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 How one hospital visit in Thailand could cost more than your whole trip
Thailand is a favourite spot for travellers who want to enjoy more while spending less. From cheap street food to low-cost hotels and fun attractions, it’s easy to stretch your budget here. But there’s one thing many people don’t think...
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Much-loved Thai police officer suddenly dies, hormone disorder blamed for 218kg weight
The unexpected passing of Manop Wongnaree, affectionally known as “Police Senior Sergeant Major Elephant” has left his family, friends and colleagues mourning. The 50 year old was a police officer with a body weight of 218 kilograms. He gained international attention when photos of him were shared online, accompanied by comments ridiculing his excessive weight. Assistant Police Captain Pichetpong Chaengkaikom…
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Cannabis shops near schools allowed amid lack of specific law
Cannabis dispensaries are currently allowed to operate near schools in Thailand, as there is no specific legislation controlling their locations, according to the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM). However, the Public Health Ministry has prohibited the sale of cannabis to individuals under 20 years old, with penalties including a one-year prison sentence, a fine of up to…
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Lop Buri monkeys suffer heatwave, locals urge support
Concerned residents are urging government agencies to provide support to monkeys residing in Lop Buri province landmarks, the Phra Kan Shrine and Phra Prang Sam Yot, after a scorching heatwave restricted the movements of its monkeys. Lop Buri finds itself in the grip of an intense heatwave, with temperatures reaching a scorching 41 degrees Celsius. Residents are concerned because the…
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Farmer in Thailand puts buffalo up for sale for US$1.5 million
A farmer in Thailand put a giant water buffalo up for sale for 50 million baht (US$1.45 million) yesterday. Forget a pool villa in Phuket, for the same price you could bag yourself one of the biggest buffaloes Thailand has ever seen. “Petch Lamkhong,” a three year and five month old water buffalo (“kwai“) from “Big Ice Farm” in Phitsanulok, weighed…
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Lottery winner fulfills promise to Thai shrine, celebrates with movie screening
A Thai woman paid respects to a spirit shrine after she won several hundred thousand baht in a lottery draw by offering a traditional dance and a movie screening. The tribute took place today, May 22, at Wat Pa Pradu, Kabin Buri District, in Thailand’s Prachin Buri Province. The 46 year old woman, known as Srichan Sringarm, took a statue…
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Debtor pawns 3 French bulldogs in Thailand
A loan shark in Thailand claims that a debtor who couldn’t make their repayments pledged three French bulldogs as collateral one year ago, but never returned to collect the dogs or repay the loan. The loan shark posted in the “French bulldog club of Thailand” to seek advice… “These are my three adopted kids. These three dogs did not do anything…
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Firework display gone wrong: Huge explosion sends locals fleeing in Kalasin
A dramatic display unfolded during the annual Bun Bang Fai Talai Lan Festival in Kalasin Province’s Kuchinarai District as a single 20 million-fireworks rocket lifted off and exploded mid-air. The festival, which took place on May 22, is uniquely celebrated in this province with millions of rockets being launched into the sky, attracting numerous local and international tourists. At around…
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Cult in Isaan encourages women to worship vagina and penis statues
A religious shrine in the Pak Chong district in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima or Korat is encouraging followers, especially women, to worship vagina and penis statues for good fortune. A Facebook page, E Sor News 2 (อีซ้อขยี้ข่าว), shared a picture of some Thai people praying to the golden vagina statue with a caption that said… “Weird… Putting gold…
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Durian dispute turns violent after Chinese tourists accuse Thai vendor of selling fake fruit
Things quickly turned sour when three Chinese tourists accused a Thai vendor of selling “fake durian” at a market in Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand, on Saturday. Officers from Sattahip Police Station were called to de-escalate an altercation at Siwanat Nakorn 700 Rai Market on Saturday night which began when three Chinese tourists expressed discontent with the quality of their…
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Deadly consumption of poisonous mushrooms claims 2 lives, 7 seriously ill in Loei Province
