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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9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand
Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...
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Dried fish maw seized by Thai customs in smuggling operation
A staggering 40.38 kilogrammes of dried fish maw, a species nearing extinction, were seized in a smuggling operation from Mexico, worth an estimated 58 million baht. Panthong Loikunnan, a consultant for tax development and management, and spokesperson for the Customs Department revealed the Thailand Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Srettha Thavisin, has implemented stringent policies for the Customs Department…
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Thailand tourism council to allocate visitor fees
The Tourism Council of Thailand plans to allocate a tourism fund, garnered from fees collected from foreign visitors, predominantly for the improvement of the tourism sector by state agencies. The fund, according to Surawat Akaraworamat, the Vice-President of the Tourism Council, is being prepared for implementation as soon as the government greenlights the project. Three subcommittees have been working relentlessly…
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Thailand sees 5% tourism expenditure rise despite high living costs
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) predicts a 5% surge in tourism expenditure during this year’s Loy Krathong festival, amounting to a total of 6.1 billion baht. The anticipated increase comes despite the country’s locals exercising caution due to escalating living costs. TAT forecasts that the festival will witness around 2.04 million domestic journeys, a 10% rise from the previous…
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Thailand weather: Bracing for thunderstorms and a 5 degree drop
Thailand Meteorological Department (TMD) issued a warning for thunderstorms and strong gusts today, followed by a temperature drop of 2 to 5 degrees Celsius. The southern region is forecasted to experience heavy rainfall. The public is advised to avoid open spaces at 5am today, followed by the changes in Thailand weather. A high-pressure system or cold air mass is currently…
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Rayong resident scoops 6 million baht jackpot in Thai government lottery
A resident from Khao Chamao district in Rayong province hit the jackpot, winning the first prize in the Thai government lottery. The 50 year old Rayong resident, Chai Chet, claimed his fortune of 6 million baht after dreaming of his late grandfather. The Thai government lottery’s results were announced yesterday, with the winning number for the first prize being 557990.…
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Thai prime minister addresses small investors’ crisis of confidence in the stock market
Thailand’s Prime Minister and Finance Minister Srettha Thavisin has spoken about the news of small investors planning to stop trading on November 20 due to a crisis of confidence. The situation, the Thailand prime minister says, is serious and warrants investigation. The government, he assures, is not taking negative measures against the Thailand Stock Exchange, but is trying to improve multiple…
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Fueling frustration: Thailand Energy Minister alarmed as petrol prices play a seesaw despite promised relief
Peeraphan Salirathaviphak, Thailand’s Minister of Energy, raised concerns about the constant fluctuations in petrol prices, which have seen a continuous rise over the past two days, despite a recent government announcement of a 2 baht per litre reduction. In a statement made at the Government House at 1pm this afternoon, Peeraphan argued that petrol prices should not fluctuate like stocks…
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Worming trouble: Japanese man finds tapeworm after eating Thai-style raw meat
A Thai doctor issued a warning to both locals and foreigners after a Japanese man contracted a tapeworm from eating Thai-style raw meat dishes. The doctor, Sukhumphan Kaocharoen, shared the story of his Japanese patient on the Facebook page Health Online by Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Doctor, yesterday, November 15. The doctor said the Japanese patient informed him that he…
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Northeast Thailand: Villagers flock to Ya Kok shrine for lottery luck
Residents of the village of Mab Krad, Khok Krachai, Khon Buri, and Nakhon Ratchasima, are gathering at the Ya Kok shrine to seek good fortune for the upcoming lottery draw. This follows the appearance of the second-prize lottery number. Residents offer worship items including savoury and sweet food like pork heads, boiled chicken, and beverages. They lay their purchased lottery…
