Thailand News

Discover the most recent and relevant news from across Thailand on The Thaiger’s National News page. Covering a wide range of topics, including politics, business, crime, and lifestyle, our dedicated team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.

Stay informed about the latest developments in Thai society, economy, and culture, as well as updates on travel, tourism, and expat life. With The Thaiger, you’ll never miss out on the essential news that matters to you.

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  • Truck driver dies after falling asleep and crashing into trees

    Truck driver dies after falling asleep and crashing into trees

    An 18-wheel truck driver lost control, veered into a ditch, and crashed into trees, resulting in a fatal accident. The truck’s front was destroyed, and the 64 year old driver died at the scene, suspected of falling asleep at the wheel during a long solo journey. Yesterday, September 23, Major Thandol Chorchun, an investigator from Cha-uat Police Station, received a…

  • This insurance plan could cover some pre-existing conditions for 60 years+

    This insurance plan could cover some pre-existing conditions for 60 years+

    As we age, health becomes an even bigger priority. Having the right coverage can give us the peace of mind we deserve. Those over 60 need to make sure that they’re well-prepared for life’s unexpected medical expenses. They need access to essential care, such as regular doctor visits or hospital stays, without worrying about financial strain. Stay protected and focus on…

  • Two waterfalls closed in Chiang Mai due to severe flooding

    Two waterfalls closed in Chiang Mai due to severe flooding

    Heavy overnight rain has led to the temporary closure of two popular waterfalls in Mae Rim district, Chiang Mai province. Flooding has affected multiple areas across the northern province. Doi Suthep-Pui National Park announced that Mae Sa and Tat Mok waterfalls, located in Mae Rim, are closed until further notice. This decision aims to ensure public safety following flash floods…

  • Australian man gets dose of justice for repeated vitamin C theft

    Australian man gets dose of justice for repeated vitamin C theft

    A pharmacy worker in Chon Buri province caught an Australian man attempting to steal vitamin C tablets yesterday and forced him to pay 10 times the original price of the stolen item. The worker reported the theft to Nongprue Police Station at around 10am yesterday, September 23. Officers later arrived at the scene and found the shop worker and a…

  • Gold rush gone wrong: Buyer & seller clash over counterfeit claims

    Gold rush gone wrong: Buyer & seller clash over counterfeit claims

    A heated dispute erupted between a seller and a buyer over allegations of selling fake gold online. The seller insists the gold is genuine, while the buyer claims a loss of faith and calls for legal action. Yesterday, September 23, at Maleenont Tower on Rama IV Road, Khlong Toei District, Bangkok, Mae Tuck, Kornkanok Suwannabut, along with her husband Beer,…

  • Freelancers in the frame: Thailand mulls welfare for all, even in the sex trade

    Freelancers in the frame: Thailand mulls welfare for all, even in the sex trade

    The government is contemplating extending welfare protections to freelance workers, including those in the sex industry, akin to those available to employees registered with the Social Security Fund (SSF), contingent on their payment of income taxes. Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong revealed that discussions are underway with multiple agencies to establish a welfare system to safeguard freelance workers, including…

  • Phuket flea market feud turns fiery: Shooting leaves two injured

    Phuket flea market feud turns fiery: Shooting leaves two injured

    The owner of the Koh Beng Ban Pon Flea Market in the Thalang district of Phuket engaged in a fierce argument with his former business partner, resulting in a shooting that left two people injured. Officers from Thalang Police Station investigated the shooting at Koh Beng Ban Pon Flea Market at approximately 7.30pm yesterday, September 23. The two injured individuals…

  • Brace for a downpour: 42 provinces in for a wet and wild ride

    Brace for a downpour: 42 provinces in for a wet and wild ride

    Weather forecasts indicate heavy rain in 42 provinces tomorrow, with the northern region facing the most intense downpours, reaching up to 80%. Residents are advised to be cautious of flash floods and forest runoffs. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) issued a 24-hour weather forecast, predicting heavy rainfall in the northern and upper northeastern regions. Some areas in the central upper,…

  • Thailand car makers must shift into gear for EV production by 2026

    Thailand car makers must shift into gear for EV production by 2026

    In a bold move that’s set to shift gears in the automotive world, the Excise Department declared that car manufacturers cashing in on the government’s electric vehicle (EV) incentives must start cranking out key components right here in Thailand by 2026. That’s the word from Excise Department Director-General Ekniti Nitithanprapas. Ekniti has laid down the law, insisting that the electric…

