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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Thailand to discuss Tri Muk Pavilion fire with Cambodia
Thai government officials are gearing up for urgent talks with Cambodia following a fire that tore through the Tri Muk Pavilion in the Emerald Triangle, a symbolic structure of unity between Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai confirmed the discussions will take place at the 17th Meeting of the General Border Committee (GBC) tomorrow,…
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Thai family of 3 escape safely after roof collapse due to termites
A family of three fled their home in the eastern province of Rayong this week after their roof collapsed due to termite damage. Rescuers from the Sawang Phonkusol Rayong Foundation rushed to the scene at a house in Soi Koh Kloy 5, in Rayong’s Mueang district, on Tuesday, March 4, to investigate the collapse. The homeowner, along with her husband…
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Bet and busted: Poker faces flop in 51 million baht Bangkok bust
Thai police made a full house of arrests on Tuesday, swooping down on a clandestine poker den tucked away in a Bangkok warehouse. The audacious raid on March 4, led by officers from Ladprao Police Station, captured 52 gamblers, both locals and foreigners, caught red-handed amidst a sea of chips worth a staggering 51.4 million baht. Tipped off about the…
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Pipe bomb attack in Yala injures seven near market (video)
Two assailants attacked a police booth in Yala with a pipe bomb yesterday resulting in several injuries. The incident occurred, yesterday, March 5, at 7.50pm, on the railway track road near Pimolchai Market, prompting an emergency response from local police and security forces. At the scene, near Pimolchai Market, seven people sustained injuries from bomb shrapnel and were promptly transported…
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Thai dancer shocked after drink spiked with sexual stimulant
A Thai dancer had a terrifying brush with death after suffering a severe shock mid-performance at a temple in Kamphaeng Phet. The culprit? A mystery drink laced with a sexual stimulant, handed to him by a member of the audience. The official Facebook page of the Mor Lam performance band, หมอลำใจเกินร้อย (Mor Lam Jai Kern Roi, meaning over 100% spirit…
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Storm warning: Thailand braced for a shocking downpour
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) today announced a summer storm will hit 40 provinces with heavy rain, strong winds, hail, and lightning, in its daily weather forecast. This phenomenon is expected to impact the northeastern and eastern regions, while other regions will face similar conditions subsequently. Northern Thailand is experiencing generally hot weather, with extremely hot conditions in some areas…
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Holy spirits: Pattaya toasts to temple tipple alcohol tweak
Pattaya officials and business moguls are toasting the National Alcohol Policy Committee’s bold decision to uncork alcohol sales at select venues on major religious holidays, a move set to pour life into the city’s tourism juggernaut. The clinking of glasses will be heard in hotels, entertainment hotspots, and international airports, while other public areas remain dry. Optimists predict the change…
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Firefighters turn up the heat in Pattaya condo blaze
Firefighters were hot on the scene yesterday in Pattaya’s Soi Kor Phai after a blaze broke out in a plush condominium, causing panic among holidaymakers. The Land Disaster Relief Center got the call, sending fire crews and valiant rescue volunteers racing to the flaming fiasco, at 3.06am, yesterday, March 5. On arrival, both Thai and foreign guests were seen scrambling…
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Ex-mayor arrested over 900,000 baht mobile toilet scam
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) arrested a former mayor in a bathroom after allegations of corruption involving the purchase of a mobile toilet vehicle, causing damages exceeding 900,000 baht. The arrest took place yesterday, March 4, as Saroj Phuengrampan, NACC Secretary General, reported that the NACC Region 1 office tracked down and apprehended Saijai, former mayor of Khao Sam Yot…
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Phuket Airport immigration chief transferred amid nepotism claims
Police Colonel Padthongtew Damapong, chief of Phuket Airport Immigration, has been promoted to head Nonthaburi Immigration, part of the Greater Bangkok area after only ten months. The move, which follows another fast-tracked promotion just 10 months earlier, raised eyebrows due to his high-profile family connections. Pol. Col. Padthongtew is the nephew of Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra, the ex-wife of former…
