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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New debt relief scheme aids nearly 500,000 Thai debtors
Deputy Finance Minister Phaophum Rojanasakul announced that as of January 28, the You Fight, We Help initiative has received interest from 497,552 debtors, covering 576,496 accounts. The scheme aims to assist individual debtors and includes two measures, excluding direct registration with financial institutions. The first measure, Direct Payment, Asset Retention, targets home, car, and small SME loans with modest limits,…
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Fire at Surat Thani rubber plant causes 10 million baht damage
A fire at a rubber smoking plant in Baan Tha Hak, Mueang 3 subdistrict, Pha Wa district, Surat Thani province destroyed over 16 tonnes of rubber sheets and caused damage estimated at nearly 10 million baht (US$296,320). The blaze, which occurred at 9.30pm yesterday, January 29, was reported to Police Lieutenant Sarawut Kittiruengrayap, an investigator at Chaiya Police Station. Upon…
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Lottery luck: Number 703 sparks lottery frenzy in Phayao
Residents of Ban San Pa Nat in Dok Kham Tai district, Phayao province participated in the annual ritual to honour the spirit of Chao Pho Ong Dam today. They gathered to perform traditional rites and offered various items including flowers, incense, and food. This cultural event, held on the 13th day of the waning moon in the fourth month, is…
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Illegal Russian, Estonian building workers arrested on Koh Pha Ngan
Thai Tourist Police officers arrested a Russian man and an Estonian man for illegally working at a construction site on Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani. The Commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau, Saksira Phueak-aum, recently launched a crackdown on illegal foreign workers on Koh Pha Ngan, leading to a thorough and continuous investigation of…
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Thai police station up for grabs, bidders in for a brief stay
A Thai police station is going under the hammer and social media is in a right lock-up over it. The Klang Dong Police Station in Nakhon Ratchasima is up for grabs with a starting bid of just 18,800 baht and the online chatter has been criminally good. The bombshell news broke on the station’s own Facebook page, SP Klang Dong…
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26 illegal immigrants found hidden in corn truck in Mae Sot
A joint operation by the Ratchamanu Task Force, police, and the district administration successfully apprehended 26 illegal immigrants today, January 30, concealed in a corn truck in Mae Sot district, Tak province. The incident occurred at 11pm when the Ratchamanu Task Force, part of the Naresuan Force, set up a checkpoint in Ban Huai Fon. During this operation, a truck…
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Indian-Thai man accuses delivery rider of spying, threatens to kill him
An Indian-born man, who also holds Thai citizenship, brutally attacked and threatened to kill an app-based Thai delivery rider at his home in Soi Hua Mak 8, in the Bang Kapi district of Bangkok, yesterday, January 29. A witness called officers from Hua Mak Police Station to the scene at approximately 3.30pm after seeing the foreign man dragging an app-based…
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Pattaya police book illegal Russian guide – but not for a tour
Tourist Police in Pattaya arrested a Russian woman at Khao Chi Chan for allegedly working illegally as a tour guide. The arrest took place on Tuesday, January 28, at the parking area of the Khao Chi Chan Buddha engraving site. Police had observed the woman leading a group of foreign tourists, speaking in a foreign language, without the presence of…
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New Thai team to tackle Deep South conflict amid growing violence
A new government team dedicated to peace negotiations will be formed to address the ongoing conflict in the Deep South, as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. Phumtham stated that the leader of the new team has yet to be decided. The choice could involve reappointing the previous team or opting for a new one, contingent on a comprehensive…
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Thailand braces for heavy rain and strong monsoon impact
The Meteorological Department of Thailand (TMD) forecasts a weakening cold air mass and heavy rain over upper Thailand, though chilly conditions persist, while a strong monsoon affects the south. Yesterday, January 29, six provinces were expected to experience heavy rain. The strong northeast monsoon affecting the Gulf of Thailand and the southern region is causing high waves, especially in the…
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Civil group pushes for casino referendum with 50,000 signatures
