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 Planning to extend your Thai visa? Why health insurance is more important than ever
If you plan to stay longer in Thailand, having health insurance is now more important than ever. Thai immigration often asks for proof of medical coverage when you apply to extend your visa. This applies to many types of visas,...
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Roojai revs up for success: Thai online insurer aims to drive into top 10 with profitable year ahead
Online insurance firm Roojai is poised to post its first profit from Thai operations in the fiscal year ending March 2024, according to founder and CEO Nicolas Faquet. This is largely attributable to the company’s growth in motor insurance sales, as it sets its sights on becoming a top 10 player in this segment by next year. Faquet revealed it…
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Beauty clinics raid in Bangkok: Over 940 items seized for illicit use of cosmetics
The Central Criminal Investigation Bureau (CCIB) led by Major Anan Nanasombat, with Surasak Vichaisak, Director of Health Support Services, and Paisan Dankhum, Secretary of the Food and Drug Committee, today announced the results of a raid on four beauty clinics in Suan Luang, Bueng Kum, Dusit and Wang Thonglang. The clinics were found to be illicitly using cosmetics as substitutes…
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Phuket’s 191 hotline control room gets ‘ready to dial’
The Phuket control room, part of the National Emergency Notification Center and commonly referred to as the 191 police hotline, yesterday underwent an operational readiness inspection. Police Major General Saksira Phueakam, the Deputy Commander of Region 8 Police, conducted the assessment. This control room serves as a crucial hub for receiving reports from both Thai and foreign tourists, as well…
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14 year old schoolboy stabs rival student to death at school near Bangkok
A 14 year old schoolboy fatally stabbed a 15 year old rival student at a school in Bangkok’s Chacheongsao province yesterday after an argument prior to the incident. Community leader Korrakot Tungphan told ThaiRath that he received news of the stabbing at 5pm yesterday and immediately rushed to the school. Upon arrival, he encountered a group of teachers and students…
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Powder puff surprise: Methamphetamine-filled makeup case shocks salon in northeast Thailand
An intriguing incident took place yesterday in a beauty salon located in Thammasat Alley, Udon Thani province when an unknown woman handed over a powder case to a 52 year old woman. Astonishingly, the powder case turned out to be stuffed with 30 methamphetamine pills. Stunned by the discovery, the receiver of the powder case, Patsakorn, immediately reported it to the…
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105,000 baht windfall goes downhill: Thai man’s road to trouble after purse find
Police arrested a Thai man who discovered 105,000 baht in a purse on the road behind a hospital in the central province of Nakhon Sawan and spent it on drugs, gambling, a new motorcycle and a new mobile phone. A Thai woman, Wannapa Kaewtakun, told ThaiRath that she withdrew the 75,000 baht from an ATM at 8.20pm on September 15 and…
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Tragic collision in Thailand’s west claims life in high-speed horror
A fatal collision between a saloon car and a pickup truck occurred on the roads of Kanchanaburi province, western Thailand. The high-speed crash resulted in the death of a man who was thrown from the pickup truck and subsequently crushed. The incident was reported to Tha Mueang Police Station at 3.30am today. Investigations at the fatal collision scene revealed a…
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Bonding for the future: Thai govt sets sail with expanded issuance
The director-general of the Public Debt Management Office (PDMO) yesterday asserted that the planned issuance of government bonds in fiscal next year will be proportionate and appropriate. The limit for bond issuance for the said fiscal year has been expanded by approximately 160 billion baht. Patricia Mongkhonvanit revealed the increase is intended to counterbalance the budget deficit for fiscal next…
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Overstaying Indian man requests extension to spend budget before he’s deported
Thai Immigration Police arrested an Indian man in the southern province of Phattalung for overstaying his visa by over five months. The foreign man reportedly asked to extend his stay to travel to Pattaya as he still had money left over for the trip. Phattalung Provincial Immigration authorities detained 31 year old Gurinder Singh while he was aboard a train…
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Thai Prime Minister Srettha rolls up changes: Strict revisions ahead for cannabis laws
The Prime Minister of Thailand announced plans to revise the nation’s cannabis law and put an end to the free use of cannabis. PM Srettha Thavisin emphasized that cannabis should be used only for medical purposes. As Thailand was the first country in Asia to remove cannabis from its list of illegal narcotics last year, Bloomberg interviewed Thai PM Srettha about…
