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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 Travel vs international health insurance: Which coverage do you need overseas?
The Thaiger key takeaways Travel insurance is ideal for short-term trips, covering emergencies, cancellations, and lost luggage, but not routine care. International health insurance suits expats and long-term residents, offering full medical coverage, including checkups, maternity, and chronic care. Choosing...
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Phuket airport expansion delay threatens tourism growth
Phuket’s tourism sector is facing concerns as Thaneth Tantipiriyakij, President of the Phuket Tourist Association, criticises the delay in the Phuket International Airport Phase 2 expansion. He warned that waiting nearly another decade could leave the island struggling to meet increasing passenger demands. During a meeting at Splash Beach Resort in Mai Khao on Thursday, November 6, Thaneth highlighted the…
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Chinese national arrested in Sa Kaeo with 1,000 SIM cards
In Sa Kaeo province, Thai border forces have apprehended a Chinese national linked to a call centre scam. Along with him, they found 1,000 mobile SIM cards near the Thai-Cambodian border. The equipment was reportedly intended for delivery to an employer in Myawaddy. This location is a key point for criminal activities. Today, on November 9, the Eastern Border Security…
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Pattaya city vies for 2026 ASEAN smoke-free award
Yesterday, on November 7, Wuttisak Rermkijakarn, Deputy Mayor of Pattaya City, led a delegation to showcase the achievements of the ‘Outstanding Smoke-Free Local Government Organisation (Cigarettes and E-Cigarettes)’ initiative. The presentation, aimed at the 2026 ASEAN Smoke-Free Award organised by the ASEAN Secretariat, was held in Meeting Room 132, Pattaya City Hall. Attendees included the Pattaya City Clerk, Deputy City…
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Thai supercar racer criticises police after two stops for license plate
Today, on November 9, Dr Kanthicha Chimsiri, also known as Madam Yui, expressed frustration on Facebook after being pulled over by the police twice for not displaying a front license plate. She criticised the approach, suggesting it could pose a public inconvenience and danger. Dr Kanthicha, who is a well-known Thai female supercar racer and former Miss Universe Thailand 2016,…
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Foreign nationals arrested on Koh Phangan for illegal construction work
Two foreigners arrested in Koh Phangan for illegal construction and electrical work without permits, facing legal action after police found evidence. They threatened legal action against the officers but were eventually confronted with evidence of their activities. Yesterday, on November 8 at 2pm, Police Lieutenant General Suksira Phueka-am, Commissioner of the Tourist Police, directed officers from the Tourist Police Station…
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Thai Airways recycles Virgin lie-flats as posh economy beds
Thai Airways has launched lie-flat seats as a premium economy option on select regional routes, repurposing business class seats from Virgin Atlantic. The unusual move offers passengers lie-flat comfort without the business-class price tag, advancing the growing trend of “unbundled” premium travel. The new class has debuted on routes from Bangkok to Chennai, Dhaka, Hyderabad, Jakarta, and Kathmandu. Rather than…
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Brit jailed over 19m baht Thailand cannabis run at Dublin airport
A British man was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in Dublin after admitting to importing nearly 500,000 euros (approximately 19 million baht) worth of cannabis from Thailand, destined for sale in Ireland. The man, 22 year old Jamie Kearns from Arley in Coventry, was stopped by customs officers at Terminal One in Dublin Airport while arriving…
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Thailand retailers wage all-out war for 11.11 shopping surge
Major retailers in Thailand are ramping up 11.11 campaigns with omnichannel strategies to boost year-end consumer spending and reclaim lost sales. As the final quarter of the year kicks into gear, November has become a high-stakes battleground for Thailand’s leading retailers. With consumer spending still lagging, major department stores and specialty chains are pushing their 11.11 campaigns to new heights,…
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Anutin promises to dissolve Parliament within 120 days
Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed that Parliament will be dissolved within 120 days as part of a political agreement with the opposition party. The PM reaffirmed his commitment to dissolve parliament by January 31, 2026, fulfilling an agreement made with the People’s Party. The decision follows growing speculation about his administration’s stability ahead of the upcoming censure debate. Anutin…
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Thailand’s tourism tax stalled again despite 11 billion baht potential
