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.
-
Sponsored Why long-term expats in Thailand say insurance is worth every baht
Thailand’s warm weather, low cost of living, and good healthcare attract many long-term expats, including retirees and remote workers. Life here feels easy and affordable, but medical costs can be high if something goes wrong. Private hospitals are popular because...
-
Wave-riding rebels: Phuket probe targets speedboat drivers who ignored safety notice
An investigation is currently underway concerning two speedboat drivers who allegedly flouted a safety notice issued by the Phuket Marine Office. This unfolded on Tuesday, August 1 when the captains reportedly displayed reckless behaviour by navigating their boats precariously in large waves and powerful winds whilst making their way back from Phi Phi Island. The probe into the conduct of these…
-
Chinese influencer praises Thailand’s VIP experience on elite visa, starting at 600,000 baht
A viral video is currently making waves online, featuring a high-society Chinese woman reviewing her VIP experience while travelling to Thailand using the Thailand Elite Visa. Shared on TikTok via her account @taifei5, she documented a journey where luxury and personal care started as soon as she stepped off the plane. @taifei5 วีซ่าเข้าประเทศไทย#วีซ่า #ชีวิตในประเทศไทย #ประเทศไทย🇹🇭 #สนามบิน #海外生活 #种草 ♬ 原聲…
-
Crime-cracking capers: ECD raids warehouse, nabs Chinese owner, seizes 100,000 tax avoided treasures in Bangkok
Police officers from the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) raided a warehouse in Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok, resulting in the arrest of its Chinese owner and the seizure of over 100,000 items of tax-avoided goods worth more than 10 million baht. The ECD received a tip-off regarding the importation of tax-avoided and pirated goods from abroad, specifically stored in…
-
Unseen gunman in Phuket hotel shooting leaves two wounded, police intensify search
In the early hours of today, a terrifying gun attack unfolded outside a well-known hotel in Patong, Phuket, leaving two young men wounded. The unknown assailant, who drove a dark sedan, fled the scene immediately, igniting an urgent police search. At 4am today, the unchecked violence broke the tranquillity of residents in Phuket. Upon receiving reports of a shooting, Police…
-
MFP calls out Pheu Thai Party’s lies on lese majeste law revision
The Move Forward (MFP) yesterday accused the Pheu Thai Party of lying. The MFP insist the Pheu Thai Party never requested them to withdraw their plan to revise the lese majeste law. The Pheu Thai Party yesterday announced an official split from the MFP and six other aligned parties, which had earlier agreed to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding…
-
Pouring woes: Heavy rainfall unleashes havoc, claiming one life with landslides and flash floods in northern Thailand
Continuous heavy rainfall has triggered devastating landslides and flash floods, resulting in one death in the Sop Moei district, located in the province of Mae Hong Son, northern Thailand. According to the district chief, Pongphipat Mebenjamat, today’s report confirms that 12 residential structures have suffered severe damage, and tragically, one resident has lost their life. The heart of Sop Moei,…
-
Indian man steals money from Thai vendors near Bangkok
A cunning serial thief stole 950 baht from a Thai vendor in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok. The Indian man in question reportedly stole money from many other shops using the same smoke and mirror trick. The victim, Kanticha, revealed to the media that the incident occurred on July 31 at her noodles shop in the Bang Bua Thong district of…
-
Nitric acid leak prompts emergency response in Bangkok: Investigation underway
A chemical emergency has struck the Prawet district, in Bangkok following a leak of nitric acid. Authorities, including a specialised team from the Lat Yao Fire Station, swiftly arrived at the scene to prevent further spread. The property owner, who utilises the chemical acid for stainless steel work, possesses the correct permit, but authorities will conduct further investigation to ensure…
-
Thai military seize 1.2 million cannabis-tinged meth pills worth 100 million baht
A major drug bust occurred yesterday, when a joint task force of Thai military and law enforcement officials seized over 1.2 million meth pills, with a new formula containing cannabis, from a transit point along the Mekong River, Nakhon Phanom. Some of this haul was contained in sophisticated dehumidifying packaging featuring unique stamps. Sources speculate the drugs were intended for the…
-
Thai industries call for new govt to revitalise flagging exports
