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 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...
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Tourist Police and Good Samaritan rescue American lost on Phuket trail
Phuket Tourist Police, with the help of a Good Samaritan, rescued an American man lost on a trail near the Krating Cape in Karon. According to the Phuket Tourist Police, the man, who has not been identified, called the Tourist Police call centre for assistance at 1155. He reported that he was walking along the trail and was unable to…
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Raging fire at Pattaya condo sends hundreds evacuating
A raging fire at a Pattaya condo sent hundreds evacuating in the early hours of this morning. Over 200 residents of the Amazon Residence Condominium were evacuated, and at least five people were injured. The condo is located on Soi Wat Boon Kanjanaram 5 in the Nong Prue sub-district of Bang Lamung. Four people suffered smoke inhalation, and one foreign…
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Police on trail of “Four Brothers” gambling ring
Police raided properties across the country yesterday and arrested a prominent member of the “Four Brothers” gambling ring. Police were gathering evidence on the “four brothers” who have been accused by a TV actor of operating the gambling website macau888. Police led by Pol Maj Gen Wiwat Kamchamnan, deputy commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, raided eight premises with…
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Thai parks boss sacked in corruption scandal
The head of Thailand’s national parks was sacked on Friday as an investigation into a cash-for-placement scandal engulfs the environmental body. Thai parks boss Rutchada Suriyakul Na Ayutya has been removed from his post to “pave the way for a transparent investigation” into corruption, at least according to Jatuporn Buruspat the Ministry permanent secretary. Any kind of thorough investigation is…
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The top games to play in Thailand
One of the countries that has the most amount of game-loving players in the world? It’s Thailand! There are approximately 32 million video gamers in Thailand – a figure that seems to grow every single year and accounts for (almost) half the population. And the most popular genre of these games are role playing games, otherwise known as RPGs. In…
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Thai celebrities duped out of 20 million baht in online toy scam, 300 victims speak out
Leading Thai celebrities were scammed out of over 20 million baht in a massive online toy scam, joining more than 300 other victims. Twenty representatives filed a complaint to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) yesterday. The group of 20 victims were led by 40 year old Phiphitpon Pookkanasood, a famous Thai singer from the band named Jetset’er. Phiphitpon revealed that…
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Desperate father vanishes with son after falling for 100,000 baht job scam in Isaan
A man in the Isaan province of Burriram disappeared with his three-year-old son after the family fell victim to a 100,000 baht overseas job scam. The man’s wife, 34 year old Wassana yesterday filed a complaint at None Suwan Police Station after her 35 year old husband Autthapon, and their three year old child, Arkon, vanished into thin air. Wassana…
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Laws and regulations of online casino in Thailand
The online gambling industry is booming all over the world. But what about Thailand? Here’s a look at the laws and regulations surrounding online casinos in Thailand. Despite the fact that gambling is technically illegal in Thailand, there are still many ways to gamble online. There are no laws exactly barring online gambling, so Thai residents are free to gamble…
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New RTN frigate to cost 15 billion baht
The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) wants 15 billion baht (about US $460 million) over the next five years to buy a new frigate. The new RTN frigate is to be built in Thailand. A previous RTN frigate, HTMS Sukhothai, is under 50 metres of water off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan. The ship sank on December 18 last year.…
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Water buffalo gores farmer to death in northeast Thailand
A female water buffalo in heat gored a farmer to death in Nakhon Nayok province in northeast Thailand yesterday. Officers at Ban Na Police Station were informed that a buffalo chased and killed a man at Village No. 7 in Ban Phrao subdistrict. Police and rescue workers from the Sawang Ariya Foundation travelled to the scene to investigate. Police found…
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Protestors have EM tags removed
A Bangkok court agreed to the request of five anti-establishment protesters Wednesday to have their electronic monitoring (EM) tags removed. The protesters are all currently out on bail pending trials on lèse majesté and sedition charges. The group sought the court’s permission to have the EM tags removed after the court decided that one could be removed from actor Savika…
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Famous TiKTok star arrested for dangerous hitchhiking
A famous TikTok star was arrested today after putting his life at risk dodging in and out of moving cars as he hitchhiked on the Ang Thong-Sing Buri Road in the central province of Ang Thong. Aun is a local celebrity due to his widely shared funny videos on social media but despite his fame, he has struggled with mental…
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Appeal of Petr Donatek heard in Paris
The appeal of Petr Donatek, a 46-year-old Czech man accused of hiring thugs to attack Thai refugees in Paris, has finally opened and closed. In his testimony, Donatek pleaded that he did not plan the attack. He was convicted in absentia for having hired two Czechs – Jakub Hosek and Daniel Vokal – to attack Thai trans activist Aum Neko…
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Woman accuses police of seizing her car for personal use
A Thai woman accused officers from Sathon Police Station in the southern province of Songkhla of confiscating her car for personal use. The unnamed woman said her car was seized by the police two years ago despite not being involved in a crime. The woman reported that the police arrested her boyfriend in 2021 for possessing Kratom and two tablets…
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French ‘mafia’ boss extorts money from foreigners in Pattaya, claims ties with Big Joke
Police arrested a wanted French ‘mafia’ boss in Bangkok on Tuesday after a group of farangs in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, claimed he extorted money from them in exchange for police protection. The fraudster claimed to have ties with “Big Joke.” Yesterday, high-profile police officer Pol. Lt. Gen. Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn revealed that police arrested 58 year old Herve Christian…
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Thailand’s democracy index 2022 is the most improved in the world
