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 How much travel insurance should cost you in Thailand (By trip length)
When planning a trip to Thailand, travel insurance is a smart investment that can save you from unexpected costs. Whether it’s medical expenses, lost luggage, or trip cancellations, the right coverage can provide peace of mind and financial protection against...
-
Ammonia leak prompts evacuation in Chon Buri ice factory
An ammonia leak at an ice factory in Soi Noen Plubwan, Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, prompted emergency services to evacuate residents due to strong, irritating odours. The situation was controlled, and residents returned home after the smell subsided at 10.06pm yesterday, July 13. The Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Radio Centre in Pattaya received a report of…
-
Holy scandal! Monks caught with robes down in Miss Golf romp
A saucy scandal involving 11 randy monks and a mystery woman known only as Miss Golf has sent shockwaves through Thailand’s Buddhist community and now the country’s top clerics are scrambling to clean up the mess. Thailand’s Sangha Supreme Council (SSC) is forming a special committee to review monastic regulations in the wake of a sex scandal that’s left the…
-
Soaked and furious! 39 Thailand provinces braced for drenching
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a warning for today, July 14, indicating that 39 provinces in Thailand will experience heavy rainfall, covering 60% of the area. Seven provinces, including Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Nong Khai, and Bueng Kan, are advised to prepare for potential hazards such as flash floods and runoff. The weather…
-
Man’s failed gold heist thwarted by brave staff in Ranong
A man, identified as 35 year old Sumet from Trang province, attempted a daring theft at a renowned gold shop in Ranong. He managed to seize gold necklaces valued at approximately 500,000 baht before being captured by a quick-thinking employee and good Samaritans. The incident occurred at 7.29pm yesterday, July 12, when local police were alerted to a robbery at…
-
Thai fraudster caught posing as electricity official on Koh Samui
A former employee posing as an electricity authority official was apprehended on charges of defrauding a Russian businessman on Koh Samui by falsely claiming overdue electricity bills would lead to power disconnection. The suspect confessed to multiple offences on the island. Today, July 13, Police Colonel Den Duang Thongsrisuk of Bo Phut Police Station in Koh Samui, Surat Thani province,…
-
Thai soldiers intercept illegal entrants from Cambodia
Yesterday, July 12, Thai military personnel discovered two people, a man and a woman, entering Thailand from Cambodia through an illicit route. They were found without passports and had reportedly been working in Poipet, Cambodia, under false pretenses. The pair, who were suspected of illegal entry, were intercepted by soldiers from the Burapha Force and the 1201st Ranger Company along…
-
Thai man attempts self-poisoning at border over 10000 baht fine
A Thai man, having spent a year in Cambodia, attempted to poison himself at the Poipet immigration checkpoint due to an inability to pay the border crossing fine. The incident occurred on July 11, when 40 year old Thanawat from Pathum Thani drank bathroom cleaner at the Poipet immigration office. The Cambodian official immediately coordinated his return to Thailand for…
-
Motorcyclist’s body found in canal after Bangkok accident
A motorcyclist’s tragic accident resulted in his body being found in a drainage canal, prompting police to examine CCTV footage for a clearer understanding of the incident. Witnesses questioned whether a public transport vehicle was involved. At 1.30am today, July 13, Police Lieutenant Nattapong Kanarat from Bukkhalo Police Station received a report of a fatal motorcycle accident at the entrance…
-
Bangkok launches Sukhumvit Model to improve safety and public order
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has introduced the Sukhumvit Model, a project designed to enhance safety, public order, and the quality of life along Sukhumvit Road. Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt conducted an inspection of the area on the night of July 10, accompanied by deputy governor Wisanu Subsompon, Deputy Interior Minister Theerarat Samrejvanich, and other senior officials. The inspection covered…
-
Cyclist saved by locals after seizure collapse in Lop Buri
