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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Sponsored Thailand vs. the West: What expats save on healthcare each year
Healthcare in Thailand is much cheaper than in Western countries, making it a great choice for expatriates looking for affordable medical care. Both public and private healthcare options offer high-quality services, with savings of up to 80% on procedures like...
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Pickup lines crossed: Truck crashes into Chon Buri home decor store
A dramatic incident unfolded in East Thailand yesterday when a pickup truck crashed into a home decor store, causing significant damage. The driver, appearing intoxicated, claimed he swerved to avoid an oncoming motorcycle. Police are investigating the event, which occurred yesterday, October 30, in Chon Buri. Police in Pattaya, specifically the Bang Lamung district, responded promptly after receiving reports of…
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Thai citizenship granted to 483,000 immigrants to boost economy
The Thai Cabinet approved Thai citizenship to 483,000 immigrants in a move aimed at boosting the economy. The decision met with disagreement from many Thai residents. The spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, Jirayu Huangsub, announced on Tuesday, October 29, that the Thai Cabinet and the Office of National Security Council agreed in their meeting to grant citizenship to 483,000 immigrants.…
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Turbocharged cops shift gears to bust Thai luxury car scam (video)
In a story more fitting for a Jason Statham heist movie, police finally cracked a high-rolling car scam, seizing a £6.5 million (285 million baht) stash of stolen luxury motors, including a jaw-dropping £220,000 (9.65 million baht) Lamborghini Huracan Spyder. These wheels were fraudulently whisked away from Britain and shipped to Thailand eight years ago but now they’re coming home,…
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Thailand targets 3.5% GDP growth amid economic challenges
The Finance Ministry of Thailand has ambitiously set the stage for GDP growth by targeting a 3.5% annual increase. This announcement was made at the CEO Econmass Awards 2024, where Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira delivered a keynote address. The minister expressed optimism that next year’s growth rate could reach 3%, marking a 10% increase from this year’s forecasted 2.7%. “This…
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Monk on the run: Abbott crashes and dashes after bail (video)
A Thai abbot crashed his pickup into a prison guard’s car on a road in Chiang Mai, seriously injuring the guard. The monk later disappeared after being granted bail. The public raised suspicions of corruption in the road accident case involving the abbot and the prison guard in Chiang Mai. The accident occurred on October 24 but the suspect, the abbot…
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Thailand seeks OECD membership for global economic standing
Thailand aims to elevate its global standing by seeking membership in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), as announced by Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa. This move highlights the country’s strategic alignment with the OECD’s objectives, further underscored by the formal launch of Thailand’s OECD Accession Process. Maris shared these developments yesterday, October 30, during an event organised by…
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Thailand airports see passenger surge with 19% increase
Thailand’s air travel sector is experiencing a significant upswing, with the nation’s six principal airports reporting a surge in passenger numbers. In the fiscal year ending yesterday, these airports welcomed 119.2 million passengers, marking a 19% increase from the previous year, as reported by the Airports of Thailand (AoT). The AoT oversees operations at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket,…
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Thailand braces for cooler temperatures and heavy rain
Thailand is experiencing fluctuating weather patterns, leading to temperatures dropping by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius (°C) in the northern and northeastern regions. Meanwhile, heavy rain is expected in parts of the central, eastern, and southern areas, with high waves in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. The Meteorological Department of Thailand (TMD) issued a forecast for the next 24…
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Thai man regains consciousness hours after murder-suicide (video)
A Thai man murdered his wife before attempting to commit suicide at a house in the central province of Prachin Buri. A rescue team found the couple unresponsive after the tragic act. However, in a bewildering twist, the man regained consciousness three hours later, leaving the rescue team in disbelief at his unexpected revival. Officers from Si Maha Pho Police…
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Thailand-Korea Soft Power Festival 2024 boosts cultural ties
