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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Starting a new life abroad is exciting—new culture, new lifestyle, and new chances to grow. But living far from home also means taking steps to protect your health in unfamiliar surroundings. Without the right coverage, even small health issues can...
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Thailand boosts green industry with World Bank project
Efforts are underway to enhance carbon data management in Thailand’s industry to boost investment in the Map Ta Phut sandbox, a collaborative project between the World Bank and the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT). This initiative aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and support factory operators in Rayong’s Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate in transitioning to businesses based on…
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Shooting in Sisaket leaves one dead, suspect in custody
A shooting incident in Sisaket has left one man dead and another critically injured. The violent event occurred at a community pavilion in Ban Khon, Mueang district, Sisaket province, when a group of young men opened fire. The assailant has since surrendered to the police. The incident transpired just after midnight yesterday, April 15. Yailak Jantho, the village headman of…
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Myanmar earthquake rattles northern Thailand border towns
Northern Thailand was rattled awake in the early hours of this morning as tremors from a Myanmar earthquake crept across the border, stirring fears of more seismic shocks to come. The 4.1-magnitude earthquake rocked Myanmar just after midnight today, April 16, sending tremors rippling across the Thai-Myanmar border and unsettling residents in the north, according to the Thai Meteorological Department.…
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Songkran 2025 boosts Thai tourism revenue by 26.5 billion baht
Thailand’s tourism and sports minister, Suwong Thienthong, announced that the Songkran festival in 2025 generated an estimated revenue of 26.5 billion baht, marking an 8% increase from the previous year. The festival attracted approximately 470,000 foreign tourists, a 6.5% rise from last year, with visitors hailing from Malaysia, China, India, Russia, Taiwan, Europe, and South Korea. Social media buzz surrounding…
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Pickup truck crash in Ayutthaya claims one life, injures four
A pickup truck returning from Songkran celebrations lost control and veered off the road, plunging into an irrigation canal. The accident resulted in one fatality and four injuries. A survivor expressed uncertainty about the cause of the accident. Today, April 16, Police Lieutenant Colonel Damrongsak Saeng-ngen of Bang Ban Police Station reported that at 11pm yesterday, April 15, a pickup…
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Soaked: Flash floods fury leaves Phuket in deep water
Phuket woke up underwater yesterday as torrential overnight downpours triggered flash floods, swamped roads and sparked fresh fears of landslides, turning paradise into panic. Parts of of the popular holiday resort resembled rivers rather than roads yesterday morning, April 15, after relentless rain pummelled the island overnight, flooding key areas and prompting landslide warnings across southern Thailand. Among the hardest-hit…
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Thailand dangles 30% rebates to lure big-budget film crews
The Thai government is rolling out the red carpet for foreign film producers, dangling increased rebates and support as global interest in the country as a shooting destination surges. A recent surge in major international productions, led by HBO’s The White Lotus Season 3, which was filmed in Thailand, has sparked renewed interest in the kingdom’s tropical locations and generous…
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Foreigner in Thailand learns lesson after cultural disrespect (video)
An unruly foreign man in Thailand faced severe consequences after disrespecting Thai culture and assaulting a woman in a bar. The incident, captured in a TikTok video by user @bagpaope, showed the unamed man mocking Thai boxing and provoking a bar security guard, on Soi 6 in Pattaya, ending in a physical altercation. The footage yesterday, April 15, depicted the foreign…
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Thai and mighty! Thailand leapfrogs Malaysia in global rankings
Thailand may have outpaced Malaysia in a key global competitiveness ranking for the first time in a decade but experts warn the shine may not last as structural issues, budget cuts, and a lack of long-term vision continue to hold the kingdom back. Thailand has climbed to second place in Southeast Asia in the IMD World Competitiveness Centre’s global rankings,…
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Thailand sees 10.7 million tourists, 510 billion baht in revenue
