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 Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Bolt vs Win motorbike taxi gang violence continues in Pattaya
Violence between rivalling motorbike taxi operators continues in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, where three ‘Win‘ drivers were injured after being beaten with a baseball bat and an iron bar, allegedly by Bolt drivers. Yesterday evening, a brawl broke out between three Bolt drivers and three Win drivers at Thappraya Soi 7, South Pattaya, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province, near Jomtien…
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Huge waves in the southern Thai sea destroys beach and 200 palm trees
Thap Sakae Beach and 200 palm trees in the southern province of Prachup Khiri Khan were devastated as huge waves battered its shoreline yesterday morning. According to Thap Sakae sub-district chief Maria Phaopratarn, the waves and wind at Thap Sakae Beach in the southern province of Prachup Khiri Khan were unusually strong yesterday morning and began to subside around 4pm.…
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Fugitive Thaksin reveals his forthcoming return to Thailand, again
Thaksin Shinawatra, former prime minister, fugitive from justice and dynastic overlord, has spoken of his coming return to Thailand, and how it will happen without help from Pheu Thai or the ruling Palang Pracharath Party. The saviour’s coming will be announced by daughter Paetongtarn, herself an aspirant PM. The latest of many declarations on his forthcoming return to Thailand came…
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Koh Samui welcomes first Taiwanese tour group in 3 years
Thailand’s tropical holiday island of Koh Samui welcomed its first Taiwanese tour group in nearly three years on Tuesday. The group of 142 tourists enjoyed Koh Samui’s nature tourism, as well as its temples and shrines. The group also plan to travel to Koh Ang Thong, Koh Tao, and Koh Nang Yuan for four days. The group had a three-night…
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Taiwanese actress warns tourists to be aware of Thailand’s ‘bastard police’
A famous Taiwanese actress warned foreign tourists coming to Thailand to be aware of the kingdom’s “bastard police!” The actress revealed on social media that the Royal Thai Police (RTP) extorted 27,000 baht from her and her friends on fake, trumped-up charges while they were travelling in Thailand at the beginning of this month. The Thai Facebook page Hello Taiwan!…
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Pattaya prepares for return of Chinese tour groups
Cities across Thailand continue to prepare for the expected rise in the number of Chinese tourists to the kingdom. Pattaya is preparing for Chinese tour groups to finally return to the renowned party city. On Tuesday, Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches met with the Thai-Chinese Tourism Association to discuss how best to accommodate the influx of Chinese tourists to the city.…
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Longtail boat sinks in Thailand: Pregnant Malay woman and child die, 2 survive
A longtail boat carrying a family of Malaysian tourists sank off the coast of Krabi province in southern Thailand yesterday. A 36 year old pregnant woman and her six year old child died while the father and Thai boat operator survived with the help of a local fisherman. A young fisherman, 21 year old Warit Changmin, went out fishing for…
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Bank of Thailand increases interest rates, again!
