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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Bomb discovered under resident’s car in southern Thailand
A potentially deadly attack was narrowly averted in southern Thailand on Saturday night after a young woman discovered a bomb attached to her aunt’s car while searching for a missing pet. The improvised explosive device was later safely disposed of by experts, but authorities are still investigating the motive behind the plot. Enaz Haji Taye, the owner of the Bangkok-registered…
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Thai AirAsia flight diverts to Chiang Mai Airport to escape hail storm
Thai AirAsia flight FD9122 from Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok to Nan province in northern Thailand diverted to Chiang Mai Airport yesterday after getting caught in a hail storm. After taking off from Bangkok at 5.25pm, the aircraft began experiencing turbulence upon almost reaching Nan Nakhon Airport, where it was scheduled to land at 6.45pm. A passenger told Matichon that…
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Thai man accuses wife of hiding 12 million baht lottery prize
A Thai man sought help from a well-known lawyer to file a lawsuit against his wife after he accused her of hiding a 12 million baht lottery prize from him. The woman insists she broke up with her husband several years before she scooped the windfall and remarried. He claims he had no idea about the breakup. The 47 year…
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Police rescue Thai woman held captive by Korean boyfriend
A harrowing tale is emerging of a Thai woman held captive by an abusive Korean boyfriend in Pattaya. The woman has now been rescued by police and rescue teams after the man allegedly attacked and detained her. The incident was reported to Banglamung Police at around 5pm yesterday at a condo in Naklua. Police raced to the scene to investigate. They…
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Two foreign kayakers rescued from Phuket sea
The search for two missing foreign tourists who disappeared after renting kayaks from a hotel on Coconut Island in Phuket, southern Thailand, on Friday has been called off. It turns out they were rescued by the captain of a yacht later that day. At 6pm yesterday, officers at Mueang Phuket Police Station, Tourist Police, Phuket Marine Police, and Koh Kaeo…
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Tuk Tuk driver caught stealing Swedish tourist’s phone
A tuk tuk taxi driver was arrested on Saturday in Patong for stealing an iPhone 14 Pro Max from a Swedish tourist in Patong. According to the Patong Police, Merdzana Pepic reported to the police station that she might have forgotten her mobile phone in a Tuk Tuk taxi. She had taken the tuk tuk taxi earlier in the morning,…
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Thai man attacks nephew’s 2 Pit Bulls with a meat cleaver
Two Pit Bulls are seriously injured after they were attacked with a meat cleaver by their owner’s neighbour, who is also his uncle, on Saturday night in Surat Thani province, southern Thailand. Late Saturday night, the Surat Thani Rescue Radio Centre received a call to help the two dogs attacked with a knife. Rescue workers found two Pit Bull dogs…
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Burmese man stabs 4 Thais after being rejected by woman in Koh Pha Ngan
A Burmese man in Koh Pha Ngan was arrested yesterday evening after he used scissors to stab a Thai woman who rejected him and three of her friends. The Burmese man, 31 year old Aung Htwe Naing, stabbed 29 year old Sukanya in a laundry shop in Koh Pha Ngan, where they worked at 2.30pm on Saturday, March 11. Aung…
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Foreign tourist dies on Doi Inthanon in northern Thailand
A foreign tourist lost consciousness and died at a car park on Doi Inthanon mountain in Chiang Mai province, northern Thailand, yesterday afternoon. The male tourist – name and nationality unknown – travelled to the mountain as part of a tour group, reports ThaiRath. He was estimated to be between 50 and 60 years old. The tour guide took the…
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Be like James Bond, drive the latest Aston Martin for only 25 million baht (video)
Aston Martin is acknowledged as an iconic global brand synonymous with style, luxury, performance, exclusivity and James Bond, and if you have a few bob to spare then the latest model is yours for about 25 million baht. The latest Aston Martin, the DBX707, not only fuses the latest technology, time-honoured craftsmanship and graceful styling, but it is also the world’s…
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78 baby sea turtles hatch, 96 more eggs laid in Phang Nga
It’s been a good week for sea turtles in Thailand, particularly in the southern province of Phang Nga. Not only did 78 baby leatherback sea turtles successfully hatch, but a green sea turtle laid 96 eggs this week. In a positive sign for conservation efforts in Thailand, dozens of baby sea turtles have hatched and made their way to the…
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Videos released from NZ pilot hostage in Papua
Three new videos have been released featuring a New Zealand pilot taken hostage by separatists in Indonesia’s Papua region. They call for the United Nations to mediate in the conflict in the resource-rich region. Philip Mehrtens, who works for the domestic Susi Air service, was abducted by the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) last month after landing…
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Thai officials look to food trucks to draw tourists
Thai officials are looking to food trucks to draw tourists. The Department of Business Development (DBD) in Thailand is exploring the potential of food trucks as a new tourist attraction in the country. According to Thosapone Dansuputra, the director-general of DBD, food trucks could serve as “destinations” that will not only stimulate the economy but also raise awareness of Thai…
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Mount Merapi volcano eruption in Indonesia
Mount Merapi, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, erupted again yesterday, spewing volcanic ash up to 7 kilometres. Details of the eruption were reported by the country’s Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Centre (BPPTKG). The eruption occurred around 12.12pm local time and a lava flow of 1.5 kilometres was observed. For the past several months, the volcano situated on…
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Officials bust Patong hookah venue over violations
Officials busted a Patong hookah venue on Friday night following complaints. The raid at Crystal Club on Bangla Road was ordered by Phuket Governor Narong, along with other officials. During the raid at around 11.30pm, officials seized a total of 52 hookah sets along with shisha and other equipment, and handed it to police, The Phuket News reported. The officials…
