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.
-
Sponsored Smooth travel to Belgium and the Netherlands: Visa tips & tricks!
Make Belgium and the Netherlands your next destination with the right visa in hand. Explore the iconic tulip fields, cruise through Amsterdam’s scenic canals, or stroll through the historic streets of Bruges. Don’t forget to enjoy some authentic Belgian chocolate...
-
Monorail mishap sends metal crashing onto car in Nonthaburi
A Nonthaburi motorist got the shock of his life on Tuesday night, September 24, when a steel rod fell from the Pink Monorail, damaging his vehicle. The motorist, Wari Thanatornnawanrat was driving along Chaengwattana Road at around 10pm when the rod plunged from the sky, striking his car’s bonnet before smashing into his windscreen and side mirror. “I couldn’t believe…
-
Catfished by catfish: Gay Thai man nets 120 suckers in fake fishing scam
Officers from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) arrested a gay Thai man for using a fake social media profile, posing as a beautiful woman, to trick 120 victims into sending masturbation videos of themselves before selling the videos online. CIB police discovered a secret group called “Gril grop” on the Telegram app, where explicit videos of male university students from the…
-
Off-key: Ex-folk singer politician hits sour note in corruption scandal
A former Thai folk singer-turned-politician has been booted from his position as mayor of Khlong Luang district in Pathum Thani province after being entangled in a major corruption scandal. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) ruled that a case involving shady dealings during the Covid-19 pandemic had enough weight to warrant his immediate removal. The axe fell swiftly, with Interior Minister…
-
Thai rice export prices hit 14-month low amid weak demand
Thai rice export prices have hit a 14-month low due to subdued demand and competition from more affordable suppliers, while Indian rice prices increased slightly owing to a stronger rupee, despite weak demand from Asian and African markets. Thailand‘s benchmark 5% broken rice is now quoted at US$560 per tonne, marking its lowest price since July 20, 2023, and a…
-
Drug-fuelled biker blames exhaustion from work for injuring 2 cops
A drug-fuelled Thai biker tried to blame work fatigue, not his drug habit, after ploughing into two cops on Phahonyothin Road in Bangkok. Despite his claims, police found nine Yaba pills stashed on him at the scene. Bang Khen Police Station arrested the 25 year old Thai man, Sudkhet, yesterday, September 26, at around 6.30pm near Soi Phahonyothin 48 in…
-
Thailand to introduce carbon tax to curb emissions this year
Thailand is set to implement a carbon tax this year, Deputy Finance Minister Paopoom Rojanasakul announced at the Road to Net Zero 2024: The Extraordinary Green event. The Finance Ministry plans to propose the carbon tax measure to the Cabinet for approval soon, with the goal of rolling it out in the coming months. Paopoom explained that this measure aims to…
-
Phuket police cracks down on noisy bikes and rowdy teens
Phuket Provincial Police have ramped up efforts to tackle the nuisance of roaring motorbikes and unruly teens as the island gears up for the famous Vegetarian Festival and the peak tourist season. At a press conference held at Phuket City Police Station, Region 8 Police Commander Police Lieutenant General Surapong Thanomchit announced the ongoing campaign, spearheaded by Phuket Provincial Police…
-
Thailand’s manufacturing index set to drop 1% due to floods
Thailand’s Manufacturing Production Index (MPI) is projected to decline by 1% this year, according to the Office of Industrial Economics (OIE). The contraction is attributed to various economic issues and the severe flooding experienced in recent months. OIE Director-General Warawan Chitaroon indicated that the best possible outcome for MPI growth is to remain flat. The office had previously adjusted its…
-
Two women arrested with 120,920 meth pills from Laos in Loei
Two women were arrested after being caught with 120,920 methamphetamine pills in their vehicle. They confessed to having received the drugs from Laos and have been charged with possession of a Category 1 controlled substance. Today, September 27, in an operation aimed at tackling drug trafficking along the border, Yuttana Chokchai, Deputy Commander of the Loei Provincial Police, along with…
-
Thailand video news | Polish Woman Threatens to Bomb Thai VietJet Flight, South Korea Prepares to Ban Dog Meat with Incentives for Farmers
