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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Noodle apology: Ichiran stirs controversy with ‘not-so-fresh’ pop-up in Thailand
Renowned Japanese ramen restaurant Ichiran issued an apology following criticisms and confusion over its pop-up store in Thailand. The restaurant admitted that the ramen they served was not fresh but dry, with the soup base imported from Japan. Their statement aimed to clarify the misunderstanding, expressing regret for any communication errors. The pop-up store, which attracted ramen enthusiasts and influencers for…
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Thai man to return from Israel after winning 60 million baht from savings lottery
A Thai man working in Israel during the conflict in Palestine decided to return home after his parents won 60 million baht in the savings lottery conducted by the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC). The official Facebook page of the BAAC, Baan Kok branch, in the northern province of Uttaradit, congratulated a Thai man who scooped the first prize…
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Northeast Thailand: Fatal motorcycle accident in Udon Thani caused by poorly lit conditions
A fatal motorcycle accident in the dark claimed the life of a 25 year old man from Udon Thani province. The incident occurred near a concrete factory situated on the Na Kha-Sum Sao Road, in the large Thon district of Na Kha. The accident scene was attended to by Police Lieutenant Colonel Ratchapol Morarat, an investigative officer of Na Kha…
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Myanmar earthquake: 6.4 magnitude hits, tremors felt in Thailand (video)
A significant earthquake of 6.4 magnitude jolted Myanmar at 8.37am today, as confirmed by the Earthquake Observation Division of the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD). The epicentre was noted to be around 100 kilometres in the northwest direction from the Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) placed the epicentre of this seismic event approximately 76…
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Czech mate: Thailand’s wheels of fortune spin with potential investments
The Czech Republic has expressed interest in investing in Thailand’s automotive and medical sectors, according to Nalinnee Taveesin, Thai Trade Representative. The Czechs are keen to establish economic partnerships in Thailand’s automotive industry, to attract Czech automotive companies for investment, develop technology, and set up production bases in Thailand. The companies showing interest are the Skoda Group (Volkswagen Group), a…
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Pheu Thai leader discusses soft power at Thailand 2024 beyond Red Ocean seminar
The leader of the Pheu Thai Party addressed the audience on the Soft Power: The Great Challenger during the Thailand 2024 Beyond Red Ocean seminar organised by Prachachat, a newspaper publisher, on November 15. The term soft power has been making rounds in Thailand recently, defined by the Thai government as an influential power that assimilates new cultures through societal…
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Bangkok ranked fourth most searched destination in the world
One of the world’s leading online travel agencies ranked Bangkok as the fourth most searched destination in the world. Prime Minister Office Spokesperson Chai Watcharong announced the good news for Thai tourism at a recent press conference, saying that Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, was praised by eDreams Odigeo, is one of the top ten destinations most searched for by…
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Sadao checkpoint: Entrepreneurs urge continued operation
Songkhla-based entrepreneurs in the Sadao district appealed to the government to keep the old Sadao immigration checkpoint operational alongside the new one. The move aims to stimulate both trade and tourism with Malaysia. The appeal follows the circulation of rumours concerning the government’s intention to close the Sadao checkpoint in preference for the newly constructed border checkpoint. The discussion involved…
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Crop déjà vu: Critics dub gov’s agri-reform a rerun of past plans
The government’s current measures to reform the nation’s agricultural sector, particularly rice farming, are largely seen as reiterations of former strategies, declared industry commentators. They suggest that any budget-based support should come with certain stipulations. Aat Pisanwanich, an international economics lecturer, after evaluating these measures, observes that the central policy appears to be a three-year debt suspension for farmers, with…
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Educational inequality sparks call for Thai government investment in human capital
The Equitable Education Fund (EEF) urged the Thai government to bolster investments in human capital to enhance the lives of students belonging to low-income families and curtail educational inequality. The call was made at the annual Equity Forum, held at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, to deliberate on the significance of such investments in addressing educational disparities. Kraiyos Patrawart,…
