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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Bhumjaithai Party gains momentum as key player in Thai elections
The Bhumjaithai Party (BJT) is currently gaining significant traction in Thai politics, emerging as a pivotal force amid a tide of politicians joining its ranks from other parties. With substantial financial backing and strategic advantages following a key reshuffle before the House dissolution, the party’s long-standing relationships with influential local political families, known as ‘baan yai’, have strengthened its position…
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Series of Earthquakes Felt Near Thailand as Regional Seismic Activity Intensifies
Thailand’s Earthquake Monitoring Division has issued a cautionary update after a series of earthquakes were recorded in and around the country in the early hours of December 21, underscoring heightened seismic activity across the region. According to the Thailand Earthquake Monitoring Division, tremors were detected multiple times overnight and into the morning, with the strongest nearby activity occurring close enough…
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Thai music icon Manas Pitisant passes away at age 98
National Artist in Performing Arts, Manas Pitisant, known for his contributions to Thai music, passed away peacefully at 98 years old yesterday, on December 20. The Department of Cultural Promotion received confirmation from his family that Manas Pitisant, the composer of renowned songs such as ‘Sanaeha’ and ‘Muean Khon La Fak Fah,’ died at 4.16am on December 20. The previous…
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Thai and Cambodian Airport Passenger Numbers Drop Despite Open Flights
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have spilled into the aviation sector, with airport authorities in both countries trading accusations even as flight connections remain open and operational. At the center of the dispute are allegations from Cambodian officials that passengers transiting through Bangkok face repeated delays and baggage problems, claims Thai authorities strongly deny. This week, Airports of Thailand rejected…
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Widespread Power Outages on December 21st in Bangkok, Samut Prakan, and Nonthaburi
The Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) has announced scheduled power outages across Bangkok, Samut Prakan, and Nonthaburi on Sunday, December 21, affecting a total of 41 locations as part of routine maintenance and system improvement work. According to the MEA, the outages are necessary to improve the efficiency, safety, and reliability of the electricity distribution system. Power will be temporarily suspended…
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US pushes for Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire compliance by next week
The United States is aiming to bring Thailand and Cambodia back into compliance with a ceasefire agreement brokered by President Donald Trump. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism that this could be achieved by early next week. Speaking in Washington, Rubio highlighted ongoing efforts to ensure adherence to the ceasefire terms, originally agreed upon in Kuala Lumpur in…
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SEA Games 2025: Thailand tops final medal table
The 33rd Southeast Asian Games concluded on December 20 in Thailand, closing nearly two weeks of competition that brought together the region’s top athletes in Bangkok and Chonburi. The 2025 edition marked a symbolic return to Thailand, where the SEA Games were first held in 1959, and reinforced the country’s position as a regional sporting hub. From December 9 to…
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Thai Troops Recapture Hill 350 Near Ta Kwai Temple as Bodies of Fallen Soldiers Recovered
Thai soldiers have secured Hill 350 near Ta Kwai Temple in Surin province and recovered the bodies of two fallen troops, the commander of the 2nd Army Region confirmed on December 20, marking a critical moment in continued fighting along the Thai-Cambodian border. Lieutenant General Veerayut Rakasilp, commander of the 2nd Army Region, said Thai forces regained full control of…
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Thai Navy Fires Warning Shots After Cambodian Vessel Enters Thai Waters
A Royal Thai Navy warship fired warning shots on Thursday evening after detecting a Cambodian vessel entering Thai territorial waters near the eastern border, prompting panic among residents of Hat Lek village in Trat province before the situation quickly de-escalated. The incident occurred at around 6:30 p.m. on December 19 off the coast of Ban Hat Lek in Hat Lek…
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M6 Motorway Offers 196 Kilometers of Free Travel During New Year Holiday
The Thai government will open the M6 motorway between Bang Pa-in and Nakhon Ratchasima for free travel during the 2026 New Year holiday, offering motorists a 196 kilometer toll-free route aimed at easing congestion and improving safety for holiday travelers. The announcement was made on December 19 by Siripong Angkasakulkiat, spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office. He said traffic volumes…
