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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Thai officials nabbed for 8 million baht procurement scam
Thai anti-corruption forces today led by Police Major General Prasong Chalermphan along with other officials, raided and arrested a mother and her daughter, both officials of the Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, for allegedly forging procurement documents resulting in losses exceeding 8 million baht. The main target was a building within the Department of Medical Sciences in…
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Heartless teenage thief leaves double amputee legless in Phatthalung
In Phatthalung province, a 63 year old double amputee who is a resident of the village of Talenoi in Khuan Khanun district had her money stolen, which was meant for her prosthetic legs appointment on December 26. Nuuray, known as Aunt Pong, underwent double leg amputation due to diabetes, first in 2021 and then in 2023. When her wounds healed,…
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Frozen seafood smokescreen exposed: Shocking meat swap scandal unveiled in cargo containers
In a startling revelation at Thailand‘s Laem Chabang deep-sea port, two unremarkable cargo containers have remained unclaimed since 2021. Contrary to their declared contents of frozen seafood, an intricate inspection unveiled a deceptive hoard of frozen pork and beef. Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao, leading a special unit on the hunt for illegal pork imports, cracked open the lid on one…
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Over 2,500 debtors in Nakhon Ratchasima seek resolution for 195 million baht informal debts
Over 2,500 debtors in Nakhon Ratchasima have registered for assistance in resolving their informal debts, amassing a total debt of 195 million baht. The highest number of registrations came from the Mueang district. The scene at the registration point in Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima district was bustling with both debtors and creditors seeking to register for state assistance in addressing their…
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Thai farmer turns backyard into mussel farm, earning 400 baht daily
A farmer in Nakhon Ratchasima has turned a hollow behind his house into a lucrative freshwater mussel farm. The mussels, which are large, fresh, and clean, have found a ready market, with customers even purchasing directly from the mussel farm. With an average daily income of 400 baht, the farmer is gearing up to expand his mussel farming operations. A…
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Shark tale: Thai PM warns loan sharks not to test government waters as they target debt-relief participant
The Prime Minister of Thailand, Srettha Thavisin, warned loan sharks not to challenge government power after two loan sharks threatened a debtor who participated in a government debt relief programme. A Thai woman named Som sought protection from the police and the government after the loan sharks came to her restaurant in the Sankaburi district in the central province of…
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Thailand’s tourism tango: TAT’s mixed bag predicts foreign tourist influx but warns of a 400 billion baht revenue remix
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) released a mixed bag of updates, hinting at a potential foreign tourist surge but cautioning about a colossal revenue shortfall of 400 billion baht. TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool revealed that Thailand hosted 25.8 million foreign tourists from January to November this year, inching close to the 27 million target. However, with the high season…
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Thai police dismantle illegal cosmetics factory in shocking raid
An illegal lotion and shower cream operation was dismantled by Thai police today. The clandestine factory, operating from a residential house, was found to be mixing products in appalling conditions, shockingly different from the sanitised images shared on social media. The authorities arrested the 63 year old owner, Thitiwat, for selling unregistered cosmetics and products without Thai-language labels, violating the…
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Pattaya police under fire for letting foreign sex offenders flee Thailand
Three police officers are now in hot water for their alleged involvement in the escape of two foreign suspects accused of engaging in illicit activities with underage girls in Pattaya. The escapade involves a German and an American who, after arrests, managed to slip away under questionable circumstances. The controversy traces back to a case in September last year when a…
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Rising waves and heavy rain batter Thailand’s south east coast
Torrential rains have battered the southern eastern coast of Thailand, particularly in the Pattani Narathiwat region. The inclement weather has resulted in high waves in the Gulf of Thailand, rising to 3 metres. Fishermen have been warned to exercise extreme caution. Reporters from Songkhla province noted that the sky has been heavily overcast with sporadic thunderstorms. Heavy rain persisted throughout…
