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 Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Phuket drug bust nets dozens in ‘white organisation’ blitz
In a sweeping crackdown across Phuket, a drug bust brought 35 people into custody, exposing a widespread issue that has plagued the area. Phuket police set up strategic night-time checkpoints on Wednesday, March 5, in Tambon Thepkrasattri, leading to the arrest of those with drugs in their system: 20 of whom were Thai locals and 15 Myanmar migrant workers. The…
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Ang Thong man fatally stabs wife over separation demand (video)
A chilling security camera recording captured the moment a man consumed by jealousy, fatally stabbing his wife in the neck after she asked for a separation. The horrific crime took place at 3.01am yesterday, March 6 in Ang Thong’s Pa Mok district, leaving the local community in shock. Police Lieutenant Aumnat Meethongkham of Pa Mok Police Station responded to the emergency…
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Thai Airways bans power banks on flights after explosive fire risk
Airlines worldwide, including Thai Airways, are banning the use and charging of power banks on flights from March 1, following a shocking fire incident aboard a Korean Air Busan flight. The explosion, caused by a faulty power bank, raised serious safety concerns, leading South Korean airlines and other inter6national carriers to tighten regulations to prevent similar disasters. The ban applies…
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Thai woman mistaken for sister stabbed 18 times by sister’s ex
A Thai man mistook his former sister-in-law for his ex-wife yesterday stabbed her 18 times at the side of a road in the central province of Ayutthaya. Officers from Phak Hai Police Station were alerted to the stabbing at about 6.15am, yesterday, March 6. Upon arrival, they found the 39 year old woman, Waraporn, with severe injuries. She sustained at…
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Teenager electrocuted by phone charger in Thailand sparks warning
The tragic death of a teenager electrocuted by a phone charger today has left a community reeling in the Sikhoraphum district of Surin in Isaan. Police revealed that the 15 year old girl was electrocuted after falling asleep with her phone, today, March 7. Officers added that she had burn marks from the phone charger cord. Sergeant Den Wanyang, taking…
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Thai police arrest group smuggling mule accounts to Cambodia
Police from the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) yesterday arrested a group involved in smuggling mule accounts across the Thai-Cambodian border. The arrests took place near the border in Khlong Yai subdistrict, Pong Nam Ron district, Chanthaburi province. The operation, led by Major General Athip Phongsiwapai, followed an investigation revealing a network recruiting individuals via social media to open bank…
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Ayutthaya acting school director arrested for sexually assaulting 13 schoolboys
Police yesterday arrested an acting school director in the central province of Ayutthaya for sexually assaulting 13 schoolboys aged between eight and 12 years old. The child sex abuse at a school in the Bang Sai district of Ayutthaya came to light after the parents of one of the victims discovered it from their son. The parents then filed a…
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Thai Attorney General charges 8 in contract killing case (video)
The Thai Attorney General’s office has filed charges against eight defendants in a high-profile case involving the alleged contract killing of Chaimate “Tong” Sittisanitpong. The case includes charges of conspiracy to commit murder and illegal possession of firearms. Yesterday, the Attorney General’s inspector, Sak Kesem Nithaiyok, and spokesperson for the office, revealed details about the case dating back to February…
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Thailand cracks down on e-cigarettes with tough new measures
The Thai government is ramping up its fight against illegal e-cigarettes with a sweeping crackdown on smuggling, online sales, and domestic distribution. At a high-level meeting yesterday, March 6 at Government House, Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office Jiraporn Sindhuphrai, who oversees the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB), announced intensified suppression efforts and long-term solutions. Jiraporn revealed that…
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Thai woman confesses to killing husband with her son’s help
The body of a Thai man abandoned by the roadside in a forest in Chon Buri was not the result of a car accident or theft, he was murdered by his wife and her son allegedly over physical abuse and a financial issue. A Thai man and his colleagues stumbled upon the lifeless body of a man while working in…
