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 What is the 5 year visa for the digital nomad in Thailand?
The Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) is a great option for digital nomads, remote workers, and freelancers who want to stay in Thailand for a long time. This multiple-entry visa is valid for five years, allowing stays of up to 180...
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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…
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Abused Thai elephant in Sri Lanka set to be rescued
The Department of National Parks of Thailand is preparing to bring home an elephant named Plai Sak Surin, one of the three Thai elephants living in Sri Lanka, using an Ilyushin IL-76 cargo plane, in early July. Thailand gave Plai Sak Surin, also known as Muthu Raja in Sri Lanka, to the Sri Lankan government also known as Muthu Raja…
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Chinese groom’s dowry delivery goes viral, armouring his love with 48 million baht
A Chinese groom caused a stir on social media after using an armoured pickup truck and a team of bodyguards to transport a dowry worth more than 48 million baht (US$1.4 million) to his bride’s family. The Chinese dowry included cash, gold, luxury watches, diamonds, and jewellery. The elaborate dowry presentation took place on Tuesday, May 30, in Taizhou, Zhejiang…
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Heartbreaking plea: Thai couple seeks urgent aid to save daughter from China nightmare
A distressed Thai couple residing in the Isaan province of Udon Thani made an urgent appeal to the Thai authorities, pleading for financial aid of 100,000 baht to rescue their daughter from a personal nightmare in China. The couple, identified as 52 year-old Man Duangnate and 55 year old Manee Duangnate, shared their heart-wrenching story with ThaiRath, unveiling the nightmarish…
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BTS to invest in Yellow Line’s missing link to MRT’s Green Line
The Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTS) expressed its readiness to invest in a 2.6-kilometre extension that would connect its Yellow Line monorail to the Green Line of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRT) at Ratchayothin and Lat Phrao stations. Surapong Laoha-Unya, CEO of BTS, stated that the extension would be advantageous for commuters and that the company…
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Mysterious death: Thai man found lifeless in auctioned building triggers Rayong investigation
Rayong police have launched an investigation into the mysterious death of an unemployed Thai man, whose lifeless body was discovered yesterday in an auctioned commercial building. Authorities are exploring various potential causes of death, including pre-existing health conditions or the possibility of intentional suicide. Police became aware that the new owner of the building had repeatedly requested the 52 year…
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Thai fisherman slips into river: Rescuers face 4-hour search in strong currents
A 27 year old Myanmar fisherman tragically drowned in the Mae Klong River after he slipped while walking on a wet dock in Thailand’s central Samut Songkhram province. Despite challenging conditions, rescue teams found the body after an extensive four-hour search. Yesterday at 3pm, friends of the lost fisherman conducted a floating pillow ceremony, a ceremony that locals believed would…
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Bangkok considers Japanese central kitchen system for school lunches
Is there a solution to improve the quality of Thai schools’ cafeteria food? The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is exploring the possibility of implementing a central kitchen system, similar to the one used in Japan, to enhance the quality of school lunches in Thailand. The central kitchen concept was introduced by Nobuko Tanaka, a former Japanese school lunch specialist, during…
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Minor Hotels to reach 600 properties amid optimistic tourism outlook
Minor Hotels is set to expand its portfolio to 600 properties across 59 countries, with over 91,000 rooms this year, as the global tourism industry shows signs of recovery following the easing of Covid-19 infections. Dillip Rajakarier, Group Chief Executive of Minor International Plc and Chief Executive of Minor Hotels, believes that pent-up demand will drive the industry for years,…
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Rooting for innovation: Thai researchers unveil PRK, the tooth-ally awesome breakthrough
In a significant advancement for dental healthcare in Thailand, local researchers successfully developed an artificial tooth root named PRK, which stands for Phraramkao in Thai or Rama IX in English. This innovation is expected to make dental implant services more accessible to the public by reducing the cost of implants by a factor of ten compared to similar quality imported…