  • Chula university cancels launch of book critical of Thai military

    Chula university cancels launch of book critical of Thai military

    Chulalongkorn University cancelled plans to host a seminar and book launch for a publication by one of its scholars, Doctor Puangthong Pawakapan, which discusses the role of the Thai military. The event, originally scheduled for this upcoming Friday, September 28, has been moved to the Jim Thompson Museum instead of being held on campus as originally planned. Dr Puangthong, an…

  • Thai man arrested for murder and robbery of 73 year old woman

    Thai man arrested for murder and robbery of 73 year old woman

    Police arrested a Thai man who murdered and robbed a 73 year old woman last night in the central province of Ayutthaya. Angry locals attempted to lynch the suspect. Neighbours reported the death of the 73 year old woman, Jira Mangkornphan, to Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya Police Station at 6.30am today, September 23. She was found dead in her home, bearing…

  • Almost 1,000 Thai military officers reassigned in major reshuffle

    Almost 1,000 Thai military officers reassigned in major reshuffle

    The Government of Thailand announced the transfer of 808 military officers to new posts in this year’s annual military reshuffle, including the new chiefs of the Royal Thai Army and the Royal Thai Navy. These changes come as the current leaders are set to retire at the end of this month. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra submitted the list for royal…

  • Burmese man condemned for preaching Christianity to Buddhist novices

    Burmese man condemned for preaching Christianity to Buddhist novices

    A Thai Buddhist academic criticised a Burmese man and a Thai woman for posing as English language teachers to preach Christianity to novices at a temple in the central province of Ang Thong. Thai academic Jaturong Jong-asa shared pictures posted by the Burmese man on Facebook on Friday, September 20. The pictures showed a group of young novices raising their…

  • Thailand seeks ITU extension for satellite orbital slot until 2025

    Thailand seeks ITU extension for satellite orbital slot until 2025

    Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) is seeking a one-year extension from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to continue using the 50.5° East satellite orbital slot beyond its expiration on November 27. The request is part of a broader effort to finalise the awarding of rights for two unsold orbital slot packages, including the 142° East slot and a…

  • Baht-battle: Courtroom drama unfolds in 30 million lottery dispute

    Baht-battle: Courtroom drama unfolds in 30 million lottery dispute

    The Kanchanaburi Provincial Court was the stage for high drama today as key witnesses and defendants in the sensational 30 million baht lottery dispute faced off. Jaroon Wimoon, famously known as Uncle Jaroon, has brought a lawsuit against teacher Preacha Kriangkrai and ten others, accusing them of perjury. The courtroom drama kicked off at 10am, today, September 23, with all…

  • Pheu Thai Party bets on casino plan to cash in on tax revenue

    Pheu Thai Party bets on casino plan to cash in on tax revenue

    The ruling Pheu Thai Party defended its proposed casino-entertainment complex project, asserting that it will legalise underground gambling activities and enable the government to collect tax revenue. A statement on Pheu Thai’s webpage released yesterday, September 22, indicated that legalising underground gambling and taxing the project could contribute more than 50% of GDP, thereby boosting the economy and funding education…

  • Baht-boom fallout: Thai economy in choppy waters after Fed slash

    Baht-boom fallout: Thai economy in choppy waters after Fed slash

    The economy is teetering on the edge as the surging Thai baht causes ripples across the nation. In the wake of a significant rate cut by the US Federal Reserve (Fed), local industries are now urging the Bank of Thailand’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to take swift action. For over a year, the MPC has held interest rates steady, but…

  • Caught in a pickle: Pattaya thief bites off more than he can chew

    Caught in a pickle: Pattaya thief bites off more than he can chew

    A man in Pattaya found himself in deep trouble after breaking into a restaurant and stealing cash, only to discover it was owned by a narcotics officer. Bang Lamung police arrested 23 year old Kittichai Sukthanom at a residence in Soi Nong Hin, Nongprue sub-district, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province. Police seized a stolen Bluetooth speaker and a blue…

  • Condor resumes direct flights from Frankfurt to Thailand

    Condor resumes direct flights from Frankfurt to Thailand

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) welcomed Condor flight DE2368 from Frankfurt, Germany, to Phuket International Airport yesterday, September 22, marking the resumption of direct flights by Condor after a pandemic-induced hiatus. This significant event is expected to contribute to the recovery of Thailand’s tourism sector, with TAT predicting over 979,000 German tourists to visit Thailand this year, generating an…

  • Burmese man found tied up and seriously injured in Rayong

    Burmese man found tied up and seriously injured in Rayong

    Police are searching for an attacker who brutally assaulted a Burmese man, tied him up, and abandoned him in the eastern province of Rayong. A local in the Pluak Daeng district of Rayong discovered the injured man yesterday, September 22, near Pa Sawai Market and called the Pluak Daeng Rescue Foundation to the scene. Rescuers reported that the man’s arms…

