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

    5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)

    Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...

  • Thai man shot by hidden animal trap while urinating in forest

    Thai man shot by hidden animal trap while urinating in forest

    A Thai man sustained gunshot wounds to his hand and leg after stumbling upon an animal trap while entering a forest to urinate in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima. Officers from Pak Chong Police Station were alerted to the injury of 24 year old Thai man, Warawut, at 8.30am yesterday, April 2. Warawut suffered injuries to his left hand…

  • Shaky waters: Unusual waterfall flow sparks probe after Myanmar quake

    Shaky waters: Unusual waterfall flow sparks probe after Myanmar quake

    Unusual water flow was observed at Huai Hok Waterfall in Ban Thi during the dry season, sparking investigations by officials after the Myanmar earthquake. This abnormality, noted for the first time in decades at Mae Takhrai National Park, has led to safety assessments. On March 30, officials from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation discovered this anomaly…

  • Woman convicted of keeping Thai women as sex slaves in Australia

    Woman convicted of keeping Thai women as sex slaves in Australia

    In a chilling case of modern slavery, a 63 year old Sydney woman has been found guilty of keeping two Thai women as sex slaves, forcing them into brothels and stripping them of their freedom. Rungnapha Kanbut, herself a Thai national, stood trial last month at the Downing Centre Court on six serious charges, including exercising ownership over a slave…

  • Driver surrenders to police after fatal Pathum Thani collision

    Driver surrenders to police after fatal Pathum Thani collision

    The driver of a grey Honda City yesterday turned himself in at Khlong Luang Police Station in Pathum Thani province following a collision with a motorcycle. The incident, which took place on, April 1 at approximately 2.30am, resulted in the death of 16 year old called Surachart from Bang Krasan, Bang Pa-in district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province, and injuries…

  • Sing Buri U-turn crash: Van hits trailer, six injured

    Sing Buri U-turn crash: Van hits trailer, six injured

    A collision at a U-turn in Sing Buri province involved a passenger van crashing into a trailer truck, resulting in six injuries. Passengers reported unusual brake behaviour before the incident. The accident occurred yesterday, April 2, at 8.30pm, along kilometre marker 70 on the southbound Asia Highway in Ban Mo subdistrict, Phrom Buri district. Police Lieutenant Chaiwat Phanon, an investigator…

  • Pattaya tops Songkran travel list again: Agoda

    Pattaya tops Songkran travel list again: Agoda

    Pattaya has done it again, cementing its reputation as the ultimate Thai New Year playground. According to Agoda, the vibrant coastal city topped the charts as the most searched Songkran destination among Thai travellers in 2025. And it’s not just locals who are flocking to the festive hub, international visitors also ranked Pattaya as their second-favourite destination after Bangkok. What…

  • Thai man caught sexually abusing boy in mall bathroom

    Thai man caught sexually abusing boy in mall bathroom

    Security guards at a shopping mall in the Thapha area of Bangkok caught a Thai man and handed him over to the police after he lured a young boy into a bathroom and sexually abused him. Officers from Bukkhalo Police Station escorted the 56 year old suspect, Koson, from the shopping mall to the police station for questioning at 2.30pm…

  • High tide floods Samut Prakan, ONWR warns Bangkok

    High tide floods Samut Prakan, ONWR warns Bangkok

    Thailand’s coastal defences were put to the test this morning as high tides sent floodwaters pouring into parts of Samut Prakan, submerging roads and triggering an urgent warning for Bangkok and four other provinces to brace for more. Flooding struck early along Soi Krathing Daeng in Phra Samut Chedi and in front of a local police station in Ban Khlong…

  • Toxic smog chokes 42 provinces in Thailand, public warned

    Toxic smog chokes 42 provinces in Thailand, public warned

    Thailand is gasping for breath as hazardous levels of PM2.5 dust grip 42 provinces nationwide, sparking serious health warnings and calls to avoid outdoor activities. From Bangkok to the northern highlands, the country is blanketed in smog with levels far above safe standards. At 7am today, April 3, the Air Pollution Resolution Communication Centre reported alarming data from nationwide monitoring…

  • Hits and hits: Singer attacked after stealing the spotlight, and kisses

    Hits and hits: Singer attacked after stealing the spotlight, and kisses

    A Thai singer is seeking justice after two men attacked him at a market in the Isaan province of Buriram. He suspects the motive was jealousy, as many female fans kissed him during his performance. The 20 year old Thai singer, Teeraphat Katethaisong, filed a complaint against the two attackers at Phutthaisong Police Station, but officers concluded the case as…

