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.

  • Lost baby gibbon rescued in Chiang Mai village | Thaiger

    Lost baby gibbon rescued in Chiang Mai village

    A baby gibbon spotted alone near a Chiang Mai village was rescued by wildlife officials yesterday, December 22, after worried residents raised concerns over its safety. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation confirmed yesterday on its Facebook page that officers from Conservation Area Management Office 16 in Chiang Mai received the young gibbon following a report made…

  • Suvarnabhumi holds emergency meeting after drone incident | Thaiger

    Suvarnabhumi holds emergency meeting after drone incident

    Suvarnabhumi Airport authorities called an urgent meeting yesterday, December 22, after a drone was detected near the airport’s outer zone, triggering an immediate security response. The meeting at Suvarnabhumi Airport’s headquarters in Samut Prakan was led by Airport General Manager Kittipong Kittikachorn, joined by senior security officials, including Region 1 Police Commissioner Police Lieutenant General Watthana Yichin, Police Major General…

  • Thailand video news | Buakaw rejects false claims about his nationality, Woman delivers baby in pickup | Thaiger

    Thailand video news | Buakaw rejects false claims about his nationality, Woman delivers baby in pickup

    In today’s Thailand video news, Alex and Jay bring you the latest stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Highlights include renewed efforts to restart peace talks between Thailand and Cambodia, new cannabis clinical licence compliance rules set to take effect in early 2026, and, later, fresh calls to reform Thailand’s sex toy laws. ASEAN Foreign Ministers Push for Peace…

  • Starving lions and bears found in raid on border casino | Thaiger

    Starving lions and bears found in raid on border casino

    Thai marines raiding a Chinese-linked casino in Ban Tha Sen, Trat province, discovered lions and bears confined in cages yesterday, December 22, reportedly left without food or water for several days. The discovery was made during a sweep of the Thamoda casino area and surrounding properties by Royal Thai Marine forces. The compound, located in Ban Tha Sen near the…

  • Cambodia claims Buakaw is a Cambodian citizen | Thaiger

    Cambodia claims Buakaw is a Cambodian citizen

    On December 20, the Army Military Force Facebook page claimed a Cambodian-led online campaign used AI to forge a fake passport portraying Thai boxing star Sombat “Buakaw” Banchamek as a Cambodian citizen. According to the page, the AI-generated passport image was part of a Cambodian Information Operation (IO) intended to mislead the Thai public about Buakaw’s nationality. The page said…

  • Malaysian woman allegedly lives double life after secret marriage in Songkhla | Thaiger

    Malaysian woman allegedly lives double life after secret marriage in Songkhla

    A Malaysian woman called on religious authorities to take action after discovering that her brother’s wife had secretly married another man in Songkhla province of Thailand and lived a double life for more than a year. The woman, identified as Ekin Derahim, shared details of the alleged affair on her Facebook account on December 11. In her post, she also…

  • Korat prisoner tries to flee interrogation, ends up in hospital instead | Thaiger

    Korat prisoner tries to flee interrogation, ends up in hospital instead

    A prison escapee’s leap for freedom came to an abrupt and painful end today, December 22, after jumping from a two-metre-high window at Sikhio Police Station in Nakhon Ratchasima. Today, police from Sikhio Police Station had brought the suspect, identified as 35 year old Somporn, in for interrogation regarding his earlier escape from Khao Phrik Prison in the same district.…

  • Chinese man arrested in Pattaya over large Pod K production | Thaiger

    Chinese man arrested in Pattaya over large Pod K production

    Police raided a house in Pattaya and arrested a Chinese national for producing and distributing Pod K, a vape liquid mixed with ketamine, during an operation on Thursday, December 12. Officers from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) launched the operation after receiving a tip-off about the illegal sale of Pod K, a substance that reportedly gained popularity among both Thai…

  • Chinese man allegedly steals bag from Thai woman at Bangkok airport | Thaiger

    Chinese man allegedly steals bag from Thai woman at Bangkok airport

    A Chinese national allegedly stole a bag from a Thai woman at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok on Tuesday, December 16, according to a report shared on social media by a Thai businessman. The incident was revealed by a Thai entrepreneur known as Big, who shared details of the alleged theft on his TikTok account, @bigceochaaba. He said the incident…

  • Woman gives birth in pickup truck near Ayutthaya roundabout | Thaiger

    Woman gives birth in pickup truck near Ayutthaya roundabout

    A woman gave birth in a pickup truck today, December 22, after going into labour unexpectedly while on the way to a hospital in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province. Rescue officers from the Ayutthaya Ruamjai Association were alerted to the emergency after a pickup truck stopped at the Wat Sam Pluem roundabout, also known locally as Chedi Nakleng, on Rojana…