Locals promptly administered CPR to a cyclist around 50 years old after he lost consciousness from a seizure while riding in Lop Buri province yesterday morning, July 12. He has since been reported as stable at Phra Narai Maharaj Hospital. The incident took place at 8.53am on Lop Buri-Wang Muang Road in tambon Nikhom Sang Ton Eng, Mueang district. Hospital rescue workers and…
-
Lifeguard rescues French children from rip current at Kata Beach (video)
A lifeguard at Kata Beach in Phuket rescued two French children using a surfboard after they were carried out to sea by a strong rip current and were unable to swim back to the shore. Despite red flags being present to alert tourists to avoid entering the water due to rough conditions, the incident still took place. The rescue, occurring…
-
Pattaya police detain four over Chinese man’s abduction, robbery
Police in Pattaya have detained four people, comprising two Chinese nationals and two Thais, in relation to the abduction and robbery of a Chinese national by people impersonating police officers earlier this week. The incident unfolded at approximately 5.30am on July 10 outside a noodle shop located on North Pattaya Road. Lin Yifan, a 52 year old man, was reportedly…
-
Samut Prakan journalist attacked probing hit-and-run
A local journalist filed a complaint against a 32 year old man for assault following an incident yesterday in Phra Samut Chedi district, Samut Prakan province. Sarawut Wanya, a 41 year old reporter, alleged that a man named Sahachart punched him in the face at the latter’s residence while Sarawut was pursuing a hit-and-run investigation yesterday, July 11. The incident…
-
Ayutthaya abbot scammed, loses 120k baht to call centre gang
A prominent abbot from Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province admitted to being deceived by a call centre gang, leading to a personal indiscretion which he later regretted. At Wat Chang Lek in Bang Sai district, locals gathered to support the abbot, Prakhru Pratheep Watcharaporn, who is also the district head monk of Ban Klueng. Prakhru Suwat Bunyoophas, the district head…
-
UNESCO: Thailand primed to lead ASEAN AI revolution
Computing capabilities, data interoperability, and policy harmonisation are essential elements of ASEAN regional collaboration in developing artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, according to UNESCO. The organisation emphasises Thailand’s potential to position itself as a strategic hub for AI capacity building, strengthening its leadership in Southeast Asia’s digital future. Thailand recently hosted the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI, marking…
-
Guard nabbed with meth stash on duty in Wichit, Phuket
Wichit Police have arrested a 28 year old security guard after discovering methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia stashed inside his workplace. The suspect, identified only as Nattawat, also known by the nickname “Big”, was detained on Thursday, July 10 at a guard post within a luxury condominium construction site off Mueang Naka Road in Village 4, Wichit. Officers reported finding 17…
-
Chon Buri duo nabbed in midnight aluminium theft
Two desperate men armed with hammers and a beat-up motorbike were caught red-handed slicing aluminium in a Chon Buri backstreet—fuelled by poverty and the urge to feed their families. In the early hours of yesterday, July 11, Bang Lamung Police Station officers swooped on a quiet lane near Soi Sukhumvit-Pattaya 79 after concerned residents reported suspicious activity. Led by Police…
-
Thai Airways taps ECS group for Swiss cargo takeover
Thai Airways is gearing up for a major cargo push in Europe, handing the reins of its Swiss freight operations to Globe Air Cargo in a move set to shake up the market. Globe Air Cargo Switzerland, a subsidiary of the logistics heavyweight ECS Group, has secured an exclusive deal to become the general sales and service agent (GSSA) for…
-
Thai student numbers plummet in Korea as foreign arrivals surge
In a surprising twist to South Korea’s booming foreign arrivals, the number of Thai students and trainees has nosedived—raising eyebrows as other nationalities flock in record numbers. New figures from Statistics Korea have revealed that in 2024, only 21,000 Thai nationals entered South Korea on student and training visas, a steep 40% drop from the previous year. This decline bucks…
-
Wild Pattaya club busted: Drugs, violence and shutdown threat (video)
A notorious Pattaya nightclub was stormed at dawn after authorities finally lost patience with its cocktail of drug use, violent brawls, and brazen disregard for the law. Yesterday, July 11 at 4am, a large team of officers swooped on 86 Club, a hotspot on Soi Bongkot, following a wave of complaints and a shocking street brawl that left locals terrified.…
