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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  • Phuket police can’t catch foreigner stealing tourists’ credit cards for shopping sprees

    Phuket police can’t catch foreigner stealing tourists’ credit cards for shopping sprees

    A foreign man has made a habit of stealing credit cards from tourists in Phuket, southern Thailand, to go on expensive shopping sprees. He has managed to avoid arrest so far. The same foreign man of unknown nationality is pickpocketing tourists in the Patong area of Phuket and using fake passports to make purchases of expensive items in bulk like…

  • Thai woman accuses Philippines airport officers of attempted theft

    Thai woman accuses Philippines airport officers of attempted theft

    A Thai woman accused customs officers at Manila International Airport in the Philippines of attempted theft. She said the officers tried to steal 40,000 yen (about 10,000 baht) from her bag. The Thai woman, Saruta Jansila, shared her unnerving experience at the Ninoy Aquino Intl Airport (Manila) in the Philippines on a Facebook group named People Who Like to Roam…

  • Phuket officials warn tourists to beware of jellyfish

    Phuket officials warn tourists to beware of jellyfish

    Phuket officials are warning tourists to beware of potentially dangerous jellyfish while enjoying the island’s beaches. The warning issued today comes after more than 30 visitors reported being stung by jellyfish at Kata Beach last week, with most experiencing mild symptoms. In response to this, signs have been placed at over 20 popular tourist destinations around Phuket, including Patong, Nai…

  • Phuket rescuers bring French tourists lost in forest to safety

    Phuket rescuers bring French tourists lost in forest to safety

    Phuket rescuers brought two French tourists lost in a forest to safety between last night and this morning. The tourists, a man identified only as Victor, and his girlfriend, had arrived in Phuket earlier yesterday and decided to go for a walk on a local beach. The couple followed a trail up the Nai Thon mountain but found themselves lost and…

  • Thai man accuses Canadian man of murdering his sister in Phuket

    Thai man accuses Canadian man of murdering his sister in Phuket

    A Thai man accuses a Canadian man of murdering his younger sister who was found hanged in a nail salon in Phuket, southern Thailand, last week. He says the Canadian assaulted, held hostage, drugged, and blackmailed his sister just days before her death. She reported him to the police three days prior to being found dead. The Canadian allegedly offered…

  • Thai police swoop to close down another illegal Chinese operation

    Thai police swoop to close down another illegal Chinese operation

    Thai police swooped on yet another illegal Chinese business operation, leading to the arrest of one man. Officers from the Consumer Protection Division (CPD) in Thailand conducted searches in two different locations in Prawet District in Bangkok and Samut Prakan province and seized counterfeit cosmetics and low-quality medical supplies worth an estimated 14 million baht. During the raids, a Chinese…

  • Report finds most Thais don’t understand climate change

    Report finds most Thais don’t understand climate change

    A recent report by the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) has revealed that most Thais have a limited understanding of the impact of climate change on the planet. Only 35% of Thais believe that the use of fossil fuels should be reduced. This reflects a general lack of awareness about climate change and what causes it. Oddly, the…

  • UK police go to Thailand to solve woman’s mysterious murder 19 years ago

    UK police go to Thailand to solve woman’s mysterious murder 19 years ago

    Nearly 19 years after a Thai woman‘s half-naked body was found in a stream in the Yorkshire Dales, UK police officers have come to Thailand to try and solve the suspected murder case. Police want to question David Armitage, her husband who now lives in Thailand, and the woman’s parents. Hikers noticed the body of Lamduan Armitage, formerly Lamduan Seekanya,…

  • Embassy searches for Thai woman missing in Turkey after earthquake

    Embassy searches for Thai woman missing in Turkey after earthquake

    The Royal Thai Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, is searching for a missing Thai woman in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that hit southern Turkey and northern Syria. The Thai embassy requested clues about the woman, Wilairat Channual, and the rescue team has been notified, Nation Thailand reported yesterday. The embassy is also working with local agencies to repatriate the…

  • Elephant in Thailand dies after tourists feed it wrong food

    Elephant in Thailand dies after tourists feed it wrong food

    An elephant camp in Koh Chang, eastern Thailand, is warning tourists not to feed elephants food containing chemicals after an elephant died after eating chemically-contaminated bananas. A few weeks ago, a 20 year old male elephant at Kaebai Meechai Elephant Camp in Koh Chang, Trat province, fell ill with flatulence and indigestion after eating food brought in by some tourists,…

