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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Thai police return 6.5 million baht Richard Mille watch to Vietnamese tourist
Not all Thai police are bad eggs as proven by Lumpini Police officers who managed to reunite a Vietnamese tourist with an expensive Richard Mille wristwatch that he lost in Bangkok on Wednesday night. A Vietnamese tourist took a taxi from a hotel in the Lumpini area of Bangkok to Asiatique on the river. Later on, he ordered a private…
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Appeal of Petr Donatek heard in Paris
The appeal of Petr Donatek, a 46-year-old Czech man accused of hiring thugs to attack Thai refugees in Paris, has finally opened and closed. In his testimony, Donatek pleaded that he did not plan the attack. He was convicted in absentia for having hired two Czechs – Jakub Hosek and Daniel Vokal – to attack Thai trans activist Aum Neko…
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Woman accuses police of seizing her car for personal use
A Thai woman accused officers from Sathon Police Station in the southern province of Songkhla of confiscating her car for personal use. The unnamed woman said her car was seized by the police two years ago despite not being involved in a crime. The woman reported that the police arrested her boyfriend in 2021 for possessing Kratom and two tablets…
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French ‘mafia’ boss extorts money from foreigners in Pattaya, claims ties with Big Joke
Police arrested a wanted French ‘mafia’ boss in Bangkok on Tuesday after a group of farangs in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, claimed he extorted money from them in exchange for police protection. The fraudster claimed to have ties with “Big Joke.” Yesterday, high-profile police officer Pol. Lt. Gen. Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn revealed that police arrested 58 year old Herve Christian…
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Murderer transports woman’s corpse to landfill site via motorbike in central Thailand
UPDATE After a woman’s corpse wrapped in a yellow blanket was found dumped at a landfill site in Prachin Buri province in central Thailand yesterday, police uncovered important CCTV footage of the murderer transporting her body via motorbike. Police believe the murder to be a result of a love triangle. At 4.39am on January 27, a man is pictured driving…
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Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Minister says e-cigarettes should be legalised
Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Minister says it’s about time that e-cigarettes be legalised. The Minister, Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, thinks Thailand should amend the law to reflect the lives of many people in developed countries. According to Thai PBS World, Chaiwut added that Thailand’s neighbouring countries of Singapore and Malaysia have already legalised electronic smoking devices. “The key issue is to…
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Thailand’s Tourism Authority reminds visitors of current anti-smoking laws
Thailand’s government is reminding tourists of the nation’s current anti-smoking laws. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) says travellers should be aware that electronic cigarettes, shishas, and electronic shishas are currently illegal. Furthermore, the TAT says there is no smoking in public areas as part of the broader Tobacco Control Law which aims to promote a clean, safe and smoke-free…
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The top places to visit in Thailand
A country that should be on everyone’s bucket list is Thailand. Over 39 million people visited Thailand in 2019, with tourism contributing from 9% to 17.7% of the country’s GDP. A country known for some amazing sites and popular with people of all ages, there’s something for everyone in this beautiful location. If you’re looking to travel to Thailand sometime…
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Woman’s dead body tied up and dumped at landfill site in central Thailand
Police launched a murder investigation today after a rubbish collector discovered the decaying body of a woman wrapped in a blanket and tied up with rope at a landfill site in Prachin Buri province in central Thailand. Officers at Rabo Phai Police Station were informed today that someone found a body wrapped in a blanket at the landfill site in…
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Thai fisheries department introduces unique new clownfish breed
The Thai fisheries department introduced a unique new clownfish breed. The new breed, called Gold x Thunder Maroon, is a cross between the Gold Nugget Maroon and Thunder Maroon clownfish. Gold x Thunder Maroon clownfish have maroon-spotted white sides. They grow to a maximum length of 17 centimetres. Males of the species can reproduce at six months old, while females can…
