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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Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Shell shock: Coconut factory fire sparks highway pileup
Smoke billowing from a fire at a coconut fibre factory led to a series of rear-end collisions on a major highway, causing a traffic jam stretching several kilometres. Firefighters took over four hours to control the blaze. Yesterday, January 5, police in Prachuap Khiri Khan received reports of a fire at a coconut fibre production facility located along the southbound…
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Bitcoin soars as ETFs and halving spark a crypto frenzy
Bitcoin soared to dizzying heights last year, propelled by a swarm of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) introduced in January and April’s dramatic supply-halving event. These triggers, combined with a surge of interest from institutional investors, catapulted Bitcoin into the limelight, transforming it into a mainstream asset category. The crypto kingpin shattered records, peaking at an astounding US$100,000 in early…
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Thai university student crashes car, damages 12 electricity poles
A 20 year old university student crashed his car into electricity poles along Kanchanaphisek Road, damaging 12 poles and three cars, due to drowsiness caused by antihistamines, a medicine used to treat allergy symptoms. Officers from Phetchakasem Police Station were alerted to the accident at a curve on Kanchanaphisek Road yesterday, January 5. Upon arrival, officers found a damaged blue…
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Cold front, hot topic: Thailand braces for a temperature tumble
The Meteorological Department of Thailand (TMD) issued a warning about a significant drop in temperature across Thailand due to a cold air mass, leading to cooler weather across various regions. Affected areas include the northern, northeastern, and central parts of the country, with particularly frigid conditions on mountaintops. The TMD reported a northeast monsoon sweeping across the Gulf of Thailand,…
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Thaksin sparks outrage with racist remarks in Chiang Rai
The former Prime Minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, delivered a controversial speech containing racist remarks about international models from Africa while supporting his daughter and Pheu Thai Party members in the Provincial Administrative Organisation chief election campaign in the northern province of Chiang Rai. Thaksin has taken a prominent role in the local election campaign in Chiang Rai as his…
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Bangkok fire leaves elderly man injured, son suspected of arson
A devastating fire engulfed a community in the heart of Bangkok, leaving a 73 year old man trapped and injured. Eyewitnesses suspect the homeowner’s son, who was seen watching the blaze, of starting the fire. Police later detained him. The blaze broke out yesterday, January 5, at 8.20pm in a residential area within Soi Bang Khae 14, on Bang Khae-Bang…
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Vow-ndalism: Bride-to-be wrecks fiancé’s home over unpaid dowry
Pa Faek subdistrict in Phon Charoen district, Bueng Kan province, became the centre of a domestic drama when a bride-to-be went on a rampage, demolishing her future husband’s home over an unpaid dowry. The incident unfolded the 22 year old woman, Wanida, was left fuming when her fiancé, 23 year old Wasan, could only muster up 50,000 baht instead of…
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Waste not, want rot: Cops bust illegal e-waste ring in Samut Sakhon
Police uncovered an extensive illegal operation where electronic waste was being unlawfully transported and stored in Samut Sakhon. The discovery is linked to previous activities involving closed factories. Yesterday, January 5, Ekanat Promphan, Minister of Industry, revealed that a team led by Thitiphat Chotedechachainan and Ekaniti Ramyanont, along with local industry officials and the Department of Industrial Works, conducted a…
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Spanish tourist’s dream trip turns deadly at Thai elephant care centre
In a heart-wrenching incident, a 22 year old Spanish tourist tragically lost her life after being attacked by an elephant she was bathing in Thailand. The shocking event unfolded at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre in the picturesque Phang Nga province’s Koh Yao district. During what was supposed to be a serene bathing session, things took a horrific turn…
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Blue Suzuki Swift’s shocking turn leaves Bangkok in the dark
Bangkok was thrown into chaos yesterday after a blue Suzuki Swift crash led to a major power outage. The scene of destruction unfolded early yesterday morning, as 12 power poles came crashing down like dominoes. The spectacle began at around 8am, January 5, at the notorious Wee Liam bend on Kanchanaphisek Road, right in the heart of the Bang Khae…