  • Police arrest two men with drugs worth thousands of baht

    Police arrest two men with drugs worth thousands of baht

    Police from the Metropolitan Bureau arrested two men involved in drug trafficking after they parked a car containing illicit substances and returned to deliver them to clients. A large quantity of drugs, including methamphetamine pills, ecstasy, ketamine, and heroin, was seized. At 8.30pm on March 31, Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom, along with several other officials, led the operation resulting…

  • DSI uncovers evidence to disqualify 30 senators in voting scandal

    DSI uncovers evidence to disqualify 30 senators in voting scandal

    The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is moving forward with a shocking probe that could lead to the disqualification of 30 senators. The DSI has gathered what it claims to be irrefutable evidence pointing to voter collusion during last year’s senatorial elections, including security camera footage showing suspicious peer voting patterns. If the Election Commission (EC) agrees with the DSI’s…

  • Phetchabun council candidate jailed for drink driving

    Phetchabun council candidate jailed for drink driving

    A local election candidate in Phetchabun province has found himself at the centre of a scandal after reportedly being involved in a shocking five-vehicle collision while allegedly drunk. Chaiwat, a former municipal council member and current candidate for the Bueng Sam Phan subdistrict municipal council election, was arrested after the incident, where he was found to be over the legal…

  • Rider arrested for stealing over 30,000 baht in foreign currency

    Rider arrested for stealing over 30,000 baht in foreign currency

    Police apprehended a rider accused of stealing over 30,000 baht in foreign currency entrusted to him for delivery. The suspect, 24 year old Poramet, allegedly blocked all contact with the sender after taking the package containing the money. The arrest occurred on April 1 at around 4pm in a house located on Soi Phahon Yothin 58, Intersection 61, Sai Mai…

  • Bangkok building collapse sets records, raises safety concerns

    Bangkok building collapse sets records, raises safety concerns

    Thailand has made world headlines for all the wrong reasons as experts reveal the collapse of the new State Audit Office (SAO) building in Bangkok has set two disconcerting world records: it is the tallest building to collapse in an earthquake and the furthest building from an epicentre to suffer such a fate. The tragedy occurred following the March 28…

  • Great wall of trouble: 6 Chinese nationals busted for illegal work in Phuket

    Great wall of trouble: 6 Chinese nationals busted for illegal work in Phuket

    Police arrested six Chinese nationals on Tuesday for working illegally at a construction site in Phuket. A Thai employer was also arrested at the scene. Officers from Patong Police Station reported their successful operation to the public yesterday, April 2. In this case, officers arrested six Chinese workers at a construction site on Phra Metta Road in the Kathu district…

  • Robbery at Bang Phli mall: Gold worth 400,000 baht stolen

    Robbery at Bang Phli mall: Gold worth 400,000 baht stolen

    An armed robbery rocked employees at a prominent shopping mall in Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan, when a rider, brandishing a gun, swooped to steal gold worth over 400,000 baht. The incident took place yesterday, April 2 at 7.30pm. Officers at Bang Phli Police Station in Samut Prakan responded to a report of a gun-wielding man robbing a gold shop…

  • Chinese man arrested in Bang Lamung warehouse raid

    Chinese man arrested in Bang Lamung warehouse raid

    A dramatic raid in Bang Lamung district uncovered a massive warehouse of illegal goods, including dangerous dietary supplements, counterfeit weapons, and unapproved pharmaceuticals. Yesterday, April 2 at 3pm, a joint operation led by District Chief Patcharapat Sritanyanon, Police Colonel Sarawut Nuchanart of Bang Lamung Police Station, and Pol. Col. Napasphong Khositsuriyamanee of the Chon Buri Immigration Office stormed a facility…

  • Deadly crossing: Locals demand action after Frenchman hit by car

    Deadly crossing: Locals demand action after Frenchman hit by car

    Locals in Kanchanaburi are demanding urgent safety measures after a Frenchman was hit by a car on a poorly lit zebra crossing near JJ Market last night. Emergency responders rushed to the scene in Mueang district after reports of a pedestrian accident. They arrived to find a black Mitsubishi sedan with a shattered front end and cracked windows, evidence of…

  • Eco-friendly boost: Koh Larn waste incinerator 80% complete

    Eco-friendly boost: Koh Larn waste incinerator 80% complete

    Koh Larn’s future as an eco-friendly tourism hotspot looks brighter than ever as Mayor Poramet Ngampichet, accompanied by Pattaya’s Chief Strategic Advisor Sontaya Kunplome, visited the island on April 1 to inspect the progress of the much-anticipated waste incineration project. The inspection focused on the construction of the waste-to-energy incinerator, which is now nearing 80% completion. Officials are confident the…

