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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Thai tourism industry anticipates growth under Pheu Thai government
The Thai tourism industry is buzzing with optimism as the Pheu Thai Party is potentially gearing up to form the anticipated government. With Pheu Thai’s known successful stint in the realm of governance and its proven track record in enhancing the economy, the tourism sector is eagerly waiting for efficient tourism policies to be rolled out to mitigate existing challenges.…
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Wiko resumes Thai operations targeting 2% market share with affordable phones
Aiming to carve out 2% of the Thai market by year-end and expand to 4% by next year, mobile manufacturer Wiko has resumed commercial operations. The company, with its French roots, intends to capture the lower to middle-tier smartphone segment. This comes after a six-month hiatus in its marketing efforts for the Thai market, and now the brand will move…
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Phuket oil spill threatens ecosystem, 4 sea turtles found dead already
An oil spill originating from an unverified source, suspected to be a ship, contaminated the shores of Sirinat National Park and Koh Racha Yai. Authorities have already managed to clear up around 3 tonnes of oil. The Deputy Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Pornsri Suthanaruk, met yesterday with experts in maritime and coastal ecosystems, the director…
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Human trafficking: Kantharalak karaoke club raided following charges of child prostitution
At 10.10pm yesterday, an infamous karaoke club, located in the Nong Ya Lad district of Kantharalak, Sisaket was raided by Siriwit Chan Techasitkul, the head of Human Trafficking Case Management at the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), joined by Surachai Tumwong, protector of Srisaket Province, Narin Bupta, station chief of Kantharalak police station, and social and human security development officials of…
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Flavorful finances: Thailand’s July inflation stays mild
The Ministry of Commerce in Thailand revealed that July’s headline inflation saw less acceleration than anticipated, credited largely to a dip in food and energy costs. Meanwhile, forecasts by the agency anticipate the inflation rate’s upturn by less than 1% per month until the year concludes. July’s year-on-year headline inflation amounted to a 0.38% rise, measured via the consumer price…
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Smooth skies ahead: THAI-turkish partnership signals global travel upswing
A monumental leap forward for international air travel took flight yesterday when Thai Airways International (THAI) and Turkish Airlines secured a memorandum of understanding. The anticipated partnership will focus on the cut-throat competition prevalent on Asia-Europe routes. Commonly, airline collaborations entail synchronising schedules and revenue sharing. For instance, Qantas Airways and Emirates have a working partnership on Europe-Australia services. However,…
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Prescription for trouble: Hospital director’s defamation verdict
In a recent ruling, the Criminal Court handed down a sentence to the director of Mongkutwattana Hospital, Major General Doctor Rianthong Nanna, convicting him of defamation offences against Sira Jenjaka, a former Bangkok MP for the Palang Pracharath Party. The judgement includes a prison sentence of five years and a penalty fine amounting to 100,000 baht. However, due to his…
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16 year old Thai girl arrested for acting as pimp, offering underage teenage prostitutes
Cyber Crimes Investigation Bureau (CCIB) officers arrested a 16 year old girl who acted as a pimp, providing underage teenage prostitutes to customers in Kamphaeng Phet, central Thailand. The CCIB today arrested a teenage girl named A and conducted a raid at her house on Tae Sa Road in Kamphaeng Phet province after receiving a tip-off from the non-governmental organisation…
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Cannabis clash to coalition: Bhumjaithai’s olive branch to Pheu Thai Party PM candidate
The fickle nature of Thai politics once again reared its ugly head when the leader of the Bhumjaithai Party extended an olive branch to the Pheu Thai Party prime ministerial candidate who levied against their cannabis legalisation policy during the General Election campaign. Pheu Thai Party leader Chonlanarn Srikaew yesterday invited Anutin Charvirakul and the Bhumjaithai Party to a press…
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Dashboard dolls trend on social media puts children’s lives at risk
Dumb social media trend alert: The recent fad of photographing children as “dashboard dolls” has drawn severe criticism on child safety grounds. The trend involves parents positioning their children on the dashboard of cars, climbing or lying in the console area, before taking photos and videos to upload on social media. Parents using their children as dashboard dolls for social…