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Phuket taxi driver’s dash after runaway Russian fare dodgers
A Thai taxi driver chased after a Russian couple who allegedly fled without paying their fare upon arriving at their destination in Phuket. The couple still refused to settle the bill after the driver caught up with them. The Phuket Times shared pictures and a video of the argument between the Russian couple and the Thai taxi driver today, March…
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Chiang Mai police capture six Tai Yai gang members after stabbing
Police in Chiang Mai have apprehended six members of the Tai Yai gang, known as 575, following the fatal stabbing of an 18 year old Thai male. Two suspects remain at large. The incident stemmed from a confrontation over eye contact. Yesterday, March 4, at 2pm, investigative officers at Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station detained six members of the 575…
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Grill and illegal thrills: Cops smoke out e-cig and kratom juice joint
Investigation Division 1 police conducted a raid on a dual-purpose establishment masquerading as a grill restaurant while illicitly selling e-cigarettes and bottled kratom juice. The operation resulted in the arrest of four workers, both Thai and Lao nationals, who confessed to merely overseeing operations for a daily wage of 600 baht (US$18). The raid took place at 3pm yesterday, March…
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Cambodian slashed in Pattaya over cigarette smoke dispute (video)
A late-night altercation in Pattaya turned violent when a Chinese restaurant worker allegedly attacked a Cambodian man with a knife, leaving him seriously injured on the roadside. The Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation radio centre received a call at 2.19am today, March 5, about a knife attack near Soi Chaloem Phrakiat 4/1, North Pattaya, in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province.…
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Suranaree task force seizes 196,000 meth pills in drug bust
The Suranaree Task Force seized approximately 196,000 methamphetamine pills and arrested a 26 year old suspect during an operation yesterday, March 4. The suspect was caught transporting the drugs in an ant army style operation and has since been handed over to the police for further legal action. Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang, commander of the Second Army Region and head…
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Thailand makes biggest-ever showcase at ITB Berlin 2025
Thailand is making its biggest-ever splash at ITB Berlin 2025, the world’s largest travel trade show, with an expanded exhibition space and a record-breaking delegation of 160 Thai tourism operators. The event, running from March 4 to 6 in Berlin, Germany, will mark Thailand’s strongest push yet to capture the European travel market. Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong announced…
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Bangkok Airways suspends northern flights due to smog
Bangkok Airways announced the temporary suspension of all flights between Suvarnabhumi International Airport and the northern destinations of Lampang and Mae Hong Son, as thick smog and hazardous air pollution continue to engulf the region. The airline confirmed that services would be grounded from March 15 to April 20 due to dangerously low visibility caused by persistent haze, which has…
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Carbon copy: Thailand trades up for a green offset with carbon credit plan
Thailand is exploring the possibility of allowing businesses to offset up to 15% of their greenhouse gas emissions through carbon credits within a proposed emissions trading system. This initiative aims to boost the nation’s voluntary carbon market, according to Suraphon Buphakosum, Vice President, and Head of Sustainability Service Development at the Stock Exchange of Thailand, who is involved in the…
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Fast & felonious: Patong car thief caught after high-speed chase
A brazen thief who stole a car from Patong beachfront on Sunday night was caught just hours later in Chumphon province following a high-speed police chase across multiple jurisdictions. The 32 year old Thai suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed, was arrested at 1.10am on Monday, March 3 at the Baan Phala checkpoint in Chumphon. His capture was the…
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Illegal durian plantation found in Chanthaburi forest reserve
A durian and banana plantation has been uncovered on a 400-rai plot in a national reserved forest located in Khlung district, Chanthaburi province. Efforts are underway to determine the ownership of the land. The discovery is part of a series of recent findings in the eastern province, where officials suspect that some Chinese investors have established operations by using Thai…
