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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Thai PM urged to approve key high-speed train contract
Deputy Transport Minister Surapong Piyachote is pushing for Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s approval of a crucial construction contract for the long-delayed Thai-Chinese high-speed train project. This contract is one of the last two to complete the first phase. Boonchai Panich Co secured Contract 4-5, which involves constructing a 13.3-kilometre section. Despite this, the signing of the contract has been delayed…
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Thai cop allegedly demands bribe and sex from arrested student
A Thai university student accused an officer from Thanyaburi Police Station in Pathum Thani province, near Bangkok, of demanding a 10,000 baht bribe and sexual favours from her after she was arrested for drunk driving. The 22 year old female student reported the police corruption to the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women. She revealed, alongside the foundation’s founder, Pavena Hongsakul, that…
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Koh Kong residents face prolonged flooding until Loy Krathong
Residents of Koh Kong, Sukhothai, have been struggling with persistent floods since August, with concerns that the situation might extend until the Loy Krathong festival in November. Locals reveal that annual flooding is a recurring issue they have faced for as long as they can remember. Today, September 9, a report highlighted that the water levels in the Yom River,…
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Thailand champions game-changing tax scheme for low earners
Finance Permanent Secretary Lavaron Sangsnit has thrown his weight behind the daring negative income tax (NIT) scheme, championing welfare payments for workers when their income dips below a certain threshold. Dubbed “workfare,” this initiative is geared to incentivise employment while offering crucial financial support. Lavaron made his case clear: the NIT system encourages people to stay employed by guaranteeing state…
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Thai woman left blind and disfigured after misdiagnosis
A Thai woman is demanding accountability and compensation from doctors and a hospital in the Phahonyothin neighbourhood of Bangkok after a misdiagnosis and medicine allergy left her blind and disfigured. The victim, Sasinan, and her husband sought assistance from non-profit organisation Saimai Survive after she lost her sight and suffered facial disfigurement due to the recklessness of a doctor at…
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Cathay soars again: A350 fleet back in action after fiery setback
Cathay Pacific Airways triumphantly re-launched its Airbus A350 aircraft, after a dramatic engine fire grounded the fleet and caused the cancellation of 90 flights over the past week. The fiery incident uncovered a rare issue with fuel hoses, triggering an urgent, large-scale inspection and repair operation across the airline’s A350 lineup. With 48 of these widebody jets under Cathay’s wing,…
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Medical technician loses 20,000 baht in Buriram call centre scam
A medical technician in Buriram fell victim to a call centre scam, losing over 20,000 baht after being tricked by someone posing as an electricity authority officer. The victim, 54 year old Yutthana shared his experience to warn the public and urge the government to improve security systems. On Saturday, September 7, Yutthana received a call from an individual claiming…
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Tree-mendous: Neighbour saves man stuck up tree for 10 hours
A neighbour came to the rescue of a Thai man who got stuck up a tree in the Isaan province of Chaiyaphum for over 10 hours after an unexpected accident. The victim, 46 year old Phongsathorn, was stranded in a Ceylon oak tree in his neighbour’s paddy field in the Nong Bua Rawe district of Chaiyaphum for more than 10…
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Pet peeve turns deadly: Feud erupts in central Thailand bloodbath
A bitter, months-long dispute over pets exploded into shocking violence in Pathum Thani’s Khlong Luang district yesterday, leaving a retired army officer and his neighbour dead in a bloody confrontation. Police rushed to the scene at a housing estate in tambon Khlong Sam yesterday, September 8, around 7.30am, where they discovered the lifeless bodies of 64 year old Colonel Jaruchart…
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Pattaya City launches health project for night workers
Pattaya City takes a significant stride in enhancing healthcare accessibility for night workers as Mayor Poramese Ngampiches inaugurated the Proactive Health Promotion Project for Night Workers yesterday, September 8. The launch event, held at Leela Club on Walking Street, gathered prominent city executives, including Nathamon Ajsong, Chairman of the Pattaya City Transformation Leaders, and Doctor Atthaporn Limpanyalert, Deputy Secretary-General of…
