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 Why retirees in Thailand are choosing long-term health insurance over quick fixes
Retirees in Thailand are increasingly seeing the importance of health insurance in protecting their well-being during retirement. With insurance requirements for retirement visas and rising healthcare costs, many are moving away from short-term plans and choosing long-term coverage. Long-term health...
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Thai and Israeli officials repatriate bodies of Thai workers lost in conflict
Today, a joint Thai and Israeli ceremony was held at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv, to repatriate the bodies of 11 Thai workers who lost their lives in the Israel conflict. The solemn event, attended by diplomatic officials from both nations, underscored the close ties between Thailand and Israel as they mourned the loss together. Thai officials present at the…
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Government offers loans to Thai workers returning from Israel
The Thai government pledged to extend low-interest loans of up to 150,000 baht to each Thai worker who has been forced to return from Israel due to the ongoing war in Gaza, Palestine. The loans aim to help Thai workers settle any outstanding debts with job brokers or to fund alternative career paths. Paopoom Rojanasakul, the finance minister’s secretary, revealed…
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Fireballs face-off: Biologist Jesada dares to unravel Naga mystery
Renowned biologist Jesada Denduangboripant from the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, has been challenged by Boonma Punduang, the mayor of Bueng Kan, to prove the phenomenon of Naga Fireballs. In response to the challenge, Jesada has proposed an alternative method of scientific examination, dismissing the need for a 1 million baht wager. Jesada Denduangboripant, a respected figure…
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Thai transwoman caught giving handjob to South Korean man on Pattaya Beach
Thai netizens called the relevant authorities to take action after a video showing a Thai transwoman giving a handjob to a South Korean man on Pattaya Beach went viral. The Facebook page, This is Beauty Queen (นางงามนะคะ), posted news of the video it found on Twitter (X) on October 29. “Just found a video of a Thai transwoman giving a…
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Thailand’s drug policy shift: Possession of 10 or fewer meth pills no longer means jail time
A significant shift in Thailand’s approach to drug possession is underway, as the Justice Ministry and the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) are supporting an initiative by the Public Health Ministry. This initiative aims to reclassify individuals found with 10 or fewer methamphetamine pills as users rather than dealers. Somsak Thepsutin, Deputy Prime Minister and ONCB president, addressed the…
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4 Chinese and 22 Thai scammers arrested for operating gold scam
Officers from the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) arrested 26 suspects, four Chinese and 22 Thai, for running a fake gold shop and luring victims to invest in counterfeit stock trading. The ECD, yesterday, October 31, launched an operation called CIB Anti-Online Scam to arrest 50 suspects involved in the investment scam run by Chinese nationals. Officers raided 21 suspicious…
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Chiang Mai club raided in Pa Cha Tek operation for serving underage drinkers
In the early hours of today, a popular club in Chang Phueak, Chiang Mai, was raided as part of the Pa Cha Tek operation. Led by Atsathit Sampantarat, Director of the Department of Provincial Administration, the operation was launched after the club was discovered to be allowing underage patrons, as young as 18, to enter and buy alcohol. The operation…
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Durian vendor found dead in pond after business trip
The family of a durian vendor was left in shock upon discovering that the man had been found dead, his hands and feet bound, in a pond after he had returned from selling durians in the south. The police were alerted to the incident at 6 am today and promptly arrived at the scene, accompanied by emergency medical personnel from…
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Paws for concern: Unlicensed vet accused in Nonthaburi pet death scandal
A dog owner complained to a veterinary clinic in Nonthaburi, alleging that an unlicensed vet performed a sterilisation operation on his pet, which subsequently died. The 36 year old owner, Songwut Sammawutikun, has sought an investigation into whether the individual who conducted the operation was, in fact, a qualified veterinarian. Songwut Sammawutikun disclosed that his three year old Thai-breed female dog, named…
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Trade negotiations with EFTA set to boost Thai GDP
