Thailand News

Discover the most recent and relevant news from across Thailand on The Thaiger’s National News page. Covering a wide range of topics, including politics, business, crime, and lifestyle, our dedicated team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.

Stay informed about the latest developments in Thai society, economy, and culture, as well as updates on travel, tourism, and expat life. With The Thaiger, you’ll never miss out on the essential news that matters to you.

  • Sponsored

    This Valentine's Day, protect your loved ones with comprehensive health insurance

    Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate love, care, and the bonds we share with those who matter most. This Valentine’s Day, show your love in a thoughtful and lasting way by choosing health insurance for your loved ones. Unlike...

  • Fatal shooting at Nan land reform office leaves two dead

    Fatal shooting at Nan land reform office leaves two dead

    In the office of the Nan Provincial Land Reform, a shooting incident resulted in one fatality and one critical injury. The event unfolded yesterday, January 27, when a disagreement escalated. Police Lieutenant Colonel Wanatpong Santiphongsathorn and Police Major Danuwat Kittiyos led a team to the scene after being notified. The tragedy occurred on the second floor of the Nan Provincial…

  • Absent Thai doctors face penalties for endorsing clinics

    Absent Thai doctors face penalties for endorsing clinics

    The Medical Council of Thailand (MCT) has issued a warning that doctors allowing their names to endorse clinics without actively working there will face penalties under new regulations. The issue has gained attention from the public following a case involving Senator Keskamol Pleansamai, whose 126 million baht asset disclosure revealed that approximately 210,000 baht of her annual income was earned…

  • Tourist brawl in Phuket sparks debate on visa policy (video)

    Tourist brawl in Phuket sparks debate on visa policy (video)

    A video depicting an altercation between Italian and Indian tourists in Phuket’s Patong area has sparked significant social media discussion. The incident, captured in a 1.04-minute clip shared by the Facebook page Speednews Phuket, occurred yesterday, January 27, at the end of Bangla Road, Kathu district, Phuket. The video shows the tourists engaged in a fierce brawl, surrounded by onlookers…

  • Chulalongkorn University boosts AI collaboration with Cambodia

    Chulalongkorn University boosts AI collaboration with Cambodia

    Chulalongkorn University (CU) is seeking to enhance its academic collaboration with Cambodia, focusing on a future driven by artificial intelligence (AI). A delegation led by university president Wilert Puriwat recently met with Cambodian Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Hang Chuon Naron, in Phnom Penh. Minister Naron, a CU alumnus, was accompanied by 10 other CU alumni from Cambodia and expressed…

  • Thai police crack down on Chinese money laundering in Chon Buri

    Thai police crack down on Chinese money laundering in Chon Buri

    The Thai Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has initiated an extensive operation called “Operation Dragon Slayer” targeting over 40 Chinese businesses in Chon Buri that are suspected of laundering money through cryptocurrency and taking advantage of foreign tourists. Intelligence gathered by CIB officers suggests the involvement of Chinese nationals in call centre scam groups. These individuals allegedly used cryptocurrency to purchase…

  • Khon Kaen fish dispute leads to fatal shooting

    Khon Kaen fish dispute leads to fatal shooting

    A dispute over a fish led to a tragic incident in Khon Kaen, where a 63 year old man fatally shot his 41 year old nephew, following a disagreement about the fish being cooked without permission. The police have charged Sangha with intentional manslaughter. Yesterday, January 27, reports emerged of a shooting incident that occurred the day before at a residence…

  • School janitor in Kanchanaburi surrenders after assault accusations

    School janitor in Kanchanaburi surrenders after assault accusations

    A school janitor in Kanchanaburi province has turned himself in to the police after being accused of sexually assaulting four female students. The incidents occurred on Children’s Day, and the janitor, identified as 50 year old Theerachai or Thong, admitted to the crime, claiming it was his first time and blaming his actions on alcohol consumption. Parents of the students…

  • Rogue riders spark outrage as Phuket police face backlash

    Rogue riders spark outrage as Phuket police face backlash

    Kamala Police are feeling the heat after a viral video exposed a group of foreign motorcyclists speeding past a checkpoint without stopping. The 1-minute-and-17-second clip, widely shared on platforms like Phuket Hod Jang’s Facebook page, shows reckless riders blatantly ignoring traffic officers on the Patong-Kamala Road. The video reveals one motorcyclist weaving past officers before accelerating towards Patong. Moments later,…

  • Thai hotel owner returns wedding ring lost 5 years ago to Norwegian guest

    Thai hotel owner returns wedding ring lost 5 years ago to Norwegian guest

    A Thai hotel owner kept her promise and returned a wedding ring to a Norwegian guest who had forgotten it at her hotel in the southern province of Krabi five years ago. The Thai Facebook account สมศักดิ์ เตบบุตร (Somsak Tebboot) shared the story of his family member, Warunee Khundee, owner of Bliss Resort on Koh Wang Beach in Krabi, on Sunday,…