  • Bangkok governor clashes with councillor over collapsed building

    Bangkok governor clashes with councillor over collapsed building

    Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt engaged in a heated exchange with a councillor of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council (BMC) who urged him to step away from the scene of a collapsed building in the Chatuchak area. The councillor remarked, “You focus too much on the area where they are already dead.” Chadchart and 50 BMC councillors attended a meeting at the…

  • Thailand sends medical aid to Myanmar after earthquake

    Thailand sends medical aid to Myanmar after earthquake

    In the wake of last week’s devastating earthquake, the Public Health Ministry has launched a series of inspections on hospital buildings across Thailand while preparing to send urgent medical aid to Myanmar, which was hit particularly hard. During an executive meeting yesterday, April 2, Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin praised the ministry’s swift response, especially in caring for patients affected…

  • Crash course: Phuket cracks down on deadly Songkran road chaos

    Crash course: Phuket cracks down on deadly Songkran road chaos

    Phuket officials are racing to prevent road carnage ahead of the Songkran festival, launching a major crackdown to curb drink-driving, reckless rentals, and helmet-free bikers. At a high-stakes meeting yesterday, April 2, Phuket Vice Governor Adul Chuthong led a panel of officials, including newly appointed disaster chief Wichit Sutthaso, to hammer out life-saving strategies. With thousands of revellers set to…

  • Pattaya raid: 20 year old arrested for selling kratom to teens

    Pattaya raid: 20 year old arrested for selling kratom to teens

    A dramatic raid in the early hours of April 1 has led to the arrest of a 20 year old woman and the seizure of illegal kratom beverages. The operation, led by Bang Lamung District Chief Patcharapat Sritanyanon, uncovered a shop in Pattaya’s Village 8 selling kratom drinks to minors. The raid followed complaints from locals about a shop, Bak…

  • Thailand introduces retirement lottery to boost elderly savings

    Thailand introduces retirement lottery to boost elderly savings

    Parliament has given unanimous approval in principle for a bill to amend the National Savings Fund (NSF) Act 2011, setting the stage for a retirement lottery initiative. This scheme aims to bolster retirement savings by permitting the NSF to issue lottery tickets, a measure widely supported by MPs as a way to enhance financial security for the elderly. The proposal…

  • Crappy cabbie: Taxi driver flings faeces in parking row meltdown

    Crappy cabbie: Taxi driver flings faeces in parking row meltdown

    A Thai woman took to social media to expose the disgusting and psychotic behaviour of a taxi driver who threw bags of faeces at her and other people’s cars over a parking dispute in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok. The woman, 40 year old Thitima, shared a picture of her car with a dirty windscreen, as well as a picture of…

  • Teen rescued from call centre gang demanding 500,000 ransom

    Teen rescued from call centre gang demanding 500,000 ransom

    A 17 year old girl was rescued by police after being forced into hiding by a call centre gang that attempted to extort 500,000 baht from her grandmother in exchange for her freedom. They threatened to sell the girl at the border if the money was not paid. On April 1, Banjong (surname withheld) reported that her granddaughter, Chompoo, had…

  • Thailand to train 20,000 masseurs as medicine assistants

    Thailand to train 20,000 masseurs as medicine assistants

    The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine announced an initiative to train 20,000 traditional Thai masseurs as certified Thai traditional doctors’ assistants. This will enable them to address seven specific muscle-related conditions. Doctor Somruek Chungsaman, the department’s chief, highlighted yesterday, April 2, the effectiveness of traditional Thai massage in treating various muscle-related conditions. The upskilling programmes will focus on…

  • Phuket parents face charges for children’s illegal street racing

    Phuket parents face charges for children’s illegal street racing

    In Phuket, the parents of 14 minors, apprehended during a police operation in Ao Yon, Wichit, on April 1 are facing legal action for permitting their children to partake in illegal street racing. Wichit Police Chief Somsak Thongkliang announced that the parents were brought to Wichit Police Station to be informed of the charges under Section 26(3) of the Child…

  • Trump’s tariff tantrum: US slaps huge levies on world as trade war erupts

    Trump’s tariff tantrum: US slaps huge levies on world as trade war erupts

    Donald Trump has thrown the world into economic turmoil, launching a full-scale trade war by slapping sweeping new tariffs on imports, including crippling levies on key allies. Thailand has been caught in the tariff crossfire too, with officials claiming the nation could suffer an US$8 billion hit if the US were to even up levies between the two countries. Semiconductor…