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.
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Maha Songkran World Water Festival splashes on Bangkok
The Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025 kicked off with a vibrant atmosphere at Sanam Luang, Bangkok, drawing large crowds to enjoy the festivities. Organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the event will run until Tuesday, April 15, 3pm to 11.30pm daily. The festival features various highlight zones, including the Giant Maha Songkran zone, where visitors can capture…
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Canadian’s US$3,000 necklace stolen by transgenders in Pattaya
A Canadian tourist has reported a shocking theft on Pattaya Beach Road, alleging that a group of transgenders stole his gold necklace in the early hours of yesterday, April 11. At 1.06am, 57 year old Canadian national Nirbjit filed a complaint with Pattaya Police, recounting a bizarre and unsettling encounter. According to Nirbjit, as he was walking past a McDonald’s…
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Bangkok building collapse death toll rises to 32
The ongoing rescue operation at the collapsed State Audit Office building in Bangkok revealed five additional fatalities, raising the death toll to 32. Suriyachai Raviwan, director of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, reported that emergency services have been working tirelessly to locate the missing. Information indicated that the area with flashing light signals was under a beam tilted…
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Pattaya herbal shop scams tourists, 3 arrested
Pattaya police have detained three suspects after a shocking herbal store scam was uncovered on Thursday, April 10. The store, allegedly scamming tourists with overpriced “miracle herbs,” had been coercing customers into buying products under threat of violence. The incident, which took place at 4.20pm on April 10, follows a series of similar cases involving fraudulent herbal shops in the…
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Truck crash causes major disruption on Phuket road
Motorists are being warned to steer clear of Patak Road over Kata Hill, following a dramatic accident involving a 10-wheel truck. The truck skidded on the wet, rain-slicked road and crashed into three power poles, bringing down live cables and causing major disruptions. The incident, which occurred at approximately 12.15pm yesterday, April 11, has led to a temporary road closure…
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Engineering student stabbed to death in central Thailand
A 26 year old engineering student from Rajamangala University was fatally stabbed by a group of approximately 10 people. The incident occurred while he was on his way home after his internship. Although his personal belongings remained intact, his student jacket was missing. The incident involved Thanat, a fourth-year engineering student, who was attacked with a sharp object, sustaining injuries…
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Tourist police raid Pattaya salon, arrest foreigners without permits
A beauty salon in central Pattaya was the scene of a shocking bust yesterday, April 11, when Tourist Police apprehended a group of foreigners working illegally without the proper permits. The raid, conducted by an investigation team from the Tourist Police Bureau, revealed several individuals, believed to be Chinese nationals, providing beauty services to customers without the necessary work authorisations.…
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Songkran safety warning: Drowning risks surge during festival
Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin has issued a warning for increased caution during the Songkran holidays due to the annual surge in drowning incidents associated with the water festival. Statistics reveal a significant increase in drowning fatalities in April, particularly during Songkran. Data from the ministry’s permanent secretary’s office indicates that an average of 327 drownings occur each April, with…
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Thaksin hospitalisation ethics probe to conclude by May
An ethics investigation into the doctors involved in the hospitalisation of Thaksin Shinawatra at Police General Hospital is progressing on schedule, according to the Medical Council of Thailand. Professor Doctor Prasit Watanapa, Vice President of the Medical Council, addressed the media yesterday, April 11, clarifying that there has been no delay in the proceedings. He noted that a subcommittee is…
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Water spouts create spectacle in Chalong Bay, not a tornado
Water spouts moving through Chalong Bay’s anchorage sparked online discussions yesterday, April 11, with many referring to the event as a “tornado.” However, Brent McInnes from the Phuket Cruising Yacht Club, who witnessed the event, clarified that this was not the case. Several videos of the water spouts were shared online by onlookers, including staff at the Phuket Tourist Assistance…
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Lost in the woods: Italian tourists rescued on Koh Pha Ngan
Police on Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province successfully located two Italian tourists lost in the forest for over three hours yesterday, April 11. The incident was reported by Police Lieutenant Vinij Bunchit after coordination with the Italian embassy, leading to the activation of local search and rescue teams. The two tourists, Maria Florencia Abaca and Linda Rattero, found…
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British woman lives rent-free on Koh Samui with dogs (video)
Dreaming of a tropical escape without breaking the bank? A British traveller has revealed how she’s living the dream on Thailand’s Koh Samui — and it won’t cost you a penny in rent. The young woman, known only as Iona, who often shares travel hacks online, shared her secrets in a viral TikTok clip that’s racked up over 100,000 views.…
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Thai tourists flock to China for Songkran deals, beating Japan
The Thai Travel Agents Association (ATTA) revealed that China has surged to the top of the list for Thai travellers heading abroad during this year’s Songkran holiday, from April 12 to 16. According to TTAA advisor Thanapol Chewarattanaporn, the shift is being driven by airlines slashing airfares to China amid a slump in incoming Chinese tourists. “China has become the…
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Pattaya mayor vows transparency in stadium project
During a recent site inspection, Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet assured residents that the city is working closely with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to ensure transparency and accountability in government-led projects. At the centre of this renewed focus is the long-delayed Eastern Sports Stadium, which has faced criticism for missed deadlines and management hiccups. Mayor Poramet explained that delays in…
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Chinese steel factory raided over Bangkok building collapse
The factory at the centre of Thailand’s latest construction scandal was raided today as investigators ramped up scrutiny into the supplier linked to the catastrophic collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district. The Department of Industrial Works’ “Sud Soi” team, under the Industry Ministry, stormed the Xin Ke Yuan (SKY) Steel Ltd facility in Rayong’s…
