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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Locals question Pattaya’s silence on Songkran traffic preparations
Pattaya is bracing for heavy traffic and travel delays as the city gears up for the annual Songkran holiday next week. As visitors flood into the seaside hotspot, both foot and vehicle traffic are expected to surge. But like in previous years, locals remained concerned about the expected gridlock. Last year, one local recalled how officials tried to control traffic…
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Former guard arrested for robbery to fund gambling, Songkran
A former security guard has been apprehended for allegedly robbing a woman on a motorcycle to finance gambling and Songkran festivities. Yesterday, April 6, Police Major General Komsit Rangsai of Metropolitan Police Bureau 9, alongside Deputy Police Colonel Teerachai Detkad and Police Colonel Wichayanon Ektasaeng of Tha Kham Police Station, received a report from Police Lieutenant Colonel Thanakorn Chanrod and…
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Swept into chaos! Bangkok road sweepers battered in bin bust-up
Two Bangkok road sweepers sustained injuries while on duty following a physical assault by a male vendor in the Samphan Thawong district at the weekend in a rubbish collection dispute. The Facebook page Red Skull XXX shared a video of the altercation, which occurred on Saturday, April 5, in the middle of an alley in the Samphan Thawong area. The post…
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K9 team wraps up collapsed Bangkok building search after 11 days
The K9 urban search and rescue (USAR) Thailand team has called off the search for missing persons in the aftermath of the tragic State Audit Office building collapse, confirming the end of their heroic operation. After a grueling 11 days of searching since the disaster on Friday, March 28, Suthikiat Sophonik, Director of the National Rescue Dog Organisation, announced that…
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Thai motorcyclist dies after crash into cement post and pond
A 25 year old man died when his motorcycle skidded off a curve and crashed into a cement post, propelling him into a pond. Yesterday, April 6, at 11am, officers from Ban Pho Police Station and emergency services in Chachoengsao were alerted to the discovery of a man’s body in a fish pond near a motorcycle at the entrance of…
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Excise crackdown: 2.7 billion baht fines for tax evasion surge
The Excise Department has been directed to swiftly enforce a zero-tolerance policy on excise tax evasion, focusing on breaches of excise regulations. Deputy Finance Minister Paopoom Rojanasakul emphasised efforts to prevent the smuggling of goods without tax payment, particularly across borders and through online platforms. The department expressed a commitment to prosecuting and taking action against those involved in selling…
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Butt of the bust! Cops stub out 3 million baht cig smuggling racket
Police yesterday intercepted a shipment of illegal cigarettes worth approximately 3 million baht, hidden among parcels on a truck. The driver claimed ignorance of the cargo’s contents, saying warehouse staff loaded the vehicle. Police Lieutenant Colonel Waris Machcha from Highway Police Station 3, Division 7, led the operation yesterday, April 6, that seized 5,480 packs of foreign cigarettes that had…
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Brief encounter! Lawyer cuffed over ‘land grab’ threats in Phuket
A Phuket lawyer found himself on the wrong side of the law after allegedly trying to muscle in on someone else’s land, using threats and intimidation to stake his claim. Anantrak Phethin was nicked in broad daylight on Thursday morning, April 3, in the car park of the Phuket Provincial Land Office, after cops swooped in with a court-issued arrest…
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Thailand to boost US imports amid 36% tariff on exports
The Government of Thailand has committed to boosting imports of energy, aircraft, and agricultural products from the United States. This decision is part of efforts to counteract the impact of the US’s 36% tariff on Thai exports, according to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira is set to lead a delegation to the US this week to address…
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Elderly woman with Alzheimer’s dies after fall in Prachin Buri pit
A 72 year old woman with Alzheimer’s disease tragically died after falling into a 10 metre deep pit in Prachin Buri province. Her brother, who noticed her absence, discovered her body. The victim lived alone and suffered from Alzheimer’s and heart disease for over two years. At 2.30pm yesterday, April 6, Police Lieutenant Ratthaphon Yodkruea, deputy inspector (investigation) of Mueang…