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Northern Thailand: Massive cold front triggers thunderstorms and temperature drop
A massive cold front has descended upon Northern Thailand, causing thunderstorms and strong winds, according to the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD). This is expected to result in a significant drop in temperature, with an additional cold snap predicted to hit tonight. The cold front has already enveloped Vietnam’s upper region, Laos and the South China Sea. As a consequence, northern…
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Photo betrayal: Teenage Thai boy suffers from depression after being blackmailed by 10 classmates
A 15 year old boy is suffering from depression after 10 of his classmates used his naked photo to blackmail him. The victim’s father said the incident happened at the end of July. Three classmates created Instagram accounts pretending to be three female students. The boys used the accounts to chat and flirt with the victim before tricking the victim…
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Powering up the tracks: Red Line operator urged to spark commuter surge with enhanced feeder network
Red Line operator SRT Electrified Train Co was asked by the Transport Ministry to enhance its feeder network to drive an increase in the number of rail passengers within Bangkok. Surapong Piyachote, the Deputy Transport Minister, explained that the SRT Electrified Train Co, in conjunction with the Department of Rail Transport, has charted out plans for an integrated feeder network…
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Uthai Thani resident scoops 60 million baht in BAAC Gold Bag lottery
A lucky resident of Ban Khok, Uthai Thani, became the latest millionaire after winning the first prize in the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) Gold Bag lottery. The winner walked away with a staggering 60 million baht in the first draw of the lottery. The BAAC Thailand Facebook page announced the news yesterday. The post congratulated the new red-label…
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Beefed-up border battles: Thailand tightens grip on smuggling surge
Government spokesman Chai Wacharonke yesterday revealed an alarming rise in beef smuggling into Thailand, with yearly figures reaching over 100,000 tonnes. This has led to the government committing to tougher actions against the culprits. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin ordered all relevant departments including the Customs Department and Department of Livestock Development, to intensify their efforts in curbing this illegal beef…
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Thai man arrested for setting fire to 2 cars to relieve stress
Police arrested a Thai man who set fire to two cars in Pluak Daeng district in the eastern province of Rayong. The suspect said he burned the cars to relieve stress. Firefighters rushed to control the blaze, which broke out at 3.30am on November 6, engulfing two cars parked outside a condominium on Road 3245 in Pluak Daeng district of…
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3 foreign men under suspicion in murder of Taiwanese man in Bangkok hotel
Police revealed three foreign men are under suspicion in the murder of a Taiwanese man at the Niran Grand Hotel in the Udomsuk neighbourhood of Bangkok. Bangna Police Station officers provided details after an investigation into the death of the 47 year old Taiwanese man, Chu Chiang-shen last night. Deputy Police Inspector Kongphon Wongchan reported that Chu had several head…
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Thailand’s Den Chai-Chiang Rai-Chiang Khong railway project on track for 2028
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is progressing well with the Den Chai-Chiang Rai-Chiang Khong double-track railway project, a 323.1-kilometre initiative set to be operational by 2028. Construction of the railway started on February 15 last year and is ahead of its schedule with 3% completion while 80% of the required land has been expropriated, as per Nirut Maneephan, the…
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Multi-vehicle collision disrupts traffic on Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai road
A catastrophic traffic accident involving three cars and a motorcycle resulted in one fatality and six injuries on the Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai Road at the intersection leading to the Mae Kwang Dam in Doi Saket, Chiang Mai. The multi-vehicle collision occurred at 7.20pm yesterday, leading to an immediate investigation by the police to ascertain the cause. The scene of the…
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Thai prime minister set to meet world leaders at APEC summit in San Francisco
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is set to meet US President Joe Biden among other world leaders at the 2023 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in San Francisco. Discussions on a broad spectrum of issues are projected to take place today during their meeting at the APEC Summit dinner. In addition to the US president, the 61 year old prime minister’s…
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Export growth: Thailand’s commerce ministry targets US$288 billion by 2024
