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 Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained
Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...
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Ladyboy steals 10,000 baht from Israeli tourist’s pocket in Bangkok
A ladyboy was arrested for stealing 10,700 baht from an Israeli tourist on Sukhumvit Soi 4 in Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday night. A 63 year old man of Israeli nationality travelled to Lumpini Police Station late on Monday night to report that a ladyboy stole 10,700 baht from his pocket as she hugged him. The victim managed to snap a…
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Amnesty highlights importance of upcoming general election for Thai politicians to protect and promote human rights
Amnesty highlights the upcoming general elections in Thailand, set for 14 May, as a crucial opportunity for political parties and candidates to publicly commit to protecting and promoting human rights, including the rights of disadvantaged groups, civil society, and young people. Chanathip Thitiyakarunwong, a regional researcher for Amnesty International in Thailand, emphasized that the new Thai government must guarantee that…
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Soldier punished for political post in Whatsapp group
The 4th Army Area Command has imposed penalties, including 30 days of imprisonment and suspension of annual salary increments, on a soldier who posted politically biased messages on a Line group, contravening an order by the Army Commander to maintain political neutrality. The army spokesperson, Second Lieutenant Paramote Promin, announced disciplinary measures against a soldier for inappropriate political conduct and…
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Horny couple caught having sex at work sets Thai social media abuzz
A couple of horny factory workers set tongues wagging on Thai social media after being caught having sex at work in Rayong, East Thailand. The randy factory workers were caught in the throes of passion in the middle of a warehouse while on the clock. A female colleague, far from being shocked or offended, recorded the entire pornographic encounter on video…
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Over 300,000 advance voting ballots unreadable due to handwriting issues in Thai election
Pattharaporn Tan-ngam, a journalist for Thai PBS, posted a shocking video clip on her personal Facebook account, which featured an interview with Pongsatorn Wisetsuwan, the Deputy Managing Director of Thailand Post Co. Ltd. In the video, Pongsatorn revealed that over 300,000 already-cast ballots from the advance voting conducted on April 7 were unreadable due to poor handwriting on the envelopes.…
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Police say woman found dead in Chiang Mai condo wasn’t murdered
UPDATE Despite police saying that they assumed the woman found dead in a condo room in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, this morning was murdered by her foreign husband, they are now saying she was not murdered at all. Pol. Lt. Col. Phirom Yosalai, an inspector at Mae Ping Police Station, said the woman is expected to have died from an…
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Firefighters rescue elderly woman from burning building in Pattaya
Firefighters rescued an elderly woman from a burning building in Pattaya last night. The incident occurred on Soi Bongkot 4 in the Nong Prue sub-district of Bang Lamung district. Firefighters received a call at around 8pm reporting a fire at the TG Battery Shop on Soi Bongkot 4. They arrived at the scene along with Sawang Boriboon rescuers. Upon arrival,…
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Thai singer files complaint against unhinged neighbour after five years of disturbing anti-social behaviour
A Thai singer and businessperson filed a complaint against his seemingly unhinged anti-social neighbour for a series of disturbing incidents that have occurred over the past five years. The woman in question smashed his car with a hammer, threw urine and poo at his house, and attacked an employee with liquid acid. On Tuesday, May 2, Teerasak “Ko” Phantujariya took…
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Thai officials seek to draw tourists to lesser-known spots
Thai officials are seeking to draw tourists to lesser-known spots in the Land of Smiles. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently launched a new campaign aimed at promoting Thailand’s lesser-known destinations, NNT reported yesterday. Dubbed “Amazing Secondary Cities, Must Visit, Must Love,” the campaign aims to highlight the unique cultural heritage of these areas through storytelling, to provide meaningful…
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BJT sues Chuvit Kamolvisit for damage to party reputation
The Bhumjaithai Party (BJT) has filed a lawsuit against the former politician and whistleblower Chuvit Kamolvisit, accusing him of damaging the reputation of its party candidates and seeking 100 million baht in damages. The party’s lawyers, Natchanikarn Ketkhamkhwa and Pichai Iem-on claim that Chuvit has harmed the party’s popularity in the lead-up to the general elections. The BJT is also…
