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 How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
-
Police arrest key figure in Bangkok drug network
Investigators from Metropolitan Police Division 8 arrested a 28 year old man identified as a key figure in a drug network in the Wang Thonglang area of Bangkok. They seized a large quantity of drugs, including 7 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine and 42 kilogrammes of ketamine. The arrest took place around 6am on May 13 on Soi Ramkhamhaeng 21, Intersection…
-
Thai soldier forced to drive Grab and share profits to commander
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) is investigating a high-ranking officer in the northeastern province of Udon Thani, who was accused of forcing a soldier to work as a Grab driver and collecting the earnings for himself. A journalist from Channel 8 accidentally uncovered the alleged corruption within the RTAF while using the Grab ride-hailing app. The journalist noticed that…
-
Tragic elephant trampling in Chachoengsao’s Ta Takiab district
A male villager in the Ta Takiab district of Chachoengsao province was found deceased after being trampled by a wild elephant while collecting chillies. The district chief led a challenging search through a forest known for its elephant population. Yesterday, May 14, at around 12pm, district chief Amnuay Kaset Sinsanukoon received a report from the village head of Ban Khao…
-
Joint sentence as British teenager reveals pregnancy in Georgia
The British teenager banged up in a notorious former Soviet-Bloc prison for allegedly smuggling cannabis reportedly revealed her pregnancy in a Georgia court. Bella May Culley, from Billingham, County Durham, in the North-East of England, was reported missing in Thailand by her parents only to discover over the weekend that she is now 4,000 miles away in jail in the ex-Soviet…
-
Thai delivery worker stabbed in payment dispute with clients
A Thai delivery worker is seeking justice after a couple refused to pay for their order before stabbing him when he asked for payment at their home in the central province of Samut Songkhram. The 20 year old delivery worker, Thanatat, filed a complaint with Amphawa Police Station yesterday, May 14, following the violent incident which occurred at his clients’…
-
Motorcyclist dies in collision with durian truck in Trat
A tragic accident occurred in the village of Ban Hin Ploeng, Mueang Trat district, Trat province, where a motorcycle collided with a durian-laden pickup truck, resulting in a fatality. Police Major Boonma Thatong from Mueang Trat Police Station received the report yesterday, May 14, at 6.10pm and, along with the Sawang Boon Rescue Foundation, dashed to the scene. Upon arrival,…
-
Trang Airport finally taxiing toward take-off after years of turbulence
After years of delays, walkouts and government faffing about, Trang Airport’s long-stalled revamp is finally back on the runway, with part of a shiny new terminal expected to open next month and billions more being poured into the project. The opposition People’s Party has vowed to keep a close eye on Trang Airport’s 4.4-billion-baht overhaul, which has been riddled with contractor…
-
Van crash causes Phuket transformer explosion, driver electrocuted
A van lost control and crashed into a power pole, causing a transformer explosion, which resulted in the driver being electrocuted at the wheel. The accident, which had no other vehicles involved, is suspected to have been caused by the driver falling asleep. At 1.20am today, May 15, Police Lieutenant Fonthip Kaewsaen, an investigator at Wichit Police Station, received a…
-
Bangkok siege as gunman goes on rampage over lost lover
A boozed-up gunman brought terror to a Bangkok neighbourhood this morning, firing wildly into the sky and taking six terrified hostages, all in a crazed bid to find his missing girlfriend. Panic gripped Soi Wat Lakhon Tham in the Ban Chang Lo subdistrict around 9.45am today, May 15, when the gunman, a 31 year old Thai man, Tae, went on…
-
Thai conscript wanted for stabbing ex-girlfriend over sexual rejection
Police are searching for a military conscript who stabbed his ex-girlfriend in the neck at her workplace in the northern province of Phitsanulok yesterday, after she refused to have sex with him. A Thai man, Nakarin, yesterday, May 14, rushed his 19 year old colleague, Sasipim, to a hospital and reported the attack to Mueang Phitsanulok Police Station. The owner…