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) declared the urgent need for Thailand to form a new government and establish fresh policies aimed at tackling lacklustre export performance. Data revealed a 7.4% decline to US$28 billion in the nation’s exports to its largest market, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), during the period running from January to May. The FTI’s…
-
Notorious bike theft gang behind 10 million baht of stolen Honda motorcycles nabbed by Thai police
In a relentless pursuit, the law enforcement authorities of Region 4 Crime Suppression Division apprehended the key suspect of a notorious motorcycle theft syndicate. The gang mainly targeted the popular Honda PCX model, smuggling over 60 of these stolen bikes to neighbouring countries and amassing over 10 million baht. The capture took place yesterday, when police officers, led by Captain…
-
Thai couple arrested for child abuse leading to blindness: Mother confesses
Police yesterday arrested a 30 year old woman, and her 36 year old husband in connection with the continued inflicted child abuse on a five year old girl leading to her near blindness, in West Thailand. Relatives of the girl had appealed for help after realising that her blindness was due to prolonged cruelty. Her biological mother, Kesorn, and stepfather, Atthaphon,…
-
Shocking ink-ident: Famous tattoo artist’s alleged misconduct rattles Thailand
The tale of a famous tattoo artist allegedly crossing the line with female customers has shocked the city of Nakhon Sawan in central Thailand. The account of a tattoo artist overstepping professional boundaries emerged from an online post shared on July 2, by a TikTok user identified as @3310qqq. The claims prompted wide debate and raised awareness about personal safety…
-
Caught in the drama: Foreign Thai soap opera fan’s secret kissing clip leads to blackmail attempt
An unnamed foreign Thai soap opera fan tried to blackmail two actors after secretly filming them kissing in one of their apartments, believed to be in Bangkok, Thailand. The two Thai soap opera stars caught in the embrace were Sarocha “Freen” Chankimha and Wichai “Seng” Saefarn. Both actors star in the television series GAP The Series, which is popular among…
-
Sisaket Hospital probes alleged sabotage of patient data to sell backup software for 3 million baht
The Director of the Sisaket Hospital has ordered the formation of a committee to investigate claims that patient data was deleted, causing the entire Hospital Information System (HIS) to crash in northeastern Thailand. Allegedly, this sabotage was part of a reckless attempt to sell backup software for 3 million baht (US$87,387). If proven true, it signifies alarming corruption within the…
-
Gunman on the loose: Police scramble to find foreign suspect intimidating sightseers in Pattaya (video)
Police officers are frantically searching for an unidentified foreign gunman caught on tape intimidating a group of international sightseers with a pistol at a popular scenic viewpoint in Pattaya. The threatening incident has created a stir, leading Pattaya’s chief of police, Police Colonel Thanapong Phothi, and investigators to accelerate efforts to apprehend the at-large suspect. The concerning footage, which took around…
-
Tragic twist: High-ranking officer’s fatal collision with tree leaves Sisaket mourning
A tragic accident took the life of a high-ranking Nam Kliang Police Station officer when his vehicle collided with a tree resulting in fatal injuries in Sisaket province in northeastern Thailand. The driver of the car survived but suffered severe injuries and was rushed for medical treatment. In the early hours of 3.30am today, local police received an alert about…
-
Move forward, lese divide: Thai election winner MFP sparks coalition clash over lese majeste law revision
Thai General Election winner the Move Forward Party (MFP) is refusing to abandon its ideology, insisting it will revise the lese majeste law, leading to a division among the Pheu Thai Party and the eight coalition parties. As a consequence, the Pheu Thai Party insisted that they cannot work with the MFP and announced they will form a government with…
-
Warning waves: Portuguese Man o’ War sighted at Lanta Island raises alarm in Krabi
An alarm has been raised over a hazardous marine creature, a Portuguese Man o’ War, spotted at Lanta Island in Krabi. Holiday-goers to the sea are advised against using bare hands to touch the creature where they stumble upon it. A tourist from Bangkok came across the creature during her recent vacation to Lanta Island’s hotel located in Moo 2,…
-
Tragic tide: Phuket’s drowning incidents claim four tourists in five days
The popular tourist destination of Phuket in Thailand has recently seen a tragic spike in drowning incidents, resulting in the death of four tourists over a five-day span. In the most recent incident, two young Indian men lost their lives while swimming at Karon Beach. At around 8.14pm yesterday, police officer Chomphunutch Anahtayakul from the Patong Police Station in Phuket…