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Fire Destroys Shops at Rong Kluea Market on Thai-Cambodian Border
A major fire tore through Rong Kluea Market in Aranyaprathet district early Friday morning, destroying multiple shops at one of Thailand’s busiest border trading hubs. Firefighters managed to contain the blaze before it spread further, but significant damage was reported. The fire broke out at around 1:20 a.m. on December 20 at Building B5 of Rong Kluea Market, located in…
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Foreign man cheats eating challenge in Bangkok for 20,000-baht prize
A well-known curry restaurant in Bangkok exposed a foreign customer for cheating in an eating challenge to claim a cash reward of 20,000 baht. Gold Curry, is a popular restaurant which is famous for its Japanese-style rice curry served in large portions and also its eating challenges. The restaurant offers free meals, vouchers, and cash prizes for customers who can finish…
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Thai woman jailed 4 years for fatal assault on husband’s alleged mistress
A Thai woman, who fatally assaulted her husband’s alleged mistress while eight months pregnant, was sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to pay 850,000 baht in compensation to the victim’s family. The legal outcome was shared by well-known Thai lawyer Nitikorn Kaewto on his Facebook account on Tuesday, December 16. The ruling was issued around seven months after…
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British man arrested for illegally running tour company in Thailand
A British national was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday, December 18, after allegedly operating an unlicensed tour business in Thailand for over a decade. The arrest followed orders from Police General Kitirat Phanphet, Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police, who had directed a nationwide tourism crime crackdown between December 17 and 25 to protect the industry during peak travel…
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19 Indian nationals arrested in Pattaya for illegally selling sex products online
Police arrested 19 Indian nationals at a rented luxury house in Pattaya for allegedly running an illegal online business selling sexual enhancement drugs and sex toys. The Immigration Bureau announced the arrests during a press conference held at its headquarters in the Mueang Thong Thani area of Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi province. The operation followed an investigation into suspicious foreign-run…
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Impostor monk busted in Ang Thong for drugs and donation scam
A man posing as a monk was arrested in Ang Thong yesterday, December 18, after police discovered him without monkhood credentials and attempting to fake a urine test. Police from Wiset Chai Chan Police Station were alerted to the suspicious activity near Rong Thong Shrine Market in Moo 6, Sala Chao Rong Thong subdistrict. Responding officers found a man in…
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Uzbek woman wanted for human trafficking arrested in Pattaya
Police arrested an Uzbek woman wanted under an Interpol Red Notice for human trafficking in Pattaya on Wednesday, December 17. Officers from Chon Buri Immigration Police conducted background checks on foreign nationals who had recently applied for visa-related services and detected irregularities involving a 22 year old Uzbek national, Khurshida Urmanova. They found that she had overstayed her visa by…
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Thai court rules banks must prove credit card fraud, not customers
Thailand’s Supreme Court has ruled that banks, not customers, must prove who authorised disputed credit card transactions, setting a legal precedent that strengthens consumer protection against cyber scams. The case, Supreme Court ruling No. 2624/2568, began when a bank sued a customer over charges made on their credit card without the cardholder’s knowledge or consent. The customer denied making the…
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Dutch man denies trafficking tiger handed to his foundation from Myanmar
The Dutch founder of the the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) denied animal trafficking accusation after the Karen National Liberation Army (KNU) handed over a tiger, which was seized from a scam gang in Myanmar, to the foundation in Kanchanaburi province on Wednesday, December 17. The allegation was raised by retired national park official Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn, who shared details of…
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Thailand video news | Deadly pedestrian bridge collapse in Samut Prakan, Rare leopard and black panther footage revisited in Khlong Lan National Park