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Drug addicted Thai woman beats mother to death with broom
A drug addicted Thai woman beat her mother to death with a broom in their home in the central province of Ang Thong. On December 6, Kanita Thongdee, a 49 year old woman, made a distressing discovery when she observed that her 72 year old mother, Pinthong Thongdee, had not completed her usual daily chores. Concerned, Kanita went to check…
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Slovenian national found dead in Pattaya condo, suspected suicide
The lifeless body of a 47 year old man from Slovenia was discovered in a Pattaya condominium yesterday. The preliminary investigations suggest that the cause of death was likely suicide. The scene was inspected by a team led by Pattaya police chief investigator, Police Lieutenant Colonel Thananon Athipansee, alongside medics from Bang Lamung Hospital and rescue workers. The team was…
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Las Vegas: Horrific campus carnage strikes University of Nevada, leaving 3 dead
At the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, US, three lives were taken and another was left fighting for survival in a campus shooting. The assailant is also confirmed dead, adding another grim chapter to America’s struggle with gun violence. Yesterday, December 6, gunshots were heard through the campus of the University of Nevada. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department gave…
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Swiss man accidentally falls from 3rd floor of Pattaya condo while smoking
A Swiss man suffered head and leg injuries after he accidentally fell from the third floor of a condominium in Pattaya while smoking at 5am today. The accident was reported to the Sawang Borriboon Dhammasatan Rescue Team at 5am today, December 7, where rescuers rushed to the scene in the Jomtien neighbourhood of Pattaya. At the scene, the rescuers found…
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Fuel shortage causes chaos in Yangon: Is Myanmar’s economy running on empty?
As Myanmar‘s metropolis Yangon grapples with a fuel shortage, the city saw chaos with motorists queuing at dawn, hoping to secure petrol. The fuel crisis has been exacerbated by economic turmoil and geopolitical tensions. Yangon’s fuel shortage, as reported by the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper, kicked off on Tuesday. The cryptic explanation attributed the crisis to delays in…
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Thailand’s interior minister unveils strategies to combat air pollution
The Secretary to Thailand’s Minister of the Interior, Traisulee Traisanakul, unveiled strategies to counteract forest fires, smog, and PM 2.5 smoke yesterday, December 6. These policies came as an initiative from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Anutin Charnvirakul and were addressed to provincial governors. Every year, during the cold and drought season, Thailand grapples with air pollution…
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Surge in gold prices today as announced by Gold Traders Association
The Gold Traders Association (GTA) announced a surge in gold prices today, after a significant drop. As of today, December 7, the gold bullion was sold for 34,300 baht per baht, showing a 100 baht increase compared to the closing price yesterday. According to the GTA’s website, as of 9.04am local time, the selling rate for 96.5% gold bar was…
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Drunk Thai man stabs 7-Eleven worker for refusing to sell alcohol after hours
Police used a stun gun to subdue a drunk Thai man after he stabbed a 7-Eleven convenience store worker with a pair of scissors in the central province of Lop Buri because the victim refused to sell him alcohol. The incident occurred at a 7-Eleven store next to the Lop Buri Provincial Police Office on Phra Piya Road in the…
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Thailand probes incident of Chinese tourist wearing Thai police uniform for fun
Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin verified yesterday that the Royal Thai Police (RTP) is probing a social media incident involving a Chinese tourist seen donning the Thai police uniform, complete with a nameplate, rank insignia, and decorations. The uniform was worn for amusement, an act which the Thai PM condemned. PM Srettha expressed his disapproval. “That isn’t right, and [the…
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Lorry crash in Pathum Thani injures 15 Burmese workers
A lorry carrying 15 Burmese workers collided with a container truck in Pathum Thani province, injuring all the passengers. The incident occurred around 6am today. The Isuzu pickup truck, driven by an unidentified man, lost control and crashed into the container truck, leading to multiple casualties. According to the initial investigation by Warut Poomsak, a duty officer at the Khlong…
