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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Thailand commits to child refugee rights by lifting CRC reservation
The Royal Thai Government made a significant stride in children’s rights by agreeing to withdraw its reservation on Article 22 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), with the move now guaranteeing rights to refugee children. This decision was officially announced by the Cabinet on July 9 and is set to be formalised through the United Nations…
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Fertiliser fiasco: Thailand halts farmers’ subsidy scheme
Trouble is brewing for Thailand’s farmers as the much-anticipated fertiliser subsidy faces suspension until next year, according to Agriculture Minister Thamanat Prompow. Thamanat announced plans to discuss the troubled fertiliser subsidy policy with economic ministers, following revelations that the scheme could be on hold until 2024. Initially, the government had approved subsidies of 500 baht per rai, capped at 10,000…
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Wildlife crackdown: Claws out for illegal tiger biz in Thailand
Following the arrest of illegal tiger cubs and ivory traffickers, the Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation ordered a thorough inspection of all tiger farms, with strict actions promised against any illegal activities. This move, yesterday, July 15, is part of the intensifying efforts to clamp down on illegal wildlife trade in Thailand. The Director-General,…
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Power play: Thailand’s coalition leaders unite over dinner
Emerging from a high-profile dinner meeting at the Nai Lert Park Heritage Home, Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin confidently asserted that the coalition now commands the unwavering support of over 314 MPs. The informal dinner, attended by core leaders of the 11 coalition parties, underscored the unity among the partners. The 62 year old Thai premier highlighted the solidarity within…
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Ancient artefacts found in Phrae to boost tourism
The ancient city of Wiang Chiang Chuen in Phrae, northern Thailand, has unveiled numerous historical artefacts, including polished stone axes and objects over 2,000 years old. The Fine Arts Department plans to develop it into a new historical tourist attraction. During a survey today, Warawut Euapinyakul, MP for Phrae’s 3rd district from the Pheu Thai Party, and Director-General of the…
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Pattaya police deny collusion in Chinese tourist extortion scandal
One of the police officers accused of extorting 700,000 baht from Chinese tourists in Pattaya denied involvement in the act, claiming he was in the car the entire time and did not know what had happened to the foreigners. A dashcam video showed a group of men introducing themselves as police, raiding the car of the Chinese victims and later…
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Food fight: Chatuchak market prices stir up a spicy online debate
A shocking revelation about the cost of food at Chatuchak market sparked a fierce online discussion. A Facebook user posted in the group พวกเราคือผู้บริโภค (We Are Consumers), which has 780,000 members, sharing their shock at being charged 820 baht for three dishes. Visiting the market only once a year, the user admitted to lacking local knowledge. They recounted their experience,…
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Well-trusted nanny arrested for multimillion-baht theft and fraud
A deeply trusted nanny in Nakhon Pathom has been arrested for theft and fraud amounting to millions of baht. Despite receiving a high salary and being treated well, she allegedly stole valuable items and borrowed money under false pretences. Officers led by Police Major General Saruti Kwangsopha today, July 16, ordered the arrest of a 45 year old nanny, Anong,…
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Kindergarten officer arrested for embezzlement of 2.8 million baht
Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) officers arrested a former kindergarten finance officer for embezzlement of over 2.8 million baht from a bilingual program. The suspect was taken into custody on charges of corruption. The Secretary-General of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), Phumivisan Kasemsuk, today, July 16, directed a team under the PACC to facilitate the arrest of the suspect. The…
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Thailand approves genome editing to boost agricultural yields
Thailand officially sanctioned Genome Editing (GEd) technology for advanced plant breeding, aiming to boost yields while reducing chemical use in agriculture, according to the Department of Agriculture (DoA). DoA Chief Rapeepat Chansriwong announced the approval of the GEd technique under a ministerial regulation. This decision was endorsed by the agriculture minister and subsequently published in the Royal Gazette. Typically, new…
