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 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...
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Songkran 2025 boosts Thai tourism revenue by 26.5 billion baht
Thailand’s tourism and sports minister, Suwong Thienthong, announced that the Songkran festival in 2025 generated an estimated revenue of 26.5 billion baht, marking an 8% increase from the previous year. The festival attracted approximately 470,000 foreign tourists, a 6.5% rise from last year, with visitors hailing from Malaysia, China, India, Russia, Taiwan, Europe, and South Korea. Social media buzz surrounding…
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Pattaya locals question drink-driving checks during Songkran
As Pattaya soldiers on with its Songkran celebrations, locals are raising doubts about the effectiveness of alcohol checkpoints in curbing drunk driving and road accidents. Local police have ramped up road safety measures during the annual 7 Dangerous Days campaign, including more checkpoints and alcohol breath tests. But residents are sceptical. Popular sentiment is the same, locals claim regulating drink…
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Pickup truck crash in Ayutthaya claims one life, injures four
A pickup truck returning from Songkran celebrations lost control and veered off the road, plunging into an irrigation canal. The accident resulted in one fatality and four injuries. A survivor expressed uncertainty about the cause of the accident. Today, April 16, Police Lieutenant Colonel Damrongsak Saeng-ngen of Bang Ban Police Station reported that at 11pm yesterday, April 15, a pickup…
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Soaked: Flash floods fury leaves Phuket in deep water
Phuket woke up underwater yesterday as torrential overnight downpours triggered flash floods, swamped roads and sparked fresh fears of landslides, turning paradise into panic. Parts of of the popular holiday resort resembled rivers rather than roads yesterday morning, April 15, after relentless rain pummelled the island overnight, flooding key areas and prompting landslide warnings across southern Thailand. Among the hardest-hit…
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Foreigner in Thailand learns lesson after cultural disrespect (video)
An unruly foreign man in Thailand faced severe consequences after disrespecting Thai culture and assaulting a woman in a bar. The incident, captured in a TikTok video by user @bagpaope, showed the unamed man mocking Thai boxing and provoking a bar security guard, on Soi 6 in Pattaya, ending in a physical altercation. The footage yesterday, April 15, depicted the foreign…
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Foreign man criticized for bad behaviour at Songkran party (video)
A TikTok user shared a video of an incident involving a foreign man displaying inappropriate behaviour during the Songkran festival in Thailand. The man is accused of deliberately splashing water on women’s faces and chests during the Thai New Year celebration, then smiling with satisfaction. He allegedly also spat at people and threw ice yesterday, April 15. In the video,…
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Thai and mighty! Thailand leapfrogs Malaysia in global rankings
Thailand may have outpaced Malaysia in a key global competitiveness ranking for the first time in a decade but experts warn the shine may not last as structural issues, budget cuts, and a lack of long-term vision continue to hold the kingdom back. Thailand has climbed to second place in Southeast Asia in the IMD World Competitiveness Centre’s global rankings,…
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Thailand sees 10.7 million tourists, 510 billion baht in revenue
Thailand has seen approximately 10.7 million international tourists arriving this year, with over 666,000 visiting during the Songkran festival alone, as reported by the government yesterday, April 15. Tourism-related revenue from these visitors has exceeded 510 billion baht. Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong shared yesterday that the figures demonstrate the success of the government’s Maha Songkran World Water Festival…
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70 year old woman told to leave concert due to leg pain (video)
A 70 year old woman attended a Lamyai Haithongkham concert at Sanam Luang but was unexpectedly asked to leave by security after requesting a brief sit down due to leg pain. A young woman intervened to assist her. The incident, yesterday, April 15, captured by TikTok user @mamprapa, led to numerous discussions online. In the shared video, the elderly woman,…
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Furious foreigner floored by water gun in Pattaya Songkran bust-up
A Pattaya Songkran party took a dark turn when a furious foreigner with a fresh tattoo got soaked against his will, only to be blasted in the face with a water gun during a heated bust-up, landing him in hospital and police on the hunt for the culprits. The Songkran celebration on Pattaya’s infamous Soi 6 descended into chaos last…
