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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MPs push law reform over unlicensed nightlife venues
Concerns over the regulation and licensing of nightlife venues in Bangkok and other tourist areas were formally raised today, April 22, after Members of Parliament highlighted widespread non-compliance under current laws, pointing out Khao San Road as an example. People’s Party MP for Bangkok, Bhuntin Noumjerm, along with fellow Bangkok MPs Paramait Vithayaruksun and Chorayuth Chaturapornprasit, and Nakhon Ratchasima MP Nueng…
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Thai senator calls Parliament’s free meal cancellation an ‘insult’ to her honour
A Thai senator faced backlash on social media after declaring that cancelling free meals in Parliament was an “insult” to the honour of senators, during a Senate meeting on Monday, April 20. The issue follows a March 15 Parliamentary meeting where Members of Parliament (MPs) agreed to end free meals following public criticism over the misuse of taxpayer funds. MPs,…
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Thailand seeks closer cooperation in Myanmar visit
Thailand said talks with Myanmar’s new leadership today, April 22, would focus on key bilateral and regional issues, including border security, pollution and the country’s return to ASEAN. Speaking in Naypyidaw at 8.15am local time, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said the official visit had three main objectives. The first was to congratulate Myanmar on the formation…
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Thai man confesses to fatal assault on pregnant wife in Chiang Mai home
A Thai man fatally assaulted his pregnant wife at their shared home in Chiang Mai on Monday, April 20, and initially attempted to cover the murder with an accident claim. Mae Ping Police Station officers were called to the house on Monday afternoon to investigate the death of 33 year old Yardrung. Officers found her body inside the accommodation. She was…
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Frenchman files counter complaint after his arrest for assaulting Phuket man during Songkran
A Frenchman filed a counter-complaint after he was arrested yesterday, April 21, for assaulting a Thai man during Songkran celebrations in Phuket on April 12. He claimed the Thai man had started the altercation. The incident came to light after the wife of 38 year old Weerasak Madlee contacted the Facebook page โหดจัง จังหวัดภูเก็ต, alleging that police had not acted on…
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Transgender fined over topless Songkran dance in Chon Buri
Police in Sattahip fined a transgender woman yesterday, April 21, after she was filmed removing her top and then dancing topless during Songkran celebrations in Bang Saray, Chon Buri, on April 20. The incident took place during the Wan Lai festival along Bang Saray Beach Road, where festivalgoers, including women and transgender participants, were dancing to loud music. One individual,…
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Thai parasailing staff and tourist fall into Phuket sea after rope snaps
A tourist and parasailing assistant fell into the sea in Phuket on Monday, April 20, after a rope snapped mid-flight. No injuries were reported. The incident was captured on video by a foreign witness and shared on TikTok account, @burcuus, with the caption “That was close.” The footage shows two men, believed to be a tourist and a parasailing assistant, being…
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Family honours man’s final wish with funeral dancers
Three dancers were hired to perform in front of a coffin during a funeral on April 20 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, after the family said they were honouring the deceased man’s final wish. The funeral took place on the final night for 59 year old Winit at his home in Ron Phibun district, Nakhon Si Thammarat. A Facebook page livestreamed…
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Japanese chef closes ramen shop after online fame reveals permit issue
A Japanese chef temporarily closed his ramen shop in Samut Prakan after a work permit issue came to light following the shop’s rise to fame on Thai social media. The story began when a Thai woman posted a review in the Facebook group Ramen Lover Association of Thailand about a shop called Kham Sanya Kub Moo Tua Nan, or The…
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Frigate deal puts Thai Navy on path to shipbuilding self-reliance
The Royal Thai Navy held a meeting with the Thai Shipbuilding and Repairing Association (TSBA) and domestic shipyard operators yesterday, April 20, to discuss the offset policy framework for its planned frigate procurement. Rear Admiral Parach Rattanachaiyaphan said the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) also participated in the meeting to clarify the principles and calculation methods used under…
