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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Fake abduction ransom scams target Thailand university students
University students in Thailand have been coerced into participating in an intricate scam operation, revolving around filming fake abduction videos. The intention was for these videos to be sent to the student’s parents as a means to extort ransom money. The case emerged when a student from the Lat Krabang district was entrapped in the same scheme, resulting in a…
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Wat Don Thong attracts over a thousand people for luck-enhancing rituals
The bustling Wat Don Thong in Chon Buri Province saw over a thousand people join a queue to receive a holy water bath and face-touching ritual yesterday from Ajarn Chalermrit Kunesko, also known as Ajarn Ae. This surge in attendees follows a social media trend of sharing a TikTok video of a lucky individual who won the first prize shortly…
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Child abuse allegations surround Samut Prakan father as violent videos surface online
Officers of Bang Kaew Police Station in Samut Prakan province, yesterday at 4pm, came to aid a 14 year old boy and his sister aged 10 in their residence. Their 39 year old father was apprehended for questioning following allegations by the children’s mother of child abuse. He was stated to have sent threatening video clips depicting violence against the…
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Waterspout disaster: One dead, one missing as Thai tour boat sinks in Bang Ta Boon Bay
In a tragic waterspout disaster off Ban Laem district, one holidaymaker perished, while another remains unaccounted for following the fateful sinking of a tour boat amid Bang Ta Boon Bay. The calamity took place on Saturday afternoon when a waterspout, an atmospheric oddity resembling a miniature tornado, assailed their vessel. The rather unusual maritime waterspout disaster, highlighted due to its…
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Pink Line monorail set for trials, free rides for two months
A significant advancement in Thailand’s transportation network is poised to launch its trial operations tomorrow, adding to the city’s mass transit system. The Pink Line, under the control of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), is expected to begin trial runs following the completion of the systems test by the Northern Bangkok Monorail (NBM), the entity bestowed with…
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Russian woman falls to death from seventh floor in Thai condominium
A shocking incident unfolded in Sattahip district, Chon Buri, yesterday, when a 32 year old Russian woman reportedly plunged to her death from a seventh floor condominium, as informed by the local law enforcement agencies. The distressing discovery was made at around 7am at a condo situated on Soi Na Jomtien 4 Road in the Na Jomtien subdistrict. The lifeless…
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Massive 200 year old Mother Takian tree resurfaces from Chao Phraya River to astonishment of locals
A centuries-old fallen tree trunk, known as “Mother Takian,” last night resurfaced from the depths of the Chao Phraya River. An astonishing sight unravelled as the gigantic timber, reportedly 27.60 metres long and just over 3 metres wide, requiring the strength of three adults to embrace, was unearthed and relocated to Wat Intharam, commonly known as Wat Taluk. Hundreds of…
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Buriram United mishap sparks football field safety concerns
Some things just shouldn’t happen to you on a football pitch in the middle of a match. But in Thailand, footballer Theerathon Bunmathan of Buriram United shared how he fell into a pit whilst contending against Khon Kaen United, nearly breaking his left leg. The shocking incident happened yesterday at Khon Kaen’s administrative stadium and has since caused a stir…
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Two tourists missing as waterspout capsizes boat in Phetchaburi province
In an unfortunate incident in Phetchaburi province, two tourists have gone missing when their tourist boat was capsized by a waterspout while sailing across Bang Ta Boon Bay near the Ban Laem district. The dreadful event occurred on a Saturday afternoon, around 5pm and was reported to the police on emergency number 191. The boat, carrying seven tourists, was in…
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Pheu Thai Party solidifies coalition agreement with PPRP and UTN
In a significant political development, the Pheu Thai Party has successfully solidified a coalition agreement with the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party. According to a reliable source, this pact involves a reciprocal arrangement where both the PPRP and UTN have committed to supporting Srettha Thavisin, a prominent figure within Pheu Thai, and the anticipated…
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Online romance scam netted 36 million baht, 1 arrest