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Thai finance minister to address US tariff impacts on economy
Thailand’s Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira is set to engage with the Bank of Thailand governor regarding the United States‘ reciprocal tariff measures ahead of his visit to the United States. Aiming for a formal meeting with the central bank governor by tomorrow, April 17, Pichai intends to evaluate the impacts of US trade policy, global economic trends, and the US’s…
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Teenagers criticised for disrespecting Luang Phor To statue during Songkran
Two teenagers sparked controversy after a video of them dancing and touching the head and face of a revered Luang Phor To statue circulated online. The incident, which occurred during the Songkran festival yesterday, April 15, has drawn significant criticism on social media, with many questioning the appropriateness of their actions. The video, capturing the teenagers’ disrespectful behaviour beside a…
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Transgender woman’s topless dance at Songkran festival sparks backlash
A video showing a transgender woman dancing topless during the Songkran festival in Nakhon Ratchasima sparked criticism for damaging Thai cultural values. The incident occurred yesterday, April 15, during the festivities’ final day, with crowds of locals and tourists participating in water fights on main roads. In Nakhon Ratchasima, people celebrated Songkran by riding in pickup trucks loaded with water…
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Cell shock: Thai cops gear up with Israeli tech to bust scam rings
Scammers beware, the Royal Thai Police (RTP) are now armed with cutting-edge Israeli tech to crack phones, catch fraudsters and bring cyber crooks to justice faster than you can say “call centre con.” The RTP beefed up their cybercrime-fighting arsenal with state-of-the-art digital forensic tools from Israeli firm Cellebrite, giving officers the power to extract crucial data from phones and…
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Pattaya police target water trucks causing Songkran traffic chaos
Pattaya police announced a crackdown on water trucks that obstruct traffic and pose safety risks during Songkran festivities. Yesterday, April 15, at 7.36pm, reporters in Chon Buri observed water trucks spraying people and causing traffic jams in Pattaya, creating potential hazards for those on and around the vehicles. Police Lieutenant Colonel Phanuphong Nimsuwan, a traffic inspector at Pattaya City Police…
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State Audit Office families to get 100,000 baht quake compensation
As the death toll from the collapsed State Audit Office building rises to 44, heartbroken families are being offered compensation while rescuers race against time to find dozens still buried beneath the rubble. The Interior Ministry announced that it will pay 100,000 baht to the families of each victim killed in the State Audit Office building collapse in the Chatuchak…
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Crime doesn’t pay-as-you-go: 130,000 Thai mule accounts axed
The Government of Thailand slammed the brakes on a massive online scam operation, axing over 130,000 dodgy mule accounts and collaring hundreds of fraudsters in just three months. Sasikarn Wattanachan, deputy government spokesperson, said the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society’s Anti-Online Crime Operation Centre (AOC) had ramped up its war on online fraudsters. Between January and March, a staggering…
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Thunderstorm warning for 42 provinces: Thai it down
Hold onto your brollies, folks, the Thai Meteorological Department has sounded the alarm today, predicting a deluge of thunderstorms across a whopping 42 provinces, including bustling Bangkok. Down south, it’s even more dramatic, with heavy rain set to drench 70% of the area, whipped up by fierce gusts. Residents are being urged to stay vigilant and brace for a soggy…
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Booze clues: Underage drinking promos soak Songkran spirit
Songkran’s splashy celebrations may have cooled the crowds but things are heating up for Thailand’s booze industry after a leading watchdog exposed widespread law-breaking underage alcohol drinking over the holiday. Teera Watcharapranee, director of the StopDrink Network, claims major alcohol brands brazenly flouted the law with flashy promotions and events in more than 137 locations nationwide. “Among these, 42 were…
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Fake monk caught soliciting donations during Nakhon Pathom Songkran
Residents in Nakhon Pathom raised concerns about a man impersonating a monk to solicit donations during the Songkran festival. Today, April 15, the incident was reported to Phra Khru Phalat Sitthiwat, also known as Luang Pi Namfon, who chairs the committee addressing complaints within the monastic community of Region 14. The man, suspected of being a fake monk, was seen…
