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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    Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run

    Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...

  • Golden green pit viper surprises after python sighting in Ang Thong | Thaiger

    Golden green pit viper surprises after python sighting in Ang Thong

    An unusual discovery of a golden green pit viper has captivated residents after a volunteer from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation investigated a reported python sighting at a house. CCTV footage confirmed the presence of a 4-metre long python on August 23, 2025. Surprisingly, a 40-centimetre golden snake resembling a green pit viper was found instead. The incident began when…

  • Monk arrested in Chanthaburi for call centre fraud in Poipet | Thaiger

    Monk arrested in Chanthaburi for call centre fraud in Poipet

    Police apprehended a man, previously involved as a mule for a call centre scam in Poipet, who had fled and ordained as a monk. He recounted his ordeal in Cambodia, revealing that non-compliance led to threats of violence, with some people disappearing or being abandoned at the border. Yesterday, August 23, Police Major General Thassaphum Charuprach, commander of the Economic…

  • Banglamung raid: Woman arrested for illegal e-cigarettes and drugs | Thaiger

    Banglamung raid: Woman arrested for illegal e-cigarettes and drugs

    In Banglamung, Chon Buri, on August 21 at 6.30pm, police conducted a raid on a residence located on Soi Thung Klom-Tal Man 29. The operation, led by Deputy Superintendent Police Lieutenant Colonel Thana Wisetchai and Investigation Chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Suphat Sutsong, resulted in the arrest of 50 year old Hathaithip “Thai” Rueangkham. Police seized 62 disposable e-cigarettes of the…

  • Motorcycle theft in Pattaya: thief rides off with Honda Click | Thaiger

    Motorcycle theft in Pattaya: thief rides off with Honda Click

    In Pattaya, Thailand, on August 22, a 36 year old food vendor, Thanongsak Khotamang, reported a daring motorcycle theft. He provided CCTV footage of the incident to local media. The theft took place near his food stall on Jomtien Beach. Thanongsak shared that around 7.40am, while setting up his stall, he parked his white Honda Click motorcycle, with the registration plate…

  • Thai couple arrested for child exploitation in adult content case | Thaiger

    Thai couple arrested for child exploitation in adult content case

    A married couple with over half a million followers has been arrested for allegedly involving a teenage boy in adult content production, generating more than 4 million baht in revenue. The arrest took place yesterday, August 23, following a warrant issued by the Criminal Court. Police Major General Songklot Krikkritaya led the operation with Police Colonel Kokiat Wuttichamnong and Police…

  • Thailand crackdown on misuse of student visas by foreigners | Thaiger

    Thailand crackdown on misuse of student visas by foreigners

    The Immigration Bureau has enhanced its monitoring of foreign nationals entering Thailand on student visas after uncovering that thousands have obtained these visas without attending the required studies. Police Major General Panthana Nuchanart, the deputy commissioner of the Bureau, reported that investigations revealed many people had entered Thailand claiming educational purposes but did not attend classes. Entering Thailand on a…

  • Tropical Storm Kajiki set to bring heavy rain to 55 provinces | Thaiger

    Tropical Storm Kajiki set to bring heavy rain to 55 provinces

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued its seventh warning regarding Tropical Storm Kajiki, highlighting 55 provinces expected to be affected by heavy rainfall. The TMD urges the public to be cautious of potential flash floods due to the heavy downpours. Today, August 24, the department forecasted weather conditions for the next 24 hours, indicating heavy to very heavy rainfall…

  • South Korean man held in Thailand for laundering crypto into gold | Thaiger

    South Korean man held in Thailand for laundering crypto into gold

    Thai police have detained a 33 year old South Korean man accused of laundering cryptocurrency for call centre gangs by converting it into gold bars, with transactions exceeding 1.6 billion baht over three months. Officers from the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) and the Immigration Bureau captured the suspect, identified as Han, at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday, August 23. Han was…

  • Truck driver crushed in horror crash on Pattaya highway | Thaiger

    Truck driver crushed in horror crash on Pattaya highway

    A truck driver was crushed to death by his own vehicle in a horror crash on a wet Pattaya highway this morning. The fatal incident occurred at around 7.30am today, August 23, on Highway 36 (Pattaya-Kratinglai-Rayong) in front of Bee Garden. Police Lieutenant Colonel Aphichet Metheethammaporn of Bang Lamung Police Station responded to the scene, where an 18-wheeler Hino truck…

  • Thailand’s retirement lottery launches with new payment options | Thaiger

    Thailand’s retirement lottery launches with new payment options

    Why just save for retirement when you can win your way there? Thailand’s new lottery is making it possible. Deputy Finance Minister Paopoom Rojanasakul has confirmed that sales for the highly anticipated retirement lottery will kick off in the fourth quarter of this year, offering weekly cash prizes while promoting long-term savings. Paopoom referred to the legal green light already…