Law enforcement officials arrested an accomplice in a large-scale online romance scam that swindled more than 36 million baht from victims. A 26 year old man from Uthai Thani province had opened a bank account for someone else, allegedly unaware it would be used in fraudulent activities. In an operation led by Pol Lt Gen Warawut Watnakornbuncha, Investigation Bureau Chief,…
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Boy, 14, vanishes in river after horrifying motorcycle accident
The search continues for a 14 year old boy who fell into the river after a severe motorcycle accident, as his distraught mother made an urgent heart-wrenching plea. The unfortunate event occurred in the middle of a bridge in Prachinburi province when the young boy’s motorcycle collided with a pickup truck. The high velocity of the impact flung him into…
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ONWR notifies Mekong neighbours of potential flash flooding
As Thailand braces for severe weather and potential flash floods, the Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) has issued an urgent communication to the Mekong River Commission Secretariat (MRCS) and neighbouring nations in the Lower Mekong River Basin, including China. The ONWR urges careful management of water level discharges in the region to prevent damaging floods. Yesterday, Surasri Kidtimonton, the…
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Chinese tourists to Thailand may drop as tour group restrictions lift
In the wake of China’s announcement to allow tour groups to visit Japan and several other nations for the first time since 2020, Thailand’s tourism industry braces itself for a sharp fall in Chinese tourists. This drop is in part caused by ongoing visa application challenges, in spite of the government’s efforts to simplify the process. This recent development comes…
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Pheu Thai Party urges caretaker government to halt civil servants relocation
The Pheu Thai Party is calling for the caretaker government, under PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s leadership, to heed the national constitution by not relocating leading civil servants, particularly permanent secretaries, whilst the new administration is being formed. Phumtham Wechayachai, the party’s deputy leader, voiced these calls recently. Phumtham issued a statement in which he admonished the transitional approach of Prayut’s government, reminding…
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Central Retail partners with Ant Group to launch Alipay+ for Asian tourists in Thailand
For the convenience of Asian tourists from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and South Korea, Central Retail Corporation (CRC) has announced its partnership with Ant Group, introducing Alipay+ a comprehensive solution for international digital payments. This digital offering will enable travellers to use local digital wallets such as China’s Alipay, Hong Kong’s AlipayHK, Malaysia’s Touch ‘n Go eWallet and South Korea’s…
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Revving up for flavour: World Kaphrao Thailand Grand Prix 2023 set to race Thai fast food fame worldwide
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) yesterday announced the opening of the World Kaphrao Thailand Grand Prix 2023 event to promote the popular Thai fast food dish throughout the globe. The event will take place along the Phadung Krung Kasem Canal near Hua Lamphong Train Station in Bangkok between August 25 and 27. TAT director Yuttasak Supasorn revealed that the…
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Spanish tusker-tamer’s uproarious elephant escapade sweeps online spotlight in Thailand (video)
A Spanish woman, well-versed in transforming tusker-sized tales into online sensations, couldn’t resist sharing her uproarious rendezvous with an elephant during a recent Thailand escapade. The self-deprecating woman, Julia Candela, with a penchant for furry and tusked friends alike, took to TikTok to unveil her rib-tickling tête-à -tête with an elephant in Thailand that left her momentarily nose-to-nose with the ground.…
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Fabricated robbery to escape violent partner leads to justice twist for Thai woman in Chon Buri
A Thai woman who fabricated a robbery in fear of her violent boyfriend has been charged with perverting the course of justice in Ban Bueng, Chon Buri province. The distressed woman, Thanpimon, falsely reported the robbery to local police that her purse and mobile phone had been snatched by two men on a motorcycle but later admitted to fabricating the…
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Generous Thai woman’s trust shattered as couple she sheltered steals assets worth over 100,000 baht
A Thai woman shared the heartbreaking story of a couple she employed, fed and put a roof over their heads for free, only to discover that they had stolen assets from her totalling more than 100,000 baht. The 66 year old victim, Pimwipa, yesterday filed a complaint at Pluak Daeng Police Station in the eastern province of Rayong saying her…
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Construction permit withdrawal sparks caution in Thai property lending