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Transwoman physically assaulted by bar guards in Phuket
A Thai transwoman filed a complaint at Patong Police Station on Tuesday, May 9, after four to five security guards at a bar in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket physically assaulted her and forcibly removed her from the venue without a reason. The 27 year old transwoman posted a video on her TikTok account, Prasita Punyang, three days ago of…
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Six arrested for wildlife trafficking and macaques rescue in Phetchaburi
Phetchaburi authorities arrested six members of a wildlife trafficking gang and rescued over ten macaques near a hill in the Muang district. The arrests took place today morning following a tip-off, leading the police to the foothill of Khao Luang in tambon Thongchai, where they discovered the group capturing long-tailed macaques. Upon monitoring the gang, officers observed four men and…
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Thai woman found dead in Chiang Mai condo, farang husband missing
This story has been updated. Police launched a murder investigation after the body of a Thai woman was discovered in a rented room at a famous condo in Chiang Mai province, northern Thailand, this morning. The deceased’s “farang husband,” who also lives in the room, is nowhere to be found. At approximately 10.45am, officers at Mae Ping Police Station were…
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Uncle Tu offers prayers at Nakhon Si Thammarat main shrine before attending grand rally as lottery enthusiasts gather to buy lucky numbers
Yesterday in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand, General Prayut Chan-o-cha, a prime ministerial candidate for the Palang Pracharath Party, spent the whole day campaigning and visiting five districts. Later, he concluded the campaign with a large rally at the city’s central sports field, ahead of the elections on May 14. Feeling tired from the continuous travel and rallies, Prayut took…
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Chinese mother laughs as son smuggles her gold bracelet as a gift for his preschool crush
A video of a Chinese boy admitting to taking his mother’s gold bracelet to primary school has gone viral online. In the clip, a young boy can be seen confessing to his mother that he took her valuable jewellery, worth nearly 48,000 baht (US$1,540), to school to give to his girlfriend. The mother’s laughter as she questions her son has…
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Shooting instructor opens fire in Rayong, Thailand
A shooting instructor who is a former soldier fired gunshots from inside a house in Rayong province in eastern Thailand this morning. Police surrounded the house but the gunman still hasn’t surrendered. No injuries or fatalities have been reported. At 7am, officers at Mueang Rayong Police Station received a call from 70 year old “Rang” to help arrest his “manic”…
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Tattooed Thai gangster-turned-influencer Keng Laiprang sentenced to prison
UPDATE Thai gangster-turned-star Panya Yimumphai – better known as Keng Laiprang – was sentenced to 10 months and 40 days in prison yesterday for persuading his followers to gamble online in a TikTok clip. At 10am, police escorted 41 year old Keng Laiprang to Don Mueang District Court to face trial for the charge of “persuading others, directly or indirectly,…
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Thailand to tighten penalties for illegal surrogacy facilitators
The Department of Health Service Support (DHSS) is in the process of drafting an amendment to the “Protection of a Child Born by Medically Assisted Reproductive Technology Act, B.E. 2558 (2015)” to increase penalties against individuals involved in illegal surrogacy in Thailand. This includes brokers and women who are hired for the purpose of surrogacy. According to DHSS chief Sura…
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Cyanide serial killer’s sister-in-law questioned for possessing victim’s assets
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) summoned and questioned the sister-in-law and younger brother of the cyanide serial killer, Sararat “Am” Rangsiwuthaporn, after her sister-in-law was found to have a designer bag and mobile phone belonging to her latest victim. The Thai cyanide serial killer is currently imprisoned at the Central Women Correctional Institution in Bangkok after being accused of taking…
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Rare ceremony for Jao Por Xiang Do brings luck and excitement to Surin community after 10 years
Yesterday, at 9am, more than 1,000 participants gathered for a ceremony at the Seiang Do Shrine near the Huay Kaew water storage in Rattnaburi, Surin province. This ritual was a part of the annual Boon Bang Fai ceremony for Surin province’s Ban Phue community in Rattanaburi. It serves to preserve ancient cultural traditions and is being held for the first…