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Coconut-laden truck crash claims life on Phetkasem Road
A pickup truck carrying coconuts lost control, collided with a parked vehicle, and crashed into a tree, causing it to fall into a ditch. The driver, a 34 year old man named Rungroj, was declared dead at the scene. The incident occurred at 4.40am today, March 5, on Phetkasem Road, inbound to Bangkok, at kilometre marker 177+200 in Cha-am district,…
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South Bangkok court allows class action against CPF by farmers
A group of farmers has taken a major step in their legal battle against agribusiness giant Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) after the South Bangkok Civil Court approved their class action lawsuit. The case, filed over claims of environmental damage and harm to livelihoods, was given the green light at 9am yesterday, March 4. The lawsuit alleges that CPF’s industrial operations…
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Thai diver stung by sea creatures but online critics take a bigger bite
A Thai woman issued a warning to diving enthusiasts after sustaining injuries from sea anemones and sea urchins while diving in the southern province of Chumphon. The incident occurred due to strong waves, but instead of sympathy, she found herself facing online criticism over her choice of swimsuit. The victim, identified as Fon Nongnaphat, shared a video of the incident…
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Phuket cracks down on deadly road accidents with safety workshop
Phuket officials are stepping up their fight against dangerous road accidents with a new strategy aimed at reducing fatalities and making roads safer. With alarming accident statistics continuing to rise, officials gathered for a high-level road safety workshop to analyse crash causes and implement life-saving measures. The Phuket Road Safety Centre hosted the event yesterday, March 4, at Phuket Provincial…
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AIS wired to untangle Thailand’s messy power poles
AIS is stepping up its game in supporting the government and public safety by tackling one of Thailand’s most notorious urban eyesores: tangled, overloaded power poles. In a major collaboration with the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), AIS dispatched a specialist team of engineers to Ban Chang district in Rayong province to dismantle and organise telecommunications cables and equipment attached to…
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Police seize more than 300k meth pills in Thailand drug bust
The Metropolitan Police recently apprehended four men involved in drug trafficking in Pak Kret, seizing a firearm and a large quantity of illegal substances. On March 1 at 8.15pm, officers conducted a successful operation, confiscating 301,150 methamphetamine (meth) pills and nearly 1 kilogramme of crystal methamphetamine (Ice). The operation was led by Police Colonel Sithisak Nakamat, alongside the investigative team,…
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Parcel farce: Thai woman’s bomb scare turns out to be ex-plosive gift
A Thai woman called officers from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit to investigate a suspicious parcel at her home in the northern province of Nan, only to discover that the item inside was not a bomb but a gift from an ex-boyfriend. The woman contacted EOD officials at her home in the Du Tai sub-district of Nan after finding…
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Thailand allegedly snubbed US, Canada, Oz, Uyghur asylum offers
Thailand snubbed asylum offers, from the US, Canada, and Australia, and deported 48 ethnic Uyghurs to China, according to Reuters. The move comes despite a decade-long detention limbo and impassioned calls from UN human rights experts for the Uyghurs’ safety. The Government of Thailand staunchly defended the deportation, asserting it was carried out in line with their legal and human…
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Missing student found dead in Nan River after 4-day search
The search for a missing fourth-year university student came to a grim end after his body was discovered floating in the Nan River in northern Thailand, four days after he vanished. At 8am, today, March 4, police and rescue teams were alerted to a body found face down near a houseboat in Mueang Phitsanulok district, close to Wat Sawang Arom. The…
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Chinese man arrested at Thailand-Cambodia border with fake passport
Immigration Bureau officers today arrested a Chinese man at a border checkpoint in the Isaan province of Sa Kaeo for entering the country with a fake passport. As part of measures to tackle call centre scam operations, Thai officials implemented stricter inspections at border checkpoints nationwide. Officers at the Ban Khlong Luek Border Checkpoint followed these directives and managed to…
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