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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Indian murder suspect arrested in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district
An Indian man accused of multiple crimes, including murder and abduction, has been apprehended in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district. Immigration officers and other officials arrested 27 year old Parveen Kumar at a restaurant in the Bang Khun Phrom area of Phra Nakhon district yesterday, September 6. Kumar, known by the alias Kala, was wanted in connection with 13 criminal cases…
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Thailand allocates 21 million baht for mpox vaccine for high-risk groups
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) has allocated a budget of 21 million baht to purchase 3,000 doses of the mpox vaccine. Dr Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, director-general of the department, announced that the MVA-BN vaccine from Denmark is expected to arrive in four months and will be administered to high-risk individuals. The vaccine is intended for disease control and is not…
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Phuket art festival: Thai dancers to take over Venice canals
In an unprecedented cultural spectacle, Thai dancers commandeered Venice’s iconic gondolas, leaving locals and tourists in awe as Phuket stakes its claim as the next global art hotspot. Thailand’s Office of Contemporary Art and Culture, under the Ministry of Culture, held a press conference in Venice, Italy, on Monday, September 2 to promote the Phuket Biennale 2025. Modelled after the…
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Drunken Hong Kong taxi thief crashes into police station
A man who stole a taxi in Hong Kong ended his wild ride by crashing into a police station gate on Wednesday. The chaos unfolded around 4pm local time, on Wednesday, September 4, when a 41 year old taxi driver, surnamed Hau, reported a terrifying incident at the Long Ping Commercial Centre in Yuen Long district. According to Hau, a…
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Covid chaos hits Thai Cabinet: 2 deputy ministers sidelined by virus
Incoming Deputy Interior Ministers Songsak Thongsri and Sabeeda Thaised have been forced into isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 during routine RT-PCR tests at Government House. Both ministers, from the Bhumjaithai Party, will have to delay their official duties as they recover, a government insider revealed. Songsak, who has held his post since 2019, and first-timer Sabeeda, daughter of outgoing…
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Thai man brutally assaulted in mall theatre over phone dispute
A 60 year old Thai man took to social media to seek justice after he was brutally assaulted in a theatre at a shopping mall in Bangkok, following a warning he gave to his attacker to stop using his phone during the movie. He claimed the police ignored his case for months. The victim shared on social media, and with…
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Thai stocks hit 18-month high as baht rallies post new govt formation
Thai stocks surged to their highest levels since March last year, with the baht also experiencing a significant rally. This boost in financial markets follows the formation of the new government, sparking optimism over policy continuity. The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index rose by as much as 2.9%, driven by gains in the packaging, information and technology, and petrochemical…
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Former local chief shot dead in Lopburi, suspects on the run
A former local administrative chief was fatally shot outside a house in Moo 5, Nikhom Lam Narai, Chai Badan district, Lopburi province. Witnesses reported that two assailants had been lurking for an hour before ambushing the victim and fleeing on a motorbike. Officers Phukanwik Chotiksathien, Chaimit Sitthipoon, and Winai Khamsuk interviewed the 55 year old administrative chief Thawatchai Thongtae’s 60…
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Police exposes spa offering sex services to gay community (video)
Immigration police raided a spa in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen for offering sex services and found a 17 year old Laotian man offering himself to gay customers for 1,600 baht each. Anonymous locals in Khon Kaen complained to the Ministry of Interior’s Damrongdham Centre that the Adora Spa was not providing spa or massage services as it should, but…
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Thailand’s new transport centre boosts regional logistics hub status
Airports of Thailand Ground Aviation Services (AOTGA) anticipates that its newly inaugurated Multimodal Transportation Centre at Suvarnabhumi Airport will bolster Thailand’s position as a regional logistics hub, enhancing goods transportation among Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam (CLMV). The new centre is designed to integrate various transportation modes, including land, rail, sea, and air, with the added benefit of consolidating customs…
