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 Digital nomading in Chiang Mai? What US$1,000 a month really gets you
Chiang Mai has become a popular destination for digital nomads due to its low living costs, rich culture, and active remote work community. The city offers affordable housing, tasty food, reliable internet, and many co-working spaces, making it a great...
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Monk defrocked for raping foreigner’s Thai wife in Dhamma retreat
A Thai woman took legal action against a monk in the Isaan province of Buriram for raping her during her Dhamma retreat. She also expressed fear of pregnancy and worry that her foreign husband might discover what happened. The 38 year old victim sought legal assistance from the Be One organisation after the sexual assault, which occurred on January 15…
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Woman accused of visa fraud arrested in Bangkok
A woman accused of visa fraud, who had closed her company after receiving 10 arrest warrants and causing damages exceeding 3 million baht, was arrested while working as a dishwasher in Bangkok. The arrest took place on Saturday, January 18 in front of a restaurant in the Chom Thong district. Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom and Police Colonel Santi Korkasem…
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Canadian pickup artist leaves Phuket in a tailspin
A Canadian man in a pickup truck yesterday led police on a dramatic, wild high-speed chase across Phuket, leaving a trail of damaged vehicles in his wake before being nabbed in Karon. The chaos kicked off at 4.45pm, yesterday, January 19, when Patong police were alerted to a fracas outside the Patong Condo Hotel. But just as they arrived on…
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Boy found safe in Khon Kaen after drug use with father
A stepmother in Udon Thani reached out to a local activist after concerns that her husband was introducing their 12 year old son, A, to drugs. However, when officials investigated, they initially lost contact with the family. Eventually, they found the boy safe in Khon Kaen, preparing to become a novice monk, and he admitted to drug use with his…
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Canadian and American men die after attending Phuket EDM music festival
Two foreign men, one Canadian and one American, tragically lost their lives after attending the Electric Daisy Carnival Thailand 2025 (EDC Thailand 2025) in Phuket on Saturday, January 18. The causes of their deaths are still under investigation. The music festival that most Thais and foreigners in Phuket were looking forward to joining took place between January 17-19 at the…
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Chinese penis size matters: Cheeky joke blows up into beach brawl
A light-hearted joke about the size of a Chinese man’s penis turned into a full-blown scuffle on Pattaya’s Beach Road. Chaos erupted in the early hours of today, January 20, when 35 year old Ms A, accompanied her 24 year old Chinese boyfriend, to Pattaya City Police Station. The night had taken a violent turn after a Thai-Chinese man ignited…
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Thailand braces for cold weather and possible thunderstorms
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has forecasted cold to very cold weather across northern and northeastern Thailand, with temperatures dropping to single digits. Bangkok will see temperatures as low as 18 degrees Celsius. Additionally, five provinces are expected to experience thunderstorms today, January 20. Over the next 24 hours, the northern, northeastern, central, and eastern regions will continue to experience…
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Hospital staff takes baby steps to solve abandoned newborn mystery
A newborn baby boy, thought to be only 4-5 days old, has been discovered abandoned at Pattaya Patthamakun Hospital. Hospital staff are now pulling out all the stops to care for the baby while local officials embark on a mission to uncover the identity of the mystery mother. The discovery was made on January 17 when Bang Lamung district chief…
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Fatal stabbing in Bangkok after noise complaint confrontation
A confrontation over noise complaints led to a fatal stabbing in Bangkok, resulting in one death and one serious injury. Police arrested the suspect, who was found with a knife, as police investigated the incident today, January 19. The altercation took place near Soi Phatthanakan 20, Yaek 12, in the Suan Luang district. Police Colonel Wachirakorn Wongboon from Khlong Tan…
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32 Indonesians caught crossing into Thailand from Myanmar
In a joint operation, the Ratchamanu Task Force, police, and administrative officers detained 32 Indonesian nationals attempting to illegally cross the border into Thailand. This incident occurred in the early hours of today, January 19, in Tak province. The group was intercepted as they crossed from Myanmar near Ban Wang Takian Tai, Mae Sot district. Upon inspection, it was discovered…