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Ex-wife of Thai taxi motorcyclist murderer provides insight into shocking family massacre
The ex-wife of the taxi motorcyclist murderer, who shot and brutally killed five members of his former partner’s family before taking his own life in Bangkok, has spoken out about the shocking incident. Known only as Chompoo, the ex-wife of the taxi motorcyclist murderer, Somchai Kaewkomol, provided some context to the incident and clarified some initial speculations, while the police…
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Delivery man shot by police for wearing a helmet inside a shopping mall
A Khlong Luang Police Station officer shot an unarmed parcel delivery man after he violated safety measures by wearing a motorcycle helmet inside a bank in Pathum Thani province near Bangkok. Incredibly, some members of the public believe the officer was right to shoot the defenceless man, stating he was ensuring the safety of others in a public place. The…
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Buckle up! New law makes taxis ensure passenger wear safety belt
Buckle up! An announcement requiring taxi drivers to warn their passengers to wear their safety belts has been issued and will become effective in November. The announcement was published in the Royal Gazette, yesterday, August 7. The warning was declared by the National Police Office, which aims to establish a safety practice for taxi drivers in notifying and ensuring that…
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Twist of fate: Bangkok daughter-in-law’s surprise – sweet not sour from mother-in-law’s purse
Not all mother-in-laws are venomous harridans with acerbic tongues as one local Bangkok daughter-in-law discovered when receiving a gift envelope full of cash in an unexpected turn of events. The local Bangkok woman was blown away to find a concealed cash gift in her groceries – a heart-warming gesture from her in-laws. The incident, which unfolded a couple of days…
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Thailand targets long-haul tourists with new US, Saudi Arabia offices
In an effort to boost tourists visiting, Thailand‘s government will be establishing additional tourism offices in the United States and Saudi Arabia, stated the deputy spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek. The proposition comes as part of a refreshed approach to meet international market demands, as directed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is now concentrating on attracting…
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Ocean tragedy: German father drowns, son survives off Phuket’s Karon Beach
A German father tragically drowned while swimming at Karon Beach in Phuket yesterday while his 11 year old son survived the terrifying incident. The Thai lifeguard team on Karon Beach rescued the 52 year old German, Jurgen Ralf Wiltzsch, who lost consciousness at the bottom of the sea. The rescue team was called to the scene and provided CPR to…
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Thai woman reveals abusive boyfriend’s horrific cat killing incident
In a recent case of extreme cruelty, a woman, known only as A, revealed her shocking breakup story. The split followed a series of violent acts by her boyfriend, which escalated to include the cold-blooded killing of a stray cat, all recorded on camera. The woman disclosed the details of her emotionally strained relationship, explaining that she’d been with her…
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Triple tragedy: Thai taxi rider’s deadly ride ends in condo chaos
A Thai motorcycle taxi rider murdered three victims at a condominium in Bangkok last night before taking his own life in front of the building. One victim survived despite being shot by the murderer. The grim sequence of events took place at a condo in the Lak Si district last night. Responding promptly to the distress call, Tung Song Hong…
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Thai woman hospitalised after 2 taxi cars hit her in Hong Kong
Two taxis hit a Thai woman travelling in Hong Kong on Sunday, resulting in serious injuries that have left her unconscious and undergoing treatment at a local hospital. South China Morning Post (SCMP) yesterday reported that the 31 year old Thai woman was hit by two taxis in front of the Admiralty central business district at about 10.20pm on Sunday. She…
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Ex-police accused of demanding sex and money from fraud victim
An ex-police officer stands accused of soliciting sexual favours and money from a woman via the LINE application, allegedly in exchange for advancing her fraud case. The former officer, however, denied the accusations, asserting that his LINE account had been compromised. A 25 year old woman named Dao, yesterday, July 6, complained to the former police officer at Sattahip Police…
