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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Police chief tells commanders to rein in officers moonlighting as influencers
Thailand’s national police chief has issued an urgent directive ordering senior commanders nationwide to tighten supervision of Thai police officers who appear on social media in uniform, days after personally cutting a fellow officer’s hair during a station inspection to demonstrate grooming standards. Police General Kittharath Punpetch signed a memo yesterday, May 26, addressed to commanders at all levels. The…
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Thailand train-bus crash compensation paid, motorists charged
Six of the eight families of those killed in the Thailand train bus collision on May 16 have received compensation, with charges filed against the train driver and motorists found blocking the tracks, Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkaskulkiat announced yesterday, May 26. The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) have jointly paid out 2.9…
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Turkish tourist found dead in Phuket residence
A 30 year old Turkish national was found dead in a residence in Kamala, Phuket, on May 26, with police reporting no signs of assault or foul play. Cannabis and drug paraphernalia were discovered in the room where the body was found. Kamala Police Station received reports from rescue workers at around 3.30pm, and officers travelled to a three-storey house…
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Chaiyaphum teen arrested over alleged sexual assault on mother
A teenager has been arrested in Chaiyaphum after allegedly sexually assaulting his mother while under the influence of alcohol and methamphetamine. The alleged incident took place on May 25 in Kaset Sombun district and was reported to local police the following morning. The mother told investigators her son entered her room, struck her and carried out the assault. She said she did…
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Israel, Thailand mark 72 years with farm upgrade instead of party
Israel has redirected funds from its national day celebrations to community development projects in Thailand as the two countries mark 72 years of diplomatic relations. The Israeli embassy in Bangkok said it chose to support local initiatives rather than hold a reception, citing the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Israeli Ambassador to Thailand Alona Fisher-Kamm explained the decision at…
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Safety failures, not misfortune, caused crane collapse that killed 31
A construction crane collapse, causing a train crash in Thailand that killed 31, has been ruled the result of procedural violations and safety failures rather than an unavoidable accident, according to findings released by a government fact-finding committee on May 26. Thirty-one people died when equipment from a high-speed rail construction site fell onto Express Train No. 21, operating between…
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May 27: Southwest monsoon intensifies as Thailand braces for heavier rain
Thailand’s Meteorological Department has issued a weather forecast for today, May 27, warning of thundershowers and isolated heavy rain across most regions as the southwest monsoon continues to strengthen over the Andaman Sea, the Gulf of Thailand, and the country as a whole. Waves in the upper Andaman Sea are expected to reach around two metres, rising above two metres…
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Thai couple accuse Chinese-owned TikTok agency of account takeover
A Thai couple accused a Chinese-linked media agency of exploiting poverty-themed TikTok content for profits, prompting online scrutiny. The couple previously operated a TikTok channel called ครอบครัวบิ๊กบอส, or Big Boss Family, which documented their daily struggles and financial difficulties. The husband, identified as Big, worked as a food delivery rider while his wife cared for their son, Boss, at home.…
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Chinese woman reunited with lost cash with help from Thai locals
A Thai rescuer and several locals in Chachoengsao helped a Chinese woman recover 20,000 baht in cash after she accidentally dropped her bag while riding a motorcycle on Bangna-Trat Road on Sunday, May 24. The rescuer, Mongkon Khiaosa-ad, said he was driving home at about 7.30pm when he noticed a woman sitting beside a black Honda SuperCub motorcycle registered in…
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Gunmen dressed as Muslim women open fire on officer’s car in Pattani
A shooting in Pattani left a police officer injured and his wife dead yesterday, May 25, after four suspected insurgents opened fire on their sedan near a school in Phong Sata, Yarang, Pattani. Police were alerted at 3.30pm to the shooting, which left one person injured and one dead. Officers found the sedan with multiple bullet marks on the windscreen…