The Trade Negotiations Department of the Commerce Ministry gears up for the seventh round of trade negotiations with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), to seal the deal by mid-2024. The announcement was made by Auramon Supthaweethum, the director-general of the department, who confirmed that the negotiations will take place from November 6 to November 9 in Geneva, Switzerland. The…
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Sugar prices clampdown: Thai Government enforces caps amid production cost hike
The Thai government yesterday resolved to regulate sugar prices to lessen the burden on the public. The Minister of Commerce, Phumtham Wechayachai, expressed confidence that the move will not cause controversy with Brazil. Following the weekly cabinet session, Phumtham disclosed that the government had decided to set a limit on the ex-factory prices for granulated sugar at 19 baht per…
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Snake catching fiasco: Man’s hilarious mistake with palm frond goes viral
A man’s humorous display of catching a snake barehanded left viewers laughing out loud. The clip, which ends up as a comedy sketch, caused viewers to gasp and burst into raucous laughter. The video, shared on social media, shows a young man walking in a resort’s walkway when he stumbles upon a cobra rearing its head menacingly. However, he remains…
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Nakhon Ratchasima battles major flooding after day-long downpour
The urban area of Nakhon Ratchasima was hit by a significant downpour that lasted from 2am until late in the evening yesterday. The persistent rain resulted in severe flooding that engulfed the city’s streets, public areas, and residential properties. The deluge posed considerable challenges to local inhabitants, motorists, and pedestrians alike. Inundated roads caused trouble for drivers, many of whom…
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Thai-Ghanaian football player condemns racist Thai referee
A half-Thai, half-Ghanaian Prachin Buri City football player condemned a racist Thai referee who allegedly called him a “ni**a!” The drama erupted after the match between Prachin Buri City FC and Pluakdaeng United FC on October 29. Prachin Buri City FC player Abdulkordiri Hamit, also known as Abdul, posted on his Pog Dul Facebook account what happened. “I can understand…
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Sirens sour the silence: Silom hotel’s plea ignites global social media symphony
An escalating drama unfolded as a hotel in the Silom area penned a letter to a foundation requesting the discontinuation of ambulance siren noise. The hotel cites the disturbance and nuisance caused by the loud sirens, thereby interrupting the leisure time of the guests. The revelation of this issue by the Thai press stirred up a global social media storm. The…
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Foiled in gold: Chinese-led scam gang’s Aurora of deception comes to light
A Chinese-led gang operating an elaborate gold investment scam, falsely using the name of a trusted jewellery manufacturer, Aurora Design, has been busted by Thai police. The scheme is reported to have an estimated 1.2 billion baht in circulation. Over the past week, police conducted raids on 21 locations across Bangkok, Chon Buri, and Chiang Mai, arresting 26 suspects, among…
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Thailand’s fitness deficit: Running endorsed to get the nation moving
Recent statistics from this year reveal that only 62% of the Thai population engage in sufficient physical activities, while over 38% don’t. To encourage an active lifestyle, Social Marketing Thaihealth (SMT) and its network have endorsed running as an affordable and accessible form of exercise. SMT and the Thai Health Day Run believe that running can pave the way for…
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Vanishing act: Thai man’s disappearance sparks monk’s mystical ceremony
A 49 year old Thai man mysteriously vanished from his home in the early hours of October 26 leading to a monk’s mystical ceremony to find him. Residents from Mo 9, Nern Phayom, Thung Pho, Nong Chang, Uthai Thani, and neighbouring villages were joined by over 30 officials in a desperate search that lasted four days. Their journey led them…
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Prescription for drama: Accused mistress denies love affair, claims she is a nurse
A Thai woman accused her husband of cheating and conspiring with his mistress to file a lawsuit against her. The accused woman denies being her husband’s lover, insisting that she is only his nurse. The 52 year old wife, Naruecha “Sida” Kamutyothin, gave an interview to Channel 3 yesterday, October 30, explaining that she married her husband, Jade, and have…
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New Thai law: Less meth tablets, more help – addicts eligible for treatment, not jail
Thailand‘s Public Health Ministry is set to roll out a new regulation, enabling individuals found with less than ten methamphetamine tablets to be seen as drug addicts, making them eligible for treatment over imprisonment, according to Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew. This significant shift in policy was revealed yesterday during a ministry meeting centred on drug suppression efforts for the fiscal year 2024.…
