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 Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Thailand’s unemployment drops, but Bangkok sees increase
Thailand has experienced a notable decline in its overall unemployment rate from May to June, except Bangkok, as revealed by a recent survey conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO). The NSO reported that the number of unemployed individuals decreased to 379,000 in June, down from approximately 482,000 in May. This survey encompassed the working-age population of 59.19 million people…
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Elderly man found dragging injured dog along Thai village road
An elderly man was seen dragging a dog along a village road in Thailand, prompting a quick response from rescue teams. The man claimed he was taking the injured dog to the vet but couldn’t carry it, so he used a rope to drag it. The Siam Ruamjai Poo-In Rescue Unit received a report from a concerned citizen who witnessed…
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Russian dad’s Phuket heartbreak: Wife bolts, leaves him penniless
A Russian man and his five year old son living in Phuket appealed for help after his Thai wife left him penniless and took his belongings. A Thai man, Ekkawit Suratwadee, shared the story of 57 year old Russian man Oleg Magdeev and his five year old son on social media, hoping to seek assistance for the foreigner. Magdeev wanted…
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Thai engineers to join UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan
The Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTAF) will deploy 273 engineers to support the United Nations in South Sudan (UNMISS) starting Sunday. The RTAF Commander-In-Chief, General Songwit Noonphakdi, presided over a send-off ceremony for the fifth group of military personnel yesterday, August 15. The contingent includes 256 RTAF soldiers, among them 28 female military personnel, along with 17 other military staff.…
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NHSO denies additional funds for advanced Thai treatments
The National Health Security Office (NHSO) firmly rejected a proposal from a national network of hospitals to allow patients under Thailand’s universal healthcare scheme to pay extra for enhanced treatments. A coalition of hospitals, including the university hospital network, approached Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin last month, seeking the ministry’s intervention to address the budgetary constraints of the universal healthcare…
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Thai man admits ordering poison from Hat Yai in suicide pact
A Thai man confessed to ordering the toxic substance known as potassium gold cyanide from Hat Yai and having it delivered to a dormitory in Nonthaburi. He claimed that he intended to consume it in a suicide pact. However, he vomited it all out. Yu’s confession comes amidst the mysterious death of Udomsak Thongmuan, also known as Dr Keng, a…
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August 16 lottery prizes up for grabs: 6 million baht top prize
The Government Lottery Office (GLO) in Nonthaburi will announce the results of today’s lottery draw at 2.30pm, revealing the amounts available for various prize categories. The winning ticket numbers for the top prize, valued at 6 million baht, were eagerly anticipated by many hopeful participants. The first prize holds 6 million baht while two adjacent numbers to the first prize are…
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Paetongtarn makes history to become youngest PM of Thailand
In a stunning political shake-up, Paetongtarn “Aung Aing” Shinawatra is the new Prime Minister of Thailand, following in the illustrious footsteps of her father, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra. Making waves as both the youngest and second female prime minister in Thai history, Paetongtarn is already grabbing headlines and stirring excitement across the nation. The House of Representatives held a special…
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Heavy rainfall forecast for 45 Thai provinces, flash flood alert
Heavy rainfall warnings have been issued for 45 provinces in Thailand, with potential hazards including flash floods and runoff. The Meteorological Department of Thailand (TMD) advises caution, particularly in hilly areas and near waterways, and urges sailors to avoid stormy seas. The TMD forecasted the weather for the next 24 hours, predicting heavy rainfall in the northern, northeastern, and eastern…
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PEA launches first sustainability bond worth 1 billion baht
The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) announced the successful launch of its first sustainability bond, marking a significant step towards its green finance goals and that of Thailand. PEA Governor Supachai Ek-Un, along with representatives from the Public Debt Management Office (PDMO), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Bangkok Bank, DNV (Thailand), and Thai Bond Market Association, held a press conference yesterday, August…
