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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    9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand

    Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...

  • Pattaya mayor attends Thailand tourism event in Germany

    Pattaya mayor attends Thailand tourism event in Germany

    Thailand continues to make its mark as a tourism destination across the globe. Pattaya’s mayor this week visited Germany to attend a Thailand tourism event. Mayor Poramase Ngampiches visited Berlin to attend the ‘Discover Thailand, Journey to Happiness.’ The tourism stimulus expo was set to run from March 9 to 11, Pattaya News reported. The event aimed to attract high-spending…

  • American injured in Pattaya car crash

    American injured in Pattaya car crash

    An American man was injured in a Pattaya car crash this week. The man, 68 year old David Andrew Rogers, rear-ended an 18-wheeler rig with his pickup truck, Pattaya Mail reported. The collision caused Rogers’s Nissan Navara to flip. The incident happened on Tuesday, March 7 on Sukhumvit Road in front of Srisuvit School, located north of Rong Po market.…

  • Bank of Thailand announces new biometric scans for mobile banking

    Bank of Thailand announces new biometric scans for mobile banking

    The Bank of Thailand announced new measures to protect consumers from cyber risks in mobile banking transactions. Biometric scans, such as facial scans, will be required for high-value transactions, including digital money transfers of over 50,000 baht per transaction, transfers over 200,000 baht per day, and credit transfer amounts of over 50,000 baht per transaction. Banks must adopt these measures…

  • Body spotted off Phuket believed to be missing Romanian diver

    Body spotted off Phuket believed to be missing Romanian diver

    Nearly two months after the search for the Romanian diver who went missing at sea off Phuket ended, officials believe that his body has been found. A body was spotted floating off Phuket’s Koh Kaew island yesterday, The Phuket News reported. At 12.30pm, an unnamed boat captain told Chalong Police that he found a legless body in the water some…

  • Snake catcher wrangles king cobra at farang’s house in Krabi, Thailand (video)

    Snake catcher wrangles king cobra at farang’s house in Krabi, Thailand (video)

    A snake catcher makes wrangling a king cobra look like a piece of snake in a clip filmed at a farang’s house in Krabi, southern Thailand, last week. A foreigner living in the Ao Nang area of Krabi walked outside to find a venomous 3.5-metre-long king cobra (ngoo jong ang) lying in the garden in front of his one-storey house.…

  • Singaporean man attacked by Chinese businessman in Bangkok

    Singaporean man attacked by Chinese businessman in Bangkok

    A Singaporean man sought help from a well-known lawyer after Thai police ignored an attack by a Chinese businessman in Bangkok six months ago. The Singaporean alleges police are ignoring the assault because the Chinese man has financial and political influence. The Singaporean man named Tony urged the Thai lawyer, Ronnarong Kaewphet, to help him follow up on the assault…

  • Annual report finds Thai prisons well below international standards

    Annual report finds Thai prisons well below international standards

    An annual report has found that Thai prisons in 2022 were well below international standards. The no-governmental organisation, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Union for Civil Liberty released the report yesterday, according to Prachatai English. The report findings show that the aftermath of the Covid-19 outbreak led to authorities making little progress in implementing lessons learned…

  • Another meeting with French consul on French motorbikers in Phuket

    Another meeting with French consul on French motorbikers in Phuket

    There’s been yet another meeting with the French Consul in Phuket addressing the issue of dangerous motorbike driving by French nationals on the island. This is after the former French Consul in Phuket met with Patong Police over the issue just last month. The Honorary Consul of France in Phuket, Alain Faudot, along with the Consul at the French Embassy…

  • Report says most migrants to Thailand are undocumented

    Report says most migrants to Thailand are undocumented

    A report by the International Organisation for Migration says most migrants in Thailand come for work and are largely undocumented. According to Thai PBS World, the organisation studied Cambodian and Myanmar migrants living in Tak, Rayong, Ranong, Chanthaburi, and Trat provinces between August and October 2022. It found that 92% of those migrants come to Thailand for work, with another…

  • Thai woman suffers for 6 years after surgeon leaves drill bit inside her leg

    Thai woman suffers for 6 years after surgeon leaves drill bit inside her leg

    A Thai woman is rallying for justice after a doctor at Saraburi Hospital in central Thailand left a broken drill bit inside her leg during surgery more than six years ago, taking away her ability to walk and causing her years of unbearable pain. Yesterday, the Social Justice Campaign Network took 57 year old Chantra Wutthiyanan, in a wheelchair, to…

  • Two men in Indonesia face charges – one for masturbating in his car, the other for filming it

