, including 122 Thais and 206 foreigners. Six individuals tested positive for drugs, and four packets of “happy water” were discovered. Huai Khwang Police Station, in collaboration with various enforcement units including the Metropolitan Police Division and the Office of the Narcotics…
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High-speed racing crash on expressway causes hefty pile up
In the early hours of today, August 16, an incident involving high-speed racing led to a collision on the Udon Ratthaya expressway, resulting in damage to approximately ten vehicles. The accident occurred at around 1.30am on the expressway in Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi province. The crash, captured by a dashcam, showed several cars racing, then crashing, leading to a multi-vehicle…
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Pathum Thani police arrest trio with 422kg of crystal meth
Yesterday, August 15, police in Pathum Thani arrested three individuals for possessing nearly 500 kilogrammes of crystal meth. The arrest took place in a three-storey commercial building in Lam Luk Ka district, where the drugs were hidden. Prior investigations by the Sai Mai Police Station revealed that 27 year old Anawin, also known as ‘Win Chon Buri’, was suspected of…
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Thailand allows drone operations from August 16 to 31
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has issued an announcement permitting the operation of unmanned aircraft (drones) from August 16 to 31, between 6am and 6pm. This follows a suspension from July 30 to August 15, requested by national security agencies to mitigate risks near the Thai-Cambodian border. The announcement stated that drones of all types are allowed to…
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Two Thai police officers arrested in major drug network crackdown
Yesterday, August 15, two police officers were arrested for their involvement in a drug network, leading to the seizure and freezing of assets worth 35.2 million baht. The operation involved multiple police units focusing on money laundering activities linked to drug trafficking. Police Lieutenant General Santi Chaiyanirami, Commander of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, and Police Lieutenant General Surapol Prembutr, Commander…
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People’s Party opposes 2026 budget bill over economic concerns
The People’s Party (PP) has decided to oppose the 2026 fiscal budget bill during its final reading in Parliament yesterday, Friday, August 15, criticising the government’s spending plan for not adequately reflecting the current economic conditions. PP Deputy Leader Sirikanya Tansakul disclosed the party’s decision at around 1pm yesterday in Parliament. She indicated that the PP planned to reject the…
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Heavy rain alert in Thailand: 80% of regions under threat
The Meteorological Department (TMD) has forecasted intense to very intense rainfall across four regions in Thailand, which includes 48 provinces, with Bangkok experiencing a 70% chance of heavy rain. TMD authorities have issued warnings for potential flash floods and forest run-off today, August 16, due to a monsoon trough influencing the north and northeast, coupled with a strengthening southwest monsoon…
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Thai-born American man dies in accident after being lured by Meta AI chatbot
A 76 year old Thai-born American man died following an accident after being lured to a meeting arranged by a Meta artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot on Facebook, which he believed was a real woman. According to a Reuters report, the incident took place in March this year when Thongbue Wongbandue, who suffered from brain impairment due to paralysis, packed up…
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Paetongtarn defends negotiation strategy in leaked conversation
Suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has presented her defence to the Constitutional Court, asserting that her remarks in a leaked conversation with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen were part of a negotiation strategy and not an improper offer of favours. In her written submission, she addressed a contentious statement from the audio clip, where she said… “If there’s anything you…
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3 teenagers arrested for burning disabled dog in Lampang temple
Police arrested three Thai teenagers for burning a disabled dog alive in a temple bathroom in the northern province of Lampang. Locals in the Ko Kha district of Lampang reported the cruel act by the 14 year old suspects to the Watchdog Thailand Foundation (WDT) yesterday, August 14. The incident had occurred the previous week in the abandoned bathroom of…
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Phuket bar raid uncovers underage trafficking, three arrested
Yesterday, August 14, police raided a well-known bar in Phuket, arresting three individuals for allegedly trafficking underage girls and a transgender teenager. The suspects face serious charges of human trafficking. Police Major General Songklod Krikkritaya, the commander of the Anti-Human Trafficking Division (AHTD), directed the operation. The arrests took place at a bar located in Mueang district, Phuket province. The…
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Phuket district chief addresses viral altercation over rental motorcycle dispute
A district chief in Phuket clarified details about a physical altercation involving nearly 20 foreigners and two Thai men in a dispute over a rental motorcycle, promising to ensure justice for both parties. Kathu District Chief Akkaraphon Sutthirak, yesterday, August 14, addressed the viral incident between a group of foreigners and two Thai men, one of whom was the owner of…
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AirAsia flight lands at wrong airport in South Korea, passengers confused
An AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur landed at the wrong airport in South Korea on Wednesday, August 13, leaving passengers and even flight attendants confused. AirAsia Flight D7 506 to South Korea was scheduled to arrive at Incheon International Airport at 7.50pm, but instead touched down at Gimpo International Airport, around 40 kilometres away, at 8.08pm. South Korea’s JoongAng Daily…
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Thai man’s calm response to snack theft goes viral on TikTok
A Thai grocery store owner shared a video on TikTok showing her husband watching a Burmese thief stealing snacks from their store in the central province of Pathum Thani, delighting Thai netizens. The store owner, Sumalee Wongintawang, posted the video of her husband on her TikTok account, @su.pananchita995, on Tuesday, August 12, with the caption… “#GoodHusbandIsNewHusband #ThisIsMyHusbandLol”. The caption was…
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MPs question 41 million baht budget for Phayao agricultural market
Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) have expressed concerns over the budget allocation by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, focusing on a 41 million baht investment for a central agricultural market in Phayao. These concerns were raised during a special session of the House dedicated to the second reading of the 2026 fiscal budget bill, which totals 3.78 trillion baht.…
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Thailand tourism faces slowdown amid Vietnam, South Korea competition
As travellers are shifting their sights to Vietnam and South Korea, intensified competition in Asia’s tourism market may lead to a slowdown in Thailand’s tourism sector for the rest of 2025. According to industry experts, the expansion of visa exemptions from the two nations will most likely siphon tourists away from the Kingdom. Additionally, the domestic co-payment subsidy initiative has…
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British motorcyclist attacked after wheelie crash injures Thai woman
A British man last night, August 14, performed wheelies along a road in Pattaya before crashing into the motorcycle of a Thai woman, leaving her in a serious condition. The foreign suspect was reportedly attacked by angry locals after the collision. Rescuers from the Sawang Borriboon Thammasathan Foundation were alerted to the accident at around 11pm. The incident occurred in…
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Thailand video news | Strong baht and safety concerns threaten Thai tourism recovery, Bangkok crowned best city in the world for Gen Z in 2025
In today’s Thailand Video News, Alex reports on stories from across the country. Highlights include the slump in Thai tourism driven by an unusually strong Baht and rising safety concerns among Chinese visitors. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is working to boost visitor numbers, and Bangkok has just been crowned the world’s best city for Gen Z. Strong Baht and…
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Phuket seeks special status to tackle infrastructure woes
Phuket is seeking a transformation into a special administrative area to address its significant infrastructure and environmental challenges, according to Governor Sophon Suwannarat. At a recent press conference, Sophon highlighted the province’s pressing issues, such as clean water shortages, inadequate wastewater management, waste disposal concerns, and road safety problems. Budget constraints are hampering large-scale improvements, with the administration’s current budget…
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Senate proposes aid reduction for Cambodian students
A proposal by a Senate education committee to reduce funding for undocumented Cambodian students in Thailand has faced criticism from a fellow senator and human rights advocate, who claims it could breach international humanitarian laws and children’s rights. Kamol Rodklai, Chair of the Senate committee on Education, Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, urged the government on Wednesday, August 13,…
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Thief in delivery uniform escapes with over 8 million baht in gold
A male thief in a delivery rider’s uniform remains at large after stealing gold accessories worth over 8 million baht from a shop inside a shopping mall in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok. The manager of the Yaowarat Krung Thep gold shop reported the heist to Bang Bo Police Station at 3.50pm yesterday, August 14. According to the manager, the…
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Armed Thai soldier opens fire on civilians in Surin, injuring 2 victims
The Royal Thai Army (RTA) is pursuing a soldier who fled his military base with an M16 rifle and opened fire on civilians in Kap Choeng district, in the Isaan province of Surin, injuring two people. The official Facebook page of the 2nd Army Area reported this morning, August 15, that troops heard a burst of ten gunshots near Ban…
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Bitcoin prices hit new highs, Invro Mining helps fuel Thailand’s cloud mining revolution and earn BTC
Bitcoin has officially crossed the historic $120,000 threshold, sparking a wave of excitement across Thailand’s already thriving crypto scene. As the digital asset market grows hotter, many investors are stepping away from high-risk trading and instead embracing cloud mining — a safer, more predictable way to generate daily cryptocurrency income without the complexity of managing mining hardware. One name stands…
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Thai transwoman says nightclub guard assaulted her over mismatched ID photo
A Thai transwoman is seeking justice, accusing a nightclub security guard in the northern province of Chiang Rai of physically assaulting her for looking different from the photograph on her identification card. The 19 year old transgender victim, identified only as Weerapong, told ThaiRath that the incident occurred outside a nightclub in Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai, on the night…
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Border clash victims complain over extra costs for document copies in Buriram
Locals in the Isaan province of Buriram are demanding an investigation after a community leader collected an extra cost of 20 baht from residents who claimed compensation following recent border clashes. A resident from the border community in Nong Wang sub-district, Lahan Sai district, told reporters she was unhappy about the fee. She claimed the community leader collected 20 baht from…
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Russian man arrested in Phuket over illegal possession of firearms
Police arrested a Russian man today, August 14, for illegally possessing firearms after he fled from an arrest in Bangkok and hid in Phuket. Officers from the Phuket Provincial Immigration Bureau apprehended the 27 year old Russian national, whose identity was withheld, following an arrest warrant issued by the Phra Khanong Criminal Court in Bangkok. The warrant, issued on July…
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Thai woman arrested for luring women into illegal surrogacy for foreigners
Police arrested a Thai woman at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakan province, near Bangkok, yesterday, August 13, for recruiting women for illegal surrogacy services. Officers from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and Immigration Division 2 arrested the woman, identified as Urairisa, who allegedly offered surrogacy services to foreigners illegally. She was detained at the departure terminal on the…
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Thai man escapes with 51 lottery tickets using fake transfer slip
A Thai lottery vendor in the Isaan province of Udon Thani lost 51 tickets to a man who used a fake money transfer slip to pay for the tickets yesterday, August 13. The female owner of a lottery stall outside a fresh food market in Udon Thani filed a theft complaint at Nong Wua So Police Station yesterday afternoon. She…
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