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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Sponsored 9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand
Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...
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Tragic suicide of young Myanmar woman in Phuket sparks investigation
In the small town of Kamala, Phuket, a tragic incident unfolded as a teenage Myanmar woman, merely 19 years old, took her own life. This heartbreaking event came to light after local authorities were notified about the incident on a quiet Saturday night. Kamala Police’s Police Lieutenant Peeymanat Dinkameen received the distressing news of the young woman’s demise at around…
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US set for decisive week on Bitcoin ETFs
The final phase of a multi-year endeavour to introduce Bitcoin-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States is set to climax this week, faced with a series of crucial deadlines. Bloomberg News reports that all aspiring Bitcoin ETF issuers have until today, January 8, in Washington to present any late amendments to their pending applications. Moreover, the US Securities and…
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Phuket governor proposes 191 million baht infrastructure and digital modernisation plan
It was a bustling day at Phuket Provincial Hall last Friday as local government office chiefs and private sector representatives gathered to confirm a series of new infrastructure developments to be proposed at the upcoming mobile Cabinet meeting in Ranong on January 22-23. At the helm of this ambitious endeavour is Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat, who intends to seek approval…
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Thai man linked to major fraud case arrested in Bangkok
Bangkok police apprehended a 57 year old Thai man linked to a sizeable fraud case going back almost ten years. Raveeroj Rithchoteanan, had been previously incarcerated in Angola for his involvement in a significant fraud scheme. The arrest took place on Sunday at a hotel in Wang Thonglang district, with Raveeroj accused of swindling a businessman out of 22 million…
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GSB plans debt moratorium for 630,000 debtors amid Covid-19 pandemic
The Government Savings Bank (GSB) is setting up a plan to provide a debt moratorium for 630,000 debtors, totalling 6.3 billion baht. This plan is in response to the economic hardship experienced by individuals and businesses due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to an anonymous source. During the pandemic, between 2020 and 2021, GSB, a state-owned entity, issued loans totalling…
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Fatal family feud over land inheritance shocks Nonthaburi, Thailand
A deadly family feud over land inheritance escalated into a brutal shooting in front of a house in Nonthaburi, Thailand, resulting in two fatalities. The incident occurred at 9.30am today, January 8, when local police and volunteer rescue workers were dispatched to a violent scene in the Ban Mai district of Bang Yai. The victims were identified as 60 year…
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American wanted for sharing explicit videos and abusing Thai women
Three Thai women reached out to the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women after a perverted American man with anger issues they connected with on a dating app shared explicit pornographic videos, blackmailed, physically assaulted them and stole their valuables. Foundation founder Paveena Hongsakul accompanied one of the three victims to the Royal Thai Police (RTP) Sports Club to file…
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Man with methamphetamine detained by Thai charity team
In a recent operation by the special operations team from the Thung Yai Charity Faith Samakkhi Foundation, a man was apprehended in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province after his substance abuse led to destructive and delusional behaviour. The individual, who had been consuming methamphetamine daily, was reported to have caused substantial damage to his home and was suffering from severe hallucinations.…
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Oil prices dip over 1% due to Saudi cuts and increased Opec production
Oil prices experienced a significant drop today, with a decrease of over 1% due to the substantial price reductions introduced by Saudi Arabia, a leading exporter, coupled with an increase in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) production. These factors successfully counterbalanced concerns about the growing geopolitical tension in the Middle East. During early trading, Brent crude saw…
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Phuket’s air quality under threat as haze season approaches
Grey skies are looming over Thailand’s popular tourist destination of Phuket despite the air quality remaining at a moderate level during the first week of January. The Pollution Control Department (PCD) has already flagged concerns as predictions suggest the annual haze might arrive earlier than expected this year. According to the World Air Quality Index project (AQICN), the concentration of hazardous PM2.5…
