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 How much travel insurance should cost you in Thailand (By trip length)
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Lottery fever grips Kham Chanod as lucky numbers vanish
Hopeful punters have swarmed Udon Thani’s mystical Kham Chanod Island, desperately trying to snag elusive lucky numbers before the lottery draw today. Yesterday, July 15, hundreds of visitors descended on the sacred home of Phaya Naga, where believers flock to seek blessings from Pu Sri Sutho and Mae Ya Sri Pratumma. Despite a noticeable drop in foot traffic this year,…
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Thailand to host 2025 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Championship
The Thai Cabinet yesterday approved a budget of over 424 million baht to host the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) Women’s Volleyball World Championship 2025. Thailand is set to host the tournament from August 22 to September 7 across four provinces: Bangkok, Nakhon Ratchasima, Phuket, and Chiang Mai. The budget of 424,177,200 baht was approved from the central emergency fund…
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Phuket MP fury as budget crumbs leave paradise island penniless
A furious Phuket MP slammed the Government of Thailand over a shockingly low stimulus handout, calling the move “a betrayal” and “an insult” to one of the country’s top tax-contributing provinces. Chalermpong Saengdee, who represents Constituency 2 for the opposition People’s Party, hit out after Phuket was handed just 267.34 million baht from the 157-billion-baht national stimulus budget, ranking 75th…
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Puff justice: Cops snuff out illegal cigarettes shop in Bangkok
A Chinese convenience store in the Prawet district of Bangkok was raided by police for selling illegal cigarettes. The operation yesterday, July 15, led by Police Colonel Santi Kornkasem, along with other officers, resulted in the arrest of Thai national, 32 year old Chutima or Yo and 29 year old Myanmar national, Naw Aye. They were found in possession of…
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Truck brake failure causes pile-up, four injured near Bangkok
A 10-wheel truck experienced brake failure and collided with eight vehicles, resulting in four injuries, outside a prominent shopping mall in Ngamwongwan. The incident led to severe traffic congestion. The driver faced charges but was released temporarily. Yesterday, July 15, at 8.30pm, officers from the Rattanathibet Police Station received reports of a 10-wheel truck experiencing brake failure and causing a…
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Thai travel subsidy fiasco triggers backlash
Thailand’s flagship tourism stimulus project has spiralled into disarray, sparking fury among hotel operators and senators alike as delays drag on with no end in sight. The Senate Committee on Tourism and Sports is now demanding answers from Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong over the botched rollout of the much-touted Half-Half Thai Travel scheme. Senate Committee Chairperson Phisut Rattanawong…
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Missing man’s body found in forest after week-long search
A 68 year old woman sought help at the Lan Sak Police Station on July 15, desperate to find her husband who had been missing for seven days. Anuban Sarasuwan, the headman of Rabam subdistrict, Uthai Thani province, accompanied the woman, Janhom, as she searched for her 62 year old husband, Bunliang, who had last been seen riding his motorbike…
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Wrong note: Thai man criticised for singing in middle of Pattaya road
A Thai man sparked safety concerns and drew online criticism after singing in the middle of an intersection in Pattaya on Monday, July 14. The witness, Ittinat Terdsaran, shared a video in a Facebook group named พัทยา (Pattaya), showing the singer dressed in elephant-themed clothing singing on a public road. In the caption, he wrote, “Pattaya, what are you doing…
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Malaysian caught smuggling drugs worth 90 million baht in Nan
A Malaysian national was apprehended at the Huai Kon border checkpoint in Nan province while attempting to smuggle 72 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine, valued at over 90 million baht, into Thailand. The arrest took place on July 14 after customs officials at the Thung Chang checkpoint noticed a suspicious vehicle with black smoke billowing from it. The suspect, Surrenthiran Jayabalan,…
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RTA ready to fence Ta Muen Thom temple amid tensions
The commander of Thailand’s 2nd Army Region has declared the military’s readiness to erect a fence around the disputed Ta Muen Thom temple in Surin province if the government and the Department of Fine Arts give the green light. Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang confirmed that, despite the simmering dispute, stability currently prevails along the border. He noted that while local…