  • Small hotels recover in Thailand as foreigners move downmarket

    Small hotels recover in Thailand as foreigners move downmarket

    As small hotels recover in Thailand, returning tourists are choosing different options from pre-pandemic staples. A study of small hotels and hostels found booking growth is now higher than before the pandemic, with bookings from overseas tourists exceeding those of local travellers. As small hotels recover in Thailand, bookings are up by a quarter from the pre-Covid levels, according to…

  • Burmese man killed in paramotor accident near Bangkok

    Burmese man killed in paramotor accident near Bangkok

    A Burmese man was pronounced dead after he crashed his paramotor in the central province of Pathum Thani near Bangkok. Police from Mueang Pathum Thani Police Station, medical workers, and a rescue team rushed to the accident scene at an empty plot of land in the Baan Chang sub-district of Pathum Thani, but they were unable to save the man’s…

  • Gay-friendly Japanese sauna warns Thai tourists to watch their manners

    Gay-friendly Japanese sauna warns Thai tourists to watch their manners

    A gay-friendly Japanese sauna displayed a sign in Thai to remind Thai tourists to exhibit proper etiquette while using the facility. The warning sign’s unique feature of a cartoon penis watermark accompanied by a silent hand gesture attracted significant attention and quickly went viral on social media. A Facebook account named Sa-nguan Khumrungroj posted a picture of the sign with a…

  • Building under construction collapses in Bangkok injuring 5

    Building under construction collapses in Bangkok injuring 5

    Over 100 Burmese workers fled to safety as a four-storey building under construction in Bangkok collapsed yesterday. Five people were injured. At 4pm, officers at Makkasan Police Station were informed that an unnamed building collapsed onto construction workers on Soi Wat Uthai Tharam, Kamphaeng Phet 7 Road, Huai Kwang district. Police, officials from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation…

  • Thai police report over 400 romance scams last month

    Thai police report over 400 romance scams last month

    Thai police say there were over 400 reports of romance scams last month. Royal Thai Police (RTP) said yesterday that 403 police reports in January 2023 were related to love frauds, resulting in substantial financial losses of over 190 million baht. Valentine’s Day is coming up, and RTP is now urging the public to be aware of the issue of…

  • Thailand’s lovers warned about ‘sextortion’ ahead of Valentine’s Day

    Thailand’s lovers warned about ‘sextortion’ ahead of Valentine’s Day

    The Thai police have warned women to be wary of “sextortion” scams as lovers throughout the world tomorrow celebrate the most romantic day of the year – Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day on February 14 has become a symbol and celebration of romance and love throughout the world. Couples come together and make an extra special effort to show their love…

  • Take the slow train to monkey city

    Take the slow train to monkey city

    The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is offering trips on a slow train to monkey city, from Bangkok to Lopburi in the Northeast Thailand, on the refurbished Kiha 183 diesel-powered trains from Japan. The trips this weekend and next will cost 599 baht. Only 200 seats will be available each day. The train leaves Bangkok’s historic Hua Lamphong Railway Station…

  • Axing for trouble in Nothanburi

    Axing for trouble in Nothanburi

    The family of a man killed by his neighbour over a parking dispute in Nonthaburi believes the murder scene was staged. Veera Prasitthong, 54 years old, was killed in his neighbour’s shop in Pak Kret last week. Veera was home when he found his path blocked by neighbour Visit Chanakul, who had parked outside his shop to unload some goods.…

  • Sufficient life jackets on HTMS Sukhothai – RTN

    Sufficient life jackets on HTMS Sukhothai – RTN

    The Naval Supply Department insisted that there were 130 life jackets on HTMS Sukhothai when it sank in December, more than enough for the 105 crew. Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), Admiral Choengchai Chomchoengpaet yesterday said that the RTN is finding out why some of the survivors claimed that there were not enough life jackets on HTMS Sukhothai. Regarding…

  • Death Wish Thailand: Who is ‘Inspector Sua’?

    Death Wish Thailand: Who is ‘Inspector Sua’?

