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 How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Thai lottery winner gets drunk and falls asleep in Bangkok’s overhead cables
Bangkok’s haphazard overhead cables made a comfy bed for a drunk Thai lottery winner yesterday, according to local neighbourhood watch Facebook page “Khlong Toei Land.” Officers from Thong Lor Police Station, rescue workers, and electricity authority officials were called to the scene at the entrance of Soi Phai Singto, off the Rama 4 Road in Khlong Toei district, at around…
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From ‘Ole House’ to resort: Couple’s renovation journey in Bangkok saves more than just a century-old home
Shakin’ Stevens may not have had time to ‘Fix the shingles, time to fix the floor” but one “Ole House” in Bangkok became a labour of love for one couple and maybe saved their marriage. College sweethearts Irma Go and Kirati “Arti” Thepsoparn decided to embark on an almost impossible journey to renovate a century Ole House on stilts in…
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Shooting at Samut Sakhon prison in Thailand, 2 correctional officers dead
Two correctional officers – a married couple – were found dead at their residence inside Samut Sakhon Provincial Prison in central Thailand yesterday. Police suspect that the husband shot dead his wife before committing suicide. At 5pm, officers at Mueang Samut Sakhon Police Station were informed of a shooting inside an officer’s residence inside the prison in Moo 2, Ban…
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Swedish man arrested for alleged sexual assault on Bangkok-Mumbai flight claims mental health issues
The lawyer of a Swedish man arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a member of the cabin crew on a Bangkok to Mumbai flight claims he has mental health problems and did not mean to touch the woman. Klas Erik Harald Jonas Westberg reportedly molested a stewardess on IndiGo flight 6E-1052 from Thailand to India on Thursday, the Indian Express reported.…
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Chiang Mai national park fire kills firefighting volunteer
A forest fire at a Chiang Mai national park tragically killed a firefighting volunteer on Friday. The volunteer, 39 year old Wichai Thimakham from Mae Rim district, was found dead in Khun Khan National Park. His death was apparently due to suffocation, Thai PBS reported. The acting director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Atthaphon Charoenchansa, said Wichai…
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4,500 daily bus trips coming up during Thailand’s Songkran holidays
Travel lovers can look forward to 4,500 daily bus trips during Thailand’s Songkran holidays. The Transport Company announced that it will be operating 4,500 daily trips on state-owned and private buses and vans during the Songkran holidays. The company will carry people from Bangkok back to other provinces. The Songkran Festival, which takes place from April 13 to 15, is…
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Uptick in prosecutions against Asian foreign workers in Thailand
Thailand has seen an uptick in prosecutions of Asian foreign workers for illegal employment in the country, according to a report by the Department of Employment (DoE). The report covered the period from October 2022 to March 2023. The report revealed that 685 employment venues were prosecuted and a total of 1,550 people prosecuted. The majority of people prosecuted were…
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Thai cops indicted over extortion case with Taiwanese actress
Six Thai cops have been indicted by public prosecutors in the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases for allegedly extorting money from a Taiwanese actress in exchange for dropping charges against her, Thai PBS reported yesterday. The officers are from Bangkok’s Huai Khwang Police Station. According to Kosonlavat Intujunyong, deputy spokesman for the Office of the Attorney-General, the six…
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Thailand releases Pad Kaprow flavoured condoms | Thaiger News Weekly
https://youtu.be/-g1l0g_tbFM In Thailand, police officers have been charged with large–scale corruption and face lengthy prison sentences. The officers allegedly accepted bribes from a construction company to help them win a bid to build 163 five–storey flats worth 3.7 billion baht. The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Case initially handed down life sentences to the officers, but due to…
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World’s most visited Van Gogh Alive exhibition comes to Bangkok
Van Gogh Alive, the most visited exhibition in the world, is now open at the Chao Phraya riverside shopping mall, ICONSIAM, in Bangkok from today until July 31. Yesterday (March 30) marked the birthday of the world-renowned impressionist artist, Vincent Van Gogh, who spent ten years crafting artworks that went on to influence some of the most influential figures in…
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Trump plans to ‘make America great again,’ after he faces 30 charges of business fraud
In a historical first, former US President Donald Trump is facing over 30 charges related to business fraud from a Manhattan grand jury. Trump’s response was “witch hunt” and to “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” According to two sources familiar with the case, Trump is set to appear in court on Tuesday to answer to these charges. The indictment has been…
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Wire mesh impales Pattaya tourist’s ankle
A wire mesh impaled a Pattaya tourist’s ankle on Tuesday night. The tourist, 42 year old Rayong resident Sirima Khummode, said she was walking to buy food on Thepprasit Road at around 9pm. She said she accidentally stepped on some protruding iron wire mesh on the footpath. The wire penetrated Sirima’s ankle, and she screamed for help from passersby. Rescuers…
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Horny Thai man fined 200 baht for having sex in public under Bangkok bridge
A horny Thai man was fined 200 baht after being caught on a video having sex with his 20 year old girlfriend near a public park under the Bhumibol Bridge 2 in Bangkok yesterday. A witness, 65 year old Tawee, recorded the lustful couple having sex near the Bhumibol Bridge’s foundation pillar and shared the video on social media yesterday…
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UNESCO recognises performance style from South Thailand
UNESCO has recognised a unique performance style from South Thailand. The organisation’s Facebook page posted a cover photo of a Nora performer, with the caption, “We are #LivingHeritage.” Nora has deep cultural and social significance for southern Thais. It is known for its unique style of singing and dancing. Nora performers are known for their signature long, curled metal fingernail…
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Tragic end to love affair: Thai man commits suicide after murdering girlfriend
A Thai man allegedly murdered his girlfriend and hid her body inside a sauna tent in their shared house in the central province of Nakhon Pathom before committing suicide. Investigating officers from Mueang Nakhon Pathom Police Station arrived at the Nakhon Pathom Hospital at 4pm on Wednesday, March 29 and identified the deceased as 29 year old Kiattichai Wichaita. He…
