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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Frenchman’s magic mushroom mishap trip on Koh Pha Ngan
Tourist Police swooped on a 40 year old Frenchman for his dodgy dealings with magic mushrooms on the sun-soaked paradise of Koh Pha Ngan. The Frenchman, William, who had come to indulge in the tropical party scene, was caught red-handed with 159 grammes of these illicit shrooms, classified as Category 5 narcotics, stashed in plastic bags. The bust was part…
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Jealous Thai university student stabs friend over alleged affair
A Thai university student yesterday repeatedly stabbed his friend in a frenzied attack at a condominium in the central province of Pathum Thani. The suspect accused the victim of having an affair with his girlfriend. Officers from Khlong Luang Police Station responded to the stabbing report at the condo in the Khlong Luang district of Pathum Thani at around 1am…
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Phuket mystery: Homeless woman found dead at abandoned hotel
A chilling discovery in the heart of Phuket Town has left residents and tourists in shock after a homeless woman was found dead at an abandoned hotel. Police believe she may have fallen from the third floor but mystery surrounds the circumstances of her death. Phuket City Police were called to the old Imperial Hotel on Phuket Road at around 8pm…
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Drowsy driver crashes tour bus into power pole, injuring 36
A terrifying late-night crash left 36 passengers injured after a tour bus veered off the road and smashed into a high-voltage power pole in Phetchaburi. Nine passengers were reportedly American citizens. The shocking incident, which occurred at 3.54am, today, March 14, was caused by the driver falling asleep at the wheel. Police Colonel Thip Khengkhum, Superintendent of Khao Yoi Police…
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Monkey business: Morrisons cuts ties with Thai coconut suppliers
British supermarket giant Morrisons declare it’s time to “make good things happen,” severing ties with Thai coconut producers linked to forced monkey labour. Investigations by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) uncovered shocking abuses in Thailand’s coconut industry, revealing young monkeys chained and forced to climb trees to harvest coconuts. Despite PETA alerting the Thai government officials, no…
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Fire at Surat Thani car dealership causes 2 million baht damage
A raging fire tore through a used car dealership near Vibhavadi Camp Hospital in Mueang district, Surat Thani, in the early hours of today, leaving behind a trail of destruction worth over 2 million baht. The dramatic blaze, which erupted at around 3.40am, today, March 14, sent emergency services scrambling to the scene as towering flames engulfed vehicles and the…
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Nonthaburi theft gang arrested after stealing appliances on bike
A theft gang used a single motorcycle to steal various appliances, including a washing machine, refrigerator, air conditioner, and television, from a building in Nonthaburi. Police have apprehended three people, while another suspect managed to evade capture. Yesterday, March 13, at 9pm, Police Colonel Phisut Chantarasuwan, superintendent of Rattanathibet Police Station in Nonthaburi, along with Deputy Superintendent Phasakorn Chaiyawong and…
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2 Thai nationals lose lives in multi-vehicle collision in Lop Buri
Two Thai nationals lost their lives while four others, including an eight year old girl, sustained injuries in a collision involving nine vehicles on a road in the central province of Lop Buri. The multi-vehicle collision on the Friendship Highway in Lop Buri was reported to the rescue team and officers from Muak Lek Police Station yesterday morning, March 13.…
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Thai Elephant Day celebrated with buffet for oldest elephant
Khao Kheow Open Zoo pulled out all the stops for Thai Elephant Day, treating its oldest resident, Pang Nat, to a lavish buffet. The grand celebration, held at 10am, yesterday, March 13, was led by Ularika Kongprom, the zoo’s assistant director, and attended by executives, staff, and visiting students eager to take part in the festivities. The event was designed…
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McLovin’ it: McDonald’s supersizes Thai expansion (video)
McDonald’s is going all out for a big year, pledging a whopping multi-million baht investment to expand and revamp its stores across Thailand. Kittiwan Anuwatesakul, Chief Executive of McThai Co Ltd, dished out the details on the 700 million baht expansion, revealing plans to open 20 shiny new outlets, gobbling up 70-80% of the budget. Plus, 25 existing branches will…