A civil network has initiated a campaign to collect signatures for a referendum on the potential legalisation of casinos in the country. Thanakorn Komkris, Secretary General of the Stop Gambling Foundation, stated that the network aims to collect a minimum of 50,000 signatures to prompt a referendum for public input on the matter. Previously, the foundation launched an online petition…
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Thai hostages set for release by Hamas as part of ceasefire
In a dramatic twist to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, five Thai hostages are set to be freed by Hamas today, as confirmed by Israeli officials. This surprising move, which stands outside the recent ceasefire deal, is anticipated alongside the release of three Israeli hostages. Set to return home are two Israeli women, 29 year old Arbel Yehud, a civilian,…
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Thai couple arrested for swindling millionaire out of 21 million baht
Crime Suppression Division officers arrested a Thai couple for deceiving and swindling over 21 million baht from a millionaire in the southern province of Yala. The couple, 36 year old Kanpathitcha and 46 year old Ammarin, were arrested at their home in the central province of Samut Prakan yesterday after operating their scam against the female victim in Yala for…
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Thai cops shut down illegal steroid lab in Bangkok
Thai police have smashed a massive underground steroid operation, seizing 1.9 million unregistered Dexamethasone tablets in a dramatic raid in Bangkok on January 24. The joint crackdown by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Central Investigation Bureau (CIB)exposed a dangerous black market scheme, where the powerful steroid was being illegally produced and mixed into health products, from herbal remedies and drinks to cosmetics. Dexamethasone, a controlled substance…
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Government handout sparks vote-buying concerns before elections
The second phase of the government’s 10,000-baht handout programme, scheduled just days before provincial elections, is likely to be perceived as vote-buying by some, according to People’s Party MP Pakornwut Udompipatskul. Residents in 47 provinces are set to vote on Saturday for Provincial Administrative Organisation presidents and members. On Monday, the government distributed 10,000-baht handouts to the bank accounts of…
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19 year old Thai-British driver kills Thai woman in Chon Buri car crash
A 19 year old half-Thai, half-British man crashed his SUV into a motorcycle on a road in the Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri, leaving one Thai woman dead and another seriously injured. Officers from Nong Prue Police Station and rescuers from the Sawang Borriboon Dhammasatan Foundation responded to the accident on Noen Plub Wan Road at approximately 11pm last…
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High-profile Chinese inmate accuses Thai officials of treating him unfairly
A high-profile Chinese inmate sought assistance from INTERPOL, accusing Thai officials at Bangkok Remand Prison of treating him unfairly. This Chinese inmate is She Zhijiang, the Chinese President of Yatai International Holding Group (IHG) and the founder of the crime hub in Shwe Kokko, Myanmar. He was arrested in Thailand in August 2022 and imprisoned at Bangkok Remand Prison. Zhijiang was arrested…
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Opposition mounts against potash mining in Thailand
Opponents of potash mining in Nakhon Ratchasima are urging the energy group Bangchak Plc to adhere to good governance practices. Bangchak, listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, is the majority owner of the mining company with the concession rights. Representatives from the Dan Khun Thot Conservation Group convened at the Ministry of Industry yesterday, urging the Department of Primary…
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Thailand denies mistreatment of jailed Chinese gambling tycoon
Thailand has refuted allegations of mistreatment against She Zhijiang, a jailed gambling tycoon facing extradition to China over charges of running illegal online gambling operations in Southeast Asia, said Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong. She, a Chinese Cambodian businessman, has claimed he experienced inhumane treatment in a Thai prison, including violence that has rendered him unable to stand. This claim was…
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Casino legalisation: A new opportunity for tourism in Thailand
Thailand is on an exciting yet possibly very controversial journey towards changing its tourism industry. The country is blessed with extraordinary beaches and enriching cultural sceneries. Long since it has been a popular destination for lovers of nature and tourism. Now the country is targeting a wealthier section of people with the desire to rejuvenate and experience luxury. This change…
