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 How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Thailand rolls out new payout rules for flight delays
Travellers in Thailand can now breathe a sigh of relief — airlines are officially on the hook if they mess up your travel plans. New regulations designed to protect airline passengers from the misery of flight delays and cancellations came into force yesterday, May 20. Under the sweeping changes introduced by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), passengers now…
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Missing durian vendor reappears safely, declines to go home
A Thai female durian vendor from the southern province of Surat Thani, who was reported missing on Saturday, May 17, appeared at a police station to confirm her safety and revealed that she simply needed a peaceful getaway. The 43 year old vendor, Sujittra, also known as Jay Kaew, was last seen around 8pm on Saturday, after finishing work at…
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Vietnam: Has America learned nothing from its war of atrocities?
It’s been 50 years since the United States’ chaotic, ignominious final evacuation from Saigon. Images of helicopters atop the US embassy, frantic crowds, and the battered city in April 1975 have become frozen icons of American defeat. The Vietnam War stands as a testament to the hubris, brutality, and tragic folly of unchecked military intervention, a doctrine the US has…
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Motorcycle gunfire attack on Honda Jazz shocks Chon Buri residents
A dramatic incident unfolded in Chon Buri’s Ban Bueng district as a motorcycle chased and fired shots at a Honda Jazz. Police were called to the scene along a route in the Nong Sam Sak area today, May 21, at 1.30am, after reports of gunfire. They discovered a white Honda Jazz bumper and a black mobile phone, along with 17…
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Croatian man arrested for illegally running travel agency in Chiang Mai
Police arrested a Croatian man for illegally operating a travel agency targeting foreign visitors in the northern province of Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai Provincial Police launched a crackdown on illegal activities affecting the province’s tourism industry. The operation aimed to build trust and restore the image of Thai tourism, with officials hoping to demonstrate that Thailand is a safe destination…
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Super spreader Covid variant rips through Thailand
A new Covid-19 variant is sweeping through Thailand at breakneck speed, with infections skyrocketing and vulnerable groups most at risk. Health authorities are on high alert as the XEC variant, a descendant of Omicron, spreads nearly seven times faster than seasonal influenza. Since January 1, the Public Health Ministry has recorded 108,891 infections and 27 fatalities linked to the strain,…
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Van fire on Bangkok bridge disrupts traffic, no injuries
A fire engulfed a van on a bridge over the Ramintra intersection at kilometre 8, causing extensive damage to the vehicle. The incident, reported today, May 21, required intervention by fire and rescue teams. An electrical short circuit is suspected to have started the blaze. Police from Khan Na Yao station received a report of a vehicle fire on the…
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17 Irrawaddy dolphins left in Songkhla Lake amid extinction crisis
In Songkhla Lake, the critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphin population has dwindled to only 17, leading the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) to intensify efforts to preserve the species and rejuvenate the lake’s delicate ecosystem. Minister Chalermchai Sri-on visited the lake on Monday, May 19, highlighting the importance of balancing conservation with the development of the Songkhla Lake bridge…
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Thai motorcyclist and Italian passenger seriously injured in Phuket crash
A dramatic day unfolded on the roads of Phuket yesterday, when a Thai motorcyclist and his Italian passenger made a swift getaway after smashing into a van. Their escape, however, was short-lived as they later collided with an SUV, leaving both with serious injuries. Officers from Patong Police Station responded to the accident near Phra Baramee Soi 5 on Phra…
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Weather chaos set to slam 46 Thai provinces
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) sounded the alarm for a whopping 46 provinces, with the heavens set to open up over 60% of the land. And yes, Bangkok is in for a soaking too. As the calendar flips to May 21, residents are urgently advised to brace themselves for torrential downpours and all the pesky hazards that come with them.…
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Pattaya waitresses battered by foreigner in beach bar bust-up
Two Pattaya waitresses were left bloodied and bruised after a polite request to “keep it down” sparked a violent seaside scrap, with beer bottles flying and tourists looking on in horror. The two waitresses have gone public with shocking claims of a violent attack that broke out after they asked a rowdy group to lower their voices during a quiet…
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UK teen faces possible life sentence for cannabis smuggling
A missing UK teen feared lost in Thailand has turned up 4,000 miles away—in handcuffs, facing a possible life sentence for allegedly smuggling cannabis into Georgia. Bella Culley, 18, from Billingham, County Durham, was reported missing on Tuesday, May 13, after family members lost contact with her during what they believed was a solo trip through Thailand. She had previously…
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Pattaya cracks down on cars blocking wheelchair paths
Pattaya officials are finally parking the problem for good. In a bold crackdown that’s earning applause across the city, municipal officers and traffic police have launched a campaign to fine drivers who illegally park on wheelchair-accessible pathways. The first sweep took place on Soi Paniadchang, located behind Big C Central Pattaya, where enforcement teams issued tickets and fines to motorists blocking designated…
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Krungsri delays new credit lines amid US tariff uncertainty
Companies are delaying the utilisation of new credit lines due to waiting for further clarification on US tariffs following the recent announcement of a 90-day suspension period, as reported by a Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri) executive. Prakob Phiencharoen, who leads Krungsri’s corporate and investment banking group, stated that the bank is maintaining vigilance over corporate loan demand for the rest…
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Vietjet transfers 50 Boeing planes to Thai arm in regional shake-up
Vietjet and Boeing have inked a landmark agreement to transfer up to 50 Boeing 737 aircraft to Vietjet Thailand, boosting Thailand’s presence on the regional air travel map. The signing took place with plenty of diplomatic fanfare, witnessed by Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was in Hanoi for her first official visit to Vietnam in over a decade. “This agreement…
