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.

  • 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...

  • Thai officers uncover police corruption & drug use

    Thai officers uncover police corruption & drug use

    Several Thai officers from the Lad Yao Police Station in the central province of Nakhon Sawan sent a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Torsak Sookwimon, revealing mass corruption and drug-related activities in their department. Last Saturday, October 29, Thai media reported that a non-commissioned police officer from Lad Yao Police Station sent five complaints…

  • Royal Caribbean Cruises to dock weekly in Phuket, Thailand

    Royal Caribbean Cruises to dock weekly in Phuket, Thailand

    Earlier this month, Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas cruise ship docked in Phuket, southern Thailand, for the first time in several years. At an event in Phuket yesterday, Royal Caribbean revealed that the Spectrum would be visiting Phuket once a week in the coming months. Phuket is a ‘core destination’ on Royal Caribbean’s four- to seven-night Southeast Asia cruises,…

  • Thailand to experience total lunar eclipse during Loy Krathong Festival

    Thailand to experience total lunar eclipse during Loy Krathong Festival

    Thailand’s annual Loy Krathong Festival will be even more magical than usual this year as a total lunar eclipse will grace the sky on the same day, making the moon appear brick red, according to the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT). The total lunar eclipse will take place on the same day as Loy Krathong Festival on November…

  • 5 security guards on drugs arrested for robbing army residence

    5 security guards on drugs arrested for robbing army residence

    Five security guards were arrested yesterday after they robbed an army residence in Bangkok. The thieves stole four lightning rods worth 200,000 baht but only received 16,000 baht for the stolen goods. The group also tested positive for drugs. A soldier in charge of the security of army condominiums, inside the Royal Thai Armed Forces headquarters in the Don Mueng district…

  • Thai man cooks and eats wild snapping turtle that bit his finger

    Thai man cooks and eats wild snapping turtle that bit his finger

    Yesterday, a Thai man attempted to capture a wild snapping turtle from a river in Kanchanaburi province in western Thailand. The feisty turtle bit the man’s middle finger and wouldn’t let go, causing a serious injury. When the injured man returned from the hospital, he cooked and ate the turtle for dinner. Rescue workers rushed to Tha Maka district yesterday…

  • Murderer surrenders after stabbing wrong man in Phuket

    Murderer surrenders after stabbing wrong man in Phuket

    A murderer surrendered to police after stabbing a man to death in front of a grocery store in Phuket on Saturday. The killer claimed that he stabbed the wrong person, thinking that the man he murdered was his enemy. The alleged murderer, 35 year old Pannawit, stabbed 49 year old Charoen Panngen on Saturday morning in front of a shopping…

  • Thailand is not ‘selling off’ the country by letting foreigners buy land, says govt

    Thailand is not ‘selling off’ the country by letting foreigners buy land, says govt

    The Thai government is defending its plan to allow foreign investors to buy up to one rai of land after an opposition party claimed that they are “selling off” the country. Foreign land ownership in Thailand comes with strict conditions and the plan will benefit the country’s economy, a government spokesperson said yesterday. The Cabinet recently voted to allow four…

  • The history of Thailand’s lottery

    The history of Thailand’s lottery

    Almost all forms of gambling are illegal in Thailand with one exception – the country’s lottery. The bi-monthly lottery draw has brought great fortunes to many people. The next draw is tomorrow, and you might be interested to learn some fun facts about its history. The lottery first began in 1874 on King Chulalongkorn’s birthday. The king had given the…

  • US in Asia: President Biden to ASEAN meeting, VP Harris to APEC

    US in Asia: President Biden to ASEAN meeting, VP Harris to APEC

    Top US officials are set to visit Southeast Asia, with US President Joe Biden joining the ASEAN summit in Cambodia next month, and Vice President Kamala Harris heading to Bangkok for an APEC meeting. The White House has now confirmed that Biden will join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for their meeting on November 12 and 13. Harris…

  • Thailand hits 7 million international tourists

    Thailand hits 7 million international tourists

    Thailand’s tourism has hit another milestone. As of October 26, the kingdom witnessed 7,349,843 international tourists arriving, surpassing the 7 million mark. It’s put the country within its goal range set by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) of 7 to 10 million visitors for 2022. The TAT announced that over 7 million tourists have arrived since January 1 in…

  • Thailand ladyboy – Facts You Never Know about Ladyboy Culture in Thailand

    Thailand ladyboy – Facts You Never Know about Ladyboy Culture in Thailand

    Thailand ladyboy – Facts You Never Know about Ladyboy Culture in Thailand When looking for an exotic vacation, one of the countries that come to mind most often is Thailand. This Asian country has a lot to offer its guests: its abundance of magnificent temples with gigantic statues of the Buddha, the natural resources available for everyone to explore, its…

  • Is Prayut quiet due to humbleness or unpopularity?