Thailand has seen approximately 10.7 million international tourists arriving this year, with over 666,000 visiting during the Songkran festival alone, as reported by the government yesterday, April 15. Tourism-related revenue from these visitors has exceeded 510 billion baht. Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong shared yesterday that the figures demonstrate the success of the government’s Maha Songkran World Water Festival…
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Thailand video news | Pickup Truck Ploughs into Songkran Crowd, Injures 12, 138 Deaths Reported in Four Days of Songkran’s “Seven Dangerous Days”
In today’s news recap, Jay covers a heartbreaking start to Songkran in Thailand, where a pickup truck ploughed into a crowd, injuring several people — including young children. The country’s “Seven Dangerous Days” continue to live up to their name, with road fatalities climbing sharply. Meanwhile, Thailand gears up for a digital shift in immigration procedures with a new mandatory…
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70 year old woman told to leave concert due to leg pain (video)
A 70 year old woman attended a Lamyai Haithongkham concert at Sanam Luang but was unexpectedly asked to leave by security after requesting a brief sit down due to leg pain. A young woman intervened to assist her. The incident, yesterday, April 15, captured by TikTok user @mamprapa, led to numerous discussions online. In the shared video, the elderly woman,…
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Thai finance minister to address US tariff impacts on economy
Thailand’s Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira is set to engage with the Bank of Thailand governor regarding the United States‘ reciprocal tariff measures ahead of his visit to the United States. Aiming for a formal meeting with the central bank governor by tomorrow, April 17, Pichai intends to evaluate the impacts of US trade policy, global economic trends, and the US’s…
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Teenagers criticised for disrespecting Luang Phor To statue during Songkran
Two teenagers sparked controversy after a video of them dancing and touching the head and face of a revered Luang Phor To statue circulated online. The incident, which occurred during the Songkran festival yesterday, April 15, has drawn significant criticism on social media, with many questioning the appropriateness of their actions. The video, capturing the teenagers’ disrespectful behaviour beside a…
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Bikinis, booty and backlash: Saucy Songkran stirs splash of outrage
Bum-shaking, boob-taping and beachside booty Songkran shows in Bangsaen and Nakhon Ratchasima has exploded into an online firestorm, with Thai police now investigating viral clips of scantily-clad influencers and topless dancers accused of going way too far. Songkran’s wet and wild reputation may have just crossed the line and now police are considering indecency charges after viral videos showed an…
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Transgender woman’s topless dance at Songkran festival sparks backlash
A video showing a transgender woman dancing topless during the Songkran festival in Nakhon Ratchasima sparked criticism for damaging Thai cultural values. The incident occurred yesterday, April 15, during the festivities’ final day, with crowds of locals and tourists participating in water fights on main roads. In Nakhon Ratchasima, people celebrated Songkran by riding in pickup trucks loaded with water…
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Pattaya police target water trucks causing Songkran traffic chaos
Pattaya police announced a crackdown on water trucks that obstruct traffic and pose safety risks during Songkran festivities. Yesterday, April 15, at 7.36pm, reporters in Chon Buri observed water trucks spraying people and causing traffic jams in Pattaya, creating potential hazards for those on and around the vehicles. Police Lieutenant Colonel Phanuphong Nimsuwan, a traffic inspector at Pattaya City Police…
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State Audit Office families to get 100,000 baht quake compensation
As the death toll from the collapsed State Audit Office building rises to 44, heartbroken families are being offered compensation while rescuers race against time to find dozens still buried beneath the rubble. The Interior Ministry announced that it will pay 100,000 baht to the families of each victim killed in the State Audit Office building collapse in the Chatuchak…
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Missing Welshman Daniel Davies found safe in Krabi hostel
A 26 year old Welshman who had been out of contact with his family for over a month, was found safe yesterday afternoon in Krabi, according to local media. He reportedly told friends that he “didn’t want to go home.” Daniel Davies, hailing from Llanelli, Wales, last spoke with his family on March 13, while reportedly staying at Hangover Hostel on…
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Crime doesn’t pay-as-you-go: 130,000 Thai mule accounts axed
