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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  • LIVE stream from Bangkok for today’s ceremonies

    LIVE stream from Bangkok for today’s ceremonies

    There is an English language stream. Select at the bottom right of the screen.

  • Lady in black. And red.

    Lady in black. And red.

    Remember our lady turned away from a US function in honour of the Late King Rama 9? The lady defied the ‘black & tasteful’ dress code and arrived in her own version of ‘black’ along with a few accessories. Link here… https://www.facebook.com/maizingGpee.Official/videos/542699439405074/ Well, her journalist husband (a Pulitzer Prize nominee) has gone full Op Ed and fired back at the…

  • Storm forming over South China Sea and heading our way

    Storm forming over South China Sea and heading our way

    The forecast path for the tropical storm A new storm is forming in the South China Sea and expected to move westwards across the Gulf of Thailand and hit the southern sections of Thailand next week. The storm warning came from the Thai Meteorological Department yesterday. The storm is forming as a result of a low pressure in the South…

  • Time to head home

    Time to head home

    Mourners, who made the long trip to Bangkok in recent days to pay their final respects for their beloved King Rama 9, are now starting to head home cramming bus stations, airports and roadways out of the capital. Despite the government providing opportunities for mourners to pay their final respects at replica crematoriums around the country (85 were constructed for…

  • The collection of the Royal Relics and Ashes, this morning from Sanam Luang

    The collection of the Royal Relics and Ashes, this morning from Sanam Luang

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdR-aYtauT0 Watch in English by clicking the selection at the bottom-right of the frame. Courtesy Thai PBS.

  • Mourners weep around the nation as they bid their final goodbye

    Mourners weep around the nation as they bid their final goodbye

    Silence fell over Sanam Luang when the time came for the Royal Cremation of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Thursday night. The respectful silence was only broken as the King’s loyal subjects occupying the area around Sanam Luang ceremonial grounds burst into tears as the beloved monarch finally departed for heaven. His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn was…

  • AFTER 5PM: The symbolic Royal Cremation at the Sanam Luang Royal Crematorium

    AFTER 5PM: The symbolic Royal Cremation at the Sanam Luang Royal Crematorium

    Click in the lower right corner to listen to the English commentary.

  • THURSDAY after Midday: Arrival of the Royal Procession at Sunam Luang Royal Crematorium

    THURSDAY after Midday: Arrival of the Royal Procession at Sunam Luang Royal Crematorium

    There is an English commentary. Click in the bottom left hand corner for English.

  • Watch today’s Royal Funeral ceremonies here

    Watch today’s Royal Funeral ceremonies here

  • Bangkok says farewell to the “Father of the Land”

    Bangkok says farewell to the “Father of the Land”

    All roads lead to Bangkok from today for the start of the Royal Cremation Ceremony of the much-revered HM the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. People have travelled by buses, private cars, trains and planes during the past days in the hope of getting as close as possible to the “Father of the Land” one last time. The late monarch reigned…

  • Foreign dignitaries attending Royal Cremation of HM the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej

    Foreign dignitaries attending Royal Cremation of HM the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej

    This is the current list of foreign dignitaries visiting Thailand for the Royal Cremation of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. 1. Lesotho : Their Majesties King Letsie III and Queen Masenate Mohato Seeiso 2. Bhutan : Their Majesties King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Ashi Jetsun Pema Wangchuck) 3. Tonga : Their Majesties King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u…

  • THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, October 24

    THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, October 24

    Dugongs being hunted | Mourners ‘camping out’ for good location | Local Phuket preparations | Three media outlets have passes revoked | Man still on the run for shooting four in Phuket Town yesterday.

  • THAIGER TODAY Monday, October 23

    THAIGER TODAY Monday, October 23

    Junior world Badminton Champ | Van plows into ByPass Road pole | Rama 9s Grand-Daughter leads final rehearsal for this week’s Royal Funeral | Surprise visitor on Pattaya Beach | Jellyfish invasion long Gulf beach | Vets ‘apologies’ for not being able to save young elephant.

  • Woman shot whilst filming her father shooting her husband

    Woman shot whilst filming her father shooting her husband

    Two people are dead after a Thai man shot his son-in-law and then his daughter after an argument at a party in Lopburi, 150 kilometres north-east of Bangkok. The man was reportedly released from jail just 12 months ago after serving time for another murder. Police arrived at the scene and found the two victims dead next to a Toyota van at…

  • Late King’s granddaughter at final dress rehearsal

    Late King’s granddaughter at final dress rehearsal

    HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, granddaughter of the late King and daughter of King Rama X, led the 77-horse cavalry in the sixth procession at the final dress rehearsal for enshrining the Royal Ashes in two temples last night. The final procession sees the Royal Ashes transferred in a royal car from the Phra Sri Rattana Chedi at the Temple of…

  • HRH Princess Sirindhorn joins the final rehearsal

    HRH Princess Sirindhorn joins the final rehearsal

    A huge crowd turned out around Sanam Luang on Saturday to watch the final dress rehearsal of the historic Royal Cremation Ceremony for His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Many of them had arrived at 9pm on Friday and camped out to reserve vantage viewing positions for the dress rehearsal of the royal processions for the Royal Cremation Ceremony.…