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Severe storm topples electricity poles, disrupts Pathum Thani traffic
A severe storm with strong winds caused three high-voltage electricity poles to fall, obstructing traffic in Pathum Thani. A tyre repair shop owner described hearing a thunderous noise and turning to see the poles collapse. The incident occurred at 2pm yesterday, March 13, when the Provincial Electricity Authority in Lat Lum Kaeo received reports from residents about the fallen poles…
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3 British men arrested for car crash and stabbing attempt in Phuket
Thai police this week arrested three British men involved in a car crash and a stabbing attempt that occurred outside Patong Hospital in Phuket. Yesterday, March 13, a Thai motorcyclist took to social media to seek assistance from netizens in locating the foreign pickup driver who collided with him on Wednesday and attempted to stab him before fleeing the scene.…
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School daze: Vaping vendetta forces Thai student relocation
A young Thai student’s schooling has taken a dramatic turn after a series of shocking assaults by a fellow teenager all because of a vaping device. Thirteen-year-old Khon Kaen student Oam has been moved to a boarding school following attacks by 16 year old Lek, sparked by a damaged vaping device. A high-stakes meeting at Watjunprasit School in Ban Phai…
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Thai man shoots wife dead after being caught raping daughter
A Thai man surrendered to police after shooting his wife dead at a house in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok, reportedly because she caught him raping her 15 year old daughter. Officers from Phra Samut Chedi Police Station were called to the house in the Phra Samut Chedi district at 12.30am yesterday, March 13, following reports of a shooting. At…
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Wheel of misfortune: Hungarian bike boss in hot seat in Thailand
A Hungarian national has been nabbed on Koh Pha Ngan for allegedly running a motorbike rental business in a job reserved for Thai citizens. Police Colonel Apichart Chansamret, head of Koh Pha Ngan police, reported that 40 year old Laszlo Meszaros was arrested at his rented home in Tambon Koh Pha Ngan. During the operation, officers seized an air gun…
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Tragic crash: Trang train-pickup collision kills 4
A tragic train and pickup truck collision in Kantang district, Trang province, resulted in the deaths of four passengers in the back of the truck. The train driver had sounded the horn but could not stop the train in time, leading to the crash at 2.40pm yesterday, March 13. The incident involved a rapid train number 168 travelling from Kantang…
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17 year old Thai girl narrowly escapes rape attempt by Bolt rider
A 17 year old Thai girl narrowly escaped a rape attempt by a Bolt motorcycle rider at a public park in the Bang Khun Thian neighbourhood of Bangkok on Tuesday, March 11, thanks to the help of another Bolt rider. The Bolt rider who rescued the teenage victim took to social media to share the story and condemned the other…
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Heavy rain and storms to hit 28 Thai provinces including Bangkok
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a warning for heavy rain affecting 28 provinces, including Bangkok, as residents prepare for severe weather conditions. The forecast predicts thunderstorms, strong winds, and a drop in temperature starting today, March 14, with the weather expected to remain volatile. The TMD forecasts that in the next 24 hours, the upper part of Thailand…
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Bangkok condo chaos: Illegal Sukhumvit rentals get eviction notice
Director General of the Department of Provincial Administration Chaiwat Juntiraphong targetted Bangkok’s bustling Sukhumvit area as part of a crackdown on illegal daily rentals in four condo units. Sparked by noise and security grievances lodged at the Damrongtham Centre, these actions align with the Hotel Act 2004. Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered the clampdown to restore…
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Teenager’s birthday bash turns deadly in brutal Pattaya stabbing
A teenage birthday bash turned into a blood-soaked nightmare when a brutal stabbing left a 17 year old dead in Bang Lamung near Pattaya. The tragic event unravelled after a 19 year old, identified only as Win, allegedly drove a knife straight into young victim, Jeab’s heart. Police arrested the suspect yesterday, March 13, after the victim succumbed to his…
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Si Racha woman left with head injury after altercation with man