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Chicken crisis averted: Dentist wings it to save choking man (video)
A quick-thinking dentist saved a man’s life when he choked on food at a chicken rice restaurant in Saraburi. The incident yesterday, July 15, was captured by CCTV footage and shared on TikTok. The chicken rice restaurant, located in Mueang district, Saraburi was the scene of the dramatic rescue. The owner, 34 year old Kriangkrai Apibarnthamakit, who is seen in…
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Thai Education Ministry advances tablet initiative despite budget cut
Thailand’s Education Ministry continues to advance its tablet distribution initiative, despite a budget reduction from 16 billion to 13 billion baht. Siripong Angkasakulkiat, an assistant to the Education Minister, confirmed the ministry’s commitment to the project yesterday. Education Minister Police General Permpoon Chidchob is spearheading the One District, One Quality School project. This initiative aims to consolidate educational resources, both…
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Smoke and mirrors: Grandson’s row over cigarettes ends in tragedy
A tragic incident occurred in Udon Thani where an elderly man was killed by his grandson after an argument over cigarettes. The event shocked the local community, who described the deceased as a kind and sociable person. Police in Kumphawapi district, Udon Thani, yesterday, July 15, received a report of a murder at a house in Pa Kho subdistrict. Officers…
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Fishing boat nets 4 tonnes of shrimp off Phang Nga coast
A fishing boat’s single catch netted an astonishing 4 tonnes of shrimp, worth nearly 1 million baht, off the coast of Phang Nga. The catch highlights the rich marine life in the area, following a recent conservation period. Officers from the Krabi Provincial Fisheries Office inspected the commercial fishing vessel, S. Phet Samut 11, upon its return to the Sai…
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Former Bangkok MP exits Pheu Thai after election controversy
A former Bangkok MP resigned from the ruling Pheu Thai Party following criticism for showing sympathy to a party opponent during a recent local election in Pathum Thani. Wan Ubumrung submitted his resignation at the Election Commission (EC) and announced it was effective immediately. Wan explained that his decision came after being summoned by the party to clarify his presence…
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Man seeks lottery numbers from tarantula burrow in Phetchabun
A man travelled from Korat to Phetchabun to perform a ritual seeking lottery numbers from a tarantula’s burrow, a practice based on ancient beliefs. His efforts were rewarded with a three-digit number that he hopes will bring him luck. A man from Korat, along with locals and lottery enthusiasts, gathered at a farm owned by 63 year old Bua Charoentha…
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Thai man kills drug-addicted brother after attack on mother
A Thai man stabbed his drug-addicted younger brother to death after he attempted to physically assault his mother at home in the Isaan province of Buriram. Chumsaeng Police Station officers arrested the 32 year old suspect, Weera “Khao” Turam, and accompanied him to the police station for questioning. Khao admitted to stabbing to death his drug-addicted brother, 29 year old…
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Former UVF terrorist engaged to Thai bride 50 years his junior
An infamous Irish terrorist revealed his engagement to a Thai bride half a century younger. Gormy McMullan, a prime suspect in the Loughinisland massacre, announced his upcoming nuptials to Thai national Bannapon Nuch Jathasan on social media, igniting a storm of reactions. “I have decided she is my main one now.” The 71 year old murder suspect proudly declared in…
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Man surrenders after fatal shooting over SIM card in Uthai Thani
A man has turned himself in after allegedly fatally shooting his uncle in a dispute over a mobile phone SIM card. The gunman, who was previously an assistant village headman, resigned following a positive drug test. Today, July 16, 36 year old Kritsana surrendered to police investigator Wasawat Sittirach at Sawang Arom Police Station in the Uthai Thani province. Kritsana…
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Dengue infections in Thailand reach record 44,387 cases in first six months of 2024
The latest epidemiological surveillance report from Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DCD) has revealed an alarming surge in dengue fever cases in 2024. As of July 10, the number of reported cases has reached a staggering 44,387, representing a 1.06-fold increase from the same period in 2023. This marks a significant public health concern, as the first six months of…
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Thailand tackles household debt crisis, slow economic recovery
