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 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Pattaya taxi drivers avoid charges after harassing and frightening Bangkok driver
A group of taxi drivers in Pattaya recently found themselves in hot water but avoided any charges or fines when they were caught harassing a Bangkok driver and frightening his passengers. The driver, 43 year old Jamnong Sutaboon, showed no remorse when summoned by the police on Thursday, May 4 to explain his actions. A video circulated online showed him…
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Thai stocks dampened by US interest rate hike concerns
Thai stocks are projected to face a challenging investment environment in the coming month due to the potential negative impact of the recent US interest rate hike on regional US banks. Tisco Securities has expressed concerns over the situation, with Apichart Phubancherdkul, Tisco’s head of strategy research, stating that “investment conditions in May are not bright”. The US Federal Reserve…
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Departure Tax: Thailand considers charging 1000 baht to leave country
Thailand‘s Revenue Department proposed that a 1000 baht “departure tax” be charged upon Thai citizens and foreign permanent residents in a bid to prevent excessive overseas spending. The idea has been met with resistance from tourism officials. Airline passengers would be charged 1000 baht to leave the country and those exiting via land and sea would be charged 500 baht…
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At least 27 workers killed in remote Peruvian gold mine fire
In a remote region of southern Peru, a fire at the La Esperanza 1 gold mine has claimed the lives of at least 27 workers, marking one of the worst mining disasters in the country’s recent history. The grieving families of the victims have congregated near the mine, anxiously waiting for updates on their loved ones. The cause of the…
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Singapore aims to shed stopover status and hit pre-pandemic tourist numbers by 2024
Australians, Bryan and Christine Mansfield were delighted to start their three-day holiday in Singapore, marking the beginning of their golden jubilee celebrations delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like other tourists, Singapore was their first foreign destination since 2020 when the pandemic halted international travel. Although Singapore served as a layover before proceeding to their main destinations within the Southeast…
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Digital bank runs: How social media fuels panic and threatens financial stability
A crisis of confidence in the US banking sector has led individuals to withdraw their money from financial institutions including Silicon Valley Bank, Credit Suisse, First Republic Bank, and California-based PacWest Bancorp. This series of events has given birth to a new term in the finance lexicon: digital bank run. In contrast to traditional bank runs, where people would form…
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Ancient dinosaur footprints discovered in Phetchabun’s Nam Nao district
In Phetchabun’s Nam Nao district, a set of ancient dinosaur footprints believed to be about 225 million years old have been uncovered, according to the Department of Mineral Resources. The ancient footprints were discovered in a dried-up creek at the Huai Hin Lat rock formation, sparking interest among experts. Upon the discovery, staff from the Mineral Resources Office Region 1…
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7 killed as car ploughs into Texas bus stop crowd
At least seven people lost their lives yesterday in South Texas, and several others were injured when a vehicle crashed into a group of individuals waiting at a bus stop outside a migrant aid centre. The police currently consider the incident an accident; however, a witness claimed that the driver had shouted insults at the group before speeding up. The…
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Former monk denies embezzling 180 million baht from Nakhon Ratchasima temple
A former monk and two other individuals have been arrested on suspicion of embezzling 180 million baht from Wat Pha Dhammakiri in Nakhon Ratchasima. The accused ex-monk, Khom Khongkeaw, previously known as Phra Ajarn Khom Abhivaro, denies the allegations. During police questioning, Khom and his sister claimed that the money was used for “other purposes,” and that they had no…
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Electoral fraud: Man alleges he was tricked into filming controversial video
A man accused of manipulating electoral registration in a controversial video on the “Chuwit” Facebook page has filed a police report, alleging he was deceived into participating and was paid only 1,000 baht despite the agreed sum of 5,000 baht. He also revealed that someone wrote a script for him to recite in the footage. Recently, the video of a…
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Heartwarming video of Thai father selling gold necklace for child’s milk goes viral
A viral video on social media has captured the hearts of netizens as it shows a Thai father attempting to sell a gold necklace to buy milk for his child. The video was shared on a popular Facebook page, which revealed the CCTV footage of the incident occurring at a gold shop. In the video, the customer is seen bringing…
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Huge concrete slab falls onto Bangkok’s Rama II Road killing construction worker
A huge slab of concrete fell from the under-construction expressway elevated over the Rama II Road yesterday in Bangkok, Thailand, crushing a construction worker to death, injuring another person and damaging eight cars. At 5pm, officers at Tha Kham Police Station were informed that a concrete beam fell and killed someone along the outbound Rama II Road opposite the Snake…
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Perverted Japanese man breaks into woman’s home over 150 times in 18 months, sniffs her knickers
A shocking case took place in Osaka District Court in Japan, where a 30 year old Japanese man was accused of breaking into a young woman’s home over 150 times in just 18 months. The man confessed to his criminal actions and bizarre perverted sexual behaviour, ultimately receiving a jail sentence of 18 months. According to reports, the Japanese man…
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Rising electricity bills spark energy policy debate ahead of Thai general election
High electricity bills have become a significant concern for voters, leading political parties to focus on their energy policies as they look to gain support in the upcoming general election. This comes after a new power tariff of 4.70 baht per kilowatt-hour took effect, which has resulted in costlier electricity bills for consumers. The Energy Regulatory Commission decided to reduce…
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Power outages hit two areas of Phuket: PEA’s ongoing work on low-voltage system
The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) has announced temporary power outages today in two areas of Thalang District, Phuket, due to ongoing work on the low-voltage distribution system. The first area set to face power disruption is the road alongside Nai Yang Beach. Electricity supply will be cut off between the stretch from Patama Massage to Ratcheting Seafood Restaurant, starting from…
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Police bust romance scammer turned car thief, uncover trafficking gang
