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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Thai parasailing staff and tourist fall into Phuket sea after rope snaps
A tourist and parasailing assistant fell into the sea in Phuket on Monday, April 20, after a rope snapped mid-flight. No injuries were reported. The incident was captured on video by a foreign witness and shared on TikTok account, @burcuus, with the caption “That was close.” The footage shows two men, believed to be a tourist and a parasailing assistant, being…
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Family honours man’s final wish with funeral dancers
Three dancers were hired to perform in front of a coffin during a funeral on April 20 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, after the family said they were honouring the deceased man’s final wish. The funeral took place on the final night for 59 year old Winit at his home in Ron Phibun district, Nakhon Si Thammarat. A Facebook page livestreamed…
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Thai woman’s Songkran GHB exposure claim investigated as poison centre questions theory
Ramathibodi Poison Centre said the chances of successfully administering gamma-hydroxybutyrate, or GHB, through a water gun were very low after a Thai woman claimed she may have been exposed to the drug during Songkran celebrations in Bangkok. The woman posted a warning on TikTok on April 13, saying she was hospitalised after being exposed to GHB at an entertainment venue…
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Japanese chef closes ramen shop after online fame reveals permit issue
A Japanese chef temporarily closed his ramen shop in Samut Prakan after a work permit issue came to light following the shop’s rise to fame on Thai social media. The story began when a Thai woman posted a review in the Facebook group Ramen Lover Association of Thailand about a shop called Kham Sanya Kub Moo Tua Nan, or The…
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Thai AirAsia X flight changes leave travellers scrambling
Thai passengers have complained online after Thai AirAsia X (AA X) changed several Japan-bound flights and issued flight cancellations, particularly on the Don Mueang to Osaka route, disrupting travel plans in May. The issue gained attention in online Japan travel groups, where multiple passengers shared accounts of sudden flight changes with no prior email or SMS notification. One passenger wrote,…
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Row with boyfriend leads Thai woman to step into oncoming traffic
A woman came under criticism from Thai social media users after she was seen walking in the middle of a road in Chachoengsao at around midnight on Saturday, April 18, allegedly following an argument with her boyfriend. The incident was captured on dashcam footage by a passing driver, who posted the clip on TikTok under the account @mutita_kn before later deleting…
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Foreign creator falls in love with Thailand, moves to Bangkok
A foreign content creator has drawn attention online after announcing she has moved to Bangkok, describing the Thai capital as her dream city as she begins a new chapter in Thailand. Louise, who posts on TikTok under the username @louisesolotravels, revealed on March 26 that she had relocated to what she described as her “dream city,” Bangkok. She previously travelled…
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Russian suspect arrested in Phuket over scam cash withdrawals
Police in Phuket arrested a Russian national yesterday, April 20, in connection with a call centre scam after he was found withdrawing funds linked to fraudulent operations. The suspect, identified as 41 year old Anton Kurchenko, was monitored by Phuket Provincial Police after making multiple ATM withdrawals outside a supermarket in Soi Ta-iad, Chalong subdistrict. According to a report from the…
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Monks placed on probation for joining Songkran celebrations
An abbot and several monks at a temple in Khon Kaen came under criticism after images showed them taking part in Songkran celebrations by splashing water and applying powder to men by the roadside. Photos shared by ThaiRath and later circulated on social media showed monks outside a temple, soaked in water. One monk was seen carrying a bucket of…
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Thailand video news | Senate floats sweeping tax overhaul as debt pressure builds, US visa applicants in Bangkok told to open social media profiles
In Thailand video news, Alex covers major stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Highlights include a proposed increase in value-added tax in Thailand, emergency borrowing plans amid energy concerns and the potential impact of a super El Niño weather event, and new requirements for US visa applicants in Bangkok to provide public social media information. Also featured is a…
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Ayutthaya temple abbot missing after trip to Khon Kaen with 100,000 baht in cash
An abbot from a temple in Ayutthaya has been missing for more than a month after travelling to Khon Kaen with more than 100,000 baht in cash alongside an unidentified driver. A worker at Sanam Chai Temple, 64 year old Phruek Sukkasem, filed a complaint with police after losing contact with the abbot, 58 year old Sombat Sirisuwanno, on March…
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Thai woman attempts suicide after family dispute over affair with work colleague
A 21 year old woman attempted to commit suicide at her home in Sam Phrao subdistrict, Mueang district, Udon Thani yesterday, April 20, following a dispute with family members over an alleged affair with a married colleague. Officers from Mueang Udon Thani Police Station responded to the incident at around 8.30am, alongside rescue workers and a medical team from Udon…
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Thai YouTuber told to move in Phuket Beach confrontation
A dispute at Mai Khao Beach in Phuket, now shared prominently across Thai social media, drew mixed reactions after a foreign couple was seen asking a Thai-Italian YouTuber to move while filming on the public beach. Nawinda “Mint” Bertotti, a Thai travel blogger and actress, shared the incident during her trip to Phuket in a vlog posted on her YouTube…
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Thailand outlines military capability in 2027 budget
Military capability and national sovereignty will be central to the Thailand defence budget 2027, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said today, April 20, as the government unveiled a 3.788 trillion baht spending plan amid mounting global uncertainty. Addressing a budget policy seminar at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi, Anutin pointed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as evidence…
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Foreigner allegedly tries to dodge taxi bill, claiming he forgot his wallet
A foreigner allegedly tried to underpay for a motorcycle taxi ride from Nana to Don Mueang International Airport, claiming he had left his wallet at a hotel. An app-based motorcycle taxi rider posted videos of the incident on Facebook yesterday, April 20. The confrontation took place outside a passenger terminal at Don Mueang Airport, where several Thai bystanders stepped in…
