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 Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Lufthansa extends A380 service to Bangkok
Lufthansa is giving travellers to Thailand an upgrade, extending its Airbus A380 service on the Munich-Bangkok route due to surging demand during Songkran, Thailand’s biggest festival. Originally set for a limited run, the airline has now confirmed the superjumbo will continue flying until April 25, offering passengers a spacious, top-tier experience. The decision cements Lufthansa’s commitment to premium long-haul service,…
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Foreign couple exposed for repeated taxi fare scams in Phuket
A foreign couple in Phuket allegedly attempted to avoid paying a taxi fare yesterday, February 3, but ultimately paid after the driver threatened them with legal action. The female Thai taxi driver took to social media to warn other drivers to be cautious of the foreign couple. The Phuket Times also shared her story to alert taxi drivers working mainly…
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Manhunt intensifies for escaped prisoner in Nonthaburi forest
A search operation in a forest has yet to yield results in the hunt for an escaped prisoner. CCTV footage shows the 32 year old inmate, convicted of theft, riding a motorcycle from Nonthaburi to Bangkok yesterday, February 3. Wasan Obnual, who was serving a sentence of one year and 12 months, had completed nine months with a remaining term…
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Turkish man caught packing more than just bags at Phuket Airport
A Turkish man was detained at Phuket International Airport after airport security uncovered ammunition hidden in his luggage. The man, Isa Ates, found himself at the centre of a dramatic scene, insisting he had no idea how the bullets ended up in his suitcase. The incident unfolded yesterday, February 3, when eagle-eyed airport officials, conducting a routine security check, spotted…
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3 foreign men attack Phuket tuk tuk driver over parking dispute
Three foreign men attacked a Thai tuk tuk driver in a gang assault on Sunday, February 2, following a parking dispute on a road in Phuket, leaving the victim with serious injuries. The injured tuk tuk driver, Narin, filed a complaint against the three foreign attackers at Patong Police Station and shared details of the incident with the Facebook news…
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Pregnant Thai woman accuses husband of domestic violence
A 32 year old woman accused her new husband of domestic violence in front of her three year old son. The incident left her unconscious with a broken jaw and nose. The victim, A, who is three months pregnant with her husband, Sommai’s child, expressed a desire to leave the relationship but fears for her safety due to Sommai’s threats to…
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Beautician from Thailand battles British heirs for £400k inheritance
In an explosive legal showdown fit for a soap opera, a beautician from Thailand is taking her former British lover’s sons to the London High Court, demanding her slice of their late father’s £400,000 inheritance. The contentious affair has captivated courtroom observers, as they watch the tug-of-war over promises, property, and pounds unfold in the British High Court. Kanokporn Nattachai…
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US tariffs could flood Thai market with cheap Chinese goods
Thailand may soon be swamped with an influx of cheap Chinese imports if the United States slaps high tariffs on Chinese goods, warns former Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai. The country must brace itself for economic turbulence, or risk being caught off guard. Speaking at the Chula Thailand Presidents Summit 2025 at Chulalongkorn University, Surakiart cautioned that if the US tightens trade…
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Cool air from China brings storms and high waves to Thailand
The Meteorological Department of Thailand (TMD) issued a weather warning for today, February 4, highlighting a new wave of cool air from China affecting Thailand. This results in decreased temperatures and strong winds, with five provinces experiencing severe storms and seas with waves exceeding 2 metres. The moderate high-pressure system from China has spread to upper northeastern Thailand and the…
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Debt-ridden Thai man snatches bag from Japanese tourist in Chiang Mai
A Thai man snatched a bag off a Japanese woman in the northern province of Chiang Mai on Friday claiming after the arrest that he had to steal to pay off his debts. The Japanese victim, 63 year old Reiko, filed a complaint with Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station after losing her bag in the snatching which occurred at about…
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Back in the driver’s seat: Rewat plans to steer Phuket forward