Thailand’s plan to introduce a tourist tax for foreign visitors remains stalled due to political delays, despite full readiness and strong industry backing. Initially backed by the National Tourism Policy Committee in February 2023, the fee would charge inbound travellers 300 baht by air or 150 baht by land or sea, applying only to overnight visitors. Despite its potential to…
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UK lifts travel warning as Trat tourism gears up for rebound
The United Kingdom has officially lifted its travel advisory against non-essential travel to Trat, a move welcomed by local tourism operators hoping to revive bookings ahead of peak season. Wichit Sukrasuyanon, president of the Trat Tourism Association, confirmed that the change has already led to a noticeable boost in bookings, especially from European markets. He said average hotel occupancy rates…
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People’s Party faces axe over student aide salary scandal
The Klatham Party is preparing to file a petition with the Election Commission (EC) seeking the dissolution of the People’s Party (PP), following explosive allegations involving the misuse of parliamentary appointments and salaries. Klatham MP for Kamphaeng Phet, Phai Lik, announced his intention to take the matter to the EC, claiming that the PP appointed a Grade 10 student as…
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Phuket boat taxi trial hits delay but promises smoother trips
Phuket’s boat taxi project, aimed at easing traffic for tourists and locals, has been delayed, pushing back the start of its much-anticipated trial run. The pilot run of Phuket’s boat taxi service, a project touted as a game-changer for the island’s notorious traffic problems, has been pushed back to mid-December. The trial, originally scheduled to launch earlier, will now take…
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Teen lured and beaten in Pattaya alley after online setup
A teenage boy was brutally attacked in a dark Pattaya alley after being tricked into a meeting by a mystery woman he met online, despite warnings from his mother. A 17 year old boy is recovering in hospital after being ambushed and severely beaten in a dimly lit alley in Pattaya. The incident occurred around 9pm on Thursday, November 6,…
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Bang Saen Beach turns black, vendors fear tourist drop
Seawater at a popular beach in eastern Thailand turned black, raising concerns among visitors and vendors about health risks and a drop in tourism. Seawater along Bang Saen Beach in Chon Buri has taken on a strange black hue, believed to be caused by a plankton bloom triggered by recent storms and rainfall. While there’s no unpleasant odour or danger…
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School bus overturns in northern Thailand, students injured
A double-decker bus carrying students on a school trip in northern Thailand overturned on a highway, injuring several and prompting a police investigation. The bus, carrying dozens of secondary school students from Uttaradit, flipped onto its side on the Phitsanulok–Nakhon Sawan Road around 10am yesterday, November 7. The crash occurred in Banphot Phisai district, Phitsanulok province, and left multiple students…
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Tropical storm Kalmaegi batters Thailand with heavy rain
A powerful tropical storm is sweeping across Thailand, bringing heavy rain and flash flood risks to dozens of provinces as residents brace for worsening weather. From 6pm yesterday, November 7, to 6pm today, November 8, the weather across Thailand is expected to remain unsettled, with widespread thunderstorms and cooler mornings in the north, according to the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD).…
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Thai charter reform at risk as border tensions take focus
Experts have warned that Thai voters may reject charter reform when they head to the polls, as rising nationalist sentiment shifts focus to border disputes. Yesterday, November 6, academics and political observers sounded the alarm that the junta-era charter is likely to survive another public vote, as attention shifts from constitutional reform to the more emotionally charged issue of revoking…
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Thai man saves 5 year old girl from drowning and uncovers family abuse
A Thai man rescued a five year old girl and her older sister, who were allegedly abused and forced to work by their guardians. One of the girls nearly drowned in a canal in Bangkok while attempting to collect money from krathongs during the Loy Krathong festival. An owner of a motorcycle shop in the Bang Mod area of Bangkok…
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Boyfriend vanishes after woman found dead in Bangkok room
A young woman was found dead at a rented home in Bangkok after police were alerted to the scene, prompting an investigation into the cause and circumstances. The discovery was made around 7.45pm yesterday, November 6, when Police Lieutenant Kirati Thinachai from Samsen Police Station was alerted to a possible suicide in a small community behind Wat Devaraj Kunchorn Temple.…
