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 transwoman arrested behind 50 million baht job scam
Police arrested a Thai transwoman at a market in Bangkok for orchestrating an overseas job scam that reportedly caused damages totalling between 40 and 50 million baht. A representative of the 250 to 300 victims sought help from the Pavena Foundation for Women and Children. According to the representative, victims were deceived into paying between 150,000 and 200,000 baht each…
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Chon Buri burglary: Elderly woman’s home looted, gold and amulets stolen
A burglary in Chon Buri on July 19 left a 70 year old woman in distress after a thief looted her home, stealing gold jewellery, over 100 Buddhist amulets, and thousands of baht in coins. The incident took place at a residence in Tambon Khao Mai Kaew. The victim, Phanthong Khampongjai, discovered the theft after returning home from chatting with…
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Quake mistake: Tycoon named in deadly Bangkok building collapse probe
Bangkok police have wrapped up their investigation into the deadly collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building, with 23 big names, including a top tycoon, now facing possible criminal charges over the catastrophic disaster. The SAO tower, a 30-storey structure still under construction, came crashing down on March 28 after a 4.5-magnitude earthquake rattled the capital, leaving at least…
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Five rescued from drifting boat off Phuket amid severe weather
Five people were successfully rescued after a longtail fishing boat experienced engine failure and drifted off the coast of Phuket in challenging sea conditions yesterday, July 20. At the time of the incident, none of the passengers were equipped with life jackets. The rescue operation commenced following a distress call received at 4pm by the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre…
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Bangkok electric train fare capped at 20 baht from 2025
Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit confirmed that the maximum fare for the Bangkok metropolitan electric train network would be capped at 20 baht per journey starting October 1, 2025. The initiative will cover eight lines, spanning 13 routes, totalling 276.84 kilometres and 194 stations. On July 18, Suriya met with Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt and private sector…
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Holiday blues: Thailand tourism hits bump in the flight path
Thailand’s golden age of tourism seems a distant memory as the Land of Smiles battles to reclaim its pre-pandemic glory. While neighbours like Vietnam and Malaysia have soared past their 2019 highs, Thailand’s tourist engine has stalled and experts warn it might be years before the country climbs back into the global travel top tier. Thailand welcomed 35.5 million foreign…
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Domestic blitz: Pattaya couple left battered in weekend bust-up
A misunderstanding between a husband and wife at the weekend resulted in both sustaining injuries during a heated argument in Pattaya. The incident took place at 10.30pm, Saturday, July 19, in a residence on Soi Ban Lang 7. The Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation’s rescue team responded to the scene after receiving reports of the altercation. Upon arrival, the rescue team…
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4 Thai airports launch fast track for Chinese children and their families
The Immigration Bureau has introduced a fast track for Chinese children and their family members at four international airports in Thailand, aimed at visitors travelling during the Chinese school holiday. The bureau also plans to extend the service to young travellers from other countries soon. Immigration officials launched a campaign titled 暑假愉快通道 (shǔ jià yú kuài tú jìng), or Happy…
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Japanese tourist dodges necklace-nicking trans gang in Pattaya
A Japanese tourist had a narrow escape in the early hours of this morning after a group of transgender sex workers allegedly tried to rob him during a flirty encounter on Pattaya’s notorious Walking Street. The incident, reported at 4.46am, today, July 21, unfolded right in the heart of the city’s raucous red-light district. The victim, a man in his…
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Thai engineers clear mines after explosion near Cambodia border
Combat engineers initiated mine-clearing efforts in the Chong Bok area, near the Thai-Cambodian border in Ubon Ratchathani province, following a landmine explosion that injured three Thai soldiers on July 16. The Second Army Region, overseeing the northeast, reported that Suranaree Task Force combat engineers started operations yesterday, July 20. This was in response to reports of approximately 100 landmines found…