Fresh off his re-election victory, Rewat Areerob is revving up to tackle the challenges facing Phuket as the newly-affirmed president of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO). Triumphing with a commanding 86,616 votes, Rewat of the Phuket Yat Dai Party left his nearest rival, Lersak Leenanitikul of the Prachachon Party, trailing in the dust with 44,602 votes. Not content with…
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Smoke out: Phuket cracks down on polluters as air crisis worsens
Phuket is turning up the heat on environmental offenders with a major new campaign aimed at tackling the island’s escalating air pollution crisis. In a bold bid to curb forest fires, haze, and PM2.5 dust pollution, the island’s officials have launched a public awareness drive, kicking off with a grand ceremony at the Phuket Provincial Hall, today, February 3, presided…
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Ballot bedlam: Nearly 2 million votes go to waste in local elections
In an electoral fiasco that left heads spinning, nearly 2 million ballots were either ruled invalid or marked as no-vote in the Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) presidential elections, which took place across 47 provinces last Saturday. The startling figures have raised eyebrows and questions about the voting process. Today, February 3, the Office of the Election Commission unveiled the sobering…
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2 Thai social media influencers arrested for promoting Yaba online
Two Thai social media influencers promoted methamphetamine, also known as Yaba, on the TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) platforms, leading to their arrest yesterday, February 2. Officers from the Technology Crime Suppression Division raided a house in Soi Ram Inthra 40 in the Bueng Kum district of Bangkok to arrest two social media influencers, 21 year old Suppanat Panyasin and…
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Thai task force seizes scam-linked electronics in Mae Ramat
In Tak province, security officials apprehended a man and confiscated a substantial number of computers, mobile phones, and SIM cards connected to call centre scams in Mae Ramat district. On Saturday, February 1, a joint force consisting of soldiers from the Ratchamanu Task Force, border patrol police, and administrative officials established checkpoints along the Thai-Myanmar border in tambon Mae Ramat.…
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Gold rush 2.0: Prices hit dazzling new heights past 45,000 baht
Hold onto your wallets, gold enthusiasts, prices are soaring yet again! The glittering metal has surpassed a staggering 45,000 baht, according to the latest update from the Gold Traders Association (GTA). As of today, February 3, gold jewellery is now selling at a dazzling 45,250 baht per baht weight, reflecting a 150 baht increase in just 24 hours. The drama…
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Teen attacked in Bangkok after tea shop stumble
An 18 year old man sustained minor injuries after being attacked by four teenagers in Bangkok’s Nong Khang Phlu district today. The altercation began when the victim tripped outside a tea shop and uttered an expletive, which the group took offence to. According to the police, the incident occurred today, February 3, near the entrance of Soi Phetkasem 108, prompting…
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Monk, vendor, & balloon seller strike gold with ‘ugly’ lottery tickets
Three unlikely winners, a monk, a toy vendor, and a balloon seller, each scooped a cool 6 million baht after purchasing a set of ‘ugly’ lottery tickets. Initially overlooked, these tickets turned out to hold the coveted first prize. The buzz began to reverberate through Khon Kaen on Saturday, February 1, as the Government Lottery Office announced the winning number…
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Thai man fatally shoots wife and mother-in-law before suicide
A Thai man fatally shot his wife and mother-in-law today at their shared home in the northern province of Phitsanulok before taking his own life. Officers from Phrom Phiram Police Station were alerted to the shooting in Ban Wang Masra community in Phitsanulok’s Phrom Phiram district at around 2pm today, February 3. Officers used a drone to investigate the house…
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Police pose as delivery riders to arrest drug smugglers in Thailand
Nakhon Ratchasima police orchestrated a sting operation by pretending to be delivery riders, leading to the arrest of two drug smugglers: a Thai man and a Lao woman involved in trafficking 400,000 methamphetamine pills across the Mekong River to Thailand, valued at 6 million baht. Both suspects confessed to the crime, citing unemployment as the motive, and received a payment…
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Teen caught with two million meth pills on Mekong River