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Laotian woman drowns in Bangkok restaurant pool during Songkran
A 37 year old Laotian woman, named Noi, tragically passed away after losing consciousness in a pool at a restaurant in Taling Chan district, Bangkok. The incident occurred yesterday, April 14, around 9.28pm. Despite efforts from rescue personnel to revive her, she was pronounced dead at 11pm. The restaurant owner revealed that the establishment was closed for the Songkran festival…
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Cattle dispute leads to fatal shooting in Chon Buri
A group linked to a cattle dispute has been apprehended after a deadly shooting incident. The confrontation left 53 year old cattle farm owner Sompong (surname withheld) dead at his farm in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri. The incident arose from a misunderstanding over stolen cattle, leading to an altercation followed by the shooting. Police captured 40…
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Teen arrested for brandishing modified BB gun at Korat festival (video)
A 19 year old man was apprehended after brandishing a modified BB gun during a Songkran water festival in Korat. The incident, captured on video and widely shared on social media, showed the young man threatening a group of rivals on a public street. The video depicts the youth, dressed in a white shirt and patterned shorts, pointing a weapon…
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Myanmar worker fatally stabbed during Songkran festival
A violent altercation among Myanmar workers during the Songkran festival in Mueang Samut Sakhon district resulted in the fatal stabbing of a 25 year old, Zay Ya Kyaw. The suspect managed to flee amidst the chaos of the water festival celebrations. Police Colonel Pichetphong Jangkaikom, along with other officers from the Mueang Samut Sakhon Police Station, investigated the incident at…
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Indian man injured in Pattaya apartment altercation
A 43 year old Indian national was injured in an altercation with his Thai girlfriend at their apartment in Pattaya. The incident, yesterday, April 14, involving a broken bottle attack, resulted in the man sustaining chest and arm injuries. The incident occurred shortly after midnight at an apartment in Soi Kromtheedin 6, Nong Prue, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province.…
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Chiang Mai lottery sales surge during Songkran festival
In Chiang Mai, lottery ticket sales are thriving during the Songkran festival, with locals eagerly purchasing tickets from various stalls around the city, including areas like Chiang Mai Gate, Chang Phueak Gate, Mahidol Road, Mueang district, the railway station, and morning markets. Tickets are priced at 100 baht (US$3) each, with sets of two selling for 200 baht (US$6), three…
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Welsh traveller goes missing in Thailand, family appeals for help
A 26 year old Welsh traveller has gone missing in Thailand, prompting concern from his family and friends who haven’t heard from him in over four weeks. Daniel Davies, from Llanelli, was last in contact with his family on March 13 while staying at the Hangover Hostel in Bangkok. He was later seen on the island of Koh Phi Phi, a…
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Small earthquake strikes Krabi, no tsunami risk reported
An earthquake measuring 3.5 on the Richter scale occurred in Krabi province, with the epicentre located in Khlong Khama subdistrict, Nuea Khlong district. The event, which was felt by locals, took place at 2.27pm yesterday, April 14. The Thai Meteorological Department’s Earthquake Surveillance Division reported the quake’s depth at 2 kilometres. At 2.42pm, the Thai Meteorological Department issued a statement…
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Bangkok Songkran draws 360,000, 10 killed in traffic accidents
Songkran festivities in Bangkok attracted a global audience, with over 360,000 people attending events on Silom and Khao San roads during the opening two days of the holiday, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). From April 12 to April 13, Silom Road hosted 165,239 visitors at celebrations held from noon until 10pm, while Khao San Road saw 197,314 people…
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PM Paetongtarn invites tourists to Chiang Mai’s vibrant cultural fest
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has encouraged both Thais and tourists to partake in the Pee Mai Mueang San Kamphaeng event, highlighting the enchanting Lhong Him Khao community in Chiang Mai. Lhong Him Khao, located in the San Kamphaeng district, is a vibrant community celebrated for its traditional Lanna arts, crafts, and cultural expressions. Residents have transformed their homes into cafes,…
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