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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Lawyer criticised for opposing equal marriage in Thailand
Lawyer Thammarat Sarapanya has faced a wave of criticism following his comments on equal marriage, which he described as a violation of the universe’s laws. The remarks came after the new Marriage Equality Act, amending the Civil and Commercial Code, took effect yesterday, January 23. Thammarat expressed his views through his Facebook page “The Lawyer of Legality,” stating, “Equal marriage…
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Pattaya police raid Chinese gang boss’s luxury home
Pattaya police raided the lavish home of an alleged Chinese gang leader yesterday, January 23, as part of an ongoing investigation into the brutal assault of a Chinese businessman. The attack, which occurred on September 14 last year, left the victim seriously injured after he refused to sell his pub shares to the gang. The raid, conducted by over 10…
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AMLO combats fraud by closing 680,000 mule accounts
The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) has listed 72,031 persons for electronic transaction monitoring and closed over 680,000 mule accounts. AMLO’s Assistant Secretary-General, Witya Neetitham, yesterday reported on the Transaction Committee’s actions from December 2024 to January under the leadership of AMLO Secretary-General Tepsu Bowonchodidara. The committee has targeted assets linked to drug offences, fraud, and online gambling. In drug-related offences,…
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Thai man survives 8 days in forest with broken hip
A 30 year old Thai man survived after being lost for eight days in a forest in the central province of Kanchanaburi, despite suffering from a broken hip. Locals in Ban Matang Soo, located in the Sai Yok district of Kanchanaburi, sought assistance from rescuers at the Khunnadham Kanchanaburi Foundation to search for the missing man, identified as Jao. He…
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4 schoolboys injured in class science experiment gone wrong at Phetchabun
Four schoolboys suffered severe burns from sparks igniting during a science experiment gone wrong in their classroom at a school in the central province of Phetchabun. The local news Facebook page, Phet Variety, reported the unexpected accident at Na Chaliang Pittayakom School in Phetchabun yesterday, January 23, along with pictures of 14 year old students whose faces and hands were…
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Thailand video news | Escaped elephant sparks chaos, Charity event in Phnom Penh turns deadly
In today’s Thailand video news, Alex and Jay bring you a range of compelling stories from Thailand and Southeast Asia. From an escaped elephant causing chaos in Phuket to a crackdown on open burning aimed at combating PM2.5 pollution, the team dives into key local issues. They also explore regional highlights, including Indonesia’s deadly floods and Singapore’s PM warning of…
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Phuket hosts landmark event for equal marriage registrations
Phuket hosted a groundbreaking event yesterday, January 23, marking a significant advance in the recognition of equal marriage registrations in Thailand. This event was part of the nationwide initiative, DOPA-Day One: Beating the Gong to Win All Love, and was held at the Bay Arena in Jungceylon shopping mall, Patong. The event saw 24 couples, including seven male-male and 14…
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Bangkok hospital confirms no elderly death in foreign man rampage
A hospital in Bangkok confirmed that no elderly patient deaths were reported following a rampage caused by a foreign man on Wednesday, January 22. The identity of the foreigner remains under investigation. A video showing a foreign man going on a rampage at what was later confirmed to be Sirindhorn Hospital in Bangkok was shared on the Facebook page AggressiveDoctor. The…
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7 rangers injured in Narathiwat monastery bomb blast
In Narathiwat’s Ra-ngae district, seven military rangers sustained injuries following a bomb explosion at a Buddhist monastery pavilion yesterday, January 23. The rangers, from Ranger Company 4511, were patrolling to ensure the safety of local officials attending a subdistrict administrative organisation meeting. The improvised explosive device was concealed in the pavilion and detonated during the rangers’ rest stop, according to…
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Google to build new cloud data centre in Chon Buri
Google is set to enhance its footprint in Thailand by constructing a new cloud data centre in Chon Buri, announced Google’s president and chief investment officer, Ruth Porat. Porat engaged with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Wednesday, January 22. The Google executive expressed gratitude towards the Thai government for its support in…
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Russian man throws son overboard in Phang Nga, leaving boy dead
A Russian man allegedly threw his 13 year old half-Thai, half-Russian son out of a speedboat in the sea off the southern province of Phang Nga on Wednesday, January 22, resulting in the boy being struck by a propeller and subsequently losing his life. Workers on the speedboat alerted officers from Kuraburi Police Station to the pier in the Kuraburi…
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Wildlife trafficking: Birds and red pandas seized in Thailand
The National Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (NED) searched a property in Nakhon Pathom where rare birds were being kept, after seizing two red pandas valued at millions of baht in Nonthaburi. Deputy commander Police Colonel Arun Wachirasrisukanya announced yesterday that police obtained a court warrant to search the premises in Thap Luang subdistrict, Mueang district. This investigation followed the…
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Airport arrest: Chinese murder suspects nabbed in Thailand
Two Chinese nationals wanted for murder in Hong Kong were arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Wednesday evening, January 22, as they attempted to flee justice. The suspects, identified as Yau Shu-Ko Enoch and Shimeobi Chinedu Nelson, are accused of committing a fatal crime in Hong Kong earlier that day. According to Police Major General Choengron Rimphadee, commander of Immigration…
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Mammoth madness: Runaway elephant sparks chaos in Phuket
Panic swept through Cherng Talay in Phuket this morning as an escaped elephant roamed the village streets, prompting an urgent response from police and handlers. The drama began at around 10am when the elephant bolted from its camp, heading towards Cherng Talay Wittayakom School, with a scaffolding pole tangled around its neck. Witnesses reported minor damage to property, including a…
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Burmese man tries to rape 9 year old Thai boy and, kills him for resisting
A Burmese man killed a nine year old Thai boy and abandoned his body in a pond in Samut Prakan province, near Bangkok, after the young victim resisted his rape attempts. The family of the nine year old boy took to social media to search for him after he went missing from their community in the Phra Samut Chedi district…