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Bathroom bust up: Thai man accused of sexual harassment at South Korea’s World Scout Jamboree
A scout group commander from the North Jeolla province of South Korea accused another Thai scout group leader of being a peeping tom intent of sexual harassment after the man ventured into a woman’s bathroom during the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea. The drama emerged yesterday August 6. A group of 80 scouts and their leaders departed the event,…
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Faulty transformer rattles Thai woman with massive electricity bill
A Thai woman was blown away by an astronomical increase in her electricity bill, with charges skyrocketing from an average of 60 baht per month to an outrageous 11,357.47 baht. This occurred due to what inspection personnel from the local electricity authority would later uncover as a faulty transformer in her fruit garden. Umaphon Tedduang revealed her dilemma via a…
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Double trouble: Dozy guy dozes off on bus not once, but twice
A peculiar incident involving a young man who woke up trapped on a bus at 1am not once, but twice, has shocked people online. The youth, who had fallen asleep due to the potent effects of his sleeping pills, claims bus staff failed to wake him, leaving him to grope about in the deserted vehicle. In a video posted on the…
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Poolside panic: Daring rescue mission frees Chinese girl trapped in Pattaya’s suction pipe
An intense rescue mission unfolded at a Pattaya resort today when a six year old girl from China got her arm stuck in a swimming pool’s suction pipe. For over three hours, personnel from the Sawang Boriboon Foundation Pattaya City Station worked tirelessly to free her arm. The incident took place at a holiday resort in Huai Yai, in Pattaya’s…
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TAT and EVA Air sign LOI to jointly promote Thai tourism
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and EVA Airways Corporation signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to cooperate in the promotion of Thailand’s tourism for the mutual benefit of the two parties, which will see EVA Air’s global route network used to boost visitor numbers from key worldwide markets to the kingdom. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said… “Together, TAT and…
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Famous Thai actor grilled by CCIB investigators over role in fake registration plate drama
Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) officers summoned a famous Thai actor in connection with his alleged involvement in a fake car registration plate gang. The actor, Mario Maurer, denied the accusation, asserting that he was a victim of criminal activity. CCIB officers recently arrested two ringleaders involved in the fraudulent registration enterprise. They acquired the usernames and passwords of officials…
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Bangkok pedophile arrested for grooming 12 year old girl into sexual intercourse and drugs
A 29 year old Thai pedophile, who groomed a 12 year old schoolgirl into taking drugs and having sex with him, says he did it because he “loved her.” Veerayut Saenchai, also known as Es Collide, accused of grooming a 12 year old schoolgirl to indulge in drugs and sexual intercourse, was arrested yesterday, August 6, at 10.50am, in Siriraj,…
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MICE revenue in Thailand lowered amid sluggish Chinese market response
The meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE) revenue forecast for the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has been lowered to 96 billion baht. This is less than half the recorded figures for 2019, mainly due to a sluggish response from the Chinese market. TCEB’s president, Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya disclosed that despite the strong comeback of MICE travellers from…
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Boozy blood pact backfires: Thai tipplers’ bond attempt leads to bloody rescue
Two drunk Thai men turned to a rescue team in Chon Buri province for medical aid after their attempt at cementing an everlasting bond through a blood pact went awry, leaving one of them with an unmanageable bleeding wound. The Baan Tung Hiang Community Sawang Rescue Team, situated in the Phanat Nikhom district of Chon Buri, told Workpoint News that…
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Beware of the byte: Elderly Thai man’s online fake teeth buy bites back with laughable consequences
The pitfalls of online shopping were once again brought into the spotlight after an elderly man was duped into purchasing a set of fake teeth that turned out to be unusable, laughably plastic in appearance. The incident, shared on TikTok by the user @tuttapan1329 on August 6, sparked a wider conversation about the risk of buying less-than-authentic goods online, which…
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