  • Viral sign outlines ID policy for applicants with changed appearance | Thaiger

    Viral sign outlines ID policy for applicants with changed appearance

    A sign spotted at a national ID card service point caught attention online after it advised that people whose appearance has changed due to surgery or gender transition need to bring a witness when applying. The notice, which began circulating on social media today, December 22, was posted at an ID card service point, though the exact location was not…

  • Condo residents protest after juristic manager turns rooftop into dog farm | Thaiger

    Condo residents protest after juristic manager turns rooftop into dog farm

    Residents of a condominium in Nonthaburi province staged a protest after the building’s former juristic person manager took over a shared rooftop area to breed dogs for sale, with nearly 100 Thai Ridgeback dogs reportedly kept at the property. The condominium is located in Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi. According to residents, the rooftop was originally designed as a common area where…

  • Bangkok fire kills man and over 10 cats in midnight blaze | Thaiger

    Bangkok fire kills man and over 10 cats in midnight blaze

    A man was killed, and over 10 cats died when a fire broke out just after midnight today, December 22, at a two-storey townhouse in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district. Police from Prachachuen Police Station received the fire report at around midnight, with the blaze reported at a residential townhouse in Soi Thetsaban Rang Rak Nuea 14, off Thetsaban Rang Rak Nuea…

  • Trump reclassifies cannabis in major US drug policy shift | Thaiger

    Trump reclassifies cannabis in major US drug policy shift

    US President Donald Trump has ordered a change to federal drug regulations, signing an executive order to downgrade cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III narcotic, the most significant shift in American drug policy in decades. The reclassification would place cannabis in the same category as ketamine, anabolic steroids, and Tylenol with codeine, substances considered to have legitimate…

  • 16 year old app-based rider fatally stabbed after road dispute | Thaiger

    16 year old app-based rider fatally stabbed after road dispute

    Police arrested a Bolt motorcycle taxi rider after he fatally stabbed a 16 year old fellow app-based rider following a motorcycle collision in Bangkok on the night of Saturday, December 20. The suspect was arrested at a house in Samut Prakan province yesterday, December 21. He was later identified as 44 year old Thongchai, who also worked as a motorcycle…

  • Realsmart positions AI at the core of its 2026 growth strategy | Thaiger

    Realsmart positions AI at the core of its 2026 growth strategy

    RealSmart Public Company Limited has unveiled its business plan for 2026, positioning the company to ride what it sees as a decisive shift in how Thai organizations use artificial intelligence in daily operations and executive decision-making. Speaking this week, Phukit Distharanon, chief executive officer of RealSmart, said 2026 would mark a turning point where AI moves beyond pilot projects and…

  • Thailand’s car production rises 11% in November as domestic sales climb | Thaiger

    Thailand’s car production rises 11% in November as domestic sales climb

    Thailand’s car production rose sharply in November, climbing 11.06% from a year earlier to 130,222 units, according to data released on Monday by the Federation of Thai Industries. The increase follows another strong month in October, when production rose 14.17% year on year, signalling a steady recovery in the country’s auto manufacturing sector. Thailand is Southeast Asia’s largest vehicle production…

  • Malaysia thanks Thailand for role in repatriation of online scam victims | Thaiger

    Malaysia thanks Thailand for role in repatriation of online scam victims

    Malaysia has formally thanked Thailand for its coordination and assistance in the successful repatriation of 31 Malaysian nationals who were victims of an online job scam in Myawaddy, Myanmar. According to reports by Asian News Network and The Straits Times, Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that all 31 victims were safely repatriated on the evening of December 20 and…

  • Phuket boy calls police after drunk father allegedly shoots mother | Thaiger

    Phuket boy calls police after drunk father allegedly shoots mother

    A young boy in Phuket called the police yesterday, December 21, after his father allegedly became drunk, fired gunshots into the air, and then shot the boy’s mother at their home in Thalang district. Officers from Thalang Police Station responded to an emergency call from the boy, who reported that his father, identified as 41 year old Thattaphong, had been…

  • Canadian man arrested after stealing car from Krabi police station | Thaiger

    Canadian man arrested after stealing car from Krabi police station

    A Canadian man was arrested after stealing a car from outside a police station in Krabi, triggering a high-speed chase involving more than 30 officers on Friday, December 19. The Canadian suspect, later identified as 43 year old Michael Jame Parton, stole a car with the registration number กว 5345, which was parked outside Mueang Krabi Police Station, before speeding…

  • US trade deal on hold as tariffs could rise if border conflict drags on | Thaiger