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Artistic intrigue: Thai national artist’s chilly encounter with graffiti mysteries
A compelling story about Chalermchai Kositpipat, a Thai national artist, has been shared on the Facebook page Little Mouse on the Cold Mountain Peak. The narrative unfolds in the chilly Chiang Rai province, near Wat Rong Khun, where an anonymous group painted graffiti on a wall. One night, a group covertly began to create street art on a wall opposite…
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Thailand Ministry of Labour: Refund for Thai workers who paid for return from Israel
Thai workers who fled unrest in Israel and bought their return tickets can now apply for a refund, according to the Ministry of Labour‘s Secretary, Pairoj Chotikasathien. This is in response to the recent conflict in Israel that has impacted Thai workers in the country. Thai workers who have returned from Israel since October 7, can now request reimbursement for…
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Thailand to lift visa requirements for Taiwanese and Indian tourists
Thailand is set to lift visa requirements for tourists from India and Taiwan starting next month, lasting until May 2024. This move aims to attract more tourist influx as the peak season is on the horizon. This move follows in the footsteps of the decision made in September to abolish visa requirements for Chinese tourists, Thailand’s leading tourism market before…
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Golden opportunity gone wrong: Burmese man arrested for gold necklace heist
Police arrested a Burmese man for stealing a gold necklace worth 65,000 baht from a Thai woman in the northern province of Chiang Mai. The 42 year old victim, surnamed Oil, filed a complaint at Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station on October 29, saying a man snatched a gold necklace she was wearing and fled at around 4am. The theft…
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Deputy Interior Minister’s whirlwind day: Prayers, fire, and fashion in Bangkok
Deputy Interior Minister Chada Thaiseth started his day with religious activities, then assisted in a fire incident during the day, and ended it at a fashion show in Bangkok, showcasing his versatile persona. The deputy interior minister revealed the incident of rescuing an elderly woman from a burning building in Uthai Thani yesterday. While attending a merit-making event yesterday, he…
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Mystery surrounds death of Thai barista at coffee shop in Khao Yai
A Thai woman discovered the dead body of her barista boyfriend at a coffee shop on Thanarat Road in the Khao Yai neighbourhood of Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeastern Thailand. The cause of his death remains a mystery. The woman, Charinthon Phuekkoksung, reported the death of her boyfriend, 25 year old Pasathorn Chaiyakarn, at Moo Si Police Station at 9.45pm yesterday,…
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Teenagers posing as junior police threaten resident with knives and a bomb
Two teenagers narrowly escaped a violent confrontation after falsely claiming they were junior police officers. Armed with knives and a ping-pong bomb, they threatened a resident before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle. The quick response of local police prevented any further escalation. The incident occurred last night at around 11.30pm local time, according to Thanit Thapakdi, Deputy Investigating Officer…
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Suicide of Wild Boar footballer sparks nationwide query into mental health support
The tragic suicide of Dom, a member of the “Wild Boar” football team, has left many with questions. As per a report by the BBC, Dom, full name Duangpetch Promthep, was one of the 13 individuals from the football team who were trapped in the Tham Luang cave and died eight months after his rescue. The cause of his death…
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Thai community leader commits suicide after plan to kill ex-wife fails
A Thai community leader committed suicide at his home in the central province of Nakhon Nayok after a plan to kill his ex-wife at a school failed. The director of Wang Phan Thip Phantaram School contacted officers at Mueang Nakhon Nayok Police Station after the school shooting incident at around 3pm yesterday, October 30. Officers rushed to the scene and…
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72 year old American trail runner found safe in Chiang Mai’s national forest reserve
The 72 year old American trail runner who vanished in the national forest reserve of Pa San Sai, Chiang Mai, has been found. Reach Mikob, an American national, was reported missing during a nature trip with 20 friends. He was located by the head of Pong village, Manop Boonsiri, and subsequently taken to a Chiang Mai hospital for a health…
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