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.

  • Sponsored

    How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?

    Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....

  • Bail applications denied for detained protestors

    Bail applications denied for detained protestors

    Bail applications by ten detainees have been denied because most of them were charged with serious offences during protests last year, ranging from possession of explosives and arson to inciting unrest. Protesters gathered in front of the Criminal Court on Sunday morning, where a man who had been there for several days collapsed and died. According to Thai PBS World,…

  • United States launches SERVIR-Southeast Asia, a USAID-NASA initiative to fight climate change

    United States launches SERVIR-Southeast Asia, a USAID-NASA initiative to fight climate change

    Press Release Chonburi, 24 January 2023 : The U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Robert F. Godec and Dr. Karen M. St. Germain, Earth Science Division Director at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), launched the SERVIR-Southeast Asia program – a collaboration between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and NASA – to help communities across Southeast Asia adapt…

  • Fierce blaze destroys 14 houseboats in western Thailand

    Fierce blaze destroys 14 houseboats in western Thailand

    A fierce blaze at Saiyok Mantra Resort in Kaeng Pralom village caused 10 million baht worth of damage and destroyed 14 of the 16 houseboats on the Khwae Noi River in western Thailand yesterday afternoon. There were no casualties reported. Police Captain Kasan Para, a duty investigator in Sai Yok district, revealed the fire started at around 3.45pm. Firefighters from…

  • Thailand Post’s delayed service makes student lose scholarship

    Thailand Post’s delayed service makes student lose scholarship

    Thailand Post apologised for the late arrival of a letter at a post office in the Isaan province of Sakhon Nakhon which made a high school student lose a university scholarship placement. A female student posted a picture of her scholarship document offer on social media dated January 10 and said… “Why is Thailand Post delivery so slow? The university…

  • Thailand’s ‘new’ Airbus A350 spotted with Thai Airways livery

    Thailand’s ‘new’ Airbus A350 spotted with Thai Airways livery

    Thailand’s “new” Airbus A350 was spotted with Thai Airways livery last week in France. At the end of October, Thai Airways announced an agreement to lease two Airbus A350-900s to enter service this month. We’re almost in February, and while it doesn’t appear that the aircraft will be in service on schedule, plans are being made, albeit a bit late.…

  • Teenage tennis prodigy who killed biker in BMW quits national team

    Teenage tennis prodigy who killed biker in BMW quits national team

    A teenage tennis prodigy, who was involved in a fatal car accident at the age of 16, has resigned from the national team following a backlash from the public over his promotion to the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand (LTAT) squad. The unnamed 16 year old boy crashed his BMW car into a red motorcycle at the intersection near Suranaree…

  • Something fishy about Thailand’s rising prices?

    Something fishy about Thailand’s rising prices?

    The Internal Trade Department stopped greedy manufacturers from increasing the prices of baby milk formula and canned fish products, amid fears that Thailand’s rising prices are more about reduced profits for shareholders than increased production costs. Government Spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said yesterday that the department told manufacturers that both are controlled products – though they must have already known this…

  • Thai police admit extorting money from Taiwanese actress

    Thai police admit extorting money from Taiwanese actress

    The compulsive melodrama continues between a Taiwanese actress and the “bastard police” who allegedly extorted 27,000 baht. In the latest episode of the compelling drama, it turns out the Royal Thai Police (RTP), are lying bastards. Late last week the RTP denied extorting money from An Yu-Qing ( 安于晴), also known as Charlene An, but today a Thai squad leader…

  • The best International Schools of Northern Thailand come together for the Annual Chiang Mai Education Fair

    The best International Schools of Northern Thailand come together for the Annual Chiang Mai Education Fair

    Press Release Connect with Northern Thailand’s best international and bilingual schools and discover great opportunities for your children offered nowhere else at the TASA Chiang Mai Education Fair on 18th February 2023. The Annual Chiang Mai Education Fair, organized by Thailand Academic Study Associates, brings together over 20 international and bilingual schools for the largest international education fair of the…

  • Dutchman says Thai woman swindled him of 5 million baht

    Dutchman says Thai woman swindled him of 5 million baht

    A Dutchman posted a video on TikTok revealing that a Thai woman swindled 5 million baht from him. The Thai woman denies the accusation, adding he is the cheat because he flirted with her despite being married. The video went viral on Thai social media after the local news page Baan Dung Update reposted the TikTok story on Saturday. In the…