In today’s Thailand video news, Alex covers stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Highlights include a Polish woman who threatened to bomb a Thai VietJet flight mid-air, triggering emergency protocols. Thai customs seized over 1.4 tonnes of cannabis, preventing its smuggling to the UK. In Pattaya, a glue-sniffing drifter caused chaos, while in China, a Thai woman was insulted…
-
Thailand video news | Polish woman threatens to bomb Thai VietJet flight, South Korea prepares to ban dog meat with incentives for farmers
In today’s Thailand video news, Alex covers stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Highlights include a Polish woman who threatened to bomb a Thai VietJet flight mid-air, triggering emergency protocols. Thai customs seized over 1.4 tonnes of cannabis, preventing its smuggling to the UK. In Pattaya, a glue-sniffing drifter caused chaos, while in China, a Thai woman was insulted…
-
Gypsy cash dash: Phuket locals swarm ATMs for 10k baht handout
Hundreds of sea gypsies in Phuket flocked to ATMs at Laem Tukkae, Koh Sirey, Ratsada subdistrict on Wednesday, September 25, as part of the Thai government’s 10,000 baht handout scheme for vulnerable citizens. The scheme, aimed at state welfare cardholders and disabled individuals, is part of a broader economic stimulus programme. A national report noted that the sea gypsies, still…
-
Landowner battles coach company over unpaid rent in Bangkok (video)
A landowner is embroiled in a dispute with a coach company that has not paid its rent for years and refused to vacate the premises. Despite a court order to leave, the company’s owners remain defiant, citing legal technicalities. The conflict began when a TikTok user, @yokeie, posted about a coach company failing to pay rent for its parking and…
-
Truck crashes into canal after driver struck by unidentified object
Thai police are on the hunt to find out what mysterious object struck a lorry driver on the head as he sped along the Chon Buri bypass. The driver was knocked out cold, sending his truck careering into a crash, and leaving him with serious injuries. Officers from Mueang Chon Buri Police Station rushed to the scene of the six-wheel…
-
Thai teen kidnapped for 500,000 baht ransom
A young Thai man has allegedly been taken hostage by a call centre scam gang, demanding a ransom of 500,000 baht from his family. If the ransom is not paid within one to two days, the teenager’s life may be in danger. The incident was brought to light on social media yesterday, September 26, when Jenny Jenjura posted a plea…
-
Thai officials seize 1.6 million meth pills near Phamee border
Thai police recently arrested six hill tribe individuals for transporting 1.6 million methamphetamine pills along the Phamee border. This crackdown followed the restoration of roads previously disrupted by a landslide earlier in the month. Yesterday, September 26, Major General Praphat Pobsuwan, commander of the Phamueang Task Force, assigned Colonel Maitri Srisantia, the task force’s chief of staff, and Colonel Natee…
-
Clinic con: Unlicensed medics in Chon Buri busted with fake docs
Police raided a prominent clinic in Bang Sare, Chon Buri, arresting three individuals for operating without a license and using a fake medical certificate. The suspects have confessed to various charges. Yesterday, September 26, police and public health officials conducted a raid at 5.30pm at a medical clinic in Bang Sare, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri. Reports had been received…
-
Thailand trains diverted due to severe flooding in northern region
The Northern train route in Thailand is undergoing temporary changes due to severe flooding in the region. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Suriya Juangroongruangkit, announced yesterday, September 26, that the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has adjusted the starting and ending stations from Chiang Mai to Lampang until the situation improves. Heavy rain and rising water levels in…
-
Vietnamese gang arrested in 1.7m baht Bangkok extortion racket
Officers from the Investigation Division of the Immigration Bureau arrested nine Vietnamese nationals at a house in Bangkok for brutally assaulting and extorting 1.7 million baht from a Thai-Taiwanese couple. The two victims were rescued safely. The brutal assault and extortion came to light after a Taiwanese man filed a complaint with Zhongping Police Station in New Taipei City, Taiwan,…
-
Lightning strike kills one, injures another in Chon Buri cassava field
A lightning strike at a cassava plantation in Huai Yai, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province yesterday claimed one life and left another individual seriously injured. The incident, occurring around 1pm yesterday, September 26, took place near the Huai Yai Municipality Fire Station. Ruangsak Siribut, Deputy Chief of Investigation at Huai Yai Police Station, received the emergency call and arrived…
