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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Sponsored Planning to extend your Thai visa? Why health insurance is more important than ever
If you plan to stay longer in Thailand, having health insurance is now more important than ever. Thai immigration often asks for proof of medical coverage when you apply to extend your visa. This applies to many types of visas,...
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Faulty transformer rattles Thai woman with massive electricity bill
A Thai woman was blown away by an astronomical increase in her electricity bill, with charges skyrocketing from an average of 60 baht per month to an outrageous 11,357.47 baht. This occurred due to what inspection personnel from the local electricity authority would later uncover as a faulty transformer in her fruit garden. Umaphon Tedduang revealed her dilemma via a…
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Double trouble: Dozy guy dozes off on bus not once, but twice
A peculiar incident involving a young man who woke up trapped on a bus at 1am not once, but twice, has shocked people online. The youth, who had fallen asleep due to the potent effects of his sleeping pills, claims bus staff failed to wake him, leaving him to grope about in the deserted vehicle. In a video posted on the…
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Poolside panic: Daring rescue mission frees Chinese girl trapped in Pattaya’s suction pipe
An intense rescue mission unfolded at a Pattaya resort today when a six year old girl from China got her arm stuck in a swimming pool’s suction pipe. For over three hours, personnel from the Sawang Boriboon Foundation Pattaya City Station worked tirelessly to free her arm. The incident took place at a holiday resort in Huai Yai, in Pattaya’s…
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Decadent novice monk accused of dressing as woman, selling sex, and partying in nightclubs
Another case of monks behaving badly again emerged in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen after residents accused a young novice of dressing up as a woman, selling sex to other novices and monks in the temple and partying in nightclubs. The abbot of the temple has been accused of turning a blind eye to the novice’s decadent activities. A…
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Famous Thai actor grilled by CCIB investigators over role in fake registration plate drama
Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) officers summoned a famous Thai actor in connection with his alleged involvement in a fake car registration plate gang. The actor, Mario Maurer, denied the accusation, asserting that he was a victim of criminal activity. CCIB officers recently arrested two ringleaders involved in the fraudulent registration enterprise. They acquired the usernames and passwords of officials…
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Bangkok pedophile arrested for grooming 12 year old girl into sexual intercourse and drugs
A 29 year old Thai pedophile, who groomed a 12 year old schoolgirl into taking drugs and having sex with him, says he did it because he “loved her.” Veerayut Saenchai, also known as Es Collide, accused of grooming a 12 year old schoolgirl to indulge in drugs and sexual intercourse, was arrested yesterday, August 6, at 10.50am, in Siriraj,…
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MICE revenue in Thailand lowered amid sluggish Chinese market response
The meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE) revenue forecast for the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has been lowered to 96 billion baht. This is less than half the recorded figures for 2019, mainly due to a sluggish response from the Chinese market. TCEB’s president, Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya disclosed that despite the strong comeback of MICE travellers from…
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Aunt Toi’s funeral: Beloved Nonthaburi dessert vendor draws heartbroken crowds
The funeral of “Aunt Toi,” an adored street vendor from Nonthaburi, attracted a flood of mourners on its first night, with attendees ranging from relatives and friends to politicians, customers, and fans. At 6.30pm yesterday, Wat Nakhon In monastery transformed into a sanctuary for the funeral rites of Aunt Toi, also known as Somchai Yunsun. The 65 year old was…
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Beware of the byte: Elderly Thai man’s online fake teeth buy bites back with laughable consequences
The pitfalls of online shopping were once again brought into the spotlight after an elderly man was duped into purchasing a set of fake teeth that turned out to be unusable, laughably plastic in appearance. The incident, shared on TikTok by the user @tuttapan1329 on August 6, sparked a wider conversation about the risk of buying less-than-authentic goods online, which…
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Thai man found dead on roadside after searching for runaway girlfriend