  • British Bentley plugs into Thailand’s luxury car market with record sales

    British Bentley plugs into Thailand’s luxury car market with record sales

    British elite motor vehicle maker Bentley plugged into Thailand’s luxury car market last year and recorded record sales. Most orders (81) placed in the Land of Smiles were for hybrid vehicles. The Flying Spur Hybrid was the most sought-after model, making up 49% of orders in Thailand with 40 cars sold. The Bentayga Hybrid followed closely behind with 35 orders and…

  • Why kill my sick son? Thai father demands answers

    Why kill my sick son? Thai father demands answers

    The Thai father of a young man gunned down in a neighbouring junkyard is asking why the owner didn’t just chase him away rather than shoot him. The weekly dive into the backwaters of the kingdom’s crime scene has thrown up another story which exposes the everyday horror of living with mental health problems in rural Thailand, Bangkok Post reported. Kobsak,…

  • Illegal jet skis return to Phuket’s Surin Beach

    Illegal jet skis return to Phuket’s Surin Beach

    For the umpteenth time, the local provincial marine office has started clamping down on illegal jet skis and parasail boats in the sea off Phuket’s Surin Beach. Along Millionaire’s Row on the west coast, Phuket’s Surin Beach is surrounded by boutiques, high-end resorts and residences. It’s popular year-round, and an excellent spot for sunbathing on fine white sand, with the…

  • Covid cases down, international arrivals up

    Covid cases down, international arrivals up

    Good news for tourism, bad news for Covid-19: international travellers have surged while infection figures have actually declined. After Thailand relaxed its immigration measures, the number of tourists visiting has seen a steady increase. With extra fears due to Chinese tourism reopening amidst a major Covid wave there, the number of new cases in Thailand has been going down. According…

  • Not our problem – Paetongtarn dismisses father’s comeback

    Not our problem – Paetongtarn dismisses father’s comeback

    Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of ex-PM Thaksin and Pheu Thai Party‘s chosen candidate for her father’s old job, said her father has to find his own way home. He will not need, and not receive, any help from the Pheu Thai Party. Paetongtarn – known by the pet name “Ung Ing” – dismissed her father’s comeback plans at a Pheu Thai…

  • Tourism Minister addresses police controversies

    Tourism Minister addresses police controversies

    Minister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakarn has acknowledged that recent controversies involving the Royal Thai Police (RTP) and the Thailand Privilege Card (TPC) have damaged the reputation of both law enforcement and tourism organizations. The minister is taking steps to address the situation with a Cabinet meeting scheduled next week set to discuss the allegations. This comes after an MP…

  • First Thai Magician on America’s Got Talent ft. Patrick Kun | Thaiger Podcast Ep.22

    First Thai Magician on America’s Got Talent ft. Patrick Kun | Thaiger Podcast Ep.22

    https://youtu.be/_1_-C4GH8Mg   Patrick Kun, is the first Thai national who has worked up close and personal with world-renowned magicians, such as David Copperfield and David Blaine, designing props, illusions, and stage setups. Patrick has made a name for himself by creating amazing impromptu visual magic, using slight pan techniques to make each effect as visual as possible without utilizing any…

  • Bangkok taxi driver brawls with passenger in the street (video)

    Bangkok taxi driver brawls with passenger in the street (video)

    A fight broke out between a Bangkok taxi driver and a passenger in the middle of the street last night. The passenger allegedly tried to steal from the driver. In a clip circulating on social media, the cameraman shouts ‘Muay Thai!’ as a taxi driver, wearing a face mask throughout the whole fight, swings at the passenger and pushes him…

  • Thai woman alleges ex-husband kidnapped her daughter

    Thai woman alleges ex-husband kidnapped her daughter

    A Thai woman alleges that her ex-husband kidnapped her two year old daughter. The woman, 25 year old Pornapha ‘Pim’ Thankew told The Thaiger that on Sunday, January 1, her ex came to her house in the northeast Surin province to pick up their daughter. He told her that he was taking their daughter, Apichaya ‘Ung-Ing’ Thankew, to an ordination…

  • Princess Sirindhorn to be named Goodwill Ambassador

    Princess Sirindhorn to be named Goodwill Ambassador

    Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will be named Goodwill Ambassador again by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for her contributions to the empowerment of minority children and the preservation of intangible heritage. The princess was first appointed Goodwill Ambassador in March 2005 by then UNESCO director Sheldon Shaeffer, who recognised her decades of work…

