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 Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Northeast Thailand: Son murders father in family dispute
A family tragedy unfolded in Non Sang, Nong Bua Lamphu province when a son murdered his father in a moment of apparent self-defence. The harrowing incident, which took place yesterday evening, resulted in an urgent manhunt for the perpetrator, who is now urged to surrender to the authorities. The deceased, Songsakran, was known by locals for his drastic change of…
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Scientists spooked by ghost shark sighting off Thailand coast (video)
Scientists have been spooked by the ghoulish discovery of a ghost shark swimming off the Andaman coast of Thailand. Researchers revealed the ghost shark is a new species named Chimaera supapae. It boasts a formidable head, oversized eyes, and delicate, feather-like fins. Chimaeras, commonly known as ghost sharks, belong to the family of cartilaginous fish, sharing kinship with sharks and…
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Thai defence ministry to downsize military
The Thai Ministry of Defence outlined a comprehensive plan to downsize service personnel by approximately 700 individuals within the next three years. This strategic move aims to restructure the military and is expected to result in savings of up to 34 million baht. Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang confirmed these details after a Defence Council meeting last Thursday. The initial phase…
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Southeast Asia’s battle against rare diseases
Healthcare visionaries, policymakers, and patient champions gathered under the theme Amplifying Patients’ Voices for Sustainable Change to unravel the complexities of rare diseases and forge a path towards better diagnosis, treatment access, and equitable healthcare. The Medical Association of Thailand, the Thai Rare Disease Foundation, and the Medical Genetics and Genomics Association united with Takeda (Thailand) Limited, aiming to amplify…
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Unveiling Thailand’s cultural heritage through mini-dramas
The Department of Commerce is encouraging business owners to utilise mini-dramas as a means of enhancing the global market’s awareness of the nation’s cultural heritage, traditions, and tourism opportunities. Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai recently introduced actors to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, demonstrating the government’s commitment to promoting local products worldwide through the Y-Yuri Series. The department teamed up with well-known…
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Powering down to unplug overhead chaos for underground gain
Four major organisations, namely the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA), the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, have joined forces to replace overhead cables with underground ones along 116 routes. This substantial project, spanning across both Bangkok and other provinces, will cover a total distance of 213 kilometres. Originally slated for…
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Royal Thai Police internal conflict prompts public investigation
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) is currently embroiled in an internal conflict that has drawn substantial public interest. A committee headed by the former Deputy Police Chief, Police General Winai Thongsong, has been tasked with investigating the matter and has been given a timeframe of 60 days to unearth the truth. According to Pol. Gen. Winai, this investigation is not…
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Sustainable solutions: Bangkok’s waste-to-energy plants
To combat the Thai capital’s mounting garbage crisis, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is rolling out two cutting-edge waste-to-energy plants to revolutionise waste management by 2026. BMA permanent secretary Wanthanee Wattana voiced unwavering confidence in the timely completion of these game-changing facilities. Wattana revealed that construction is well underway at the Nong Khaem and On Nut garbage disposal centres, with Privy…
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Bangkok food vendor’s rooftop standoff ends after wife’s negotiation
A food vendor threatened to leap from the fourth floor of the Bang Khun Thian District Office on Rama 2 Road. A two-hour negotiation ensued after local law enforcement was alerted to the situation today at 9am. Perched precariously on the fourth floor of the District Office, the 33 year old vendor, Prawit (surname withheld) was seen leaning against a wall,…
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Huai Khwang’s food scene hit by strict regulations, eateries close
Recent developments in Huai Khwang district have seen a wave of closures across restaurant businesses including hotpot and shabu eateries. According to the Huai Khwang District Office, scrutiny has led to the discovery that many Chinese restaurants were operating without the necessary permits. The district office mandated that all eateries obtain proper licensing but this proved challenging for some. Compliance…
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Missing Canadian found dead at central Thailand railway station
Police today discovered the dead body of a Canadian man under the platform of Chet Samian Railway Station in the central province of Ratchaburi. This discovery followed a missing person report filed yesterday, March 20. A group of foreigners lodged a missing persons report at Banpong Police Station yesterday, saying that their Canadian friend, 26 year old Ralph Joseph Ryan,…
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Foster father’s violent assault on seven year old boy exposed
A seven year old boy endured physical abuse at the hands of his foster father, sparking swift intervention from Deputy Mayor Wanchai Saenngam of Nong Prue Municipality, alongside local law enforcement. Eyewitnesses recounted the chilling scene where the boy, accompanied by his guardian, faced a violent assault over a trivial dispute at a local grocery shop. Reports suggest the accused…
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Thai woman flies to Thailand from Taiwan to stab cheating husband
A Thai woman flew from Taiwan to Thailand to seek revenge on her cheating husband and his lover by slashing them both with a Stanley knife-type blade at a hotel in the Isaan province of Roi Et. Mueang Roi Et Police Station officers and a rescue team rushed to the hotel at 3am today, March 21, after being notified of…
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Authorities find makeshift home under Huay Yai flyover
During a routine inspection on Tuesday, officials from the rural highway department and the Huay Yai municipality stumbled upon a makeshift home beneath the Ban Bueng-Map Ta Phut flyover in Huay Yai subdistrict. What started as a simple check quickly escalated into a showdown between 57 year old Saiyut Sithlert and his wife against local authorities, who demanded the immediate…
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Bali Hai Pier roof construction to be completed before Songkran
Ensuring the safety and comfort of locals and tourists, Pattaya Deputy Mayor Manoch Nongyai has pledged to complete the roof construction at Bali Hai Pier before the Songkran festival. Manoch, along with city council members, personally inspected the ongoing project at the pier on Tuesday, March 19. The construction project at Bali Hai Pier entails two fundamental components. One is…
