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.
-
Sponsored 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
-
Thai Airways: Perth to Bangkok route to take off on March 31
Thai Airways announced the resumption of daily flights between Perth and Bangkok. The route will be covered by the Boeing 787 Dreamliner on a nonstop seven-hour journey. No longer shackled by layovers, this exclusive direct route between Bangkok and Perth has left rival airlines – including Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Malindo Air, Malaysia Airlines, and Air Asia – in the dust,…
-
Thai man arrested after stalking and kidnapping married woman
Police successfully rescued a Thai woman from a hotel in Chon Buri province after she was kidnapped by a besotted man who fell in love with her despite her being married and rejecting his advances. A 39 year old Thai man filed a missing person’s report at Ban Pho Police Station on January 5 telling officers that his 31 year…
-
Faulty tsunami buoy off Phuket’s coast doesn’t affect Thailand’s early warning system
Phuket’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation assured that despite a malfunction in one of the tsunami buoys deployed in the Andaman Sea, the country’s tsunami early warning system remains fully operational. The faulty buoy, identified as No.23461, is 340 kilometres off Phuket’s coast and ceased transmitting signals last Wednesday, as the Foundation of National Disaster Warning Council reported. The…
-
Deputy Transport Minister strategises to enhance Chiang Mai’s transport systems
Surapong Piyachote, the Deputy Transport Minister, made a strategic visit to Chiang Mai yesterday to deliberate on the ministry’s endeavour to enhance the efficiency of the province’s transport systems. The meeting included Nirat Pongsitthaworn, the Chiang Mai Governor, along with representatives from corresponding sectors. Surapong emphasised the importance of optimising the province’s transportation system for the city’s economy, particularly in…
-
Unusual cremation leaves woman’s skull intact in Thai temple
An unusual incident occurred at Wat Wang Boraphet in Uthai Thani province, where the skull of Jamrus Pachuthai, an 80 year old woman, remained almost intact after her cremation, while the rest of her body turned to ashes. This peculiar event took place at 4.30pm yesterday (January 8). The abbot of the temple, Phra Khru Uthitthamakhun, recounted that after the…
-
Drunken wife allegedly stabs husband in Pattaya domestic dispute
A domestic dispute in Pattaya, Chon Buri, turned violent when a drunken wife allegedly stabbed her 32 year old husband, Damrong Dokpikul, with a knife. The incident, reported to the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Pattaya rescue centre at 9.16pm, took place at a rental home opposite Soi Khao Makok, in Nong Prue, Banglamung. Upon arrival, rescue workers found the injured man…
-
Unidentified man found dead, neck bound with wire and wrists handcuffed in southern Thailand
A Thai farmer stumbled upon the dead body of an unidentified man in a roadside forest in the southern province of Chumphon. The man’s neck was bound with an electric wire and his two wrists were handcuffed. The farmer, 58 year old Sunan, told Channel 3 that he took his cows to the spot every day in the morning and…
-
Thai man linked to major fraud case arrested in Bangkok
Bangkok police apprehended a 57 year old Thai man linked to a sizeable fraud case going back almost ten years. Raveeroj Rithchoteanan, had been previously incarcerated in Angola for his involvement in a significant fraud scheme. The arrest took place on Sunday at a hotel in Wang Thonglang district, with Raveeroj accused of swindling a businessman out of 22 million…
-
GSB plans debt moratorium for 630,000 debtors amid Covid-19 pandemic
The Government Savings Bank (GSB) is setting up a plan to provide a debt moratorium for 630,000 debtors, totalling 6.3 billion baht. This plan is in response to the economic hardship experienced by individuals and businesses due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to an anonymous source. During the pandemic, between 2020 and 2021, GSB, a state-owned entity, issued loans totalling…
-
Fatal family feud over land inheritance shocks Nonthaburi, Thailand
A deadly family feud over land inheritance escalated into a brutal shooting in front of a house in Nonthaburi, Thailand, resulting in two fatalities. The incident occurred at 9.30am today, January 8, when local police and volunteer rescue workers were dispatched to a violent scene in the Ban Mai district of Bang Yai. The victims were identified as 60 year…
-