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Viral video of Thai man kicking motorcyclist sparks police action
A viral TikTok video showing a pedestrian kicking a motorcyclist who failed to stop at a red light and a zebra crossing in Bangkok has led to the arrest of the rider today, January 29. The Thai TikToker, @p_is_myname, shared a video of himself kicking and arguing with the motorcyclist, later identified as 26 year old Jadesada, with a caption…
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Thailand’s aviation recovery nears pre-Covid levels: CAAT
Thailand’s aviation sector is anticipated to experience a robust recovery this year, reaching pre-pandemic levels, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT). Suttipong Kongpool, the CAAT director, forecasts a rise in passenger numbers to at least 25 million, aligning with figures from 2019. Initially, full recovery expectations were set for last year; however, the slow return of Chinese…
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Phuket: Construction worker slits man’s throat in motorbike dispute
A construction site in Phuket turned into a bloodbath this morning, January 29, when a heated argument over a motorbike accident ended in cold-blooded murder. Police were called to a construction site in Soi Phu Yai Din, Village 4, Srisoonthorn, just before 8.30am, where they found 28 year old Ka Aye lying lifeless on a steel cutting machine, his throat brutally slit. The deep wound on the right…
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2 Chinese and 4 Burmese nationals arrested in Bangkok salon raid
Thai Tourist Police officers arrested two Chinese and four Burmese nationals for illegally working at a beauty salon in the Rama 9 neighbourhood of Bangkok yesterday. The Tourist Police launched a special operation called “Happy Chinese New Year 68” and raided a beauty salon in Rama 9, named Yinhaijinchuan Barber & Salon, where the Chinese suspects were arrested. In addition…
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Brutal Pattaya beatdown: Thai police hunt down Chinese gang
Thai police are cracking down on a brutal gang attack in Pattaya that left a Chinese man beaten unconscious in a shocking assault caught on CCTV. The violent attack, which took place on September 13 last year, quickly went viral, sparking outrage and a high-profile police investigation. Chon Buri Police Commander Police Major General Thawatakiat Jindakwansanong chaired a crisis meeting to review the case’s progress. So…
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Thai barber denies sexual assault allegation after customer shares video
A Thai man accused a barber in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen of sexually assaulting him while receiving a haircut, but the barber denied the accusation, claiming he merely flirted with the customer. The victim shared his story in a local Facebook group in Khon Kaen, warning others to avoid the barber‘s services. He posted part of a video…
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Thai transwoman stifles laughter as thief steals fake gold necklace
A thief broke into a luxury house in the Isaan province of Udon Thani and escaped with a gold necklace, but the homeowner later confirmed that the stolen item was a fake. The Thai transwoman, 27 year old Phattarawan Kongphuthorn, filed a complaint with Mueang Udon Thani Police Station officers yesterday after returning home to find signs of a break-in.…
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Spectacular 70 year old mango tree in Surin draws crowds
A 70 year old forest mango tree in Surin is drawing crowds as it blooms spectacularly, with people stopping to take photos. Enthusiasts are also on the lookout for lucky numbers, with some spotting numbers like 37 and 15 at the tree’s base. The tree, believed to be between 60 and 70 years old, stands about 10 metres tall with…
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Intoxicated driver crashes into Chon Buri restaurant, causes damage
A 51 year old driver crashed an off-road Toyota pickup into a power pole before colliding with a roadside restaurant in Si Racha district, Chon Buri province. The incident occurred around 12.30am today, January 29, near the entrance to Wat Khao Din Wanaram in Nong Kham subdistrict, resulting in significant damage to the restaurant and its property. Police Lieutenant Colonel Nopadon…
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Bangkok residents frustrated by Chinese New Year fireworks chaos (video)
Residents in Bangkok are voicing their dissatisfaction over Chinese people setting off fireworks to celebrate the Chinese New Year, with little regard for police intervention. The fireworks have sparked fires in nearby grasslands, causing chaos for fire services, and have left pets in distress. Social media users have reported complaints from multiple areas across the city, including Huai Khwang, Rama…
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