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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Chinese man arrested in Pattaya luxury condo for selling Pod K
Police arrested a Chinese man at a condominium in Pattaya yesterday, January 19, for distributing ketamine-laced vape liquid, commonly known in Thailand as Pod K. Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station and Chon Buri Provincial Police launched a joint operation dubbed “Clip the Wings,” aimed at cracking down on illegal items and narcotics circulating in the resort city. During the…
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Bangkok teen dies after alleged reckless gun handling
A boy was fatally shot inside his home in Bangkok’s Sai Mai district early this morning, January 20, while spending time with friends. Police are investigating how the firearm came to be discharged. Officers from Bang Khen Police Station were alerted to the shooting at around 4.30am and responded to a two-storey townhouse in Khlong Thanon, Sai Mai. Forensic investigators,…
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5 women accuse Thai DJ-photographer of sexual assault and abuse
Five Thai women accused a man who worked as both a photographer and DJ of sexually assaulting and physically abusing them after luring them into sexy photoshoots or DJ training sessions. The allegations came to light after one of the victims, a female DJ known as Aris, publicly exposed the man’s behaviour on social media on January 16. Aris said she…
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Thai student’s story of struggle leads to 1 million baht donation
A 17 year old student in Nonthaburi, who has lived alone since the age of 13 and supported himself through school with a part-time job, has received over 1 million baht in donations within just one night, after his story moved netizens across Thailand. The student, known as Boom (real name Bunnasorn Yuenyong), is currently in Mathayom 5 (Year 12)…
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South Korean man reports pickpocketing by Pattaya transwoman and woman
A South Korean tourist filed a police complaint after losing his mobile phone, cash, and credit cards in a pickpocketing incident involving a Thai transwoman and another woman in Pattaya. The complaint was lodged at Mueang Pattaya Police Station at around 11.30pm last night, January 19. The victim, a 64 year old South Korean man identified as Hong, was accompanied…
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Woman found dead after drinking session in Samut Prakan
A woman believed to be sleeping off alcohol was later found dead inside a Samut Prakan house yesterday, January 19, with police now investigating the circumstances. Police from Mueang Samut Prakan Police Station were notified of the incident at around 6.30pm. Officers, along with a doctor, forensic officials, and rescue volunteers from the Ruamkusol Samut Prakan Foundation, were dispatched to…
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Manhunt launched after hotel receptionist beaten to death in Hua Hin robbery
A manhunt is under way after a hotel receptionist was brutally beaten to death with an iron bar during a robbery at a hotel in Hua Hin, Prachuap Kiri Khan province. The killing was reported to officers at Hua Hin Police Station at around 3.15am yesterday, January 19. The murder took place at Best LD Hotel, located in Soi Hua…
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Thailand to test emergency alert system today at 2pm
Thailand is set to conduct a nationwide emergency alert test today, January 20, at 2pm, with mobile phone users across all provinces expected to receive a sudden warning signal as part of a government-led system check. The test, announced by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), is aimed at assessing the performance of the Cell Broadcast emergency alert…
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Questions raised after ITD wins safety award despite deadly construction accidents
The Department of Labour Protection and Welfare came under heavy criticism after it emerged that Italian-Thai Development (ITD) received a national safety award despite a series of deadly construction accidents. Public scrutiny intensified following the recent crane collapse in Nakhon Ratchasima, which struck a passenger train, and another collapse on Rama II Road near Bangkok. Both incidents resulted in deaths…
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Former employee arrested over theft at employer’s Khon Kaen home
Police in Khon Kaen arrested a young man today, January 19, after tracing CCTV footage linked to a burglary at a private residence, where valuables worth hundreds of thousands of baht were stolen while the homeowner was away. The arrest took place at around 12.30pm, when officers from Khon Kaen City Police Station detained 22 year old Apisit. During the same…
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Thai mother says hospital delay leads to death of her newborn baby
A 23 year old Thai woman demanded accountability from a state hospital in Udon Thani province, claiming medical staff left her waiting in critical condition for more than three hours, a delay she believed led to the death of her newborn son. The grieving mother, Nattawadee “Nan” Komonwanich, reached out to Thai social media influencer Phanumart “Piak” Jitwasinkul, in an…
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Swedish drug suspect caught in luxury Hua Hin condo
Immigration police arrested a Swedish man in Hua Hin yesterday, January 18, following reports of suspicious behaviour. Investigators later confirmed he was wanted for serious criminal charges in his home country. The arrest followed an investigation led by Region 3 Immigration Police, after they received information suggesting the suspect was hiding in Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan. Residents in the…
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Thai musician killed on Korat road after conflict with rival band
Police today, January 19, arrested five suspects in connection with the murder of a drummer in Nakhon Ratchasima province, following a long-running conflict between their music bands. The victim, 47 year old Phichate, the drummer and leader of the Rai Kart music band, was found dead at 4.47am on Saturday, January 18, on Dan Khuntod–Thepharak Road in the Dan Khuntod…
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Thailand considers invitation to join US-led Gaza peace board
Thailand is reviewing an invitation from US President Donald Trump to join a proposed international ‘Board of Peace’ aimed at resolving the conflict in Gaza, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, January 19. The initiative, part of Trump’s proposed Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, outlines the creation of a peace board initially focused on Gaza, with…
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Thai police caught taking bribes and freeing Chinese suspects
One Thai police officer was dismissed from service, while four others remain under investigation, over allegations of taking bribes and unlawfully releasing Chinese suspects wanted by Chinese authorities. The corruption scandal came to light after Ma Guangxu, also known as Ah-hang, disappeared from a detention facility earlier this month. The Chinese national was held in custody pending deportation to China, where…