    US trade deal on hold as tariffs could rise if border conflict drags on

    A senior official at Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce has warned that any trade deal with the United States cannot be finalized until a new parliament and cabinet are in place, as concerns grow that Washington could raise tariffs if fighting between Thailand and Cambodia is not resolved. Speaking on Friday, Chotima Iamsawadikul, director-general of the Department of International Trade Negotiations,…

  • Teacher accused of kneeing student in Udon Thani | Thaiger

    Teacher accused of kneeing student in Udon Thani

    A mother in Udon Thani complained yesterday, December 21, after her 10 year old son was allegedly kneed by his class teacher during a punishment at school, an incident that has left the boy under medical care. A 41 year old woman, identified as A, filed a complaint via the Hia Piak Chuai Duai Facebook page, alleging that her son, a…

  • ASEAN steps in as Thailand-Cambodia border war tests regional unity | Thaiger

    ASEAN steps in as Thailand-Cambodia border war tests regional unity

    The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers will meet in Malaysia on Monday in a renewed attempt to stop escalating violence along the Thailand-Cambodia border, as clashes spread across disputed territory and humanitarian pressures intensify. The talks in Kuala Lumpur come after weeks of fighting that have left at least 40 people dead and forced more than 500,000…

  • Phuket van driver faces fine and licence suspension for striking foreigner | Thaiger

    Phuket van driver faces fine and licence suspension for striking foreigner

    A Thai van driver faced a fine of 1,000 baht and had his public transport driving licence suspended after he struck a foreign woman on the head with a plastic bottle outside Phuket International Airport during a dispute over rubbish left in his vehicle. The incident took place last week and quickly went viral on social media. The van driver,…

  • Danish man and Thai woman intervened while having sex off Pattaya beach | Thaiger

    Danish man and Thai woman intervened while having sex off Pattaya beach

    Police intervened after a Danish man and a Thai woman were found engaging in sexual activity on a floating pontoon off Jomtien Beach in Pattaya on Saturday night, December 20. The incident was reported to Mueang Pattaya Police Station by a 27 year old Thai man identified as Bas. He said he noticed the indecent act at around 10pm while…

  • Thai marine officer loses foot to Cambodian mine near border | Thaiger

    Thai marine officer loses foot to Cambodian mine near border

    In the eastern province of Trat, a marine officer lost his foot after stepping on a Cambodian mine while on duty in a recently reclaimed area near the Cambodian border this morning, on December 21. Captain Thammanoon Wanna, commander of an ad hoc marine unit in Trat, reported the incident occurred in Ban Nong Ree village, Cham Rak subdistrict, Mueang…

  • Phuket launches ‘One District, One Creative Space’ for cultural growth | Thaiger

    Phuket launches ‘One District, One Creative Space’ for cultural growth

    Phuket officials have designated three districts as pilot sites for the ‘One District, One Creative Space’ initiative, a cultural development project aimed at creating new community spaces to generate income and enhance local identity. The chosen locations were confirmed during a working group meeting, led by Phuket Deputy Governor Suwit Phansengiam at the Phuket Provincial Hall earlier in the week.…

  • Thai Army Nurse Honoured with Royal Cremation in Kalasin | Thaiger

    Thai Army Nurse Honoured with Royal Cremation in Kalasin

    A royal cremation ceremony was held for 33 year old Army Nurse Sergeant Apisit ‘Tee’ Bunnak at Wat Pa Phutthaphawan, Ban Somsak Village, Mueang subdistrict, Kuchinarai district, Kalasin province yesterday, on December 20, at 4pm. Apisit, a member of the 2nd Army Region’s combat unit and a nurse at Infantry Regiment 11, succumbed to injuries sustained during a Thai-Cambodian border…

  • Ex-minister Prasert to be questioned over Singapore MoU with money launderer | Thaiger

    Ex-minister Prasert to be questioned over Singapore MoU with money launderer

    The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) plans to call in former Digital Economy and Society Minister, Prasert Jantararuangtong. They are concerned about his involvement in signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Singapore. Alleged money launderer, Ben Smith, was reportedly present during this event. The MoU has since been brought under investigation by authorities. This decision comes after testimony from…

  • Canadian mother arrested in Phuket for assaulting her two children | Thaiger

    Canadian mother arrested in Phuket for assaulting her two children

    Chalong Police in Phuket are investigating an assault that occurred early yesterday morning in Rawai, resulting in injuries to two Canadian children, allegedly inflicted by their mother, who was later found with self-inflicted injuries. The incident took place in a house on Soi Saiyuan 11, Moo 7, Rawai, around 12.30am. A neighbour alerted the police after a teenage boy was…