    Is Prayut quiet due to humbleness or unpopularity?

    Is it his humbleness and humility, and his dedication to helping the people of Thailand? Or perhaps it’s because polls show that he is trailing other candidates in next year’s prime minister race. Either way, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has spent the month deflecting interviews and political questions. In recent weeks he’s managed to duck out of most questions from the…

  • Palang Pracharath Party could be dissolved, ex-acting PM banned

    Palang Pracharath Party could be dissolved, ex-acting PM banned

    The fallout continues after a drug bust at a karaoke venue in Bangkok revealed that the owner had previously donated 3 million baht to the Palang Pracharath Party. Now, the political party may face dissolution due to accepting what is believed to be “grey money” donations, with top officials being banned from politics. Former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn said that…

  • Thailand’s First Food Rescue App “Yindii” | Thaiger Podcast Ep.10

    Thailand’s First Food Rescue App “Yindii” | Thaiger Podcast Ep.10

    https://youtu.be/MZjQ480O7hI Welcome to Yindii Thailand food Nobody likes to see food wasted. Sadly, 33% of all food produced worldwide is either wasted or lost, amounting to around 1.5 billion tons of food squandered annually. Ecological disaster, really. Resources like labor, water, land, and energy used to make the food also go to waste in addition to the food itself. 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions are caused by waste! In an effort to assist on a local level, Yindii is on a mission to combat the issue of food waste. Here at Yindii, we deal with tasty, high-quality surplus food that supermarkets and restaurants must discard at the end of the day due to an oversupply of the item. This can be premium bakeries that must bake fresh every day or buffet restaurants that restock wholesome food right up to closing time. Make a difference for Thailand while taking advantage of the N.1 surplus food delivery with flash sales & unbelievably discounted prices!…

  • World-Class Medical Hub for Regenerative Cellular Therapy Centre in Bangkok, Thailand

    World-Class Medical Hub for Regenerative Cellular Therapy Centre in Bangkok, Thailand

    Press Release Thailand has been famous for its medical travel, and now it has become a social norm for many expats to come to Bangkok for regenerative medicine. With the change from medical travel to wellness travel, people nowadays are seeking to upgrade their health with minimally invasive therapy. Stem cell-based regenerative medicine is becoming an increasingly attractive approach to…

  • Thai policeman & govt official arrested for selling personal info to scam call centre

    Thai policeman & govt official arrested for selling personal info to scam call centre

    A police officer and a government official have been arrested for selling the personal information of Thai people to scam call centre gangs. The Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, Torsak Sookwimon, revealed today that two government officials were involved with a scam call centre gang, and have been prosecuted for their actions. The first officer is a police…

  • Thai police seize drug kingpin’s luxury Bangkok house on Facebook Live

    Thai police seize drug kingpin’s luxury Bangkok house on Facebook Live

    Thai police from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) went live on Facebook this morning to seize a 21 million baht luxury home in Bangkok’s Saphan Sung district. The house belonged to an alleged transnational drug trafficker and money launderer who police suspect has already fled Thailand. In August, police seized 945 kilograms of “Ice” (methamphetamine) hidden in…

  • Thais in top 5 most anxious, stressed nations in the world, says Gallup book

    Thais in top 5 most anxious, stressed nations in the world, says Gallup book

    A new book published by Gallup reveals confidence is falling and stress and anxiety are rising among the people of Thailand. The book, Blind Spot, highlighted the percentage of Thai people who said they were worried for much of the previous day doubled between 2012 (18%) and 2019 (36%). It then surged again after the COVID-19 pandemic, to 50% in 2020…

  • Foreign diving instructor rescued off Phuket

    Foreign diving instructor rescued off Phuket

    A foreign diving instructor has been rescued near an island off Phuket’s town of Chalong after he suffered from decompression sickness. The 53 year old man told emergency responders that he had just recovered and started diving again after having a heart operation. The rescuers took the driving instructor back to Chalong and headed to a nearby hospital, The Phuket Express…

  • Malaysian man arrested in Bangkok for smuggling liquor

    Malaysian man arrested in Bangkok for smuggling liquor

    A Malaysian man was arrested yesterday after police discovered he smuggled liquor from abroad and manufactured alcohol with fake brand-name labels to sell in Bangkok. Police from the Patrol and Special Operation Division discovered the illegal activities of a 55 year old Malaysian man named Chan when they raided his house in the Min Buri district of Bangkok yesterday at…

