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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  • Chinese woman missing in Thailand feared trafficked to neighbouring country

    Chinese woman missing in Thailand feared trafficked to neighbouring country

    Thai authorities are urgently searching for a missing Chinese woman, fearing she may have been trafficked across the border to a neighbouring country. The woman, Angie, arrived in Chiang Mai after flying from Kuala Lumpur on May 29 and was last seen in the Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai. Her family reportedly lost contact with her on June 1.…

  • Move Forward Party opposes alcohol ban on Buddhist holidays

    Move Forward Party opposes alcohol ban on Buddhist holidays

    Prominent members of the Move Forward Party (MFP), which recently claimed victory in elections, have voiced their disagreement with the Thai government’s ban on alcohol sales during significant Buddhist holidays, arguing that it restricts freedom. Amarat Chokpamitkul, an MFP executive, expressed her disagreement with the prohibition of alcohol sales on Vesak Day, a holiday that marks the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment,…

  • Thai farmer capitalises on high demand for grasshoppers

    Thai farmer capitalises on high demand for grasshoppers

    A Thai farmer in the northeast Nakhon Phanom province found success breeding Patanga grasshoppers, selling eggs at 10,000 baht per kilogram. These grasshoppers are found throughout Asia. The venture, which began as a side occupation, has seen a surge in demand with orders queueing up. Having tried his hands at rearing various animals, the farmer switched to breeding these grasshoppers…

  • Sudden U-turn causes motorcycle collision, injuring 2 at accident-prone spot

    Sudden U-turn causes motorcycle collision, injuring 2 at accident-prone spot

    A sudden U-turn on a narrow road led to a motorcycle collision, resulting in two injured women in Chon Buri, Thailand. The incident raised safety concerns as the accident-prone location is not suitable for vehicles to reverse, urging drivers to exercise caution in such areas. CCTV footage caught the moment when a car abruptly reversed on a two-lane road, causing…

  • 5,000 baht reward for missing Macaw parrot in Pattaya

    5,000 baht reward for missing Macaw parrot in Pattaya

    A reward of 5,000 baht has been announced for anyone who can help locate a missing Macaw parrot in Pattaya, Thailand. The blue and gold parrot, named Thong, escaped from its cage near Soi Siam Country Club in East Pattaya on Friday at around 8.30am. Thong is quite large, comparable in size to an average housecat, and has a yellow…

  • Foreign man hospitalised due to Phuket boat propeller injury

    Foreign man hospitalised due to Phuket boat propeller injury

    A foreign man injured by a boat propeller was hospitalised in Phuket on Thursday. The incident was reported on Friday, but no details have been released regarding the circumstances that led to the injury, according to The Phuket News. Emergency medical workers were alerted to the incident at around 4.45pm, according to a report by the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation…

  • Russian tourist drowns in Phuket after ignoring beach red flags

    Russian tourist drowns in Phuket after ignoring beach red flags

    A Russian tourist tragically drowned at Naithon Beach in Phuket, despite lifeguards’ warnings and red flags prohibiting swimming in the area. The incident occurred yesterday, marking the fourth drowning in Phuket within the past week and the second involving a Russian national, The Phuket News reported. The man entered the water around 4pm, ignoring the red flags signalling dangerous conditions.…

  • Thai woman trapped in Dubai seeking 100k ransom, desperate parents plead for help

    Thai woman trapped in Dubai seeking 100k ransom, desperate parents plead for help

    A Thai mother is pleading with authorities to help her 38 year old daughter, who is being held captive in Dubai and forced to work to repay a debt. The daughter had travelled to Dubai to work since mid-April, however, her captors now demand a ransom of 100,000 baht. The tearful parent, 59 year old Pranuan, informed police in Udon…

  • Thai Rice NAMA initiative offers eco-friendly rice giveaway for farmers

    Thai Rice NAMA initiative offers eco-friendly rice giveaway for farmers

    Bangchak Corporation Limited has selected Thai Rice NAMA as a token of appreciation for customers on World Environment Day, in support of Thai farmers using innovative growing techniques to combat climate change. By fuelling vehicles for 900 baht, patrons can receive a free 200 gram pack of Thai Rice NAMA, worth 15 baht, from June 5 to 30 (or until…

  • Tour bus crash in Kanchanaburi kills 2, leaves over 30 injured

    Tour bus crash in Kanchanaburi kills 2, leaves over 30 injured

    A tour bus carrying over 60 tourists from Ang Thong province, Thailand, overturned near the ‘100 Corpse Curve’ of Turtle Mountain in Kanchanaburi province, leaving two people dead and injuring more than 30. The injured were initially treated at nearby hospitals before being transferred to the regional hospital in Kanchanaburi. Colonel Thotsaphon Chaiyakomin, Governor of Kanchanaburi province, and Thanayot Hirunyanetr, District…