The Commerce Ministry of Thailand has established an export growth goal for next year, aiming for an increase of 1.99%, which equates to approximately US$288 billion or 10 trillion baht. This information was shared by permanent commerce secretary, Keerati Rushchano, following a meeting attended by Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, other ministry heads and representatives from the private sector. The gathering…
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Dried fish maw seized by Thai customs in smuggling operation
A staggering 40.38 kilogrammes of dried fish maw, a species nearing extinction, were seized in a smuggling operation from Mexico, worth an estimated 58 million baht. Panthong Loikunnan, a consultant for tax development and management, and spokesperson for the Customs Department revealed the Thailand Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Srettha Thavisin, has implemented stringent policies for the Customs Department…
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Thailand tourism council to allocate visitor fees
The Tourism Council of Thailand plans to allocate a tourism fund, garnered from fees collected from foreign visitors, predominantly for the improvement of the tourism sector by state agencies. The fund, according to Surawat Akaraworamat, the Vice-President of the Tourism Council, is being prepared for implementation as soon as the government greenlights the project. Three subcommittees have been working relentlessly…
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Thailand sees 5% tourism expenditure rise despite high living costs
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) predicts a 5% surge in tourism expenditure during this year’s Loy Krathong festival, amounting to a total of 6.1 billion baht. The anticipated increase comes despite the country’s locals exercising caution due to escalating living costs. TAT forecasts that the festival will witness around 2.04 million domestic journeys, a 10% rise from the previous…
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Goat carcasses spark disease outbreak concerns in Prachuap Khiri Khan
Five goat carcasses were found discarded on the roadside in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, raising fears of a disease outbreak. Residents alerted the animal health officials to investigate the situation. Yesterday, a resident, rummaging for old items, discovered several goat carcasses dumped in a roadside ditch along the Pranburi-Cha-Am bypass at kilometre marker 43-600, northbound near a vehicle turnaround and…
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Rayong resident scoops 6 million baht jackpot in Thai government lottery
A resident from Khao Chamao district in Rayong province hit the jackpot, winning the first prize in the Thai government lottery. The 50 year old Rayong resident, Chai Chet, claimed his fortune of 6 million baht after dreaming of his late grandfather. The Thai government lottery’s results were announced yesterday, with the winning number for the first prize being 557990.…
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Thai prime minister addresses small investors’ crisis of confidence in the stock market
Thailand’s Prime Minister and Finance Minister Srettha Thavisin has spoken about the news of small investors planning to stop trading on November 20 due to a crisis of confidence. The situation, the Thailand prime minister says, is serious and warrants investigation. The government, he assures, is not taking negative measures against the Thailand Stock Exchange, but is trying to improve multiple…
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Fueling frustration: Thailand Energy Minister alarmed as petrol prices play a seesaw despite promised relief
Peeraphan Salirathaviphak, Thailand’s Minister of Energy, raised concerns about the constant fluctuations in petrol prices, which have seen a continuous rise over the past two days, despite a recent government announcement of a 2 baht per litre reduction. In a statement made at the Government House at 1pm this afternoon, Peeraphan argued that petrol prices should not fluctuate like stocks…
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Nationwide crackdown puts the brakes on illegal exhaust pipes, curbs street racing in Thailand
A nationwide crackdown on the production and sale of illegal exhaust pipes for motorcycles took place today. The operation, led by the Royal Thai Police’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), targeted 21 locations across 11 provinces. The mission aimed to curb street racing activities, especially as winter season trips by groups of young people are on the rise. The CIB, headed…
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Northeast Thailand: Villagers flock to Ya Kok shrine for lottery luck
Residents of the village of Mab Krad, Khok Krachai, Khon Buri, and Nakhon Ratchasima, are gathering at the Ya Kok shrine to seek good fortune for the upcoming lottery draw. This follows the appearance of the second-prize lottery number. Residents offer worship items including savoury and sweet food like pork heads, boiled chicken, and beverages. They lay their purchased lottery…
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