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 rolls out AI police cyborg in Nakhon Pathom
Thailand has unveiled its very own Robocop — and it made its debut at the country’s wildest water fight. The Royal Thai Police (RTP) proudly revealed photos of AI Police Cyborg 1.0, the nation’s first artificial intelligence-powered police robot, as it patrolled the Songkran festivities on Tonson Road in Nakhon Pathom province. Locals and tourists alike were stunned to see…
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Nakhon Phanom stabbing mars Songkran celebrations
In Nakhon Phanom, a 20 year old man was assaulted and stabbed during Songkran festivities on Monday. The incident occurred near Wat Pho Si in Mueang district, where police are now reviewing CCTV footage to identify the attackers. Police Lieutenant Pichanon Ploemsuk and his team, along with emergency services, responded to the scene at the intersection of Si Chiang Mai…
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BMW driver intentionally crashes and forces pickup into barrier
An alleged local political candidate in the central province of Pathum Thani crashed his BMW into a pickup following a road dispute, leaving the pickup driver seriously injured. The victim reportedly apologised to the BMW driver earlier, but the latter ignored the apology. The Facebook page Here on Board (เฮียขับรถ) shared dashcam footage submitted by a follower on April 16,…
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Thai police seize 12kg of meth worth 500,000 baht in Trang
Officers from the Border Patrol Police Division 43, in collaboration with Division 435, seized 12 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine on Phetkasem Road in Mueang district, Trang province, yesterday, April 16. Police Major General Rungroj Thakoonpunyasiri, Deputy Commissioner of the Border Patrol Police, and Police Major General Narong Thananantakul, Commissioner of Border Patrol Police Region 4, received a report on the…
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Bare-faced cheek: Phuket shoppers shocked by naked man
Shoppers at a Phuket market got more than they bargained for yesterday morning, when a naked man strolled casually through the streets, leaving stunned onlookers doing double-takes. The bizarre incident unfolded yesterday, April 16, in the Tha Ruea area of Thalang district, near a fresh market and the local branch of Bangkok Bank. The man, believed to be aged between…
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Thai woman gives birth on street, leaves newborn to die to celebrate Songkran
A Thai woman gave birth on a roadside in Bangkok and abandoned the newborn to die before returning to celebrate the Songkran Festival with her friends on Monday, April 14. The tragic incident came to light after the Facebook news page, เจ๊ม้อย v+ (Jmoi v+), shared a photo of the dead baby along with a brief report yesterday, April 16. The…
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Teen shot dead during Songkran in Phichit province
A 16 year old vocational student was shot and killed after stopping his motorcycle to urinate on Khao Tang Road in Phichit province. The incident occurred around 11.30pm, yesterday, April 16, during the final day of Songkran celebrations, leaving his friends in shock. Police Lieutenant Colonel Natthaporn Netyim, Deputy Inspector at Mueang Phichit Police Station, received reports of a seriously…
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Kind act turns Buriram woman into lottery millionaire
What started as a moment of pity turned into a life-changing windfall for one lucky woman from Buriram — all thanks to a persistent lottery vendor and a single ticket. Kamplaeng Singkulang, a 53 year old resident of Buriram province, is now 6 million baht richer after unexpectedly winning the top prize in the April 16 lottery draw. The twist?…
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Thailand video news | Thai ranger drowns retrieving tourist’s phone in flooded cave, Landslide injures two Filipinas on Khao Yai waterfall trail
Today’s regional headlines highlight a mix of tragedy, controversy, and progress across Southeast Asia. From a heroic ranger’s death in Thailand and a landslide at a national park, to viral clashes in Pattaya and heated cultural debates during Songkran, the country has seen both celebration and chaos. Meanwhile, regional developments include a major diplomatic visit by China’s president to…
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Phi Phi Islands reopen snorkelling and diving after coral recovery
Tourists can once again dive into the crystal-clear waters of the Phi Phi Islands and this time, with a mission to protect paradise. After a year-long ban due to severe coral bleaching, snorkelling and scuba diving have officially resumed at 10 designated sites within the Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park in Krabi. The decision comes after promising…
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Body of wanted gunman who kills police found floating in river
Police officers discovered the lifeless body of a wanted gunman floating in the river along the Thai-Lao border yesterday. The now dead gunman fatally shot a policeman in the Isaan province of Loei. Police Sub-Lieutenant Pairoj Prom-in was shot and killed by the drug suspect Boonkird on April 10, when he and his team attempted to arrest the suspect at a…
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Meth fiend’s brutal pork heist leaves vendor fighting for life
A twisted robbery turned violent and left a grilled pork vendor fighting for her life — all for a few thousand baht and a methamphetamine (meth) binge. A 21 year old man has been arrested after launching a savage attack on a 55 year old street vendor in Chon Buri, striking her in the head with a brick before fleeing…
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Booze, bruises & bottle blues: Pattaya beach bum clobbers tourist
A booze-soaked beach bum with a rap sheet as long as Pattaya Beach punched a Pakistani tourist in the face for no reason, before sheepishly saying sorry and begging not to be nicked… again. The Pakistani tourist’s early morning stroll turned into a bloody mess after the drunk Thai jailbird randomly punched him in the mouth at Pattaya Klang Beach,…
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Trash island no more! Koh Larn’s rubbish crisis nears fiery end
A long-awaited solution to Koh Larn’s mountain of rubbish is finally on the horizon, and it’s going up in smoke. The waste incineration plant on the popular tourist island near Pattaya is now 70% complete and expected to be operational within six months, according to Kiatsak Sriwongchai, the permanent secretary of Pattaya City. Construction of the plant began on May…
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Motorcyclist dies in tragic hit-and-run on Bangkok overpass