Don’t laugh but, Thailand’s democracy index in 2022 is the most improved in the world, so says the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). It has jumped 17 spots on the global scale, ranking 55th out of 167 countries, at a score of 6.67 out of 10. The EIU is a research and analysis organization that provides economic and political forecasts and…
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Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Minister says e-cigarettes should be legalised
Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Minister says it’s about time that e-cigarettes be legalised. The Minister, Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, thinks Thailand should amend the law to reflect the lives of many people in developed countries. According to Thai PBS World, Chaiwut added that Thailand’s neighbouring countries of Singapore and Malaysia have already legalised electronic smoking devices. “The key issue is to…
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Thailand’s Tourism Authority reminds visitors of current anti-smoking laws
Thailand’s government is reminding tourists of the nation’s current anti-smoking laws. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) says travellers should be aware that electronic cigarettes, shishas, and electronic shishas are currently illegal. Furthermore, the TAT says there is no smoking in public areas as part of the broader Tobacco Control Law which aims to promote a clean, safe and smoke-free…
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The top places to visit in Thailand
A country that should be on everyone’s bucket list is Thailand. Over 39 million people visited Thailand in 2019, with tourism contributing from 9% to 17.7% of the country’s GDP. A country known for some amazing sites and popular with people of all ages, there’s something for everyone in this beautiful location. If you’re looking to travel to Thailand sometime…
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Woman reveals unnerving parking lot drama with MP at Parliament
Anna Songserm, a TikToker from Thailand, recently shared on social media an unnerving experience she had while visiting the Parliament building in Bangkok. After a frantic search for a parking spot, Anna was directed to park her car in a lot that was closed off by a traffic barrier. Upon her return, she found that her car’s tyres had been…
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Thai fisheries department introduces unique new clownfish breed
The Thai fisheries department introduced a unique new clownfish breed. The new breed, called Gold x Thunder Maroon, is a cross between the Gold Nugget Maroon and Thunder Maroon clownfish. Gold x Thunder Maroon clownfish have maroon-spotted white sides. They grow to a maximum length of 17 centimetres. Males of the species can reproduce at six months old, while females can…
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Taxi driver stabs passenger on road in Bangkok
A passenger stabbed by a Bangkok taxi driver appealed to the Thai media to highlight his case after he accused the police of procrastinating over the case despite having enough evidence to arrest the accused. The victim succeeded in his quest and the taxi driver was arrested yesterday. The victim, Pratarn Seesook, contacted the crime news department of the MRG…
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Phuket hotels association reaffirms commitment to the island’s recovery with election of senior leadership team
Press Release The Phuket Hotels Association, a non-profit organisation representing 80 of the island’s top hotels and resorts, has reaffirmed its deep commitment to the future of Phuket’s hospitality sector by announcing the reappointment of its senior leadership team, including President Bjorn Courage who has been instrumental in the association’s success. Following a recent election, Mr. Courage, who also serves…
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Nan FC youth players allegedly brutally attack 17 year old in Thailand
Several football players from Nan FC’s youth team in northern Thailand allegedly beat up a 17 year old and left him for dead at a petrol station on Sunday. At 1.30am on Sunday, 17 year old Somchai (pseudonym) was found badly injured and unconscious on the floor in front of the PT gas station at Sai Sawan Intersection in Mueang…
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Bangkok’s first free street-food space welcomes hawkers, street vendors
Bangkok opened its first free street-food space in the city for hawkers and street vendors yesterday, in an attempt to keep cluttered pavements free from obstruction. City governor Chadchart Sittipunt launched of the “Hello Hab-Re” (Hello Hawkers) project outside Samyan Mitrtown on Rama IV Road yesterday. Street food is a quintessential part of the Bangkok experience. Wherever you go in…
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Rabies detected in northeast Thailand
Residents of Nong Phai Noi village in Buriram province, northeast Thailand, are pleading with the authorities to take urgent action after two people were bitten by a dog infected with rabies. The dog bit a pregnant cow which dropped dead two weeks later. On January 10, 65 year old local man Sawat Palertlam was attending to his cows when a…
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Pattaya’s new police chief pledges to prioritise tourists’ safety
Pattaya has a new police chief in town. The new chief, Pol. Col. Thanapong Phothi, pledged to prioritise tourists’ safety when he joined Pattaya Police Station yesterday. A crowd of police officers, city officials, and business people happily welcomed Thanapong. Thanapong is a long-time Pattaya dweller, who has previously served in other roles in and around the city. He said…
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Top romantic destinations in Thailand for Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is almost here, and love is in the air! If you haven’t found the perfect destination to show your special someone how much they mean to you, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered! Whether you’re looking for a peaceful getaway or an action-packed adventure, there are plenty of romantic destinations in Thailand that will make this Valentine’s Day…
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Survey reveals tourists in Thailand worried most about taxi scams
A recent survey in Thailand revealed that tourists are worried most about taxi scams when moving about in the country. The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) conducted a quarterly survey, which polled 200 Western tourists in Thailand during the last quarter of 2022. According to Bangkok Post, the survey saw respondents rank taxi service satisfaction as the lowest (3.5 out of…
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Police officer found dead in petrol station bathroom in Rayong
A maid and an attendant at a petrol station in the eastern province of Rayong found the dead body of a police officer inside a bathroom. The cause of the death is under investigation. The deceased man was named Chaiyasak Punnapongchai, the 54-year-old Deputy Inspector of Mueang Rayong Police Station. He was discovered inside a bathroom at a petrol station…
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