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.
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Sponsored What do you need before moving from the US to Thailand?
The Thaiger key takeaways The most common medical emergencies for expats in Thailand include motorcycle accidents, tropical diseases, and food or water-borne illnesses. Air pollution and heat-related conditions like heatstroke also pose serious seasonal health risks, especially in northern and...
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BMTA powers ahead with 1,520 electric buses by 2026
The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) has announced plans to replace non-air-conditioned buses with a fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) in a move set to transform the city’s transport system. Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed that 1,520 electric-powered, air-conditioned buses will be leased to modernise the fleet. “This transition will reduce pollution, improve service, and…
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Indian tourist claims assault by Pattaya nightclub manager and bodyguards
An Indian man accused an Indian nightclub manager and his bodyguards of physically assaulting him in the early hours of Friday, September 26. The 33 year old Indian tourist filed a complaint with Mueang Pattaya Police Station after the alleged assault by the manager of an Indian nightclub on Pattaya Walking Street and his bodyguards. He emphasised that he had…
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Samut Prakan garage shootout leaves 1 dead, 2 seriously injured
A shooting at a car repair shop in Samut Prakan left one person dead and two others seriously injured, prompting a police investigation into the incident. The violent incident occurred around 5.20pm yesterday, September 29, and is currently under investigation by local police. Officers responded to reports of gunfire at the garage, located at the end of Soi Si Samit.…
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Big Joke strikes back with lawsuit against top judges (video)
A former senior police officer has filed a lawsuit against top judges, accusing them of interfering in a court ruling that led to his controversial dismissal. Former Deputy National Police Chief Police General Surachate Hakparn, better known as Big Joke, has filed a corruption complaint against two of the most senior figures in Thailand’s judiciary. The explosive lawsuit, submitted to…
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Drunk BMW driver drives against traffic and causes 10 car pile-up
A drunk Thai BMW driver drove against the traffic flow, causing a pile-up involving 10 vehicles on Ratchaphruek Road in the Nonthaburi province near Bangkok. Officers from Ratchaphruek Police Station arrived to find five vehicles involved in a rear-end collision in the left lane. Among them were a Porsche 911 Carrera and a Porsche Cayenne S, both of which sustained…
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Debt and despair: Man dies from shotgun wound in Wichit
A man has died from a self-inflicted shotgun wound at his family home in Wichit, prompting a police investigation into the tragic incident. Wichit Police said they received a report at about 10.50am on Sunday, September 28, and arrived at the two-storey house in Village 8, Wichit, shortly after. The 30 year old man, a local, was found dead in…
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Bualoi batters Thailand as flood warnings sweep nation
A powerful tropical storm is sweeping across Thailand, triggering flood warnings in dozens of provinces as officials urge residents to brace for severe weather. Residents in affected areas are advised to exercise caution due to potential heavy to very heavy rainfall and accumulated precipitation, which may lead to flash floods, forest runoffs, and overflowing rivers, especially in mountainous regions, low-lying…
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How much does it cost to see a doctor in Thailand?