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Ladyboyz n the hood: American left reeling after Pattaya rock attack
An American holidaymaker ended up bloodied and battered after a run-in with two transgender sex workers near Soi 6 in Pattaya turned violent, with one of them allegedly smashing a rock into his skull. The victim, Mr Saber, who was strolling through the notorious alley at around 4.30am, yesterday, July 15, told police he was approached by two scantily dressed…
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Thailand Video News | Tourists evacuated after Thai-Cambodian troops scuffle at Ta Muen Thom, Thai poll reveals over 80% want suspended PM to step down
A NIDA poll reveals over 80% of Thais want suspended PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra to step down or call fresh elections, reflecting political uncertainty. Meanwhile, social issues spark outrage as a man is arrested for assaulting autistic individuals in Chiang Mai. Pattaya’s new beach smoking ban faces backlash from tourists and expats, while local concerns grow over an Iranian national living…
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Loom and bust: Aussie men stitched up in Thai meth fabric sting
Three Aussie men have been charged after nearly 600 kilogrammes of methamphetamine, enough for six million hits, was found sewn into fabric rolls shipped from Thailand in a smuggling operation straight out of a crime thriller. Australian Border Force (ABF) officers swooped on the cargo at the Port of Brisbane on July 4, after eight wooden crates labelled as “UV…
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Anutin dismisses Khao Kradong land dispute investigation
Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul dismissed a renewed investigation into the Khao Kradong land dispute in Buriram, asserting that all actions taken during his tenure as interior minister were lawful. The dispute involves land claimed by both the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and private individuals linked to Bhumjaithai. In 2021, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the SRT,…
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Bomb attack injures four rangers in Yala’s Bannang Sata district
A group of unidentified perpetrators orchestrated a bomb attack on a unit of rangers from the 3306 Task Force in Bannang Sata district, Yala province. The attack, which took place around 1.20pm, yesterday, July 15, left four rangers injured while on patrol in Moo 2, Ban Kue Da village. They were promptly transported to Bannang Sata hospital for urgent medical…
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Uzbek man arrested for abusing, stealing from girlfriend in Phuket
Phuket police officers yesterday arrested an Uzbek man on suspicion of physically abusing his girlfriend and stealing her belongings. The victim, whose nationality was not reported, filed a complaint with Wichit Police Station on Sunday, July 13, alleging that her Uzbek boyfriend, later identified as 41 year old Artur Amirbekov, had attacked her at her condominium in the Wichit sub-district…
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Baht out of hell: British man in wheelchair fleeced by Pattaya babes
A disabled British tourist was left humiliated and penniless after three Pattaya Beach babes robbed him blind while he was in the shower, then vanished into the night. The victim, Chris John Glennon, who is speech-impaired and uses a wheelchair, told police he had invited two Thai women and a transgender woman back to his hotel after meeting them on Pattaya…
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Heavy rainfall warning for 40 Thai provinces, flash floods likely
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) today issued a warning for heavy rainfall across 40 provinces in Thailand, with 60% of these areas expected to be affected. Nine provinces, including Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit, Loei, Nong Khai, Chanthaburi, and Trat, are particularly at risk of flash floods and forest runoffs on July 16. This weather pattern is influenced by…
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Mother seeks justice after 9 year old daughter alleges sexual abuse by abbot
A Thai mother is seeking justice for her nine year old daughter, accusing an abbot in the central province of Pathum Thani of sexually abusing the girl in a temple bathroom. The 39 year old mother, May, reported the alleged sexual abuse via the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women‘s hotline number 1134 on July 1. May revealed in the…
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Off her bag: Pattaya bar girl dumped as dodgy duo do a runner
A boozy night ended in mystery and mayhem after a dazed Pattaya bar girl was found dumped by the roadside, mumbling and confused, as two unscrupulous men rifled through her handbag. In the early hours of yesterday, July 15, rescue workers and police were called to the scene near Mae Wilai Market after reports of a woman in distress. The…
