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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Red light: Thailand’s car industry caught in hybrid dilemma
Thailand’s car production industry, a powerhouse of the national economy, stands at a pivotal red light crossroads. The decision now looms large: should the focus be on propelling battery electric vehicles (BEVs) into the spotlight, or should there be a concerted effort to guide the internal combustion engine (ICE) sector through a transitional phase towards electric vehicles (EVs)? With the…
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Teacher’s murder suspect identified, evidence found near scene
A suspect has been identified in the fatal shooting of a teacher in Bang Pa-In district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province, with key evidence found 2 kilometres from the crime scene. Efforts are underway to gather evidence for an arrest warrant. Yesterday, January 19, at the Bang Pa-In Police Station, Police Major General Naruenat Phuttaisong, commander of the Phra Nakhon…
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Buriram gold shop owner saves woman from call centre scam
A Thai gold shop owner in the Isaan province of Buriram successfully prevented a woman from falling victim to a call centre scam after she attempted to sell gold at the shop yesterday, January 19, to transfer money to the scammer. The Thai Wijarn gold shop owner in Nang Rong district, 45 year old Dutjadee Piaopong, shared the story of…
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Thailand locks in on crop burning with strict new measures
Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives announced strict new measures on January 17 to combat the growing PM2.5 air pollution crisis, with a particular focus on penalising farmers for crop burning. Deputy Minister Itthi Sirilatthayakorn signed the announcement, highlighting how agricultural burning has become a major contributor to the country’s deteriorating air quality. The practice generates smoke and fine particulate…
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Thaksin’s power tariff cut plan sparks debate on electricity pricing
Thaksin Shinawatra‘s proposal to lower the power tariff from 4.15 to 3.70 baht per kilowatt-hour has ignited a discussion on the future of electricity pricing, which has remained elevated since 2022. The adjustment of tariff rates directly impacts electricity bills, with a reduced tariff leading to lower costs for businesses and households. The former prime minister introduced the tariff reduction…
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Theft at Add Carabao’s daughter’s home incurs 100,000 baht loss
A theft at the under-construction home of Nenicha Opakul, daughter of renowned singer Yuenyong Opakul, more commonly known as Add Carabao, resulted in losses estimated at over 100,000 baht. The incident, reported by Nenicha’s legal representative, Melita, is under police investigation. Today, January 20, Phuvanes Viviekhatkan, a deputy investigator at Pravet Police Station, received a report about the theft. The…
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Thai bride-to-be forgets bag in temple bathroom, loses 100,000 baht dowry
A Thai bride-to-be lost 100,000 baht in gold and cash yesterday that she prepared as a dowry for her wedding after forgetting her bag in the bathroom of a temple in the Isaan province of Ubon Ratchathani. The victim, Prapassorn, contacted officers at Mueang Ubon Ratchathani Police Station at around 2.30pm, yesterday, January 19 to report the theft at Sa Prasan…
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Majority ineligible for Thailand’s debt relief programme
A significant number of borrowers have registered for the You Fight, We Help debt relief programme one month after its launch. However, a substantial portion of these applicants do not meet the eligibility criteria, as noted by banking officials. Kris Chantanotoke, Chief Executive of Siam Commercial Bank (SCB), highlighted that some registrants do not qualify for the programme. Consequently, the…
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Police seize 3 million meth pills, arrest two in drug bust
Narcotics Suppression Bureau police officers seized 3 million methamphetamine pills and apprehended two people accused of drug trafficking in Nakhon Pathom. The people arrested were identified as 32 year old Katakorn and 27 year old Supattra. They were detained yesterday evening. January 19, during a police raid at a house in the Mueang Nakhon Pathom district. Police discovered seven fertiliser…
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Thai cop blames exhaustion after crashing into 2 motorcycles, injuring 3
A Thai police officer in the southern province of Narathiwat blamed work-related exhaustion after crashing his sedan car into two motorcycles, resulting in three injuries. One of the victims is in critical condition. The accident was reported to officers at Chanae Police Station at about 5.12am on Saturday, January 18. The suspect, who was wearing a police T-shirt, identified himself…