-
Cone, not forgotten! Pattaya clamps down on parking space hogs
It’s the end of the road for selfish parking space hogs in Pattaya, as city officials crack down on cheeky locals and businesses reserving public roads with cones, chains and bins like it’s their private driveway. Pattaya’s war on illegal space-grabbing has kicked into high gear, with municipal officers hitting the streets to clear cones, barriers and random clutter dumped…
-
Bee-ware: Swarm stings taxi driver in Nonthaburi
A 54 year old motorcycle taxi driver in Nonthaburi found himself in a precarious situation when a swarm of bees repeatedly attacked him. The incident occurred yesterday, May 14, in Mueang Thong Thani village, Pak Kret district. The man, named Sutin, resorted to covering himself with a mosquito net to ward off the bees while waiting for help. At 5.30pm,…
-
Splash and dash! Pattaya swamped as storm lashes city (video)
A torrential morning downpour left Pattaya swamped as a storm left roads underwater, traffic crawling, and snakes slithering into the chaos. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) revealed that there’s more to come. A heavy rainstorm hammered Bang Lamung district in Chon Buri for over an hour starting at 9.36am, yesterday, May 14, flooding large swathes of Pattaya and grinding morning…
-
Pregnant woman and friend killed by lightning in Sisaket tragedy
A tragic incident occurred when a seven-month pregnant woman and her husband’s friend were fatally struck by lightning while seeking shelter under a tree in Sisaket province. The woman’s husband discovered the scene upon returning from delivering a load of eucalyptus wood. Police from Khukhan Station in Sisaket were informed by Khukhan Hospital staff about the critical condition of 35…
-
Spice bar sizzler: Ex-flame blamed for fiery bust-up in Pattaya
A blazing row turned literal when a late-night fire tore through a Pattaya bar, with suspicions pointing squarely at the owner’s ex, who’d allegedly threatened to torch the place. Flames ripped through Anne’s Island Spice Bar in Soi Phratamnak 5 during the early hours of yesterday, May 14, sparking panic and a rapid emergency response. The blaze broke out around…
-
2 Cambodian men assaulted by Thai influencers in shopping mall
Two Cambodian men filed a complaint against two Thai social media influencers for physically assaulting them at a shopping mall in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok for a false allegation of being involved with a notorious Cambodian gang known as BK. The Cambodian nationals reported the incident at Sam Rong Nuea Police Station on Tuesday, May 13. The assault reportedly took…
-
Brake-ing bad: Good Samaritan’s house guest nicks a ride
A Good Samaritan kindness nearly landed him in hot water, after the homeless man he took in turned out to be a sneaky thief with a stolen motorbike. The kindly man narrowly dodged legal drama after unknowingly harbouring a motorcycle thief under his own roof in Bang Lamung, Chon Buri. The drama unfolded yesterday, May 14, when 39 year old Suthep…
-
Phuket woman at large after stabbing victim over alleged affair
A Thai woman stabbed another woman outside a grocery store in the Wichit sub-district of Phuket on Monday, May 12, after alleging that the victim had an affair with her boyfriend. Officers from Wichit Police Station received a report of the stabbing outside the store and rushed to the scene to assist the victim, Samittra, who sustained a stab wound…
-
Mother searched after monitor lizard found eating infant’s body
Locals in Samut Prakan province were left in panic after witnessing a monitor lizard consuming the lifeless body of an infant. Police officers are now searching for the mother of the dead child. At approximately 2pm today, May 14, the Facebook page NAKON 45 อัญวุฒิ โพธิ์อำไพ reported that rescuers from the Ruam Katanyu Foundation rushed to Soi King Kaew 28…
-
Phuket soaked and stranded as downpours drench tourist zones
Phuket was left waterlogged today as torrential rain battered the island, turning major roads into canals and sparking travel chaos across popular tourist zones. From the early hours of this morning, May 14, relentless downpours lashed the districts of Mueang and Kathu, triggering flash floods in seaside subdistricts including Patong, Chalong and Rawai, three of the island’s busiest areas for…