Korea and Thailand’s cultural ties are set to be celebrated with the Thailand-Korea Soft Power Festival 2024, scheduled to occur tomorrow at Suralai Hall in ICONSIAM, Bangkok. This vibrant event, orchestrated by the Korean Culture Centre in Thailand (KCC) alongside the Korea Thailand Communication Centre (KTCC), is an expansion of last year’s K-Soft Power Festival and aims to enhance economic…
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Phuket’s courtroom prescription: Legal drama escalates in Swiss assault dismissal
A gripping legal battle is heating up in Phuket as the lawyer representing a woman doctor challenges the court’s shocking decision to dismiss her assault case against a Swiss man. Dr Thandao Chandam claims she was kicked in the back by 45 year old Urs Fehr, also known as David, while she sat outside his villa on Yamu Beach in…
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Dead body found on beach sends shockwaves through Pattaya
A shocking discovery has sent shockwaves through the Pattaya community after a body was washed up on Dongtan Beach in Jomtien. At precisely 9.46am yesterday, October 30, police received a distress call that would lead to a grim scene. Pattaya police wasted no time responding, and they were joined by rescue teams from the Sawang Boriboon Thamasathan Foundation. Upon arrival,…
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Central Pattana unwraps festive cheer with finn-tastic partnership
Central Pattana Plc (CPN), Thailand’s retail powerhouse, is teaming up with a host of partners including the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Embassy of Finland, Sculptra by Galderma, and Finnair to launch the extravagant The World’s Great Celebration 2025. With a whopping 700 million baht investment, this initiative aims to give Thailand’s economy a festive boost and reinforce its…
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Crime coins: SEC cracks down on crypto laundering in Thailand
In a bold move, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has thrown down the gauntlet, demanding digital asset operators report suspicious transactions as part of a crackdown on crypto money-laundering scams. This action follows hot on the heels of accusations against iCon Group, a direct sales outfit allegedly involved in laundering dirty money through the stablecoin USDT. The Department of…
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Gold rush fever: Prices surge, Thai buyers told to act fast
In a dazzling turn of events, gold prices shot up today, leaving potential buyers scrambling to make their move as the Gold Traders Association (GTA) reveals hefty increases. Gold ornaments are now flaunting a price tag of 44,800 baht per baht weight, leaping up by a solid 350 baht overnight. According to the GTA, bullion gold with a 96.5% purity…
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Thailand cash splash: Foreign tourists send Visa spending soaring
Thailand is basking in a financial boom, with foreign tourists spending a staggering 90% more on Visa credit cards this year compared to the pre-pandemic high of 2019. While Thai travellers are tightening their purse strings amid a sluggish economy, foreigners can’t seem to get enough of the Land of Smiles. Visa Thailand’s country manager, Punnamas Vichitkulwongsa, revealed that Thailand…
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Cloud nine: Equinix boost set to reign over Thailand’s data skies
American tech giant and cloud extraordinaire Equinix is making waves in Thailand with a colossal 16 billion baht investment. This financial injection over the next decade is set to supercharge Thailand’s data centre infrastructure, targeting the surging demand from the bustling CLMVT region, according to Thailand’s Board of Investment (BoI). For those not in the know, the CLMVT region comprises…
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Thailand cuts interest rate to boost economic recovery
Thailand’s central bank has strategically positioned its policy interest rate to counter economic challenges as financial conditions tighten and recovery remains uneven. Minutes from the October 16 meeting of the Bank of Thailand (BoT) revealed that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) made an unexpected decision to lower the one-day repurchase rate by 25 basis points to 2.25%, marking the first…
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Starbucks stirs up Thai market with a ‘latte’ new stores brewing
Hold onto your coffee cups, folks! Starbucks Thailand is brewing up a storm with plans to roll out 30 new stores annually, even as the country’s coffee market bubbles with fierce competition. This caffeine-fuelled expansion underscores the coffee giant’s faith in Thailand’s untapped potential in Southeast Asia. Spearheading this bold venture is Starbucks Thailand’s Managing Director, Nednapa Srisamai, who’s unfazed…
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Panda-monium: Giant pandas to strengthen Thailand-China ties