  • Tourist numbers up, positive Covid-19 tests down

    Tourist numbers up, positive Covid-19 tests down

    Positive Covid-19 tests, hospitalisations and deaths dropped substantially in the third week of January. The much-needed return of tourists to the kingdom in substantial numbers has not produced the much-feared spike in Covid cases or deaths. All the metrics were down in the third week of January, with only a handful of foreigners testing positive. The Department of Disease Control…

  • President of Thailand’s Udon Thani FC ‘Madam Wi’ accused of fraud

    President of Thailand’s Udon Thani FC ‘Madam Wi’ accused of fraud

    “Madam Wi,” the president of Thai League 2 team Udon Thani FC in northeast Thailand, has been accused of fraud after allegedly deceiving people into paying her money to find them work in South Korea. Nine people filed a complaint at Mueang Udon Thani Police Station accusing 41 year old Arisara “Madam Wi” Chamun of fraud and violating the Employment…

  • Thai activists warn that new hair guidelines will allow schools to be more strict

    Thai activists warn that new hair guidelines will allow schools to be more strict

    A Thai student activist group warns that Thailand’s new guidelines for schools will allow schools to be stricter on students. This news comes after Education Minister Treenuch Thienthong signed an order cancelling the ministry’s 2020 regulation on student hairstyles on January 16. This week, Treenuch said she was preparing a guideline for schools on hairstyles. The draft guideline says that…

  • What changes did Google notice in Thailand’s web searches last year?

    What changes did Google notice in Thailand’s web searches last year?

    US multinational Google last year identified a substantial change in consumer trends in Thailand based on web searches conducted last year. The world’s favourite web browser discovered a change of direction in Thailand’s search engines which were split into three categories or trends in Google’s “Year in Search 2022 – Thailand” report, which opened a window into consumers’ behaviour. They…

  • Foreign tourist under investigation for free climbing in southern Thailand

    Foreign tourist under investigation for free climbing in southern Thailand

    A foreign tourist is under investigation for free climbing up a limestone cliff on an island off the coast of Krabi province in southern Thailand within national park boundaries. The Chief of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, Teekhawut Sriburin, is investigating a foreign tourist and a Thai boat operator after photos of a foreigner climbing up a limestone…

  • Thai navy rescues tourists caught in large Phuket waves

    Thai navy rescues tourists caught in large Phuket waves

    The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) rescued a group of tourists in distress who were caught in large waves on a fishing boat off Phuket. The RTN Third Area Command said they rescued the seven foreign tourists in the south of Phuket on Wednesday. The boat’s navigator was broken, leaving the captain unable to bring the boat back to the shore.…

  • Thai founder of stray animal shelter featured on Hershey’s chocolate bar wrapper

    Thai founder of stray animal shelter featured on Hershey’s chocolate bar wrapper

    A Thai woman who founded a shelter for stray animals and invested over 100 million baht in its care is featured on a Hershey’s chocolate bar wrapper to commemorate International Women’s Day on March 8. Hershey’s, one of the world’s biggest chocolate manufacturers, releases new chocolate bar wrappers to honour inspirational women on International Women’s Day. In recent years, the…

  • Australia returns 9 ancient Buddha statues to Thailand after 112 years

    Australia returns 9 ancient Buddha statues to Thailand after 112 years

    Nine wooden Buddha statues have returned to Thailand after being in Australia for 112 years. Murray Upton, an Australian man from Canberra, contacted the Royal Thai Embassy that he was in possession of nine ancient Buddha statues from Thailand. The Australian said he received the Buddha statues from his father. He said they were in his father’s possession since 1911.…

  • Russian man found hanged in Phuket

    Russian man found hanged in Phuket

    A Russian man was found hanged in his rented room in Phuket yesterday. The man, 36 year old Roman Melnik, was found hanged by a strap attached to the balcony door behind his room in Rawai, The Phuket Express reported. Police said Melnik is believed to have died some 12 hours before his body was found. Chalong Police Captain Charat…

  • Thai bride-to-be falls to death from Pattaya condo

    Thai bride-to-be falls to death from Pattaya condo

    A Thai bride-to-be fell to her death from a condominium in Pattaya in the early hours of this morning. Her friend told police that she and her foreign fiancé had just left her bar five minutes before she died. Mueang Pattaya Police Station officers and a rescue team were notified of the incident and rushed to the condo on Southern Pattaya…