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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Thailand & Hong Kong aims for ASEAN financial hub status
Thailand is exploring a partnership with Hong Kong to establish a financial hub aimed at connecting ASEAN markets. Deputy Finance Minister Paopoom Rojanasakul announced the initiative after a meeting with Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary, Paul Chan, during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Finance Ministers’ Meeting in Lima, Peru. The meeting highlighted Thailand’s ambition to become a global financial player, as…
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Disabled Thai man reenacts fatal stabbing of village headman
In Udon Thani, police detained a 37 year old man in a wheelchair to reenact the crime after confessing to stabbing a village headman to death. He wept and apologised to the deceased and his family. Officers led by Deputy Police Chief Chakaj Tiamwong and Superintendent Navakit Nawakanpanit arrested Atthaphon, known as Aua, from Ban Charoensuk, Moo 2, Nangua subdistrict,…
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Thailand law change to combat pyramid schemes after iCon scandal
Thailand is moving swiftly to draft amendments aimed at closing loopholes in various laws to better combat pyramid-like schemes as announced by Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat today, October 22. The initiative comes in response to the extensive damage caused by The iCon Group’s direct sales scandal. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra tasked multiple agencies, including the Justice Ministry and Finance…
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Thailand video news | Newin rejects Thaksin’s casino plan amid social concerns, Police hunt suspects in assault and robbery of delivery rider
In today’s Thailand video news, Alex brings attention to pressing stories from Thailand and across Southeast Asia. Key highlights include Newin Chidchob’s rejection of Thaksin Shinawatra’s proposal to legalise casinos, citing social concerns such as debt and addiction. Meanwhile, in Chiang Mai, a family seeks justice after a drunk Porsche driver’s lenient charges were met with public outcry. Additional stories…
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Ceiling collapse at Wat Pa Na Don leaves monks in shock
A ceiling collapse at Wat Pa Na Don in Udon Thani left monks and devotees in shock. The incident, which occurred while monks were performing a religious ceremony, resulted in no injuries but significant damage to the ceiling. The collapse happened during a gathering of monks and devotees at Wat Pa Na Don, located in Nong Na Kham, Mueang district,…
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Senator urges probe into bus fire killing 23 in Sing Buri
Senator Alongkot Vorakee has called on the Anti-Corruption Division (ACD) to investigate alleged misconduct by Sing Buri’s land transport officials concerning a bus blaze tragedy that resulted in the deaths of three teachers and 20 students on October 1. The tragedy involved victims from Wat Khao Phraya Sangkharam School in Lan Sak district of Uthai Thani, who were on a…
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Motorcyclist killed in crash with bus on Ramintra Road, Bangkok
A motorcyclist lost control and fell while overtaking, leading to a fatal accident with a bus on Ramintra Road in Bangkok. Police quickly responded to the scene to investigate the incident. Police and rescue volunteers rushed to Ramintra Road after a report of a fatal accident involving a motorcycle and a bus at 5.30am today, October 22. The accident occurred…
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Thai nurse discovers stranger’s dead body in back seat of her car
A Thai nurse contacted the police after discovering the dead body of a stranger in the back seat of her car, which was parked outside a hospital in the Isaan province of Sisaket. Nantawadee Khunwatee, a nurse at Sisaket Hospital, reported the shocking discovery to Mueang Sisaket Police Station officers at around 6pm yesterday, October 21. After finishing her shift,…
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Senate urges crackdown on foreign-run tourism businesses
The Senate called on the government to intensify efforts against tourism businesses managed by local proxies for foreign citizens, aiming to shield local enterprises from unfair competition. During a recent session, Senator Nantana Nantavaropas raised concerns about the difficulties Thai businesses face in competing with companies managed by nominees. Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong responded, revealing that ministry representatives…
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Koh Samui luxury villas face demolition amid legal battle
A luxury villa project on Koh Samui faced legal action yesterday as local officials attempted to enforce a demolition order for 11 buildings. The project’s legal representatives intervened, preventing access and challenging the orders. Yesterday, October 21, Ramnet Jaikang, Mayor of Koh Samui, assigned an experienced legal officer, Pallop Meepian, to carry out the demolition orders issued by the municipality.…
