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.

  • Smoke covers Pattaya as suspected arson fire scorches grassland | Thaiger

    Smoke covers Pattaya as suspected arson fire scorches grassland

    A fire broke out in Pattaya‘s Bang Lamung district yesterday afternoon, January 8, sending thick smoke over the city. The massive fire is suspected to have been deliberately set. The blaze started around 1.30pm near a community office on Moo 11 in Khao Talo. Firefighters from Nong Prue Municipality and Pattaya City quickly responded with several engines as the flames…

  • Chinese suspect in call centre scam and South Korean murder arrested in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Chinese suspect in call centre scam and South Korean murder arrested in Pattaya

    Officers from Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) arrested a Chinese man in Pattaya for his involvement in a call centre scam operation and the murder of a South Korean student in a neighbouring country. The arrest was carried out yesterday, January 8, by CIB officers working alongside the Anti Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (ACIB), in coordination with South Korean authorities.…

  • Rival students open fire on Bangkok road, injuring 2 teens and innocent woman | Thaiger

    Rival students open fire on Bangkok road, injuring 2 teens and innocent woman

    A shooting broke out on a Bangkok road yesterday, January 8, following a conflict between two groups of college students, leaving two teenagers and an innocent woman injured. The incident occurred at around 5.30pm at the Nida-Seri Thai Intersection in Bueng Kum district. Gunfire erupted while vehicles were stopped at a red light, triggering panic among motorists and causing heavy…

  • South Korean woman caught smuggling cannabis in Chiang Rai | Thaiger

    South Korean woman caught smuggling cannabis in Chiang Rai

    A South Korean woman was arrested yesterday at Chiang Rai’s Mae Fah Luang Airport after she attempted to smuggle more than 23 kilogrammes of cannabis out of Thailand, claiming she was unaware it was illegal. The incident took place around 5pm yesterday, January 8, when officers from Ban Du Police Station, Chiang Rai Immigration, airport security, and customs collaborated in…

  • Top virologist warns of mutated influenza strain spread in Thailand | Thaiger

    Top virologist warns of mutated influenza strain spread in Thailand

    A leading virologist has warned the public today, January 8, that a mutated strain of influenza is spreading across Thailand, as reduced vaccine effectiveness contributes to rising case numbers. Professor Yong Poovorawan, a member of the Royal Institute and director of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine, issued the warning on his Facebook…

  • Hidden camera exposes Thai resort staff using guest’s personal items | Thaiger

    Hidden camera exposes Thai resort staff using guest’s personal items

    A Thai woman issued a public warning after discovering that resort staff secretly used her personal belongings while she was away from her room. The woman shared footage of the incident on her TikTok account, @hydemylxu03, yesterday, January 7. She did not disclose the name or exact location of the resort, but many netizens speculated it was in Nakhon Ratchasima province…

  • Colourful fiddler crabs amaze tourists at Trang mangrove site | Thaiger

    Colourful fiddler crabs amaze tourists at Trang mangrove site

    Tourists visiting a mangrove eco-tourism site in Trang yesterday, January 7, were treated to a vivid natural sight, as swarms of colourful fiddler crabs emerged from the mudflats in large numbers. The crabs were spotted at Ban Rai Yong Star in Palian district, where visitors watched them scuttle through the mudflats beside the mangroves, feeding and interacting along the edge…

  • Wat Arun issues apology, tightens rules for photographers after complaints | Thaiger

    Wat Arun issues apology, tightens rules for photographers after complaints

    Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan issued an official apology following public backlash over the behaviour of some local photographers accused of disturbing visitors for personal gain. Wearing Thai traditional costumes while visiting temples has become increasingly popular among both Thai and foreign tourists. Wat Arun is one of the most favoured locations for photo sessions, thanks to its iconic prang tower…

  • Wild elephant found safe after collision with box truck in Khao Yai | Thaiger

    Wild elephant found safe after collision with box truck in Khao Yai

        A wild elephant that vanished into the forest after being hit by a closed-box truck in Khao Yai, Nakhon Ratchasima, last week has been found early this morning, January 8, alive and in stable condition, according to officials. Today, Yosawat Thiansawat, director of Protected Areas Regional Office 1 (Prachin Buri), confirmed that rangers and volunteer teams had located…

  • Thai activist urges probe into coup defence and adultery of minister nominee | Thaiger

    Thai activist urges probe into coup defence and adultery of minister nominee

    A Thai political activist accused a member of the People’s Party of defending a military coup and committing adultery, calling on the party to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations. As part of its General Election campaign, the People’s Party recently launched a series of interviews titled The Professionals across its social media platforms. The series aims to present the…

