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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9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand
Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...
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Boy drowns in Hat Yai canal despite rescue efforts
An eight year old boy tragically drowned while playing in a canal with his friends in Hat Yai, Songkhla. Despite efforts to rescue him, it took two hours to locate his body after his grandfather performed a ritual. The incident occurred at around 1.30pm yesterday, July 20, when police from Koh Hong Police Station in Songkhla received a report of…
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Tiger dies near Dong Yai Forest after alarming villagers
A tiger identified as M116 has died after causing alarm among locals near a concrete dam close to Dong Yai Forest in Lam Nang Rong, Non Din Daeng, Buriram province. Officials discovered the tiger in a weakened state before it passed away, and investigations are underway to determine the cause of death. Villagers recently spotted a large tiger in the…
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Fire destroys house in Ubon Ratchathani, 2 million baht damage
A fierce fire engulfed a two-storey house in Ubon Ratchathani, completely destroying it and causing chaos as firefighters scrambled to control the blaze. The incident occurred yesterday in a densely populated community. Police officer Prawit Wacharin received a report about a fire at a two-storey residence on Sukha Upatham 3 Alley, Sukha Upatham Road, Nai Mueang Subdistrict, Mueang Ubon Ratchathani…
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Expats: New Thai visas make elite status obsolete
Longstay expats are in uproar as Thailand’s new visa policies render their costly long-term options nearly worthless. The introduction of a 60-day visa-exempt policy and the 180-day Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) has left many feeling shortchanged. Geoffrey Fisher, a Brit who recently forked out 900,000 baht (approximately £20,000) for a five-year Elite visa, lamented, “I’ve wasted my money as more…
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Thai senior police officer disguised as monk arrested in scam probe
Thai police apprehended a senior police officer, allegedly involved in a call centre scam, who had fled to become a monk in Lampang. The officer denied being the ringleader, claiming he was merely an accomplice. An investigation into a call centre scam led police to a residence in Pa Tan, Mueang district, Chiang Mai, and another apartment within the Baan…
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Police seize 6 million methamphetamine pills in North Thailand
Police in Pai district, Mae Hong Son province in northern Thailand seized 6 million methamphetamine pills (meth) and 21 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine (Ice) that had been abandoned in the area. However, the individuals responsible for transporting the drugs escaped arrest. Chucheep Pongchai, Governor of Mae Hong Son, instructed Anek Pantayom, the District Chief of Pai, to address the drug…
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Young girl drowns in Khon Kaen weir tragedy
A young girl drowned in Khon Kaen as she played on a weir with a group of others. Three were rescued after a four-hour search. Police from the Water Operation Unit of the VR Friendship Rescue Association in Phon Mueang mobilised to search for the 12 year old girl, Panadda Nganman, also known as Nong Mai yesterday, July 19. She…
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Police arrest man terrorising Don Mueang community
Police apprehended a Thai man for causing disturbances in Don Mueang. Residents complained about his disruptive behaviour, including blocking roads and live-streaming. Police searched his home, discovering weapons and taking him into custody. The Thai man, 42 year old Ekaluk, also known as Ek Saiteo, has been a notorious figure in his neighbourhood for some time. Residents finally reached their…
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Police seize vaping products worth 5 million baht in Lat Krabang
Police raided a large warehouse in Lat Krabang yesterday, July 19, discovering over 60,000 pieces of illegal vaping products worth 5 million baht. Two suspects were arrested, and the warehouse was disguised as a grocery store. Police Colonel Korrawis Thongsriwanich, head of Division 1 of the Tourist Police Bureau, led the operation. His team collaborated with Police Colonel Somkid Pracheunsuk,…
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Thai tenant shocks owner by bringing 29 cats for one night (video)
A tenant staying at a daily rental room shocked the owner by bringing 29 cats along for just one night. Initially, the situation seemed amicable, but it ended poorly. TikTok user @brand2lor, who owns daily and monthly rental rooms, posted a clip showing the aftermath of a guest who rented a room for a single night and brought along 29…