A motorcyclist tragically died yesterday after being hit by a car and falling from the Bang Prakaew overpass in Bangkok. The collision involved a BMW, which fled the scene, leaving debris behind. Police Lieutenant Colonel Suvijak Noisri of Bang Mod Police Station received a report of a road accident at 7.30am, yesterday, April 16, involving a motorcycle and a car on…
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Drunk Chinese tourist crashes, pukes, passes out in Pattaya
A drunk Chinese tourist turned a quiet Pattaya street into a late-night demolition derby after ploughing his pickup into parked vehicles, before vomiting out the window and passing out behind the wheel. Pattaya police were called to the boozy crash scene in the early hours of this morning, after the Chinese man smashed his black pickup truck into multiple parked vehicles,…
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DSI digs deeper into deadly ‘pancake’ Bangkok building collapse
Investigators are piling pressure on firms behind the deadly State Audit Office building collapse, as the case takes a darker turn with forgery claims, phantom contractors, and a “pancake” tragedy that’s left dozens dead and scores missing. The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is ramping up its probe into the catastrophic collapse of the State Audit Office building in Chatuchak,…
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Weather alert: April showers to batter Bangkok and beyond
Brace yourselves, Thailand, the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has sounded the alarm for today, as severe weather is set to ravage 40 provinces across the nation, including the bustling capital of Bangkok. Expect intense thunderstorms, howling winds, and the shocking possibility of lightning strikes. Southern Thailand is in the line of fire, with a whopping 70% of the region bracing…
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Phuket’s buffalo orange gets GI push to juice up global fame
The beautiful resort island of Phuket is hoping its native fruit, the Garcinia or som khwai (buffalo orange), will peel into prestige as a Geographical Indication (GI) product, adding some serious juice to the province’s agricultural and food industries. In a recent workshop led by deputy governor Suwit Pansa-ngiam, local producers were schooled on the ins and outs of GI…
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Man stabbed during Songkran celebration in Nakhon Phanom
A 20 year old man was stabbed in the back during a Songkran celebration in Nakhon Phanom on April 14, after being chased by a group of unknown assailants. The incident occurred around 8pm in Mueang district. The victim, identified only as Vach, had been celebrating the last night of Songkran with around 10 friends at a riverside concert venue…
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Thailand records 171 road deaths in 5 days of Songkran
Thailand’s Road Safety Centre reported 171 deaths and 1,208 injuries from 1,216 road accidents during the first five days of the 7 Dangerous Days Songkran safety campaign. Data released yesterday, April 15, shows that speeding, drink-driving, and poor visibility remain the top causes of accidents. Motorcycles were involved in over 85% of crashes. Just yesterday alone, 214 accidents were recorded,…
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Park ranger dies retrieving tourist’s phone in Kanchanaburi cave
A Thai park ranger tragically lost his life after diving into a rain-swollen stream to retrieve a tourist’s dropped phone inside a cave in Kanchanaburi province. The incident occurred yesterday afternoon, April 15, at Tham Sao Hin, also known as the Stone Pillar Cave, located in Lam Khlong Ngu National Park in Thong Pha Phum district. At around 1pm, 43…
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PM Paetongtarn named Young Global Leader 2025
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been named one of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders (YGL) for 2025, crediting her as one of the top changemakers under 40 on the global stage. Government advisor Jirayu Huangsap confirmed the honour today, April 16, noting that the 38 year old PM is among 114 individuals selected worldwide for their leadership and…
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Meatball mayhem: Pattaya vendor slices ex’s ear in street bust-up
A fiery feud turned bloody in the early hours of this morning when a Pattaya meatball vendor slashed her ex-husband’s ear during a jealous booze-fuelled bust-up, right in front of her food stall. It all kicked off at 2.36am, today, April 16, when emergency crews and police were scrambled to Soi Kor Pai after reports of a stabbing outside a…
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Bangkok handshake: PM duo set to strengthen Thai-Anwar ties
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will welcome Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to Bangkok tomorrow, April 17, for talks focused on strengthening bilateral relations and boosting regional cooperation between the two Southeast Asian nations. The visit marks a continuation of diplomatic dialogue between the two leaders, who first met during Paetongtarn’s official visit to Kuala Lumpur on December 16. They also…
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Strong winds cause glass collapse at Thai Air Force canteen
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) spokesperson has explained the recent incident where strong winds caused a glass partition to collapse in a Bangkok canteen. The event, involving an elderly woman with a cane, occurred at the Jantharubeksa Sports Stadium canteen on April 13. She fell backwards when a sudden storm with strong winds blew through, causing the glass partition…
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Songkran festival turns sour as woman drenched by teens (video)
A young woman was left frustrated during the Songkran festival after being unexpectedly drenched with water by a group of teenagers, causing her to be knocked off balance. The water’s suspicious yellowish hue further added to her concern. Celebrated annually, the Songkran festival is eagerly awaited by many for its water festivities. However, participants are reminded to prioritise safety, as…
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Traffic toll: Thailand ranks 4th in global road accident fatalities
A recent report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Statista highlights Thailand as one of the countries with the highest road accident fatality rates globally. The country records a death rate of 25.4 per 100,000 people annually, significantly surpassing the global average. According to data from Statista, Thailand’s roads are alarmingly dangerous for users, placing the country among the…
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