American wanted for sharing explicit videos and abusing Thai women
Three Thai women reached out to the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women after a perverted American man with anger issues they connected with on a dating app shared explicit pornographic videos, blackmailed, physically assaulted them and stole their valuables. Foundation founder Paveena Hongsakul accompanied one of the three victims to the Royal Thai Police (RTP) Sports Club to file…
-
Man with methamphetamine detained by Thai charity team
In a recent operation by the special operations team from the Thung Yai Charity Faith Samakkhi Foundation, a man was apprehended in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province after his substance abuse led to destructive and delusional behaviour. The individual, who had been consuming methamphetamine daily, was reported to have caused substantial damage to his home and was suffering from severe hallucinations.…
-
Thai PM challenges central bank over interest rate hikes
Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who also holds the position of Minister of Finance, openly expressed his discontent with the Bank of Thailand’s decision to increase interest rates amidst a period of prolonged negative inflation. This move, according to the Thai prime minister, is detrimental to the nation’s economic well-being and disproportionately affects those on lower incomes and small to…
-
Saowapa Vocational College freezes the competition with top prize in Harbin snow sculpture showdown
Three Thai vocational student teams took part in the international snow sculpture competition in Harbin, China, with Saowapa Vocational College scooping first prize. Teams from Saraburi and Surat Thani Vocational Colleges both secured third place. Prapat Ratanarun, Deputy Secretary of the Vocational Education Commission, revealed that the Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC) sent three vocational student teams to…
-
Record PM 2.5 dust levels hit Thailand with Bangkok and Samut Songkhram worst affected
Today saw the highest PM 2.5 dust levels this year in Thailand, with Samut Songkhram and Bangkok exceeding all other areas. The Geoinformatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA), in collaboration with the National Research Office, the Pollution Control Department, Kasetsart University, and Chiang Mai University, revealed that 38 provinces exceeded standard PM 2.5 dust levels, impacting health. The PM…
-
Thai actress slams Russian police and airline inaction after luggage theft
Thai actress Pimprapa “Pim” Tangprabhaporn condemned Russian police and an airline carrier for their inaction after belongings worth over 200,000 baht were stolen from her luggage at Moscow Airport. Pim took to social media yesterday, January 7, to share a video of herself checking her luggage to find her lost valuables in the middle of the airport. She revealed to…
-
Weather update: Northern Thailand braces for chill as storms threaten the south
TheMeteorological Department of Thailand (TMD)forecasted another drop in temperatures across northern Thailand, with the weather ranging from cool to cold, particularly in the mountainous areas. Meanwhile, cloud cover has been observed in Bangkok. In contrast, the southern region has been issued a warning for storm conditions affecting nine provinces. A mass of cold air or high-pressure area continues to cover…
-
2 armed robbers flee after shooting homeowner and stealing 235,000 baht of gold
Police are searching for two armed robbers who shot a homeowner and stole gold necklaces and a mobile phone from his family members at a house in the Ramkamhaeng neighbourhood of Bangkok. The crime was committed yesterday, January 7, and the loss totalled 264,000 baht. Wang Thong Lang Police Station officers were alerted to the shooting and robbery at a…
-
Mentally ill novice forced to quit monkhood after masturbating in bus and police station
Police yesterday forced a mentally ill Thai novice to leave the monkhood and continue treatment after he was caught masturbating on a bus and at a police station in the Isaan province of Udon Thani. A security guard at Udon Thani Bus Terminal 1 reported the indecent act by a 23 year old novice named Sakda to Mueang Udon Thani…
-
Thai man arrested for rape and murder of 75 year old woman in Isaan
Police arrested a local man yesterday for the brutal rape and murder of a 75 year old Thai woman in the Isaan province of Sa Kaeo. The victim’s grandson, 27 year old Sittichai, discovered the dead body of his grandmother, 75 year old Boonnam Cherngkhao, in a sugar cane field near an abandoned car showroom in the Sa Kaeo province…