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Thai mother and daughter found dead in Pattaya home
A mother and her daughter were found dead in their home in Nong Prue subdistrict, East Pattaya yesterday, July 19. The lifeless bodies of 67 year old Rattanaphan and her 35 year old daughter, Prangnalin were discovered together on a bed in their single-detached house. Police, who cordoned off the scene, uncovered a disturbing array of items on the bedside…
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Sattahip officials detain mentally ill man after resident complaints
Sattahip District officials, responding to residents’ complaints, apprehended a mentally ill man who had been causing disturbances and damaging property. Sattahip District Chief Phakhawat Khanthahiran tasked his deputy and a team of officials, along with Sattahip Police, to address the situation yesterday. Upon arriving at the scene, the team worked together to restrain the unidentified homeless man. He was then…
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Four Colombian men arrested for Bangkok area home burglaries
Four Colombian men have been apprehended in Nonthaburi and Chon Buri for a series of home burglaries targeting housing estates in Bangkok and nearby provinces. Immigration officers and police arrested three suspects at a condominium in Mueang district, Nonthaburi, and the fourth at a hotel in South Pattaya, Chon Buri, according to Police Major General Panthana Nuchanart, deputy commissioner of…
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Bangkok urged to create app for safer, fair motorcycle taxi fares
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has been urged by a city council member to develop a new application for motorcycle taxis to ensure passenger safety and fair pricing. Viput Srivaurai, representing Bang Rak district, advocated for leveraging technology and innovation to enhance motorcycle taxi services. Viput emphasised that the BMA should implement a data management system to organise services and…
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Global chaos as CrowdStrike fixes world’s biggest IT outage
Cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike has issued a fix for a software glitch that caused one of the most massive global IT outages ever recorded, disrupting industries from airlines and banking to healthcare. CrowdStrike’s CEO George Kurtz confirmed yesterday that the issue had been identified and isolated, but affected Windows computers would need manual reboots to regain functionality. While Microsoft announced that…
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Over 2 million unregistered Thai mobile numbers suspended
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) suspended the services of over 2 million mobile phone numbers after their owners missed the identity registration deadline yesterday. This move aims to enhance security and reduce fraud related to unregistered mobile numbers. The affected numbers are primarily linked to individuals possessing between six and 100 unregistered SIM cards. The suspension affects their…
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Drunk Thai man stabs taxi rider with scissors to avoid paying fare
A drunk Thai man stabbed a motorcycle taxi rider in the neck with a pair of scissors outside a village in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok on July 17 because he could not pay the fare after spending all his money on booze. Bang Bua Thong Police Station officers were alerted to the stabbing and rushed to the scene with Poh…
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TikTok account theft: Popular Pattaya pancake vendor seeks justice
A popular crispy Tokyo-style pancake vendor in Ko Khram near Pattaya is in distress after discovering that someone close to her has stolen significant amounts of money and her branded handbags. Additionally, her TikTok account, boasting 2.5 million followers, has been sold without her consent. Oranya Aphaiso, known as Olive, reported the incident to the Ko Khram Police Station and…
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Debate ignites over van-car collision in Patong Hill, Phuket (video)
A collision between a van and a car at the intersection of a hotel driveway in Patong Hill, Phuket, sparked a heated debate over road rules and responsibilities. Video footage of the incident, shared by the NewshawkPhuket Facebook page, shows a white car exiting a hotel on Phra Baramee Road in Kathu district and being hit by an oncoming van.…
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Thailand tops South Korea’s drug seizure list
Thailand continues to dominate in the seizure of illicit drugs by South Korean police this year, accounting for a significant portion of the narcotics confiscated at the country’s entry points. Thailand was responsible for 25% of the 298 kilogrammes of drugs seized in South Korea during the first half of 2024, according to data from the Korea Customs Service (KCS)…