Thailand is known for its high-quality yet affordable healthcare system, but how much does it really cost to see a doctor? As an expat, this question might be crucial for budgeting your health needs. The answer depends on whether you have health insurance or not, and the difference can be significant. Let’s explore the costs, compare insured versus uninsured expenses,…
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Thailand’s border trade plunges 23.6% in August as Cambodia market collapses
Thailand’s border trade dropped 23.6% in August to 63.9 billion baht, with trade with Cambodia almost collapsing, falling 99.9% to just 10 million baht, according to the Department of Foreign Trade (DFT). Arada Fuangtong, director-general of the DFT, said combined border and transit trade in August reached 150.1 billion baht, down 3.1% year-on-year. Exports stood at 75.05 billion baht, while…
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Car smashes into Chiang Mai restaurant, narrowly running over foreign diners
Thai and foreign customers narrowly escaped serious injury after an elderly Thai woman crashed a hatchback into a restaurant in Chiang Mai on Friday, September 26. CCTV footage of the accident was circulated on Thai social media after the incident took place at the Mala Satan Fah restaurant in the Chang Phueak sub-district at around 7pm. The restaurant is located…
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Thailand eyes private-run ‘lotto-style’ lottery to boost jackpots
The Government Lottery Office (GLO) is considering launching a new “lotto-style” lottery that could be managed by private companies rather than the state. A Finance Ministry source revealed to Bangkok Post that the model would follow systems used overseas, where unclaimed prize money rolls over into bigger jackpots. The move would mark a major shift from the current system, in…
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Bangkok graffiti vandals slammed for defacing Spanish artist’s mural
Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt condemned the three suspects responsible for vandalising a mural by Spanish artist in Soi Charoen Krung 30. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Thaiger (@thethaigerofficial) A follower of the popular Drama-addict Facebook page urged the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to expose the culprits who defaced the wall painting by Carolina…
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Thai construction worker killed in staircase collapse in Bangkok hotel
A concrete staircase collapsed and killed a construction worker at a hotel in Huai Khwang, Bangkok, yesterday, September 28. Officers from Huai Khwang Police Station were notified of the incident at about 3pm. The accident occurred at a hotel on Thiam Ruam Mit Road in Huai Khwang district. Police officers attended the scene together with a medical team from Ramathibodi…
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Court orders BMA to pay 11 billion baht to BTS for Green Line operations
The Central Administrative Court has ordered the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and its investment arm, Krung Thep Thanakom Co Ltd, to pay 11 billion baht in unpaid operation and maintenance (O&M) fees to Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited (BTSC). The ruling, delivered today, September 29, requires the debt, covering services between June 2021 and October 2022, to be…
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Anutin outlines new policies on tourism, trade, and constitutional reform
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul laid out his government’s policy direction in Parliament today, September 29, with a strong focus on tourism recovery, economic reform, and regional diplomacy. Anutin said restoring tourist confidence and tackling scams that target visitors were top priorities, alongside promoting domestic travel. He also stressed the need for a peaceful resolution to tensions with Cambodia and pledged…
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Thai millionaire market owner found dead in Ratchaburi canal
A female millionaire disappeared from her home in Ratchaburi province yesterday, September 28, before her body was found floating in a canal. Officers from Photharam Police Station were alerted to the discovery of a body in the Mae Khlong Canal at around 11.30am. The woman was dressed in a yellow shirt and white and green striped shorts. She bore no…
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Phuket boosts hospital upgrades with 45.8 million baht investment
Phuket authorities have rolled out a 45.8 million baht plan to upgrade three hospitals across the island in a bid to modernise services and reduce patient transfers. On September 26, Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat and Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO) President Rewat Areerob officially handed over the funds to the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO). The budget will be split…
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Indian actor quits Cambodia tourism role amid border tensions with Thailand
Indian actor Gagan Malik announced his resignation as Cambodia’s Tourism Goodwill Ambassador on Saturday, September 27, following a border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. He declared, “Thailand is my second home.” Malik is best known for his leading role as Lord Buddha in the film Sri Siddhartha Gautama. He renounced Hinduism and embraced Buddhism in 2014, later becoming an outspoken…
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Thaksin requests royal pardon, justice ministry confirms