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Chiang Mai rattled by quake as Myanmar tremors hit
A mild earthquake measuring 1.4 on the Richter scale struck Chiang Mai’s Phrao district at 4.33am today, April 11, according to the Thai Meteorological Department’s Earthquake Observation Division. The tremor’s epicentre was pinpointed in San Sai subdistrict, located at coordinates 19.529°N and 99.222°E, with a shallow depth of just 1 kilometre. While the quake was minor and caused no immediate…
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Bangkok unites in mass prayer for quake victims
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt led a solemn Buddhist chanting ceremony today in memory of the victims of the devastating building collapse in Chatuchak district, which was triggered by the powerful 8.2-magnitude earthquake near Mandalay, Myanmar, on March 28. The collapse of the under-construction SAO building on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road has left the city shaken. As of today, April 11,…
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American in Thailand admits threatening US senator
A 53 year old American living in Thailand is facing up to 10 years in prison after reportedly admitting to threatening to murder a US senator and his staff, all because of too many political emails. Eric Charles Welton, an American expat residing in Thailand, allegedly pleaded guilty on Wednesday, April 9, to making death threats against US Senator Thom…
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Trash for cash: Bangkok offers bin discount for food waste sorting
Throwing out your leftovers could now save you money! Bangkok’s new sort and save scheme is giving households a reason to separate their scraps, with discounts on the horizon and rubbish fees on the rise. Bangkok residents in six districts are being offered a financial incentive to sort their waste as part of a new food scrap recycling initiative launching…
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Digging for hope: 4 more bodies found at Bangkok audit office ruins
Rescue workers uncovered four more bodies buried beneath the rubble of the collapsed State Audit Office building in Bangkok, as desperate efforts to reach possible survivors ramped up. At noon today, April 11, the scene on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road, Chatuchak, in the capital was a flurry of action, with officials deploying more than half a dozen backhoes to dig…
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Late-night transgender fight shocks tourists on Pattaya Beach (video)
A dramatic altercation between two transgender women broke out on Pattaya Beach in the early hours of yesterday morning drawing the attention of stunned tourists and quickly going viral online. At 2.36am yesterday, April 10, Pattaya Police were alerted to the scene of the fight. Officers rushed to the popular beachfront location but, by the time they arrived, the pair…
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Foreign travellers told to log on 3 days before Thailand arrival
Foreign travellers planning a trip to Thailand are being told to get online and fill in Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) three days before they arrive or risk being turned away at the border, as the country ditches its old-school paper arrival cards in favour of a slick new digital system. From May 1, all international visitors, whether arriving by air,…
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Wanted Russian arrested at Phuket Airport over unpaid wages
Immigration officers at Phuket International Airport swooped to arrest a 29 year old Russian national wanted on a Phuket Provincial Court warrant for allegedly failing to pay employee wages and defying directives issued by labour inspectors. The dramatic takedown took place at approximately 3.30pm on Wednesday, April 9, inside the airport’s international arrivals hall. The arrest was the result of…
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Thai drivers race and crash into old woman, tearing her body apart
A sedan driver raced a pickup driver along a public road in the central province of Nakhon Sawan with devastating, fatal consequences after crashing into an old woman, tearing her body apart. News Facebook page เจ๊มอย v+ (Jamoi v+) shared pictures and videos of the incident yesterday, April 10. According to the page, the accident occurred on Takian Luean Road…
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Shipyard foreman dies after drinking herbal liquor in Si Racha
A 50 year old foreman at a well-known ship repair yard in Si Racha, Chon Buri, was found dead at his home yesterday after reportedly consuming herbal liquor. The body was found by his wife, prompting an immediate police investigation into the unexplained death. Police Lieutenant Colonel Natthaphon Boonrachakun of Laem Chabang Police Station was alerted to the incident and,…
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Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang fly high in global airport rankings
Thailand’s major airports are flying high on the global stage, with Suvarnabhumi International Airport breaking into the top 40 of the world’s best airports for 2025 and Don Mueang International Airport landing in the top 10 for low-cost travel hubs. Yesterday, April 10, Airports of Thailand (AOT) Chief Executive Officer Keerati Kitimanawat announced the impressive leap in global rankings, attributing…
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Booze cruise: Patong police nab 6 foreigners in drink-drive blitz
Patong police launched their Songkran road safety crackdown in dramatic style last night, collaring six foreign revellers for drink-driving in the early hours, some more than three times over the legal limit. Officers set up a checkpoint near Loma Circle on Thaweewong Road between 12.30am and 2.30am today, April 11, as part of the nationwide Seven Days road safety campaign,…
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Injured foreign man vanishes after bloody bar brawl in Krabi
A foreign man, whose body was covered in blood, disappeared on his motorcycle following a brawl with his friends at a bar on Koh Lanta, an island in the southern province of Krabi, raising concerns among residents. A video showing a foreign man with bloodstains across his body was shared on social media by a Thai bar owner. The footage was…
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Bruises over baht: Pattaya van driver bloodied in beer-fuelled brawl
A late-night squabble over a 300-baht commission exploded into a full-blown street scrap in Pattaya, leaving one van driver bloodied and bystanders bolting for cover as chaos erupted in the early hours. The drama unfolded just after midnight on April 10, when Pattaya police received a call about a violent altercation on Second Road. Officers raced to the scene alongside…
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Bangkok ramps up Songkran safety with AI and ‘Five-No’ rule
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has extended an invitation to the public for Songkran celebrations on Silom and Khao San roads from tomorrow, April 12, to Monday, April 14, with assurances of safety measures implemented throughout the city. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has established thorough safety protocols for all Songkran venues, including entrance checkpoints and CCTV installations, to ensure public…
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