Tragedy struck the Isaan province of Loei as a group of individuals fell victim to the consumption of poisonous mushrooms known as Hed Ra Ngok in Thai, resulting in the deaths of two people and leaving seven others injured. The unfortunate incident unfolded on Saturday, May 20, when two residents ventured into a forest near the popular attraction, Phu Lom…
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Bangkok Pride parade aims to boost Thailand’s 2028 World Pride bid
Bangkok is set to host a Pride parade on June 4, with the theme “Door to Equal Asia,” as the city prepares to bid for World Pride 2028. Waaddao Chumaporn, the founder of Bangkok Pride, informed the Bangkok Post that this year’s event will be larger than the previous year, highlighting Thailand’s preparedness to host the global celebration in 2028.…
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Driver confronts taxi counterpart with arrest warrant in viral video, escorted to police station
A long-standing feud between two taxi drivers in Samut Prakan culminated as one driver took matters into his own hands to ensure justice was served. According to a video posted online, the taxi driver waited several years to confront the other driver and had a warrant for his arrest but he evaded capture. The incident, which occurred under a BTS…
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Phuket som tam restaurant returns 200,000 baht to European tourist
A European tourist was reunited with his bag containing money and assets worth 200,000 baht yesterday thanks to the honest owner of a som tam restaurant in Phuket, southern Thailand. The restaurant, Som Tam Yam 3 Aow, posted photos of the smiling tourist with a big stash of cash on Facebook with the caption… “From the incident where a customer had…
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Naked Buddhist monk stuns Udon Thani residents as he sheds robes in public
An alarming incident took place in the Udon Thani province of Thailand when a 42 year old Buddhist monk, identified as Damrongsak, suddenly disrobed and walked naked in the streets, unsettling nearby residents. The monk, who originally hails from Ban Pho Chon Temple in Phetchabun province, was discovered having discarded his garments near a local community school, yesterday, May 21,…
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Burmese man attacks 3 colleagues with knife near Bangkok
A Burmese man attacked three colleagues with a knife yesterday at the Owl Market in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok. The incident took place around 5pm yesterday, May 21, at the Owl Market or Nok Hook Market along the Nonthaburi Bypass Road. Officers from Rattanathibet Police Station were notified of the incident and quickly arrived on the scene along with rescuers…
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Stolen ambulance radio requested back, needed for life-saving communication
Emergency responders from the Bangkok Medical Centre have reported the theft of a vital communication radio from an ambulance, urging the thief to return the equipment as it is crucial for saving lives. Yesterday, May 21, Mahesak Kanrat, a 48 year old ambulance captain from the Bangkok Medical Centre, reported the theft to Pipatpong Puempoon, a sergeant major investigating the…
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Bitcoin rebounds 80% in 2023 amid US banking system turmoil
Cryptocurrencies are making a comeback in 2023, with Bitcoin rallying by 80% above last year’s value, despite still being almost 50% down from its record high of US$69,000 in November 2021. This resurgence is partly due to improving macroeconomic conditions and the deteriorating state of the US banking system, which has led investors to seek alternatives to traditional financial instruments.…
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More than 500 people stranded in Chon Buri by luxury cruise company
More than 500 Thai tourists found themselves stranded at Laem Chabang Port in Chon Buri, despite shelling out over 100,000 baht each for a supposedly luxurious cruise trip. The chaotic incident unfolded on Friday, May 19, leaving disgruntled passengers fuming and demanding answers from the cruise company, reportedly identified as Cost Serena, as they were denied boarding despite their hefty…
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Foreign driver dies in motorbike accident in Pattaya, Thailand
A foreign driver lost control of his motorbike in Pattaya, Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand, on Saturday. He was pronounced dead at the scene. At 3.30pm, officers at Mueang Pattaya Police Station were informed of a fatal accident on Jomtien Second Road in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Pattaya City. Police rushed to the scene with rescue workers from Pattaya’s…
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Pro-democracy group pressures senators to back MFP leader as prime minister
The United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration (UFTD) announced plans to stage a rally in front of the Parliament building tomorrow at 5pm, urging senators to support Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat for the position of prime minister. The rally is scheduled on the same day the Senate will convene an extraordinary session at 9am to discuss a…