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Elephant panic at Nakhon Phanom fair injures five people (video)
An incident at the annual Nakhon Phanom Red Cross Fair, when an elephant, startled by fireworks, ran through the crowd, injuring five people. The governor ordered legal action against the elephant’s owner, who had just arrived in the area. The event took place yesterday, January 18, during a ceremony led by Surasak Aksornkul, governor of Nakhon Phanom, to honour King…
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Bangkok mall escalator malfunction leads to temporary closure
An escalator at a prominent shopping mall in Bangkok suffered damage, prompting officials to suspend usage while the cause is investigated. Initial assessments suggest mechanical failure. The incident occurred in the evening yesterday, January 18, at a mall on Rama 4 Road, Khlong Toei district, Bangkok. Officers from Thonglor Police Station examined the scene, identifying the malfunction on the second…
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Gunman kills teacher Nak in Ayutthaya highway shooting
A gunman fatally shot a 60 year old teacher, identified as Nak, inside his Honda Accord yesterday, January 18. The incident occurred on Highway 3011 in the Bang Pa-In district, Ayutthaya province, resulting in the car veering off the road. Police Sub-Lieutenant Aisawan Pathomsanti from Bang Pa-In Police Station, along with investigative officers, forensic teams, and emergency services, arrived at…
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Bangkok warehouse fire causes millions in damages
A fire engulfed a timber warehouse in the Bang Po area, causing millions in damages, with the Bang Sue district preparing a temporary shelter for affected residents. The fire broke out on January 18 at a timber facility on Pracharat Sai 1 Soi 23 in the Bang Sue district, Bangkok. Fire and rescue teams from Bang Po deployed over 10…
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Thailand tourism surges with 1.3 million visitors in early 2025
Thailand experienced a significant influx of international tourists in the first 12 days of 2025, with over 1.3 million visitors, marking a 19.89% increase compared to the same timeframe in the previous year. Government reports attribute this surge to tourism revenue amounting to 66.089 billion baht (US$1.9 billion). Key visitor origins included China, Malaysia, Russia, South Korea, and India, with…
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Thai police seize 100 kilogrammes of meth worth 200 million baht
Police in Prachuap Khiri Khan discovered a significant drug haul on January 17, seizing more than 100 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine. The street value of the drugs is estimated to surpass 200 million baht (US$5.8 million). The illicit substances were concealed in foam boxes and white fertiliser sacks, left outside the train station for two days, awaiting transit to Hat…
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Forum debates contraceptive vaccines for wild elephant control
The Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (DNP) convened a forum on January 17 to discuss the use of contraceptive vaccines as a means to manage the population of wild elephants and address their movement beyond designated conservation areas. The forum attracted around 300 participants, including community representatives, academics, elephant conservation groups, and members of Parliament. Opinions were…
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Gorilla smuggling plot uncovered after Istanbul Airport seizure
A wildlife official has acknowledged the challenges in pursuing legal action against those involved in the attempted trafficking of a baby gorilla, initially seized in Turkey and allegedly destined for Thailand. The gorilla, named Zeytin, meaning olive in Turkish, is now at a zoo in Turkey and reportedly in good health, according to Sadudee Punpugdee, director of the Wild Fauna…
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Missing Chinese model found safe in Thailand, returns home
A 25 year old Chinese model who was missing for nearly a month has been found and safely returned to China, according to Thai police. Yang Zeqi’s return was confirmed by the Chinese embassy, as stated by Police General Chatchai Pitaneelaboot, inspector-general of the Royal Thai Police Office, who was in Mae Sot district, Tak, on January 17. Yang’s father…
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Monk charged with rape at Buriram meditation retreat
Rape charges have been filed against a 59 year old monk, Wichai, following allegations of sexual assault on a woman attending a meditation retreat at his monastery in Buriram. The charges were lodged yesterday, January 18, at the Nong Song Hong police station by Chalida Palamat, chair of the Be One Foundation, who accompanied the 38 year old foreign woman,…
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Thai lottery dream leads to 24 million baht jackpot win
