Thailand News

Thailand news, politics, business, crime, and lifestyle—get breaking updates from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. Stay informed on Thai society, economy, tourism, and expat life with The Thaiger.

  • Surat Thani nightclub sparks backlash over contemporary nora dance | Thaiger

    Surat Thani nightclub sparks backlash over contemporary nora dance

    A nightclub in Surat Thani province sparked online controversy after featuring a contemporary nora folk dance performance during its New Year celebration last year. A video of the performance circulated widely on Thai social media and was later reposted by the popular news Facebook page Jmoi V+. The footage showed three performers dressed in full traditional nora costumes dancing on…

  • Thai woman accuses monk of groping her during blessing ceremony | Thaiger

    Thai woman accuses monk of groping her during blessing ceremony

    A Thai woman accused a well-known monk at a temple in Pathum Thani province of sexually assaulting by grouping her breasts during a blessing ceremony for good fortune and business success. The allegation came to public attention after a Thai woman, identified only as Emmy, shared details of the sexual assault on social media. According to her post, the victim…

  • Chiang Rai inmate escapes during rehabilitation programme | Thaiger

    Chiang Rai inmate escapes during rehabilitation programme

    A male inmate escaped from the Doi Hang temporary prison facility in Chiang Rai last night, January 26, prompting a coordinated search by police, prison officials, and local authorities. The escapee, identified as 37 year old Danuphat, is an ethnic Lahu man originally from Mae Ai district in Chiang Mai. He had recently been transferred from Fang Prison in Chiang…

  • British man arrested after fatal shooting of wife in Maha Sarakham | Thaiger

    British man arrested after fatal shooting of wife in Maha Sarakham

    A British man was arrested following the fatal shooting of his Thai wife today, January 27, in front of a homestay in Maha Sarakham, where he was reportedly known in the community for drug-related behaviour. The incident occurred in Ban Nong Hin, Moo 4, Khok Kor subdistrict, Mueang district. Officers from Don Wan Police Station arrived at the scene, a…

  • Pregnant woman saves pet cat from python in Nakhon Nayok | Thaiger

    Pregnant woman saves pet cat from python in Nakhon Nayok

    A pregnant woman in Nakhon Nayok yesterday, January 26, risked her safety to save her cat from the grip of a four-metre-long python after discovering the attack behind her family home. The incident occurred yesterday, January 26, at a house in Moo 2, Hin Tang subdistrict, Mueang district. The 27 year old woman, who is five months pregnant, acted swiftly…

  • Thai soldier shoots social media influencer’s brother in jealous rage | Thaiger

    Thai soldier shoots social media influencer’s brother in jealous rage

    A Thai soldier shot at the brother-in-law of a well-known female social media influencer in Udon Thani province over adultery accusation, prompting the influencer to make the matter public in a bid to seek justice and protect her family. The incident occurred on Sunday, January 25, and was later revealed by social media influencer Soraya “Aum” Upaiprom, also known online…

  • Pathum Thani underwear thief caught after targeting laundrette | Thaiger

    Pathum Thani underwear thief caught after targeting laundrette

    Police have arrested a man accused of repeatedly stealing women’s underwear from a self‑service laundrette in Pathum Thani, following a series of thefts that left female university students concerned about their safety. The arrest was announced today, January 27, by Police Colonel Phatchachai Phamonphiboon, superintendent of Pak Khlong Rangsit Police Station, along with investigators from the station’s crime suppression unit.…

  • New Thai court platform allows direct requests to delete explicit content | Thaiger

    New Thai court platform allows direct requests to delete explicit content

    The Court of Justice of Thailand yesterday, January 26, launched a new online platform allowing the public to report explicit content and request its removal 24 hours a day, in response to recently revised sex crime laws. The Court of Justice spokesperson, Suriyan Hongwilai, announced that this marks the first time in Thailand that victims and people affected by cyber…

  • Thailand launches first elephant birth control programme in Trat | Thaiger

    Thailand launches first elephant birth control programme in Trat

    Thailand has carried out its first wild elephant birth control programme, with the Department of National Parks vaccinating three female elephants in Trat province on January 25 as part of efforts to manage rising elephant populations. The historic operation took place in Bo Rai district, where veterinarians from the Wildlife Conservation Office, in collaboration with Chiang Mai University, carried out…

  • DSI uncovers 4 PEA officials linked to illegal crypto mining and power theft | Thaiger

    DSI uncovers 4 PEA officials linked to illegal crypto mining and power theft

    Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) uncovered the involvement of four government officials in an illegal cryptocurrency mining operation with more than 19 million baht in financial circulation. The crackdown forms part of a broader campaign launched by the Ministry of Justice. Since December 2 last year, the ministry has been carrying out a nationwide operation known as Operation Copperhead,…