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Heartbroken British mother accuses Thai officials of ‘lies’ in son’s alleged suicide in Thailand
A British mother slammed the Thai authorities as “liars” after they informed her of her son’s alleged suicide in Thailand. Darnel Kimbia was reportedly found dead in a Bangkok car park on Sukhumvit Soi 50 on Thursday, September 7 with a suicide note lying by his side. The 24 year old man from Brighton had been travelling in Thailand for a…
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Baht depreciation: Experts foresee currency’s decline amid global market turbulence
Financial experts are predicting a further depreciation of the baht throughout this month and next, due to the increased volatility in the global money and capital markets. This follows the US Federal Reserve’s recent suggestion of a potential increase in its benchmark interest rate. Poon Panitchpibun, a strategist at Krungthai Global Market, a research centre of Krungthai Bank, noted that…
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BEV sales set to outstrip targets despite stricter loan criteria
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) predicts sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to exceed the set target of 40,000 units, by reaching between 60,000 to 70,000 units this year. This surge is despite the stricter loan criteria by banks, which pose a potential threat to Thailand’s domestic car manufacturing. According to Surapong Paisitpatanapong, vice-chairman of the FTI and spokesperson…
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TrueMoney, true borders: Fintech giants unite for cross-border payments
Ant Group and TrueMoney, a dominant fintech company in Southeast Asia, have forged a collaboration to facilitate mobile payments across borders between China and Thailand, a move that will see Thai tourists making cross-border payments to millions of merchants in China via the TrueMoney e-wallet. The cross-border payments are facilitated by Alipay+, a cross-border mobile payment ecosystem under Ant Group,…
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Energy Absolute sees a revenue soar due to EV demand and battery sales
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET)-listed renewable energy and electric vehicle (EV) developer and operator, Energy Absolute (EA), is set to record a significant surge in its total revenue. This year’s revenue is projected to exceed 41 billion baht, a substantial leap from last year’s 27.5 billion baht. This surge can be attributed to the burgeoning demand for commercial EVs…
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Thailand’s 1 trillion baht land bridge project seeks foreign investors
Thailand’s Transport Ministry is actively seeking investors for a megaproject, dubbed the land bridge, which aims to connect Chumphon on the Gulf of Thailand’s eastern coastline to Ranong along the Andaman Sea. The mission to attract funds will involve roadshows in China, Europe, and the United States. Suriya Jungrungreangkit, the Transport Minister, shared these updates on the project’s progress in…
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Teenagers accused of sexual assault on minor after cannabis use, victim pregnant
A 15 year old teenager, part of a group of five, has been accused of sexually assaulting a 14 year old girl, who is now pregnant after they had consumed cannabis. The girl’s aunt reported the incident to the Khlong Luang Police Station at 11am today. The aunt, accompanied by Cholada Butwicha, a representative from the Survive page, brought the…
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Arresting attention: Handsome traffic officer’s viral photo drives social media frenzy in Thailand
A traffic officer’s photograph from the Facebook page of Phitsanulok City Police Station Traffic Department has gone viral, attributing its popularity to the officer’s good looks. The post, which was accompanied by a message encouraging safe driving and compliance with traffic laws, attracted numerous comments, especially from women expressing a desire to be arrested. The flurry of queries about the…
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Thai government courts BlackRock for BGC investment
The Thai government recently initiated discussions with New York-based BlackRock Inc., the globe’s most prominent asset management firm, aiming to draw investments for Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) business sector. In a significant move, this conversation placed a spotlight on Thailand’s commitment to sustainable economic growth, aligning with global green trends. Chai Watcharong, the government spokesperson, disclosed that the dialogue between Prime…
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Design disability disaster: Thailand’s online critique on wheelchair walkway accessibility
The online community in Thailand is buzzing with criticism, following the sharing of a photo depicting a poorly designed walkway for people with disabilities. The image shows a sign for a wheelchair-accessible route set in the middle of a narrow, uneven pavement, blocked by an electricity pole. Frustratingly, the location has not been named. Online users are urging local authorities…