  • Pattaya police slash crime with AI tech, new plans ahead | Thaiger

    Pattaya police slash crime with AI tech, new plans ahead

    AI-powered cameras, tough traffic crackdowns, and a touch of ceremony: Pattaya police are busier than ever. The Police Administration Oversight Committee of Pattaya City Police Station convened for its monthly meeting at the station’s Operations Control Room. The session was chaired by Amporn Kaewsaeng and attended by Police Colonel Anek Sarathongyoo, the station’s superintendent, along with police officers, media representatives,…

  • Chiang Rai airport gets 5.7 billion baht mega upgrade | Thaiger

    Chiang Rai airport gets 5.7 billion baht mega upgrade

    Chiang Rai is set to soar with a massive 5.7-billion-baht terminal upgrade aimed at transforming the northern province into Thailand’s next aviation hub. Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) has greenlit a bold expansion plan for Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai International Airport, including the construction of a new passenger terminal to support a dramatic increase in air traffic. Announced by…

  • Thaksin dodges jail, lawyer eyes travel comeback | Thaiger

    Thaksin dodges jail, lawyer eyes travel comeback

    Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has walked free from a Section 112 trial, and his lawyer now wants his travel ban lifted. Lawyer Winyat Chartmontri announced plans to formally request the revocation of Thaksin’s travel ban following the former premier’s acquittal in a controversial lese majeste case. The Criminal Court cleared Thaksin yesterday, August 22, of charges under Section 112…

  • Pattaya locals turn trash into treasure in DIY workshop | Thaiger

    Pattaya locals turn trash into treasure in DIY workshop

    Forget the bin, Pattaya residents are turning garbage into gold thanks to a DIY upcycling workshop that’s sweeping the community. Nongprue Municipality, located in East Pattaya, hosted a creative Upcycling Waste workshop under its Happy Health Centre initiative this week, training locals to turn discarded plastic into useful household items. Led by Deputy Mayor Wanchai Saeng-ngam, the event welcomed more…

  • Late-night blaze: Inferno torches bikes in Phuket shop fire | Thaiger

    Late-night blaze: Inferno torches bikes in Phuket shop fire

    Fire ripped through a Phuket motorbike shop in the dead of night, torching more than 10 motorcycles in a dramatic blaze. Kathu Police are investigating the cause of a fire that broke out in the early hours yesterday, August 22, gutting parts of a motorcycle repair shop and destroying multiple vehicles. The alarm was raised at approximately 2am when officers…

  • Footbridge collapses in East Thailand, crushes trucks (video) | Thaiger

    Footbridge collapses in East Thailand, crushes trucks (video)

    Motorists on a busy Thai highway had a terrifying near-miss after a massive pedestrian bridge crashed down onto traffic, narrowly avoiding disaster. A 100-tonne concrete pedestrian bridge under construction dramatically collapsed onto two vehicles on Highway No.317 in Chanthaburi last night, August 22, causing severe property damage but no reported injuries. The incident occurred at around 10.20pm near Matai Market…

  • Prison shock: Myanmar woman hangs herself in Phuket cell | Thaiger

    Prison shock: Myanmar woman hangs herself in Phuket cell

    A Burmese woman detained for deportation was found dead in a Phuket immigration cell after hanging herself with her trousers. A 29 year old Myanmar woman took her own life while being held in an immigration detention room at the Phuket Immigration Office early yesterday morning, August 22. The woman, identified as Htike Darlee, was found dead at around 5.03am…

  • Lost Chinese gran saved by ID bracelet in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Lost Chinese gran saved by ID bracelet in Pattaya

    An elderly Chinese tourist became stranded and confused in the middle of Pattaya traffic until a tiny bracelet saved the day. Thai police successfully reunited an 80 year old Chinese woman with her family after she was found disoriented and alone on a traffic island in South Pattaya yesterday, August 22. The woman, identified only as Zhang, was discovered around…

  • Tourist tragedy: Young American washes up on Phuket beach | Thaiger

    Tourist tragedy: Young American washes up on Phuket beach

    Police are probing the death of a 28 year old American tourist whose body was found washed ashore on Patong Beach in Phuket yesterday afternoon. The grim discovery was made near the Coral Beach Bridge at the southern end of the popular tourist hotspot at around 1.30pm yesterday, August 22. Patong Police Chief Police Colonel Chalermchai Hirasawat arrived at the…

  • Monsoon deluge: Heavy rain continues to batter Thailand | Thaiger

    Monsoon deluge: Heavy rain continues to batter Thailand

    Heavy rainfall is forecasted across Thailand this weekend, with a tropical depression expected to make landfall in Vietnam and Laos, affecting the north, northeast, and eastern regions. Warnings have been issued for 49 provinces, including Bangkok, regarding potential accumulated rainfall. Yesterday, August 22, the Meteorological Department (TMD) predicted that sections of Thailand would experience heavy to very heavy rain, particularly…