-
Drug-fuelled horror: Man slashes own throat in Phuket meltdown
A Phuket man is fighting for his life after he slit his own throat in a terrifying episode believed to be triggered by a drug-induced hallucination—leaving his family too traumatised to visit him in hospital. Thalang Police confirmed that emergency services rushed to a shed near Wat Manik, in Village 7, Srisoonthorn, at about 1.30pm on Thursday, July 10, following…
-
Teen motorcyclist dies in crash with truck near Bangkok University
A 17 year old motorcyclist collided with a 10-wheel truck, resulting in his death on Phahonyothin Road’s inbound express lane near Bangkok University, Pathum Thani province. The incident, which occurred at 2am today, July 12, also left four others injured, including two good Samaritans. Police Lieutenant Anusorn Wiangsima, deputy inspector of Khlong Luang Police Station, responded to the multi-vehicle collision.…
-
Teen biker caught with homemade gun in Pattaya gang bust
A late-night gathering turned into a high-stakes bust when Pattaya police swooped on a park full of youths—only to discover one teenager armed to the teeth and ready for a gang clash. At around 3am today, July 12, Pattaya City Police received urgent reports from worried residents about a large group of young people causing a commotion near the Meteorological…
-
Woman caught red-handed with 600 meth pills in Phang Nga
Police in Phang Nga have arrested a 33 year old woman who tried to hide a huge haul of methamphetamine pills along a quiet road in Takua Thung district. The bust unfolded at 1.50pm on Wednesday, July 9, when officers from the Special Operations Division of Provincial Police Region 8 swooped in as the suspect attempted to conceal the drugs.…
-
Cambodian activist seeks Thai asylum after criticising government
A 37 year old Cambodian activist has sought refuge in Thailand, fearing for his safety after criticising the Cambodian government and military. Em Piseth, leader of the Cambodian International Youth Network in Thailand, is being pursued by Cambodian police following a social media video mocking soldiers. The video, drawing on information from a former soldier and associate, suggested that troops…
-
Long-lost ‘Forest sea star’ plant stuns scientists in Thailand
A rare plant thought to have vanished from the face of the Earth has emerged like a botanical ghost, shocking scientists with its return after more than a century in hiding deep within Thailand’s rainforests. Botanists worldwide are celebrating the extraordinary rediscovery of Heterostemma brownii Hayata, also known as the Forest Sea Star. Part of the milkweed family (Apocynaceae), this…
-
Home lottery bonanza: 5,000 cheap Thai homes up for grabs
The Ministry of Transport has announced plans to launch a lottery system to allocate the first phase of 5,000 affordable housing units under the ambitious Home for Thais scheme. If approved, the project will see residents moving into their new homes by late 2026. Deputy Transport Minister Surapong Piyachote revealed that following the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding…
-
Thai retiree scammed of 50k baht in fake luxury watch auction
A 65 year old retiree fell victim to a scam after participating in an online auction for a luxury watch, resulting in a loss of nearly 50,000 baht. Police are now preparing to summon the account holder involved for questioning. Nitikarn reported the incident to the Pak Kret District Police Station in Nonthaburi province yesterday, July 10. He recounted being…
-
US deadline looms: Thailand races to avert tariff pain
Thailand is racing against the clock to defuse a trade crisis after Washington dropped a bombshell 36% tariff on Thai exports, forcing Bangkok to scramble for last-minute concessions and emergency bailouts before the deadline hits. The United States has given Thailand until August 1 to finalise trade proposals under its tough new Reciprocal Tariff policy. The Thai government confirmed it…
-
Rail deal steams ahead: China’s bullet trains go full Belt and Road (video)
China is hitting top speed with its global bullet train rail ambitions and Thailand is firmly on track to play a key part. Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing vowed this week to ramp up international high-speed rail links as part of Beijing’s sprawling Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), promising “hard connectivity” through mega-projects and “soft connectivity” via shared standards and rules.…
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.