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Elderly man found dead in Nakhon Ratchasima home, alcohol poisoning suspected
A 65 year old man was discovered dead in his home yesterday in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand after locals detected a foul smell. The authorities suspect he had been dead for about two days before his body was found yesterday. The deceased, named Amnuay (surname withheld), was discovered alone in his house in the Dan Kwian district, wearing only a pair…
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Nigerian arrested in Bangkok for drug trafficking, used cookie box to hide cocaine
In a recent drug trafficking bust, Bangkok Metropolitan Police (BMP) apprehended a Nigerian man involved in the possession and sale of cocaine, following a tip-off about his activities in the Rama 9 area of the capital. The BMP apprehended the Nigerian man, Chiemela Solomon Onu, for possessing and selling cocaine. The arrest took place at a condominium in the Rama…
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Chilling confession: Sadistic child killer reveals horror tale behind children’s murders
Sadistic child killer Songsak Songsaeng revealed to police officers the harrowing details of his children’s murders. He claimed that he killed only three of them and that two others died of illness. KhaoSod reported today that Songsak shifted blame for his violent acts onto his wives and children. He further claimed that his mental health issues had made it difficult…
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Double rainbow dazzles northeastern Thailand with hopes of good fortune
An unusual spectacle of two rainbows at once stirred excitement among the residents of Sisaket, in northeastern Thailand who believe it to be a sign of forthcoming good fortune. The rare phenomenon occurred following a day of continuous heavy rainfall, which had cast a gloomy atmosphere over the area. As the rain ceased and sunlight pierced through the cloud cover,…
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Roof ruckus: Thai roofing contractor shot dead by condo owner over wrong roof design
A Thai condominium owner shot dead a roofing contractor because he didn’t like the design of the roof he constructed in Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok. Bang Sao Thong Police Station officers rushed to the scene of the shooting at a pool hall on Soi Thai Prakan 2/1 in Bang Sao Thong district, Samut Prakarn province. Officers found one man…
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Cool ride, hot water: Fake licence plate lands young Thai man in prison
A young Thai man faces five years in prison after he was arrested by Ubon Ratchathani Highway Police for using a fake red licence plate. The suspect had a genuine plate but claimed he used the fraudulent one to make his vehicle look cool. The police suspect he was trying to evade traffic tickets. Forging government documents, such as licence…
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Former Thai PM Thaksin’s parole could be as early as February
Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is expected to be granted parole as early as the latter part of February next year, following a reduction of his original eight-year prison term to a single year. This update was provided by a high-ranking official from the Department of Corrections. The 74 year old former prime minister made his way back to Thailand…
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Police officer fatally shot by colleague at Thai ops base
A terrifying incident unfolded when a police officer from a special operations unit was brutally gunned down by a fellow officer at their operations base in Rangae district, Narathiwat, southern Thailand. The victim was on guard duty when his colleague unleashed a hail of bullets from an M16 rifle, instantly killing him. National Police Chief Police General Damrongsak Kittiprapas promptly…
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Phuket’s taxi turf war: App-hailing shakes up local cooperatives
The rise in popularity of taxi apps and cheaper fares threatens the long-standing dominance of local taxi cooperatives at key tourist locations in Phuket. Officials convened with representatives of these groups yesterday to address the emerging issues. The discussion took place at the Phuket Provincial Ombudsman’s Office and was led by Phuket Vice Governor Anupap Rodkhwan Yodrambam. One contentious issue…
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Lucky gecko’s double tail: The house’s ticket to lottery fortune in Thailand
Residents of a house believe a distinctive two-tailed gecko they spotted clinging to a wall in Phayao province, Thailand is a lucky lottery omen. The homeowner, holding a belief in the superstition that geckos are harbingers of good luck, decided to take a chance with the lottery by using the house number. These particular geckos, remarkably plump and measuring approximately…
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