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Couple arrested smuggling 24 Myanmar immigrants in 22-wheel truck
Police apprehended a couple driving a 22-wheel truck carrying 24 illegal immigrants from Myanmar, who were attempting to enter Thailand unlawfully. The pair confessed to picking up the immigrants from the roadside near the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in Mae Sot. The incident unfolded when officers from the Narasuan Task Force, together with local police, conducted a routine vehicle check at…
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Young man shot dead at Songkhla petrol station, police search for suspects
A 23 year old man was fatally shot in a petrol station, sparking a police manhunt for three suspects. The incident, which involved a confrontation over a mobile phone display, left the victim dead with several gunshot wounds to his body and head. The tragic event occurred at approximately 5.10am today, January 5, in a petrol station located on Kanchanavanich…
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Police fatally shoot patient wielding axe at Surin Hospital
A tragic incident unfolded at Surin Hospital where a 27 year old patient, recovering from surgery, was shot and killed by police after brandishing a weapon. Local police reported the unfortunate event took place within a patient ward on the hospital’s fourth floor. The patient, identified only as Apichai, had recently undergone an appendectomy. During his recovery, he inexplicably armed…
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Bang Yai nightclub accused of misusing patron ID card photos
A significant controversy has emerged around a popular nightclub in Bang Yai, Nonthaburi, after reports surfaced about the venue allegedly taking photographs of patrons’ identification cards, sparking concerns over data misuse linked to online gambling invitations. The issue came to light when a prominent social media page revealed that the nightclub was operating until 4am and allegedly distributing customer ID…
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Drunken police officer attacks leader’s son in Uthai Thani party brawl
A drunken altercation at a new year party took a shocking turn when an inebriated police officer assaulted the son of a local administrative leader in Uthai Thani. The incident, which quickly escalated, left several individuals, including the man’s wife and daughter, shaken. A report was lodged today, January 5, by 49 year old Ornuma, an official at the Nong…
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Thailand braces for heavy rain and cold weather warning
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued warnings for 10 provinces in Thailand to prepare for heavy rainfall due to a monsoon. Northern Thailand is experiencing a drop in temperature by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius, along with strong winds. A high-pressure system, accompanied by a relatively strong cold air mass, is currently affecting upper Thailand, the upper southern region,…
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Thailand abolishes public school uniform hairstyle rules
The Ministry of Education in Thailand has officially abolished the uniform hairstyle regulation for students in public schools. This change allows individual schools to determine their guidelines for student hairstyles as they see fit. Siripong Angkasakulkiat, speaking on behalf of the ministry, stated that the revocation was announced in the Royal Gazette last year. Schools across the country have since…
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Four Thai fishermen still held in Myanmar after mass prisoner release
Four Thai fishing vessel crew members remain detained in Myanmar, despite the release of 151 Thai prisoners. These individuals were apprehended in late November by Myanmar soldiers, accused of trespassing into Myanmar waters. The group of 151 Thai nationals, repatriated yesterday, January 4, via the second Thai-Myanmar friendship bridge in Chiang Rai, were part of a larger amnesty granted by…
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Bangkok intensifies efforts to combat severe dust pollution
Bangkok‘s ongoing struggle with dust pollution has prompted the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to intensify its efforts to tackle the issue. The capital is set to endure high dust levels, with relief not expected until next month. Chadchart Sittipunt, Bangkok’s governor, revealed that discussions took place at the Hua Hin Royal Rainmaking Centre earlier this week, focusing on strategies to…
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Thai police officers reassigned over Chinese volunteer training probe
Two high-ranking Thai police officers have been reassigned to inactive roles following their involvement in a contentious volunteer police training programme aimed at Chinese nationals. The programme, which charged each participant 38,000 baht (US$1,100), has come under scrutiny, prompting the transfer of the officers to the operations centre of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) as investigations continue. The officers involved…
