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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Russian suspect nabbed after million baht money-exchange robbery in Pattaya
A Russian man has been nabbed at Suvarnabhumi international Airport after Chon Buri police launched a manhunt to find the Russian who allegedly robbed a money exchange booth of nearly one million baht in cash. Police say the robbery took place at a booth in Jomtiem in Sattahip District, Chonburi yesterday morning (Saturday). After checking the CCTV on site, Police…
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Phuket was fatality-free after first three days of Songkran reporting period
Day Three official numbers are in and Phuket remains, as of Friday night, fatality free. The “Seven Dangerous Days” reporting period runs from last Wednesday through to this Tuesday night. But there were 15 accidents reported in Phuket and 16 people injured as a result of traffic incidents – 8 accidents in Muang District with 9 people injured, 4 accidents…
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Songkran revenues flow whilst hot-season temperatures soar
Songkran Festival has attracted millions of Thai and foreign tourists to popular destinations nationwide, generating significant revenue for local economies. Last week Tourism Authority of Thailand economic forecasters were predicting a 10 percent rise in spending this year. Chuchat on-charern, the Tourism Authority of Thailand chief for the southern province of Phang-nga, said an estimated 155,000 tourists visited the province,…
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Road toll keeps rising as authorities claim tight enforcement
Whilst the road toll is mounting and drunk drivers’ cars impounded at record numbers, authorities must be scratching their head wondering what they need to do to stem the disgraceful annual carnage on Thailand’s roads during Songkran. Even as police claimed to push stricter law enforcement to lower crimes during the Songkran Festival, the increase in the number of accidents,…
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Criminal offences to avoid during Songkran.
Splashing water on people not wanting to get wet, or having asked you not to splash them, during the Songkran Festival can lead to imprisonment. This from a Thai lawyer, adding many common violations of laws during the festive period may carry severe penalties. Ratchapon Sirithaworn, a legal expert and owner of the Facebook fanpage “LawByRachaponsLawyer”, which provides knowledge on…
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Congratulations “Miss Elephant of Bang Nam Phueng”
So it’s not all about the splashing. Samut Prakarn’s Phra Pradaeng district has hosted a unique beauty pageant to celebrate this year’s Songkran festival in which contestants were required to be transgender and weigh at least 120 kilograms. This was the eleventh year that the authorities of Bang Nam Phueng district organised the contest for those ‘larger size’ entrants, but…
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Two women drown after trying to save swimmers – Ubon Ratchathani
Two women, one of them seven-month pregnant, drowned in the Chi river in Ubon Ratchathani yesterday morning (Friday) as they tried to help a 13 year old and older man as they got into difficulties. Upon Ratchathani is in the country’s far east near the Cambodian border. The tragedy occurred when 35 year old Sudjai Pansiri, who was seven months…
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PM Prayut says less compiling statistics, more action on the roads
The woeful road toll hasn’t gone unnoticed at Government House. The PM is instructing authorities to stringently monitor the safety of Songkran travellers and asking them to keep promoting safe driving. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has voiced his concern for citizens traveling during the Songkran holiday, especially those traveling to the north and northeast. He has instructed soldiers, police and administrative…
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Fake notes and drugs found on passenger at Phuket Airport
Police have arrested a man carrying 53 counterfeit 1000 baht banknotes and drugs at Phuket Airport. Police say the 36 year old Nanawa Na Songkhla from Chiang Mai was acting suspiciously whilst going through a security checkpoint. When security staffed checked his carry-on luggage they found 800 methamphetamine pills, nearly 5 grams of crystal methamphetamine, marijuana and the fake 1000 baht…
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Day Two – Phuket reports no fatalities
Day Two (April 12) of the “Seven Dangerous Days” in Phuket ended without any fatalities keeping the island without any fatalities for the Songkran reporting period. The Department of Disaster Prevention & Mitigation is making daily announcements declaring the statistics for the last 24 hours. But there were five accidents on the island’s roads including three in the Muang District…
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Day Two – Disgraceful road statistics from the first two days of Songkran
In just the first two days of the Songkran “seven days of danger” from April 11-17, a total of 99 people have already been killed in traffic accidents, with another 1,085 injured. The road accident count for the beginning days of the notorious Songkran accident period have increased compared to the same period last year, while nearly 60,000 drunk drivers…
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Underwear thief arrested in Cherngtalay
Today some are throwing water. Others have been stealing underwear. The underwear thief, 38 year old Weera Jampada, was arrested yesterday (April 12) after stealing many locals underwear’s in the Bang Tao area. He was arrested at an apartment in Soi Bangtao 12 following a report about at least 15 robberies in March. Police tracked him down after reviewing CCTV…
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Songkran checkpoints launched in Phuket
The Road and Marine Accident Protection and Reduction Centre for the 2018 Songkran Festival was launched by Phuket’s Governor Norapat Plodthong. The centre brings together 33 government departments, non-profit organisations and volunteers such as local administration organizations, marine police, tourist police, individual enterprises, foundations and volunteers. “Even though the number of accidents has reduced during New Year season over the…
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Songkran launches around the country
Police continue to push public safety measures but traffic still poses challenge. As holidaymakers and locals heading home started to reach their destinations nationwide yesterday for the traditional Thai New Year celebrations this weekend, various sites confirmed their readiness to host impressive events and also implement public safety measures. At Bangkok’s Khao San Road Thai actors Chatchawal Phetchwisit, Wichan Meesom…
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Royal commemoration at Chulalongkorn University
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn today (Thursday) presided over a merit-making ceremony at Maha Chulalongkorn building of the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University. The ceremony was held to make merit for previous lecturers who taught the Pali and Sanskrit languages. The Princess got a Master’s degree in Pali and Sanskrit from the faculty back in 1981. The Princess…
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Drug gang arrested in Krabi
This afternoon (April 12), Ao Luek Police met the media and presented them with the results of a local drug crackdown worth 500,000 Baht. The two drug dealers, 31 year old Pongthep ‘Pong’ Kongkaew and 29 year old Wasan ‘Tum’ Hemtanon, had been arrested with 3,110 amphetamine pills and 6.9 grams of methamphetamine. Ao Luek Police Station Superintendent, Pol Col…
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Big crime crackdown before Songkran
Police Region 8 held a press conference yesterday (April 11) revealing a number of drugs and gun crackdowns during the lead up to this year’s Songkran. The targeted crimes including illegal ownership of guns, drugs, gambling, prostitution and the following up on the outstanding arrest warrant list. The Police region 8 revealed that among the police in provinces in region…
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39 die nationally on first day of Songkran Seven Days of Danger.