  • Thai worker falls into cement mixer, saved by off-switch

    Thai worker falls into cement mixer, saved by off-switch

    A 50 year old worker narrowly escaped death after falling into a large cement mixer at the Saeng Charoen Concrete Mix (2022) company in Thailand‘s southern Patthalung province. Quick thinking by a coworker, who switched off the machine, enabled rescuers to extract the man using cutting equipment. At around 10.45am this morning, officers of the Pa Bon police station, with…

  • Thai delivery driver asleep at the wheel, killing himself and 2 others

    Thai delivery driver asleep at the wheel, killing himself and 2 others

    A tragic accident occurred today, involving a pick-up truck and a private car in Sairok district of Thailand‘s Kanchanaburi province. The collision resulted in the loss of three lives, including a husband and wife who were on holiday. The suspected cause of the incident is the truck driver’s drowsiness while driving. At the scene of the accident, a white Toyota…

  • Aussie couple busted in Phuket for stealing 2.5 million from Chinese victim

    Aussie couple busted in Phuket for stealing 2.5 million from Chinese victim

    In Phuket, an Australian couple was busted after allegedly stealing 2.5 million baht in a scam on May 31. Gao Jianjia, a 35 year old Chinese national, reported the incident to the Phaholyothin Police on May 29. He had posted online that he was interested in purchasing digital money through Binance, and a suspect contacted him via the Telegram application…

  • Injured sea turtle rescued, rehabilitating at Phuket Marine Centre

    Injured sea turtle rescued, rehabilitating at Phuket Marine Centre

    There’s been another sea turtle rescue in Thailand. An injured olive ridley sea turtle was recently found at Thai Mueang Beach in Phang Nga province and is now receiving care at the Phuket Marine Biological Centre (PMBC). The young turtle had lost one of its flippers, likely due to entanglement in fishing nets, according to wildlife experts, The Phuket News…

  • DRT urges partial Pink Line monorail launch to ease Bangkok traffic

    DRT urges partial Pink Line monorail launch to ease Bangkok traffic

    The Department of Rail Transport (DRT) has called on the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) to partially open the main routes of the Pink Line monorail to alleviate traffic congestion in the area. The 34.5-kilometre MRT Pink Line is set to connect Khae Rai in Nonthaburi with Min Buri district in east Bangkok via Ram Inthra Road, with…

  • Thailand trials medical drone deliveries across sea to remote island

    Thailand trials medical drone deliveries across sea to remote island

    A groundbreaking trial in South Thailand‘s Satun province saw a drone successfully deliver medicine across a 12-kilometre sea route to a hospital on the island of Koh Puyu. The Public Health Ministry’s research committee conducted the trial in collaboration with a team of developers from Singapore, Skyports, and Gp Capt Anukoon Onchan-om, a student from the National Defence College. During…

  • Thai tourism risks missing Indian visitor target due to visa delays, taxes

    Thai tourism risks missing Indian visitor target due to visa delays, taxes

    Tourism operators catering to Thailand‘s Indian market have expressed concerns over the potential impact of slow visa application processing, high airfares, and an increase in outbound tax rates from India on visitor numbers to Thailand. These factors could contribute to the Thai government failing to achieve its target of attracting 2 million Indian tourists this year. Enchantive Asia’s chief executive…

  • Roadside bomb injures monks and rangers in South Thailand

    Roadside bomb injures monks and rangers in South Thailand

    A roadside bomb blast in the Rueso district of South Thailand‘s Narathiwat province injured three monks and two volunteer rangers yesterday morning. The explosion took place near an agricultural equipment shop in tambon Rueso Ok at around 6.25am, as a white van carrying the monks from Wat Phairot Pracharam passed by. The monks were in the area to collect alms,…

  • National Park predator arrested for attempted rape of Lithuanian tourist

    National Park predator arrested for attempted rape of Lithuanian tourist

    Police arrested an Erawan National Park employee in the central province of Kanchanaburi after he attacked a Lithuanian tourist and attempted to rape her on Wednesday, May 31. The Lithuanian victim, 27 year old Evilija Grabauskaitem, filed a complaint at Si Sawat Police Station at 4.40pm after the Thai man attacked and tried to sexually assault her near a garbage…

  • Pitfall pursuit: Officer narrowly escapes injury while chasing wire thief in Pattaya

    Pitfall pursuit: Officer narrowly escapes injury while chasing wire thief in Pattaya

    An officer from Pattaya City’s municipality experienced a close call while attempting to apprehend a wire thief in the early hours of the morning. The officer, Wittaya Sodavichit, fell into a five-meter-deep pit concealed by tall grass during the pursuit but fortunately did not sustain any injuries. The incident occurred at the Chaiyapruek Sports Stadium, where Wittaya was providing help…

  • Shock and pasture: Lightning claims eight cows, local Thais fear supernatural shockwave