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Chiang Mai cleans up: Sweeping success after the flood
Local government officials in Chiang Mai are shouting from the rooftops about their stellar post-flood recovery, claiming they’ve already swept through 90% of the streets and cleared 40% of the waste. Governor Nirat Pongsitthithaworn couldn’t be prouder, crediting a dynamic duo effort between the public and private sectors for tackling the flooded chaos with gusto. With the bustling high season…
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64 year old Thai man in Phuket arrested for abducting young girl
Police yesterday arrested a 64 year old Thai man in Phuket for abducting a 12 year old girl, missing from her home in Phang Nga province for 16 days. The family of the 12 year old Poonyanut “Sompoy” Kayankhai turned to social media platforms to search for her after she disappeared from her home in Phang Nga on October 5. The…
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PM Paetongtarn’s political shrug: Dodging EC probe bombshell
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra shrugged off the Election Commission’s (EC) bombshell probe into allegations that could see her Pheu Thai Party and five political allies dissolved. Accusations are flying that the parties let an outsider pull the strings, and that outsider is none other than former PM, and Paetongtarn’s kin, Thaksin Shinawatra. The drama kicked off when key figures from…
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Heavy rain and flash floods expected as storm Trami intensifies
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) issued a warning about the intensifying tropical storm Trami, which is expected to bring heavy rainfall to lower northern, central, eastern, and upper southern regions, including Bangkok and its vicinity. Residents are advised to be cautious of flash floods and forest runoffs. The TMD predicts that the monsoon trough will move across the lower central,…
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Thai man confesses to killing Laotian lover in fear of affair revelations
A Thai man confessed to killing his Laotian lover in a fit of rage and dumping her body near a cassava farm in the central province of Uthai Thani after she attempted to reveal their affair to his wife. Locals in the Lansak district of Uthai Thani discovered the body of the unidentified woman with red hair by the roadside…
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Thailand’s smog showdown: Clearing the air with a bold 30% cut
In a bid to wipe the smog off the map, Thailand’s Pollution Control Department (PCD) is gearing up for a 2024 blitz on air pollution, aiming to slash hotspots by a daring 30%. PCD Chief Preeyaporn Suwanaked held court at a buzzing press conference, revealing the National Environment Board’s stamp of approval on an ambitious blueprint to combat haze. This…
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Pattaya Beach cops crack down on nighttime mischief
In a dramatic crackdown on mischief by moonlight, a battalion of law enforcement officers swept Pattaya Beach last night. This bold move came hot on the heels of a shocking knife incident involving a rebellious beach chair vendor who went rogue on a city official after being slapped with a warning for peddling booze and kratom juice on the sands…
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Pattaya’s fast and furious: Delivery dashed in ‘brake’-neck collision
A terrifying smash involving a car and two motorcycles rocked Pattaya early this morning, leaving a food delivery rider and another motorcyclist with horrific injuries. The drama unfolded at around 3.06am today, October 22, on Soi Sukhumvit Pattaya 53, also known as Soi Noen Plub Wan. Emergency services from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Centre and reporters rushed to the…
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Thai man killed after losing consciousness at wheel, wife injured
A Thai man today lost consciousness while driving crashing his pickup into a house by the roadside on Phraeksa Road in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok. The driver died at the scene while his wife was injured. The owner of the damaged house, 47 year old Suriyan, called officers from Bangpu Police Station and rescuers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation to…
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Sisaket beauty sets Facebook afire with search for Mr Right criteria
An open audition for love has captivated the virtual world as one Sisaket beauty took to Facebook Live, laying down eight non-negotiable criteria in her hunt for Mr Right. Despite overwhelming social media buzz, Sayamon Unkam, known affectionately as Alice, is resolutely sticking to her structured love list, having learned the lessons of heartbreak by simply following her heart. Gone…
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Police arrest woman for call centre scam and money laundering