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Thai man condemned for using free cafe WiFi to watch porn (video)
The owner of a coffee shop in the central province of Lopburi condemned a pervy Thai man for using the cafe’s free WiFi to watch pornography and harass female customers. He reportedly spent long periods at the cafe without buying anything. The cafe owner shared a video of the man in a Facebook group for Lopburi residents on September 5.…
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Fake doctor scams Thais with bogus UK tours and job offers
A group of people reported being scammed by a fake doctor selling fraudulent tours and collecting fees for work in the UK, with losses exceeding 40 million baht. Despite a red notice, the suspect remains at large, with a 1 million baht reward for their capture. A group of approximately 20 victims, approached the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) to file…
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Motorbike mayhem: Monkey wreaks havoc on bike seat in Phuket
A large monkey at Khao Rang (also known as Monkey Hill) in Phuket Town tore apart the seat of a parked motorbike, prompting an assistant village headman to issue a warning for locals and tourists to be cautious around the monkeys. Suriyan Mai-on, the assistant village headman for Thalang district, shared a video of the incident online today, September 9,…
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Shooting for justice: Ex-Thai champion takes aim at cheating soldier husband
A former shooting champion of Thailand sought help from social media influencer Guntouch “Gun” Pongpaiboonwet after her cheating soldier husband faced no punishment from the Royal Thai Army (RTA) and refused to compensate her as ordered by the court. The former national athlete, 50 year old Jarinporn Daengpiam, held a press conference today, September 9, to bring the matter to…
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Abbot ousted over 9.2 million baht debt scandal in Pathum Thani
The abbot of Wat Phut Udom in Lam Luk Ka district, Pathum Thani, has been removed from his position following allegations of borrowing 9.2 million baht from a 57 year old woman and failing to repay the amount. The victim was reportedly told to seize the temple’s ordination hall and pavilion as compensation. Police in Pathum Thani province convened a…
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Scaffold sore: Storm lashes Pattaya, topples hotel project (video)
Pattaya City was battered by strong winds and heavy rain yesterday at around 5pm, leading to a major construction site calamity. Scaffolding at a seven-story hotel project on Pattaya Klang Road in Soi Arunotai came crashing down, smashing into power lines and causing high-voltage power poles to break, blocking the road. Miraculously, no injuries were reported. The collapse, a direct result…
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Tractor tragedy: Cops plough through claims after addict’s mysterious death
The police maintained their innocence after a Thai drug addict mysteriously died following his arrest on Saturday. The incident occurred while the individual was driving a farm tractor along a road in Bangkok. Patrol officers from Pathum Wan Police Station were involved in a car chase with 45 year old Thai man Bancha Samingkaew on Phetchaburi Road in the Bangkapi…
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Noodles of growth: Mama set to stir up premium market
Thai President Foods Plc, the company behind Mama instant noodles, anticipates significant growth in the instant noodle market this year, with the premium segment potentially outperforming the overall market. Pun Paniangvait, manager of the president’s office, reported that Thailand’s instant noodle market experienced an 8% to 9% growth in the first half of this year, and the company projects a…
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River runs deep: Thai minister dives into Chao Phraya water woes
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat took centre stage yesterday as she inspected water management in the Chao Phraya River basin. In a high-stakes visit, she was joined yesterday, September 8, by her no-nonsense predecessor Thamanat Prompow, Deputy Minister Akara Prompow, and Deputy Minister Itthi Sirilattthayakorn. The power-packed team first swooped into Chai Nat, where they meticulously reviewed operations at…
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Tourists rescued after ignoring red flags at Phuket beaches
Emergency services in Phuket rushed to rescue two tourists who nearly drowned after ignoring red flag warnings at Kata and Karon beaches. The tourists, from Russia and China, were successfully resuscitated with CPR before being taken to Chalong Hospital for further treatment. Police Lieutenant Colonel Sanya Suksawat of Karon Police Station received notification from the Karon Radio Centre about the…