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Thai PM challenges central bank over interest rate hikes
Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who also holds the position of Minister of Finance, openly expressed his discontent with the Bank of Thailand’s decision to increase interest rates amidst a period of prolonged negative inflation. This move, according to the Thai prime minister, is detrimental to the nation’s economic well-being and disproportionately affects those on lower incomes and small to…
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Saowapa Vocational College freezes the competition with top prize in Harbin snow sculpture showdown
Three Thai vocational student teams took part in the international snow sculpture competition in Harbin, China, with Saowapa Vocational College scooping first prize. Teams from Saraburi and Surat Thani Vocational Colleges both secured third place. Prapat Ratanarun, Deputy Secretary of the Vocational Education Commission, revealed that the Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC) sent three vocational student teams to…
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Thai actress slams Russian police and airline inaction after luggage theft
Thai actress Pimprapa “Pim” Tangprabhaporn condemned Russian police and an airline carrier for their inaction after belongings worth over 200,000 baht were stolen from her luggage at Moscow Airport. Pim took to social media yesterday, January 7, to share a video of herself checking her luggage to find her lost valuables in the middle of the airport. She revealed to…
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Six month old girl’s unstoppable crying caused by 4cm hair embedded in foot
The persistent crying of a six month old girl was attributed to a 4-centimetre-long hair embedded in her foot. Her mother hurriedly took her to the hospital, where doctors were perplexed about how the hair became lodged. They cautioned against attempting to remove such foreign objects independently The mother, a young woman from Hubei province, China, carried her six month…
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Thai village in panic as deranged man with fake gun goes berserk
A man, seemingly deranged and carrying a fake gun, caused panic in the Sirikarnjan village in Bang Samak, Bang Pakong, Chachoengsao province when he was seen shaking the fences of every home and shouting. The incident, captured on CCTV, took place around 4am today, January 8. Aged between 30 and 35 years old, the man was eventually taken into custody…
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High travel costs and weak flight capacity challenge Thailand’s domestic tourism targets
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) revealed that the government’s target of accruing 1.08 trillion baht (US$30.9 trillion) in revenue from domestic tourism this year may be challenging to achieve due to high travel costs and weak flight capacity. The target set by the TAT for the domestic market is 200 million trips this year, matching the 2019 levels. However,…
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Forensic analysis presents new image of Jesus, challenging centuries of traditional representation
The Popular Mechanics platform sparked controversy by unveiling the potentially most accurate representation of Jesus, challenging the conventional image embraced by the Christian population in the Western world. Historically, Jesus has been depicted with long hair, a slim face, a beard, and a slender physique. Nevertheless, an examination of average skull patterns from Jewish individuals in Galilee, located in the…
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Weather update: Northern Thailand braces for chill as storms threaten the south
TheMeteorological Department of Thailand (TMD)forecasted another drop in temperatures across northern Thailand, with the weather ranging from cool to cold, particularly in the mountainous areas. Meanwhile, cloud cover has been observed in Bangkok. In contrast, the southern region has been issued a warning for storm conditions affecting nine provinces. A mass of cold air or high-pressure area continues to cover…
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2 armed robbers flee after shooting homeowner and stealing 235,000 baht of gold
Police are searching for two armed robbers who shot a homeowner and stole gold necklaces and a mobile phone from his family members at a house in the Ramkamhaeng neighbourhood of Bangkok. The crime was committed yesterday, January 7, and the loss totalled 264,000 baht. Wang Thong Lang Police Station officers were alerted to the shooting and robbery at a…
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National Telecom to develop cloud managed platform amid rising demand
The Digital Economy and Society Ministry has commissioned National Telecom (NT), the state telecom enterprise, to create a Cloud Managed Platform (CMP). This development comes in response to the substantial demand among state agencies for a central portal to access services from any cloud provider. Ministry’s Deputy Permanent Secretary Nattapon Nattasomboon announced that NT received an allocation of 600 million…
