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 Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Stark Corporation scandal: Court declares class action
The Bangkok South Civil Court ruled in favour of turning the lawsuit against former executives of Stark Corporation into a class action. Accused of duping the public under the Securities Act, the defendants, Vonnarat Tangkaravakoon, Chanin Yensudjai, Chinnawat Assavapokee, Sathar Chantrasettalead, and Kittisak Jitprasertngam, now face the wrath of 4,500 shareholders seeking justice. Upon thorough evaluation of the plaintiffs and…
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Playing foul: Thai MPs score controversy with illegal match stream in Parliament
Pheu Thai Party MPs sparked controversy on Thai social media for watching yesterday’s Thailand versus South Korea football match on an illegal website, complete with gambling advertisements, during a parliament meeting. Football fans in Thailand rejoiced as the national team, commonly known as Chang Suek among Thais, managed to secure a 1-1 draw in their latest World Cup qualifying match…
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Sutin: PM2.5 pollution focus of high stakes meeting with Cambodia
In a high-profile diplomatic move, Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang has declared war on PM2.5 pollution, setting the stage for a showdown with Cambodia. Sutin is gearing up for a fierce clash during the 16th General Border Committee (GBC) meeting in Phnom Penh. He pointed fingers at Cambodian farm practices exacerbating pollution woes across borders. “I will confront Tea Seiha on…
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Toll-free motorway unveiled for Songkran holidays
Motorists are set to enjoy a toll-free journey on the newly announced Intercity Highway Number 81 (M81), disclosed Deputy Transport Minister Surapong Piyachot yesterday. With 97.5% completion, the highway promises to revolutionise travel during the long Songkran break. Surapong highlighted its pivotal role in easing travel woes for residents of Kanchanaburi and neighbouring provinces. “The M81 Highway will be a…
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Sakon Nakhon headman caught in 9 million baht heroin bust
In a major drug bust, authorities in Bueng Kan Province apprehended three individuals, including a prominent subdistrict headman from Sakon Nakhon, for smuggling nearly 10 kilogrammes of heroin. The arrest took place yesterday afternoon at a border patrol police company in Bueng Kan, following a covert operation led by the local law enforcement and border patrol units. The suspects were…
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Rouble trouble: Russian woman fined for assaulting pregnant Thai
The violent Russian woman who blamed her period for assaulting a pregnant Thai woman in Koh Pha Ngan has been fined 500 baht and handed a suspended 15-day jail sentence. Immigration authorities in Surat Thani are deliberating whether to revoke her visa due to the criminal offence. Alena Kupriyanova, the Russian woman in question, confessed to kicking the shop owner,…
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Boosting economic growth: Thailand-Hungary relationship
Hungary seeks to cultivate a stronger bilateral relationship with Thailand as part of the Central European country’s objective to achieve 4% economic growth in the current year, according to Péter Szijjártó, the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Trade between Thailand and Hungary hit a new high last year, exceeding US$730 million (approximately 26 billion baht). Thailand made significant…
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Thai woman denies stealing from Chinese man, accuses him of rape attempt
A Thai woman denied stealing credit cards from a Chinese man and accused him of attempting to rape her at his BBQ restaurant in Pattaya. The 33 year old Chinese man, Dihui Wu Dihui, filed a complaint at Bang Lamung Police Station in Pattaya on March 13, accusing a Thai woman he met on a dating app of stealing his…
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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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