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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Starting a new life abroad is exciting—new culture, new lifestyle, and new chances to grow. But living far from home also means taking steps to protect your health in unfamiliar surroundings. Without the right coverage, even small health issues can...
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Benevolent Bangkok cabbie drives 12 hours to take destitute family home
A benevolent Bangkok taxi driver drove 12 hours for free to take a family of three to their hometown in the Isaan province of Udon Thani after they were evicted from a rental room in the capital because they couldn’t afford to pay the rent. The taxi driver, Anurak Nakgamthong, posted the heartwarming story and pictures of his passengers on…
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Monkeypox variants renamed to avoid offending people
The World Health Organisation renamed the monkeypox variants from the Congo Basin, and West Africa to Clade I, and Clade II to avoid offending different sections of society. The WHO is also inviting the public to suggest a new name for the monkeypox disease. The WHO announced the two new variants of the monkeypox disease on Friday. The organisation reported…
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Thai doctor slaps a 3 year old for swearing & refuses to treat him
The family of a three year old boy filed a complaint to the police after a male doctor slapped the child in the face and refused to give him treatment. The doctor said he refused to treat the boy because he had insulted him. The child’s 24 year old mother, Sutharat, shared the story on the Facebook page Let Me…
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Thailand records fifth case of monkeypox in Thai woman
A Thai woman who recently returned to Thailand from Dubai has tested positive for the monkeypox virus. The positive result was confirmed today by Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health. Airport staff noticed that the 25 year old woman looked unwell and had blisters on her body when she arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport on August 14, so they took her to…
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Thai temple man charged with murder of alleged would-be robber
Police revealed a temple servant wanted for murder surrendered at Hat Yai police station yesterday at about 5pm. Pinyo Suwanno, who helps out at a temple near Niphat Songkhro 2 Road, Hat Yai Municipality, Songkhla Province, confessed to killing 47-year-old Thammarit Ngamchom because he overheard him plan a robbery of the temple. The 48 year old alleged murderer, also known…
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Cannabis is illegal on Khao San Road, officials call for crackdown
In the ever-meandering journey of cannabis legalisation, with the plant being legalised for growing, selling, and consuming with very few rules and now receiving pushback for that lack of regulation, Khao San Road is being reminded that it’s NOT legal there. While about a million people have been licensed to sell cannabis now, smoking in public can be prosecuted as…
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Crocodile turns up in an unusual location: the heart of Bangkok
Visitors to Thailand are often amazed by the wildlife they can see: elephants, tigers, crocodiles, lizards, dolphins, whales and sharks, and so much more. There are areas – like nature reserves, marine parks, farms, and sanctuaries – where you can travel to meet these creatures, and downtown Bangkok is not usually one of them. But residents were stunned to run…
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48 year old Thai man gets first ID card after a lifetime of trying
A 48 year old Thai man finally got his first ID card after a lifetime of trying, thanks to a little help from the Thai media. The man, Sena Sriphet, is from the Koh Chan district in Chon Buri province, but he moved to live with his wife in the Nong Bua sub-district, Pa Kam district, in the Isaan province…
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4am alcohol curfew may increase revenue, but also crime, deaths
Supporters of the current proposal to allow nightlife entertainment venues to open and serve booze until 4am in some tourist provinces think it will allow money-spending customers to drink alcohol and party for a few extra hours. Meanwhile, opposition to the proposal worries that it will allow customers to drink alcohol and party for a few extra hours, with dire…
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Mountain B fire claims 19th life, 23 year old woman dies in hospital
A 23 year old woman injured in the Mountain B nightclub fire in Chon Buri’s Sattahip district on August 5 passed away at Chon Buri hospital at 2.50am today – leaving her five year old daughter without a mother or father. The fire, which has now claimed 19 lives and 26 people who are still receiving treatment in hospital, also…
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Another long weekend brings huge crowds to Surat Thani
Another long holiday weekend has benefited tourism in southern Thailand, as the province of Surat Thani recorded over 57,000 visitors. Both domestic and foreign travellers made their way down to Surat’s popular islands for the three-day weekend. Data shared by the Surat Thani office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said that 24,639 foreigners made their way to one…
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1 dead, 4 injured as gunmen rampage at a Bangkok wedding
Police are on the lookout for rampaging gunmen on motorbikes who shot and killed one man and injured another four people yesterday at a marriage ceremony in Din Daeng district of Bangkok. The families of 25 year old groom, Fahlan, and 24 year old bride, Jinsujee, held a marriage ceremony at the bride’s home in Soi Sutthipong 1/1 on Sutthisan…
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Speedo-wearing middle-aged joggers in Jomtien cause uproar
Scantily clad women are a fairly common sight in Pattaya, in clubs by night and on the beach by day. But when the gender roles were reversed, people on social media were going nuts over two middle-aged men jogging up Jomtien Beach Road, wearing nothing more than tight Speedo bathing shorts as they ran. Photos posted on social media on…
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Which type of health insurance do you need in Thailand?