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Coral Rehabilitation for Divers Volunteers protects reefs
A new Coral Rehabilitation for a Divers Volunteers training program in Phuket has attracted several foreign divers interested in the restoration project. The course aims to provide participants with knowledge of how to operate procedures in coral rehabilitation following academic principles. The program, created by the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has…
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Chinese tourists bring Thai school uniform trend to famous spots in Phuket
Chinese tourists have now brought the new trend of dressing up in Thai school uniforms to famous spots in downtown Phuket. These hotspots include Museum Phuket, ThaiRath reported yesterday. The museum is a well known landmark with its clock standing high above the main building. Chinese tourists also enjoyed taking photos of themselves dressed in Thai school uniforms at Chiang Mai…
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Pattaya mayor attends Thailand tourism event in Germany
Thailand continues to make its mark as a tourism destination across the globe. Pattaya’s mayor this week visited Germany to attend a Thailand tourism event. Mayor Poramase Ngampiches visited Berlin to attend the ‘Discover Thailand, Journey to Happiness.’ The tourism stimulus expo was set to run from March 9 to 11, Pattaya News reported. The event aimed to attract high-spending…
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American injured in Pattaya car crash
An American man was injured in a Pattaya car crash this week. The man, 68 year old David Andrew Rogers, rear-ended an 18-wheeler rig with his pickup truck, Pattaya Mail reported. The collision caused Rogers’s Nissan Navara to flip. The incident happened on Tuesday, March 7 on Sukhumvit Road in front of Srisuvit School, located north of Rong Po market.…
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Do your part: sign up as a Phuket Tourist Police volunteer
For all the armchair activists and online commenters saying the police should take more action, now is your chance to help. The Phuket Tourist Police are looking for a few good men and women. They have announced that they are seeking foreign volunteers to assist with law enforcement on the island. But don’t delay – the last day to submit…
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Bank of Thailand announces new biometric scans for mobile banking
The Bank of Thailand announced new measures to protect consumers from cyber risks in mobile banking transactions. Biometric scans, such as facial scans, will be required for high-value transactions, including digital money transfers of over 50,000 baht per transaction, transfers over 200,000 baht per day, and credit transfer amounts of over 50,000 baht per transaction. Banks must adopt these measures…
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Loei festival next week features international masks
The northeastern province of Loei is set to host an international mask festival from March 17 to 19. The festival will showcase the cultural attractions of the province that borders Laos. Organisers hope to show visitors the charming atmosphere and vibrant colours of Loei at the three-day event. Naga courtyard will host the opening ceremony on March 17 at 6pm.…
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Gary Lineker’s colleagues come out in solidarity, refuse to do MOTD
Gary Lineker’s colleagues have downed tools and come out in solidarity after the BBC removed him as Match of the Day (MOTD) presenter following comments he made about the British government’s racist immigration policy. The 62 year old host of the BBC’s flagship show announced in a Twitter post on Tuesday to his 8.7 million followers, that the language used by…
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Bullets found on plane cause evacuation in Korea
A few stray bullets are enough to ruin an entire flight. Yesterday a Korean Air plane was evacuated after two live bullets were discovered on board. The incident took place at Incheon International Airport in South Korea. The plane was bound for Manila and had 230 passengers on board at the time. The discovery of the bullets resulted in the…
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Sattahip resort ordered to close for land encroachment
A lesson that never seems to be learned time and time again in Thailand: if you’re breaking the law, maybe don’t advertise it on social media. A luxury resort in the Sattahip district of Chon Buri has been ordered to close due to land encroachment after recently posted advertisements on social media for sea-view rooms. Star Over Sea received the…
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Family of British man in coma needs help to bring him home from Thailand
A British man’s family is appealing for help to bring him home from Thailand, where he is fighting for his life following a terrible motorbike crash. The man, 32 year old Jay Bridgehouse from Stockport, travelled to Thailand for a chance to ‘chase his dreams’ and look for work, Manchester Evening News reported. But tragedy struck when a pickup truck ploughed…
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Snake catcher wrangles king cobra at farang’s house in Krabi, Thailand (video)
A snake catcher makes wrangling a king cobra look like a piece of snake in a clip filmed at a farang’s house in Krabi, southern Thailand, last week. A foreigner living in the Ao Nang area of Krabi walked outside to find a venomous 3.5-metre-long king cobra (ngoo jong ang) lying in the garden in front of his one-storey house.…
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Singaporean man attacked by Chinese businessman in Bangkok
A Singaporean man sought help from a well-known lawyer after Thai police ignored an attack by a Chinese businessman in Bangkok six months ago. The Singaporean alleges police are ignoring the assault because the Chinese man has financial and political influence. The Singaporean man named Tony urged the Thai lawyer, Ronnarong Kaewphet, to help him follow up on the assault…
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Another meeting with French consul on French motorbikers in Phuket
There’s been yet another meeting with the French Consul in Phuket addressing the issue of dangerous motorbike driving by French nationals on the island. This is after the former French Consul in Phuket met with Patong Police over the issue just last month. The Honorary Consul of France in Phuket, Alain Faudot, along with the Consul at the French Embassy…
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Blind transwoman overcomes adversity of being blind in Thailand
A Thai transwoman was praised by netizens for her courage and self-confidence as she fights to overcome the adversity of being blind in Thailand. She searched for her dream job, despite having a disability, in a bid to prove that blind people are as able as others. The 24 year old transwoman Chitsanucha “Grace” Krachornsook posted an advert on a…
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