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Iguana invasion: Wild population surge puts Thai officials on edge, sparks import halt pondering
The increased iguana population in the wild across numerous provinces in Thailand has provoked the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) to consider halting the importation of the species. Attapon Charoenchansa, the department’s director-general, revealed yesterday that the decision comes on the heels of an uptick in iguana sightings in natural habitats and urban areas. “The burgeoning…
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Northeast Thailand: Giant python causes alarm in Surin chicken coop
A colossal python, exceeding 4 metres in length and as thick as a leg, caused a scare in a chicken coop in Surin‘s Khuha Sawan subdistrict. The incident occurred on November 2, leading to the rousing of a rescue team from the Ban Raeng Subdistrict Municipality to assist. The rescue workers, equipped with venomous animal-handling tools, responded swiftly to aid…
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Chon Buri: Loan-sharking couple arrested following deadly shooting
A couple, involved in a loan-sharking gang, were arrested following a shooting that resulted in the death of a 45 year old fruit vendor named Itthipol (surname withheld). The incident occurred near a convenience store on Sukhumvit Road, Soi 109, Plutaluang, Sattahip, Chon Buri. The suspects, 29 year old Somchai Homkaraket, and Ratchadaphon Sirirat, also 29 years old, were apprehended…
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Tragic three-vehicle collision in northern Thailand claims young man’s life
A shocking three-vehicle collision occurred at the Mae Tam intersection, resulting in the tragic death of a young man who was found in the wreckage of his pickup truck. At 2.30am today, local Phayao police and emergency rescue teams rushed to the scene following reports of the major incident. Investigations revealed that the deceased was a 34 year old Peerapat.…
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Vietnamese investor-led network raided in Thailand for false milk powder sales
A Vietnamese investor-led network, falsely advertising and selling a specialised milk powder with exaggerated health benefits, was raided by the Royal Thai Police (RTP). The authorities seized more than 42 million baht in assets and accused the network of misusing the name of a renowned former national football player, Piyapong Pue-on, in their marketing. The operation took place at 10am…
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Thai police probe mysterious murder of Taiwanese man at Bangkok hotel
Thai police are investigating the murder of a Taiwanese man found tied and bound in the Niran Grand Hotel in the Udomsuk neighbourhood of Bangkok today, November 16. The tragic discovery of the Taiwanese man was made at the hotel on Soi Udomsuk 17, also known as Soi Sukhumvit 103, in Bangkok’s Bang Na district. An employee found the body…
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Royal Thai Army to pay over 2 million baht compensation for Lahu tribe defender’s death
The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has been ordered to pay over 2 million baht in compensation to the family of Chaiyaphum Pa-sae, a human rights defender from the Lahu tribe, as ruled by the Supreme Court today. This case stems from an incident in 2017 where Chaiyaphum was shot dead by military officials at a checkpoint in Chiang Mai. Despite…
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Thai man forces daughter to drink alcohol and watch porn before raping her (video)
A Thai father reportedly forced his 12 year old daughter to drink alcohol and watch porn before he raped her. The alleged rapist father was also accused of sexually assaulting his 15 year old daughter. The victim’s uncle, Noom, took the matter to the social media influencer, Guntouch “Gun” Pongpaiboonwet, and asked him to help process the legal charges against…
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National artist Chalermchai Kositpipat turns impromptu photographer at Rong Khun Temple
A delightful incident unfolded at Rong Khun Temple in Chiang Rai, where a foreign couple sought help for a souvenir photo from Thailand national artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. The couple unknowingly asked Chalermchai, National Artist in Visual Arts (Painting), donned in full motorcycling gear, to capture their moment. The artist obliged, capturing their moment in front of the temple he had…
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Baby boom: Thailand minister aims to boost nation’s population with Give Birth Great World campaign.