  • Thailand’s petrol prices increases, diesel remain unchanged | Thaiger

    Thailand’s petrol prices increases, diesel remain unchanged

    Retail petrol prices across Thailand have gone up, with benzene and gasohol now 0.40 baht more per litre after the adjustment took effect at 5am today, August 22. According to PTT Station, benzene now retails at 40.84 baht per litre. Gasohol 95 is priced at 32.55 baht, gasohol 91 at 32.18 baht, E20 at 30.34 baht, E85 at 28.69 baht,…

  • MP calls for review of Land Bridge project assessment report | Thaiger

    MP calls for review of Land Bridge project assessment report

    The House Committee on Land, Natural Resources and Environment has urged the government to reassess the Environmental and Health Impact Assessment (EHIA) for the Land Bridge project, warning that the current report contains incomplete or inaccurate information. Poonsak Chanchampee, an MP from the People’s Party and chair of the committee, said the existing EHIA fails to address concerns raised by…

  • Thai woman caught smuggling drugs to boyfriend detained in police station | Thaiger

    Thai woman caught smuggling drugs to boyfriend detained in police station

    A Thai woman was caught attempting to smuggle drugs to her boyfriend while he was being held at a police station in the northern province of Chiang Rai. The 36 year old woman, identified as Nantacha, arrived at Mae Chan Police Station at around 7pm on Wednesday, August 20, requesting to deliver food to her boyfriend, Thewa, who had been…

  • Thai government approves economic relief for border regions | Thaiger

    Thai government approves economic relief for border regions

    Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has approved a set of economic relief initiatives proposed by the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) to support communities impacted by recent disturbances at the Thai-Cambodian border. The communities in need are located in the provinces of Trat, Chanthaburi, Sa Kaeo, Buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket, and Ubon Ratchathani. After discussions with TCC Chairman Poj…

  • 2 killed and 13 injured after rescue van runs red light in Rayong | Thaiger

    2 killed and 13 injured after rescue van runs red light in Rayong

    Two Thai students lost their lives while 13 others were injured after a rescue van ran a red light at an intersection in Rayong province and collided with a hatchback. A security camera at an Intersection in Ban Chang district captured the shocking accident, which occurred at about 4.30pm yesterday, August 21. The rescue van was seen speeding through a…

  • Illegal abortion ring busted after woman left in critical condition | Thaiger

    Illegal abortion ring busted after woman left in critical condition

    Police arrested seven suspects in Lamphun and Chiang Mai provinces on Wednesday, August 20, for conducting illegal medical abortions that left a Thai woman in critical condition. Officers from the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) launched the crackdown after a Thai woman ordered abortion pills online and suffered a uterine rupture after consuming them. She lost a significant amount of…

  • Thai court acquits Thaksin in royal defamation case | Thaiger

    Thai court acquits Thaksin in royal defamation case

    Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been acquitted of lèse majesté (royal defamation) and computer crime charges stemming from a 2015 interview with South Korea’s Chosun Media. Today, August 22, the Criminal Court delivered its verdict on the case filed by the Office of Criminal Litigation 8. Prosecutors had accused Thaksin of violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code (Thailand’s…

  • Frontline soldier returns home after mother fatally stabbed by her customer | Thaiger

    Frontline soldier returns home after mother fatally stabbed by her customer

    A frontline soldier returned from duty at the border to attend the funeral of his mother, who was fatally stabbed by a female customer at her restaurant in Kamphaeng Phet province on Wednesday, August 20. Police arrested the 32 year old suspect, Jaruwan Jaifai, at her family home on Wednesday after she stabbed 62 year old restaurant owner Meena Pattatha.…

  • Thailand video news | New tax overhaul may sideline expats from welfare perks, Suvarnabhumi airport expansion aims to double passenger capacity | Thaiger

    Thailand video news | New tax overhaul may sideline expats from welfare perks, Suvarnabhumi airport expansion aims to double passenger capacity

    In today’s Thailand video news, Alex and Jay bring you the latest headlines from across the country. Bangkok was shaken by a 5.4-magnitude earthquake with no major damage reported, while Thailand’s planned tax overhaul raises concerns for expats. Michelin-starred Jay Fai faces an investigation over a pricey crab omelette, and two doctors received jail sentences after a botched surgery left…

  • 4 Vietnamese arrested for turning Bangkok house into drug factory | Thaiger

    4 Vietnamese arrested for turning Bangkok house into drug factory

    Police arrested four Vietnamese nationals for transforming a rented house in the Lat Phrao area of Bangkok into a drug production facility. The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) disclosed details of the arrests during a press conference yesterday, August 21, following the apprehension of the suspects in mid-August. The operation stemmed from discussions during the Thailand-Vietnam Bilateral Meeting…