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Missing durian vendor believed safe after CCTV footage emerges
Police assure that a female durian seller, who went missing in the southern province of Surat Thani, is safe, despite her family’s growing concern. The family of 43 year old missing durian vendor Sujittra, also known as Jay Kaew, filed a complaint with Mueang Surat Thani Police Station after she failed to return home at her usual time on May…
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Murder mystery: Man’s body in barrel at Nakhon Sawan reservoir
A series of investigative meetings were convened by Police Major General Narewitch Sukonthawit, commander of Nakhon Sawan provincial police, to address the case of a man’s body found in a submerged barrel at the Takro Reservoir, Nakhon Sawan, yesterday, May 19. The deceased, an approximately 50 year old Thai man, had a gunshot wound to the chest and was wearing…
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Chiang Rai water contamination raises public health alarm
A toxic tide is rising in northern Thailand. Dangerous levels of arsenic and lead have been found in the Sai River and parts of the Kok River in Chiang Rai, triggering serious concerns over public health, the environment, and local food sources. According to a damning new report from the Office of Environmental and Pollution Control Region 1 in Chiang…
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Buriram bank employee accused of embezzling 700,000 baht from restaurant owner
A 32 year old restaurant owner filed a complaint against a bank employee in Buriram for allegedly embezzling nearly 700,000 baht. The victim, Patchara, claims she was deceived into taking out a loan under the pretence of helping the employee meet commission targets. The incident was reported to lawyer Weerayut Sirirueangprapa in Krasang district, Buriram province. Patchara revealed that the…
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Phuket Covid surge: Island ranks 3rd in Thailand
Phuket’s picture-perfect beaches may be drawing tourists in droves but the island is quietly battling a Covid-19 surge that places it among the top three provinces for infection rates in Thailand this year, though remarkably, not a single death has been reported. According to the Department of Disease Control, from January 1 to May 10, 2025, Phuket recorded 1,287 cumulative…
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Thai principal axed for forcing kids into rain for flag ceremony
A Thai school principal has been removed from her post after she forced students to hoist the national flag during a raging storm, sparking fury among parents and outrage across the country. Jeeraporn Sanguansuchart, director of Ban Hin Kob School in Pathiu district, Chumphon, ordered three students to march outside and raise the Thai flag on the first day of the new term, despite…
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Thai girl rescued after being pimped out by mother and aunt
The Pavena Foundation for Children and Women and police officers rescued a 13 year old girl who was pimped out by her biological mother and aunt in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan. The teenage victim confided in her father on April 26 after she successfully escaped from her abusive mother in Prachuap Khiri Khan to live with him in…
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Tragic canal car accident in Samut Sakhon claims one life
Police and locals worked against the clock to rescue people trapped in a car that had overturned and submerged in a canal. Three people were saved, but one later died at the hospital. At 1.30pm yesterday, May 19, Police Sub-Lieutenant Chaiwat Tiammeka, an inquiry officer at Ban Phaeo Police Station in Samut Sakhon province, received a report of a car…
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Phuket thief busted with 18 stolen gadgets including smartphones
A high-tech thief’s lucky streak came to a crashing halt after police caught the light-fingered 26 year old man red-handed with a stash of stolen electronics, including iPads and smartphones, allegedly taken from multiple shops across Phuket’s popular Kata-Karon area. Somwang ‘Jay’ Phonpradit was arrested at around 8pm yesterday, May 19, at a rental room on Mueang Thong–Khao Khad Road…
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Top Thai vending brand to blend fresh fruit smoothies
Forth Vending Co Ltd, which operates Tao Bin smart beverage vending machines, intends to procure fresh fruit directly from farmers to enhance its smoothie and juice range. Wittayakorn Maneenetr, Director General of the Department of Internal Trade (DIT), expressed that the department is advancing the government’s fruit management strategy for the 2025 harvest season. To stabilise fruit prices and boost…
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Thai man fatally shoots employee over affair with his wife (video)
A Thai man surrendered to police today after fatally shooting an employee in a pickup yesterday, over an alleged affair with his wife. The incident was reported to Bang Bua Thong Police Station at around 9pm yesterday, May 19, by a 47 year old petrol station worker on Bang Phai-Nong Prao Ngai Road in the Bang Bua Thong district of…
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Cops bust Pattaya branch linked to Chinese scam syndicate
Pattaya locals were left stunned yesterday when more than 20 police officers—some in uniform, others in plainclothes—stormed a bank on Sukhumvit Road in a dramatic midday raid. The operation, linked to an investigation into a massive Chinese call centre scam network, sent shockwaves through the city’s financial and expat communities. The surprise raid was spearheaded by Major General Thirachai Chamnan,…
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Honda Jazz gutted in Hua Hin car fire on Phetkasem Road
A car caught fire along Phetkasem Road in Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan province, late at night, leaving a Honda Jazz completely gutted. The incident occurred today, May 20, when the driver, a 41 year old woman from Pran Buri district, noticed smoke and flames while driving home. Fortunately, she managed to escape unharmed. Police and fire services were alerted…
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Udon Thani police arrest man with 167,600 methamphetamine pills
Police apprehended a 26 year old man in Udon Thani for possessing 167,600 methamphetamine tablets. The arrest of Tanakorn, also known as Jango, yesterday, August 19, followed a six-month investigation tracking his activities in Ban Phue district, Udon Thani province. Police Colonel Korn Chaisuea, along with officers from the Narcotics Suppression Unit, reported that the arrest resulted from prior detentions…
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Body of Myanmar man missing after drowning in Phuket pond
What began as a relaxing day off ended in heartbreak when a young Myanmar man drowned while swimming with friends in Phuket. The 20 year old man vanished beneath the surface in front of his horrified mates, sparking a desperate search by local rescue teams. The incident occurred on Sunday evening, May 18, in Srisoonthorn, Thalang district. At around 6.30pm, officers from Thalang…
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