Thailand’s Public Health Minister is set to increase the population in Thailand by encouraging Thais to have more children in a campaign called, Give Birth Great World. Cholnan Sikaew revealed in a meeting within the ministry yesterday, November 15, that the average fertility rate of women across the world would reduce to 1.7 children per woman by 2100 if the…
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Famed Thai fortune teller year-end zodiac forecasts reveal financial and career prospects
Famed fortune-teller, Uy Chanitta, has revealed her predictions for the zodiac signs as we approach the year’s end. With some signs set to pay off debts and experience good fortune, while others should beware of significant financial loss, her forecast spans a range of outcomes for the zodiac signs. According to Chanitta, those born under the Aries sign should be…
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Ghostly encounters add chilling twist to Chaowalit manhunt in Thailand forest
The manhunt for Chaowalit Thongduang, also known as Sia Paeng, took a chilling turn when a police team, tasked with tracking him down, reported being haunted by a ghost during their mission. The unnerving incident occurred in the dense forest of Ton Tok waterfall area in Trang province, which the team had been using as a base for the operation. Over…
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Chinese student’s health scare underlines importance of early diagnosis
A 20 year old Chinese student was shocked when she was diagnosed with a critical condition after noticing unusual red spots and bruises on her body. Initially, the Chinese student, from Changsha, China, thought they were mosquito bites or accidental bruises, but when the spots increased, she realised something was amiss with her health. After returning home from a trip…
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2 loan sharks nabbed for killing fruit seller over 400 baht late payment
Police arrested two loan sharks in the southern province of Prachuap Kiri Khan after they killed a fruit seller because he was two days late in paying 400 baht in interest. The victim, Thai man Ittiphon Pinthong, was shot and stabbed while he was selling fruit in front of a convenience store on Sukhumvit Road in the Sattahip district of…
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Prime time relief: Govt’s debt deal targets students, teachers, and small-biz owners
A fresh debt relief package aimed at several demographics, including past students embroiled in student loan repayments, teachers, and owners of small-to-medium businesses, is set to be unveiled by the government, according to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin‘s announcement yesterday. The Bangkok-born Thai PM added that this package, which will also extend to individuals making repayments to non-banking lenders, is expected…
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Thai police busts 500 million baht fraudulent loan scheme in a massive operation
A massive operation by Thai police led to the arrest of 13 individuals linked to nine fraudulent loan applications, with a total of 500 million baht found circulating in seized passbooks. The Central Investigation Bureau’s (CIB) top officer, Police Lieutenant General Jirabhop Bhuridej, disclosed the details during a press briefing yesterday. The operation spanned across ten provinces, including Bangkok, Nonthaburi,…
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3 month old baby bitten by monkeys on Phang Nga island, left in a coma
Two monkeys bit a three month old baby boy at his home on Koh Mai Phai, an island in the southern province of Phang Nga, leaving the infant in a coma. A Thai woman, Jiraporn Galong, told PPTV HD that her nephew, three month old Muallim Ard-dee, was with his grandmother when the incident happened on November 13. He was…
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Highway officer murder: Murder charges hit Nok and crew, along with 21 cops in Nakhon Pathom party
Charges were filed against Praween Chankhlai, also known as Nok, seven of his accomplices, and 21 police officers in relation to the murder of a highway police officer during a party at Nok’s residence in Nakhon Pathom on September 6. According to a source from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), investigators concluded their inquiry into Police Major Sivakorn Saibua’s murder,…
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Thief runs car over homeowner and kills him before fleeing
A thief ran over a homeowner with his car and killed him on the road in the central province of Saraburi yesterday, November 14, before fleeing with the stolen goods. Phra Putthabat Police Station officers rushed to investigate the death of a 36 year old Thai man named Charoen Katemongkut at around 9am yesterday. Charoen was found dead by the…
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Thai nationals to return from Myanmar amidst military-insurgent clashes
The return of 41 Thai nationals, marooned amidst skirmishes between Myanmar military and ethnic insurgent factions in Laukkai, a border town between China and Myanmar, is set to happen today, as stated by the prime minister. These individuals are part of a larger group of 164 Thai nationals, who were rescued by Myanmar officials from illegal employment or human trafficking…
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Man fatally shoots stepson following heated argument in Uthai Thani
A fatal domestic dispute broke out in Uthai Thani province yesterday when a 58 year old man shot his 42 year old stepson. The shooting followed a heated argument between the two after consuming alcohol in their residence. Upon receiving an alert around 9.40pm, police officers from Lan Sak Police Station, accompanied by Uthai Thani rescue volunteers, rushed to the scene.…
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