  • Abhisit campaigns in Nakhon Si Thammarat with policy pitch | Thaiger

    Abhisit campaigns in Nakhon Si Thammarat with policy pitch

      Abhisit Vejjajiva hit the campaign trail in Nakhon Si Thammarat yesterday, urging voters to back the Democrat Party as it fights to win back support in one of its long‑standing strongholds. The Democrat Party campaign team visited the Thewada fresh market in Sichon district, where Abhisit was joined by party executives and local figures to rally support for Chanwatthana…

  • Nonthaburi man searches for wife missing after boarding pink taxi | Thaiger

    Nonthaburi man searches for wife missing after boarding pink taxi

    A Thai man is appealing for public help to locate his wife, who has been missing for more than two weeks after being last seen boarding a pink taxi in Nonthaburi province. The 44 year old Thai man Kosin Chatlertchai shared photos and CCTV evidence on social media in the hope of reuniting with his wife, 30 year old Thai…

  • Cute or contaminated? Woman finds pink egg white after boiling | Thaiger

    Cute or contaminated? Woman finds pink egg white after boiling

        A Thai woman yesterday, January 7, shared a photo of a boiled egg she had prepared, which appeared to have pink egg white, leaving netizens questioning what had happened and whether it was safe to consume. The incident came to light after a Facebook user shared photos of the boiled egg in the group พวกเราคือผู้บริโภค (we are the…

  • Referee injured as Pattaya football match spirals into all-out brawl | Thaiger

    Referee injured as Pattaya football match spirals into all-out brawl

      A football match in southern Pattaya turned violent on Tuesday, January 6, when players and supporters from two local teams clashed during a community-level 8-a-side game in Nong Prue. Footage of the brawl was posted on Facebook by user Chokchip Wat Tham, showing dozens of people exchanging blows on the artificial grass field. The post was captioned with sarcasm,…

  • Thailand video news | Vietnam set to outpace Thai economy by 2026, Blaze ravages more than a dozen boats at Phuket’s Chalong bay | Thaiger

    Thailand video news | Vietnam set to outpace Thai economy by 2026, Blaze ravages more than a dozen boats at Phuket’s Chalong bay

    In Thailand video news, Alex covers key stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Today’s lineup includes Thailand’s regional neighbours expected to outpace it economically in 2026, Phuket taxi drivers threatening a strike over competition from ride-hailing apps, and a viral case involving “Colonel Sanders” after a peculiar police encounter. Vietnam Set to Outpace Thai Economy by 2026 Analysts project…

  • Opinions divided after foreigners sunbathe in bikinis near Chiang Mai temple | Thaiger

    Opinions divided after foreigners sunbathe in bikinis near Chiang Mai temple

    Opinions among Thai netizens were divided after images of four foreign women in bikinis sunbathing near a temple in Chiang Mai province circulated widely on social media. The Facebook page แฉเชียงใหม่ V2 shared the photos on Monday, January 5. The images showed four foreign women wearing bikinis and sitting on the grass beside the city moat in central Chiang Mai.…

  • Family of five, including twin girls, killed in Chiang Mai house fire | Thaiger

    Family of five, including twin girls, killed in Chiang Mai house fire

    A family of five died in a house fire that broke out around midnight today, January 8, in Chiang Mai province. Local authorities believe an electrical short circuit may have caused the blaze. Firefighters and rescuers from several foundations rushed to a two-storey house in Soi Ruean Kham 17, Pa Dad sub-district, after receiving a fire report shortly after midnight. The…

  • January 8 weather update: Temps drop 1-2°C as cold spell persists | Thaiger

    January 8 weather update: Temps drop 1-2°C as cold spell persists

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued reports of a strong high-pressure system from China that continues to cover Upper Thailand, causing temperatures to drop further by 1 to 2 degrees Celcius (°C) today, January 8. The TMD forecasts cool to cold weather across the country for the next few days. Strong winds will accompany the temperature drop. North &…

  • Loyal dog found guarding body of truck driver in Samut Prakan | Thaiger

    Loyal dog found guarding body of truck driver in Samut Prakan

    A 43 year old container truck driver was found dead in a worker dormitory in Samut Prakan yesterday, January 6, with his loyal dog lying quietly outside the door. Police from Bang Phli Police Station were alerted to the death and arrived at the truck yard dormitory in Bang Chalong subdistrict alongside rescue workers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation.…

  • Thai police shifts blame to foreigner after car crash and obstructs investigation | Thaiger

    Thai police shifts blame to foreigner after car crash and obstructs investigation

    A police officer caused a road accident, blaming a foreign motorist, and refusing to cooperate with legal procedures, leading to a heated confrontation with a traffic police officer in Chon Buri. The incident came to light after a traffic officer shared bodycam footage on January 1. The officer identified himself as Police Sergeant Saeb from Phanat Nikhom Police Station in…