  • Scandal over new toilets at the royal Rajabhakti Park in Hua Hin

    Scandal over new toilets at the royal Rajabhakti Park in Hua Hin

    The Army on Thursday is defending construction of 15 billion Baht toilets and shops in the royal Rajabhakti Park, claiming that it is worth the investment and the process was sufficiently transparent to stand up to close scrutiny. “They won’t be typical toilets you can see everywhere,” said Army spokesperson Colonel Winthai Suvaree. “We believe that our donators wish everything…

  • Colour returns to Thai TV screens

    Colour returns to Thai TV screens

    On October 1 all TV stations ‘toned down’ their programming under orders from the National Broadcasting Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). Programming was toned down both in content and the actual colours. The same was applied to most websites as the colour and saturation were ’toned down’ out of respect for the anniversary of the passing of King Bhumibol and the Royal…

  • THAIGER TODAY Friday, October 20

    THAIGER TODAY Friday, October 20

    Vegetarian Festival launched in Phuket | On-again, off-again, maybe on-again with Facebook meeting | Training in full swing for new lifesavers | Forecast looking good in BKK for October 26 | ‘Tara’ the elephant saved from canal.

  • ‘Tara’ given a 50-50 chance of surviving

    ‘Tara’ given a 50-50 chance of surviving

    A 15 year old male elephant rescued from a muddy canal in Phitsanulok province yesterday was lifted using two big backhoes, placed in a truck and taken to an elephant hospital in Lampang province where it is now receiving treatment. A veterinarian said the elephant had a 50-50 chance of survival due to its broken legs. Teams of rescuers, villagers and…

  • “Not guilty”. One judge speaks about the Yingluck Shinawatra verdict.

    “Not guilty”. One judge speaks about the Yingluck Shinawatra verdict.

    Pison Pirun, a judge in the nine-member Supreme Court panel that ruled in the case over the rice-pledging scheme against ex-PM Yingluck Shinawatra case, was the only judge to rule her not guilty on the grounds that “she lacked the intention to cause loss or seek advantage she was not entitled to”. His ruling was circulated yesterday, three weeks after…

  • Landslide in Thailand’s north kills one

    Landslide in Thailand’s north kills one

    A Karen resident sustained fatal injuries after a downpour-triggered landslide hit a shophouse on the Mae Ramat-Ban Tak road in Tak’s Mae Ramat district on Wednesday morning. Following a 2am report of a landslide in Ban Nong Luang, police rushed to inspect the scene. They found that the shophouse and a pickup truck were buried under the landslide They found…

  • THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, October 18

    THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, October 18

    From Bangla Road… What’s happening with dead fish washing up on Hua Bin beach? | Mark Zuckerberg heading to BKK | Bangkok needs long-term drainage strategy | Huge half tonne haul of drugs.

  • Half a tonne of crystal methamphetamine seized – street value 1 Billion Baht

    Half a tonne of crystal methamphetamine seized – street value 1 Billion Baht

    A 30 year old Nakhon Phanom man has been arrested in Nakhon Ratchasima in possession of 508 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine or “ice”, with a reported street value of 1 billion Baht, national police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda said on Tuesday. Thinnakorn Khomsing was spotted walking suspiciously with another man near a temple in Bua Yai district, where they…

  • Facebook founder heading to BKK for talks with Thai PM

    Facebook founder heading to BKK for talks with Thai PM

    Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is heading to Thailand at the end of October to meet with PM Prayuth Chan-ocha. ‘Like’ that! Or maybe a ‘thumbs up’. Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak says Mark Zuckerberg intends to arrive in Bangkok on October 30 to discuss e-commerce and related Facebook issues withe the Thai PM. The Deputy PM also added that an executive…

  • THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, October 17

    THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, October 17

    Sting nets 52 overstayers, skimmers and scammers | Huge road subsidence near Chiang Mai | Chinese tourist dies whilst snorkeling | 7/11 closing on October 26.

  • King to mark completion of Royal Crematorium

    King to mark completion of Royal Crematorium

    After Sunday’s rehearsals, Princess Sirindhorn suggested adjustments of music played during processions. Meanwhile, HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn will tomorrow install the grand nine-tiered umbrella at the top of the elaborate Royal Crematorium for his late father. The umbrella will be placed at the apex of the Royal Crematorium’s principal pavilion. Following the installation of the nine-tiered umbrella, all scaffolding will…

  • Northern rains – house walls crack and roads open up

    Northern rains – house walls crack and roads open up

    Days of heavy rain have caused cracks in the land and pieces of earth have broken away in Lampang’s Mae Mo district affecting eight homes located within an eight-rai (1.3 hectares) radius early on Monday morning. Tambon Mae Mo mayor Chucheep Boonnak led disaster prevention and mitigation officials as well as local bodies and police to inspect the scene on…

  • THAIGER TODAY Monday, October 16

    THAIGER TODAY Monday, October 16

    A drowning and near-misses at Phuket beaches | Royal rehearsals in Bangkok | Crocodiles escape in Petchabun floods | Myanmar Army about to release a report about alleged atrocities.

  • Taiwan seeking visa-free entry for tourists into Thailand

    Taiwan seeking visa-free entry for tourists into Thailand

    PHOTO: The Nation Taiwan is seeking visa-fee entry into Thailand. A representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand, Chen-Yuan Tung, says visa free entry will attract more Taiwanese tourists and investors to the Kingdom. There were 370,000 Taiwanese visitors to Thailand in the first half od this year, a drop of 3.7 per cent. In stark contrast ,Thai…