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Thailand plans five-year strategy to tackle PM2.5 pollution
Last week a workshop was held in Chiang Mai aimed at developing a five-year plan to combat PM2.5 pollution. The Office of the Science Promotion Commission, along with officials in Chiang Mai held the workshop on January 13 and 14, emphasising a change through research and innovation. Governor Nirat Phongsitthaworn of Chiang Mai highlighted the importance of utilising research to…
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Motorcyclist dies in high-speed crash at Pathum Thani intersection
A collision occurred when a motorcyclist crashed into an overpass at a red light intersection in Pathum Thani, resulting in the rider’s death. The incident, which locals suspect involved high speed and no braking, prompted a police investigation. At approximately 1.30am today, January 20, Police Lieutenant Colonel Weerawat Niyomsub, an investigator from Khlong Luang Police Station, responded to a report…
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Thai singer alleges lese majeste threat in legal battles with ex-lover
A Thai singer accused the father of his ex-lover, a high-ranking soldier, of threatening to issue a false lese majeste charge against him following repeated legal battles with his former mistress. The renowned singer and songwriter, Apiwat “Stamp” Ueathavornsuk, disappeared from the music industry and social media for nearly two years. During this time, he rarely performed live or released new…
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Wildfire at Khao Krathing extinguished after two-day battle
A fire that blazed through Khao Krathing has finally been extinguished after a two-day battle. The cause was identified as human activity, not natural causes, with individuals secretly laying pipes up the mountain. The blaze erupted at 7.30pm on January 17 in the forest area along the Khao Krathing range, Mueang 6, within the jurisdiction of the Kled Kaew Subdistrict…
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Thailand battles hazardous PM2.5 pollution levels in 28 provinces
Bangkok and 64 out of 76 provinces in Thailand experienced unsafe levels of PM2.5 dust pollution this morning, January 20, with 28 provinces reaching hazardous red levels. Samut Sakhon reported the most severe air pollution. According to the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA), at 9am, PM2.5 levels reached hazardous levels in 28 provinces, with readings between 75.3 and…
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Two arrested after deadly teen clash in Pathum Thani
Two suspects have been apprehended following a violent altercation involving firearms and explosives between groups of teenagers, resulting in one death and five injuries. The suspects have confessed, and a firearm has been recovered. A concerned father is worried about his 16 year old son being questioned, claimed that he was at home during the incident. Today, January 20, it…
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VietJet Thailand to boost fleet and expand routes by 2025
VietJet Thailand has announced plans to expand its fleet for 2025 by leasing additional aircraft, pumping up numbers from the current 18 planes currently in operation. This information comes from Pinyos Phibulsongkhram, the Director of Commercial Affairs for VietJet Thailand. This expansion aims to support the airline’s route enhancement, particularly focusing on international destinations. Initially, five new routes are planned:…
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Thailand intensifies crackdown on new drug pod k
The Government of Thailand is intensifying efforts to suppress a new narcotic known as pod k, a blend of vape juice and ketamine that has gained popularity among club-goers, according to deputy government spokesperson Anukool Pruksanusak yesterday, January 19. Ketamine, a type 2 narcotic stimulant, carries severe penalties for possession, including up to seven years of imprisonment and fines reaching…
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Foreign cannabis thieves: Thai shop owner offers reward for information
A cannabis shop owner is offering a 2,000-baht reward for information about two foreign men who stole cannabis from a shop in the southern province of Krabi on Friday, January 17. The theft occurred at the Smok XXX shop in the Pu Dam Market, Krabi, at approximately 10pm. The two foreign thieves were captured on the store’s CCTV cameras. One…
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Thailand’s UNHRC role challenged by human rights shortfalls, says advocate
As a newly elected member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Thailand faces the need to elevate its human rights performance to align with international standards, according to a Thai human rights advocate. Sunai Phasuk, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW), discussed Thailand’s human rights situation on January 17 at the Foreign Correspondent Club of Thailand,…