There are numerous different types of health insurance available in Thailand to meet your needs. But with so many options, choosing a health insurance plan can be complicated, especially if you are a foreigner living in the country. When the question arises as to what type of health insurance you should get, you’ll need to make a decision based on…
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Gunman wounds 8 in Jerusalem, 48 dead in Israeli Gaza strikes
Mainstream media last night reported eight people had been wounded after a gunman opened fire at two locations in Jerusalem. According to reports, the man who pulled the trigger is believed to be a Palestinian who targeted a bus carrying Jewish worshippers who had just prayed at the Western Wall and people in a car park near the holy site.…
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Chinatown manhole covers to use art, tech to become cultural map
A new blend of utility, art, and technology will transform mundane manhole covers in Bangkok’s Chinatown into beautifying sources of information according to a new plan. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt met with members of the Office of Thailand Science Research and Innovation as well as Silpakorn University to develop the new project. The plan is to create beautiful manhole covers…
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Tourism Minister visits Full Moon Party, supports later curfew
The Full Moon Party week is just wrapping on the island of Koh Pha Ngan, and while attendance was down, there was at least one special attendee that could influence the future of the party. Minister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakarn visited Haad Rin, home of the iconic party that draws tens of thousands of tourists to the island…
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Thais cautioned against fake government websites
Thais are being told to be aware of websites pretending to be government agencies’ pages. A deputy government spokesperson said on Friday that cybercriminals are using these fake sites to get people’s data and even hack their devices. The spokesperson, Rachada Dhnadirek, gave one example that showed just how advanced some of the fake government sites are. A fake Department…
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Another Thai boxer dies from brain injury after fight in Malaysia
Another Thai boxer has tragically died from a brain injury after a fight. The boxer, known as Petchkeng Kaiyanghadao, had been fighting in Malaysia, according to his martial arts club at Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon. In a Facebook post, the martial arts club described Petchkeng as a skilled fighter. Petchkeng had been an alumnus at the university. The…
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VIDEO: Young Thais have a blast at Pattaya Music Festival weekend 2
Young Thais had a blast during the second weekend of the Pattaya Music Festival last night, and on Friday. Hundreds of teens took to Jomtien Beach to watch popular singers and bands perform live, including pop-rock artist ‘Stamp.’ Hip hop artists also performed. Video footage from The Pattaya News shows the eager youngsters packing onto the beach and the roads around it.…
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Pattaya night club owner gives free meals on Thai Mother’s Day
A Pattaya night club owner performed an act of kindness on Thai Mother’s Day on Friday. The Stones House night club is located on Pattaya’s famous Walking Street, a tourist hotspot and renowned party area. But this past Friday evening was a time for families lining up in front of the club. The club’s owner, Amporn Kaewsang, worked with her…
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Police find fake Covid-19 tests worth millions in central Thailand
After raids this week, police have found tens of thousands of falsely labelled Covid-19 tests, along with medical supplies, in central Thailand worth about 2 million baht. Police posed as customers to crack down on a building in the province of Nakhon Pathom, and a house in the province of Nonthaburi, on July 11. In the Nakhon Pathom building, police…
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UPDATE: Rushdie is talking again, attacker pleads not guilty
UPDATE Renowned author Salman Rushdie appears to be recovering after being brutally attacked while giving a speech in New York City on Friday. The 75 year old was taken off a ventilator yesterday, and his agent confirmed that he was talking again. Rushdie has three stab wounds to his neck, four to his stomach, a puncture wound to his right…
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Thief caught after showing off on TikTok the money he “earned”
One common lesson that seems to need to be learned and relearned frequently in the age of sharing your life on social media is: if you’re doing crimes, maybe don’t post about it online. Police in Chon Buri arrested a man in Chon Buri after he posted a video on TikTok waving fistfuls of cash and bragging about earning so…
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FDA says Thailand unaffected by contaminated Haagen-Dazs
Ice cream lovers of Thailand can rest easy tonight, knowing that their Haagen-Dazs won’t kill them. The Thai Food and Drug Administration confirmed that none of the batches of cancer-linked contaminated ice cream discovered in other countries were imported to Thailand. Known for their high-quality premium ice cream, a recent batch of Haagan-Dazs was discovered in France with a less…
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Foreign parrotfisher in Krabi says he’s sorry
UPDATE The foreign man spotted parrotfishing off an island in South Thailand’s Krabi province has said today that he is sorry for his actions. The man had been fishing in the Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. Catching fish in a national park is illegal under Thailand’s National Park Act BE 2562. A storm of Thai netizens went…
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17 year old the 18th victim of Mountain B fire, 27 still in hospital
An 18th person has died in the tragic Chon Buri pub fire, this time a young girl of 17 called Mind, who had been on life support in the hospital since the night of the fire. “Mind” was the third minor to die in the fire, after a 17 year old and an 18 year old (a friend of Mind’s)…
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After poor South Koreans die in flooded basement home, will there be change?
After a poor South Korean family died after being trapped in a flooded basement apartment this week, authorities are discussing changes to poor areas of Seoul. Across the capital city, 13 people were killed because of the floods. The family of three who died in the basement home included a woman in her 40s with down syndrome, the woman’s sister,…
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Fire breaks out at Patong bar
A fire broke out at a Patong bar on Thursday, at the tourist hotspot of Bangla Road. Firefighters rushed to the scene to find smoke coming out of the bar. Firefighters reported that the incident was caused by sparks from a high voltage electric cable above the bar. Luckily, no injuries were reported. A photo by The Phuket Express shows…
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Exiled Sri Lanka President warned to stay in his hotel in Bangkok
With many opposing Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s arrival in Thailand, police are advising the ousted Sri Lanka president to stay in his hotel in central Bangkok for his safety. He arrived in Bangkok Thursday evening at about 8pm after diverting a flight planned to land in Phuket. Fearful of an information leak, the privately chartered plane carrying the exiled ex-president along with…
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