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 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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BJT sues Chuvit Kamolvisit for damage to party reputation
The Bhumjaithai Party (BJT) has filed a lawsuit against the former politician and whistleblower Chuvit Kamolvisit, accusing him of damaging the reputation of its party candidates and seeking 100 million baht in damages. The party’s lawyers, Natchanikarn Ketkhamkhwa and Pichai Iem-on claim that Chuvit has harmed the party’s popularity in the lead-up to the general elections. The BJT is also…
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Transwoman physically assaulted by bar guards in Phuket
A Thai transwoman filed a complaint at Patong Police Station on Tuesday, May 9, after four to five security guards at a bar in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket physically assaulted her and forcibly removed her from the venue without a reason. The 27 year old transwoman posted a video on her TikTok account, Prasita Punyang, three days ago of…
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Six arrested for wildlife trafficking and macaques rescue in Phetchaburi
Phetchaburi authorities arrested six members of a wildlife trafficking gang and rescued over ten macaques near a hill in the Muang district. The arrests took place today morning following a tip-off, leading the police to the foothill of Khao Luang in tambon Thongchai, where they discovered the group capturing long-tailed macaques. Upon monitoring the gang, officers observed four men and…
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Arson attacks hit multiple locations in Thailand’s southern provinces
Arson attacks struck 23 locations in Thailand‘s southernmost provinces late last night, causing damage to mobile phone antenna towers, and power poles, and resulting in the burning of tyres. The attacks took place between 9pm and 11pm, with officials providing updates on the situation on Friday. The affected areas spanned across three provinces: Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat. In Yala, seven…
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Uncle Tu offers prayers at Nakhon Si Thammarat main shrine before attending grand rally as lottery enthusiasts gather to buy lucky numbers
Yesterday in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand, General Prayut Chan-o-cha, a prime ministerial candidate for the Palang Pracharath Party, spent the whole day campaigning and visiting five districts. Later, he concluded the campaign with a large rally at the city’s central sports field, ahead of the elections on May 14. Feeling tired from the continuous travel and rallies, Prayut took…
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Chinese mother laughs as son smuggles her gold bracelet as a gift for his preschool crush
A video of a Chinese boy admitting to taking his mother’s gold bracelet to primary school has gone viral online. In the clip, a young boy can be seen confessing to his mother that he took her valuable jewellery, worth nearly 48,000 baht (US$1,540), to school to give to his girlfriend. The mother’s laughter as she questions her son has…
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Shooting instructor opens fire in Rayong, Thailand
A shooting instructor who is a former soldier fired gunshots from inside a house in Rayong province in eastern Thailand this morning. Police surrounded the house but the gunman still hasn’t surrendered. No injuries or fatalities have been reported. At 7am, officers at Mueang Rayong Police Station received a call from 70 year old “Rang” to help arrest his “manic”…
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Teenage boy bitten by rat at food court in Bangkok shopping mall
A Thai mother sought help on social media after her teenage son got bitten by a rat while dining at a shopping mall food court in the Pathum Wan district of Bangkok after the mall refused to be held accountable for the incident. The Facebook page Oil Sri and the Gang (ออยศรีและผองเผือก) received a complaint about the shopping mall from…
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Thailand to tighten penalties for illegal surrogacy facilitators
The Department of Health Service Support (DHSS) is in the process of drafting an amendment to the “Protection of a Child Born by Medically Assisted Reproductive Technology Act, B.E. 2558 (2015)” to increase penalties against individuals involved in illegal surrogacy in Thailand. This includes brokers and women who are hired for the purpose of surrogacy. According to DHSS chief Sura…
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Cyanide serial killer’s sister-in-law questioned for possessing victim’s assets
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) summoned and questioned the sister-in-law and younger brother of the cyanide serial killer, Sararat “Am” Rangsiwuthaporn, after her sister-in-law was found to have a designer bag and mobile phone belonging to her latest victim. The Thai cyanide serial killer is currently imprisoned at the Central Women Correctional Institution in Bangkok after being accused of taking…
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Rare ceremony for Jao Por Xiang Do brings luck and excitement to Surin community after 10 years
Yesterday, at 9am, more than 1,000 participants gathered for a ceremony at the Seiang Do Shrine near the Huay Kaew water storage in Rattnaburi, Surin province. This ritual was a part of the annual Boon Bang Fai ceremony for Surin province’s Ban Phue community in Rattanaburi. It serves to preserve ancient cultural traditions and is being held for the first…
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Thai father and son’s hilarious new alphabets video goes viral
Internet users have had a good laugh at a new dimension of the Thai alphabet, where the child misinterpreted certain characters, and a father got a taste of karma from his son. Reportedly, a mother from the Sam Yaek area in Wichian Buri District, Phetchabun Province, posted a highly amusing video clip of a father teaching his son, named Nong…
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Legal action against violent demonstrators at Samran Rat police station
Authorities have confirmed their intentions to take legal action against a group of demonstrators involved in a violent protest at Samran Rat police station. The demonstration occurred on Wednesday night and saw nine protesters arrested for their alleged role in leading about 20 people to spray paint the station in the Phra Nakhon district. The Metropolitan Police Division 6’s commander,…
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Kiwi tourist pleads guilty to ecstasy possession in Phuket, Thailand
A tourist from New Zealand pleaded guilty to drug possession at a court in Phuket, southern Thailand, on Monday. In September, police arrested 45 year old Ari Michael Salinger after finding two ecstasy tablets on his person. He was released on bail and his passport was confiscated while awaiting trial. On Monday, the court sentenced Salinger to a “small fine”…
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Campaign urges senators to back winning party in forming Thai government
A campaign led by a group of academics is calling for the support of senators for the political party that secures the most House seats in Sunday’s election, in hopes to establish a new government efficiently. The public can contribute their views on this initiative from midday on Monday until midday Wednesday by voting through the QR code provided by…