Another pair of giant pandas is set to arrive in Thailand as part of a diplomatic gesture to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Sino-Thai relations next year. The announcement follows a meeting of key stakeholders, including representatives from the Zoological Park Organisation, Chiang Mai Zoo, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the Department of East Asian Affairs,…
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Bangkok’s grey gamble: Elderly caught playing their cards wrong
Police in Bangkok arrested a group of elderly people for illegal gambling, seizing 200 baht in cash and other gambling paraphernalia. The raid, prompted by complaints about parked vehicles blocking traffic, saw an 80 year old among the detainees engaging in a friendly game of chance with peers. Police in Bangkok, led by high-ranking officials, launched a raid on a…
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Police flush out Thai teen’s mall bathroom masturbating video call
Police issued a warning to a perverted 19 year old Thai teen who engaged in a video sex phone call and masturbated in a bathroom of a shopping mall in the central province of Chai Nat. A shocked shopping mall visitor alerted staff members today, October 30, after witnessing the teenager, identified only as P, masturbating in one of the…
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Baht appreciation leads to 4 to 5 billion baht revenue shortfall
Revenue collection for the 2024 fiscal year fell short of government expectations by 4 to 5 billion baht due to the appreciation of the baht. This shortfall occurred as the fiscal year concluded in September, impacting the value-added tax (VAT) revenue from imports, particularly affecting oil imports. Finance Permanent Secretary Lavaron Sangsnit explained that the rapid strengthening of the baht…
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Phuket at the helm of Asia’s Urban Act initiative
Phuket has been handpicked as the focal point for the Urban Act initiative, an ambitious drive set to spearhead low-carbon, resilient urban growth across the Asia-Pacific. The announcement was unveiled at a meeting in Phuket Provincial Hall with Governor Sophon Suwannarat and Vice Governor Ronnarong Tipsiri among the key players present. The Urban Act Project, which kicked off in April…
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Lightning strike causes house fire in Samut Prakan, no injuries
A lightning strike led to a house fire in Samut Prakan, Thailand, early this morning, causing severe damage but no injuries. The blaze erupted in a two-storey home, with the downstairs made of concrete and the upstairs of wood. Firefighters were able to control the fire after an hour of battling the intense flames. The incident occurred at 2.10am, today,…
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Snack attack: Thai woman’s sticky fingers prank is no joke (video)
A Thai woman caught stealing snacks from a shop in the central province of Chachoengsao claims that she did not mean to steal, and only wanted to prank the shop owner. The owner of a local grocery shop in the Bang Pakong district of Chachoengsao, 53 year old Supaporn, called Bang Pakong Police Station to arrest the 42 year old…
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Thai influencer arrested with drugs and firearms in Bangkok
Thai social media influencer Phor Ban Khlong Toei, renowned for his presence on TikTok and participation in Fight Club Thailand, was apprehended by police at his residence yesterday. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s Division 5 seized a quantity of crystal methamphetamine and firearms during the arrest. The arrest sent ripples through the online community, as many followers of Phor…
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Phuket road rebels: Law takes a backseat as foreign bikers run wild
Police have yet to take legal action against two foreign motorcyclists who were caught on video riding dangerously down a main road in Phuket. A Thai motorist who witnessed the reckless actions of the two foreign riders yesterday, October 29, recorded a video of their traffic violations and shared it with Phuket Times, today, October 30. The news page shared…
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British Airways spreads its wings: Gatwick-Bangkok flights back on
In a move that’s set to soar to new heights, British Airways relaunched its direct flights from London Gatwick to the bustling city of Bangkok. The inaugural flight, BA 2231, took to the skies from Gatwick, yesterday, October 29, making a graceful touchdown at Suvarnabhumi Internationa Airport this afternoon, marking a triumphant return to the Land of Smiles. Tourism Authority…
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Tragic truck accident on Bangkok bridge claims driver’s life
A tragic accident occurred when a four-wheel truck driver stopped to change a tyre on the Lad Phrao Bridge in Bangkok and was fatally struck by a six-wheel truck. The accident left his wife devastated as she recounted the harrowing moments leading up to the collision. The incident took place at 5.40am today, October 30. Thosaporn Rungjang, a police lieutenant…
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