-
Mortgage growth in Thailand hits 23-year low at 1.2%
Kasikorn Research Center (K-Research) projects a mere 1.2% growth in mortgages within the commercial banking sector this year, marking the lowest expansion rate in 23 years. This subdued growth is largely due to the weakened purchasing power of potential homebuyers. According to Kanjana Chockpisansin, head of banking and financial sector research at K-Research, the second quarter of 2024 saw commercial…
-
Elderly man drowns while crossing broken bridge in Udon Thani
Two elderly men attempting to cross a broken bridge to reach their rice fields faced a tragic incident when they fell into the fast-flowing stream, resulting in one drowning while the other managed to survive. Yesterday, September 26, local news from Udon Thani reported that the head of the Udon Thani Highway Police Rescue Centre, Witaya Phanla, received an urgent…
-
NHRC urges Thailand to rethink Southern Land Bridge project
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is urging Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to reconsider the Southern Land Bridge megaproject, highlighting concerns about its environmental impact and implications for local communities. The NHRC supports its call with findings from various studies conducted by state agencies. Council member Sayamol Kaiyoorawongs stated that the prime minister should direct the Office of Transport and…
-
Heavy rain and flash floods expected across Bangkok and regions
Heavy rain is expected in Bangkok and several other regions warns the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD). Residents are advised to prepare for potential flash floods, especially in hilly and low-lying areas, due to intense rainfall and accumulated precipitation. The weather forecast for the next 24 hours indicates that an easterly wind wave will cover the lower northern region, lower northeastern…
-
Flight fright: Polish woman grounded after bomb threat in Bangkok
Police arrested a Polish woman at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok yesterday after sparking chaos mid-flight by making a bomb threat aboard a Thai Vietjet flight from Vietnam. The Suvarnabhumi Airport Security Centre received a notification at 2.18pm, yesterday, September 26, from the Air Traffic Control Centre that the Polish woman, later identified as Myrcik Malgoezata Ewelina, claimed she was carrying…
-
400-baht minimum wage confirmed for October 1 despite delay
Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed that the 400-baht daily minimum wage will take effect on October 1 as planned, despite the national wage committee’s failure to endorse it yet. Opposition People’s Party MP Sia Champhathong questioned the minister in the House yesterday, asking if the adjournments of two recent committee meetings were a governmental tactic to avoid addressing the issue.…
-
Roadside bomb injures eight soldiers in Narathiwat
Eight soldiers sustained injuries in a roadside explosion in Rangae district, Narathiwat, believed to be orchestrated by insurgents. The incident took place when an improvised bomb, tied to a power pole along a local road in Ban Hulu Pare, tambon Tanyongmat, was detonated as a military pickup truck carrying the soldiers drove past. The blast’s impact toppled the power pole…
-
Thailand aims to eradicate poverty in two years
Thailand aims to eradicate poverty and build a prosperous economy within the remainder of its term, an adviser to PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra revealed. With just over two years left in office, the 38 year old prime minister is determined to ensure that Thais can rise above poverty, stated Surapong Suebwonglee, deputy chairman of the five-member advisory panel appointed by PM Paetongtarn.…
-
Ex-mayor of Kathu embroiled in corruption scandal
The former Mayor of Kathu Subdistrict Municipality has been indicted on corruption charges, with accusations of paying a road contractor before work was completed. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) Region 8 dropped the bombshell at a press conference yesterday, September 25 in Krabi, revealing widespread corruption across southern Thailand. Suchart Kruaykittanon, Assistant Secretary-General of the NACC, confirmed the charges. “The…
-
Laem Chabang: Thai customs seize 1.4 tonnes of cannabis
Laem Chabang customs officials have dealt a massive blow to an international drug smuggling operation, seizing over 1.4 tonnes of cannabis valued at a staggering 25 million baht before it could be illegally shipped to the UK. The bust comes as part of Thailand’s heightened crackdown on smuggling to safeguard its global trade reputation. Direk Kacharak, Director of Laem Chabang…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.