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Mysterious murder of beautician found dead in Pattaya apartment haunts family
The murder of a 32 year old woman called Ratana in Pattaya has left her family devastated and seeking justice. Ratana’s body was found with multiple stab wounds to her face, neck, behind the ears, and shoulders four to five days after she died in a third-floor apartment in Pattaya, a city in the Chon Buri Province of Thailand. At…
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Thailand and Cambodia consider reopening Preah Vihear temple to boost tourism
Anticipation is growing among Thais for the reopening of the Preah Vihear temple ruins in Si Sa Ket after a 15-year suspension to boost tourism and promote peace dialogue with Cambodia. The temple has been inaccessible from Si Sa Ket’s Kantharalak district since 2008 due to border disputes between the two countries. Soldiers from both Thailand and Cambodia remain stationed…
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Thai rice exports valued at 23% more than same period last year
From January to April, Thailand’s rice exports reached 2.79 million tonnes, with an estimated total for the year surpassing 8 million tonnes, according to the government. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, expressed optimism regarding the exports being valued at US$1.5 billion (51.2 billion baht) revenue, a 23% increase compared to the same period last year, as reported by government spokesperson Anucha…
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Thai driver loses control, crashes into fish-loaded vehicle, 3 killed
Three people lost their lives in a devastating crash involving a Toyota Fortuner, another motorbike with a sidecar loaded with fish, and an electric light pole in Thailand. Authorities were alerted to the incident which took place on Rama 2 Road in Amphawa in the central Samut Songkhram province this morning. A 33 year old driver, a manager of a company…
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Incheon hosts Thai roadshow to boost tourism and trade ties
Incheon Metropolitan City and Incheon Tourism Organisation recently launched their inaugural roadshow in Thailand, aimed at enhancing trade and tourism between the two nations. The event, titled “Incheon Soft Power Thailand Roadshow 2023,” took place at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel and featured a B2B session involving 50 Thai and 21 Incheon tourism-related businesses, as well as a concert showcasing…
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Thailand’s Tham Luang Cave reopens for tourists in July
Safety measures are being implemented ahead of the Tham Luang Cave site’s reopening in July, as announced by Thailand‘s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Bangkok Post reported. The cave gained international attention in 2018 when 12 young Wild Boars football players and their coach were trapped inside for 18 days due to flooding before being successfully rescued.…
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Move Forward Party drops coalition partners amid supporter backlash
Thailand’s Move Forward Party (MFP) made a recent change to its proposed coalition. The party has decided to drop the New and Chartpattanakla parties from its proposed coalition line-up, following a backlash from its supporters. MFP secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon announced yesterday that the party will now focus on lobbying for Senate support for its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, to become premier,…
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Newborn baby’s charred body found in rubbish pile near resort in Thailand
In a horrific discovery, the charred body of a newborn baby girl was found discarded in a rubbish pile near a resort in Thailand‘s northeast Nakhon Ratchasima province. The incident, which took place yesterday, was reported to the Pho Klang Police Station, leading authorities and rescue teams to investigate the disturbing scene. The body was discovered in an empty lot…
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Thai man kills wife’s relative over family feud, injures niece
A 28 year old Thai man identified as Top turned himself into the authorities after he fatally stabbed a 51 year old relative of his wife, and injured his 18 year old niece in an alleged act of revenge. He claimed to be motivated by the victims’ disrespectful behaviour towards his family and lack of financial assistance. The incident took…
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Retired Thai teacher found safe after 3 days lost in forest searching for mushrooms
Relatives rejoiced as authorities found Jamlong Kheyakan, a 63 year old retired Thai teacher who had been lost in the forest for three days after searching for wild mushrooms. Authorities from various agencies, including Mae Wa National Park officers, soldiers from the 32nd Army Unit Lamphun, and local residents joined forces in search efforts, attempting to locate the last known…
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