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Taxi driver stabs passenger on road in Bangkok
A passenger stabbed by a Bangkok taxi driver appealed to the Thai media to highlight his case after he accused the police of procrastinating over the case despite having enough evidence to arrest the accused. The victim succeeded in his quest and the taxi driver was arrested yesterday. The victim, Pratarn Seesook, contacted the crime news department of the MRG…
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Phuket hotels association reaffirms commitment to the island’s recovery with election of senior leadership team
Press Release The Phuket Hotels Association, a non-profit organisation representing 80 of the island’s top hotels and resorts, has reaffirmed its deep commitment to the future of Phuket’s hospitality sector by announcing the reappointment of its senior leadership team, including President Bjorn Courage who has been instrumental in the association’s success. Following a recent election, Mr. Courage, who also serves…
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Commuters criticise ‘dangerous’ Bangkok Apiwat Station’s lack of lights
Commuters took to social media to criticise officials involved with the construction and opening of the “dangerous” Bangkok Apiwat Central Station. Two weeks after the official opening of the station, formerly known as Bang Sue Grand Station, roads around the station remain dark due to the absence of street lights. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) promised that street lighting…
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Bangkok’s first free street-food space welcomes hawkers, street vendors
Bangkok opened its first free street-food space in the city for hawkers and street vendors yesterday, in an attempt to keep cluttered pavements free from obstruction. City governor Chadchart Sittipunt launched of the “Hello Hab-Re” (Hello Hawkers) project outside Samyan Mitrtown on Rama IV Road yesterday. Street food is a quintessential part of the Bangkok experience. Wherever you go in…
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Rabies detected in northeast Thailand
Residents of Nong Phai Noi village in Buriram province, northeast Thailand, are pleading with the authorities to take urgent action after two people were bitten by a dog infected with rabies. The dog bit a pregnant cow which dropped dead two weeks later. On January 10, 65 year old local man Sawat Palertlam was attending to his cows when a…
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Pattaya’s new police chief pledges to prioritise tourists’ safety
Pattaya has a new police chief in town. The new chief, Pol. Col. Thanapong Phothi, pledged to prioritise tourists’ safety when he joined Pattaya Police Station yesterday. A crowd of police officers, city officials, and business people happily welcomed Thanapong. Thanapong is a long-time Pattaya dweller, who has previously served in other roles in and around the city. He said…
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British couple in Bangkok raise money for son born with rare illness
A British couple living in Bangkok is raising £70,000 (2.85 million baht) to support the care of their five-month-old baby boy Finley who was born with an extremely rare illness. Finley Phillips was born with a rare chromosomal disorder that affects just 10 people worldwide. In the womb, Finley developed a duplication of chromosome 14 which has resulted in craniosynostosis…
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Survey reveals tourists in Thailand worried most about taxi scams
A recent survey in Thailand revealed that tourists are worried most about taxi scams when moving about in the country. The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) conducted a quarterly survey, which polled 200 Western tourists in Thailand during the last quarter of 2022. According to Bangkok Post, the survey saw respondents rank taxi service satisfaction as the lowest (3.5 out of…
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Police officer found dead in petrol station bathroom in Rayong
A maid and an attendant at a petrol station in the eastern province of Rayong found the dead body of a police officer inside a bathroom. The cause of the death is under investigation. The deceased man was named Chaiyasak Punnapongchai, the 54-year-old Deputy Inspector of Mueang Rayong Police Station. He was discovered inside a bathroom at a petrol station…
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Fruit vendor wins 30 million baht lottery jackpot in Thailand
A fruit vendor from the Rayong province in eastern Thailand won 30 million baht (US$916,310) in the government lottery yesterday. He says it will pay off his debt and pay for his children’s education. The new-found millionaire, 33 year old Phongpat Witheethep, was at the market in Pluak Daeng district where he sells fruit for a living when he spotted…