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Bizarre ‘airplane’ light poles spark online debate in Samut Prakan (video)
A wave of online chatter erupted after images went viral of densely packed airplane-shaped light poles in Nong Prue subdistrict, Samut Prakan. Critics are questioning the necessity and cost of the elaborate structures, while local officials insist the project follows regulations and is an innovative way to boost the area’s identity. The viral images, first shared by the Samut Prakan…
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Warehouse fire keeps Bangkok firefighters on toes for over 8 hours
A blazing inferno inside a frozen goods warehouse in Bang Phili proved to be a stubborn adversary for Bangkok firefighters, with the flames still not fully extinguished today after more than eight hours. Amid the chaos, the warehouse owner firmly denied any ammonia gas presence in the facility, easing some public safety concerns. Firefighters from a multitude of agencies converged…
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Israeli tourists and transwomen clash in Phuket street brawl (video)
Two Israeli tourists found themselves embroiled in a street skirmish with a group of transgender women on the bustling Bangla Road in Phuket, leaving both parties nursing injuries. The brawl erupted in the island’s notorious nightlife district on Wednesday, March 5, sparking a dramatic scene captured on video and widely shared across social media. Drama unfolded in the vibrant hub…
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Paetongtarn pushes Malaysia to act fast on floods and trade routes
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra made an urgent call to Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim, while in Berlin for the ITB 2025, pressing for swift action on flood relief in the Golok River basin and a key border infrastructure project that could boost trade between the two nations. Speaking at 9am local time yesterday, March 6 (six hours behind Thailand), PM…
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Thailand video news | Foreign tourist found dead on Kata beach in Phuket, Vietnam sees tourism surge but still lags behind Thailand
In today’s Thailand video news, Alex and Jay bring the latest headlines from across Thailand and Asia. A foreign tourist was tragically found dead on Phuket’s Kata Beach, while an MP has exposed illegal condo rentals and prostitution in Bangkok’s Nana district. Meanwhile, the court has blocked the travel request of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra due to ongoing…
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Turkish man arrested in Phuket for illegally selling cannabis
Police arrested a Turkish man in the Patong area of Phuket for illegally selling cannabis in the province. Patong Police Station officers reported the arrest of the 33 year old Turkish man, whose name remains undisclosed, yesterday, March 6. The arrest took place outside the Weed Kebab store on Bangla Road on Wednesday. The Turkish man was found illegally distributing…
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Koh Larn mystery: Tourist’s body leaves police puzzled
Thai police have been left scratching their heads after discovering the dead body of a tourist in a forest on the picturesque island of Koh Larn. A photograph of an elderly woman was found at the chilling scene, yesterday, March 6. Police Lieutenant Anan Mahakit Asawakun from Pattaya City Police Station’s Koh Larn branch today shared news of the unfolding…
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Laundrette looter! Foreign thief caught airing dirty laundry in Phuket
CCTV footage from a 24-hour laundrette in Phuket this week captured a man, believed to be a foreigner, stealing clothes belonging to the shop’s customers. A Thai man shared footage of the theft, at around 11pm on Monday, March 3, on social media to warn others who use the laundry shop in the Kathu neighbourhood of Phuket. He believed that…
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Royal Thai Navy’s billion-baht battle over subs and frigates
Thailand’s troubled submarine deal and ambitious warship plans are caught in political limbo, with the Pheu Thai-led government showing little urgency in making key defence decisions. As Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra prepares for a censure debate later this month, the Royal Thai Navy (RTN)’s long-stalled projects remain up in the air. The RTN initially accepted China’s offer of an S26T…
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Fatal nap! Driver falls asleep, kills passenger in highway horror
A devastating accident on Highway 11 in Nakhon Sawan province tragically claimed the life of a young passenger this morning after a driver fell asleep at behind the wheel. At around 2.40am, today, March 7, a Toyota pickup truck slammed into the back of a parked 18-wheeler, resulting in calamitous damage and heartbreak. The scene at kilometre markers 13 and…
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Military drill blunder leaves 4 Thais injured in South Korea