Whilst Phuket has had a clear Day One (Wednesday) for what’s called the ‘Seven Days of Danger’, the rest of the country has notched up 39 people killed as of last night. Police say that drunk driving remains the biggest problem and cause of death. Police report 477 road accidents on the first day of the Songkran holiday reporting period.…
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“Stargazer” wants you… to WIN 35,000 baht
Time to get out your maracas, juggling balls, microphones and dancing shoes to make sure you’re entered in this year’s Stargazer talent content to be held on April 21 at Kata’s CCs Hideaway resort. Entries will close this Saturday so get in quick! You could win 35,000 baht for first prize, 20,000 for second and 10,000 for third. There’s also…
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Samui jet ski operators scoop Russian tourist out of the surf
SCREENSHOT by Sanook.com A Russian tourist has been pulled out of the Samui surf by a Jet Ski. The female tourist was swimming at Chaweng Beach on Koh Samui when witnesses say she appeared to get caught in a rip and dragged out to sea. Jet Ski operators at the beach heard the woman’s screams but was was caught in…
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Another 81 foreigners arrested in the latest ‘X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner’ sting
FILE PHOTO: X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner raid in Bangkok Tourist police joined forces with other police agencies nationwide to search 123 spots around the country and arrested 81 foreigners on several charges in the latest in its X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner operations. This was the seventh operation targeting illegal foreigners in the Kingdom, many working illegally for schools and language courses. The…
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Net idol DJ Katoy nabbed in Pattaya drug raid
Internet idol Kannikar “DJ Katoy” Namwicha was among six patrons who tested positive for illegal drug use after a raid on a Pattaya nightclub yesterday (Wednesday). Bang Lamung district police and municipal officials descended on the Burn Club on Soi Bua Khao at 4am checking for underage patrons and evidence of drug use. The event was called “Drink, Don’t get arrested”.…
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Nearly one million meth tablets seized in police sting in Songkhla
Police have intercepted an enormous shipment of almost one million methamphetamine tablets with a street value of 48 million baht from a pick-up truck in Songkhla. Police say they were acting on a tipoff. They headed to Tambon Jataen to wait for a pickup truck they were told would be delivering the illicit cargo to southern provinces. A pickup up…
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Songkran storms on the way for the Northern and Central regions
Songkran is the time to farewell the hot season and welcome in the forthcoming wet season but the actual weather is wasting no time getting in on the celebrations. The Thai Meteorological Department is warning people in the Central and Northern parts of the country to brace for another round of summer storms from April 15-18. In an announcement yesterday…
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Phuket’s Tom Howard RIP
One of the great characters of the Phuket boating community, Tom Howard, sadly passed away on Monday, April 9 just after midday, following a short illness. Tom’s partner Pang (Suppawan Buth-sen) and his brother John were at his bedside in Had Yai hospital when he slipped away peacefully. Tom had been a full time resident in Phuket since 2002, following his…
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Black water flowing freely onto Kamala beach
PHOTOS: The Phuket Sun “This is taken from the bridge by the Tsunami monument. It’s the main klong that flows through town. It starts out from the Kamala waterfall as crystal clear and by the time it makes it through town to the sea, it looks like this…black from sewage. “ The editor of online blog The Phuket Sun has…
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Wastewater flowing into the sea at Krabi
A waste water drain pipe has been found at Klong Muang Beach in Krabi. The local OrBorTor has already ordered its immediate removal. Following a complaint about alleged waste waters being released into the sea at Klong Muang Beach, the Chief of Environmental Hygiene Unit of Krabi Provincial Public Health, Boonrit Karunmethee, and President of Nong Talay Administration Organization (OrBorTor),…
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Speedboats ablaze at Khao Lak pier
Two speedboats caught fire at the Tub Lamu Pier in Tai Muang District, Khao Lak, Phang Nga, injuring 4 people. Lamkaen Sub-District’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Unit received a report about the fire early today (April 11). The fire trucks were sent from the unit to the pier to extinguish the fire on the 2 boats along with the Khao…
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The spirit of Songkran – Ajarn Pranee
By Pranee Sakulpipatana, AKA Ajarn Pranee Songkran is one of the happiest festivals celebrated by Thais. When I was young and lived in Phuket, I always found the Songkran celebrations in other provinces such as Chiang Mai to be very unique and beautiful. Over the years Phuket has grown into a hub filled with Thais from all corners of the…
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Songkran activities around the country
Songkran is celebrated across Thailand. It’s the annual celebration of the Thai New Year – a farewell to the hot season and a welcoming of the coming wet season. But it is celebrated in many different ways, from the insane water-fights in Patong, with elephants in Ayutthaya or the Sand Pagoda Ceremony in Chonburi. The word “Songkran” has its origins in…
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