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Thailand traffic fine survey finds majority back harsher penalties, except for speeding
A new survey has found broad public support for the new Thailand traffic fines, with one notable exception: a majority of respondents say the speeding penalty goes too far. The National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) polled 1,310 people by phone across Thailand on April 7 and 8, gauging public reaction to the stricter penalties that police began enforcing without…
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Thailand to issue emergency loan decree amid El Niño fears and rising energy costs
Thailand’s government is preparing to issue an emergency loan decree worth 500,000 million baht to build up financial reserves ahead of what officials describe as compounding economic risks, including a super El Niño weather event and elevated global energy prices. Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilpraphat confirmed the plan, saying the current state of the treasury is limited and relatively rigid,…
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Thai man helps thieves steal gold from nephew-in-law
A man in Ranong province admitted to assisting thieves in stealing a gold bar worth more than 2.5 million baht from his nephew-in-law, claiming he acted out of frustration over the victim’s repeated displays of wealth. The theft took place on April 10 at a car garage in Mueang district. The victim later shared CCTV footage of the incident on…
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Rama 2 Road construction misses deadline again
Construction on Rama 2 Road will continue until mid-2027 after the Ministry of Transport delayed the project, citing higher fuel and construction material costs. Long-running works on Rama 2 Road, along with a series of fatal accidents linked to the construction, have affected motorists and residents in the area for more than 50 years. This made the route known to…
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Thailand News | Ayutthaya factory fire sends workers running, Thailand considers round-the-clock alcohol sales in EEC Zone
Today we’ll be talking about a factory fire in Ayutthaya causing a mass evacuation, in ASEAN news another fire in Malaysia destroyed nearly 1000 homes in a coastal village, on Walking Street in Pattaya tragedy strikes as a police officer has been arrested for allegedly murdering a cannabis shop owner, then Bangkok drug raids unravel a cocaine distribution network, after…
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9 victims, including 4 children, killed in Nan pickup truck crash
A pickup truck crash in Nan province on Saturday, April 18, left nine people dead and six others seriously injured, with brake failure suspected as the cause. Police from Pua Police Station and rescue teams responded to the incident on the Pua–Doi Phu Kha Road in Doi Phu Kha National Park, Pua district, at around 5.55pm. The vehicle was found…
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Nearly 100 workers flee massive Ayutthaya factory fire
A massive fire broke out at an electronics materials factory in Ayutthaya today, April 19, sending nearly 100 workers out of the building and prompting checks for any impact on nearby communities. The fire started at about 1.30pm inside a Chinese-owned factory in the Rojana Industrial Park, Khan Ham subdistrict, Uthai district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. One warehouse was damaged in…
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Five stranded tourists rescued from Phetchaburi mountain
Five tourists were rescued after becoming stuck on a mountain in Phetchaburi last night, April 18, with one 21 year old man later taken to the hospital after feeling faint during the descent. Volunteers from the Sawang Sanphet Dhammasathan Foundation in Phetchaburi were called to help five tourists stranded on Khao Ego, a mountain about 900 metres high in Nong…
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Two die in Bang Na townhouse blaze, cause under investigation
A fire tore through a townhouse at a luxury housing project on Udom Suk Road in Bang Na, Bangkok, early on Sunday, killing two people and injuring two others. The blaze broke out at 2.45am. Police Lieutenant Wirach Samran, deputy inspector of Bang Na Police Station, attended the scene alongside officers from the Sukhumvit Fire and Rescue Station. The fire…
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Transgender woman falls to death at Bangkok luxury condo
An unidentified transgender woman fell to her death from a luxury condominium in the Kaset-Nawamin area of Bangkok on Friday night, with police launching an investigation into the circumstances of the fall. At 8.10pm on April 18, police sub-lieutenant Natdanai Sriyotha from Phaholyothin Police Station received a report of a fatal fall at a condominium on Prasert Manukitch Road, Senanikom…
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Chiang Mai doctor reports severe lung cases tied to PM2.5
A doctor at Chiang Mai University said on April 17 that PM2.5 and toxic smoke in northern Thailand were linked to two serious lung cases, including a 19 year old foreign tourist who required high-flow oxygen. PM2.5 levels in Chiang Mai remained at concerning levels yesterday with many areas covered by thick haze and reduced visibility. Officials have continued efforts…
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Consumer council calls for 20-baht Green Line fare
The Thailand Consumers Council (TCC) is pushing for a fixed 20-baht fare on Bangkok’s Green Line electric railway, alongside a broader restructuring of mass transit pricing aimed at boosting ridership by 50% and cutting household living costs. TCC secretary-general Saree Aongsomwang made the call during a press briefing titled “Green Line After 2029: Study Shows 20-Baht Fare Feasible,” arguing that…
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Thai Met Department issues 9th storm alert for upper Thailand
The Thai Meteorological Department has issued its ninth alert for intense summer storms across upper Thailand, with hazardous conditions forecast until April 20. The storms are expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds, hail, and lightning to Bangkok and dozens of provinces across the north, northeast, east, and central regions. Moist southern and southeastern winds drawing in from the Gulf…
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Thai flight cuts lead to 10% drop in outbound travel
Flight cancellations and capacity reductions are expected to push outbound trips down by 15 to 20% during the low season, with a 10% decline projected across the full year. Several Thai carriers have trimmed their schedules on specific routes. Thai AirAsia X has pulled back on its Bangkok to Sapporo service, while Thai AirAsia has reduced flights to China for…
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Tourist decline in Pai due to severe air pollution
Tourist numbers in Pai have plummeted by nearly 90% over the past two months as persistent air pollution continues to grip northern Thailand, officials and residents in Mae Hong Son province say. Data from the Pollution Control Department on Friday showed PM2.5 levels across the northern region ranging from 63.1 to 193.2 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m³), posing serious health…
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