-
True grit: New boss vows comeback cash in 100-day dash
True Corporation chief Sigve Brekke has hit the ground running, setting out a bold 100-day plan packed with promises of profit, digital dominance, and even a long-overdue payout to shareholders. Brekke, who took the reins as group chief executive in March, is banking on data, discipline and dividends to spark a revival at the telecom titan, following its blockbuster merger…
-
New law expands venues selling alcohol despite Buddhist fest bans
The government is set to widen the scope of venues permitted to sell alcoholic beverages daily, following the enactment of a new law last week. This legislation allows five categories of venues to sell alcohol. Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong stated that the new law, announced in the Royal Gazette on May 9 and effective from May 10, continues…
-
Thai woman’s search finds missing mother ‘gone with the wind’
A Thai woman who was searching for her missing mother was shocked to find that her mum sold their shared home and was living happily alone. The mother accused her daughter of physically abusing her, prompting her to run away. The woman named Ree sought help from news agencies after her mother, Peng, disappeared from their shared home in the…
-
Car catches fire after recent service, insurance confusion resolved
A 49 year old woman was left puzzled when her car, recently serviced at a centre less than a week ago, caught fire. The incident, yesterday, May 13, occurred on Theparat Road in the inbound express lane near the Highway Police Service Centre in Bang Chalong, Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan province. The local fire department, alongside the Poh Teck…
-
Similan and Surin islands go off-grid: The strategy to restore Thailand’s marine paradise
Each year, at the start of the monsoon season, officials press pause on tourism at the Similan and Surin Islands. From May 16 to October 15, the national parks are officially closed to all visitors. This isn’t a random decision but an ongoing annual measure to maintain the balance of the marine ecosystem, reduce the impact of tourism, and allow…
-
Man arrested for father’s murder, body found in septic tank
A man was arrested for allegedly killing his father and hiding the dismembered body in a septic tank, in Mueang Suea subdistrict, Phayakkhaphum Phisai district, Maha Sarakham province. On Monday, May 12, police were notified by Thongsai of the discovery of the body of his 84 year old father, Boonram, in the tank. Thongsai suspected his half-brother as the perpetrator,…
-
Truce or just a tariff tease? Trump and Xi hit pause on trade war
The bitter trade war between the United States and China that rattled global markets is getting a breather — but don’t pop the champagne just yet. The US and China have agreed to suspend punishing tariffs on each other’s goods for 90 days, starting Wednesday, after a tense round of high-stakes talks in Geneva over the weekend. The temporary truce…
-
Five test positive for meth in Phuket migrant worker camp inspection
In Phuket, an inspection of migrant worker camps in Thalang District resulted in five people testing positive for methamphetamine, according to officials in Thalang. The operation, conducted from 5pm to 7pm yesterday, May 13, involved a team comprising the Thalang District Office Special Operations Unit, Phuket Immigration Police, Phuket Provincial Employment Office, Sakhu Police, public health officers, and local community…
-
Desperate Thai mother offers to sell organs to keep son alive
A Thai mother took to social media in a desperate attempt to sell her organs to raise funds to care for her one year old son and to seek a better home for the young boy. The 33 year old woman from the Isaan province of Sisaket initially shared photos of her son on Facebook to find an adoptive family.…
-
Man apprehended in Bangkok over indecent filming charges
A 34 year old man was apprehended at a condominium in Bang Sue, Bangkok, following an investigation into allegations of indecent acts. Pirapong was charged under a Nakhon Si Thammarat court warrant for inappropriate behaviour towards people over 15 years old, using force in a public setting, which caused distress and humiliation. The incident occurred in 2023 when a 30 year…
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.