-
Stabbing to death in Phra Khanong convenience store shocks local community
A fatal stabbing occurred in a convenience store in the Phra Khanong area, following a heated argument between two homeless men. The incident, which took place at around 1am yesterday, was swiftly responded to by local police, accompanied by forensic doctors from Chulalongkorn Hospital and volunteers from the Pu Teak Tueng Foundation. The 60 year old deceased, Somchai, was found…
-
Tour bus accident in Thailand leads to severe injuries
A tour bus accident has led to multiple casualties and severe injuries among passengers. Rescue officials rushed to the scene, where they discovered six people seriously injured. The incident, believed to be caused by driver fatigue, occurred yesterday, January 7 at 10.30pm. The initial investigation of the incident involved interviewing the bus driver. The accident occurred on Asia Route 41,…
-
Elderly Thai duo’s homemade kaffir lime shampoo gains online attention (video)
Social media users are intrigued by a pair of elderly women who are handcrafting and selling their kaffir lime shampoo. The duo’s distinctive labelling of their product has caught the attention of netizens, suggesting a counterfeit if the sticker is aligned properly. On January 7, TikTok user @kanthikanuch shared a clip of the two old ladies making the herbal shampoo…
-
Thai national parks report record revenues and visitors in 2023
The Thai Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation disclosed on January 4, the rankings of the top 10 highest-earning and most-visited national parks from the pool of 133 parks for the previous year. Based on revenue from January to December 2023, the top 10 Thai national parks accumulated a whopping total income of 1,651,868,101 baht (US$47 million). Hat…
-
Body of Thai toddler found in fridge: Choked on sticky rice, reveals autopsy
The lifeless body of a two year old boy, Theerapong Duangngam, also known as Nong Nai, was discovered inside a refrigerator in the bedroom of his adoptive parents, Hannarong, also known as Bank Praiphnom, and Marisa, also known as Koi, yesterday. Theerapong ‘s autopsy report was released today. The report, disclosed to the media by Police Lieutenant Phruet Jamroonsart, head…
-
Decade-long fugitive apprehended in Bangkok for sexual assault offence
The Crime Suppression Division apprehended a man who had been on the run after being sentenced to a decade in prison for a sexual assault offence. The 42 year old fugitive was caught at a market in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district today. Amnat was originally arrested for threatening and sexually assaulting a woman in the Phichit province back in 2005. The…
-
Pedestrian bridge collapses onto dump truck on Northbound Highway 32
A pedestrian bridge in Ang Thong‘s Mueang district came crashing down onto a dump truck, causing a significant obstruction on the main northbound highway, Highway 32. The incident unfolded around 7am today when the dump truck, with its body unintentionally raised, collided with the footbridge. The Department of Highways reported that the truck was en route north on Highway 32,…
-
Volunteer soldier arrested on Bangkok Skytrain with Commando brand shotgun
A 40 year old volunteer soldier was arrested at a BTS Skytrain station in Phra Khanong, Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok. The suspect was found carrying an 8.6-inch shotgun of the Commando brand. The police also seized one shotgun shell of the Royal Thai Army brand, 10 of 12 red shells, 9 of 12 white shells, and 50 9mm bullets, all packed…
-
Online scams surge in Thailand warns Central Investigation Bureau
A surge in online scams, driven by the significant increase in internet-based activities, is anticipated to continue throughout this year, warned Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) commissioner Jirabhop Bhuridej. The CIB’s analysis of cybercrime, as reported by the Royal Thai Police (RTP), indicated that over 400,000 cases were logged between March 1 and November 30 of last year. Misleading operations involving…
-
Rare white Omura’s whale spotted off Phuket, Thailand (video)
An unexpected encounter with a white Omura’s whale off the coast of Koh He in Phuket marked a potentially unique event, as it could be the first sighting of this incredibly rare species in Thailand and perhaps globally. This news was shared by Associate Professor Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a marine biologist and lecturer at Kasetsart University. The marine biologist yesterday shared…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.