A police investigation into a romance scammer who stole cars from women has led to the arrest of a vehicle trafficking gang. Two women and one Thai man who trafficked stolen cars were arrested Friday. Police officers arrested a romance scammer after eight victims filed a complaint that the man stole their cars. The conman, 26 year old Pheeraphat, created…
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Foxconn founder Terry Gou vows to preserve peace between Taiwan and China if elected president
Richard Fox, a 72-year-old billionaire, pledged to “preserve peace” between Taiwan and China at a rally held in the run-up to the January 2024 presidential elections. Fox is the founder of technology giant Foxconn, a significant provider of components for Apple’s iPhones. In April, he announced his bid for the presidential nomination from Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang party, which advocates for…
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Singaporean youth moving back with parents due to skyrocketing rents
Singapore sees rising rents amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing some young tenants to return to their parent’s homes or face soaring rental fees. Since the onset of the pandemic, the number of Singaporeans and permanent citizens under 35 years old living alone increased from 15,900 in 2019 to 25,000 in 2020. However, data from the Urban Redevelopment Authority and 99.…
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Rohingya refugees refuse repatriation without citizenship and security guarantees in Myanmar
Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh announced on Saturday that they would refuse to return to Myanmar unless their eventual repatriation ensured security and guaranteed citizenship rights. The statement came after a group of twenty Rohingya refugees were allowed to visit Rakhine State for the first time since they fled to Bangladesh following a military-led crackdown in 2017. Nearly one million Rohingya…
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Scientific expedition to Antarctica reveals surprising temperatures and climate impact on Singapore
Standing on an ice sheet with only a t-shirt on his back, 52-year-old Professor Benjamin Horton certainly did not expect such weather during his trip to Antarctica. “The first couple of days, the weather was amazing. The oceans were like a mirror. We had wildlife, humpback whales, popping out (of the ocean),” said the director of the Earth Observatory of…
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Japan’s Prime Minister visits Seoul seeking deeper ties amid regional threats
Tokyo/Seoul: Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrived in Seoul yesterday to meet South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol amidst a sceptical public regarding the leaders’ pursuit of deeper ties in the face of nuclear threats from North Korea and China’s increasing assertiveness. Kishida’s bilateral visit marks the first by a Japanese leader to Seoul in 12 years, responding to Yoon’s trip…
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Thai villagers complain to Election Commission over alleged vote-buying
Thai Villagers from Non Reuang, in the district of Ban Kho in the northeast Khon Kaen province, stormed the Election Commission (EC) office with their lawyer and village headman, accusing a well-known political party’s candidate of engaging in vote-buying activities. The villagers presented video clips and witness statements to the investigative team, along with an official complaint against the alleged…
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Japan’s casino impact on Singapore’s integrated resorts
Japan is preparing to welcome customers to its first casino in the western city of Osaka, a man-made island called Yumeshima. The venture, backed by a consortium including MGM Resorts, is expected to cost ¥1.08 trillion (US$7.9 billion), making it the most expensive integrated resort ever built. When it finally opens, Singapore’s established integrated resorts, Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and…
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Chinese man treks 2,000 km to play prayer on speaker at Buddha statue
A 27 year old Chinese man embarked on a 2,000-kilometre journey to make his dreams a reality by visiting a giant Buddha statue carrying a large Airpod-shaped speaker to amplify his prayers to the deity. The man, named Zhang, posted a video on social media on April 25, showing him holding the large speaker next to the ear of the…
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Thai villagers plan lottery numbers based on unusual ‘fog-coloured’ calf
Thai villagers flocked to see an unusual “fog-coloured” calf after a cow gave birth to the beautiful grey and unique-looking offspring. Locals believe the calf brings good fortune and are eager to find auspicious lottery numbers for the upcoming draw on May 16. Yesterday, Sanook reporters were informed by the residents of Kud Thong, in the northeast Surin Province, that…
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Pattaya and eastern region weather: Hot with haze and isolated thundershowers
In the coming days, Pattaya and Thailand’s eastern region are expected to experience hot weather with haze and occasional thundershowers. In various areas, very hot conditions are predicted, with thundershowers likely to occur in Prachinburi, Chanthaburi, Chon Buri (Pattaya), and Trat. Residents can expect minimum temperatures of 26 to 30 degrees Celsius and maximum temperatures of 35-40°C. Southwesterly winds of…
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Pickup truck crashes into house in northeast Thailand, injuring elderly man
A dramatic incident occurred when a speeding pickup truck crashed into a house in the Nang Rong district of northeast Thailand’s Buriram province, leaving an elderly man injured and causing serious damage. The homeowner, 75 year old Sompon Wisetsri, was watching television when the truck smashed through the walls of his house. At around 7pm last night, deputy investigator Vivat…
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American man wakes up to find hotel manager sucking his toes
An American man suffered a shocking experience while staying at a hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, when he awoke to find the hotel manager sucking his toes. The bizarre incident occurred on March 30. The man recounted how he had checked into the hotel alone and went to bed early, only to wake up feeling an unusual sensation on his feet.…
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Netizens show no sympathy for couple who crash after kissing on motorcycle (video)
Netizens are showing no sympathy for a Chinese couple who crashed after kissing on a motorcycle. A video released by the police in Weinan, Shaanxi province of China, sparked an online debate after it showed a couple involved in an accident after kissing on a motorcycle. The incident took place late at night on April 21. The footage captured the…
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Over 800,000 registered for early voting in Bangkok
Over 800,000 individuals have registered for early voting in Bangkok, and authorities are taking security seriously. Nearly 3,000 security officers deployed to maintain order, Bangkok Post reported. A deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB), Pol. Maj. Gen. Jirasant Kaewsaeng-ek, stated yesterday that security measures are in place for today’s voting. A total of 1,421 polling stations have been…
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