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Chinese tourist drowns in tragic incident at Similan Islands
A calamitous event unfolded on the serene Similan Islands last Friday morning, January 5, when a Chinese tourist was abruptly swept away in a drowning incident. The incident was later relayed to the public by the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) 3rd Area Command. As of yet, the current state of the victim remains unknown. The incident occurred within the confines…
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Mysterious death in Patong: Thai woman’s tragic demise investigated by police
A disturbing incident unfolded on Saturday in the heart of Phuket’s bustling tourist area, Patong, where a Thai woman lost her life under mysterious circumstances. Patong Police are diligently probing the matter, which took place at a local hotel, involving a New Zealand man. The incident came to light at approximately 1.40pm, on January 6 when employees of a hotel…
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Thai man arrested for rape and murder of 75 year old woman in Isaan
Police arrested a local man yesterday for the brutal rape and murder of a 75 year old Thai woman in the Isaan province of Sa Kaeo. The victim’s grandson, 27 year old Sittichai, discovered the dead body of his grandmother, 75 year old Boonnam Cherngkhao, in a sugar cane field near an abandoned car showroom in the Sa Kaeo province…
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Spaniard arrested for stealing handbag at Patong nightclub
A Spaniard found himself in hot water as he was arrested on the night of January 6, in Patong for allegedly pilfering a handbag from a Mongolian woman at the Illuzion nightclub, a popular hotspot on Bangla Road. The incident unfolded when Patong Police Station officers were alerted to a theft complaint from a Mongolian woman. The crime was reported…
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Stabbing to death in Phra Khanong convenience store shocks local community
A fatal stabbing occurred in a convenience store in the Phra Khanong area, following a heated argument between two homeless men. The incident, which took place at around 1am yesterday, was swiftly responded to by local police, accompanied by forensic doctors from Chulalongkorn Hospital and volunteers from the Pu Teak Tueng Foundation. The 60 year old deceased, Somchai, was found…
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Tour bus accident in Thailand leads to severe injuries
A tour bus accident has led to multiple casualties and severe injuries among passengers. Rescue officials rushed to the scene, where they discovered six people seriously injured. The incident, believed to be caused by driver fatigue, occurred yesterday, January 7 at 10.30pm. The initial investigation of the incident involved interviewing the bus driver. The accident occurred on Asia Route 41,…
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Mysterious mass fish deaths in Philippines spark natural disaster fears
Large schools of fish were found washed up on a beach in the Philippines, which excited some local inhabitants who saw it as a gift from God. However, others were concerned that the occurrence might be a signal of impending natural disaster. Diane Lawa Tagum, a Facebook user, posted a video of the incident early in the morning yesterday, January…
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Elderly Thai duo’s homemade kaffir lime shampoo gains online attention (video)
Social media users are intrigued by a pair of elderly women who are handcrafting and selling their kaffir lime shampoo. The duo’s distinctive labelling of their product has caught the attention of netizens, suggesting a counterfeit if the sticker is aligned properly. On January 7, TikTok user @kanthikanuch shared a clip of the two old ladies making the herbal shampoo…
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Activists challenge Thaksin’s hospital treatment, demand transparency
A recent post by former Election Commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn on January 3 questioned the alleged preferential treatment for Thaksin Shinawatra, former Thai PM, a high-profile prisoner receiving medical care at the Police General Hospital. In response, the Thai Department of Corrections addressed the matter on January 6, clarifying their stance and procedures concerning long-term treatments exceeding 120 days for inmates…
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Body of Thai toddler found in fridge: Choked on sticky rice, reveals autopsy
The lifeless body of a two year old boy, Theerapong Duangngam, also known as Nong Nai, was discovered inside a refrigerator in the bedroom of his adoptive parents, Hannarong, also known as Bank Praiphnom, and Marisa, also known as Koi, yesterday. Theerapong ‘s autopsy report was released today. The report, disclosed to the media by Police Lieutenant Phruet Jamroonsart, head…
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