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No place for predators: Phuket cracks down on child sex tourism
From five-star hotels to beachside bars, tourism bosses in Phuket are being told to open their eyes and shut the door on child sex tourism and human trafficking in a bold new campaign to protect the island’s most vulnerable. Local government officials in Phuket have launched a hard-hitting initiative aimed at stamping out child sexual exploitation in Thailand’s most visited…
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Man under drug influence kills relative in Phrae province
A 35 year old man reportedly under the influence of drugs, fatally attacked his 62 year old relative in Mueang Soong district, Phrae province. The victim, Det, sustained severe injuries from two stab wounds to his back and two to his abdomen, yesterday, July 20, resulting in his intestines being exposed. He was rushed to the hospital, where he later passed away.…
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Arab tourist tries to impress woman but crashes motorcycle into Phuket pharmacy
An Arab tourist crashed a rented motorcycle into a pharmacy in Phuket on Friday, July 18, after allegedly riding at high speed and performing a wheelie to impress a woman. Channel 7 reported that the incident occurred at a pharmacy on Patong Beach Road in the Kathu district of Phuket. Witnesses told the media that they saw the pharmacist running…
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Bikini banzai! Japanese man fined for racy roadshow in Thailand
A Japanese man has become the most infamous man in Hat Yai after donning a bikini, hopping on a motorbike and dancing his way into a public indecency charge. The 62 year old pensioner turned heads and ruffled feathers in southern Thailand this week after being fined for performing provocative street dances in a bikini while riding around Hat Yai…
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Chinese woman killed by falling tree on Phuket beach (video)
A Chinese woman lost her life after being struck by a falling tree during a heavy thunderstorm in Phuket yesterday, July 20. Her husband sustained minor injuries in the incident. Officers from Chalong Police Station responded to the fatal tree fall at approximately 5.30pm on Koh Hey Beach in Chalong sub-district, Mueang district, Phuket. Locals who witnessed the incident already…
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Thailand Video News | Cannabis clash: small businesses fear monopoly under new rules, Bangkok crowned top destination for digital nomads in 2025
In 2025, Thailand is making headlines with booming tourism, Bangkok’s rise as the top digital nomad city, and new airport smoking rooms. Meanwhile, local controversies include stricter cannabis laws, scams targeting retirees, and several tourist-related incidents in Pattaya and Bangkok. Thailand’s Tourism Record: 2025 Sees Surging Traveller Numbers Thailand set a new tourism record in early 2025, welcoming about 16 million…
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Eight arrested for murder after Pathum Thani firearm robbery
Eight people, between 12 to 21 years old, have been apprehended for their involvement in the murder and robbery of a 17 year old named Reef in Pathum Thani yesterday, July 20. The group allegedly used a gun to shoot Reef during a pre-arranged meeting to buy firearms. The incident occurred on Leab Klong L 1-2 Road in Klong Song,…
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Dead in the water: Mystery body sparks sea of questions near Pattaya
A fisherman’s shocking midday find sparked a new seaside mystery in Thailand, after a badly decomposed body was pulled from the waters near a remote island off Pattaya. Fishermen off Koh Si Chang raised the alarm on July 17 when they spotted a body drifting face-down in the sea, with its limbs partially detached and no clue to the dead…
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Naked Russian man jumps to his death at Phuket villa
A naked Russian man reportedly climbed onto the roof of a villa on Nai Thon Beach in Phuket before jumping off and dying on Saturday, July 19. Rescue workers from the Kusoldharm Phuket Foundation and officers from Chalong Police Station responded to the incident at a villa on Nai Thon Beach in Phuket’s Rawai subdistrict after being alerted by the…
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Dispute between vendors leads to fatal shooting in Bangkok
A dispute between second-hand jeans vendors resulted in a fatal shooting at Thung Khru Plaza Market in Bangkok. Yesterday, July 20, at 6pm, Police Lieutenant Colonel Jirasak Homnan from Rat Burana Police Station received a report regarding a shooting incident involving firearms, which led to a death. The incident took place in Soi Pracha Uthit 61, Thung Khru district. Officers…
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Ex-police general disrobes after theft allegations