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Heavy rainfall warning: 33 provinces hit, 70% of South Thailand to be impacted
Heavy rainfall is expected in 33 provinces across Thailand, with the southern region facing a high risk of flash floods and landslides. The Thai Meteorological Department urges citizens to remain vigilant to sudden flooding from June 2 as 70% of the area is expected to experience torrential downpours. The department has issued a 24-hour weather forecast warning of thunderstorms and…
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Chinatown crackdown: 48 partying Chinese nabbed in Bangkok massage parlour drug bust
Forty-eight Chinese nationals were arrested by Children and Women Protection Sub-Division and Narcotics Control Board officers during a drug-fuelled party at a massage parlour on New Phetchaburi Road in Bangkok early this morning. The Superintendent of the Children and Women Protection Sub-Division, Theerasak Chantarapipat, shared the arrest details with ThaiRath. Theerasak disclosed that a tip-off had been received by the…
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Thai homeowner haunted by ghostly tokay gecko, forced to flee
A homeowner in Surin province has been driven to spend sleepless nights away from her own home due to the ghostly presence of a dead tokay gecko. Jitapha Pothisa, the distressed owner, claims to frequently hear the eerie calls of the phantom lizard but has never actually seen it. The unsettling experience has compelled the 32 year old mother of…
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Grab taxi driver threatens to harm former Thai singer
A former Thai singer took to social media to reveal that a Grab taxi driver, claiming to be a soldier, threatened to physically harm her. The singer, Jamila “Mila’ Panpinij, demanded that Grab takes responsibility for the incident and pay for treatment costs associated with her post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which was triggered by the incident. On Wednesday, May 31,…
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Elderly woman killed during robbery, daughter with disability witnesses horror
An elderly woman was murdered during a robbery at her grocery store in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. The 74 year old victim was strangled by the intruders using her own clothing in front of her 43 year-old disabled daughter. The suspects fled, taking two mobile phones with them. In a shocking incident on June 1, the woman was brutally murdered…
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Illegal truck bribe stickers prompt Thai police chief to launch investigation
The existence of covert stickers indicating that trucks operating illegally on Thailand’s roads have paid bribes to police and other officials to avoid arrest has been confirmed by national police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas. This revelation comes after the issue was raised by Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, a Move Forward Party list MP-elect. As a result, Pol Maj Gen Ekkaraj Limsangkat,…
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Jackpot triumph: Lucky winner pockets 36 million baht from digital lottery ‘E-Wallet’
One lucky winner claimed the first prize of the digital lottery “E-Wallet” and scooped 36 million baht (US$1,000,000) from six tickets. Following the announcement of the government Lottery results today, June 1, the winning ticket numbers for the first prize were 125272, while the three-digit suffix prize numbers were 971 and 386. The two-digit suffix prize numbers were 09. According…
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School defends haircuts policy after social media uproar in Thailand (video)
A Thai school has explained a controversial video showing teachers giving male students haircuts during a boy scout uniform inspection. The school in the northern Phayao province detailed the measures taken and defended the hair-cutting policy following fierce online criticism. The video clip from a school in Phayao stirred up controversy on social media as it portrayed teachers cutting male…
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Scam alert: Thai men charged for deceiving foreigners with false promises to resolve criminal charges
Police charged two Thai men for allegedly deceiving foreigners in Thailand by promising to resolve their criminal charges in exchange for cash. The suspects denied the accusations, arguing that they intended to assist the foreigners. The Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Torsak Sukvimol, received a tip off that two Thai men claimed to have connections with him…
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Nakhon Ratchasima hosts 11-day grand Vesak celebration with renowned Thai monks
Nakhon Ratchasima province in northeast Thailand is set to hold an 11-day grand event to celebrate Vesak Week, featuring the veneration of holy relics from Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Thailand. The celebration, starting today, coincides with the 555th anniversary of Nakhon Ratchasima City and will take place at MCC Hall on the third floor of The Mall. Attendees will have…
