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 police caught taking bribes and freeing Chinese suspects
One Thai police officer was dismissed from service, while four others remain under investigation, over allegations of taking bribes and unlawfully releasing Chinese suspects wanted by Chinese authorities. The corruption scandal came to light after Ma Guangxu, also known as Ah-hang, disappeared from a detention facility earlier this month. The Chinese national was held in custody pending deportation to China, where…
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Himalayan vulture crash-lands in Tak during migration
A rare Himalayan Griffon Vulture was rescued on January 19 after it collapsed in front of a house in Tak province, appearing too weak to fly and prompting residents to call for help. The exhausted bird was first seen gliding overhead with its wings fully spread before it crash-landed behind a house in Chiang Thong subdistrict, Wang Chao district. The…
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Thai woman and 2 Chinese men arrested over nominee hotel in Chiang Mai
A Chinese woman fled arrest while two Chinese partners and a Thai nominee were taken into custody during a raid on an illegally operated hotel in Chiang Mai province on Thursday, January 15. Officers from the Chiang Mai Provincial Immigration Office raided a hotel on Chang Klan Road in the city centre following an investigation into suspected nominee business practices.…
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Bangkok homeless man steals luxury bag from Chinese tourist
Police arrested a Thai homeless man for snatching a luxury bag from a Chinese tourist outside a restaurant in Bangkok’s Yan Nawa area on Friday, January 16. The Chinese victim filed a theft complaint with Yannawa Police Station at around 9.45pm. She told officers that she had been dining at a restaurant on Narathiwat Ratchanakarin Road and briefly left her belongings…
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Danish woman breaks arm and leg while hiking in Phuket
A Danish couple sought assistance from rescuers after the woman suffered broken bones to her arm and leg during a hiking trip along the Ton Sai–Bang Pae route in Phuket. Rescuers from Guardians of Life Medical & Rescue received a distress call from the foreign couple on Friday, January 16, reporting an accident on the popular hiking trail. The incident…
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Thailand video news | knife incident on Sukhumvit raises fresh public safety questions, Chiang Mai temple plans tourist ban after yoga session sparks outrage
Today we’ll be talking about a shocking knife-wielding incident that occurred on a crowded Sukhumvit road over the weekend, a controversial ruling over the death of a Thai man in America and the teen responsible for it, and a little later, believe or not despite some of these sensational headlines, crime in Bangkok has seen a significant drop over the…
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Sharing is caring: Thai woman openly dates twin brothers
A 24 year old woman from Nakhon Phanom broke Thai TikTok after casually announcing that she’s happily in a relationship with both twin brothers. The woman, known as Fah, posted a TikTok video stating that she is dating both twins simultaneously, captioning the clip with the words “I have two husbands.” The video quickly gained traction, with viewers weighing in…
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‘Naturist’ resort in Thailand bans outdoor sex and photos, says guest
A Facebook user has drawn attention to a naturist resort in Thailand after sharing a personal review that included photos and a short video. The resort follows naturist principles, requiring guests to remain unclothed at all times when participating in activities such as swimming, sunbathing, walking, or using shared spaces. Wearing clothes is not permitted within the premises. According to…
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Phuket hotel security guard arrested for attempted break-in of DJ’s room
Police arrested the head of a hotel’s security guards in Phuket on Saturday, January 18, after he attempted to break into the room of a female DJ late at night earlier this week. The victim, Thai DJ Mirinda Malinrattanawadee, took to her Facebook account to demand accountability from a hotel in Phuket after an unidentified man tried to enter her…
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Thailand’s PM2.5 levels soar, posing health risks in 38 provinces
The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda) reported that 38 provinces in Thailand, primarily in the Northeast and Central Plains, experienced elevated levels of ultrafine dust on Sunday morning. At 8am, Gistda indicated that particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less (PM2.5) ranged from 37.6 to 75.6 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m³) across these provinces. Meanwhile,…