Relatives discovered the dead body of a Thai man close to a roadside canal along the Bypass Road in Nakhon Nayok province central Thailand. The dead man had reportedly been in search of his runaway girlfriend before the grim discovery took place. Upon being informed of the incident, officers from Pak Plee Police Station swiftly arrived at the scene to…
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Thailand’s space dreams: Lifting off into high-tech horizons with spaceport ambitions
In an exhilarating bid to broaden its horizons and step into the global platform of high tech exploration and innovation, Thailand declared its ambitious plans to construct a spaceport. Undertaken under the vigilant eyes of the interim Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, the initiative exhibits strong determination and has the potential to offer extensive economic benefits including around 400 job…
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Drug addict and repeat offender arrested for attempted rape in Bangkok
Tha Kharm Police Station officers arrested a drug addict who reportedly attempted to rape a Thai woman at her house in the Jom Thong district of Bangkok. The suspect has a long criminal history and had just been released from jail at the end of last year. The victim, 24 year old Ae, revealed to ThaiRath that the incident occurred…
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Firestarter housemaid: Thai police uncover shocking twist in theft and Bangkok blaze case
In a surprising revelation following a fire incident, the Royal Thai Police (RTP) confirmed that a housemaid, a long-standing occupant of the damaged property, was indeed the criminal behind the theft and subsequent fire outbreak. Unforeseen by the homeowners, the incident came to light following investigations by the local police. The fire broke out yesterday, August 6, in one of…
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Rice prices skyrocket in Thailand due to drought effects and export ban
A meeting is set to be convened today by Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit evaluating the repercussions of the drought instigated by the El Niño weather occurrence, and potential courses of action in response to the surge in rice prices. Concurrently, the Commerce Ministry under the watchful eyes of Wattanasak Sur-iam, chief of the Internal Trade Department, is monitoring good prices,…
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Arun Plus aims for profitability with Thailand’s growing EV demand
National oil and gas conglomerate, PTT Plc, is forecasting that its subsidiary company, Arun Plus Co, is likely to attain profitability in the next three to five years, fostered by higher demand from Thai drivers for electric vehicles (EVs). Arun Plus was founded three years prior when PTT ventured into the EV sector as part of its futuristic energy plan.…
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Online scams: Thai restaurant reservation fraud nets 140 million baht in July, warns CCIB
Warnings of escalating online fraud rings capitalising on the growing demand for restaurant reservations have been issued by the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB). Based on emerging reports, a significant financial hit of over 140 million baht landed on consumers in July due to a proliferation of online scams. According to the latest information detailed by the CCIB spokesperson, Police…
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Transgender identity revelation: Social worker’s love for accident victim unravels a journey of self discovery
A 40 year old man met with an accident, left helpless in a hospital before he was fortunately cared for by a 63 year old woman. Their affection escalated leading to a marriage, only then he discovered she wasn’t a woman, leading to an unexpected transgender identity revelation. The story of 63 year old Kalin, a dedicated social worker frequently…
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Car bomb shock in Narathiwat: No casualties as police close district (video)
In Narathiwat, a car bomb detonation led to the temporary closure of a region surrounding the location of a police base situated in Sungai Kolok district. The blast last night fortunately did not result in any injuries or deaths. The incident took place close to Orakan intersection, in proximity to both a rail route and the ad hoc police stronghold…
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Pheu Thai Party confides challenges in forming new Thai coalition government
In an evolving political landscape where the constitution, power structures and group conflicts have become major challenges, the Pheu Thai Party acknowledged that manoeuvring the formation of a new coalition government is far from simple. According to Pheu Thai’s Deputy Leader, Phumtham Wechayachai, the party has to remain committed and steadfast in its approach to lead the nation out of…
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Thai health ministry plans dental hospital in each province to boost care access
In a bid to tackle the absence of adequate oral health facilities, Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has unveiled a plan to establish a dental hospital in each of the country’s 77 provinces. Dr Opas Kankawinpong, the ministry’s permanent secretary, underscored the urgent need for increased dental care coverage during a seminar, highlighting that with the current number of dentists,…