The Government of Thailand slammed the brakes on a massive online scam operation, axing over 130,000 dodgy mule accounts and collaring hundreds of fraudsters in just three months. Sasikarn Wattanachan, deputy government spokesperson, said the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society’s Anti-Online Crime Operation Centre (AOC) had ramped up its war on online fraudsters. Between January and March, a staggering…
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Booze clues: Underage drinking promos soak Songkran spirit
Songkran’s splashy celebrations may have cooled the crowds but things are heating up for Thailand’s booze industry after a leading watchdog exposed widespread law-breaking underage alcohol drinking over the holiday. Teera Watcharapranee, director of the StopDrink Network, claims major alcohol brands brazenly flouted the law with flashy promotions and events in more than 137 locations nationwide. “Among these, 42 were…
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Fake monk caught soliciting donations during Nakhon Pathom Songkran
Residents in Nakhon Pathom raised concerns about a man impersonating a monk to solicit donations during the Songkran festival. Today, April 15, the incident was reported to Phra Khru Phalat Sitthiwat, also known as Luang Pi Namfon, who chairs the committee addressing complaints within the monastic community of Region 14. The man, suspected of being a fake monk, was seen…
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Stabbing incident in Bangkok leaves man critically injured
Today, April 15, in Bangkok’s Yan Nawa district, a violent altercation led to a severe stabbing incident. The conflict arose between a former couple, culminating in one person sustaining critical injuries. The police were promptly notified and dispatched to the scene alongside emergency services. At the scene, the police discovered a man, identified only as A, suffering from a severe…
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Laotian woman drowns in Bangkok restaurant pool during Songkran
A 37 year old Laotian woman, named Noi, tragically passed away after losing consciousness in a pool at a restaurant in Taling Chan district, Bangkok. The incident occurred yesterday, April 14, around 9.28pm. Despite efforts from rescue personnel to revive her, she was pronounced dead at 11pm. The restaurant owner revealed that the establishment was closed for the Songkran festival…
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Teen arrested for brandishing modified BB gun at Korat festival (video)
A 19 year old man was apprehended after brandishing a modified BB gun during a Songkran water festival in Korat. The incident, captured on video and widely shared on social media, showed the young man threatening a group of rivals on a public street. The video depicts the youth, dressed in a white shirt and patterned shorts, pointing a weapon…
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Myanmar worker fatally stabbed during Songkran festival
A violent altercation among Myanmar workers during the Songkran festival in Mueang Samut Sakhon district resulted in the fatal stabbing of a 25 year old, Zay Ya Kyaw. The suspect managed to flee amidst the chaos of the water festival celebrations. Police Colonel Pichetphong Jangkaikom, along with other officers from the Mueang Samut Sakhon Police Station, investigated the incident at…
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Man attacks woman, damages cars during Songkran in Nakhon Ratchasima
A man wielding a baseball bat attacked a woman and damaged two cars, stealing car keys in the process, during the Songkran festival in Nakhon Ratchasima. The incident, which occurred today, April 15, left several people injured and has prompted a public call for the man’s capture. Facebook user จรรยาพร เสาโร shared photos and videos of the assault, describing how…
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Indian man injured in Pattaya apartment altercation
A 43 year old Indian national was injured in an altercation with his Thai girlfriend at their apartment in Pattaya. The incident, yesterday, April 14, involving a broken bottle attack, resulted in the man sustaining chest and arm injuries. The incident occurred shortly after midnight at an apartment in Soi Kromtheedin 6, Nong Prue, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province.…
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Welsh traveller goes missing in Thailand, family appeals for help
A 26 year old Welsh traveller has gone missing in Thailand, prompting concern from his family and friends who haven’t heard from him in over four weeks. Daniel Davies, from Llanelli, was last in contact with his family on March 13 while staying at the Hangover Hostel in Bangkok. He was later seen on the island of Koh Phi Phi, a…
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Small earthquake strikes Krabi, no tsunami risk reported
An earthquake measuring 3.5 on the Richter scale occurred in Krabi province, with the epicentre located in Khlong Khama subdistrict, Nuea Khlong district. The event, which was felt by locals, took place at 2.27pm yesterday, April 14. The Thai Meteorological Department’s Earthquake Surveillance Division reported the quake’s depth at 2 kilometres. At 2.42pm, the Thai Meteorological Department issued a statement…
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