Thai police arrested a 50 year old woman involved in a call centre scam and money laundering scheme after she served time in a foreign prison. The woman, Laksamee, was apprehended in Bangkok upon her return to Thailand. Laksamee was arrested following a warrant issued by the Criminal Court on June 11, 2018, for charges including attempted fraud, being part…
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Pattaya mat rental operator arrested for threatening official with knife (video)
Police today arrested a mat rental operator who threatened a municipal official with a knife after being warned not to offer the service on Pattaya Beach. The municipal official, 43 year old Chalermphon, filed a complaint with Mueang Pattaya Police Station at around 12.36am today, October 21, after narrowly avoiding the knife attack by the mat rental operator, later identified…
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Rural Roads demands BMA pave the way with late 197.9m baht fee
The Rural Roads Department urged the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to settle an outstanding payment of 197.9 million baht in land lease fees. These fees cover the use of three specific areas, including a portion of Ratchaphruek Road, and for the construction of two electric railway lines. Pichit Hoonsiri, the department’s deputy director-general, mentioned that the department sent a formal…
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Thai SMEs boxed in by debt and dwindling demand
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Thailand are on the ropes, grappling with crippling debt and plummeting sales as the country’s economic engine sputters, warns the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). The financial plight of these crucial businesses is worsening, says the FTI, with government support measures arriving too little, too late. Yet, the federation, the voice of Thailand’s SMEs,…
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2 Thai men wanted for staging accident, assaulting victim for cash (video)
Police are searching for two Thai men who allegedly staged a road accident in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok before brutally assaulting a food delivery rider and stealing 1,500 baht in cash from him. A Thai netizen came forward seeking justice for the rider, 64 year old Chaiyaporn Poonmode. A female netizen shared a picture of Chaiyaporn with a bloody wound…
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TAT outlines creative strategies to boost tourism campaigns
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is rolling out creative strategies to boost domestic tourism for the final quarter of 2024. Nithee Seeprae, TAT’s Deputy Governor for Marketing Communications, acknowledged challenges such as economic constraints, household debt, and localised flooding, but reaffirmed their efforts to encourage travel and increase spending. The focus will be on events like the Winter Festival,…
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Banking stocks set to cash in as BoT preps for another cut
Stock market sleuths are buzzing as banking stocks look set to surge with global interest rates on the slide. All eyes are on the Bank of Thailand (BoT), expected to slash its policy rate again this December. Last week’s unexpected chop of 25 basis points to 2.25% marked the first cut in more than four years, echoing similar moves by…
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Thailand Book Expo closes chapter with record-breaking 1.4 million visitors
The 29th Annual Thailand Book Expo in Bangkok concluded yesterday, October 20, with resounding acclaim, having drawn an unprecedented 1.4 million visitors and amassed over 438 million baht in sales during its fortnight-long run. This spectacular turnout in Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre shattered previous records, showcasing the Thai populace’s enduring love affair with literature. This year’s expo exceeded all…
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Travel subsidy scheme said to boost post-flood tourism in the north
The Tourism and Sports Ministry is considering increasing the budget for its tourism subsidy scheme to help tourism firms in the northern region recover from recent flood damage. Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong announced the plans following a meeting with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to discuss economic and tourism stimulus measures. The meeting followed Sorawong’s visit to flood-hit Chiang…
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Bangkok gets a taste of Seoul: Korean food fest stirs up a culinary coup
In a culinary coup, South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy teamed up with Kotra to dish out Seoul Food in Bangkok 2024, in the nation’s biggest food extravaganza yet. This mouth-watering event isn’t just about savouring the flavours, it’s a powerhouse meeting for food bigwigs eager to cook up new business deals, starting with Bangkok before taking the…
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