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of Thailand insists that it had to hike its policy interest rate by 0.25% to 1.50% yesterday for the fourth consecutive time to curb high inflation. MPC Committee Secretary Piti Disyatat reported that the committee was unanimous in its decision. “Under a gradual policy normalisation, rate hikes could take place for a…
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Thailand beats foreign arrivals goal for 2022
Thailand has reportedly beaten its goal for foreign arrivals in 2022 after seeing a total of 11.15 million tourists enter the country last year. Initially, the kingdom had set a goal for 10 million tourists to arrive in 2022. But, as the world opened up after the Covid-19 pandemic, the country saw a significant jump in arrivals compared to 2021’s…
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Bangkok, Songkhla, Chon Buri provinces to host 2025 Southeast Asian Games
Bangkok, Songkhla, and Chon Buri provinces are the new hosts of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games. The Sports Authority of Thailand decided at a meeting that was presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon yesterday. During the meeting, Nakhon Ratchasima was also chosen to host the 13th ASEAN Para Games in 2026. A budget allocation from the National Sports…
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Thai police swiftly arrest thief who robbed German tourist
Netizens are praising the work of police in Sukhothai in central Thailand for tracking down and arresting a thief who robbed a German tourist in just 30 minutes and reuniting her with all of the stolen items. Not only did police crack the case, but one investigating officer interrogated the thief and posted the video on his TikTok account earlier today.…
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Phuket taxis: outsiders are undercutting our prices
Operators from outside Phuket are the target of a recent complaint filed by representatives from 30 taxi, van, tuk tuk and bus operators on the island. The association is complaining that outside taxis are invading their province and stealing their tourist customers by undercutting their prices. The complaint alleges that these outside operators are greatly affecting the income of local…
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Thailand promotes tourism with subsidies, vouchers nationwide
Thailand is promoting tourism by offering rate subsidies on hotels and food vouchers at participating businesses nationwide. According to Bangkok Post, the Thai Cabinet approved a budget of 3.95 billion baht to stimulate tourism, which includes 2.02 billion baht set aside for food-tour vouchers and room discounts of up to 40%. Under the government’s “We Travel Together” campaign, 560 hotel…
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Thai netizens predict lucky lottery numbers based on diamond eye cat
Thai netizens are predicting lucky lottery numbers based on an unusual cat with a diamond eye. TikTok clips that went viral today show the cat’s peculiar, piercingly bright left eye. Some netizens predicted lucky numbers for the February 1 lottery based on the TikTok user’s name, @user3026088746242. They have also predicted numbers associated with cats, mainly four, eight, and seven. Many…
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Should tourists in Thailand take a gamble on Poipet?
Poipet, a boomtown on the Khmer side of the Thai – Cambodian border, is known for two things: visa runs and gambling. Just 3.5 hours away from Bangkok, Poipet is popular with tourists looking to exit and reenter Thailand’s border to gain more time in the kingdom. Beyond the immigration office lies an otherwise unspectacular-looking urban municipality that transforms into…
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Thailand and Cambodia argue over origin of Muay Thai kickboxing
A row has sparked between Thailand and Cambodia over the origin of Muay Thai. As a result, Thailand has withdrawn from the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games). Cambodia, the host country of the 2023 SEA Games, changed the name of the kickboxing competition from Muay Thai to Kun Khmer and stated that the origin of Muay Thai is Cambodian. The…
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10,000 Bangkok taxis have adjusted meters to match recent rate hikes
Almost 10,000 Bangkok taxis have reportedly adjusted their meters to match recent rate hikes. The Department of Land Transport (DLT) made the announcement, saying that since Monday, January 16, taxis have been visiting the Krung Thep Aphiewat Central Terminal to have their metres adjusted. The taxi’s base fares have risen from 35 to 40 baht with drivers being required to…
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Leopard undergoes successful surgery in Thailand
Veterinarians successfully removed a large tumour from a leopard‘s face in Suphan Buri province in central Thailand yesterday. The big cat is recovering well from the surgery. Officials from the Bueng Chawak Non-Hunting Area reported that a 15 year old male leopard named Tree, weighing 51.5 kilogrammes, was operated on yesterday at the Bang Chawak Wildlife Management Centre. Tree was…
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Mother drowns in Pattaya pond where she previously ‘heard a voice’ (video)
A mother tragically drowned in a Pattaya pond on Monday night. The woman, 49 year old Amnuay Khemram, had gone into the pond twice in the past after she heard a voice telling her to walk into it, according to her son, 26 year old Thammarong Khemram. Thammarong said his mother went missing from their home at 11am on Monday.…