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Thai bus driver and passenger lose lives in collision with truck
A coach driver and a passenger lost their lives after a bus collided with a six-wheel truck on a road in the central province of Pathum Thani yesterday. Officers from Lat Lum Kaeo Police Station investigated the fatal accident on Road 346 in the Lat Lum Kaeo district of Pathum Thani at 8.20am, yesterday, April 6. The Por Teck Tung…
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Tragic accident in Chon Buri claims life of lottery winner
A 55 year old lottery winner tragically lost his life after being run over by a truck in Chon Buri yesterday. The man, identified as Praphan from Ubon Ratchathani, was found with a winning lottery ticket in his possession that he had not yet cashed. At approximately 4.30pm, yesterday, April 6, police from Mueang Chon Buri received reports of an…
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Families to receive up to 2 million baht after Bangkok building collapse
Families of those who lost their lives in the collapse of the State Audit Office building are set to receive compensation from the Ministry of Labour, amounting up to 2 million baht per family. Boonsong Thapchaiyuth, the ministry’s permanent secretary, visited the Coordination and Assistance Centre to assure both migrant and Thai workers of equal treatment. He stated that relatives…
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Songkran event: Fatal shooting, journalist threatened with death (video)
A Songkran Festival event at Tawanna Shopping Centre in the Bang Kapi area of Bangkok has been cancelled following a fatal shooting on Saturday night. A Thai journalist team was reportedly threatened with death by one of the event organisers. The Facebook page Jmoi V+ (เจ๊มอย v+) shared a video of the altercation on Saturday, April 5, between two groups…
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Drug gang caught with two million meth pills in Loei
A drug trafficking gang attempted to use the long holiday to smuggle two million methamphetamine pills from a neighbouring country. They were apprehended at a checkpoint after trying to flee. Yesterday, April 6, Police Lieutenant General Chatchai Surachetphong, Major General Boonsin Phadklang, Loei Provincial Governor Chaiphot Charoonpong, Police Major General Wiradech Lekaworakul, Police Lieutenant Colonel Yutthawat Chokchai, Police Colonel Natthakrit…
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American nurse recovers after cheating death in Krabi moped crash
An American nurse went from ziplining with elephants to clinging to life in a Thai hospital but now she is thrilled to be back home after a moped crash in Krabi left her face shattered and her future uncertain. Sierra Fairhurst, an intensive care nurse at Salem Hospital in Massachusetts, was on holiday in Thailand with friends when disaster struck.…
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SRT confirms high-speed rail steel meets safety standards
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has confirmed that the steel used in the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project complies with all engineering and quality standards. This assurance follows detailed inspections initiated due to public concerns after an earthquake in Myanmar on Friday, March 28, which sent tremors to Bangkok, resulting in the collapse of the State Audit Office building in…
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Summer storm set to batter Thailand with wild weather
The Thai Meteorological Department has issued a warning for today, April 7, forecasting a summer storm set to sweep across northern and northeastern Thailand, bringing with it strong winds and hailstones in some unlucky spots. Meanwhile, Bangkok and surrounding areas aren’t off the hook either, with thunderstorms expected to lash 30% of the capital, commuters could be in for a…
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Busted: ‘Pilot’ grounded in Bang Lamung drug operation
In a dramatic late-night raid, Bang Lamung police swooped on a major drug operation, arresting two suspects, including a deliveryman dubbed the “pilot” of the trade. The suspects were cornered at 10.36pm yesterday, April 6, in a rented Laem Chabang room, as police swooped in. Led by Police Colonel Sarawut Nuchanart, the operation unveiled a shocking haul of 5,411 Yaba…
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Former temple secretary arrested for child assault in Thailand
A former secretary of a well-known temple’s abbot was apprehended while hiding on a boat, evading charges of assaulting young temple boys and novices. The case emerged after a victim contracted a sexually transmitted disease, prompting the parents to report the incident. Today, April 6, Police Major General Thirachat Theerachatthamrong directed Police Colonel Phaitoon Khusantia, chief of Division 1, and…