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Himalayan vulture crash-lands in Tak during migration
A rare Himalayan Griffon Vulture was rescued on January 19 after it collapsed in front of a house in Tak province, appearing too weak to fly and prompting residents to call for help. The exhausted bird was first seen gliding overhead with its wings fully spread before it crash-landed behind a house in Chiang Thong subdistrict, Wang Chao district. The…
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Bangkok homeless man steals luxury bag from Chinese tourist
Police arrested a Thai homeless man for snatching a luxury bag from a Chinese tourist outside a restaurant in Bangkok’s Yan Nawa area on Friday, January 16. The Chinese victim filed a theft complaint with Yannawa Police Station at around 9.45pm. She told officers that she had been dining at a restaurant on Narathiwat Ratchanakarin Road and briefly left her belongings…
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Woman found dead at Ayutthaya historical site in confirmed suicide
A female tourist was found dead inside a historical site in Ayutthaya this morning, January 19, with police confirming the death was a suicide after discovering a farewell letter and a sharp object at the scene. Police were alerted at around 7.30am after a woman was discovered unresponsive within the Ayutthaya Historical Park area in Ban Pom subdistrict, Phra Nakhon…
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Danish woman breaks arm and leg while hiking in Phuket
A Danish couple sought assistance from rescuers after the woman suffered broken bones to her arm and leg during a hiking trip along the Ton Sai–Bang Pae route in Phuket. Rescuers from Guardians of Life Medical & Rescue received a distress call from the foreign couple on Friday, January 16, reporting an accident on the popular hiking trail. The incident…
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Thailand video news | knife incident on Sukhumvit raises fresh public safety questions, Chiang Mai temple plans tourist ban after yoga session sparks outrage
Today we’ll be talking about a shocking knife-wielding incident that occurred on a crowded Sukhumvit road over the weekend, a controversial ruling over the death of a Thai man in America and the teen responsible for it, and a little later, believe or not despite some of these sensational headlines, crime in Bangkok has seen a significant drop over the…
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‘Naturist’ resort in Thailand bans outdoor sex and photos, says guest
A Facebook user has drawn attention to a naturist resort in Thailand after sharing a personal review that included photos and a short video. The resort follows naturist principles, requiring guests to remain unclothed at all times when participating in activities such as swimming, sunbathing, walking, or using shared spaces. Wearing clothes is not permitted within the premises. According to…
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Thai man loses diamond ring in Phuket EDM festival, ruining proposal plan
A Thai man lost a diamond ring worth about 300,000 baht and multiple credit cards to a pickpocket at an EDM music festival in Phuket on Saturday, January 17, shattering his plan to propose to his girlfriend. The victim’s girlfriend shared details of the incident on her Facebook account, Acare Alice, yesterday, January 18. The theft reportedly occurred during the…
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Phuket hotel security guard arrested for attempted break-in of DJ’s room
Police arrested the head of a hotel’s security guards in Phuket on Saturday, January 18, after he attempted to break into the room of a female DJ late at night earlier this week. The victim, Thai DJ Mirinda Malinrattanawadee, took to her Facebook account to demand accountability from a hotel in Phuket after an unidentified man tried to enter her…
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Thailand’s PM2.5 levels soar, posing health risks in 38 provinces
The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda) reported that 38 provinces in Thailand, primarily in the Northeast and Central Plains, experienced elevated levels of ultrafine dust on Sunday morning. At 8am, Gistda indicated that particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less (PM2.5) ranged from 37.6 to 75.6 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m³) across these provinces. Meanwhile,…
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Man assaulted by teens in Chon Buri after social media row
A 26 year old man has reported an assault by a group of more than 20 teenagers who allegedly stormed into his home, using a rock to hit his head and attempting to stab him. This confrontation is believed to have been sparked by a social media argument. Today, on January 18, CCTV footage captured the moments when the group…
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Bangkok crime rates drop 17% in 2025, arrests improve
Bangkok recorded a notable decline in crime rates in 2025, alongside improved arrest rates. This reflected more proactive and targeted policing by the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB). MPB commissioner Pol Lt Gen Siam Boonsom released crime statistics covering the period from January 1 to December 31, comparing the figures with the same timeframe in 2024. He reported a significant year-on-year…
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Phuket Airport sees flight and passenger surge in 2025 recovery
Phuket International Airport recorded strong growth in both flight movements and passenger numbers in 2025, reflecting a continued recovery in the aviation and tourism sectors and renewed traveller confidence, according to airport director Monchai Tanod. Performance over the past year exceeded 2024 levels and approached figures seen in 2019, the airport’s peak year before the Covid-19 pandemic. The results underline…
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Chaiyaphum festival shooting leaves man blind, police delay charges
An altercation at an annual festival in Chaiyaphum led to a violent incident on Friday, January 16, when the owner of a BB gun shop allegedly shot the owner of a nearby ear-piercing shop. The victim suffered severe injuries, including blindness in the right eye. Despite the serious nature of the incident, police have not yet pressed charges against the…
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Defence minister says third border clash remains possible
Defence Minister General Natthaphol Nakpanich has acknowledged that a third border clash remains possible if Cambodia fails to comply with existing agreements, while stressing that Thailand continues to prioritise a peaceful resolution. The minister made the remarks during a visit to border areas in eastern Thailand on January 16, 2026. He travelled to Sa Kaeo and Trat provinces to inspect…
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Wild elephant enters temple during funeral
A wild elephant from Khao Yai National Park entered a temple during a funeral ceremony in Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima province, causing monks and attendees to flee the area for safety. The incident occurred at around 7.20pm on January 16, 2026, at Wat Khao Wong in Nong Nam Daeng subdistrict. The elephant, known locally as “Phlai Duan”, walked into…
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