A new multimillionaire has emerged through Lottery Plus, with a 24 million baht jackpot win linked to a dream. The winning number for the first prize was 807779, announced at 4pm yesterday, January 17, following the Government Lottery Office (GLO)’s draw. The prize also included two sets of three-digit numbers, 961 and 699, and two sets of three-digit numbers, 448…
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Luxury watches worth 100 million baht stolen in Chon Buri heist
A luxury residence in Huai Yai, Chon Buri, owned by a Chinese businessman, was burgled, with thieves reportedly making off with luxury watches valued at over 100 million baht. The incident was reported to Huai Yai police at 1.30am on Thursday, January 16. Police officers, accompanied by forensic experts from Chon Buri Forensic Division 2, arrived at the scene, a…
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Krabi park e-ticketing system struggles to curb cash handling risks
A special task force from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) conducted an inspection yesterday, January 17, at Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park in Krabi to evaluate anti-corruption measures. The inspection followed the introduction of an e-ticketing system intended to prevent fraud in park entry fee management. Officials examined the fee collection processes at popular tourist sites such…
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Nakhon Ratchasima to launch electric rail transit after 7-year wait
The government has given the green light to a long-anticipated electric rail mass transit initiative in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima. After a seven-year wait, the northeastern province is eagerly anticipating its own mass transit system, as noted by Sarawut Choedchai, a former city mayor and member of the traffic management committee in Thailand’s third-largest city after Bangkok and Chiang…
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Thai singer demands revenue from falsely claimed song rights (video)
Min Kuntaphat, a renowned Thai singer and independent artist from Maha Sarakham province, has accused a popular influencer with nearly 3 million followers of falsely claiming ownership of his song Soi Dao. According to Min, who legally owns the song’s rights, the influencer has been collecting revenue from the song on various online platforms for almost a year, despite Min’s…
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Thai actress Tangmo’s brother questions reenactment accuracy
Daisak Dechjob, the brother of late actress Tangmo Nida, recently expressed his frustrations as he attended a reenactment of his sister’s accident. The reenactment, held at the Pibulsongkram Pier, attempted to portray the events leading to Tangmo’s fall from a boat into the Chao Phraya River on February 24, 2022, which resulted in her untimely death. The event featured contestants…
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Ex-police officer and restaurant owner win 12 million baht lottery
A former police officer sharing a lottery ticket with a restaurant owner led to an unexpected windfall as the pair won the first prize in the Thai government lottery, securing 12 million baht. The joyous occasion took place at a restaurant by the Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom province, where the lucky ticket was shared. The winning lottery number 807779…
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Pollution battle: Flights fight PM2.5 pollution in Thailand
Thailand is taking its fight against air pollution to the skies, deploying special flight operations to tackle the dangerous PM2.5 dust particles. Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri announced that the innovative operations have already improved air quality in key regions, including Bangkok, the central region, and the upper north. Launched by Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Ltd (AEROTHAI), the mission began…
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Strategic partnership: Thailand and UK celebrate 170 years
The British Ambassador to Thailand, Mark Gooding, has announced plans to enhance bilateral relations through a series of events and activities celebrating the Thailand-UK strategic partnership. These initiatives mark the 170th anniversary of the establishment of ties between the two nations. Gooding shared this information at the 170th Anniversary Launch Party held on Thursday evening, January 16, at the Postal…
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Tourist turmoil on Koh Larn: Rough seas spark safety warnings
A dramatic video capturing tourists struggling to board boats amid powerful waves on Koh Larn, Pattaya, has gone viral, showing the island’s rough seas during the monsoon season. The footage, taken on Thursday, January 16, highlights the dangerous conditions as local staff braved the waves to assist tourists and ensure their safety. The island faced particularly strong winds and waves…
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