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 Thinking of retiring in Thailand long-term? Here’s your health checklist before the move
Thinking of retiring in Thailand long-term? Thailand is a popular choice for retirees because of its beautiful landscapes, warm climate, and affordable living. Cities like Chiang Mai and coastal areas offer a relaxed lifestyle with friendly communities. The country also...
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RTA condemned after ordering bedridden patient to report for conscription
Thai netizens criticised the Royal Thai Army (RTA) for their lack of empathy after a woman had to take her bedridden disabled son to report for conscription in the northern province of Lamphun. A former Thai actor, 21 year old Thanakit “Off” Wutthirothong, left the movie industry after a motorcycle accident rendered him disabled. A drunk woman crashed her car…
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RTA threatens to prosecute draft dodging Thai activist monk
The Royal Thai Army (RTA) announced it will prosecute an activist turned monk if he fails to give a valid reason why he dodged the mandatory conscription process. Phra Netiwit Jaranasampanno faces a court trial and possible compulsory drafting into the army without the benefit of drawing a ballot because of his draft dodging exercise. RTA deputy spokesperson Maj. Gen.…
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Thai man found dead in front of coffin shop due to extreme heat
The owner of a coffin shop in the central province of Kanchanaburi found a dead man in front of the shop yesterday. It is believed the deceased died from the extreme heat as the temperature reached 40 degrees Celsius on the day he was found. Officers from Tha Muang Police Station reviewed the area in front of the coffin shop,…
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Turmoil as Koh Larn boat operators fight over tourists at Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya
A brawl over passengers between two groups of Koh Larn speed boat operators at Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya was reported on Saturday. One operator claimed he was attacked by over 10 members of a mafia speed boat gang. A 31 year old Thai man named Kongkot shared a video of the moment when the fracas sparked on Saturday, April…
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Efforts doubled to preserve Koh Kradan, the Best Beach of Earth 2023
Koh Kradan took centre stage last week after being voted the “best beach” on earth. Now, Hat Chao Mai National Park made public it is doubling its effort to ensure it stays at the top of the list by preserving the beach and the surrounding area’s ecosystem. Hat Chao Mai National Park chief Prit Narasrit Koh Kradan revealed the marine…
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Kazakhstani tourist arrested for rampage on southern Thailand beach (video)
Police arrested a Kazakhstani tourist for attacking people and destroying property yesterday at Haad Rin Beach in Koh Pha Ngan, Surat Thani province, southern Thailand. Yesterday evening, Koh Pha Ngan Tourist Police were informed that a foreign tourist was “going crazy” at Haad Rin Beach, chasing and attacking locals and invading and destroying property at resorts and restaurants along the…
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Woman jumps off 4th floor building to escape abusive husband’s torture
A Thai woman jumped off the fourth floor of a dormitory in Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok to escape from her abusive, alleged drug addict husband who scalded, assaulted and thrust a glass bottle into her vagina. A rescue team from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation rushed to Soi Bang Pla 22 in the Bang Plee district of Samut Prakarn…
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Thailand braces for thunderstorms, hail, and strong winds
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) urged residents in the North, East, and central regions of Thailand to be prepared for thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail over the coming days. A moderate high-pressure system from China is moving over the northeast and eastern parts of Thailand and the South China Sea, causing southerly and southeasterly winds that bring moisture from the…
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Police officer’s grudge turns deadly: Four killed in tragic family dispute in southern Thailand
A tragic family dispute led to the killing of four people by a police officer with a grudge in southern Thailand. The incident occurred over the weekend when four men were shot dead by a police officer attached to the Khirirat Nakhom Police Station in Surat Thani and his three accomplices. According to Provincial Police Region 8 commissioner Pol. Lt.…
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Entry fees to Thailand’s Phi Phi islands reeling in 1 million baht a day
Entry fees to Thailand’s Phi-Phi islands have been reeling in about 1 million baht a day for the country’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, since the introduction of the e-ticketing system last July. Revenue from entry fees has increased by 20 to 30% to an average of 1 million baht per day, amounting to a total of 137…
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Exiled Chinese Christians arrive safely in US from Thailand
A group of exiled Chinese Christians, who feared persecution if they were sent back to China, arrived safely in the United States. The group had been detained for overstaying their visas in Thailand, where they had been trying to arrange formal passage to the US. The group arrested included 63 members of China’s Mayflower Church. The group believed that Chinese…
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British tourists to Thailand: Are you really covered? Travel insurance warning for medical emergencies
British tourists travelling to Thailand are being warned that their travel insurance policies may not cover them in the event of a medical emergency. Most travel insurance is not designed to cover life-saving operations or expensive repatriation. The Association of British Insurers pointed out that 17% of all overseas claims are rejected due to lack of documentation, and the average…
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Thai man stabs wife 21 times before driving into Chao Phraya River
A Thai man stabbed his wife to death in Lopburi province, central Thailand, today before attempting to commit suicide by driving his Chevrolet pickup truck into the Chao Phraya River in Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya province. However, the killer was saved by one of his relatives who happened to be fishing at the riverbank. This morning, officers at Ban Kum…
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Brazillian boxer banned by WMO after supporting Cambodian kickboxing
Following an argument over the origin of kickboxing between Thailand and Cambodia, the World Muaythai Organisation (WMO) has banned Brazilian boxer Thiago Teixeira from the sport after he announced support for Kun Khmer. His Apex Fight Series middleweight class championship record was also expunged. Cambodia is pushing to gain international recognition for its version of kickboxing, Kun Khmer. The country…
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Koh Samui: The secret island gem of Southeast Asia’s hospitality scene