  • Road-blocking complaint leads to Thai taxi driver arrest for drug use

    Road-blocking complaint leads to Thai taxi driver arrest for drug use

    A complaint by a homeowner in Bangkok about road blocking led to the arrest of a Thai taxi driver using drugs in his vehicle. Officers from Bang Sue Police Station were called to Soi Pradiphat 15 in the Phaya Thai district of Bangkok at 9.10pm on September 20 to remove a taxi that was blocking access to a home. Upon…

  • New facial scan system leaves elderly Thai couple without welfare

    New facial scan system leaves elderly Thai couple without welfare

    An elderly couple in Buriram, who are heavily reliant on their state welfare cards, faced a significant hurdle with the new system requiring facial scans for verification. The couple, Lom Chaisuwan who is bedridden, and his 87 year old wife, anxiously await the outcome as their monthly welfare is a crucial part of their livelihood. Yesterday, September 22, Lom, residing…

  • Rail-y bad landslide derails Lampang-Chiang Mai train services

    Rail-y bad landslide derails Lampang-Chiang Mai train services

    Travel chaos struck the northern rail line today as the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) announced an indefinite shutdown of services between Lampang and Chiang Mai due to a devastating landslide and severe flooding. The dramatic incident unfolded last night, wreaking havoc on the track between Mae Tan Noi Railway Station in Lampang and Tha Chompoo in Lamphun. The rail…

  • Monk with sword causes stir in Bangkok’s Lad Ya area (video)

    Monk with sword causes stir in Bangkok’s Lad Ya area (video)

    A monk wielding a sword caused a commotion in the Lad Ya area, Bangkok, late last night. Residents alerted the police, leading to a tense situation before the individual was taken into custody for questioning. A startling incident unfolded yesterday, September 22, when a man dressed as a monk was seen walking in the middle of Lad Ya Road, brandishing…

  • Sketchy business: Cops arrest last suspect in decade-old human trafficking case

    Sketchy business: Cops arrest last suspect in decade-old human trafficking case

    Police officers from the Anti Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) triumphantly captured the last suspect in a gruesome decade-old human trafficking case, ending an exhaustive month-long chase. Their breakthrough? A single clue: a sketch of an unidentified woman, said Police Major General Sarut Kwaengsopha, the ATPD commander after the suspect was arrested in Samut…

  • Teacher with air gun causes chaos at Chumphon college

    Teacher with air gun causes chaos at Chumphon college

    A dramatic incident unfolded today at a vocational college in Chumphon, where a teacher brandishing a gun threatened students and faculty members. Police were called to de-escalate the situation, which took over an hour before the teacher calmed down. The emergency call was received at 8.30am, today, September 23, reporting a disturbance at the college located on the Chumphon-Pathio Road…

  • Indonesian woman arrested for illegally working as tour guide

    Indonesian woman arrested for illegally working as tour guide

    Police arrested an Indonesian woman at Wat Pho in Bangkok yesterday for illegally working as a tour guide. Tourist Police Bureau officers received a complaint that an Indonesian woman illegally offered a travel package in Thailand to 133 Indonesian tourists between September 19 and 22. The woman did not possess a tour guide permit and her travel package was not…

  • New law mandates urine, blood tests for driver alcohol checks

    New law mandates urine, blood tests for driver alcohol checks

    The Thai Government Gazette published a new ministerial regulation to include urine and blood tests for measuring alcohol levels in drivers when breathalyser tests are not possible. This regulation aims to enhance road safety and ensure accurate alcohol detection in drivers. The regulation, dated today, September 23, was issued under the authority of the Road Traffic Act of 1979, which…

  • Throttle trouble: Thai motorists hit the brakes on new car buys

    Throttle trouble: Thai motorists hit the brakes on new car buys

    Thai motorists are hitting the brakes on new car purchases due to economic jitters, revealed in a new report by Differential (Thailand) Co Ltd, a data analytics, technology, and research firm. The 2024 Customer Experience Report, which polled over 2,500 Thai car buyers from November 2020 to December 2022, found that a whopping 70% of respondents intend to buy a…

  • Chiang Mai police bust online booking scam, arrest key suspect

    Chiang Mai police bust online booking scam, arrest key suspect

    Chiang Mai police swooped on a fraudulent online accommodation booking scam gang, arresting a key figure in Sa Kaeo. The operation aimed to boost tourist confidence during the high season by targeting tech-based crimes. The Chiang Mai Tourist Police, under the directive of Police Lieutenant General Saksira Phuak-am, focused on dismantling mule accounts used by criminals to scam tourists. Police…