  • New haze directives to combat deadly pollution in Thailand

    New haze directives to combat deadly pollution in Thailand

    Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will provide additional directives at a Cabinet meeting today to address the ongoing haze issue, according to government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub. The meeting will prioritise PM2.5 pollution, following the prime minister’s return from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, over the weekend. She emphasised that the worsening pollution crisis extends beyond national boundaries. The 38…

  • Thai singer arrested for promoting online gambling

    Thai singer arrested for promoting online gambling

    Yesterday, January 27, cyber police apprehended a well-known singer with 200 million YouTube views for promoting online gambling. The 27 year old singer admitted to enticing others to engage in online gambling for monetary gain. The cyber police, led by Police Colonel Apirak Champarsi, contacted Chatatorn, who is known by his stage name Oil Saengsarn, following an investigation. The police…

  • Truck collision in Chachoengsao leaves driver severely injured

    Truck collision in Chachoengsao leaves driver severely injured

    In Chachoengsao province, a collision involving a 10-wheel truck and an 18-wheel trailer resulted in significant injuries for a 56 year old driver. Emergency services used extraction equipment to free him from the wreckage, amidst claims from locals that accidents are frequent in the area. Police Lieutenant Rewat Abdin of Bang Nam Priao district received an emergency call about a…

  • Cold weather and strong winds hit northern Thailand

    Cold weather and strong winds hit northern Thailand

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has reported colder weather with strong winds across northern Thailand, forecasting a temperature drop of 1 to 2 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, a monsoon is causing thunderstorms and high waves of 2 to 3 metres in the Gulf of Thailand and the south, advising small boats to remain ashore. The weather forecast, announced today, January 28,…

  • Foul play suspected in death of Thai intern in Japan

    Foul play suspected in death of Thai intern in Japan

    The family of a missing Thai student intern is calling for further investigation into his death, suspecting foul play after his body was discovered in a Thai restaurant in Japan. The student’s aunt, Nannaphat Tanming, urged Thai news agencies to report the death of her 25 year old nephew, Kornnaphat “Nat” Promsung, to attract the attention of the Ministry of…

  • Dutchman offers help for Thai cat injured by harpoon in Buriram

    Dutchman offers help for Thai cat injured by harpoon in Buriram

    A Dutch man expressed concern over a Thai cat in the Isaan province of Buriram that was severely injured with a harpoon. He also attempted to provide financial support to the animal and its owner. The female cat, Kuay Tiew, was shot with a harpoon last week. Her owner, 68 year old Narong Sookprasert, sought help from the Wang Kood…

  • Thai Bolt driver fakes heroic tale for social media fame

    Thai Bolt driver fakes heroic tale for social media fame

    A Thai Bolt driver issued an apology after faking and sharing a heartwarming story about himself and an imaginary intoxicated passenger on social media in a bid to gain attention and be seen as a hero. Last week, a Facebook user named Mook Kanokwan posted in a Facebook group called “Bolt Driver Thailand Motorcycle (Only)” to share a touching tale…

  • Bangkok governor urged to enforce demolition of illegal condo

    Bangkok governor urged to enforce demolition of illegal condo

    Rosana Tositrakul, a former senator, is urging the Bangkok governor to enforce a 10 year old court order for the demolition of the Aetas condominium in Pathumwan district due to a breach of the Building Control Act. Through a Facebook post yesterday, January 26, Rosana called on Governor Chadchart Sittipunt to act on the Supreme Administrative Court’s directive to dismantle…

  • Thai Air Force chooses Swedish Gripen jets over US F-16s

    Thai Air Force chooses Swedish Gripen jets over US F-16s

    The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has opted for Swedish Gripen jets over the US-made F-16 aircraft, citing greater benefits to the government. This decision was announced by Air Chief Marshal Punpakdee Pattanakul amid ongoing discussions about the rationale behind this choice. The Gripen jets are set to replace the ageing F-16 jets currently stationed in Wing 1, located in…

  • New Hotel Act targets 500 unlicensed Thai hotels

    New Hotel Act targets 500 unlicensed Thai hotels

    The Tourism and Sports Ministry is set to propose a new Hotel Act specifically for small and medium-sized hotels, with the aim of registering over 500 unlicensed accommodations that currently cannot participate in the existing system. Tourism Vice-Minister Jakkaphon Tangsutthitham reported that more than 90,000 small and medium-sized accommodations in Thailand do not qualify as hotel businesses under the current…

  • 4 Thai police and soldiers extort 2 million baht from 7 Chinese men

    4 Thai police and soldiers extort 2 million baht from 7 Chinese men

    Four Thai police officers and a soldier extorted 2 million baht from seven Chinese men, leading to their arrests in the Isaan province of Ubon Ratchathani on Saturday, January 25. A Chinese man residing in Laos contacted Thai police via the Facebook application to seek help for his seven friends. The man explained that his friends were detained by a…