The Economic Cabinet directed the Finance Ministry and the Bank of Thailand (BoT) to quickly address household debt issues, focusing on bad debts in housing, cars, motorcycles, credit cards, and student loans, amid an economy still showing sluggish recovery signs. Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira, after the economic ministers’ meeting chaired by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, stated that the premier instructed…
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Bangkok to speed up removal of illegal canal structures
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) pledged to accelerate the removal of illegal structures built over the city’s extensive network of canals. Bangkok hosts over 1,980 canals and other waterways, with 233 under the Department of Drainage’s jurisdiction, while local district offices under the BMA manage the remainder. A 2021 survey by the Department of Drainage and Sewerage identified approximately 11,035 illegal…
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Escort scam: Thai man assaulted & robbed in Chiang Mai hotel trap
A Thai man filed a complaint against a male escort and his four friends after they lured him to a hotel in the northern province of Chiang Mai before physically assaulting and robbing him. The victim, 31 year old Korn, told officers at Doi Saket Police Station that he lost cash, a mobile phone valued at about 20,000 baht, and…
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Thai AirAsia seeks govt aid amid demand slump and tax cuts
Thai AirAsia, experiencing a downturn in demand during the second and third quarters of 2023, now seeks government intervention to boost the stagnant local purchasing power. Chief Executive Santisuk Klongchaiya noted that the seasonal nature of tourism has resumed, with the average load factor for the domestic market in the second quarter decreasing to 90% from 94% year-on-year. Despite the…
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Thailand Video News | Kuwaiti street racers cause disturbances in Pattaya, Thaksin Shinawatra to receive certificate of innocence
In Thailand Video News today, Jay shares the video of noisy Kuwaiti motorcycle racers which has led to Pattaya locals pushing for police to intervene. Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is being officially released with a certificate of innocence after finishing his sentence. A Thai mother has accused a kindergarten teacher of beating her three-year-old daughter and making her…
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US offers lower interest rates on F-16s jets to sway Thailand
The United States proposed lowering the interest rates for the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) to purchase F-16 fighter jets in a bid to persuade the Thai government to choose American-made aircraft over Sweden’s Gripen jets. According to a Defence Ministry source, this offer follows the RTAF’s recent announcement that it is considering the Gripen jets, following a procurement committee…
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Nakhon Ratchasima man orders toolset, gets water bottles instead
A man from Nakhon Ratchasima was left disheartened after spending 499 baht on what he believed to be a set of tools but instead received three bottles of water. Nirat Sukboon, a 46 year old resident of Nai Mueang subdistrict, Phimai district, took his complaint to the Phimai Police Station, presenting the evidence of the water bottles. Nirat shared that…
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Court confiscates vehicles after reckless driving caught on camera
Ratchaburi court ordered the confiscation of two vehicles, captured on a dash cam footage, driving recklessly, as both drivers were dangerously cutting each other off in a heated road rage exchange. The drivers have been fined, narrowly escaping prison times. The incident occurred yesterday, July 15, on Phetkasem Road, heading towards Bangkok. A dashboard camera from a trailing vehicle captured…
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Body of unidentified man without hands found in central Thailand
The owner of a sugarcane farm on Sunday discovered the body of a man with both hands severed in the central province of Nakhon Sawan. His identity remains under investigation as officers search for the dead man’s missing hands. The sugarcane farm owner, 53 year old Boonyoung Phothong, told ThaiRath that he was walking on his farm as usual to…
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Man arrested for stealing embassy car mirrors in Bangkok
Thung Maha Mek Police Station officers in Bangkok arrested a man for breaking into a car care shop and stealing side mirrors from several vehicles belonging to an embassy. The theft was captured on CCTV, and the suspect confessed to selling the stolen items for money. The Superintendent of Thung Maha Mek Police Station, Panom Chueathong, yesterday, July 15, reported…
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