-
Tisco ESU advises focus shift to debt instruments amid market instability
Amid global stock market turbulence, financial analysts at Tisco’s Economic Strategy Unit (Tisco ESU) are advocating that investors pivot their focus towards debt instruments for potential high-yield returns. The ongoing pressures from elevated bond yields, coupled with the weakening economies in the US and Europe, are some of the contributing factors exerting pressure on the financial markets. The ongoing macroeconomic…
-
Blue pee surprise: Thai Highway Police bust narcotics ring in Bangkok
The Thai Highway Police today busted a narcotics ring and its leader who produced blue pee after taking a urine drug test in Bangkok. The gang employed an unconventional smuggling tactic to transport a massive haul of 400,000 methamphetamine pills. Their plan involved transporting the illicit drugs from Bangkok to Surat Thani. The police successfully carried out the operation, culminating in…
-
Maya Bay closed until September 30 for nature restoration and tourist safety
Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Koh Phi Phi Nationa Park authorities, located in the southern province of Krabi, announced they will close Maya Bay and Loh Sama Bay from August 1 to September 30. The move aims to preserve nature and prioritise tourist safety during the monsoon season. Ratchanok Parenoi, the national park director, pointed out that Thailand experiences the monsoon season…
-
Songkhla man nabbed smuggling 14 undocumented Burmese for 30,000 baht
A 31 year old man from Hat Yai, Songkhla, has been arrested by highway police in Surat Thani for allegedly smuggling 14 Burmese immigrants into Thailand. The arrest took place on Phetkasem Road within Thachang, where he, after an initial attempt to flee, was apprehended with his Toyota Revo pickup truck, registration number ผผ7620 Songkhla. The man, Rusdee, was found…
-
Water shortages: Thai govt mulls halting Central Plains rice farming amid anticipated drought
In a bid to counteract the effects of a potential drought, the central government of Thailand is contemplating the suspension of rice cultivation in the Central Plains region. This proposal comes alongside the potential establishment of a command centre to combat reduced rainfall and water shortages. The Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) initiated this conversation, citing apprehensions about…
-
Drunk shoots neighbour in ongoing feud in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand
A severe case of neighbourhood conflict escalated drastically yesterday when a drunk man shot his neighbour with a shotgun in northern Thailand. Local police dashed to the scene to investigate the incident with an emergency rescue unit in Chiang Mai. The perpetrator was arrested and charged. The 66 year old offender, Manu, was found in a severe state of inebriation…
-
Bangkok cleanup: State railway clear rubbish on future elevated train line site
An assertive Bangkok cleanup approach has been taken by both the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) in conjunction with the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), to clear mounting rubbish clustered along the rail tracks in proximity to Phaya Thai. This follows a poignant post by a Japanese Twitter user which displayed the deplorable conditions encircling a Kiha-183 train, generously donated to…
-
Gunpoint drama: Thai witness captures shocking video of foreign mafia in Pattaya
A shocking incident took place at the Voice of Navy 5 Viewpoint in Pattaya, as a Thai witness captured a distressing video of a foreign mafia member threatening a group of Asian men at gunpoint. The video, lasting 1.39 minutes, shows a foreign mafia man dressed in all-black attire brandishing a gun and intimidating approximately ten foreigners, believed to be…
-
Flash flood scare at Bueng Kan’s Phuwua Sanctuary prompts quick evacuation of tourists
The renowned tourist attraction of Phuwua Wildlife Sanctuary was the recent setting of a narrow escape for visitors in Bueng Kan, northeast Thailand. Sudden heavy rainfall resulted in water flooding down from the Phuwua mountains, leading tourists, who were enjoying a day at the Tham Phra Waterfall, to flee for higher ground. As reported at 4pm yesterday, amidst a vibrant atmosphere,…
-
Cautionary Krabi Sea waves: Dramatic speedboat manoeuvres issue stern warning to operators and tourists (video)
Dramatic documentation of three speedboats manoeuvring massive 5-metre waves in the Krabi Sea issued a stern warning to the boat operators and tourists to remain cautious. The posted video, which instantly caused a commotion on social media yesterday, showcased the life-threatening conditions faced by the vessels amidst the towering waves. An individual on Facebook initially shared the gripping video of the…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.