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.
-
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...
-
Ice Woman: Interview with the world’s first Thai Wim Hof Method instructor
Kam Waritsara, aka ‘Thai Ice Woman,’ is the first Thai-certified Wim Hof Method (WHM) instructor in the world. Once Kam tried and tested the WHM, it became such an important part of her life that she vowed to make the technique accessible to Thai people. The WHM – discovered by Dutch extreme athlete Wim Hof – comprises three pillars: breathwork,…
-
UPDATE: Governor rushing to feed over 800 Phuket flood victims
UPDATE Phuket Governor Narong is rushing to get food to over 800 victims of the island province’s recent floods. A total of 871 people, making up 372 households, have been affected by heavy floods that hit Phuket on Friday. Narong yesterday led officials in handing out 1,800 meals to people at Wat Nai Yang temple in the Thalang district. This…
-
Hopefuls assess and prepare to run for prime minister
While the Constitutional Court is mulling over when Prayut Chan-o-cha’s term as prime minister officially ends, with the suspended PM submitting his defence on Thursday, several hopefuls eyeing the premiership have assessed their chances and taken steps in preparation. The Sang Anakhot Thai Party (translating to “Building Thailand’s Future”) intends to nominate former Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and has…
-
Maid abuse case shines light on layers of corruption
On the surface, the policewoman who beat her maid is appalling enough, but as details unfold, they uncover multi-layered rotten corruption laying bare countless cases of abuse of power all the way to the top and connected to the acting prime minister. Not only did the maid endure the abuse in exchange for a pass into the Royal Thai Army,…
-
Prayut submits 30-page defence to court to remain PM
In the ongoing battle for Prayut Chan-o-cha to stay on as prime minister of Thailand, the suspended PM and current Minister of Defence had his legal team submitted a 30-page document that lays out his defence against all the arguments regarding his term limits to the Constitutional Court. While the Constitutional Court is still considering whether Prayut can remain as…
-
UPDATE: Prayut calls in army to help with Phuket floods
UPDATE After floods wreaked havoc in Phuket yesterday, General Prayut Chan-o-cha has today called in the Royal Thai Army for some backup to help the island province’s victims, and pump out flood water. Prayut has ordered army officers to pump out water in the area around the Phuket International Airport. He has also ordered to officers to help victims in…
-
Traffic fines see a hefty price spike on Monday
Bad and disobedient drivers better get it out of their systems quickly over the weekend! On Monday, increased fines for traffic offences – some rather steep – will go into effect in Thailand after the Land Traffic Act is updated. Yesterday, the Director of the Traffic Management Center and Deputy National Police Chief laid out a list of hefty new…
-
LTR visa: will the benefits lure expats to drive the economy?
The new 10-year long-term resident visa was launched on Thursday to convert visitors into expats by offering benefits and tax breaks to attract foreigners from around the world. Though, they’ve made clear that they’re looking only for the top-tier wealthy travellers to move to Thailand and take advantage of the LTR visa. The new visa is only offered exclusively to…
-
How to plan a destination wedding in Phuket 2022 – Step by Step
If you are looking for how to plan a wedding in Phuket, you have come to the perfect place! Going to a foreign land to marry your love can offer you that amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, planning the perfect wedding can sometimes be a daunting task. But don’t worry as we are here to guide you through the steps of…
-
Elephant invades home and steals fermented fish in eastern Thailand
An elephant with no respect for the law smashed its way into a home in Prachin Buri province at 4.40am today and helped itself to some fermented fish and other food items before fleeing into the jungle. The owner of the one-storey house, Pranee Saicharoen, says she was woken up by a loud bang in the middle of the night.…
-
Virus expert tells Thailand’s masses to top up for pandemic fight
One of Thailand’s top virologists last night insisted that it is vital everyone in the kingdom tops up on their vaccination jabs with a booster shot to defeat Covid-19. Dr Yong Poovorawan likened getting vaccinated to training the body’s immune system to become a frontline soldier in fighting off invading diseases. “The Covid-19 virus does not just invade our body…
-
VIDEO: Phuket Airport and surrounding areas engulfed by floods
Floodwater is being pumped out of Phuket Airport and surrounding areas following heavy rainfall. No flights have been cancelled yet but the airport has requested passengers to arrive three to four hours before their scheduled departure time. “Heavy rain in Phuket province has resulted in flooding at Phuket Airport. Urgent remedial action is being taken in all flooded areas,” said…
-
Officers face 50 years in jail for soliciting bribes from erotic massage parlour
Four police officers were sentenced to 50 years in prison after they solicited bribes from an erotic massage parlor in the Din Daeng district of Bangkok. Officers from the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) raided Nataree Massage after being notified the establishment was using women under the age of 18 that had been trafficked. The raid took place…
-
Several bars and nightclubs fail fire safety inspections in Pattaya, Thailand
Authorities ramped up fire safety inspections at entertainment venues in Pattaya following the tragic Mountain B nightclub fire in Chon Buri’s Sattahip district last month. The tragedy claimed the lives of 22 people, 13 on the night of the fire and nine more who died in hospital in the weeks that followed. The tragedy would have been avoided if the…
-
Thai influencer tells fans to use green light DLT taxis for safer ride
A famous Thai influencer recommends that people should only take taxis that display a green vacant light because they are registered with the Department of Land Transport (DLT) and provide a safer service for passengers. The Thai influencer, Beam, who runs a Facebook page Beam’s Story (เรื่องของบีม), told her fans to use only taxis with a green vacant sign because…