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Myanmar migrant killed, 10 arrested after pickup truck overturns in Kanchanaburi
A tragic incident occurred in Kanchanaburi’s Sangkhla Buri district when a pickup truck smuggling illegal migrants from Myanmar overturned, resulting in one fatality and ten arrests. A police officer was also injured during the operation as he was struck by one of the three pickup trucks involved in the smuggling. Late Wednesday night, a joint team of soldiers, police, and…
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Nurse vanishes after 7-day marriage: Thai soldier plans to file lawsuit
A young Thai lieutenant found his newlywed life turn sour after only seven days of marriage to a nurse he met through a dating app. Having shared their story online, it is now suspected that the man was duped into paying a sizeable dowry. The 28 year old lieutenant, Sutha (surname withheld), has opened up about his short-lived marriage to…
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Heartbreaking secret: Chinese couple’s repeated miscarriages unravel wife’s hidden sacrifice
A Chinese couple’s repeated miscarriages raised concerns and worries until the husband discovered that his wife had been secretly taking abortion pills to protect the feelings of her 8 year old stepdaughter, who did not want a new brother or sister. The 30 year old man from Zhenjiang, Hefei, married a woman three years older than him. He faced emotional distress…
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Ownership nightmare: British buyer’s 15 million baht condo purchase in Koh Samui hits legal roadblock
A British man filed a complaint with the Thai authorities after he bought a 15 million baht condominium in Koh Samui from a real estate company in the southern province of Surat Thani but could not obtain legal ownership. Many foreigners fell victim to this company, resulting in estimated damages of 100 million baht. A representative of the Thailand Consumers Council,…
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Thailand targets 3 trillion baht tourism revenue in 2023 with sustainability focus
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is optimistic that the country’s tourism industry will achieve a revenue of 3 trillion baht in 2023, equal to the revenue generated in 2019. Tanes Petsuwan, TAT’s deputy governor for Asia and the South Pacific, revealed that the agency is developing new promotional strategies for the next fiscal year and anticipates finalising its proposal…
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Government confirms 4-month electricity discount for users below 300 units
The Thai government confirmed a four-month electricity discount from May to August this year. This relief measure aims to alleviate energy price hardship for users who consume no more than 300 units per month, with an additional 150 baht rebate per household in May for those using no more than 500 units. Anucha Burapachaisr, deputy presidential secretary on political affairs,…
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Pavement rage: Food delivery rider ‘delivers’ slap to pedestrian for blocking his path
A food delivery rider who violated the law by riding on a pavement slapped a pedestrian in the face because the victim blocked his path. Two days ago, the victim, Kitti Panantanannon, shared a video of the moment when he was attacked on his Facebook account. In the caption, he said… “I filed a complaint at Phra Khanong Police Station.…
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Tragedy strikes as cement truck fatally runs over 2 year old boy near Bangkok
A heart-wrenching incident unfolded in Pathum Thani province near Bangkok, where a two year old boy lost his life after being run over by a cement truck. The driver of the truck blamed a broken brake system. The devastating event took place at the TPI Concrete Company in Pathum Thani. Officers from Mueang Pathum Thani Police Station swiftly arrived at…
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Van carrying migrants crashes and catches fire, leaving 4 dead
A van carrying migrant workers fled from police before crashing and catching fire in Thailand’s central Ayutthaya province, resulting in four deaths. Authorities are currently investigating the accident and searching for any additional injuries or casualties. The accident occurred at around 1am this morning on Highway 3543 near Chiang Rak Noi School in Bang Pa-in district. A van transporting migrant…
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Asia’s factory demand eases amid China’s faltering recovery and global trade slump
Factories across Asia experienced a further decline in demand during May, as China‘s sluggish recovery impacted a region already grappling with a global trade downturn. Taiwan’s purchasing managers indexes (PMI) dropped to 44.3 from 47.1 in April, while Vietnam recorded its lowest reading since September 2021, according to S&P Global. South Korea’s factory gauge saw a slight increase in May,…
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