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Teeing off comeback: Laguna Phuket at the heart of tourism revival
Laguna Phuket, a luxurious 2,500-rai resort complex, is at the heart of Phuket’s tourism resurgence. After the pandemic’s brutal hit to the travel industry, Laguna Phuket Vice President Paul Wilson shares how this iconic destination has not only weathered the storm but emerged stronger than ever. “Laguna Phuket’s prime location in Cherng Talay, with its luxury hotels, 18-hole golf course,…
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Floods drive August inflation up 0.35% due to rising food prices
Rising prices of fresh vegetables and fruit, influenced by flood-damaged production areas, have driven up inflation by 0.35% in August. Director-General of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO), Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, reported that headline inflation in August saw a 0.35% year-on-year increase. The surge in food prices, particularly fresh vegetables and fruit, was primarily due to flooding in agricultural regions,…
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Cambodian woman on the run after stabbing 2 Thai men in Pattaya
Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station are searching for a Cambodian woman who stabbed two Thai men at a dormitory on Soi Thep Prasit 7. Police yesterday, September 5, were alerted to the dormitory stabbing and went to the scene to investigate. The Cambodian attacker fled the scene before the police arrived but officers managed to arrest her 32 year…
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New customs centre at Suvarnabhumi aims to boost Thai logistics
Airports of Thailand Ground Aviation Services (AOTGA) has inaugurated a new Customs Service Centre at Suvarnabhumi International Airport’s Free Zone 3, designed to boost Thailand’s logistics industry. Covering over 4,872 square metres and costing 150 million baht, this centre aims to streamline various transport and warehousing services. Sirivat Towachirakul, General Manager of AOTGA, announced the launch, highlighting its strategic importance…
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Fatal car crash on Wat Phra Dhammakaya bridge leaves one dead
A tragic car accident occurred on the bridge over the Wat Phra Dhammakaya intersection, resulting in one fatality and three injuries. The incident involved multiple vehicles, with a white Honda and a black Mazda 2 colliding before another Mazda 2 was also hit. At 12.05am today, September 6, Kriengkrai Sri Mai, an investigator at Khlong Luang Police Station, received a…
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Thailand removes CRC reservation on refugee children’s rights
Thailand has taken a monumental step to protect refugee children by fully embracing a crucial international convention. The country’s final reservation to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has officially been withdrawn, reinforcing its commitment to safeguarding children’s rights. H.E. Cherdchai Chaivaivid, Thailand’s Ambassador to the United Nations in New York, formally deposited the Instrument of Withdrawal…
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International schools in Thailand soar as local schools shrink
While Thailand faces a crisis with its plummeting birth rate and shrinking student numbers, international schools are thriving, growing by an average of 13% annually. In stark contrast to the decline in Thai public and private school enrolments, the demand for international education is skyrocketing. According to a study by Kasikorn Research Centre, international school enrolments surged by 10.2% last…
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Thai woman survives attempted kidnapping in Chiang Rai (video)
A Thai woman issued a warning to other women after a group of men in an SUV stalked and attempted to kidnap her on a road in the northern province of Chiang Rai. The 22 year old woman shared security camera footage when she sought help from a resident in the Mae Yao district of Chiang Rai province. She posted…
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House passes 3.7 trillion baht budget plan after tepid debate
After a three-day debate that barely sparked a fire, the House of Representatives finally pushed through the colossal 3.7 trillion baht budget bill for the 2025 fiscal year. In a vote held late last night, the bill was approved by a margin of 309 to 155, with four MPs opting to abstain, leaving no one without a voice. Deputy Prime…
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Former Pheu Thai MP sentenced to prison for corruption
The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders sentenced Somying Buabut, a former Pheu Thai MP, to three years and four months in prison and fined her 100,000 baht for corruption related to the construction of a futsal field. The sentence has been suspended for three years. Yesterday, September 5, the Supreme Court delivered its verdict on case number…