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Crane accident claims life of woman on train, prompts grief in Thailand
A tragic crane accident claimed the life of Chayani Wannathawi, aged 60, when it collapsed onto a train near Sikhiu subdistrict in Nakhon Ratchasima province on January 14. The incident resulted in a derailment and fire, causing multiple injuries and fatalities. Yesterday, on January 17, reporters visited Ban Phon Khwao Temple in Mueang Sisaket district, where funeral rites for Chayani…
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Man assaulted by teens in Chon Buri after social media row
A 26 year old man has reported an assault by a group of more than 20 teenagers who allegedly stormed into his home, using a rock to hit his head and attempting to stab him. This confrontation is believed to have been sparked by a social media argument. Today, on January 18, CCTV footage captured the moments when the group…
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Phuket Airport sees flight and passenger surge in 2025 recovery
Phuket International Airport recorded strong growth in both flight movements and passenger numbers in 2025, reflecting a continued recovery in the aviation and tourism sectors and renewed traveller confidence, according to airport director Monchai Tanod. Performance over the past year exceeded 2024 levels and approached figures seen in 2019, the airport’s peak year before the Covid-19 pandemic. The results underline…
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Chaiyaphum festival shooting leaves man blind, police delay charges
An altercation at an annual festival in Chaiyaphum led to a violent incident on Friday, January 16, when the owner of a BB gun shop allegedly shot the owner of a nearby ear-piercing shop. The victim suffered severe injuries, including blindness in the right eye. Despite the serious nature of the incident, police have not yet pressed charges against the…
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Knife-wielding woman’s Sukhumvit rampage raises safety concerns
A woman wielding a knife caused chaos on Sukhumvit Road, attempting to stab passersby and sending shockwaves through the busy area as pedestrians scrambled to avoid the unfolding violence. It was revealed that she had been involved in a similar knife attack incident on a bus the previous month, suggesting a troubling pattern of behaviour. Locals eventually restrained her after…
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Defence minister says third border clash remains possible
Defence Minister General Natthaphol Nakpanich has acknowledged that a third border clash remains possible if Cambodia fails to comply with existing agreements, while stressing that Thailand continues to prioritise a peaceful resolution. The minister made the remarks during a visit to border areas in eastern Thailand on January 16, 2026. He travelled to Sa Kaeo and Trat provinces to inspect…
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Crane truck overturns injuring two people
A six-wheeled truck carrying a crane overturned near Nararat Bridge in Bangkok on January 17, 2026, leaving two people injured and causing traffic disruption while authorities cleared the scene and launched an investigation. The incident occurred at about 1.52pm on Chakraphong Road in Talat Yot subdistrict, Phra Nakhon district. Firefighters and rescue personnel from Phukhaothong Fire and Rescue Station were…
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Traffic police arrest three Vietnamese men with guns and drugs in Bangkok
Traffic police in Bangkok have arrested three Vietnamese men after firearms and illegal drugs were found during a routine drink-driving checkpoint in Wang Thonglang district. The arrests took place at about 1.40pm on January 17, 2026, when officers from Wang Thonglang Police Station were conducting alcohol breath tests in front of a petrol station on Pracha Uthit Road, in Phlapphla…
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Funeral shooting leaves one dead as suspect surrenders
A fatal shooting at a funeral ceremony in Phatthalung province has left one man dead, with the suspect surrendering to police several hours later and admitting to the killing. The incident occurred shortly after midnight on January 17, 2026, at Wat Khuan Peng in Moo 10, Khok Sai subdistrict, Pa Bon district. Police from Pa Bon Police Station were called…
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300kg of crystal meth seized and two traffickers arrested
Authorities have seized approximately 300 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and arrested two suspected members of a drug trafficking network in Mueang district, Sakon Nakhon province, following a coordinated security operation. The arrests took place at about 9.10pm on January 16, 2026, in the parking area of the bypass market in Dong Mafai subdistrict. Officers recovered six sacks containing an estimated…