The property developer community has been unsettled by the recent Ashton Asoke saga, wherein the construction permit was withdrawn, prompting lenders to proceed with caution when issuing debt instruments and loans to developers. AP Thailand’s chief executive, Anuphong Assavabhokhin, explained that it’s becoming increasingly challenging to secure loans as financial institutions grow wary of extending credit to real estate companies…
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Shocking outcome: Electrifying mishap on condo balcony leaves painter with First-Degree burns (video)
A painter suffered from First-Degree burns after being electrocuted while painting a condo balcony near an electricity pole in southern Thailand. According to Channel 3, the shocking incident occurred to the unnamed victim at 11am yesterday when he was painting the exterior of a third-floor balcony in the southern province of Songkhla. The man accidentally touched the high-voltage electric wire…
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Bathroom enigma swirls: Hybrid toilet-sink sparks global curiosity as social media goes down the drain
In a plot twist that has left Thai social media flushed with intrigue, a peculiar addition to the bathrooms of select European and Japanese hotels has taken centre stage. A curious traveller set the virtual world abuzz by sharing snapshots of these lavatories, complete with the usual commode and an enigmatic extra, a cross between a sink and a toilet,…
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Tears and bridges: TikTok tale of 20-year reunion reveals homeless friend’s tragic journey from loss to living under a bridge
A TikTok user recently shared a heart-rending story of his reunion with a long-lost friend, after 20 years. The individual was left visibly shocked at the condition of his friend who is disabled, homeless, and forced to live under a bridge after losing his home to a train. The user, who goes by the account name @dyb0u0wv8t8l, captured the heart-breaking…
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Thai tourism embraces easier visa rules, faster approvals for Chinese tourists
In a move geared towards promoting Thai tourism, the government has implemented policy changes that lessen the rules for obtaining a tourist visa and slashes approval time for Chinese visitors. Chinese travellers emerged as the majority of international arrivals over the past week, the deputy government spokeswoman, Rachada Dhnadirek, confirmed yesterday. Statistics displayed that 95,581 visitors from China arrived in…
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Facebook user shares sole-ful scare as child’s shoe gets trapped in escalator incident in Thailand
A Facebook user, operating under the moniker of Tuk Tuk, shared a heart-stopping experience involving their child’s shoe becoming stuck in an escalator incident. Unbeknownst to the parents, the child made several failed attempts to retrieve the shoe before the kid managed to detach his foot at the last moment, marking a tense and alarming episode of the escalator accident.…
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YouTube tactics backfire: Elusive thief finally nicked after 3-year game of hide and seek near Bangkok
The Sai Noi Police Station officers finally nicked a thief after an intensive three-year search. The suspect thief revealed that he managed to evade the long arm of the law by learning how police operate strategies for each arrest on YouTube. A string of thefts, all attributed to the same cunning thief, consistently troubled the Sai Noi neighbourhood in the…
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Central Retail and Ant Group introduce Alipay+ for Asian tourists in Thailand
Central Retail Corporation Limited (CRC) in collaboration with Ant Group has introduced Alipay+, a comprehensive international digital payment platform. The service launched by Piyawan Leelasompop, Deputy Managing Director of Marketing at CRC, facilitates seamless transactions for Asian tourists from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and South Korea through their existing local mobile wallets. The tie-up with Ant Group will enable visitors…
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Skateboard skirmish between foreigner and police sparks stir at Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok (video)
A fracas erupted at Don Mueang International Airport as a foreign man attempted to assault a police officer with a skateboard, resulting in a significant online reaction. The skateboard incident occurred yesterday according to a video posted by TikTok user @angpao.cn. Clip via TikTok user @angpao.cn The clip, which rapidly stirred up an online storm, shows a foreign national assumed…
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Dead body of Chinese man found in wastewater pond in Rayong, police reel in murder probe
A security guard discovered the dead body of a Chinese man floating in the Bueang Pradit Wastewater Treatment Pond in the Amata City Rayong Industrial Estate in the eastern province of Rayong. Police suspect he was murdered as severed wounds were found on the body. The security guard stumbled upon the dead body of the Chinese man, 30 year old…
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