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 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Teen escapes house fire in Pattaya by climbing balcony
A Pattaya teenager climbed down from his balcony to just barely escape a fire that broke out in his home in the early hours of Monday morning. The boy, 16 year old Poramet Soratavorn, sensed the smell of smoke when he was on the second floor of his house in Royal Park Village on Thepprasit Road. Poramet ran downstairs to find…
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BREAKING: Shooting in Thai army building in Bangkok, 2 dead, 1 injured
At 8.45am, a Sergeant Major opened fire in the Royal Thai Army College on Thoddamri Road in Bangkok’s Dusit district, killing two soldiers and seriously injuring one more. The gunman has been arrested. The army chief shot one of his colleagues in the head who has since died at Vajira Hospital. The deceased have been identified as Sergeant Major Nopporat…
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Earthquake strikes in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand
At 1.03am today, a 3.6 magnitude earthquake struck Fang district in northern Thailand’s Chiang Mai province, according to the Meteorological Department. No injuries, deaths or damages have been reported. The earthquake’s epicentre in the Mae Kha subdistrict had a considerably shallow depth of 4 kilometres, causing people in the region to feel strong shaking. Strong shaking was reported in Mae…
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China Airlines opens a new route to Chiang Mai
China Airlines yesterday announced the good news that it intends to launch flights to Chiang Mai in Thailand. The bad news is that it won’t happen until next year. The Taiwan-based airline revealed on the day it reopened its borders that flights to the northern city of Chiang Mai take off on January 20 next year. Flight CI851 from Taiwan…
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Thai govt increase minimum wage by 5% starting on October 1
The Thai Cabinet today agreed to increase the minimum wage throughout the country by 5%. The highest rate is 354 baht per day in Chon Buri, Rayong, and Phuket. The new rate will come into effect on October 1. Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin discussed the topic at today’s Cabinet meeting and it was approved. It is the first time in…
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Crocodile rocks up on the dinner table in flooded Khon Kaen
Floods may be causing chaos in most parts of Thailand at the moment but to some residents in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen it is providing food for thought, or rather thoughts of food, crocodiles as food. A number of residents in the Non Daeng sub-district, Non Sila district, urged farm owners to take greater care of their crocodiles…
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Pro-wakeskater charged with causing danger for surfing in Bangkok floods
UPDATE Pro-wakeskater Daniel Grant has been charged with causing danger to traffic – violating Thailand’s Traffic Act and Highway Act – for his surfing stunt in the Bangkok floods on Friday. The 24 year old half-Thai, half-English watersports champion was summoned to Khlong Luang Police Station this morning to acknowledge the allegations made against him by police after they saw…
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Favipiravir: DMS says Thai Covid study contradicts US study
A top respiratory specialist in Thailand spoke out on Friday about a study in the Clinical Infectious Diseases Journal last month saying that not only does the antiviral medication Favipiravir not seem to help fight Covid-19, but it can lead to patients getting gout. Now the Department of Medical Sciences is defending the use of Favipiravir in Thailand to treat…
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Thai VietJet to increase frequency of Japan and Taiwan flights
Thai VietJet announced the addition of flights to both the Bangkok – Fukuoka route to Japan and the Bangkok – Taipei route to Taiwan. The airline commenced the Bangkok – Fukuoka route, their only service linking Thailand and Japan, back in July. Initially, the route between Suvarnabhumi Airport and Fukuoka Airport operated three times a week. The route turned out…
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Thai woman hires delivery driver to investigate her boyfriend’s alleged affair
Yesterday, A LINE Man driver working in Nonthaburi province, central Thailand, revealed how he ended up working as a spy for a customer who thought her boyfriend was having an affair. LINE Man provides food, grocery, parcel delivery, messenger and taxi services – and in this case, detective services. Back in July, Mr A (pseudonym) was working a normal night…
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Thailand’s nonpartisan stance sensible in China-US Cold War
Thailand yesterday was urged to maintain its neutrality as tensions between the globe’s two economic giants, China and the United States, continue to gather pace. Thailand last week was criticized for maintaining a neutral stance regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict as the West continues to impose sanctions on the former Soviet state. The kingdom has been also condemned in the past…
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Alleged Thai ‘love scammer’ denied bail in Australia
A Thai national detained in Sydney, Australia, for allegedly committing “romance fraud” was denied bail yesterday. Siriluck Fatima Chimmalee is accused of stealing from men she met online through a dating app. She is facing trial for over 100 charges of fraud. Police say 30 year old Siriluck allegedly pretended to be a registered remitter and charged customers steep inflation…
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VIDEO: King cobra slithers into closet in southern Thailand
A terrified homeowner in Trang province, southern Thailand, woke up yesterday morning to find a 2.1 metre long king cobra taking a nap in his wardrobe. He locked the snake inside the closet and urgently called a rescue team for help. At 9am, a snake rescue foundation received a request for help from a villager in Palian district and deployed…
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Activist sentenced to 2 years in prison for wearing Thai dress that ‘mocks’ H.M. Queen
A 23 year old Thai activist has been sentenced to two years imprisonment for royal defamation, under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, for attending a protest in traditional Thai attire. Her catwalk show was interpreted by royalists as “mocking” H.M. Queen Sirikit, the queen mother of Thailand. Bangkok South Criminal Court read the verdict of Jatuporn “New” Saeoueng’s sentence…
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4 billion baht budget to tackle HIV & STDs in Thailand’s teens
Thai teenagers are more at risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV infection than adults says the Thai government and that is why it has approved a budget of nearly four million baht to tackle the issue. The Deputy Spokeswoman of the PM Office, Ratchada Thanadirek, revealed that people aged between 15 to 24 years old are more likely…
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Kayaking tourists swept out to sea in eastern Thailand, 1 dies and 1 survives
