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 Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Living the Thai life: Kingdom rolls out red carpet for big spenders
Thailand is upping the ante in its tourism game, spotlighting the allure of luxury and high-spending travellers to power up the economy post-pandemic. Known for its warm hospitality, stunning landscapes, and world-class attractions, the nation is seeing a surge in plush hotels and branded properties to cater to this elite crowd. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) set its sights…
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Motorcycle crash with 18-wheeler claims life in Ayutthaya
A tragic accident unfolded when a young man and his girlfriend, riding a motorcycle, were involved in a collision with an 18-wheeler truck in Ayutthaya. The incident resulted in the death of the young woman. Police officers and rescue teams were promptly dispatched to the location on Rojana Road in Bang Pa-in District after receiving reports of the accident. The…
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Thai girl suffers fractured rib and spine after falling off octopus ride
A 12 year old girl suffered a fractured rib and spine after falling from a giant octopus ride at the Winter Festival in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima on the evening of Saturday, December 14. Four other young girls sustained minor injuries. The 12 year old victim was admitted to Pak Chong Nana Hospital in the Pak Chong district…
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Boat capsizes in Songkhla, search for missing crew continues
A fishing boat capsized off the coast of Songkhla, leaving crew members stranded at sea. Five of the crew have been rescued, while the search continues for two missing crew members. The incident was reported around 9am yesterday, December 15, to the Second Naval Area Command’s Maritime National Interests Administration Centre by Krit Phitakkhumpol, owner of the fishing vessel, Krit…
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Excise Department to reassess retail prices for higher tax revenue
The Excise Department is set to reassess the recommended retail prices that form the foundation for calculating excise taxes. This revision comes as many products’ current prices are estimated to be 5% to 10% below the actual selling prices. According to Bangkok Post, a source from the department indicated that setting recommended retail prices too low results in reduced revenue…
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Singapore-sling blunder leaves Phuket Airport officials red-faced
Phuket International Airport is facing a social media storm after using a photo of Singapore’s iconic Peranakan Houses to promote the island, leaving locals scratching their heads and critics raising eyebrows. Facebook user Ejijum Phuket didn’t hold back, spotlighting the public relations gaffe on his page, today, December 16. He shared a post about a friend’s perplexed inquiry after spotting…
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Siblings flee drug-addicted father only to be targeted by rapist
Four siblings escaped their drug-addicted father in the central province of Chai Nat only to encounter a man posing as a saint who offered help and later attempted to rape the eldest girl. They were eventually rescued by police in Chon Buri. Officers from Nong Yai Police Station shared the siblings’ story with the media. They are now safe and…
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Thailand accelerates universal healthcare coverage nationwide
The Health Ministry is set to complete its ambitious healthcare coverage expansion, bringing the 30 Baht for Healthcare Anywhere programme to all provinces by the end of 2024. Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin announced yesterday, December 15, that the initiative has already reached 46 provinces, with only 31 remaining to be integrated. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will officially launch the…
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Police seize 483kg of crystal meth in major Pathum Thani raid
Thai police recently arrested two suspects in Pathum Thani and seized 483 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine in the process. The pair, a man and a woman, confessed to planning to transport the drugs across borders, revealing a lucrative payment for their involvement. The operation was part of a broader government initiative to eradicate drug trafficking in Thailand, spearheaded by the Royal…
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7 year old Thai boy killed in car accident while flying kite in Buriram
A seven year old Thai boy tragically lost his life after crossing a road while flying a kite in the Isaan province of Buriram yesterday, December 15. The fatal accident occurred on a rural road in the Nong Ki district of Buriram and was reported to the Nong Ki Police Station. Police officers and rescuers from the Nong Ki Foundation…
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Relentless flooding in Nakhon Si Thammarat plunges city
Severe flooding has devastated Nakhon Si Thammarat as relentless rain continues to batter the province, submerging key city areas and causing another fatality, bringing the death toll to four. Residents have been urged to stay alert as the situation worsens. Heavy rain has persistently hit Nakhon Si Thammarat for several days. Although there was a brief reprieve yesterday morning, December…
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Grilling the corrupt: Pattaya vows to clean up squid scandal
In a sizzling showdown, the Pattaya deputy mayor has sworn to weed out corruption among city officials extorting grilled squid vendors, promising severe consequences for those found guilty. At the crack of dawn today, December 16, Pattaya City Special Affairs officers swooped in on a group of street vendors illegally peddling their goods on Soi Pattaya Tai 15, right by…
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Holy smokes! Runaway monks in love go from robes to rogues
Police arrested two former monks fleeing from a temple in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen to the central province of Ratchaburi after their secret relationship was exposed and were implicated in operating an embezzlement scheme and a mule account. Locals in the Ban Haet district of Khon Kaen contacted highway police and reported that two monks, 24 year old…
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Fire engulfs Bangkok factory, emergency services contain blaze
A massive fire broke out at a large plastic bag manufacturing factory in Bangkok, causing chaos as firefighters rushed to control the blaze. The incident occurred yesterday, December 15, at 1.50pm in the Samdam area, Bang Khun Thian district. Bangkok police and fire services were promptly dispatched to the scene after being alerted by Prasert Phunkaew, an investigator at Samdam…
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Thai hospital checks out of universal healthcare gold card scheme
Mongkutwattana Hospital slammed the brakes on accepting outpatients under Thailand’s universal healthcare scheme, famously dubbed the gold card, as financial woes grip the facility. The shock move, spearheaded by director Riengthong Nanna, took effect on Friday, December 13 with the hospital shutting its doors to gold card outpatients. The heart of the matter? Alleged unpaid dues by the National Health…