Over the past week, we have been compiling our latest hospitality, tourism, and hotel research on Thailand’s second-largest island, Koh Samui. The island remains a bit of a ‘little-big’ anomaly in Southeast Asia’s massive resort island arsenal. Despite hosting famed global hotel brands such as Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, W, InterContinental, and Banyan Tree, its smallish private airport capacity has somehow…
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Cyberpunk data thief allegedly an army sergeant
The cyberpunk who hacked into a government database and threatened to release the personal data of 55 million Thai people is believed to be an army sergeant. Police held the unnamed army sergeant and his wife this morning in relation to hacking the personal data of 55 million Thais and putting the information up for sale on April 5 under…
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18 year old man dies after two hooligans threw stones at him in southern Thailand
An 18 year old man died in hospital yesterday after two hooligans threw stones at him while he was riding a motorcycle on a road in the southern province of Satun. The teenage victim, Kullatat “Folk” Tohem, was rushed to hospital on Sunday, April 2 with a serious head injury after two hooligans threw stones at him. The young man…
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China finally reveals results of Wuhan wet market Covid-19 investigation
China finally answered calls to reveal and publish an analysis of samples taken from animals at a wet market in Wuhan linked to the outbreak of Covid-19 and guess what? Definitive proof of how the outbreak started still remains inconclusive. The Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market in Wuhan, China has been a key focus in the search for the origin of Covid…
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Early morning raid captures illegal foreign workers at a Pattaya market
An early morning raid at Amon Nakhon fresh market in Pattaya by Chon Buri Immigration officials and Bang Lamung Police Station led to the capture of seven illegal foreign workers. Police reported the surprise raid was conducted at 6am on Wednesday and seven illegal migrants were arrested. Officers searched the market and nearby shops which saw workers from Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam,…
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Woman arrested for security guard murder and attempted murder of 2 others
A Thai woman was arrested by police officers this morning for the alleged murder of a security guard and the attempted murder of two others at a dormitory located in the Thanya Buri district of Pathum Thani, situated in the central part of Thailand. Pratunam Chulalongkorn Police Station was notified about the stabbing incident and swiftly responded to the scene…
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German woman injured after falling at Koh Samui waterfall
A tourist from Germany sustained injuries while visiting Koh Samui, one of Thailand‘s beautiful tropical destinations. The incident occurred when a German woman fell at a waterfall on Koh Samui, Na Mueang 2 Waterfall, and it took rescue teams and officials over 20 minutes to reach her location on foot. The team found the woman, 38 year old Sina Dahmann,…
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PM’s plan to tackle soaring cost of air ticket prices in Thailand
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has taken charge to address the soaring prices of air tickets with a comprehensive five-point plan. The plan comes after Deputy Transport Minister Atirat Ratanasate informed the ministry of the measures taken and those in the pipeline to address the substantial hikes due to the surge in demand after the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent decision…
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Thailand’s Koh Kradan voted best beach on earth
Thailand’s unspoiled Koh Kradan island off the coast of Trang province was ranked the best of the ‘Top 100 Beaches on Earth 2023‘ by the UK website World Beach Guide. Four other Thai beaches made the top 100 including Railay Beach in Krabi province (9), Freedom Beach in Phuket (18), Laem Beach on Koh Yao Yai island in Phang Nga…
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Big Oil Majors production cuts, what this means to airfares
The recent move by the Big Oil Majors to cut production by over one million barrels a day as a “precautionary” measure to stabilize the oil market will have a domino effect on airfares, according to industry experts. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) yesterday announced plans to lower oil production by 1.16 million barrels per day, starting…
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Crooked trail of corruption uncovered after cops arrest bent revenue director for soliciting bribes
Royal Thai Police (RTP) yesterday uncovered a crooked trail of corruption worth 7 million baht following the arrest of an alleged bent government revenue director. RTP officers arrested, Pramual Saengkaewsri, a director in the Ratchathewi district of Bangkok on Wednesday in a hotel carpark as part of a police sting. The 57 year old was apprehended for soliciting bribes amounting to 3 million baht from a…
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Thai-lizing industries with AI: The future is machine-made
Thailand is looking toward artificial intelligence (AI) to boost economic growth and the kingdom’s vision to become the globe’s fifth-largest economy by 2027. The government underlines AI as a major tool to boost its economy to automate processes, reduce costs, and increase productivity, all of which can help to increase economic growth. AI can be used to provide more accurate…
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Power struggle: JSCCIB takes on govt to lower electricity prices
Tensions are running high in Thailand as the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) has declared war on the government in a bid to bring down the nation’s soaring electricity prices. The committee, comprised of representatives from major business groups, is asking Prime Minister Prayut Chan o cha to reconsider the electricity bill calculation and reduce the…
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Rogue cop with gambling addiction jailed for 50 years for gun theft
A rogue cop with a gambling addiction was sentenced to 270 years in prison for theft and illegal possession of 160 firearms. He will only serve 50 years as allowed under Thai law. Senior sergeant major Chaowarit Phumkajorn, from Pak Kret Police Station in Nonthaburi province, near Bangkok, was arrested in October in the Isaan province of Nong Khai after reportedly selling…
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Surviving a sinister husband and a Thai cliff fall: A Chinese woman’s incredible resilience
A Chinese woman is finally on her feet and on the road to recovery after the trauma of being pushed off a cliff in Thailand in 2019 by a sinister ex-con husband only interested in her wealth. Wang Nan spent the past four years of her life trying to survive her life-threatening ordeal and rebuilding and rehabilitating her life after…
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British tourist smashes up Bangkok 7-Eleven (video)
Thai police arrested a young British man for destroying property at a 7-Eleven convenience store in the Pathumwan district of Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday at 3am. In a bizarre TikTok clip filmed by a European onlooker, the British tourist picks up various items inside the 7-Eleven and launches them at the door in an attempt to smash the glass. Although…
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