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Thai AirAsia X flight changes leave travellers scrambling
Thai passengers have complained online after Thai AirAsia X (AA X) changed several Japan-bound flights and issued flight cancellations, particularly on the Don Mueang to Osaka route, disrupting travel plans in May. The issue gained attention in online Japan travel groups, where multiple passengers shared accounts of sudden flight changes with no prior email or SMS notification. One passenger wrote,…
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Row with boyfriend leads Thai woman to step into oncoming traffic
A woman came under criticism from Thai social media users after she was seen walking in the middle of a road in Chachoengsao at around midnight on Saturday, April 18, allegedly following an argument with her boyfriend. The incident was captured on dashcam footage by a passing driver, who posted the clip on TikTok under the account @mutita_kn before later deleting…
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Russian suspect arrested in Phuket over scam cash withdrawals
Police in Phuket arrested a Russian national yesterday, April 20, in connection with a call centre scam after he was found withdrawing funds linked to fraudulent operations. The suspect, identified as 41 year old Anton Kurchenko, was monitored by Phuket Provincial Police after making multiple ATM withdrawals outside a supermarket in Soi Ta-iad, Chalong subdistrict. According to a report from the…
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Foreigner claims 0% tax after buying 56 million baht Phuket home
A foreign social media user has drawn attention online after claiming to have bought a 56 million baht home in Phuket and could live in Thailand long-term while paying zero tax on global income. The post, shared on X, showed the individual with his partner alongside a message stating they had signed a contract to purchase a “dream home” near…
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Monks placed on probation for joining Songkran celebrations
An abbot and several monks at a temple in Khon Kaen came under criticism after images showed them taking part in Songkran celebrations by splashing water and applying powder to men by the roadside. Photos shared by ThaiRath and later circulated on social media showed monks outside a temple, soaked in water. One monk was seen carrying a bucket of…
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Thailand video news | Senate floats sweeping tax overhaul as debt pressure builds, US visa applicants in Bangkok told to open social media profiles
In Thailand video news, Alex covers major stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Highlights include a proposed increase in value-added tax in Thailand, emergency borrowing plans amid energy concerns and the potential impact of a super El Niño weather event, and new requirements for US visa applicants in Bangkok to provide public social media information. Also featured is a…
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Thai woman attempts suicide after family dispute over affair with work colleague
A 21 year old woman attempted to commit suicide at her home in Sam Phrao subdistrict, Mueang district, Udon Thani yesterday, April 20, following a dispute with family members over an alleged affair with a married colleague. Officers from Mueang Udon Thani Police Station responded to the incident at around 8.30am, alongside rescue workers and a medical team from Udon…
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Technician arrested for gold theft at Chon Buri hotel using master keycard
Police arrested a technician yesterday, April 20, for stealing valuables worth more than 500,000 baht from a guest’s room at a hotel in Najomtien subdistrict, Sattahip district, Chon Buri. The victim, 42 year old Laddawan, checked into the hotel at around 2pm on Sunday, April 19. She left her belongings in the room, including a waist bag containing gold items…
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Thai YouTuber told to move in Phuket Beach confrontation
A dispute at Mai Khao Beach in Phuket, now shared prominently across Thai social media, drew mixed reactions after a foreign couple was seen asking a Thai-Italian YouTuber to move while filming on the public beach. Nawinda “Mint” Bertotti, a Thai travel blogger and actress, shared the incident during her trip to Phuket in a vlog posted on her YouTube…
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Contract dispute between Rodtang and ONE still at odds despite mediation talk
Rodtang Jitmueangnon’s contract dispute with ONE Championship remains unresolved after reports in some Thai media suggested the conflict had ended. The dispute began after the 28 year old Thai boxer, whose real name is Tinnakorn Srisawat, posted on social media that his contract with ONE had expired and that he was now a free agent. ONE rejected Rodtang’s claim and…
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Foreigner allegedly tries to dodge taxi bill, claiming he forgot his wallet