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Weights and fate: Dumbbells tie man to tragic river end
A group of tourists discovered the dead body of a Thai man in the Khwae Noi River, in the central province of Kanchanaburi. The man was found tied to a backpack containing several dumbbells, weighing 12 kilogrammes. Police suspect that he may have intended to drown himself. The tourists reported their shocking discovery to the Khunnadham Kanchanaburi Foundation at about…
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Phuket noodle shop fire scrambles safety after gas blunder
A blaze erupted at the ‘Reua-bai’ noodle shop on the Chalong-to-Kata road yesterday after a Myanmar worker accidentally left the gas on while cooking an egg dish. Police were alerted around 3.30pm, yesterday, September 8, prompting a swift response from officers and firefighters from Chalong Municipality. The fire caused substantial damage to the shop’s kitchen, located next to Mini Big…
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Teenagers’ gunshot misses target, injures motorcycle taxi driver
During a gang altercation, two teenagers fired a gunshot at a rival but missed, hitting a 60 year old motorcycle taxi driver instead, leaving him injured. Bang Khen police quickly apprehended the suspects, who confessed to disposing of the homemade pen gun used in the incident in a nearby pond. The incident occurred at 10.30am yesterday, September 8, on Soi…
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Thailand rice is on the rise with global GI glamour
The Thailand Rice Department is on a mission to put Thai rice in the global spotlight by promoting its distinctive strains with certified Geographical Indication (GI) labels to a wider audience. Farming communities in Phatthalung and Trang in the south, along with Phayao in the north, have crafted premium rice products that command top prices. These farmers are betting on…
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Fire destroys 15 shops in Bangkok, one fatality reported
A devastating fire in Bangkok engulfed 15 shops, destroying motorcycles and cars, and tragically claiming the life of a bedridden man. Witnesses recounted the harrowing moments as a husband led his wife and child to safety. At 2.45am yesterday, September 8, the Deputy Inspector of Wang Thong Lang Police Station, Pakapol Paiboonsombat, received a report about a fire in a…
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Thailand’s gold prices drop like a rock, baht’s the culprit
Gold prices in Thailand have taken a nosedive, plummeting by 2,000 baht per baht weight in just over a month. This dramatic drop is attributed to the Thai baht’s impressive 7% rise during the same period. The Gold Traders Association (GTA) warns that prices could fall further if the baht continues to strengthen. Jitti Tangsithpakdi, President of the GTA, explained…
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Agoda: Pattaya tops list for quick weekend getaways from Bangkok
Agoda identified Pattaya as the most-searched destination near Bangkok for quick weekend getaways in August. The travel platform’s recent list highlights top locations ideal for day trips, allowing visitors to leave in the morning and return to Bangkok by evening. Pattaya, situated in Chon Buri province, stands out not just for its beach parties but also for its diverse range…
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Burglar steals water pump from Chanthaburi governor’s home
In a gleaming example of who not to rob, a burglar broke into the home of the governor of Chanthaburi province to steal a water pump, which turned out to be an ill-fated decision. The suspect, Chonlathit Wongpramut, also known as Oat, has a criminal record that includes multiple offences. Bang Lamung Police Station received a report of a burglary…
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Foreign man in collision with sidecar motorcycle in Pattaya
A foreign man, who was reportedly drunk, crashed his motorcycle into a sidecar motorcycle in Pattaya yesterday, seriously injuring a Thai motorist. The Sawang Dhammastan Rescue Foundation was alerted to the accident on Soi Chaiyaphruek 1 in the Bang Lamung district of Pattaya yesterday, September 8. Upon arrival, rescuers found a severely damaged sidecar motorcycle with significant damage to its…
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Thailand backs 20-baht cap on mass transit fares
Thailand Consumer Council (TCC) backs the Transport Ministry‘s initiative to cap mass transit electric train fares at 20 baht per trip, according to Secretary-General Saree Ongsomwang, who also advocates for a fair budget allocation for public bus services across all provinces. Saree stated that the 20-baht fare cap was one of Pheu Thai’s campaign promises ahead of last year’s election.…
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