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Former school director shot dead over land dispute in Krabi
A former school director was fatally shot in a palm oil plantation, allegedly by a man angry over a land sale. Police in Krabi’s Khlong Thom district received a report of the incident yesterday. Police discovered the body of 61 year old Atchara in a palm plantation in Moo 8, Pru Din Na subdistrict, Khlong Thom district. Atchara, a former…
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Three pythons found in Buriram chicken coop after feast
Three pythons were discovered in a chicken coop resting after feasting on several chickens. The homeowner believes the snakes might bring good luck. Siam Ruam Jai Pu In Rescue Unit yesterday, August 15, responded to a call from residents in Talat Yae, Thanon Hak subdistrict, Nang Rong district, Buriram province, to assist in capturing several large snakes that had entered…
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Zebra crossing drama: Pickup truck hits student outside school (video)
A careless pickup truck driver struck a student walking across a zebra crossing in front of a school, causing him to be thrown onto the road. This incident was captured on a TikTok video posted by user @boonlertkhunkham yesterday, August 15. The video reveals the shocking accident that occurred on August 6. A group of students were standing by the…
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Kuwaiti man assaulted in Phuket after insulting Thais (video)
Two Thai men physically assaulted a Kuwaiti man near Soi Bangla in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket after the foreigner allegedly insulted Thai people. Officers from Patong Police Station were alerted to the gang attack on the tourist at about 7.20am on Tuesday, August 13, and rushed to the scene, a road near Soi Bangla in the Kathu district of…
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Taxi driver slaps security guard after illegal U-turn in Nonthaburi (video)
A taxi driver, who made an illegal U-turn, slapped a security guard after he warned the cabbie not to make the turn. The incident occurred at a prominent shopping mall in Bang Yai, Nonthaburi, and was captured on a 42-second dashcam video shared on a popular Facebook page. The video shows a green and yellow taxi making an illegal U-turn.…
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Le Pan’s big rise: CPRAM factory to bake up 20% market share
A leading ready-to-eat food manufacturer CPRAM Co Ltd, and owner of the Le Pan Bakery brand under the Charoen Pokphand Group inaugurated a new factory in Chon Buri in a bid to capture a 20% market share in the Thai bakery sector this year. CPRAM President Wisade Wisidwinyoo announced that the new facility, valued at 2 billion baht, boasts a…
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Thai boy suffers electric shock, finger injury at Bangkok bus stop
An 11 year old Thai boy suffered an electric shock at a bus stop on Soi Sukhumvit 71 in Bangkok, severely cutting his finger on the electricity control panel. Esor News 3 helped the 11 year old victim seek justice by sharing his story on their page yesterday, August 15. The page posted pictures of the bus stop and the…
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Thai tourist praised for removing sticker from Mount Fuji
A Thai tourist removed a controversial sticker placed by a popular travel page on Mount Fuji, sparking widespread gratitude on social media. The travel page, followed by over 37,000 people, recently orchestrated a romantic proposal at the summit of Japan’s iconic mountain. They marked the occasion by attaching a sticker bearing their page’s name to a pole along the hiking…
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Thai police arrest over 30 armed youths in Udon Thani
Thai police arrested over 30 youths, aged 14 to 18, armed with knives and homemade bombs, waiting to ambush rivals in Udon Thani. The incident occurred at 2am yesterday, August 15, prompting a swift response and investigation. Police in Udon Thani received a report about a group of teenagers involved in a brawl at Thai Siri 3 Market, Ban Wua…
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Chaikasem cleared of involvement in Pichit bribery case decision
Chaikasem Nitisiri, a former Attorney-General and prime ministerial candidate of the Pheu Thai Party, has been cleared of involvement in a 2008 decision not to indict Pichit Chuenban on a court bribery charge, according to the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG). The OAG officials addressed the matter yesterday, August 15, in response to questions about Pichit’s cases. Pichit’s recent Cabinet…
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Suspicious car linked to Pattani bombing found abandoned in Yala