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Search underway for missing Russian woman with neurological disease in Phuket
Parents and friends are searching for a Russian woman suffering from a neurological disease who has been missing for 20 days in Phuket province. A Thai friend named Kaew took to social media to seek help from the public in locating the 30 year old Russian national, Maria Fomina. Kaew shared that Maria’s parents have already arrived in Phuket to…
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Foreign tourist arrested with loaded ammo at Phuket airport
An Israeli tourist was arrested at a Phuket airport when police discovered a loaded ammunition magazine in his checked luggage during a routine scan. The arrest took place at around 4.30pm yesterday, November 6, after security staff at the airport’s domestic terminal flagged a suspicious item during a routine baggage scan. The 26 year old traveller, who had flown in…
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Nigerian man, 5 Thais arrested for 114m baht online romance scam
Police have dismantled a major romance scam network run by a Nigerian national and five Thai accomplices, accused of swindling victims out of over 114 million baht. The arrests were made during Operation Romance 114, led by officers from the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD), targeting suspects across Bangkok and Chon Buri. Police Major General Chanannat Sarathwanphaet, TCSD Commander, confirmed…
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Thai woman poses as handsome man to scam friend out of 20,000 baht
A Thai woman posed as an attractive man to carry out a romance scam and swindle 20,000 baht from her friend. Police allegedly rejected the victim’s complaint, claiming the money was given willingly out of affection. The victim, 34 year old Ploy, turned to the non-profit organisation Saimai Survive after police allegedly refused to process her case. She later revealed…
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Repeat wildlife snapper caught again at Karon night market
A woman was arrested at a Phuket night market after being caught offering a protected slow loris to tourists for paid photos, despite past offences. The woman, who has now been arrested three times for similar offences, was detained at Karon Night Market yesterday, November 6, during a joint operation led by Karon Deputy Mayor Trin Thipmongkol. The raid included…
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Thai man left blind after surgery at private hospital in Samut Sakhon
A Thai woman condemned a private hospital in the central province of Samut Sakhon after treatment for nasal polyps left her boyfriend blind. The woman, identified only as Ploy, took to an online community to share details of the medical mishap. She included photos showing her boyfriend’s eye and nose injuries, which she said resulted from surgery to remove nasal…
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Shooting breaks out between Bangkok rescue teams, leaving 3 injured
Three rescue workers were injured in a shooting early yesterday, November 6, following a dispute between two rescue foundations on Lat Phrao Road in Bangkok. Wang Thonglang Police Station was alerted to the incident involving rescue volunteers near the entrance of Soi Lat Phrao 122 in Wang Thonglang district at around 1am. At the scene, officers found bloodstains on the…
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Singapore names orchid after Thai PM Anutin and his wife
During an official visit to Singapore, Thailand’s prime minister and his wife were honoured with a new orchid species named in recognition of their visit. Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his wife were honoured with a floral tribute during an official visit to Singapore, as a newly cultivated orchid species was named Vanchoanthe Anutin Thananon Charnvirakul. The gesture came…
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Trans trio glams up with lipstick for mercy after meth raid in Isaan
Three transgender women apprehended for drugs in Northeast Thailand asked to put on lipstick before arrest, hoping a touch of glam might win police sympathy. The flamboyant request came after a sting operation led to the arrest of five suspects today, November 7, including an alleged drug dealer and a group of methamphetamine users, in the Ban Noi Tai community,…
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Thailand video news | Typhoon lashes coast as Thailand braces for flooding risk, Thailand to slap import duties on all low‑value online goods
In Thailand video news, Jay covers news stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. The stories include a powerful typhoon edges closer to Thailand as the country braces for potential floods, while another deadly storm leaves devastation across the Philippines before hitting Vietnam. Bangkok clears nearly 400,000 krathongs after a calmer Loy Krathong night, the government prepares to tax all…
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