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Wife opposes bail for former deputy mayor in fatal shooting case
The wife of a man fatally shot in Phatthalung province has formally objected to bail for a former deputy mayor of a sub-district administrative organisation accused of carrying out the killing, following the suspect’s surrender to police. The shooting occurred at about 8.30am on January 16, 2026, on the Ban Hat Khai Tao–Fa La Mi road in Moo 11, Na…
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Search intensifies for second victim in well murder case
Rescue workers in Lopburi province intensified their search on January 17, 2026, after detecting an odour believed to be from a decomposing body inside an abandoned well, where a second murder victim is thought to be buried. The operation centres on the search for Ms Jiraporn, known as “Teacher Lek”, aged 61, who was allegedly killed by her nephew along…
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Rama 2 Road collapse overturns pickup truck in Bangkok
A section of Rama 2 Road collapsed early on the morning of January 17, 2026, causing a pickup truck to overturn in a Bangkok-bound lane and leading to severe traffic congestion in the area. The incident occurred at approximately 6.30am on the inbound side of Rama 2 Road, near the Big C Rama 2 shopping complex, in Samut Sakhon province.…
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Nigerian drug dealer arrested on Koh Pha Ngan after skipping court
Police arrested a Nigerian drug dealer on Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani on Wednesday, January 14, after he skipped court proceedings following an earlier arrest. Officers from the Koh Pha Ngan Tourist Police received a tip-off that the suspect, 38 year old Nigerian national Ukoma Jefta Nuzbech, who was wanted in a drug case, was travelling along a road…
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Plankton takeover gives Cha-am beach a green makeover
Tourists visiting Cha-am Beach and Bo Yai Beach in Phetchaburi were met with an unusual sight yesterday, January 15, as the sea along the shoreline turned a dark green colour due to a natural plankton bloom. The phenomenon, stretching over 2.5 kilometres of coastline, was most noticeable along the southern stretch of Cha-am Beach and near Ban Bo Yai Beach…
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Japanese man arrested after viral reviews on his illegal matcha stall
Online food reviews led to the arrest of a Japanese man for operating a matcha ice cream shop without permission in Chiang Mai. The apprehension later sparked a heated online debate, with some netizens accusing authorities of discrimination. The Japanese man, 39 year old Junichi, was operating a small matcha ice cream stall outside Yang Kwang Temple, located in the city…
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Former PM Thaksin may be released on parole in May
The former Prime Minister (PM) of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, may be eligible for release on parole in May, according to the Department of Corrections. Thaksin returned to Thailand in August and was taken into custody before being transferred to the 14th floor of the Police General Hospital under special detention arrangements. His hospital stay triggered widespread public debate, with critics…
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Pattaya begging crackdown sees repeat offenders nabbed
Pattaya officials stepped up efforts to tackle street begging yesterday, January 15, with a joint evening operation across tourist-heavy areas. The operation resulted in the detention and screening of 15 individuals, including repeat offenders and foreign nationals. The evening operation was led by Bang Lamung Deputy District Chief Nathaphop Yom Jinda and Pattaya Deputy Mayor Damrongkiat Phinitkan. It brought together…
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Woman delivers healthy baby in rescue van in Samut Prakan
A pregnant woman gave birth to a healthy baby girl in a rescue vehicle in Samut Prakan yesterday, January 15, after going into labour unexpectedly. Her husband, who was driving at the time, pulled over and called for help. Rescue volunteers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation, at around 2.20pm, were alerted by the Samut Prakan emergency command centre about a 29…
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Thailand video news | Construction crane collapse on Rama II road kills two, Thailand introduces muay Thai visa to support international students
Today we’ll be talking about the two crane collapses in as many days and the company behind these disasters, plus, leading Thai political parties are vowing to reclassify cannabis in an effort to make the plant medical use only, and later on we’ll talk about the pea soup pollution that is currently plaguing the country. Don’t worry though, still some…
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