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NACC requires political parties to submit policy corruption risk assessments to EC
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has announced that it requires every political party to submit their policy corruption risk assessment criteria reports to the Election Commission (EC) urgently as the EC will forward the findings to the NACC after this Sunday’s election. The NACC stated that it wanted to clarify the urgent letter issued on May 3 to all political…
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Legal action against violent demonstrators at Samran Rat police station
Authorities have confirmed their intentions to take legal action against a group of demonstrators involved in a violent protest at Samran Rat police station. The demonstration occurred on Wednesday night and saw nine protesters arrested for their alleged role in leading about 20 people to spray paint the station in the Phra Nakhon district. The Metropolitan Police Division 6’s commander,…
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Kiwi tourist pleads guilty to ecstasy possession in Phuket, Thailand
A tourist from New Zealand pleaded guilty to drug possession at a court in Phuket, southern Thailand, on Monday. In September, police arrested 45 year old Ari Michael Salinger after finding two ecstasy tablets on his person. He was released on bail and his passport was confiscated while awaiting trial. On Monday, the court sentenced Salinger to a “small fine”…
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Campaign urges senators to back winning party in forming Thai government
A campaign led by a group of academics is calling for the support of senators for the political party that secures the most House seats in Sunday’s election, in hopes to establish a new government efficiently. The public can contribute their views on this initiative from midday on Monday until midday Wednesday by voting through the QR code provided by…
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Progressive Movement’s Piyabutr Saengkanokkul supports MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat amid election eligibility controversy
Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, an influential figure in Thailand’s Progressive Movement and a key helper for the Move Forward Party’s election campaign, encouraged the party’s supporters on Thursday to stand firm against attempts to discredit Pita Limjaroenrat, the 42-year-old leader and sole prime ministerial candidate for the MFP. He also urged them to fight against efforts to prevent the party from achieving…
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Chartthaipattana Party aims for 25 parliamentary seats and support of monarchy in election
The leader of the Chartthaipattana Party, Varawut Silpa-archa, said yesterday that his party would obtain at least 25 Parliamentary seats in the upcoming General Election on Sunday. He expressed the party’s desire to form a government with other parties supporting the monarchy. Varawut assigned all candidates from the party to participate in on-site campaign rallies. He commented on the complexities…
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Thundershowers, winds, rain, and floods expected in Thailand
The Thai Meteorological Department warns of thundershowers, gusty winds, heavy rain, and floods in Thailand. In upper Thailand, the department warns of a tropical storm that could bring thundershowers and gusty winds until Monday (May 15). In addition, heavy rains, hailstorms and lightning are forecast in some areas during this period. People living in upper Thailand have been advised to…
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RTA army chief assures there’ll be ‘no coups on his watch’
Royal Thai Army (RTA) Chief General Narongpan Jittkaewtae assured the Thai public yesterday that there would be no coups on his watch, stating that the term should not exist in anyone’s vocabulary. General Narongpan is set to retire on September 30 and provided reassurances in the lead-up to the elections on Sunday. There have been concerns about possible unrest following…
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Lottery predictions for May 16: Exploring prominent numbers and news stories
In recent lottery news, various prominent numbers and stories have been making headlines and The Thaiger has compiled the most interesting updates for readers to ponder over. In one piece of news, a TikTok user under the account ‘nid8857,’ posted a video sharing five sets of Chinese calendar lottery numbers: 549, 4951, 240, 920, and 346. Another story that has…
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Tourists warned against taking ‘Happy Water’ drug in Thailand
Thailand‘s Department of Medicine is warning partygoers against taking “Happy Water,” a dangerous cocktail of various illicit drugs which has become an “epidemic” in the country’s nightlife scene, reports KhaoSod. Happy Water is made by mixing various drugs into a sweetened drink, typically including ketamine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, diazepam, caffeine, and tramadol all in one, according to the Deputy Director-General of…
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