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Phuket van driver caught with meth pills after police chase
Crime Suppression Division officers stationed at the Phuket City Police Station yesterday stumbled upon a drug stash on a routine patrol landing a van driver in hot water in a nail-biting escapade. The clock had barely ticked past 5.30pm, yesterday, January 19, when officers on routine patrol caught sight of a man behaving suspiciously near a red booth, clutching something…
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Monk defrocked for raping foreigner’s Thai wife in Dhamma retreat
A Thai woman took legal action against a monk in the Isaan province of Buriram for raping her during her Dhamma retreat. She also expressed fear of pregnancy and worry that her foreign husband might discover what happened. The 38 year old victim sought legal assistance from the Be One organisation after the sexual assault, which occurred on January 15…
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Woman accused of visa fraud arrested in Bangkok
A woman accused of visa fraud, who had closed her company after receiving 10 arrest warrants and causing damages exceeding 3 million baht, was arrested while working as a dishwasher in Bangkok. The arrest took place on Saturday, January 18 in front of a restaurant in the Chom Thong district. Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom and Police Colonel Santi Korkasem…
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Canadian pickup artist leaves Phuket in a tailspin
A Canadian man in a pickup truck yesterday led police on a dramatic, wild high-speed chase across Phuket, leaving a trail of damaged vehicles in his wake before being nabbed in Karon. The chaos kicked off at 4.45pm, yesterday, January 19, when Patong police were alerted to a fracas outside the Patong Condo Hotel. But just as they arrived on…
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Revving up for 2027: F1 circuit planned for Vibhavadi Rangsit Road
The Government of Thailand revealed ambitions to host a prestigious Formula 1 race right in the heart of Bangkok by 2027. The plan? To transform the bustling Vibhavadi Rangsit Road into a high-speed circuit, as mentioned by Kongsak Yodmanee, governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand. Just last week, key discussions took place to explore potential routes and tackle the…
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Canadian and American men die after attending Phuket EDM music festival
Two foreign men, one Canadian and one American, tragically lost their lives after attending the Electric Daisy Carnival Thailand 2025 (EDC Thailand 2025) in Phuket on Saturday, January 18. The causes of their deaths are still under investigation. The music festival that most Thais and foreigners in Phuket were looking forward to joining took place between January 17-19 at the…
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Chinese penis size matters: Cheeky joke blows up into beach brawl
A light-hearted joke about the size of a Chinese man’s penis turned into a full-blown scuffle on Pattaya’s Beach Road. Chaos erupted in the early hours of today, January 20, when 35 year old Ms A, accompanied her 24 year old Chinese boyfriend, to Pattaya City Police Station. The night had taken a violent turn after a Thai-Chinese man ignited…
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Thailand braces for cold weather and possible thunderstorms
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has forecasted cold to very cold weather across northern and northeastern Thailand, with temperatures dropping to single digits. Bangkok will see temperatures as low as 18 degrees Celsius. Additionally, five provinces are expected to experience thunderstorms today, January 20. Over the next 24 hours, the northern, northeastern, central, and eastern regions will continue to experience…
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Perverted professor forces teen to perform oral sex in public bathroom
A professor at a leading university in the southern province of Phayao allegedly forced a 17 year old Thai boy to perform oral sex on him in a bathroom at a petrol station in Lampang province. The family of the 17 year old victim, A, accompanied him to Kelangnakorn Police Station in Lampang to file a complaint against the suspect,…
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Fatal stabbing in Bangkok after noise complaint confrontation
A confrontation over noise complaints led to a fatal stabbing in Bangkok, resulting in one death and one serious injury. Police arrested the suspect, who was found with a knife, as police investigated the incident today, January 19. The altercation took place near Soi Phatthanakan 20, Yaek 12, in the Suan Luang district. Police Colonel Wachirakorn Wongboon from Khlong Tan…
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