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Thai Cabinet approves electricity bill discounts over next four months
The Thai Cabinet has approved electricity bill discounts over the next four months for more than 19 million households. According to the Bangkok Post, the discounts will span from the remainder of this month (January) to April, 2023. Deputy Secretary-General to the prime minister, Anucha Burapahaisri, says the discounts have been approved to help with the high power tariff. Households…
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One Iranian footballer sacked, another suspended, for supporting protesters
Iran’s Islamic Republic regime continues to harass footballers who dare to show solidarity with protesters screaming for freedom. One Iranian footballer has been sacked, and another suspended, for supporting protesters. The footballer who was sacked is 35 year old Voria Ghafouri, the now former captain of the Persian Gulf Pro League club Foolad. IranWire reported yesterday that Ghafouri was sacked…
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Security guard deceives and kidnaps 17 year old girl
Police are searching for a 51 year old security guard who deceived and kidnapped a 17 year old girl. Officers reported that they have managed to track the girl’s phone signal and believe they will make an arrest very soon. Nipa Pengpuang, the teenager’s aunt, sought assistance on social media after her niece went missing with a security guard she…
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Aussie visitors to Phuket reach almost 90% of pre-Covid level
The number of Australians visiting Phuket has reached almost 90% of pre-pandemic levels, according to Australian Consul-General to Phuket, Matthew Barclay. The news comes as Barclay met with Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew at Provincial Hall. Barclay told the Phuket News… “It’s clear that 2023 will be a significant year for Phuket. The meeting was a great opportunity to discuss the…
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Thai police seize 1.1 tonnes of crystal meth in just one week
Southeast Asia‘s synthetic drugs trade is booming with Thai police seizing over one tonne of crystal meth (“Ice”) in just one week. Police displayed the fruits of their hard work – 1.145 tonnes of seized methamphetamine disguised as Chinese tea – at the Narcotics Suppression Bureau in Bangkok yesterday. The crystal meth was produced in neighbouring countries and smuggled into…
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Thailand Film Office reports record-breaking year for Thai movie industry
The Thailand Film Office (TFO) reported 2022 was a record-breaking year for the Thai movie industry despite a sluggish start to the new calendar year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The TFO compiled a list of impressive statistics for filming foreign movies in the Land of Smiles for 2022. It recorded that film crews shot 348 different types of movies…
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Bidding method for train station redesign project inappropriate
An investigation into the 33-million-baht redesign project for Bang Sue Grand Station revealed that the selection method to choose a nameplate and logo designer was inappropriate. The probe, headed by Sorapong Paithoonpong, a deputy interior permanent secretary, revealed its findings yesterday. After His Royal Majesty King Vajiralongkorn decided to rename the station “Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal” in September last…
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Lifeguards save foreign tourist from drowning in Pattaya
Tragedy was avoided on Jomtien beach in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, yesterday thanks to the expert skills of Pattaya City lifeguards who acted quickly to save a foreign tourist from drowning. At 3pm, the Sawang Boon Rescue Foundation was informed that a foreign tourist was dragged out of the sea unconscious near the entrance of Soi 16 at Jomtien Beach in…
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Malaysian victims accuse Royal Thai Police of soliciting bribes of over 100,000 baht
Two Malaysian victims told local media that corrupt Royal Thai Police solicited bribes of 100,000 baht to return their stolen cars which were taken from their native country and driven to Thailand. The Malaysian news agency, The Star, reported that the cars were stolen from Malaysia and shipped to Thailand. The media also added that RTP officers were involved in…
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Thieves steal 27 public defibrillators in Bangkok, Thailand
Thai news outlet Drama-addict reported that 27 public Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) dotted around the streets of Bangkok, Thailand, have been stolen. In total, 262 AEDs are stationed all around the city to be used to help people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. AEDs are life-saving, yet easy-to-use medical devices that can analyse the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an…
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Officials remove fence from Phuket beach following complaints
There’s been another incident involving a business allegedly encroaching on a Phuket beach. Officials removed a fence from Kamala Beach following several complaints that the fence encroached upon the beach. The business accused of encroaching on the beach is a beach bed operator. Law enforcement officers inspected the area where the operator was ordered to remove the fence from the…
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