  • South Korean man allegedly tricked into smuggling drugs from Phuket to France

    South Korean man allegedly tricked into smuggling drugs from Phuket to France

    A South Korean man narrowly avoided arrest after being tricked by a foreign man in Phuket into smuggling drugs from Thailand to France. He sought help from the Thai police just in time. The Embassy of the Republic of Korea contacted officers from Thalang Police Station to investigate the luggage of 65 year old South Korean man, Park Sukhee, at…

  • PM2.5 pollution targetted with urgent health measures

    PM2.5 pollution targetted with urgent health measures

    Thailand is grappling with severe PM2.5 air pollution, prompting the National Health Security Office (NHSO) to issue an urgent directive to local administrative organisations and Bangkok. The directive encourages the use of local health security funds to combat the pollution, including purchasing masks for vulnerable groups. Yesterday, January 26, Doctor Jadej Thammatacharee, Secretary-General of the NHSO, highlighted the worsening PM2.5…

  • Pickup truck crash in Ayutthaya leaves driver dead in canal

    Pickup truck crash in Ayutthaya leaves driver dead in canal

    A pickup truck lost control on a curve, crossing lanes and colliding with a trailer truck before plunging into an irrigation canal, resulting in the driver’s death. The incident occurred today, January 27, on Highway 3043 in Uthai district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province. Police Lieutenant Colonel Somchit Sirisawang from Uthai Police Station received the report and coordinated with the…

  • Teen tragically shot near Surat Thani health centre

    Teen tragically shot near Surat Thani health centre

    An 18 year old man was shot near a health centre in Surat Thani province, shocking his mother, who had recently spoken with him. Friends reported that the assailant drove a car against traffic, calling out to the victim before shooting him. The incident occurred at 3.39am today, January 27, when Police Lieutenant Chariyawut Thanchoen from Donsak Police Station received…

  • Bangkok taxi driver flees after attempted assault on passenger

    Bangkok taxi driver flees after attempted assault on passenger

    A woman found herself in an unknown room after taking a taxi ride home, where the driver allegedly attempted to assault her. The incident occurred on January 26, when the woman, who had been drinking with friends in the Ratchaprasong area, took a Toyota taxi to return to her condominium. Waking up in an unfamiliar room with the driver, the…

  • Thailand allocates 145.63 million baht for transgender hormone therapy

    Thailand allocates 145.63 million baht for transgender hormone therapy

    The Public Health Ministry has allocated 145.63 million baht to the National Health Security Office to supply hormone medication to 200,000 transgender citizens. According to Deputy Government Spokesperson Anukool Pruksanusak, the ministry’s support aligns with the government’s marriage equality policy, focusing on both physical and mental health for sexually diverse people. He noted the increasing acceptance of various gender identities…

  • Foreign motorcyclist leaves 4,000 baht for injured Phuket man, then flees

    Foreign motorcyclist leaves 4,000 baht for injured Phuket man, then flees

    A Thai mother is calling for justice after a foreign motorcyclist collided with her son’s motorcycle on a road in Phuket and fled the scene, leaving only 4,000 baht in compensation. The Thai victim sustained injuries, and his motorcycle was damaged in the incident. The mother reached out to the Facebook news page Phuket Times to seek justice for her…

  • Thailand braces for 770,000 Chinese tourists this Lunar New Year

    Thailand braces for 770,000 Chinese tourists this Lunar New Year

    The Thai government anticipates 770,000 Chinese nationals to visit Thailand during Chinese New Year, from January 24 to February 2, marking a 22.6% increase compared to the same period last year. Sasikarn Watthanachan, deputy spokeswoman for the government, stated that various agencies, including the Department of Airports and Airports of Thailand (AoT), have been instructed to prepare for the influx…

  • Thailand’s game industry act set for Cabinet review in February

    Thailand’s game industry act set for Cabinet review in February

    The draft of the Game Industry Act is scheduled for Cabinet review next month following the conclusion of public hearings. The legislation is anticipated to be implemented by the end of 2025. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, President and Chief Executive of the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA), stated that the law aims to address the development of the computer game industry, valued…

  • Woman’s repeated lottery luck linked to Buddha statue offerings

    Woman’s repeated lottery luck linked to Buddha statue offerings

    A woman from Uttaradit visited Wat Mai Samakkhi in Mueang district, Phetchabun province, to offer 99 trays of eggs and 99 bunches of bananas to the sacred Buddha statue, Luang Pho Ham Chon. This gesture of gratitude follows her good fortune derived from the statue over three consecutive lottery draws. Yesterday, January 26, numerous residents gathered at the temple to…