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Kok River pollution triggers health alert in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai
The discovery of arsenic and lead contamination in the Kok River, particularly in the Mae Ai district of Chiang Mai province, has prompted health warnings for residents in both Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Levels of arsenic and lead were found to exceed the standard limits, with arsenic measured at 0.026 mg/litre and lead at 0.076 mg/litre. The acceptable levels…
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Chinese fugitive arrested in Bangkok after two decades on the run
Thai police have apprehended a 52 year old Chinese national, owner of a popular mala restaurant in Bangkok, for allegedly shooting a compatriot in 2003. The suspect, Zhang Lao Er, had been evading police for over two decades before being captured. Yesterday, April 5, Police Major General Witaya Sriprasertphap directed the arrest of Zhang in connection with an outstanding warrant…
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Phatthalung man burns thief’s motorcycle after banana theft
A 45 year old man from Phatthalung set a motorcycle ablaze after catching a thief stealing bananas from his garden. The incident occurred at 9.30pm yesterday, April 5, when Bunrin (surname withheld) discovered the thief in his banana plantation in Mueang district’s Na Nod subdistrict. Bunrin, who cultivates namwa, egg, and cavendish bananas on his four rai plot, has faced…
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Woman claims doctor urged her to die in Udon Thani hospital
A 24 year old woman, from Nong Han district in Udon Thani province, reported a distressing encounter with a doctor at a local hospital’s emergency room. Chompoo claims the doctor used harsh language, telling her to die, which left her in tears. The incident occurred on April 3, when she sought medical attention for depression and bipolar disorder. Chompoo explained…
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Fatal crash on Bangkok expressway leaves woman dead, man injured
A collision occurred on the Chalerm Maha Nakhon Expressway in Klong Toei, Bangkok, when a car crashed into the rear of a parked six-wheel truck. The female driver died at the scene, while a male passenger in the front seat sustained severe injuries. Police Lieutenant Colonel Phakamart Kamonsan from the Expressway Police Station 1 and her team, along with rescue…
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Woman arrested after cutting painter’s rope in high-rise incident
A woman charged with cutting a rope used by a painter in a high-profile 2021 incident has been apprehended. She had evaded a court summons after being convicted of attempted murder and property damage. Known for her reclusive behaviour, she was finally captured by police. In 2021, a painter working on a 32-storey building in Pak Kret was forced to…
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Bangkok street cleaner attacked in viral video, governor vows action (video)
A video shared on the Red Skull XXX page has sparked significant public discussion. The clip shows a Bangkok street cleaner being violently struck by a man, culminating in a blow from behind that causes the cleaner to fall to the ground. The accompanying post noted, “Influential person hits street cleaner in Samphanthawong district. This is all the information available…
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Tragedy in Bangkok: Fatalities rise in building collapse
A spokesperson from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration confirmed an increase in fatalities within Zone B, beneath the rubble of the collapsed State Audit Office building. Efforts to penetrate Zone C continue, as it is believed more people may be trapped there, a location where many fled during the incident. At 5pm yesterday, April 5, T the new State Audit Office…
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Chinese tourist found dead on Pattaya beach with unexplained injuries
A 40 year old Chinese tourist, holding a Thailand Privilege Card visa, was discovered dead on Yin Yom Beach in South Pattaya yesterday morning, April 5. The man, who had bruises on his forehead and neck, was found face down behind a hotel. Police Lieutenant Colonel Saijai Khamjulla of the Pattaya City Police Station was informed of the incident at…
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51 Thai provinces brace for storms and severe heat
Weather forecasts indicate that 51 provinces in Thailand, including Bangkok, are experiencing thunderstorms, strong winds, and some hail. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) warns of severe heat in parts of the region, with a 20% chance of thunderstorms in Bangkok as of today, April 6. The weather forecast for the next 24 hours reveals that a moderate high-pressure system from…
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