    Two men in Indonesia face charges – one for masturbating in his car, the other for filming it

    An incident in Indonesia may be a case of “snitches get stitches.” After filming and turning in a man caught masturbating in public in his car, the man who took the video may face pornography charges. Indonesia is not exactly known for its liberal stance on sex and morality and both the masturbator and his Peeping Tom videographer are facing…

  • 14 year old girl shot dead in southern Thailand

    14 year old girl shot dead in southern Thailand

    A 14 year old girl was shot dead in front of a mosque in Pattani province in southern Thailand this morning. At 8.35am, officers at Yarang Police Station were notified of a shooting in front of Darul Nad Watul Islamiyah Mosque near Pracharak School in Moo 6, Puyook subdistrict, Mueang district. Police rushed to the scene to find that a…

  • Oxford Dictionary lists ‘pad thai’ as an international word joining ‘sushi’ and ‘pizza’

    Oxford Dictionary lists ‘pad thai’ as an international word joining ‘sushi’ and ‘pizza’

    Pad thai is a national dish of Thailand loved so much worldwide that it has made it into the online Oxford Dictionary, gaining the same international status as the words “sushi” and “pizza.” Under the category “Food” the website Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries defines pad thai as… “pad thai: noun “A dish from Thailand made with a type of noodles made…

  • Injured drunk man bites friends and rescuers who try to help him

    Injured drunk man bites friends and rescuers who try to help him

    It took several police officers, rescue workers, and friends to calm an unruly, out-of-control drunk who kept biting those trying to help after he cut his hand on a broken glass bottle. The Chacherngsao Rescue Team responded to a report of a pickup accident on the Bangna-Trat Road in Chacherngsao province near Bangkok. Upon arrival, they found a bronze Isuzu…

  • Thailand ranks low in freedom, democracy report

    Thailand ranks low in freedom, democracy report

    The latest report by a US non-profit organization ranked Thailand low in freedom and democracy, contradicting a Democracy Index poll last week. Washington-based Freedom House, an organization that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom, and human rights revealed Thailand has slightly improved but work still needs to be done. The US democracy research group said yesterday that Thailand…

  • Pervy man caught taking upskirt videos on MRT Blue Line in Bangkok

    Pervy man caught taking upskirt videos on MRT Blue Line in Bangkok

    A pervy man was pictured setting up a secret camera and taking upskirt videos of women on the MRT Blue Line in Bangkok on Wednesday. Yesterday, the citizen journalist watchdog page ‘Social Hunter Reborn V3’ posted pictures of a man who’d set up a secret camera on the floor of the MRT… “Warning to the women using the MRT Blue…

  • Two Thai destinations win awards in Germany for sustainable tourism

    Two Thai destinations win awards in Germany for sustainable tourism

    Two Thai destinations have won prestigious awards in Germany for sustainable tourism. The destinations are the island of Koh Mak, located in the eastern Trat province, and Huay Pu Keng village in the northern Mae Hong Son province. The two picturesque locations won top spots at the Green Destinations Story Awards held at ITB Berlin 2023 in Germany. The awards…

  • Oriental dollarbird falls from the sky in Bangkok due to suspected PM2.5 poisoning

    Oriental dollarbird falls from the sky in Bangkok due to suspected PM2.5 poisoning

    A sick Oriental dollarbird fell from Bangkok‘s polluted sky near Lumpini Park on Wednesday. Veterinarians examined the bird to find that it was suffering from severe pneumonia in both lungs. They suspected it was caused by PM2.5 dust pollution poisoning. Kaset Sudecha, a veterinarian from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Kasetsart University, posted a photo of the bird on…

  • Thailand’s energy minister announces lower utility bills

    Thailand’s energy minister announces lower utility bills

    With great power comes a huge electricity bill so the saying goes but not for much longer according to the Thailand energy minister. Energy Minister Supattana­pong Punmeechaow yesterday announced Thailand’s utility bills were coming down. Supattana­pong disclosed that electricity bills are expected to fall from May to August as the fuel tariff (Ft) dips following a decrease in the price…

  • Score big savings and your dream property at the Dot Property Mega Sale in Thailand

    Score big savings and your dream property at the Dot Property Mega Sale in Thailand

    Exciting news for Thailand real estate enthusiasts, the Dot Property Mega Sale is finally here, offering the most amazing deals and discounts for some of the kingdom’s most coveted properties. Whether you’re looking for a dream home or a smart investment opportunity, this event is your gateway to exceptional value and unparalleled convenience. With the rise of online shopping, buying…