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Thaksin Shinawatra delays Thailand return sourcing health check as deciding factor
Thaksin Shinawatra, former prime minister of Thailand, announced yesterday that he would be delaying his return to his homeland from his current location of self-exile. Shinawatra, whose background lies in telecommunications, took to the popular social media platform Twitter to inform followers of his upcoming health checkup, which resulted in the need for him to reschedule his original plan to…
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Thai fireworks depot owners surrender following fatal explosion investigation
The owners of a recently annihilated fireworks depo in Narathiwat yesterday handed themselves over to the police. This revelation was announced by an on-scene informant who wished to remain unnamed. The owners, Sompong Napol and Piyanuch Puengwirawat, both 42, made their way back into Thai territory through the Sadao checkpoint connecting Thailand and Malaysia. This development came on the heels of…
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Dramatic leap in tourism to Thailand rakes in 1.08 trillion baht
Exceeding expectations and the grim shadow of the previous year, the tourist influx to Thailand recorded a dramatic leap in the first half of 2023. From January to the end of July, over 15 million people travelled in Thailand, marking an increase in tourism to Thailand of 384% in comparison to the same period in the prior year, according to…
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Chuvit Kamolvisit continues crusade despite liver cancer
Chuvit Kamolvisit has publicly disclosed the severity of his ongoing battle against stage 3 liver cancer. Despite the prognosis, he pledged to utilise his time remaining to illuminate wide-ranging societal quandaries courageously. Chuvit, a former magnate in the massage parlour industry, unveiled his grave health condition ahead of a press conference he hosted on Thursday. The conference was organised to…
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Prime minister fast-tracks aid for firework warehouse blast victims
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, along with Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda, toured the site of a devastating fireworks warehouse explosion in Narathiwat yesterday. The visit aimed to expedite the rehabilitation process for victims and address housing issues caused by the unfortunate incident. Chan-o-cha journeyed to Muno, a village in Sungai Kolok district, to evaluate first-hand the circumstances of those affected by…
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Debate over treatment of revered monk’s remains in Thai temple
Should a revered monk’s remains be accessible to their disciples, even allowing them to physically touch the relics? Following an unsettling incident at a prominent temple in Nakhon Pathom province, online public debate has sparked regarding the appropriateness. The controversial event happened while followers were changing the cloth covering a mummified monk, who had left his physical form 18 years…
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Snake in the grass: Thai woman seeks protection from perverted rescuer
A Thai woman sought protection after a man, claiming to be a rescuer of the Daan Samrong Municipality in Samut Prakanr province near Bangkok, asked for sex in return for a snake capture. Claiming to be a rescuer from the Daan Samrong Municipality, a man approached A, offering assistance in catching the reptile. However, his ulterior motives soon came to…
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Trash terror: Spanish man arrested for mutilating foreigner, dumps body parts at Koh Pha Ngan tip
Following the gruesome discovery of human body parts at a Koh Pha Ngan rubbish tip yesterday, police apprehended a Spanish man suspected of murdering and mutilating the victim. A garbage truck driver yesterday stumbled upon the hip of a man, believed to be a foreigner, along with intestines in a trash bag at a rubbish tip on the island. Today,…
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Thai universities investigated over alleged research plagiarism
Prompting concerns over the integrity of education, the Thai Bureau of Higher Learning, Scientific Enquiry, and Research Innovation (MHESI) have launched legal action against around five online portals that have been found dealing in academic plagiarism. The move comes following suspicions that close to 100 scholars linked to 33 universities may have obtained research papers from the Internet. The Deputy…
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Monkey madness: Thai man’s roadside pee leads to wild monkey attack
A Thai man faced the terrifying ordeal of being attacked by a gang of more than 10 monkeys after he decided to have a pee on the roadside in the southern province of Ranong. The unsuspecting victim tried to fight back, but fate had other plans, as he stumbled and fell down a steep 50-metre cliff. It was a wild…
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