  • Thailand News | Thailand brings back Covid-Era entry checks over Nipah worries, Chiang Mai and Phuket among top world destinations for solo travellers | Thaiger

    Thailand News | Thailand brings back Covid-Era entry checks over Nipah worries, Chiang Mai and Phuket among top world destinations for solo travellers

    Today we’ll be talking about new screening policies being rolled out at entry points in the case of a new viral threat, a drug bust in Koh Phangan over Labubu-shaped narcotics, and a little later a massive protest by delivery riders over the handling of an assault incident. Thailand Brings Back Covid-Era Entry Checks Over Nipah Worries Thailand has reinstated…

  • Child set off firecrackers under bridge, causing 1 million baht in damage | Thaiger

    Child set off firecrackers under bridge, causing 1 million baht in damage

    Thailand’s Ministry of Transport is seeking around 1 million baht in compensation from the parents of a child after firecrackers were set off that damaged Bhumibol 2 Bridge. The fire broke out at a pier of the Bhumibol 2 Bridge in Phra Pradaeng district, Samut Prakan, on the evening of January 15. The blaze spread to a drainage pipe and later…

  • Love triangle ends in violent stabbing at Samut Prakan condo | Thaiger

    Love triangle ends in violent stabbing at Samut Prakan condo

    A confrontation allegedly linked to a love triangle turned violent outside a condominium in Samut Prakan today, January 27, leaving three men injured, with two in critical condition, after a knife attack broke out during the clash. Police from Samrong Nuea station were alerted to a stabbing incident at the entrance of a condominium in Thepharak subdistrict, Mueang district, Samut…

  • 3 Frenchmen flee after attacking Phuket food vendor in parking row | Thaiger

    3 Frenchmen flee after attacking Phuket food vendor in parking row

    Three Frenchmen escaped after gang attacking a Thai food vendor in Phuket on Sunday, January 25, following a dispute over parking. The owner of a roadside food stall on Soi Na Nai 3 in the Patong sub-district shared CCTV footage of the incident with the news Facebook page Newshawk Phuket yesterday. The video shows a foreign man wearing a white…

  • Phuket hotel’s six-figure service charge stuns netizens | Thaiger

    Phuket hotel’s six-figure service charge stuns netizens

    A Facebook post revealing high annual service charge payouts at a hotel in Phuket has drawn attention online, with the maximum amount reportedly reaching 111,889.45 baht (approximately US$3,589.82) per person in 2025. The post, shared by the Thailand Hotel Service Charge group, included images of what appeared to be internal figures from JW Marriott Phuket Resort and Marriott Vacation Club,…

  • American man and 3 British nationals come to peace after Pattaya brawl | Thaiger

    American man and 3 British nationals come to peace after Pattaya brawl

    Three British men attacked an American man on Soi Buakhao in Pattaya before both parties eventually made peace and paid fine 1,000 baht each. A video of the incident circulated widely on Thai social media earlier this week. The footage shows three foreign men repeatedly kicking another foreign man wearing a red T-shirt, who was already injured and sitting on…

  • Authorities seize methamphetamine and heroin shipments along Mekong River | Thaiger

    Authorities seize methamphetamine and heroin shipments along Mekong River

    Authorities in north-eastern Thailand intercepted two separate narcotics shipments this week, seizing more than 1.2 million methamphetamine pills and 148 kilograms of heroin during coordinated operations involving military and police units. On 26 January 2026, the 2nd Army Area Command confirmed that the seizures were carried out under a regional directive to intensify drug suppression along border routes and river…

  • Fake police gang arrested over abductions, drug planting and extortion | Thaiger

    Fake police gang arrested over abductions, drug planting and extortion

    Police arrested a man accused of posing as a police officer and leading a gang that abducted victims, planted drugs, and extorted money in several locations. The suspect confessed, according to investigators. The arrest was announced on 26 January 2026, at 4.56pm, by the Crime Suppression Division. Officers detained Mr Boonthing, 51, whose surname was withheld, under an arrest warrant…

  • Police dismantle call centre scam network, arrest 10 suspects | Thaiger

    Police dismantle call centre scam network, arrest 10 suspects

    Thai police have dismantled a transnational call centre scam network operating through fake online marketplaces, arresting 10 suspects including the alleged ringleader who created false social media pages to deceive buyers. The arrests were announced at 2.10pm on 26 January 2026 by the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau at its headquarters. Officers said the operation followed coordinated raids across eight locations…

  • Authorities prepare return of 46 million baht to scam victims | Thaiger

    Authorities prepare return of 46 million baht to scam victims

    Thai authorities are preparing to return more than 46 million baht to victims of a transnational online scam linked to the Huione Pay network, following a joint investigation by cyber crime and anti-money laundering agencies. On 26 January 2026, at 3.39pm, the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau transferred 46,181,000 baht in seized assets to the Anti-Money Laundering Office for distribution to…