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Thai man arrested for bag snatching in Pattaya that leaves Belgian victim injured
Police arrested a Thai man on May 15 after he snatched a bag from a Belgian woman in Pattaya, leaving the victim wth injuries requiring medical treatment. The Pattaya bag snatching took place in Soi Na Kluea 12 in the evening of May 15. The victim, identified as 59 year old Belgian national Evens Micheline Joseph, was reportedly approached by…
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Weight loss injections worth 2.13 million baht seized at Suvarnabhumi
Customs officers arrested a Chinese passenger at Suvarnabhumi Airport on May 23 after finding 137 packages of Tirzepatide, a diabetes and weight loss injection, that had allegedly not gone through customs procedures. The passenger had travelled from Bangladesh and was arrested after customs officers found the medicine had allegedly been brought into Thailand without proper procedures. The Customs Department said…
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Mika Salo found at Bangkok hotel after stabbing reports
Police have located former Formula One driver Mika Salo at a hotel after reports emerged that he suffered a leg injury while crossing a pedestrian crossing near a hotel in Bangkok on May 19. At 12.20pm today, May 26, Metropolitan Police Bureau commissioner Siam Boonsom assigned officers from the investigation division and Lumpini Police Station to examine the case and…
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Pattaya transwoman left with neck wound after alleged stabbing by boyfriend
A transgender woman was seriously injured in a Pattaya stabbing case after being found with a neck wound inside a rented room in Pattaya early today, May 26. Police are searching for her boyfriend as a suspect. Pattaya police were alerted to the assault at 12.36am at a room in Soi Krom Theedin 3. Police and rescue volunteers went to…
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7 mine workers remain trapped in flooded Laos cave
Thai volunteer rescue teams joined a cave rescue mission in Laos after seven mine workers became trapped in a flooded cave since May 19 while searching for gold. Ten mine workers entered a cave in Longchaeng district of Xaisomboun province, but only three managed to escape. Seven others remain trapped inside the cave after heavy rain flooded the entrance and exit…
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Thailand News | Brit Arrested After Hit and run, Sea Turtle Photo Backlash, Ex-F1 Injured in Bangkok
Today we’ll be talking about a British driver who’s been arrested after a serious hit and run incident on Koh Pha Ngan, then, former formula 1 driver Mika Salo was injured in a suspected bangkok knife attack, plus, a tourist couple flees from a Jomtien convenience store after an alleged energy drink theft turns physical, in ASEAN news Cambodia…
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Chinese suspect vanishes after violent attack on transwoman in Pattaya
A Chinese man has fled Thailand after allegedly assaulting a transgender woman in a Pattaya hotel room, leaving her with injuries that required 30 stitches. The victim posted a video on Facebook yesterday, May 25, showing the alleged assault and said she would pursue the case. She said she suffered facial injuries requiring 18 stitches, while her wrist required eight…
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Thai man kills 12 year old stepdaughter, attacks wife with knife
Police arrested an ex-convict in Nong Bua Lamphu province yesterday, May 25, after he allegedly sexually assaulted and killed his 12 year old stepdaughter and attacked his wife with a knife. Officers from Sri Boon Rueang Police Station were called to investigate the death of the girl, identified as Amy (pseudonym), at a house in the Sri Bonn Rueang district.…
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May 26 weather forecast warns of heavy rain in South Thailand
Thailand’s weather forecast today, May 26, warns of thunderstorms across the country, with heavy rain expected in parts of South Thailand’s west coast, according to the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD). The department said a moderate southwest monsoon is covering the Andaman Sea, Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand. People in affected areas were urged to remain cautious of heavy rain and…
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Thai woman in South Korea driven to suicide by financial pressure from creditor
A Thai woman living in South Korea has committed suicide after allegedly facing financial pressure from excessive interest payments and public humiliation by a creditor. The deceased was identified as 40 year old Areerat. Her body was discovered in a rented room in Seoul two days after her South Korean husband reported her missing to local police. Areerat was originally…