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French woman missing in dense jungle on Koh Adang, southern Thailand
A search party has been launched after a French woman went missing in the jungle on Koh Adang island in Satun province in southern Thailand yesterday, reports the Phuket Express. The tourist, 29 year old Claire Maire Theophane Drapeau, was last spotted veering off the trail into the jungle near a viewpoint on the island sometime yesterday. Satun Police were notified…
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Phuket rescuers find body of man who jumped from bridge
Phuket rescuers on Wednesday found the body of a man who jumped from the Thep Krasattri Bridge. Kusoldharm rescuers recovered the body, and the man’s wife confirmed that the body was her husband’s. The rescuers found the body floating about 1 kilometre away from the bridge, The Phuket Express reported. The names of the man and the wife were being…
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Take a Thai history trip on a cute Japanese train
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has organised a rail travel tourism programme under the concept of “retrace history,” serviced by cute KIHA 183 passenger trains recently donated by Japan, according to an announcement by government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri. The SRT has arranged the following programme in April to give tourists a new, educational experience and insight into Thailand’s history…
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Hacker threatens to publish data of 55 million Thai citizens
A hacker, who goes by the pseudonym of 9Near, threatened to publicly release the personal data of 55 million Thai citizens unless the government contacts the cyberpunk by April 5. 9Near announced on the dark website BreachForums that he had stolen the personal data of 55 million Thai citizens from a government department and was going to sell them. The…
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3 foreign men arrested in Thai police crackdown on child prostitution in Phuket
Following the crackdown on child prostitution at Velvet bar in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket two weeks ago, the Royal Thai Police (RTP) discovered six more foreign men also bought sexual services at the bar and through its network. Out of the six, three foreign men were arrested while three are on the run. The Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) and…
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Thai police officers face lengthy prison spell after large-scale corruption
Some of Thailand’s most notorious police officers face time in prison due to charges of large–scale corruption. Eight police allegedly took advantage of their positions of power to assist PCC Development and Construction in winning a bid to build 163 five–storey flats worth 3.7 billion baht. The accused included Pol. Lt. Gen. Theerayut Kittiwat, Pol. Maj. Gen. Satja Khachahiran, Pol.…
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WMP slams Bangkok Gov’s ban on sexy dresses at Songkran Festival
The Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation (WMP) criticized Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt over his recent Songkran Festival policy which bans women from wearing sexy dresses. The WMP believes the policy is victim-blaming and protects sexual offenders. Chadchart announced the policy for the Songkran Festival in Bangkok on Monday, March 27 after a meeting with his team. The team has banned…
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Studio Ghibli co-founder accused of spending company funds on Thai girlfriend
Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki is caught up in a scandal after being accused of spending the Japanese animation studio’s money on his Thai girlfriend “Kanyada,” who he has been seeing since 2013. The current president of the company, Koji Hoshino, said he is retiring from the company at the end of June due to Suzuki’s misappropriation of company funds…
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Police raids uncover gambling network tied to Thai actress’ husband
A luxury home belonging to the husband of Thai actress Yardthip Rajpal was among 17 locations raided by the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) police and police commandos in Bangkok and surrounding provinces today. The raids were part of a crackdown on suspected online gambling networks. Phuket hotelier and businessman Mek Rama, who owns the targeted home in Soi Yothin…
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Woman exposes mother’s alleged abuse toward a bedridden patient
A woman who exposed her mother’s alleged abusive actions toward a bedridden patient on social media suffered repercussions. The patient may have got help from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, or M-Society, but she was evicted by her mother despite being seven months pregnant. Pinyaphat revealed the story of her mother and her bedridden cousin on Tuesday,…
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Rare display of Bryde’s whales wows tourists in Andaman Sea
Tourists enjoying a boat trip yesterday were treated to a rare display of a pair of Bryde’s whales showing off in the Andaman Sea off Phang Na province. According to Lertsak Ponklin, the president of Phang Nga Tourism Business Association, the two giant sea mammals were spotted frolicking in the Similan Islands National Park. The tourists aboard the Wow Andaman…
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Shake Shack opens for business in Thailand
World-famous New York burger joint Shake Shack opened its flagship Thailand store at CentralWorld in Bangkok at 10.30am today. The first 500 customers at the store this morning were given handcrafted bamboo Shake Shack fans woven by a community enterprise in Ayutthaya, ready for the summer season. The restaurant’s menu offers American classics like burgers, hot dogs, chicken, fries and also…
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Flip flop thief suspected to be former offender with a foot fetish
A security camera at a rental house in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok captured footage of a man with a foot fetish stealing six pairs of flip flops on Monday. The thief was reported to be a former offender who was arrested three years ago. Wiroj Suvanrnkrue, a 52 year old resident of the Bang Bua Thong district in Nonthaburi, asked…
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MP and former officer among 18 suspects accused of cheating in police exam
Officers from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) made a major breakthrough in the police entrance exam cheating case by arresting 17 out of 18 suspects. A Member of Parliament (MP) from Palang Pracharath Party, a future MP candidate from Move Forward Party, and a former police senior sergeant major who is now on the run, were among the 18 suspects. Yesterday,…
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‘Water Festival 2023’ promotes traditional Thai culture
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) announced plans to promote traditional Thai culture with a series of events for Songkran under the “Water Festival 2023” banner in four regions between April 13 and 16. The event is a collaborative effort between TAT, Thai Beverage Public Co Ltd (ThaiBev), and several other partners, including the Culture Ministry, the Royal Thai Navy,…
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