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Thailand calls Cambodia to Bangkok for border talks
Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa confirmed today that Thailand will send an official invitation to Cambodia for the long-awaited seventh Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting. The summit is scheduled for September 15 in the Thai capital, with hopes of injecting momentum into stalled negotiations over contested stretches of their shared frontier. Speaking at Government House, Maris admitted the border situation has…
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Phuket bust: Dealer caught with meth in sea gypsy village
A late-night raid in Phuket’s Rawai Sea Gypsy Village landed a 22 year old in handcuffs after security officers uncovered a stash of crystal methamphetamine and pills hidden along a narrow walkway. Yesterday, July 14, Phuket police swooped to arrest Sompop, also known as Oh, a young man from Rawai subdistrict, on charges of dealing and possessing illegal drugs. The operation…
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Bangkok sinking: City could be underwater by 2030
Bangkok, already notorious for choking traffic and fierce floods, is now staring down an even grimmer fate—sinking beneath the sea within the next decade if climate change and unchecked development continue unabated. Recent studies have singled out Bangkok alongside Jakarta as two of Southeast Asia’s fastest-sinking cities. According to The Guardian, Bangkok is subsiding by over one centimetre a year…
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Thailand commits 1,200 scholarships to boost educational equity
Deputy Education Minister Rinthipond Varinvatchararoj has reinforced the government’s dedication to the Outstanding Development Opportunity Scholarship (ODOS) by announcing the allocation of 1,200 scholarships in the programme’s third phase. At a briefing focused on school registration for ODOS, Rinthipond underscored the ongoing emphasis on educational investment under the leadership of suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. She stressed the significance of…
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Thai delivery rider sued for sharing client’s image leading to cyberbullying
A Thai woman is taking legal action against a parcel delivery rider after he secretly took her photograph and shared it on social media, leading to cyberbullying and body shaming. The victim, known as Mint, is seeking justice after receiving offensive comments from strangers, despite having no prior conflict with them. She shared the incident on her Facebook account, writing……
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Thai man arrested for assaulting autistic woman and boy in Chiang Mai
Police arrested a Thai man for physically assaulting two autistic victims, one of whom was a seven year old boy, on a footpath in Chiang Mai on Sunday, July 13. The victims, an autistic woman named JJ and her seven year old nephew Krit, contacted the Emmy Volunteer team, alleging that police officers ignored their case. The volunteer team pledged…
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Cambodia accused of claiming Thailand’s royal literary treasures
A storm is brewing between Thailand and Cambodia after claims emerged online that 22 classic Thai literary works have been quietly registered as Cambodian cultural heritage with UNESCO, sparking outrage over what critics are calling a brazen cultural grab. Social media erupted this week when reports circulated alleging that Cambodia had listed dozens of Thai literary masterpieces—many composed by Thai…
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Thai-Cambodian border closure disrupts trade, boosts Vietnamese imports
The closure of permanent border checkpoints at Ban Hat Lek and temporary border points in Trat province and other areas along the Thai-Cambodian border has led to significant disruptions for traders. Both in the Koh Kong province of Cambodia and at the Ban Hat Lek border market, businesses have been affected. As a result, Cambodian traders are increasingly sourcing goods…
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Mother seeks justice after toddler injured under friend’s care
An 18 year old woman filed a complaint with Lak Song Police Station after her two year and 10 month old son sustained severe injuries while being cared for by a close friend. The incident, which occurred yesterday, July 14, at Mit Pracha Hospital, has left the child with bruises and swollen eyes. The boy’s mother, A, explained that she…
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Phuket declared nearly rabies-free thanks to Soi Dog
In a remarkable triumph for animal welfare and public health, Phuket has emerged as one of the safest destinations in Southeast Asia for pet-loving tourists, thanks to a relentless campaign that has driven rabies risk down to almost zero. Southeast Asia’s largest dog and cat charity, Soi Dog Foundation, announced this week that the island has recorded only one human…
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