A foreigner allegedly tried to underpay for a motorcycle taxi ride from Nana to Don Mueang International Airport, claiming he had left his wallet at a hotel. An app-based motorcycle taxi rider posted videos of the incident on Facebook yesterday, April 20. The confrontation took place outside a passenger terminal at Don Mueang Airport, where several Thai bystanders stepped in…
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Thailand traffic fine survey finds majority back harsher penalties, except for speeding
A new survey has found broad public support for the new Thailand traffic fines, with one notable exception: a majority of respondents say the speeding penalty goes too far. The National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) polled 1,310 people by phone across Thailand on April 7 and 8, gauging public reaction to the stricter penalties that police began enforcing without…
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Thai Senate committee proposes a 3% VAT hike in new tax reform
Thailand’s Economic, Financial and Fiscal Affairs Committee of the Senate proposed a tax reform plan to address the country’s fiscal deficit and rising public debt, including a proposal to raise value-added tax (VAT) from 7% to 10%. The committee, chaired by Kamphol Supapaeng, discussed the tax restructuring plan yesterday, April 19, as part of efforts to tackle long-term fiscal challenges.…
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Thailand to issue emergency loan decree amid El Niño fears and rising energy costs
Thailand’s government is preparing to issue an emergency loan decree worth 500,000 million baht to build up financial reserves ahead of what officials describe as compounding economic risks, including a super El Niño weather event and elevated global energy prices. Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilpraphat confirmed the plan, saying the current state of the treasury is limited and relatively rigid,…
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Rama 2 Road construction misses deadline again
Construction on Rama 2 Road will continue until mid-2027 after the Ministry of Transport delayed the project, citing higher fuel and construction material costs. Long-running works on Rama 2 Road, along with a series of fatal accidents linked to the construction, have affected motorists and residents in the area for more than 50 years. This made the route known to…
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Thailand News | Ayutthaya factory fire sends workers running, Thailand considers round-the-clock alcohol sales in EEC Zone
Today we’ll be talking about a factory fire in Ayutthaya causing a mass evacuation, in ASEAN news another fire in Malaysia destroyed nearly 1000 homes in a coastal village, on Walking Street in Pattaya tragedy strikes as a police officer has been arrested for allegedly murdering a cannabis shop owner, then Bangkok drug raids unravel a cocaine distribution network, after…
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Thai man arrested for deliberately starting forest fire in Phitsanulok for ‘fun’
A 22 year old man was arrested in Phitsanulok province on Saturday, April 18, after admitting to deliberately starting a forest fire for “entertainment” purposes. Rangers from Chat Trakan Waterfall National Park were patrolling Kaeng Hat Oi Forest in Tha Sakae subdistrict, Chat Trakan district, following repeated reports of fires in the area. During the patrol, officers encountered a suspicious…
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9 victims, including 4 children, killed in Nan pickup truck crash
A pickup truck crash in Nan province on Saturday, April 18, left nine people dead and six others seriously injured, with brake failure suspected as the cause. Police from Pua Police Station and rescue teams responded to the incident on the Pua–Doi Phu Kha Road in Doi Phu Kha National Park, Pua district, at around 5.55pm. The vehicle was found…
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Five stranded tourists rescued from Phetchaburi mountain
Five tourists were rescued after becoming stuck on a mountain in Phetchaburi last night, April 18, with one 21 year old man later taken to the hospital after feeling faint during the descent. Volunteers from the Sawang Sanphet Dhammasathan Foundation in Phetchaburi were called to help five tourists stranded on Khao Ego, a mountain about 900 metres high in Nong…
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Two die in Bang Na townhouse blaze, cause under investigation
A fire tore through a townhouse at a luxury housing project on Udom Suk Road in Bang Na, Bangkok, early on Sunday, killing two people and injuring two others. The blaze broke out at 2.45am. Police Lieutenant Wirach Samran, deputy inspector of Bang Na Police Station, attended the scene alongside officers from the Sukhumvit Fire and Rescue Station. The fire…
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