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Election Commission to reveal unofficial results by 11pm on Sunday
The Election Commission (EC) anticipates that unofficial General Election results will be available by 11pm on Sunday. Results from ballot counts at polling stations across the nation will be compiled, verified, and subsequently published via the EC’s internet-based system called ECT Report starting at 7pm. The unofficial results will be published on a designated website, which can accommodate up to…
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Chartthaipattana Party aims for 25 parliamentary seats and support of monarchy in election
The leader of the Chartthaipattana Party, Varawut Silpa-archa, said yesterday that his party would obtain at least 25 Parliamentary seats in the upcoming General Election on Sunday. He expressed the party’s desire to form a government with other parties supporting the monarchy. Varawut assigned all candidates from the party to participate in on-site campaign rallies. He commented on the complexities…
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Thundershowers, winds, rain, and floods expected in Thailand
The Thai Meteorological Department warns of thundershowers, gusty winds, heavy rain, and floods in Thailand. In upper Thailand, the department warns of a tropical storm that could bring thundershowers and gusty winds until Monday (May 15). In addition, heavy rains, hailstorms and lightning are forecast in some areas during this period. People living in upper Thailand have been advised to…
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RTA army chief assures there’ll be ‘no coups on his watch’
Royal Thai Army (RTA) Chief General Narongpan Jittkaewtae assured the Thai public yesterday that there would be no coups on his watch, stating that the term should not exist in anyone’s vocabulary. General Narongpan is set to retire on September 30 and provided reassurances in the lead-up to the elections on Sunday. There have been concerns about possible unrest following…
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Thailand Consumers Council urges government to lower fuel tariff and promote home solar panels use
The Thailand Consumers Council (TCC) is urging the government to consider lowering the fuel tariff (Ft) amid mounting complaints about high electricity bills while suggesting that the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) promote the use of domestic solar panels to help address the problem. Itthaboon Onwongsa, TCC deputy secretary, noted during a seminar discussing recent increases in power costs, that the…
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Tourists warned against taking ‘Happy Water’ drug in Thailand
Thailand‘s Department of Medicine is warning partygoers against taking “Happy Water,” a dangerous cocktail of various illicit drugs which has become an “epidemic” in the country’s nightlife scene, reports KhaoSod. Happy Water is made by mixing various drugs into a sweetened drink, typically including ketamine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, diazepam, caffeine, and tramadol all in one, according to the Deputy Director-General of…
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Thai man arrested for selling fake 1,000 baht banknotes
Officers from the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) yesterday arrested a Thai man after discovering he sold fake 1,000 baht banknotes online with a promotion, buy 10 get 1 free. The Bank of Thailand received a complaint about counterfeit banknotes being sold on Twitter and then reported the issue to the EDC and urged for an urgent investigation as the…
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Thailand and china collaborate to crack down on crime
Thailand and China are collaborating to crack down on crimes committed by Chinese nationals using Thailand as a base. Thai immigration police, led by Pol. Maj. Gen. Pantana Nutchanart, flew to China to seek cooperation and exchange of information with Chinese police in a week-long trip from May 5 to 11. The goal of the trip was to prevent Chinese…
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Stranded in Thailand: Bankrupt foreign woman unable to return home
A foreign woman sought assistance from locals in Krabi province in the southern region of Thailand after she ran out of money. She is unable to return to her home country, the United States. A cannabis shop owner near Ao Nang Beach in Krabi posted the story of the foreign woman on Facebook yesterday. He said the woman bought cannabis from…
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Miracle in Thailand: Siblings reunite with missing mother after 30 years
Against all odds, six siblings in Thailand were reunited with their 86 year old mother today who went missing from their family home over 30 years ago. For the past 18 years, monks and villagers were taking care of her at a temple in Prachin Buri province. Khamthep Iammalai, the former abbot of Wat Mai Saraburi in Kabin Buri district,…
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Angry ‘sugar mommy’ purposely crashes BMW into man’s house and cars, accuses him of being a prostitute
A Thai TikTok user posted a video of an angry “sugar mommy” crashing her BMW sedan into his house and cars after she accused him of being a prostitute. The TiKToker Nat Thanapong shared the video two days ago. The video shows the BMW sedan repeatedly crashing into Nat’s black fence at the front of his house until the fence…
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Srisuwan demands 1 million compensation after being assaulted while filing complaint
Srisuwan, a complainant, now claims one million baht in damages after being physically assaulted for the second time while filing a complaint. He reports that he does not want an apology from the attacker and is determined to pursue the matter in court. Srisuwan has contacted Thung Song Hong police to investigate a case against a man who punched him…
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Jealous man attacks woman over alleged affair with his boyfriend
A jealous Thai man yesterday attacked a woman at a noodle shop in the northern province of Kampaeng Phet after she became embroiled in a bizarre love triangle with the man’s boyfriend. The jealous man accused the woman of having an affair with his boyfriend. The victim said the man was her boyfriend while the boyfriend claimed the gay man…
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Thai police warn against political party clothing during election weekend
The Royal Thai Police have issued a warning to the public, stating that wearing clothing with political party logos or names of candidates during the upcoming general election on May 13 and 14 could be considered illegal campaigning, leading to hefty fines or even imprisonment. According to election law, all political campaigns should be concluded by 6pm on the day…
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Cowardly thug charged for viciously beating girlfriend in Patong karaoke car park
A cowardly thug has been charged for a violent attack on his girlfriend at a karaoke car park in Patong in Phuket. The case came to light after the graphic CCTV footage of the beating went viral but has since been removed by the Patong Police due to the disturbing nature of the images. The individuals involved in the incident…
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