Two fighter planes mistakenly dropped eight bombs in a residential area in South Korea during a military drill between the country and the United States, resulting in 15 injuries. Four of the injured victims are Thai nationals. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Nikorndate Palangkul, reported that the ministry received notification of the bombing in Pocheon,…
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Fury on the streets: Protesters clash with govt over casino bill
Angry protesters stormed the Finance Ministry yesterday, demanding the government scrap its controversial plan to legalise casinos. The demonstration, led by three hardline groups, accused Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat of backing a bill that, they claim, will open the floodgates for Thai gamblers rather than targeting foreign tourists. The Network of Students and People for Thailand’s Reform, the Dharma…
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Thai farmers urged to go bananas for ripe returns
The Government of Thailand is urging beleaguered Thai farmers to pivot to bananas from rice as a strategy to bolster their earnings amidst plummeting rice prices. Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan dropped the fruity bombshell while addressing People’s Party MP Narongdech Ularnkul’s concerns about rice price stabilisation. “A rice oversupply is crushing prices, and bananas could be the alternative farmers need.…
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Thailand’s Lawa Yai island wins top beach award
Lawa Yai, an unspoiled tropical retreat in Ao Phang Nga National Park, has just landed a major international honour, securing ISO 13009:2015 certification for top-tier beach management and sustainable tourism. This recognition puts the island on the map as a world-class destination that blends environmental preservation with visitor-friendly services. Phob Toonsang, chief of the national park’s first conservation unit, hailed…
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Heavy rain and hail hit Thailand amid summer storm
The Meteorological Department of Thailand (TMD) has issued its sixth warning for a summer storm expected to hit 46 provinces, including Bangkok, with heavy rain, strong winds, hail, and lightning in certain areas. Residents are advised to exercise caution. Issued at 5pm yesterday, March 6, the announcement details that northern, northeastern, central Thailand, Bangkok and its surrounding areas, and the…
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Splish splash splendour: Pattaya preps for a Wan Lai soaking (video)
Pattaya City is gearing up for a splash-tastic 2025 with its iconic Wan Lai Naklua and Wan Lai Pattaya festivals. Known for their thrilling water-pouring ceremonies, dazzling cultural performances, and energetic parades, these events promise a spectacle like no other. The vibrant preparations were discussed in a meeting led by Deputy Mayor Wuttisak Rermkijakarn at Pattaya City Hall. The festivals…
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Seoul searching! Tourist Police nab fake South Korean tour guide
A South Korean man found himself in hot water with the Tourist Police after allegedly masquerading as a tour guide without the necessary paperwork. Police clocked him on Wednesday, March 5, shepherding a group of international holidaymakers through a bustling local market, where he was seen snapping up tickets and handing out local information. But there was a catch: he…
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Taiwanese man scammed by Thai lover flies to Thailand for justice
A Taiwanese man who thought he had found love with a Thai woman was left devastated after she scammed him out of nearly 10 million baht. Determined to seek justice, he flew to Thailand to file a complaint against her, only to discover she had vanished. Chia Wei Te from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, accompanied by an interpreter and his lawyer, Thiraphong…
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Illegal Chinese workers busted in Phuket construction raid
Thalang police arrested four Chinese nationals caught working illegally at a construction site in Thepkrasattri, Phuket, after a dramatic raid on the premises. Acting on a tip-off received on Monday, March 3, officers stormed a warehouse in Village 9, Thepkrasattri, yesterday morning, March 5. Upon arrival, they found the warehouse door open, with the sounds of construction echoing from inside.…
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Court blocks Thaksin’s request to leave Thailand for Indonesia
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra faced a legal setback today after the Criminal Court denied his request to travel abroad. The court ruled that there was not sufficient reason to allow him to leave the country, blocking his planned trip to Indonesia for the upcoming ASEAN meeting. This morning, Thaksin arrived at the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road in his…
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