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UNESCO recognises Songkran festival as Intangible Cultural Heritage
Thursday witnessed a series of events commemorating the Songkran Festival’s recent recognition as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The official declaration was made yesterday during UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee meeting for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Botswana. The Culture Ministry’s application for the inclusion of the Songkran Festival was approved by…
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Phuket extends pub and bar hours to boost tourism and employment
Phuket is set to extend the operating hours of its pubs and bars till 4am, with the new timing being tentatively scheduled to start on December 15. This decision was reached following a public hearing conducted by the Phuket Provincial Administration Office. The new operating hours are to be implemented in six zones on Bangla Road in the Patong area…
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The unique charm of Thai literature
The rich history of Thai literature traces back to the Sukhothai period (1238-1438). However, in the modern age, Thai literature takes on a different form. Distinct features separate modern Thai literature, written in the 20th and 21st centuries, from its historical counterparts. In this article, we delve into the unique characteristics that define modern Thai literature. What is the Golden…
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Thai provincial governors gain CEO-like powers under new decentralisation policy
Thai provincial governors have been granted the authority akin to a company’s CEO, following a Cabinet agreement. This move forms part of the government’s decentralisation policy. However, the main opposition party, the Move Forward Party (MFP), and various critics question if this action truly aligns with accepted international standards of decentralisation. The Cabinet-approved proposal, submitted by the National Economic and…
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Amata abrupt: Rayong company sends new employees packing with a one-day notice
A prominent company situated in Amata City Industrial Estate, Rayong, dismissed its newly recruited employees, providing only a single day’s notice. But the regular employees have not been spared either – they’ve been ordered to take a long leave of up to three months, receiving only 75% of their normal pay. This incident came to light today, December 6, when…
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Taiwanese man arrested for animal smuggling at Bangkok airport
Officers from Suvarnabhumi Animal Quarantine at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok arrested a Taiwanese man for animal smuggling yesterday, December 5. Suvarnabhumi Animal Quarantine chief Phakkapong Phathong said officers received a report of a suspicious Taiwanese man at 9.05am that day. Officers suspected that the 22 year old Taiwanese man was concealing live animals in his clothing when he passed…
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Phuket: 16 year old boy found dead in Thalang pond
A 16 year old boy who vanished while enjoying a swim was found dead in Baan Maruan Pond. Warut Butleb, a bright third-year high school student at Rajaprajanugroh School 36 in Kamala, yesterday, December 5, disappeared while swimming with his friend Ngae, a 10 year old from Myanmar. A seven-hour search for the teenage boy ended in a devastating discovery. The…
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Pop goes the drama: Wat Arun scoops up Love Destiny flavoured 3D ice cream
Social media has been abuzz lately with the newest delicacy at Wat Arun, the Arun Amarin temple, which is a Bangkok landmark. The Pop Icon 3D Ice Cream, a Thai and foreigner favourite, has now been reinvented into two new flavours, highlighting Thai culture and the historical drama, Love Destiny, or Prom Likit. The latest innovation from Pop Icon is…
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Slumber or blunder? Underwear-clad party entertainer crashes and kills motorcycle rider
A female party entertainer from Thailand claimed she was sleepy, not drunk, after crashing her car into a motorcycle rider and killing him on Phetchakasem Road in Cha-am district in the southern province of Phetchaburi. Officers from Cha-am Police Station were notified of the car accident at an ice factory on Phetchakasem Road at 7am today, December 6, and rushed…
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Singaporean duo’s slam dunk scandal: Basketball match fixing duo hits the court
A 30 year old Singaporean man found himself facing an eight-month jail term for his involvement in match fixing basketball matches in Thailand. The scandalous case, unravelling in the heart of the Singaporean sports scene, involves illicit bets, secret Facebook conversations, and a plot to rig matches in the Thailand Basketball League (TBL). Poh Wei Hao and Koa Wei Quan,…
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