  • Former officer shoots motorcycle taxi driver dead | Thaiger

    Former officer shoots motorcycle taxi driver dead

    A former municipal officer fatally shot a motorcycle taxi driver at a taxi stand in Ratchada Soi 10, Huai Khwang district, Bangkok, on the morning of 26 January 2026. Police from Huai Khwang Police Station received a report at 9.00am on 26 January 2026 of a shooting resulting in a death at the entrance of Soi Prachasanti 11-2, within Ratchadaphisek…

  • Delivery riders gather outside in mob police station after assault case | Thaiger

    Delivery riders gather outside in mob police station after assault case

    Nearly 100 delivery riders gathered outside Pathumwan Police Station on the evening of 25 January 2026, following an assault involving two private security guards and a female delivery rider in central Bangkok. The incident occurred at about 3.00pm on 24 January inside the Royal Bangkok Sports Club on Henri Dunant Street, Pathumwan district. According to police, the injured rider, Ms.…

  • Content creator criticised for staged phone theft video on BTS | Thaiger

    Content creator criticised for staged phone theft video on BTS

    A staged video showing a mock phone theft on a BTS Skytrain has drawn criticism online after a Thai content creator posted the clip to social media. Online response centred on how such content might affect public perception of safety in Thailand. The video, originally shared on TikTok, shows the creator pretending to be distracted on his phone before another…

  • Thailand News | Rail services restart in Northeastern Thailand after deadly crane collapse, FIFA World Cup Trophy visits Bangkok, drawing football fans to ICONSIAM | Thaiger

    Thailand News | Rail services restart in Northeastern Thailand after deadly crane collapse, FIFA World Cup Trophy visits Bangkok, drawing football fans to ICONSIAM

    Today we’ll be talking about rail services resuming following the deadly train collapse from a couple of weeks ago, a harrowing tale of a Finnish child being rescued from torment in Sa Kaeo, and a little later the World Cup has made it’s way to Thailand for an event at Icon Siam. Rail Services Restart in Northeastern Thailand After Deadly…

  • Large methamphetamine cache found at roadside electric pole | Thaiger

    Large methamphetamine cache found at roadside electric pole

    Police in Chachoengsao province are investigating the discovery of a large quantity of methamphetamine pills found abandoned in a residential community. The drugs were discovered on 25 January 2026, at approximately 11.00am, after villagers in Moo 8, Ban Song subdistrict, Phanom Sarakham district, reported a suspicious sack placed at the base of an electric pole along a roadside alley. According…

  • More Thai airports tighten Nipah virus screening | Thaiger

    More Thai airports tighten Nipah virus screening

    Phuket International Airport has stepped up health screening for passengers arriving from India, following a Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal, now under active surveillance by Thai health authorities. Although Thailand has not reported any Nipah cases, the Department of Disease Control is enforcing strict surveillance at international airports. Passengers arriving from affected areas are being screened to prevent potential…

  • January 26 weather: Cool mornings, patchy fog, high-pressure system weakens | Thaiger

    January 26 weather: Cool mornings, patchy fog, high-pressure system weakens

    Thailand is waking up to cooler mornings and patchy fog today, January 26, as a strong high-pressure system hovering over upper Thailand and the upper South begins to weaken, following a forecast from the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD). Temperatures are expected to dip by 1 to 2 degrees Celcius (°C) in several regions, with chilly to cold conditions reported in…

  • Thailand airports tighten virus checks for West Bengal travellers | Thaiger

    Thailand airports tighten virus checks for West Bengal travellers

    Enhanced disease control measures are now in place at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, and Phuket airports, targeting travellers from West Bengal, India, following a confirmed outbreak of the potentially deadly Nipah virus. A travel advisory urges Thai citizens visiting India to exercise caution. International communicable disease officers at these airports have commenced intensified screening of inbound passengers, particularly those from West…

  • Annual Wat Phra That Phanom festival unites Thai and Lao devotees | Thaiger

    Annual Wat Phra That Phanom festival unites Thai and Lao devotees

    Excitement surrounds the upcoming festival at Wat Phra That Phanom in Nakhon Phanom province, as the sacred site prepares for the annual ceremony set to commence tomorrow, on January 26. The event, which will run until February 3, unites devotees from Thailand and Laos in a nine-day and nine-night tribute. At the heart of the preparations, Police Colonel Doctor Manus…

  • Train services resume after fatal crane collapse in Thailand | Thaiger

    Train services resume after fatal crane collapse in Thailand

    Train services on the northeastern line in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Sikhiu district have resumed, following thorough safety inspections and approval by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) after a fatal crane collapse. The accident on January 14 resulted in 30 fatalities, prompting an ongoing investigation to determine causes and accountability. While the resumption aims to restore transport links and public confidence,…