A 16 year old was apprehended while smuggling meth pills across the Mekong River, with over two million pills seized. Three of his accomplices managed to escape. The incident took place earlier today, February 3, in Chumphon subdistrict, Phon Phisai district, Nong Khai province. Lieutenant General Boonsin Phadklang, head of the Second Army Area and the Border Drug Suppression and…
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Thai woman arrested over largest romance scam at Hat Yai airport
A Thai woman linked to the largest romance scam in the nation’s history was apprehended at Hat Yai International Airport, according to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) yesterday, February 2. CIB police detained 52 year old Orathai, whose surname is withheld, at the airport’s arrival terminal after she arrived from Malaysia on February 1. She faces charges under an arrest…
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Thai sex creator retires and warns fans of impersonation scam
A female Thai sex content creator announced her retirement and warned her followers to beware of scammers releasing livestream videos while posing as her. The 23 year old social media influencer, Sajeera “Jeedjad” Theeranetr, was known among her fans as a “policewoman” due to one of her most popular videos featuring her in a police cosplay uniform. On Saturday, February…
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57 Thailand provinces face hazardous PM2.5 levels
This morning, 57 out of Thailand’s 77 provinces experienced dangerous levels of ultrafine dust pollution, as reported by the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA). Thirteen provinces recorded hazardous PM2.5 levels, particles 2.5 micrometres or smaller, with Nong Bua Lam Phu reaching the highest concentration at 99.1 microgrammes per cubic metre over the past 24 hours. Sisaket followed with…
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Two detectives killed in rear-end collision with cement truck
Two detectives from the Metropolitan Police Bureau Division 1 tragically lost their lives when their vehicle was rear-ended by a cement truck while tracking a drug suspect. The incident occurred late at night on February 1 at a petrol station on the Western Ring Road in Sam Khok district, Pathum Thani province. The two officers, 54 year old Lieutenant Manee…
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Pee-ce treaty: Foreigners demand more loos after Phuket public urination uproar
Foreign netizens defended themselves and called for more public bathrooms in Phuket after Thai nationals condemned the foreigners on social media for urinating in public. The Phuket Times, shared images of two foreign men urinating on the footpath on February 2. The news outlet criticised the tourists in the caption which read, “Pee everywhere #PhuketForeigners #QualityTourists.” The two foreign men…
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Ex-Yasothon prosecutor arrested for 100,000 baht bribery charge
The Crime Suppression Division yesterday arrested former Yasothon province prosecutor, 67 year old Kongsiri, who failed to appear for a bribery verdict. He allegedly accepted a 100,000 baht (US$2,930) bribe to assist a drug case suspect. The arrest occurred yesterday, February 2, at his residence in Bangkok’s Bang Khun Non district. Kongsiri was wanted under an arrest warrant issued by…
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Blade end: Krabi mechanic’s routine lawnmower repair turns deadly
A seemingly ordinary day turned tragic for a 72 year old Krabi mechanic, as a routine lawnmower repair took a lethal turn. The Krabi mechanic, Saman, yesterday, February 2, was engaged in what should have been just another day at his repair shop: a humble single-storey setup nestled in the area of Ban Khao Thiam Pa, Khao Thong subdistrict in…
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Aussie influencer breaks silence on life with two vaginas (video)
An Australian influencer is making waves online, tackling taboos and shedding light on a rare condition that sets her apart, she has two vaginas. Born with uterus didelphys, a unique anomaly where a woman possesses two vaginas, Evelyn Miller is delving into the intimate details of her life, quelling curiosity and sparking conversations across the globe. Through the lens of…
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FDA raises kratom limit to boost farmers’ incomes
Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin has committed to promoting kratom-based products to enhance farmers’ incomes while adhering to safety standards. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently increased the daily consumption limit of mitragynine, a key alkaloid in kratom plants, from 1 milligramme to 3 milligrammes. This development is significant in advancing kratom-infused products. Mitragynine is known for its…
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