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251 live wild animals found hidden in Malaysian man’s suitcase
Thai authorities arrested a Malaysian national at Suvarnabhumi International Airport yesterday, May 24, after attempting to smuggle hundreds of live wild animals out of Thailand. Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) Director Attapon Charoenchansa announced details of the operation, describing it as part of intensified inspections targeting international wildlife trafficking networks using Thailand as a transit route.…
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Danish jogger injured by falling tree branch on Rayong Beach
A Danish tourist was injured while jogging along a beach in Rayong after a falling pine branch pierced his leg on Saturday, May 23. The incident occurred at roughly 3.30pm on the walkway beside Phala Beach in Ban Chang district. The area is lined with pine trees, some of which appear to be dead or deteriorated. The victim, identified as…
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Mum walks out of Phuket restaurant without fully paying tab
A foreign woman was criticised online after refusing to fully pay a bill at a restaurant in Phuket after saying a drink she ordered was not up to standard. The incident occurred at New Break Taek restaurant in the Chalong area of Phuket on Saturday, May 23, and was later shared on Thai social media. According to footage circulating online,…
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Foreigners pose with Phuket sea turtle, raising online debate
Authorities are investigating the identities of foreign tourists seen in a viral video handling a sea turtle near Cape Panwa in Phuket, raising concerns over possible harm to protected marine wildlife. The Phuket Times Facebook page shared footage on Saturday, May 23, showing several foreign tourists taking turns holding a sea turtle while posing for photographs and videos. In the…
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Brit arrested for hit-and-run in Koh Pha Ngan, victim in coma
Police arrested a British motorcyclist for a hit-and-run incident on Koh Pha Ngan on Saturday, May 23, that left a Thai doctor in a coma. Colleagues of the injured doctor, Theerasuk “Ton” Kawamatawong, contacted several media outlets seeking justice after the crash, which occurred at about 8.40pm on a road behind the Koh Pha Ngan District Office. CCTV footage shared…
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Govt department seen on Facebook adult livestream, issues explanation
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) issued a clarification after its official Facebook page was seen appearing in the viewer list of a viral sex livestream circulated online on Saturday, May 23. The explicit livestream attracted widespread attention on Thai social media over the weekend, with users sharing screenshots showing several verified pages and celebrity accounts appearing among the viewers.…
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May 25: Heavy rain, strong winds forecast across Thailand
The Meteorological Department has issued a Thailand weather forecast for today, May 25, warning of thundershowers and isolated heavy rain across much of the country as the southwest monsoon strengthens over the Andaman Sea, the Gulf of Thailand, and inland areas. The moderate southwest monsoon is driving scattered to fairly widespread thundershowers nationwide. Residents and travellers are advised to be…
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Thai soft power push marks 170 years of Thailand-France ties
Thailand is looking to France for lessons in turning culture into global influence, as Culture Minister Sabeeda Thaised led talks on May 22 to mark 170 years of Thailand-France diplomatic ties and push Thai soft power through five areas of cooperation. At 5.30pm local time, Sabeeda and senior Ministry of Culture executives met French Culture Minister Catherine Pégard during an…
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Chiang Mai karaoke bar raided, 12 illegal workers detained
Chiang Mai police raided a covert karaoke bar in the city centre on May 23 after residents complained about noise, detaining 12 Myanmar nationals found working without properly registered employers. The operation was led by Police Major General Olan Iampraphat of Tourist Police Division 2 and Police Colonel Phisanu Triamdee, with Police Lieutenant Colonel Avirut Sookyaem conducting the inspection alongside…
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Turkish man found dead after swallowing drug capsules to avoid detection
A Turkish man was found dead in a hotel room in Samut Prakan yesterday, May 23, after allegedly swallowing more than 50 capsules suspected to contain illegal drugs to avoid detection. Police and Ruamkatanyu Foundation volunteers were called to the hotel in Racha Thewa subdistrict, Bang Phli district, after receiving reports of a foreign man found dead inside a room.…
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