  • Big Joke crackdown on illegal Chinese businesses in Chiang Mai

    Big Joke crackdown on illegal Chinese businesses in Chiang Mai

    The Deputy Commander of the Royal Thai Police, Surachate “Big Joke” Hakpark, announced plans to crackdown on illegal businesses in Chiang Mai, which are believed to have Chinese nationals behind them. Big Joke revealed the crackdown operation would begin within a week and focus on five to six businesses. During a press conference at Chiang Mai Provincial Police Office yesterday,…

  • Dept of Corrections denies existence of ‘VIP rooms’ in Thai prisons

    Dept of Corrections denies existence of ‘VIP rooms’ in Thai prisons

    Contrary to allegations in the media that inmates in Thai prisons can buy their way into an air-conditioned, smoking room with unlimited TV, the Department of Corrections says there is no such thing as a VIP room when you’re behind bars in Thailand. On Tuesday, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Corrections Sitthi Suteewong said he would like to clarify several points…

  • Pattaya bans airhorns at bars after noise complaints

    Pattaya bans airhorns at bars after noise complaints

    Pattaya‘s nightlife scene can get loud, and authorities are looking to deal with noise pollution. Pattaya City has now released a statement to the city’s bar operators with three regulations that they must fully follow by March 15. Among these regulations is the removal of air horns. The new regulations come after numerous Pattaya residents lamented to police about the…

  • Filmmakers of controversial Thai horror movie demand censors reverse decision (video)

    Filmmakers of controversial Thai horror movie demand censors reverse decision (video)

    The filmmakers of a controversial Thai horror movie banned by censors demanded they reverse the decision and hand more freedom to motion picture directors and producers. The Thai Film Censorship Board banned the horror flick Hoon Payon, slated for release in cinemas today, because of five “inappropriate” scenes that are said to be offensive toward the Buddhist faith. Censors demanded that…

  • Pervy man arrested for selling spycam porn of women in restaurant bathroom

    Pervy man arrested for selling spycam porn of women in restaurant bathroom

    Police arrested a pervy Thai man for selling spycam pornography he secretly filmed inside the bathrooms of a restaurant in the northern province of Lamphun. This was the third time that the degenerate was arrested on spycam charges. The Commissioner of the Provincial Police Region 5, Piya Tawichai, provided details of the arrest during a press conference today. Piya reported…

  • Burmese man stabs Burmese woman to death outside Bangkok shopping mall

    Burmese man stabs Burmese woman to death outside Bangkok shopping mall

    A Burmese man stabbed a fellow Burmese woman to death outside Platinum Mall in Bangkok, Thailand, at midday today. The killer told the police he was angry at the deceased for telling their employer that he was slacking at work. At 12pm, officers from Phayathai Police Station were informed of a stabbing outside the Platinum Fashion Mall in the Ratchathewi…

  • Pervert robs and sexually assaults owner of kratom shop

    Pervert robs and sexually assaults owner of kratom shop

    Police officers in the Tung Song district in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat are on the hunt for a pervert who robbed a local kratom shop and sexually assaulted its female owner by groping her private part before fleeing the scene. The CCTV footage of the incident circulating on Thai social media shows a man wearing a jacket…

  • TAT predicts 6 million European tourists to Thailand

    TAT predicts 6 million European tourists to Thailand

    Thailand is expecting to welcome six million tourists from Europe this year, generating over 420 billion baht in revenue. The figure represents approximately 80% of pre-pandemic levels. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Yuthasak Supasorn expressed confidence in Thailand’s ability to maintain its popularity as a tourist destination for European markets. He noted that pent-up demand for travel among…

  • Thai netizens gush over photo of Harry Styles buying coconut juice in Bangkok

    Thai netizens gush over photo of Harry Styles buying coconut juice in Bangkok

    Thai netizens are gushing over a photo of British pop icon Harry Styles buying coconut juice in Bangkok‘s Siam area. A Thai netizen under the username pdulads posted the photo on Twitter yesterday with the caption… “Can’t believe it! I took a walk in this market after lunch and spotted Harry buying coconut juice.” The tweet already has 21,000 retweets…

  • Princess Ubolratana gets behind TAT’s Visit Thailand Year 2023: Amazing New Chapters’ campaign

    Princess Ubolratana gets behind TAT’s Visit Thailand Year 2023: Amazing New Chapters’ campaign

    Her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana lent her support to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) at the ITB Berlin 2023 event. The occasion marks the official launch of the ‘Visit Thailand Year 2023: Amazing New Chapters’ campaign, which aims to promote sustainable and responsible tourism in Thailand, focusing on meaningful travel experiences. Princess Ubolratana graced the Thailand Stand on Tuesday,…