-
Inaugural Vietnam Airlines flight lands in Phuket, Thailand
Yesterday at 11am, Vietnam Airlines’ inaugural flight from Ho Chih Minh City landed at Phuket International Airport with 161 tourists on board. Passengers on flight VN9625 were given a warm welcome from the Director of Phuket Airport Monchai Tanod, and the Deputy Director of Phuket Airport’s Business Support Line Kanyarat Suthipatanakit. With Thailand’s monsoon season in full swing, all passengers…
-
Bungled tattoo turned woman from east Thailand into a freak
A Thai woman said she was left “speechless” after a visit to a tattoo parlour to paint her eyebrows left her with four permanent eyebrows. Nipapron Meeking wanted to make her eyebrows more beautiful for a holiday she was planning with friends so visited a clinic in Rayong province, in eastern Thailand. The 32 year old woman handed over 1,500…
-
Thailand’s student monks get diet overhaul to combat obesity
After a recent study concluded that over a quarter of student monks in the Phra Pariyatti Dhamma General Education schools nationwide are overweight, a new food and health programme has arrived. The National Health Commission Office has launched the project together with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences of Chulalongkorn University, and six other organisations.…
-
VIDEO: Bodyguards chase acting PM Prawit’s golf buggy for 2km in Thailand
Acting Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan – aka Big Pom – entertained the Thai nation once again yesterday when he made his two bodyguards jog after his golf buggy in the sweltering heat during his trip to Chachoengsao province. One of them couldn’t keep up. Big Pom visited a water treatment facility in Mueang district yesterday to learn about how wastewater…
-
Thai teens win 3 gold medals in world dance competition in US
A Thai teenage dance team has put Thailand on the map by winning three gold medals in a world dance competition in the US. The team, named ‘Awesome,’ won the medals at the World Hip Hop Dance Championship 2022 for juniors and adults held in Phoenix, Arizona from August 7-13. The team collected their congratulations gifts at the Chon Buri…
-
Thailand to make jet fuel from the nation’s used cooking oil
A project to make aviation fuel from used cooking oil in Thailand is receiving a 10 billion baht investment, according to petroleum company Bangchak Corporation Plc (BCP). If all goes to plan, the product could be available to buy as soon as Q4, 2024. Yesterday, officials from three companies – BCP, BBGI Plc, and Thanachok Oil Light – signed the…
-
Thai girl tries to trick boyfriend into marriage using urine of pregnant woman
A celebrity doctor shared a shocking story of a woman seeking the urine of a pregnant woman to trick a boyfriend into marrying her. The doctor then issued a warning to both buyers and sellers of urine samples to stop their business as they could face a fine and imprisonment. The Facebook page, Children’s Story by Doctor Am (เรื่องเด็กๆ by…
-
3 dishes from Thailand feature in Asia’s top 50 best street foods
Three Thai food dishes feature in CNN Travel’s top 50 best street foods in Asia. Isaan sausages, Khao Soi, and crab omelettes were the three dishes highlighted in the top 50 must-try street foods from all over Asia. The list is available here. CNN said the crab omelettes or Kai Jeow Pu (ไข่เจียวปู) were… “A match made in heaven. The…
-
‘Foolish’ Bangkok banker duped out of 1.36 million baht
A Bangkok banker admits she feels ‘foolish” after being scammed out of over 1 million baht while trying to secure a loan for half of that amount. The woman, identified as B, from Lat Phrao district, applied for a personal loan from Kasikorn Bank and soon after received a message via the Line application to secure it by clicking on…
-
UPDATE: 7 year old girl dies in school van in eastern Thailand
UPDATE In the tragic case of 7 year old ‘Nong Ji Hoon,’ who died in a school van in Chon Buri province on Tuesday, investigators have pressed charges against both the van driver and teacher on school bus duty for “negligence causing the death of another person.” The charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and a fine…
-
UPDATE: Thai policewoman accused of abusing soldier dismissed from civil service
UPDATE: Thai policewoman accused of abusing soldier dismissed from civil service The policewoman who allegedly abused and kept a female soldier as a “slave” has been ordered to resign from the civil service, according to Deputy Spokesperson for the Royal Thai Police Po. Cl. Khrishna Pattanacharoen. The spokesperson announced yesterday that the 43 year old policewoman has been officially dismissed…
-
Foreign experts can apply for Thailand’s new 10-year visa today!
Foreign experts, professionals, eligible high net-worth individuals, and retirees can start applying online today for Thailand’s new 10-year visa, said an adviser to the Thai prime minister, Chayotid Kridakon. Chayotid believes the new visa will boost industry and commerce in the country and has set a target of attracting about one million wealthy or talented foreigners over the next five…
-
Korean Air to resume flights to Chiang Mai and Phuket
Korean Air will resume direct flights from Seoul to both Chiang Mai and Phuket this October. Both routes were suspended in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The airline’s Phuket flights are scheduled to depart from Seoul Incheon Airport four days per week on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 5.55pm and land in Phuket at 10pm. Phuket to…
-
Thailand to boost tourism revenue by hosting Indian weddings, says TAT
Indian weddings are a “multi-billion dollar industry” that Thailand plans on tapping into, according to Deputy Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Siripakorn Chaewsamoot. The TAT said they want to bump up Thailand’s tourism revenue for 2022 up to 600 – 700 billion baht (US$16 – 19 billion) by the end of the year by targeting high-spending groups…
-
Condo technician tries to rape teenage student in central Thailand
A condominium technician tried to rape an 18 year old woman who asked him to let her into her room after she lost her key card in Nonthaburi province, central Thailand. The girl’s elder sister filed a police report on her behalf at Bang Bua Thong Police Station yesterday at 4.30pm, providing CCTV footage recorded on August 19 at 9pm…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.