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Elderly driver crashes into oil tanker in Lampang, 2 dead
An elderly driver lost control of a pickup truck, crashing into the rear of an oil tanker, resulting in significant damage and the death of two individuals, with two more sustaining injuries. The incident occurred yesterday, January 3 on Phaholyothin Road, in the Mae Kua area, Sop Prap district, Lampang province. Police, as well as the Lampang Rescue Association, the…
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Mistaken identity: Teens attacked outside Udon Thani police station
A tragic incident unfolded outside Ban Dung Police Station in Udon Thani province as a group of teenagers allegedly attacked an 18 year old and his 16 year old friend, leaving them with severe injuries. The altercation, which occurred at 3.13am yesterday, January 3, resulted in the older teenager suffering a brain haemorrhage. The motive behind the assault remains unclear,…
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Tourists get intimate on tuk tuk despite driver’s warnings (video)
A video involving tourists engaging in intimate behaviour on a tuk tuk has sparked widespread online criticism. Despite being cautioned by the driver to stop, the tourists continued, leading the driver to let the incident unfold. The incident was shared on social media yesterday, January 3, by a Facebook user named Somnuck Chanagune who posted a 34-second clip with the caption,…
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Meth-high man attacks cleaner at Khon Kaen tutoring centre
A 27 year old man attacked a cleaner with a knife at a tutoring centre in Nong Phai, Khon Kaen, driven by a paranoid belief that she had photographed his secrets. The victim, 43 year old Panicha, suffered a deep wound on the left side of her neck and was given first aid before being rushed to Srinakarin Hospital for…
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Ayutthaya: Hotel worker killed in crash riding bike in wrong direction
A 50 year old hotel employee riding a motorcycle in the wrong direction was fatally struck by a pickup truck. The incident took place yesterday, January 3, on the outbound Asian Highway near kilometre marker 33 in Bang Pahan district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province. Piyapong Sirijanyatham, a police officer from Bang Pahan Police Station, received the report of the…
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Officer down: Cop shot dead outside Bangkok barbershop
A tragic event unfolded when a police officer was fatally shot outside a barbershop in Saimai, Bangkok, following a heated altercation with another individual. The incident occurred yesterday, January 3 at around 8pm on Chalerm Phong Road in the Saimai district. The victim, Burang Kasapon, a Deputy Inspector at Saimai Police Station, was shot multiple times and was in critical…
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Heart-stopping error: Patient sent to the wrong hospital by volunteer
The National Institute for Emergency Medicine (NIEM) is investigating a recent incident involving a red uniform volunteer who allegedly delayed critical heart treatment by transporting a patient to the wrong hospital. The issue arose after the patient’s relatives reported an emergency on December 28 through the 1669 hotline, expecting advanced ambulance care due to the severity of the situation. However,…
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Grim discovery: Tourist found dead off Patong Beach
Holidaymakers were left in shock yesterday, January 3, as police launched an investigation into the death of a foreign tourist found floating lifelessly off Patong Beach in the morning. The grim discovery was made near the iconic Dolphin Circle at approximately 10am yesterday. Traiphop Buakhai, a local parasail speedboat operator, was the first to notice the tragic scene—a body face…
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Toppled tree: 9 tourists injured in Kanchanaburi bus accident
A group of European tourists encountered an unexpected incident in Kanchanaburi province when a tree, believed to have been illegally cut, toppled onto their bus. This incident unfolded yesterday morning, January 3, on Highway 3199 in Tha Manao Village, Mueang district. Police have since apprehended a suspect believed to be involved in illegal logging, seizing a chainsaw and pruning saw…
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Drunk motorcyclist crashes into Honda bike in Pattaya, 2 injured
A collision involving two motorcycles in the early hours of the morning in Pattaya resulted in injuries to two individuals. The Nong Prue Police Station was alerted to the incident at 1am yesterday, January 3, which took place on Soi Khao Talo 10 in Bang Lamung district. The police, in collaboration with the Sawang Boriboon Rescue Foundation, promptly responded to…
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