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British tourist busted in Patong for cocaine possession
A 20 year old British man was arrested on Tuesday night, January 21, in Patong for possession of cocaine, as police crack down on drug-related offences in Phuket’s popular tourist hotspots. The arrest occurred near Yona Pier on Thawewong Road, commonly known as the Beach Road, around 10.45pm. Patong Police confirmed the man, whose identity remains undisclosed, was found carrying…
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Cyber Crime Division probes legality of Jagat coin app
Thailand’s Cyber Crime Division has identified the Jagat coin as potentially illegal, uncovering three bank accounts linked to player transactions, and has summoned account holders for questioning. Players are warned of possible legal repercussions. Police Lieutenant General Trirong Phiewpan, commander of the Cyber Crime Division, yesterday highlighted concerns about the Jagat coin hunt app. Initial investigations suggest it may involve…
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Thai couple arrested in Bangkok condominium raid for producing Pod K
Officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau raided a luxury condominium in Bangkok’s Thon Buri neighbourhood on Tuesday, January 21, and arrested a Thai couple for producing and distributing a new narcotic known as Pod K. Pod K, a substance similar in appearance to e-cigarettes, contains e-liquid laced with ketamine. This new drug gained popularity among Thai teenagers due to its accessibility,…
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Pattaya Beach: Drunken vendor launches attack over stolen mat
A heated argument over a stolen beach mat erupted into violence on Pattaya Beach in the early hours of yesterday, January 22, leaving a 59 year old vendor injured. The dramatic confrontation has shocked witnesses and raised questions about the fierce competition among vendors on the bustling beach. Suphanee, a veteran beach mat vendor, accused a fellow vendor of stealing…
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Thai soldier has 4 mistresses, divorces leukaemia driven wife
A Thai woman with leukaemia is seeking justice after her soldier husband sued her in order to file for divorce and live with his four mistresses. The 42 year old legal wife, Ying, travelled from the central province of Sing Buri to meet members of the non-profit organisation Saimai Survive to seek help. Ying revealed that she initially turned a…
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Thai security guard arrested for sexually asaulting 3 year old girl
Police arrested a Thai security guard in the eastern province of Rayong for sexually assaulting a three year old girl in his car in December last year. The 36 year old Thai man submitted his three year old daughter’s case to the Paveena Foundation for Children and Women to seek justice. The sexual assault took place on December 5, and…
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Thai police halt illegal 15 tonnes of pork import from China
Thai highway police intercepted a major operation yesterday, January 22, involving the illegal import of more than 15 tonnes of pork meat from China. The meat, intended for restaurants in Bangkok, was smuggled across the Mekong River. Police Major General Khongkrit Lertsittikul, commander of the Highway Police Division, directed the operation leading to the arrest of three individuals: 27 year…
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Thai monk’s death linked to congenital disease, not dog attack
A Thai monk in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok died from a congenital disease rather than a dog attack. The dog, initially thought to be a Pitbull, was later identified as an American Bully and has now been taken in by an adoptive family. The 46 year old monk, Bannadit, was found dead in his accommodation within the temple on January…
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Heinous crime: Couple arrested for farmer’s murder in Phatthalung
Police have apprehended a couple suspected of murdering a prominent farmer in Phatthalung province after they fled to Mae Sai in Chiang Rai. CCTV footage captured them leaving the scene on a motorcycle around the time of the incident, leading to their arrest. The victim, 72 year old Phob, was an award-winning farmer and the owner of an agricultural learning centre…
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Phuket party hub: Top official targets crime in Bangla Rd crackdown
Bangla Road in Patong was under scrutiny last night, January 22 as the Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA), Chaiwat Junthiraphong, led a high-profile inspection to tackle crime and ensure public safety in Phuket’s nightlife hotspot. The initiative is part of a broader campaign to address critical issues threatening the province’s stability and tourism sector. The inspection focused…
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Thailand’s PM2.5 crisis: Toxic dust turns up the heat
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts a slight rise in temperatures due to weakening cold air masses, with chilly conditions in the north and light rain in the south. Dust pollution remains a significant issue as of yesterday, January 22. The TMD predicts that over the next 24 hours, the high-pressure system or cold air mass covering upper Thailand and…
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Thailand mandates biometric SIM registration to combat fraud
The board of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has provisionally approved a draft for a new SIM card registration system, incorporating biometric data collection from mobile users. The proposed system mandates all mobile operators to implement liveness detection biometric technology for SIM card registrations. This move aligns with recent political calls for stricter measures to combat prevalent online…
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Drunk foreign man crawls on Bangkok road, causing traffic jam
A viral video captured a drunk foreign man crawling along a road in the Town in Town neighbourhood of Wang Thong Lang district, Bangkok, causing a traffic jam during the morning rush hour. The news Facebook page Jmoi v+ shared pictures and a video of the foreign man, whose nationality remains unidentified, crawling in the middle of the road. Two…
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Paralysed British man falls to death from Pattaya condominium
A 74 year old British man, a former managing director of a renowned company, fell to his death from a luxury condominium in Pattaya yesterday, January 22. Officers from Nong Prue Police Station were called to a condominium in Soi Boon Sampan Temple in Banglamung district in Chon Buri to investigate the death of the Englishman, Kevin Roy Burton. He…
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DoA prepares for 14.3% passenger surge during Chinese New Year
The Department of Airport (DoA) is preparing to accommodate an anticipated surge in passengers during the Chinese New Year, with a projected increase of at least 14.3% in visitors to tier-two cities compared to last year, according to the government yesterday, January 22. Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri announced that the ministry has instructed the DoA to carry out a…
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