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Wild elephant attack kills man, highlights longstanding issue
A tragic incident occurred when a wild elephant from the Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary fatally attacked a man near a sugarcane field adjacent to a village. This longstanding issue, persisting for four years without resolution, has become a cause for concern among locals. Police Lieutenant Thirawat Yiam-on, the deputy investigator at Kabin Buri Police Station in Prachin Buri…
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Thai driver flees after crashing into old man, dragging body 10km
A Thai man claimed he fled in shock after crashing into an 84 year old man and dragging the lifeless body for 10 kilometres from the scene of the incident in the central province of Ratchaburi. Officers from Photharam Police Station were alerted to the discovery of a corpse on a road alongside a railway track in the Photharam district…
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New alcohol bill to limit sales hours, boost safety measures
The Ministry of Public Health will present the Alcoholic Beverage Control Bill to Parliament next month, marking a significant step in the legislative process. Nipon Chinanonwait, who directs the ministry’s Office of Alcohol Control Committee, shared updates regarding the bill yesterday, December 15. According to him, the revised Alcohol Beverage Control Act is slated for its second and third readings…
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Rain havoc: Four southern provinces swamped by floods (video)
Four southern Thai provinces are battling major flooding after a deluge that’s thrown daily life into chaos and knocked out key transport links, leaving thousands of families high and dry. Chumphon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ranong, and Surat Thani are bearing the brunt of relentless rain, with deluges forcing a halt to many bus and train services. Pasakorn Boonyalak, Director General…
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Search for Myanmar workers underway after Koh Samui landslide
Rescue efforts are underway to locate two missing Myanmar construction workers following a landslide on Koh Samui. The incident occurred early yesterday morning, December 15 at around 4am, when a landslide engulfed part of a workers’ camp at a resort development site located on a mountain slope in Soi Hima Thong, tambon Maret. Eight workers were asleep at the time…
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Building trouble: Chinese workers nailed for illegal jobs in Bangkok
Bangkok police officers arrested five Chinese nationals for working illegally as construction workers. They were earning 2,200 baht per day, significantly higher than Thailand’s minimum wage and the standard pay rate for legal construction workers. Officers from Huay Kwang Police Station received a complaint about illegal Chinese workers at a construction site in the Huay Kwang neighbourhood of Bangkok on…
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Paetongtarn Shinawatra 29th on Forbes’ 2024 Power Women list
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been named among Forbes Magazine’s 100 World’s Most Powerful Women 2024, securing the 29th position globally and ranking third in Asia. This prestigious recognition places her among influential figures such as Sandy Ran Xu, CEO of China’s JD.com, and Nirmala Sitharaman, India’s Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, who hold the 27th and 28th positions,…
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Prachin Buri police raid five sites in mafia crackdown
It’s showdown time in Prachin Buri as police launch a full-scale blitz against organised crime, swooping on five locations tied to the shocking case of Soonthorn Vilawan, the alleged mastermind behind his adopted son’s murder. In a dramatic turn, over 100 police officers from the Crime Suppression Division and local forces descended upon the province yesterday, December 15, part of…
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Thai nurses save two foreign passengers on Phuket-Bangkok flight
Thai netizens praised the efforts of two Thai nurses who provided first aid to two unconscious passengers during a flight from Phuket to Bangkok on Friday, December 13. The events aboard Bangkok Airways flight PG278 came to public attention after the local news Facebook page Phuket Info Centre shared the story. The two medical professionals commended for their actions were…
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Crane calamity wreaks havoc on Rama IV Road, Bangkok chief probes
Panic struck Bangkok’s bustling Rama IV Road as a concrete beam came crashing down from a crane, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake and prompting an immediate suspension of demolition work at the Srifuengfung Building. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt swiftly halted all demolition activities at the site to prioritise public safety. Alongside Bangkok Deputy Governor Wissanu Sabsomphon and…
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Bangkok’s Purple Line extension nears halfway mark
The construction of the Purple Line’s southern extension, a crucial link between Tao Poon in the Bang Sue district and Rat Burana in southern Bangkok, is making significant progress. The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) reported that the project is nearly halfway finished. During an inspection conducted yesterday, December 15, Montri Dechasakulsom, alongside board members and executives, assessed…
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Bangkok app-based rider steals 15,000 baht from Russian woman
Police arrested a Thai app-based motorcycle taxi rider for stealing 15,000 baht from a Russian woman in Bangkok and spending all the money on gambling. The Russian victim, 25 year old Anna Petrova Andreevna, filed a complaint at the Royal Palace Police Station on Friday, December 13, stating that she lost 15,000 baht in cash to the app-based motorcycle taxi…
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Rama II Road reopens after crane accident caused fatalities (video)
Commuters can breathe a sigh of relief as traffic resumes on Rama II Road following a harrowing crane accident that claimed six lives and injured nine, leaving a trail of disruption in its wake. The nightmare began in the small hours of November 29 when a crane buckled under the weight of a concrete beam at the Ekkachai-Ban Phaeo Intercity…
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Thai-ing luck: Lottery punters chase numbers for year-end jackpot
With jackpot dreams dancing in their heads, Thailand’s hopeful punters are in a tizzy, hunting for the mystical numbers set to bring them a windfall in the year’s final lottery draw today, December 16. As the Government Lottery Office gets ready to reveal the magic numbers, excitement is at an all-time high and the air is charged with predictions and…
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Thai and mighty: Tourism takes off with a Bangkok load of visitors
Thailand’s back on the world’s travel map with a record-breaking wave of tourists flooding its shores, boosting the nation’s coffers and setting sights on even sunnier outcomes. In a spectacular show of popularity, more than 37.72 million globe-trotters have flocked to the Land of Smiles between January 1 and December 8 this year, according to Government Spokesperson Jirayu Huangsap. This…
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