Police discovered a suspicious car linked to the recent car bomb incident in Pattani, abandoned in a rubber plantation in Yala. The vehicle, a Nissan Almera, showed signs of attempted arson and had its licence plates removed. A bomb exploded near the entrance to the fish market bridge next to the Provincial Police Division in Pattani on August 9. Following…
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Mae On reservoirs quake the worry but hold strong
Reservoirs in the Mae On district have been declared structurally sound after being struck by a 3.4-magnitude earthquake yesterday morning. The Royal Irrigation Operation (RIO) conducted a thorough inspection to assess any potential damage. Keaurkul Manasamphankul, RIO director, confirmed that the Maintenance Department was tasked with evaluating the structural integrity of the Mae On and Mae Takhrai reservoirs. These reservoirs…
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Thailand’s health crackdown: Screening mpox-treme measures
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health is on high alert, ramping up passenger screening like never before to fend off a potential mpox outbreak. This drastic measure comes hot on the heels of the World Health Organisation (WHO) slapping a “public health emergency of international concern” label on the situation, following a surge of mpox cases in several African nations. Dr…
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Soaring high: Thai AirAsia’s stunning turnaround in 2024
Asia Aviation (AAV), the proud sole shareholder of Thai AirAsia, unleashed its operational results for the first half of 2024, boasting an impressive financial recovery. The figures are staggering, with revenue from sales and services soaring to 25,279 million baht, marking a 32% year-on-year increase. AAV’s profit from core operations skyrocketed by a jaw-dropping 1,015%, reaching 1,950 million baht from…
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Tax breaks fall flat: Hoteliers sceptical of Thailand govt incentives
The hospitality industry in Thailand is abuzz as the government unveils a new policy aimed at boosting tourism in secondary provinces through tax benefits for hoteliers. But the response from hotel entrepreneurs has been lukewarm at best. According to the latest hospitality operators’ confidence index, a survey conducted by the Thai Hotels Association (THA) and the Bank of Thailand, 50%…
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River collision drama: Four injured in Chao Phraya boat crash
Tragedy struck the Chao Phraya River today when a shuttle boat, operated by Chao Phraya Express Boat, collided with an empty chartered tour boat, resulting in injuries to four passengers. The incident occurred at 12.13pm, today, August 15, under the Pinklao Bridge, which links Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district with Bangkok Noi. According to police, the express shuttle boat departed from…
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Coalition politics: UTNP sets conditions for Pheu Thai support
The United Thai Nation Party (UTNP) announced its support for the Pheu Thai Party’s next prime minister candidate, with one major caveat: no touching the lese majeste law. This stance from UTNP, led by Pirapan Salirathavibhaga—Thailand’s caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister—could have significant implications for the political landscape. During a press conference today, Pirapan expressed the UTNP’s allegiance…
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Buriram residents fear digital wallet could be axed after PM ousted
Buriram residents and local vendors are increasingly anxious following the Thai Constitutional Court’s surprise decision to oust Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. The major concern is the potential scrapping of the 10,000-baht digital wallet scheme, a key economic boost initiative from the Pheu Thai Party. The Buriram municipal market is buzzing with worry as many dread that the much-anticipated digital wallet…
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FTI rattled by PM Srettha’s ousting: Investors on edge
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) voiced alarm following the Thai Constitutional Court‘s shock decision to remove Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office yesterday. Kriengkrai Thiennukul, Chairman of the FTI, warned that the ruling could put a brake on both local and foreign investment as investors rethink their strategies amid the political turmoil. Thailand is already wrestling with major economic hurdles,…
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Pattaya police inspect stores after toxic drain cleaner deaths
Pattaya police have carried out a series of inspections at hardware stores and their construction materials to probe sources of hazardous chemicals and educate the public on their safe use. This action comes in the wake of the tragic deaths of a mother and her two children, who were killed by toxic fumes from a drain cleaner. Police Colonel Navin…
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