    Lt-Colonel Wasawat Mookarasakul, the senior police officer named as “Inspector Sua” in an explosive Facebook post last week, has been suspended from duty pending an investigation by the Crime Suppression Division (CSD). When the Central Investigation Bureau promises a straightforward investigation that is “strictly in line with the law,” questions have to be asked about what goes on during other…

  • Exploring the impact of XAU to USD ratio on Thailand’s gold market

    Exploring the impact of XAU to USD ratio on Thailand’s gold market

    Thailand has a long and rich history of goldsmithing and jewelry making, dating back to ancient times. Gold has played a significant role in Thai culture, symbolizing wealth, power, and prosperity. Today, Thailand is a major player in the global gold market, with a thriving industry that includes gold mining, refining, and jewelry production. Thailand’s gold market has grown in…

  • Victims of romance scams ‘at their wits end’

    Victims of romance scams ‘at their wits end’

    Most victims of romance scams in Thailand are women in their 40s. Middle-aged women are the main targets of criminal gangs who prey on those who have taken the questionable step of seeking true love online. Online fraud, including romance scams, has become a serious problem in Thailand, judging by the number of complaints filed with the Royal Thai Police.…

  • FBI seeks extradition from Thailand for hit & run

    FBI seeks extradition from Thailand for hit & run

    Authorities in the US state of Michigan and the FBI are making a plea to the Thai government to extradite a Thai woman who is accused of causing the death of a college student in the American city of Oakland Township. The suspect, Tubtim “Sue” Howson, is a US citizen but is originally from Thailand and is now residing in…

  • Air Force Captain to Celebrity ft. Daniel Kim | Thaiger Podcast Ep.23

    Air Force Captain to Celebrity ft. Daniel Kim | Thaiger Podcast Ep.23

    https://youtu.be/_bPhVfNGe7w Daniel Kim, a former veteran US Air force captain turned reality TV show superstar. Daniel stars in the reality TV dating show “The Courtship” which is one of the top US TV networks, NBC. Not only is Daniel an actor and model, but he is also a motivational speaker and lifestyle coach. In this podcast, we talk to Daniel…

  • Unhinged woman throws acid in court resulting in 3 injuries

    Unhinged woman throws acid in court resulting in 3 injuries

    An unhinged woman attacked a veterinarian with acid in court yesterday after blaming her for the death of her pet dog. The attack resulted in injuries to the vet and two other court officials. A disagreement between a pet dog owner and a veterinarian led to a horrific acid attack yesterday at the Chaiyaphum Provincial Court in the Mueang district…

  • Do fewer shark bites mean fewer sharks?

    Do fewer shark bites mean fewer sharks?

    Shark attacks worldwide fell in 2022, resulting in fewer shark bite incidents compared to the past decade. In 2020, travel restrictions and beach closures were thought to have resulted in fewer encounters between humans and sharks and fewer shark bites. The majority of the 57 unprovoked bites last year occurred in the USA and Australia. Five proved fatal, down from…

  • Chiang Mai tackles PM2.5 pollution with giant vacuum cleaner

    Chiang Mai tackles PM2.5 pollution with giant vacuum cleaner

    Thailand‘s Disaster Department is testing out a giant vacuum cleaner as a way to tackle the PM2.5 dust pollution problem that plagues the northern city of Chiang Mai every ‘burning season.’ Every year, farmers around Thailand send their forests and fields up in smoke because it’s the cheapest way to prepare to plant new crops causing PM2.5 levels to shoot…

  • Is Google chatbot smarter than a pigeon?

    Is Google chatbot smarter than a pigeon?

    Embarrassing stammering by Bard, the Google chatbot, has prompted the global public and stock markets to unreservedly rejected machine-generated garbage. The likes of Donald Trump and Elon Musk must be delighted that a talking Google chatbot is held in higher regard than talking billionaires. Google’s response to ChatGPT got off to an embarrassing start when its chatbot gave a wrong…

  • Racing longtail boats collide with Chinese tour boat

    Racing longtail boats collide with Chinese tour boat

    Two longtail boat drivers collided with a tour boat as they raced each other in a canal at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market in the central province of Ratchaburi. Five Chinese tourists on the tour boat sustained minor injuries as a result of the crash. Somphong Nimnuan, the 64-year-old oarsman of the tour boat, told 77 Kaoded news agency that he…

  • Consumer borrowing in Thailand in the red zone

    Consumer borrowing in Thailand in the red zone

    The effects of consumer borrowing in Thailand during the pandemic is a serious campaign issue, with populist politicians pushing for a multi-year debt holiday. According to Nikkei, Thais owe more than any other people in the region, reflecting a huge jump in borrowing forced on an economy that relies heavily on tourism. Thai consumer debt last September stood at 15…