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Business ties: Thailand extends visa-free stay for Hongkongers
Thailand’s extension of visa-free visits for Hong Kong residents is expected to bolster business relations and entice more visitors from the financial hub, despite a recent murder-suicide incident in Bangkok, according to industry leaders. The tragic event, involving six people, has not deterred travel plans, they emphasised. Anthony Lam Sai-ho, Executive Deputy Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, praised…
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Phuket enforces 48-hour alcohol ban for Buddhist holidays
Patong police announced a 48-hour ban on alcohol sales in bars and restaurants as Thailand observes the Buddhist holidays Asarnha Bucha Day and Khao Phansa this weekend. Violating the alcohol sales ban could result in up to six months in jail or a fine of up to 10,000 baht, according to the notice issued by Patong Police. Officers informed bar…
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Global cyber outage grounds flights and halts news broadcasts
CrowdStrike, the cybersecurity giant serving a number of global industries, suffered a significant outage this morning, causing disruptions across the globe. This unforeseen technical glitch halted news broadcasts and grounded flights, creating chaos for travellers and media outlets alike. There were no reports of any Thai airports affected. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States reported that three…
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Thai man with epilepsy crashes and kills student on Bangkok road
A Thai man with epilepsy yesterday crashed his pickup into a sedan car and two motorcycles on Ratchadapisek Road in Bangkok, injuring three motorists and killing a university student. Officers from Phahonyothin Police Station and rescuers from the Portektung Rescue Foundation rushed to the accident scene on Ratchadapisek Road in the Chatuchak district of Bangkok yesterday afternoon, July 18. Officers…
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Wichit conducts major tsunami evacuation drill in Phuket
Phuket’s Wichit Municipality conducted a comprehensive tsunami evacuation drill and rescue exercise yesterday, July 18, aimed at bolstering disaster preparedness in Phuket. Wichit Mayor Kreetha Chotiwichpipat and Mueang Phuket District Chief Worasit Putjeeb led the drill, which involved multiple agencies in a Table Top Exercise (TTX). The simulation was designed to test the municipality’s ability to respond to a tsunami…
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Thailand rubber farmers oppose fund use for fish purchase
Rubber farmers in Prachuap Khiri Khan raised concerns over the Ministry of Agriculture’s decision to use funds from the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT) to buy black-banded trevally fish at 15 baht per kilogramme. The farmers question the fairness and appropriateness of this policy. Rungroj Ratanakaw, a resident of Thong Mongkol subdistrict in Bang Saphan district, voiced his disagreement with…
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South Korean man faces jail for hiding illegal Thai worker’s body
A South Korean court sentenced a pig farm owner to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, for concealing the body of a Thai worker who had been working illegally at the farm for 10 years and died last year. The body of 67 year old Boonchu was discovered on a mountain in Pocheon City, Gyeonggi province, South Korea,…
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Crispy pork surprise leaves Bangkok diner shell-shocked
A shocking discovery of a metal fragment in crispy pork left a woman stunned at a local restaurant in Bangkok. Despite her calmness in approaching the vendor to inform them of the discovery, she was met with indifference and received no apology. A woman posted in the พวกเราคือผู้บริโภค (We Are Consumers) Facebook group about her experience at a food stall…
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Phuket launches road safety campaign to curb tourist accidents
Phuket provincial police have initiated a new road safety campaign targeting the root causes of traffic accidents involving tourists. This effort, in collaboration with local partners, aims to reduce the high number of road incidents in the area. The campaign was officially launched yesterday, July 18, at the Phuket Merlin Hotel by Region 8 Police Police Lieutenant General Suraphong Thanomchit…
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Boy sleeping in Chiang Mai laundrette sparks action (video)
A young boy has drawn widespread attention after sleeping alone in a laundromat in the Chiang Mai province late at night. Concerned netizens expressed their desire to help the child, sparking a conversation about his welfare. Footage shared by TikTok user @suwatchareek captured the boy entering the laundromat around 3am and staying until 5am. “A little boy came to sleep…
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