A conflict between a man and a woman in Si Racha resulted in injuries and a police investigation. Yesterday, March 12, emergency services were called to an altercation on Sriracha-Nong Kho Road, Mueang subdistrict, Si Racha district, Chon Buri province. Kanokwan, a 36 year old victim, was found with a deep wound to her forehead. Despite her injuries, she was…
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Victory Monument area in Bangkok declared a historical site
Bangkok’s iconic Victory Monument, a historic landmark honouring Thailand’s fallen heroes, has officially been registered as an ancient site by the Fine Arts Department. The announcement, published in the Royal Gazette yesterday, March 12, confirms the site’s protected status, securing its preservation for future generations. The declaration, made under Section 7 of the Ancient Monuments, Antiques, Objects of Art and National Museums Act 1961, establishes…
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Cold feet, hot lawsuit: Jilted Thai bride-to-be sues runaway groom
A Thai bride-to-be sued her future husband for jilting her at the altar in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat and causing her damages over 500,000 baht. The accused groom-to-be denied the allegations and claimed that his girlfriend’s family threatened to kill him. The 34 year old Thai woman, Nack, filed a complaint against her 33 year old boyfriend,…
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Another tourist brawl in Pattaya sparks local outrage
Another violent clash between foreign tourists erupted in Jomtien yesterday adding to growing concerns about unruly behaviour tarnishing Pattaya’s reputation. The brawl, which took place yesterday morning, March 12, near Dong Tan Beach, saw two groups of foreigners engaging in a heated dispute before the situation turned violent. Local officials, including the Pattaya City Patrol and Jomtien District Civic Guard, swiftly…
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Nakhon Ratchasima man arrested for attack on ex-wife
A 43 year old man was apprehended in Nakhon Ratchasima province after attempting to reconcile with his ex-wife, which led to a violent incident. The man allegedly poured petrol on a 40 year old roti seller and set her on fire, resulting in severe burns covering more than 70% of her body. The incident, which took place yesterday, March 12,…
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Phumtham denies handpicking pro-govt media for China trip
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has strongly denied allegations that only pro-government media were selected to accompany him on an upcoming trip to China. The visit, set for March 18, aims to check on the 40 Uyghurs deported from Thailand last month, a move that sparked international condemnation. Phumtham’s response comes after People’s Party MP Rangsiman Rome accused…
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Tragic car accident in Kanchanaburi claims two lives
A tragic accident occurred yesterday when a car plunged into an irrigation canal in Kanchanaburi province, leaving a health official’s wife and six month old daughter dead. The official managed to escape the vehicle, but his family was trapped inside and could not be rescued in time. The incident took place around noon, yesterday, March 12, on a road adjacent…
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Patong car thief caught after GPS tracks stolen vehicle
A reckless car thief learned the hard way that technology always wins after police tracked and arrested him within hours of stealing a vehicle left running outside a Patong 7-Eleven. The suspect, 48 year old Pradit Phomduang from Trang province, swiped a parked Suzuki Swift after its owner, 27 year old Chanyanuch Boon-anan, left it running while making a quick…
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Pattaya road rage: Motorcycle taxi fight ends in stabbing
A violent street fight between motorcycle taxi drivers in Pattaya’s Soi Diana left one man with severe stab wounds after an argument over a minor traffic accident spiralled out of control. The brutal attack, captured on CCTV, saw two young drivers ambush and stab a fellow rider in a shocking act of road rage. The drama began when 37 year old Rewat Saechua accidentally…
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Thai inmate seeks help in secret letter after alleged guard abuse
The family of an inmate at Khaobin Prison, in the central province of Ratchaburi, sought justice and a transparent investigation from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) after prison guards allegedly abused him and others. The 52 year old Thai woman raised allegations of physical abuse against her 30 year old son, who is serving a 32-year sentence for a drug-related…
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