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Two young Thai activists in serious condition after staging hunger strike over lèse-majesté law
Two Thai activists are reportedly in serious condition after staging a hunger strike over Thailand’s lèse-majesté law. The young women activists, 21 year old Tantawan Tuatulanon “Tawan,” and 23 year old Orawan Phupong “Bam,” were accused of insulting the monarchy after holding up a poster in a mall that allegedly defamed the monarchy. The poster’s writing asked whether people thought the…
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Summer season starts in Thailand at the end of February
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) is predicting a scorching high of 43 degrees Celsius in Thailand this summer and that the new season will kick in before the end of February. The TMD reported yesterday that the summer season in Thailand would be delayed by one or two weeks this year. The weather will get warmer by the end of…
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Thailand is most searched destination for Chinese Airbnb guests
Thailand is the most searched destination for Chinese Airbnb guests. According to Airbnb’s data, the Land of Smiles was the most searched spot for Chinese travellers within 24 hours of the government’s announcement on December 26, 2022, to lift inbound quarantine requirements. The entire list of the top 10 search destinations for Chinese tourists includes: Thailand US UK Japan Australia Canada…
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Thai supremo cancels Leicester City’s 7.8 billion baht debt
Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha revealed his long-standing commitment to Leicester City Football Club by cancelling the club’s enormous debt. Aiyawatt, the Leicester chairman, yesterday announced he has cleared the £194 million (7.8 billion baht) debt the Foxes owe to its parent company King Power International (KPI). This was accomplished through a debt-to-equity transfer to KPI, freeing Leicester from its outstanding liabilities. The…
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Here’s what you do if the police stop you in Thailand | GMT
In today’s episode, Taxi scam concerns visitors, School in Thailand under fire for transporting 100 boy scouts in articulated lorry, ‘Not possible anyone else was involved’ in Leo Rex’s death in Thailand, says friend, Krabi hotel accused of favouring foreigners over Thais, and Police stopped you? Here’s how to handle it.
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School in Thailand under fire for transporting 100 boy scouts in articulated lorry
A school in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, southern Thailand, is facing backlash after more than 100 boy scouts were crammed into an articulated lorry to go on a school trip. Netizens grew concerned after a clip of an 18-wheel articulated lorry carrying a truckload of children wearing boy scout uniforms circulated on social media. Yesterday, the director of Wat Lam…
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Krabi hotel accused of favouring foreigners over Thais
Thai tourists condemned a hotel in Krabi for discriminatory service standards after the hotel provided better treatment to foreign guests and neglected domestic tourists. They claimed that the hotel prioritised foreign guests with higher purchasing power over them for financial gain. A Thai man posted three videos on his TikTok account, @thetharm, to share his bad experience at a hotel…
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Elderly Thai monk ‘dies from stress’ after falling victim to scam
An elderly Thai monk suffered several seizures and passed away shortly after being scammed out of 5,000 baht at his temple in Nonthaburi province in central Thailand. Yesterday, 35 year old Preecha Saeng-on, an official from Wat Pak Nam temple in Nonthaburi province, informed the media that 91 year old Pra Chuen Seesuay – aka Luang Ta – suffered several…
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Former RTN officer seeks justice after being jailed for 8 years on fake child rapist charge
A former Royal Thai Navy (RTN) officer is seeking justice after he was wrongly branded a child rapist by his ex-girlfriend and her daughter and jailed for eight years on the trumped-up charge. The daughter recently revealed the truth because she alleges she is being abused by her mother. She wants her mother to face the music because of her…
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‘Not possible anyone else was involved’ in Leo Rex’s death in Thailand, says friend
UPDATE The friend who discovered the body of American fitness YouTuber ‘Leo Rex‘ aka ‘Leo and Longevity’ at his home in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, on Monday says it’s “not possible” anyone else was involved in his death. Charles Anthony Hughes – aka ‘Tony Huge’ – released a video statement about the death of 34 year old Laith Abdullah Algaz… “Yes,…
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