Two tourists were swept out to sea while kayaking in Rayong province, eastern Thailand, yesterday afternoon. One of the men drowned and the other clung to his friend’s body all night in the open sea until he was rescued by a passing fishing boat this morning. Three tourists, all of mixed Thai and Taiwanese nationality, travelled on holiday to Koh…
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Helicopter crash in Malaysia reported pilot alive, then dead
Yesterday above the skies of Malaysia, a helicopter mysteriously disappeared as air traffic control lost all contact. This morning the helicopter’s pilot was reportedly found alive in the wreckage only to be declared dead later on. At 11.37am yesterday, the helicopter took off from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, also known as Subang Airport – a secondary airport of the…
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UPDATE: Kanchana Buri skywalk opens and closes on River Kwai
[UPDATE: After just one day of opening, the skywalk over the River Kwai has been closed already. It seems that having a glass bottom allows for spectacular views but also requires special shoes not to damage the bridge, and they were in short supply. All visitors are required to purchase these special shoes and wear them when walking across the…
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Two oarsmen drown in race practise on the Mekong River
Two oarsmen tragically drowned on Friday while practising for the Thailand-Laos-Vietnam Long Boat Race last weekend. Their bodies were found yesterday washed ashore on a Mekong River bank in the Isaan province of Bueng Kan. More than ten boat racers were practising on the Mekong River on Friday morning in preparation for the race from Friday, September 9 to Sunday,…
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More tourists are venturing into rural Thailand, says Airbnb
Airbnb says more tourists in Thailand are opting for ‘off-the-beaten-track’ destinations, benefiting the environment and local economies. Thailand’s usual top tourist destinations are places with international airports – Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and Phuket. According to Airbnb, more tourists are venturing out of these hubs and into “lesser-known” destinations such as Koh Lanta, Trat, Pai and Cha-Am. Koh Lanta…
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Unfinished MRT Pink Line causes a road to collapse in Bangkok
Commuters, pedestrians, and drivers had a lucky escape yesterday morning when torrential rain and floods caused part of the Chaeng Wattana Road in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok to collapse. The finger of blame was pointed toward the unfinished MRT Pink Line for the second time in a week. A part of the Chaeng Wattana Road, near Central Chang Wattana, dropped…
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Thai health service stops Covid vaccine reaction pay outs
Only gold card scheme members and universal healthcare members can claim reimbursement for any reaction to coronavirus jabs, says the National Health Security Office (NHSO). Deputy Secretary General Atthaporn Limpanyalert announced the NHSO has reviewed the situation regarding Covid-19 and concluded that because the problem is easing it will no longer compensate those suffering from side effects of the vaccine…
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The Funny Man Behind Improv Comedy in Thailand | Thaiger Podcast Ep. 6
Drew McCreadie, Canadian based actor, playwright and award winning improvisor. Drew is the creative director and co-founder of Thailand’s only dedicated English language comedy venue, the Comedy Club Bangkok. He has won numerous comedy awards, such as Best Male Improvisor in Canada and his play The Cat Who Ate Her Husband won five Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards including for best…
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2 female Thai party leaders emerge as strong PM candidates
While King Charles III effortlessly ascended to the throne upon the death of England’s Queen Elizabeth II this week, the path to the prime ministership in Thailand will be a bit more protracted and messy. Two women have emerged as top candidates for Prime Minister, with Thai Sang Thai Party’s Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan so far polling above Pheu Thai Party…
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Man stabbed on Pattaya’s Jomtien Beach reportedly over noise dispute
A man stabbed another man on Pattaya’s Jomtien Beach in the early hours of yesterday morning. Witnesses said the man stabbed the victim, 34 year old Narintorn, over a dispute about Narintorn talking too loudly. The witnesses said that Narintorn had been drinking on the beach when a man who had been sleeping in a tent walked out of the…
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Favipiravir found ineffective against Covid-19 & causes gout
The bad news for Favipiravir is that a new study found it to be ineffective in the treatment of Covid-19 infections. And more bad news, it can also cause gout. The study was released in the Clinical Infectious Diseases Journal on August 6, and Thai respiratory specialist Dr Manoon Leechawengongs of Vichaiyut Hospital posted on Facebook Friday that Thailand needs…
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UPDATE: 100 stranded elephants returned to park in northeast Thailand
UPDATE Over 100 wild elephants have been returned to a national park after about 40 of them were found devouring farmers’ crops this week in the northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province. The gentle giants had been spotted looking for food in the Khao Pradu community, feasting on rice, sugarcane, and corn. The farmers said they had munched 60 rai of crops…
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Four Points By Sheraton Phuket Patong Beach Resort unveils 2nd anniversary celebration offers
Press Release Four Points by Sheraton Phuket Patong Beach Resort is celebrating its 2nd anniversary with a variety of great value F&B and room promotions. The only Marriott resort in Patong located steps away from the beach, Four Points by Sheraton Phuket Patong Beach Resort is an oasis of tranquillity and the perfect relaxing resort for couples, groups of friends…
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Bare knuckle boxer flashes boobs after Bangkok victory
Aussie bare knuckle boxer Tai Emery is set to make a fortune after she bared her boobs following a triumphant victory over her opponent in Bangkok last weekend. Emery celebrated after beating Rung-Arun Khunchai in a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship contest by flashing her breasts on Saturday. The former electrician delivered a right upper-cut and a left hook that left…
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Herd of 40 wild elephants devour 60 rai of crops in northeast Thailand
Drone images reveal a herd of more than 40 elephants roaming in a forest just four kilometres away from a farming community in Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeast Thailand. Farmers say the hungry herd have devoured 60 rai of crops in one week, feasting on rice, sugarcane, and corn. The elephants came out of the forest at Thap Lan National Park,…
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