  • THAI needs to raise 10 billion baht as part of its restructuring plan

    THAI needs to raise 10 billion baht as part of its restructuring plan

    Thailand’s State Enterprise Policy Office (SEPO) announced Thai Airways (THAI) needs to raise 10 billion baht to ensure the company’s shareholding does not dip below 40%. The Finance Ministry, THAI’s biggest shareholder with a 47% stake, revealed plans are already underway to raise the finances and preserve its shareholding in the company. SEPO Director General Pantip Sripimol reported that the…

  • Thailand to postpone new cash deposit machine rule after backlash

    Thailand to postpone new cash deposit machine rule after backlash

    The implementation of Thailand’s new cash deposit machine (CDM) rule will be postponed after customers complained it would cause unnecessary inconvenience and extra fees for people who do not use credit/debit cards. The new rule will require anyone depositing money into their bank account using a CDM in Thailand to verify their identity with their debit/credit card and PIN. The…

  • Two Singaporean men arrested in Bangkok for selling ‘Happy Water’ to nightclubs

    Two Singaporean men arrested in Bangkok for selling ‘Happy Water’ to nightclubs

    Bangkok police arrested two men from Singapore yesterday for allegedly producing a drug known as ‘Happy Water‘ and selling it to entertainment venues around the capital. Happy Water is made by mixing various drugs with sweetened drinks. The drug cocktail is not for the faint-hearted: it typically contains ecstasy, methamphetamine, caffeine, diazepam, and tramadol all in one. Police arrested 63…

  • The dark and twisted history of Thailand’s “haunted” brothel in Kanchanaburi

    The dark and twisted history of Thailand’s “haunted” brothel in Kanchanaburi

    Halloween is coming up, and you may be wondering what sort of spooky places exist in Thailand. One notorious spot is an abandoned house of disrepute, called ‘Brothel 35’, in Kanchanaburi province. The brothel was open from the mid-1960s until it closed in 1986. It has been nicknamed the ‘Prostitute Cemetary.’ The brothel is believed to be haunted due to…

  • Chiang Rai opens skywalk with panoramic views of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos

    Chiang Rai opens skywalk with panoramic views of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos

    A new skywalk has opened in the northern province of Chiang Rai at the meeting point between Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar – also known as the ‘Golden Triangle.’ The “Three Lands Skywalk” stands about 486 feet above sea level and offers panoramic views of mountains, forests, and the Mekong River. The new attraction is located about 400 metres away from…

  • 4 men arrested in connection with death of a Chinese woman

    4 men arrested in connection with death of a Chinese woman

    A Thai man, two Chinese men, and a Vanuatu man were arrested for covering up the death of a Chinese woman who died from a drug overdose after visiting a nightclub in Bangkok. The Chinese media reported on Saturday, September 17 that a 32 year old Chinese woman, You Zhue Hua, travelled to Thailand and disappeared. The media speculated that…

  • Thailand to officially enter winter on October 29

    Thailand to officially enter winter on October 29

    Thailand will officially enter winter on Saturday, October 29, reports the Meteorological Department. The department says winter will last until the end of February 2023 and is expected to be colder than usual this year. Up in the mountains, temperatures will reach lows of 8 degrees Celsius, said the department. Earlier this month, the department said that Bangkok could reach…

  • Poverty in Thailand has been halved says govt

    Poverty in Thailand has been halved says govt

    The Ministry of Interior insists that 1.9 million poor families have been rescued by the Thai government and that the state has halved the poverty problem in Thailand. The Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry, Suttipong Juncharoen, said poverty is a problem residents have to face and that the government cannot solve the problem by itself. Suttipong announced that the…

  • Thai-Brit teen returns home from millionaire’s harem

    Thai-Brit teen returns home from millionaire’s harem

    UPDATE The 14 year old Thai-British girl who ran away from home and turned to prostitution has returned to her mother after a month of staying inside a millionaire’s harem. The millionaire refused all allegations even though police found four young girls, used condoms, and pornographic filming equipment inside his house. The 50 year old mother, Naruemon (surname reserved), appealed…

  • Thai transgender entrepreneur buys Miss Universe Organisation for US million

    Thai transgender entrepreneur buys Miss Universe Organisation for US$20 million

    A Thai celebrity, businesswoman, trans rights activist, and beauty queen bought the Miss Universe Organisation for US$20 million yesterday. Jakapong “Anne” Jakrajutatip is the first woman to own the company – formerly owned by Donald Trump – in its 71 year history. Anne is a transgender woman famous in Thailand for starring in Project Runway and Shark Tank. She is…