    Shock and pasture: Lightning claims eight cows, local Thais fear supernatural shockwave

    A lightning strike in Kalasin province killed eight cows sparking concerns among local villagers that it may have been caused by supernatural forces. In response, District Chief Aekarat Misa warned of the dangers of lightning and shared information on safety measures during a recent meeting. Following the incident on Monday, May 29, residents speculated on the cause, saying that, apart from…

  • Pattaya loan sharks turn themselves in to cops after threatening reporter (video)

    Pattaya loan sharks turn themselves in to cops after threatening reporter (video)

    There’s been another incident involving loan sharks in Thailand. In Pattaya, two members of a loan shark gang turned themselves in to the cops after they threatened a freelance reporter earlier this week. The incident began when local Thai reporter, Buronsak Bunnodyom, asked the two men not to litter loan flyers in front of his residence on Soi 9, Central…

  • Alzheimer’s-stricken driver saved by police, son hits brakes on car ownership (video)

    Alzheimer’s-stricken driver saved by police, son hits brakes on car ownership (video)

    Police rescued a 73 year old Thai man suffering from Alzheimer‘s disease after he drove his sedan for over 100 kilometres and got lost. His son now plans to sell the car to prevent his father from danger. Nithinan Sornsawat took to social media to search for his missing 73 year old father, Jong Sornsawat. The 43 year old explained…

  • Fatal disregard: Kazakhstani tourist ignores red flag warnings, drowns at Phuket’s Kata Beach

    Fatal disregard: Kazakhstani tourist ignores red flag warnings, drowns at Phuket’s Kata Beach

    A Kazakhstani tourist reportedly ignored red flags warning against swimming and as a consequence tragically drowned at Kata Beach in Phuket. Karon Police were alerted by a lifeguard at Kata Beach yesterday afternoon and discovered the body of the tourist, identified as 24 year old Artur Iskakov from Kazakhstan. Lifeguards informed the police that they had been notified of the…

  • Taste the sequel: Sea Bear Episode Two Food Festival takes Pattaya by storm

    Taste the sequel: Sea Bear Episode Two Food Festival takes Pattaya by storm

    The highly anticipated Sea Bear Episode Two Food Festival yesterday officially kicked off at Central Mall on Pattaya Beach, offering a delicious seven-day culinary experience for food lovers. Running every day until June 7, the event takes place from 4pm to 10pm and boasts over 100 food vendors, celebrity chefs, and social media influencers. Sea Bear, the festival’s namesake, is…

  • Chadchart exposes Bangkok curruption: Civil engineer demands 300,000 baht bribe

    Chadchart exposes Bangkok curruption: Civil engineer demands 300,000 baht bribe

    Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt revealed that a Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) civil engineer attempted to solicit a 300,000 baht bribe from a construction company. The governor stands firm to take appropriate action by dismissing the corrupt officer. Chadchart together with the chiefs of 50 districts in Bangkok had a meeting yesterday at 8.30am. During the meeting, the governor stressed the…

  • Thai couple caught defrauding customers in online durian sale scam

    Thai couple caught defrauding customers in online durian sale scam

    Cyber police in Thailand have arrested a married couple for fraudulently selling durian, a famous fruit in the country, online. The couple, 36 year old Mr. Anon Maneephan and 23 year old Ms. Chiraphat Chaleowai, allegedly advertised durian for sale on social media, which many customers purchased by transferring funds for a deposit. However, they never received the fruits they…

  • Phuket declared Thailand’s first rabies-free province by DDC

    Phuket declared Thailand’s first rabies-free province by DDC

    Phuket has been declared the first rabies-free province in Thailand by the Department of Disease Control (DDC). The announcement was made by Phuket Vice Governor Danai Sunantharod, who revealed that DDC Director General Tanet Kratsanaitawiwong praised the province’s successful efforts in preventing and controlling rabies in both animals and humans. This achievement comes after a steady decline in rabies-related deaths…

  • Driver survives 2-day lorry plunge ordeal by eating cabbage, rescued by cattle herder

    Driver survives 2-day lorry plunge ordeal by eating cabbage, rescued by cattle herder

    A lorry transporting Chinese cabbages plunged 80 metres into a ravine in Chiang Mai, leaving the driver trapped for two days and two nights. Miraculously, he survived by eating the cabbages before a cattle herder found him yesterday. In a dramatic rescue operation, emergency responders arrived on the scene at Huay Phak Kut curve in Mae Suek sub-district of Chiang…

  • Thais urged to register for free flu vaccines amid low uptake

    Thais urged to register for free flu vaccines amid low uptake

    A new initiative by the National Health Security Office (NHSO) and the Ministry of Public Health is encouraging Thai citizens to register for a flu vaccine, which will be available for free until the end of August. The programme aims to curb the spread of influenza and other respiratory diseases. NHSO secretary-general Jadet Thamatthat-aree announced that free flu shots will…