The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has officially submitted a petition for an individual royal pardon, which has now advanced to the Secretariat of the Cabinet for further consideration. Thaksin filed the request on September 10, one day after the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions sentenced him to one year…
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People’s Party to target ministers in Anutin’s policy debate
The People’s Party (PP) is preparing more than 20 MPs to speak during the upcoming Parliamentary debate on Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s policy statement, set for Monday and Tuesday, September 29 to 30. The party plans to raise urgent policy issues and question the qualifications of certain Cabinet ministers, although no names have been disclosed. Sirikanya Tansakul, deputy PP leader…
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South Korean man, Thai wife and child rescued from Lampang forest
Officials on Saturday, September 27, rescued a South Korean man, his Thai wife, and their 10 year old son from a forest in Doi Khun Tan National Park in the northern province of Lampang, after the family had been lost for more than five hours. Officials from Hang Chat District Office, together with Doi Khun Tan National Park rangers and…
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Bangkok governor slams contractor for Udomsuk flood
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has criticised a contractor after unexpected flooding hit Udomsuk Road, a location that “should not have flooded,” during heavy rainfall over the weekend. The flooding, which began late Saturday, September 27, and continued into the early hours of Sunday, also impacted Phra Khanong and Bang Na districts. Chadchart, joined by Deputy Governor Wisanu Subsompon and the…
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Foreign couple filmed having sex in sea off Jomtien Beach in Pattaya
Police urged the public to await further investigation after a video showing a foreign couple having sex in the sea off Jomtien Beach in Pattaya sparked widespread online backlash. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Thaiger (@thethaigerofficial) The explicit act came to light after the news Facebook page ท่านเปา (meaning Bao Gong) shared a…
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Chinese tourist attacked in Pattaya after alleged snarky bar comment
A Chinese tourist was hospitalised after being struck on the head with a bottle during a late-night altercation in Pattaya early yesterday morning, September 28. The incident took place on Chaloem Phrakiat 25 Road in South Pattaya, prompting an immediate response from Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Unit and Pattaya City Police. Emergency responders arrived to find a 29 year old…
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Phuket ice cream vendor sparks debate with free ride for foreign tourists
Thai netizens are left divided after an ice cream vendor in Phuket allowed two foreign men a free ride on his ice cream cart. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Thaiger (@thethaigerofficial) A Thai motorcyclist encountered the two men on the cart and shared a video of them on his TikTok account, @lionqueenzyy, on…
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Man’s kidney sale for iPhone leaves him disabled at 31
The story of a Chinese man who once sold a kidney to purchase an iPhone 4 and iPad 2 has resurfaced, highlighting his current life at 31 years old. He is now permanently disabled, unable to work, and requires lifelong dialysis, serving as a stark lesson about the consequences of a hasty decision made at 17. In 2010, the iPhone…
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Ayutthaya restaurant brawl leaves owner’s father injured (video)
Yesterday, on September 27, the Ayutthaya brawl between a restaurant owner and a customer escalated to a physical altercation and car collision, leaving the restaurant owner’s father seriously injured. Police are set to summon all involved for questioning. Police Lieutenant Colonel Samart Raksasat, an investigative officer in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district, responded to reports of a dispute involving vehicles…
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Transport pioneer Je Kiew dies at 88, leaves billion-baht legacy
The passing of Suchinda Chirdchai, fondly known as “Jae Kiew,” marks the end of an era for Thailand’s transportation industry. The 88 year old businesswoman, who founded the Cherdchai Tour and Cherdchai Industry, built a multi-billion-baht empire from humble beginnings. Suchinda was born on March 20, 1937, in Nakhon Ratchasima province, the sixth child in an ordinary family. Despite completing…
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Bangkok sinkhole repairs on track for October 8 completion
Repairs to the large sinkhole in front of Vajira Hospital in Bangkok’s Dusit district are proceeding well, with the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) aiming for completion by October 8. Gardphajon Udomdhammabhakdi, the MRTA governor, stated that workers commenced pouring reinforced concrete on Friday night, September 26, continuing into Saturday with pauses for the material to set. By early…
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MG sedan crashes into Chiang Mai shop, narrowly missing tourists
A red MG sedan crashed into a popular Mala shop in Chang Phueak, Chiang Mai district, narrowly missing two foreign tourists and other patrons. Police are investigating the incident that occurred yesterday, September 27. Surveillance footage captured the moment the vehicle collided with the shop, where both local and international tourists were dining. The tourists fled in panic, with one…
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