A former high-ranking police officer, who was previously ordained as a monk, has left the monkhood following serious allegations from a private company representative. The accusations involve breaking and entering, stealing a chequebook, and taking important documents. The company has filed a complaint with the Bang Rak Police Station against the ex-police officer, who held the rank of police general…
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Wigged out: Love rat monk caught romping with millionaire mistress
He preached purity from the pulpit, but now this love rat Thai monk’s wig, woman, and wealth have blown his cover in sensational style. A former provincial abbot in Thailand has been outed in a jaw-dropping scandal involving secret love affairs, temple corruption, and a dodgy disguise, all thanks to a furious millionaire mistress who’d had enough. Investigators yesterday, July…
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Thai tour guide killed, 16 foreign tourists rescued after boat capsizes in Surat Thani dam
A boat capsized in the Rajjaprabha Dam, also known as Cheow Lan Dam, in the southern province of Surat Thani, claiming the life of a Thai tour guide. Sixteen foreign tourists were rescued safely. The Kusonsattha Surat Thani Rescue Foundation responded to an alert about the accident at 11.40am yesterday, July 20. The incident involved a longtail tour boat carrying…
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Motorcycle crash with Mercedes-Benz kills two young men in Pathum Thani
Two young men died when their motorcycle was hit by a Mercedes-Benz, causing their bodies to be thrown from the vehicle. The incident occurred yesterday, July 20, at 11.45pm, on the flyover bridge crossing the Thanyaburi-Wang Noi intersection in Rangsit subdistrict, Thanyaburi district, Pathum Thani province. Police and rescue volunteers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation arrived at the scene to find…
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Heavy rainfall warning issued for 42 Thai provinces
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) today issued a weather warning for 42 provinces across Thailand, predicting heavy rainfall in 70% of these areas. This weather forecast highlights the potential for flash floods and landslides, especially in hilly and low-lying regions. The provinces of Bueng Kan, Nakhon Phanom, Chanthaburi, Trat, and Ranong are expected to experience the most severe weather. These…
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Woman arrested for trafficking teens at Udon Thani karaoke bar
The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division arrested a 46 year old woman in Udon Thani for using a karaoke venue as a front for prostitution. She allegedly lured three 16 year old girls into the trade, charging 300 baht as a commission. Today, July 20, Police Major General Songklot Gerkkritaya instructed Police Colonel Sarawut Chantawong and Police Lieutenant Colonel Saksit Nilmith to…
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Drunk driver crashes into police car in Nonthaburi, two injured
In Nonthaburi, a car driven by a man under the influence collided with a parked police patrol vehicle outside a convenience store early this morning, resulting in injuries to two people. The driver’s blood alcohol level was recorded at 181 milligrammes percent, which is significantly above the legal limit. The incident occurred at approximately 1.20am in front of a convenience…
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Brazilian duo caught with 6.63kg cocaine at Koh Samui airport
Customs officers and local police on Koh Samui apprehended a Brazilian man and woman after discovering 6.63 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in their luggage at the island’s international airport. The suspects, identified as 35 year old Diego dos Santos Silva and 25 year old Fernanda Gabriele Lorenco de Andrade, were detained late yesterday morning upon their arrival at Samui International…
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Chiang Mai tragedy: man kills wife, then himself in dispute
A tragic incident occurred on July 19 in Mueang Chaem district, Chiang Mai province, when a 43 year old man, Phak, fatally shot his 36 year old third wife before taking his own life. The incident left his two other wives in shock as they attempted to save the couple, but was too late. Police Lieutenant Colonel Samruang Monthanom, from the…
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Elephant rescued from reservoir in Chumphon’s Phato district
On July 19, a male elephant named Duang Hu Dang was rescued from a water reservoir in a local garden in Phato district, Chumphon province. The elephant, known for its distinctive ear markings, was assisted by local administrative officers and wildlife sanctuary officials before returning safely to the forest. The incident came to light when Phato district chief was informed…
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