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Thai businessman rapes woman, leading to attempt suicide (video)
Investigation Division of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (IDMB) officers arrested a Thai businessman for allegedly raping a woman. The woman is in critical condition due to an attempted suicide after the sexual assault. The 29 year old victim filed a complaint against the businessman, Wachirawit “Joe” Sirichokwanit, at Tung Mahamek Police Station in Bangkok on March 14, accusing him of…
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Water shortages strike two districts in Prachuap Khiri Khan
Prachuap Khiri Khan is hit by water shortages as two districts plunge into a state of emergency due to an unprecedented drought crisis. With acute water shortages ravaging communities, authorities issue a desperate plea for aid and conservation efforts. Acting Deputy Governor Kittiphong Sukhapakul officially declared drought disaster zones in two districts of Prachuap Khiri Khan on Monday. This decisive…
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Deputy foreign minister backs Mekong region trade
To revitalise cross-border commerce, the Thailand deputy foreign minister made a pivotal visit to Chiang Saen Port on Monday, accentuating its pivotal role in the lower Mekong region. With cross-border trade in Chiang Rai soaring to an estimated 100 billion baht last year, according to the Foreign Ministry, the port’s strategic location where the Kok and Mekong Rivers converge offers…
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Thailand police foil illegal immigration operation, 66 nabbed
Kanchanaburi‘s Thong Pha Phum police, along with immigration officers and relevant agencies, successfully thwarted an illegal immigration smuggling operation in Thailand. The operation yesterday, March 20, led to the apprehension of 66 individuals and the confiscation of four vehicles, marking a significant breakthrough in the fight against illegal immigration in Thailand. The report from the police highlighted that the officers…
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Thai woman fights for justice after ex-husband’s acid attack
A Thai woman from the southern province of Songkhla sought assistance from multiple news outlets after suffering an acid attack by her ex-husband after the case had been ignored by police for five months. The 28 year old victim, Kritsada Kaewkwan, urged several media outlets to publish her story to draw attention from officers at Sabayoi Police Station in Songkhla. Kritsada…
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Monks’ brawl during ceremony sparks debate in Surat Thani (video)
A fight broke out between two monks in Surat Thani during a religious ceremony at a family’s home, shocking the household and sparking widespread online debate. The incident, captured on video and shared on Facebook by a user named ซัน บุญเลี้ยง, shows the monks exchanging blows in an unexpected turn of events during what was supposed to be a peaceful…
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Corrections Department: Double standards in Thaksin’s treatment
The Corrections Department is under fire for its alleged double standards in handling the case of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Despite being imprisoned at the Police General Hospital for six months, the 74 year old Thaksin enjoyed an early release, sparking accusations of preferential treatment. Critics are pointing fingers at Justice Minister Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong, the Corrections Department’s…
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Hong Kong man arrested in Phuket for illegal tour operations
A 31 year old man from Hong Kong has been apprehended in the tourist hotspot of Phuket. The arrest occurred in a car park close to the iconic Phuket Big Buddha, officially known as Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Eknakakiri, on Nakkerd Hill in the Mueang district’s Karon Subdistrict, yesterday around 5pm. The local tourist police disclosed that Wong Tsz Kin has…
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Hong Kong: 14 year old student arrested for attack on classmate (video)
In Hong Kong, a 14 year old student has been apprehended by law enforcement in Sham Shui Po district on suspicion of assault causing bodily harm. Officials disclosed that the arrest stems from an incident that unfolded last Friday within the Cheung Sha Wan area, where a 13 year old boy fell victim to an attack by a classmate. The…
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Thai woman abandons 7 year old daughter at Krabi bus terminal
A Thai woman abandoned her seven year old daughter at a bus terminal in the southern province of Krabi on March 18. The girl is now safe in the care of her father. Vendors by the Transport Company Limited bus terminal in Krabi sought help from Mueang Krabi Police Station after they found the girl, Nam, wandering around the place…
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Young golf caddie’s life cut short in road accident in Sattahip
A young golf caddie met a tragic end in a motorcycle crash in Na Jomtien, Sattahip district, Chon Buri province yesterday morning. The accident, which unfolded on the serene stretch of Nong Jap Tao – Khao Chi Chan Road, has plunged a family into mourning and raised urgent questions about road safety. Local authorities were alerted to the accident scene…
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THAI plans summer flights including Milan and Oslo
Thai Airways International (THAI) unveiled an ambitious summer schedule set to cover 61 global destinations, including Milan and Oslo. From March 31 to October 26, the airline is not just expanding its wings with a special focus on two brand-new destinations: the fashion capital of Milan and the scenic splendour of Oslo. This strategic expansion includes a significant increase in…
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Worker fatally electrocuted outside Bangkok mall, others injured
Tragedy struck yesterday when a worker was fatally electrocuted in front of a well-known shopping mall in the Bang Kapi area of Bangkok. In a horrific turn of events, one person lost their life while two others were revived with CPR, and several more suffered injuries. The incident occurred as a tree relocation vehicle entangled with high-voltage power lines. Police…
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Tinder ad slammed as an insult to Isaan women and Korat cuisine
The leader of a women’s rights protection organisation in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima condemned an advertisement by the Tinder dating application for insulting women in the province and depreciating Korat’s signature dish. Tinder, one of the world’s most popular dating applications, recently launched a new advertising campaign across various provinces in Thailand. The campaign encourages visitors of each…
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Phayao to become Thailand’s next eco-tourism hotspot
In a move set to transform Phayao into Thailand’s next eco-tourism hotspot, the Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, unleashed a whopping 300 million baht across 13 projects. This ambitious blueprint not only aims to catapult Phayao onto the global sustainable travel map but also promises a future where rubber farmers rejoice over record-breaking profits. PM Srettha, who also…
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