  • Thai man escapes punishment for child sex abuse with suicide | Thaiger

    Thai man escapes punishment for child sex abuse with suicide

    A Thai man committed suicide at a rented room in Bangkok to escape a legal punishment for the sexual assault of a 17 year old girl. The teenage victim, identified only as Phae, shared with the Facebook page Jmoi V+ that she was sexually assaulted by her friend’s uncle, named Boy, on December 27 last year. The incident took place…

  • Teen mum and child abandoned in Trat after online meetup | Thaiger

    Teen mum and child abandoned in Trat after online meetup

      A 19 year old mother and her three year old son were rescued on January 1 after being abandoned at a playground in Trat province, following a meeting with a man she had met online just days earlier. Police in Mueang Trat district were alerted to the incident after reports that a young woman and a small child had…

  • Thai soldier killed in knife attack by ex-police after border duty | Thaiger

    Thai soldier killed in knife attack by ex-police after border duty

    A former Thai police officer fatally stabbed a soldier while the victim was resting at his home in Khon Kaen province after returning from duty at the Thai-Cambodian border. The fatal stabbing occurred at around 9.30am on Monday, January 6, at a house in Ubonrat district. The victim was 51 year old Sergeant Major First Class Sangkhom Tonlo, while the…

  • Tomorrowland heads to Thailand as first full-scale Asian festival | Thaiger

    Tomorrowland heads to Thailand as first full-scale Asian festival

      For the first time, Thailand is set to host Tomorrowland from December 11 to 13, 2026, at Wisdom Valley, Pattaya, Chonburi. Organised in partnership with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the three-day event marks Tomorrowland’s debut as a full-scale Asian festival. Tomorrowland Thailand will feature six stages, including the Mainstage, CORE, and FREEDOM, along with new designs created specifically for…

  • Phuket taxi drivers threaten strike over illegal app-based drivers | Thaiger

    Phuket taxi drivers threaten strike over illegal app-based drivers

    Taxi drivers in Phuket threatened to stage a strike on January 15, demanding government action against illegal taxi drivers who operate without official registration, especially ones on ride-hailing applications. The local news Facebook page Phuket Andaman News reported today, January 7, that a group of taxi drivers in the province is planning to protest and has asked the media to…

  • Police TikTok video sparks laughter as woman blames ‘Colonel Sanders’ for attack | Thaiger

    Police TikTok video sparks laughter as woman blames ‘Colonel Sanders’ for attack

    Bangkok police have gone viral after sharing a video of a Thai woman filing a bizarre complaint against “Colonel Sanders” and a homeless man, accusing them of attempting to physically assault her. The clip was shared by a police officer from Bang Khen Police Station on his TikTok account, @tonkhow_copnurse, on Monday, January 5. In the video, the woman is…

  • Wife joins group in assaulting husband in Rayong | Thaiger

    Wife joins group in assaulting husband in Rayong

    A 23 year old man in Rayong was allegedly beaten by a group of men, including his own wife, during an attack in Mueang Rayong district, with CCTV footage capturing the incident and police yet to make any arrests more than two weeks later. The assault took place on the night of December 21 in front of a rental room.…

  • Thailand video news | Thailand closes thousands of cannabis shops, Tomorrowland announces expansion with Thailand festival details | Thaiger

    Thailand video news | Thailand closes thousands of cannabis shops, Tomorrowland announces expansion with Thailand festival details

    In today’s Thailand video news, Alex brings you the latest stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Highlights include the closure of thousands of cannabis shops as regulations tighten, a controversial proposal by a prime ministerial candidate for Thailand to acquire nuclear weapons, and everything you need to know about the long-awaited Tomorrowland finally coming to Thailand. Thailand Closes Thousands…

  • Skeleton of missing Cambodian man found in ceiling during house renovation | Thaiger

    Skeleton of missing Cambodian man found in ceiling during house renovation

    A construction team yesterday, January 6, discovered a skeleton of a missing Cambodian man hidden in the ceiling while renovating a house in Pathum Thani province. Officers from Lam Luk Ka Police Station were called to investigate the discovery at a two-storey house in Lam Luk Ka district yesterday. A forensic team from HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Medical Centre and…

  • Fake fortune teller warns of loss, then steals woman’s iPhone | Thaiger

    Fake fortune teller warns of loss, then steals woman’s iPhone

    A fake fortune teller in Pattaya allegedly stole a woman’s iPhone during a New Year’s Day reading, just moments after predicting she’d lose something valuable. The incident occurred at 6.06am on January 1 outside Wat Chai Mongkol in South Pattaya, where police from Pattaya City Police Station responded to a report of theft involving a man posing as a fortune…