In today’s Thailand video news, Alex brings you the latest stories from Thailand and Southeast Asia. Highlights include a deadly bridge collapse, ASEAN observers heading to the Thai–Cambodian border, and later, we’ll wrap things up with some feel-good Friday news to ease you into the weekend. Deadly Pedestrian Bridge Collapse in Samut Prakan Disrupts Traffic A section of a pedestrian…
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139 arrested in year-end immigration sweep in Nakhon Pathom
Immigration officers in Nakhon Pathom carried out a sweeping year-end crackdown yesterday, December 18, arresting 139 foreign nationals and fining landlords who failed to report their tenants as required by law. Immigration Division 3, acting under orders from the Royal Thai Police, began intensified operations targeting areas with migrant workers in Kamphaeng Saen district yesterday. The raids, led by Nakhon…
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Thai fisherman finds headless body in marshland in Bangkok
A Thai man made a shocking discovery while fishing after finding a headless body in a roadside forest area in the Khan Na Yao district of Bangkok, yesterday, December 18. Rescue workers from the Por Teck Tung Foundation were alerted at around 4.30pm and rushed to a marshland area filled with dense reeds in Soi Khu Bon 31, Khu Bon…
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New alcohol rule: vendors banned from serving intoxicated customers
Thailand introduced a new regulation under the Alcohol Control Act, banning alcohol vendors from selling alcoholic beverages to customers who are already intoxicated. Following several revisions to the Alcohol Control Act over the past few months, the Craft Beer Trade Association used its official Facebook page yesterday, December 18, to explain the updated rules in simple terms to help business…
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Thailand 50-year home gold record shattered by Vietnam
Thailand suffered a historic loss on home soil last night, December 18, as the men’s national football team was defeated by Vietnam 3-2 in the SEA Games 2025 final, marking the first time in 50 years that Thailand has failed to win gold as host. The clash at Bangkok’s Rajamangala National Stadium saw Thailand take a confident 2-0 lead in…
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Thai karate coach dies in crash hours after SEA Games success
Thailand’s sporting community suffered a loss yesterday, December 17, after national karate coach Kanokporn Donsamran, widely known as Kru Gift, was killed in a road accident in Loei province just hours after helping the Thai karate team secure an impressive medal haul at the 2025 SEA Games. A native of Loei, 38 year old Kanokporn was travelling home after completing…
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Army raids border warehouse and seizes cash and gold from Thai-Cambodia couple
Officials from the 2nd Army Area and local police officers seized cash and gold worth a total of around 14 million baht from a Thai-Cambodian couple during a raid on a warehouse in Sisaket province today, December 18. The assets are suspected to be linked to transnational crime, but the couple denied the accusation. The operation was carried out at…
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Rare big cats return to spotlight in Thai national park
In a nod to Thailand’s biodiversity, Office of Conservation Area Management 12 has reintroduced footage of a pair of elusive wild cats, a leopard and a black panther, captured roaming together in the forested terrain of Khlong Lan National Park in Kamphaeng Phet. The footage was first recorded in June 2020 by camera traps set up by the World Wide…
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Dutch motorcyclist killed after crashing into parked pickup in Chon Buri
A Dutch man lost his life in a motorcycle accident in Chon Buri province in the early hours of today, December 18, after he allegedly crashed into a parked pickup truck with a trailer. Officers from Nong Prue Police Station, together with rescue workers from the Sawang Borriboon Dhammastan Foundation, rushed to the scene after receiving reports of a serious…
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Anwar confirms ASEAN meeting on Thai-Cambodian conflict
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced today, December 18, that Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to the deployment of an ASEAN observer team as part of efforts to de-escalate ongoing border tensions. The announcement comes ahead of a special ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting set to take place on December 22 in Kuala Lumpur. Anwar confirmed that both Thailand and Cambodia…
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6 Thai masseuses arrested for prostitution during raid on spa in Taiwan
Police in Taiwan raided a spa in Tainan City and arrested six Thai masseuses for allegedly providing illegal sex services. A Taiwanese customer was also arrested after being caught engaging in sexual activity during the operation. Officers from Shanhua Police Station carried out the raid on December 10 after receiving a tip-off that the spa was secretly operating as a brothel.…
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