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Bare in Bangkok: Teenage girl outs neighbour’s indecent exposure (video)
A 15 year old girl exposed the lewd behaviour of her 61 year old neighbour, who indecently exposed himself naked in front of her and other young girls in the Bangkok community. The man claimed he had no sexual intent and was merely feeling hot. The teenage victim, accompanied by her mother, sought help from social media influencer Guntouch “Gun”…
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RTA denies overpricing claims on mess trays purchase
The Royal Thai Army (RTA) firmly denied accusations from the People’s Party (PP) regarding the alleged overpricing of mess trays. These claims were presented during the scrutiny phase of the national budget expenditure bill earlier this week. The opposition party accused the army of allocating an excessive portion of its budget to purchase approximately 10,000 mess trays at prices significantly…
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Thai police arrest major Kamphaeng Phet loan shark
Thai cyber police arrested a major loan shark in Kamphaeng Phet after debtors reported him for charging exorbitant interest rates and threatening them. Borrowers were subjected to interest rates of 16,000 baht per day, leading to fear and harassment. The arrest of the loan shark, Pallop, took place yesterday, September 5, when Police Lieutenant General Worawat Watnakornbancha ordered a raid…
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Fans mourn the passing of Thai rock band Carabao’s drummer
Fans of 80s Thai rock band Carabao are mourning the loss of Chawalit Chalorngpong, known as Ko Carabao, who passed away peacefully yesterday, September 5. The band’s official page shared the sad news with a heartfelt message, expressing condolences and bidding a fond farewell to Ko. Carabao, renowned as one of Thailand’s most influential music groups, has been a staple…
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Nakhon Ratchasima man loses over 600k baht in romance scam
A middle-aged man from Nakhon Ratchasima lost over 600,000 baht in a romance scam. The victim, nicknamed Up, shared his story through an online news platform, intending to alert the public about a gang of scammers who used personal relationships as bait to extort money. Up explained that in July last year, a woman contacted him via Facebook, and they…
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Nine railway projects worth 661 billion baht set for Cabinet approval
Nine railway projects totalling 661 billion baht (US$19.7 billion) in investment are set for Cabinet approval next month, according to Deputy Transport Minister Surapong Piyachote. Among these is the 357-kilometre second phase of the Thai-Chinese high-speed train system. Six of the nine projects are double-track rail routes requiring 298 billion baht (US$8.9 billion). These routes include the 285-kilometre Paknam Pho-Den…
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Thailand set to advance casino project with 80% public approval
Newly-appointed Deputy Finance Minister Julaphan Amornvivat recently discussed the progress of the Entertainment Complex (Casino) project following the completion of public hearings, where over 80% of respondents expressed approval. This project, which has its origins in Parliament, is now set to move towards discussions among coalition parties before being submitted to the Cabinet and Parliament for further consideration. Julaphan highlighted…
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72 year old Thai man loses 21,500 baht in sex membership scam
A 72 year old Thai man from Nonthaburi province, near Bangkok, lost 21,500 baht to a sex membership scammer. He was tricked into applying for a membership that supposedly granted access to sexual services allegedly provided by attractive university students. The 72 year old victim, Phon, sought help from Mueang Nonthaburi Police Station yesterday, September 5. He asked the police…
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Fire at Samut Sakhon recycling factory triggers urgent evacuation
A fierce fire at a recycling factory in Samut Sakhon has raged for over three hours, prompting urgent evacuation of nearby residents. The fire, which started at 2am today, September 6, continues to spread and has already caused significant damage to the facility. Firefighters are battling a large blaze at a recycling factory in Moo 6, Bang Ya Phraek subdistrict,…
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Indian tourists arrested in Pattaya for stealing camera battery
Pattaya Tourist Police apprehended two Indian tourists on their first day in Thailand for allegedly stealing a camera battery and then strolling along Walking Street. Police Lieutenant Colonel Piyapong Ensan, Chief of Pattaya Tourist Police, along with other officers, arrested yesterday, September 5, at 5.16am two Indian nationals, identified as 29 year old Abhishek and 28 year old Akash (surnames…
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