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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9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand
Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...
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Thai-US relations: Strengthening trade ties with Estonian E-Government expertise
The Prime Minister of Thailand announced that he has plans to bolster trade relations with the United States. This comes as the two nations observe their 190th anniversary of diplomatic ties. The announcement was made following a meeting between Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, and US President Joe Biden during a gala dinner, organised by the US-ASEAN Business Council and…
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Overstaying Indian man requests extension to spend budget before he’s deported
Thai Immigration Police arrested an Indian man in the southern province of Phattalung for overstaying his visa by over five months. The foreign man reportedly asked to extend his stay to travel to Pattaya as he still had money left over for the trip. Phattalung Provincial Immigration authorities detained 31 year old Gurinder Singh while he was aboard a train…
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Thai Prime Minister Srettha rolls up changes: Strict revisions ahead for cannabis laws
The Prime Minister of Thailand announced plans to revise the nation’s cannabis law and put an end to the free use of cannabis. PM Srettha Thavisin emphasized that cannabis should be used only for medical purposes. As Thailand was the first country in Asia to remove cannabis from its list of illegal narcotics last year, Bloomberg interviewed Thai PM Srettha about…
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Heartbroken British mother accuses Thai officials of ‘lies’ in son’s alleged suicide in Thailand
A British mother slammed the Thai authorities as “liars” after they informed her of her son’s alleged suicide in Thailand. Darnel Kimbia was reportedly found dead in a Bangkok car park on Sukhumvit Soi 50 on Thursday, September 7 with a suicide note lying by his side. The 24 year old man from Brighton had been travelling in Thailand for a…
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RTN dives deep into China’s embrace with submarine deal
The Royal Thai Navy (RTN), under the command of Navy Chief Admiral Choengchai Chomchoengpaet, confirmed plans to seek governmental approval for the purchase of a Chinese submarine, equipped with a Chinese-made engine. This decision was announced yesterday, following the navy’s agreement to install a CHD620 Chinese engine in the S26T Yuan-class submarine currently being constructed by China Shipbuilding & Offshore…
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BEV sales set to outstrip targets despite stricter loan criteria
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) predicts sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to exceed the set target of 40,000 units, by reaching between 60,000 to 70,000 units this year. This surge is despite the stricter loan criteria by banks, which pose a potential threat to Thailand’s domestic car manufacturing. According to Surapong Paisitpatanapong, vice-chairman of the FTI and spokesperson…
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TrueMoney, true borders: Fintech giants unite for cross-border payments
Ant Group and TrueMoney, a dominant fintech company in Southeast Asia, have forged a collaboration to facilitate mobile payments across borders between China and Thailand, a move that will see Thai tourists making cross-border payments to millions of merchants in China via the TrueMoney e-wallet. The cross-border payments are facilitated by Alipay+, a cross-border mobile payment ecosystem under Ant Group,…
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Energy Absolute sees a revenue soar due to EV demand and battery sales
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET)-listed renewable energy and electric vehicle (EV) developer and operator, Energy Absolute (EA), is set to record a significant surge in its total revenue. This year’s revenue is projected to exceed 41 billion baht, a substantial leap from last year’s 27.5 billion baht. This surge can be attributed to the burgeoning demand for commercial EVs…
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Double trouble: Two auto spoiler factories up in flames in million-dollar blaze
Two automotive spoiler production factories were ablaze in a single night, causing damage worth millions. Firefighters battled the blazes for hours, suspecting an electrical short circuit as the cause. The factory fire took place at 10pm yesterday, in the Krathum Baen district of Samut Sakhon. The affected factories, MKP Auto Parts Co., Ltd., located at Moo 10, Klong Maduea, were…
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Teenagers accused of sexual assault on minor after cannabis use, victim pregnant
A 15 year old teenager, part of a group of five, has been accused of sexually assaulting a 14 year old girl, who is now pregnant after they had consumed cannabis. The girl’s aunt reported the incident to the Khlong Luang Police Station at 11am today. The aunt, accompanied by Cholada Butwicha, a representative from the Survive page, brought the…
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Arresting attention: Handsome traffic officer’s viral photo drives social media frenzy in Thailand
A traffic officer’s photograph from the Facebook page of Phitsanulok City Police Station Traffic Department has gone viral, attributing its popularity to the officer’s good looks. The post, which was accompanied by a message encouraging safe driving and compliance with traffic laws, attracted numerous comments, especially from women expressing a desire to be arrested. The flurry of queries about the…
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Thai government courts BlackRock for BGC investment
The Thai government recently initiated discussions with New York-based BlackRock Inc., the globe’s most prominent asset management firm, aiming to draw investments for Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) business sector. In a significant move, this conversation placed a spotlight on Thailand’s commitment to sustainable economic growth, aligning with global green trends. Chai Watcharong, the government spokesperson, disclosed that the dialogue between Prime…
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Parking pickle: Bangkok condo resident slapped with 20,000 baht fine
A Bangkok resident has been hit a hefty fine of 20,000 baht after leaving her car parked in the condo’s parking lot for 20 days. The unnamed condominium management team explained to the resident, named Jen, that a fine is triggered once a vehicle remains stationary for over 15 days. This regulation is part of the condo’s rules, which Jen…
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Elderly man found dead in Nakhon Ratchasima home, alcohol poisoning suspected
A 65 year old man was discovered dead in his home yesterday in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand after locals detected a foul smell. The authorities suspect he had been dead for about two days before his body was found yesterday. The deceased, named Amnuay (surname withheld), was discovered alone in his house in the Dan Kwian district, wearing only a pair…
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Nigerian arrested in Bangkok for drug trafficking, used cookie box to hide cocaine
In a recent drug trafficking bust, Bangkok Metropolitan Police (BMP) apprehended a Nigerian man involved in the possession and sale of cocaine, following a tip-off about his activities in the Rama 9 area of the capital. The BMP apprehended the Nigerian man, Chiemela Solomon Onu, for possessing and selling cocaine. The arrest took place at a condominium in the Rama…
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Chilling confession: Sadistic child killer reveals horror tale behind children’s murders
Sadistic child killer Songsak Songsaeng revealed to police officers the harrowing details of his children’s murders. He claimed that he killed only three of them and that two others died of illness. KhaoSod reported today that Songsak shifted blame for his violent acts onto his wives and children. He further claimed that his mental health issues had made it difficult…
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Phuket’s vice: Island faces rising tide in drug woes
Phuket’s Vice Governor acknowledged there is an escalating drug crisis on the island, with surging narcotics use and a growing number of dealer arrests. The revelation was made during the Phuket Provincial Narcotics Prevention and Suppression Center Committee meeting at the Provincial Hall. The meeting was attended by Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander, Police Colonel Kitipong Klaikaew, Thongchai Somkiatkul from…
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Roof ruckus: Thai roofing contractor shot dead by condo owner over wrong roof design
A Thai condominium owner shot dead a roofing contractor because he didn’t like the design of the roof he constructed in Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok. Bang Sao Thong Police Station officers rushed to the scene of the shooting at a pool hall on Soi Thai Prakan 2/1 in Bang Sao Thong district, Samut Prakarn province. Officers found one man…
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Cool ride, hot water: Fake licence plate lands young Thai man in prison
A young Thai man faces five years in prison after he was arrested by Ubon Ratchathani Highway Police for using a fake red licence plate. The suspect had a genuine plate but claimed he used the fraudulent one to make his vehicle look cool. The police suspect he was trying to evade traffic tickets. Forging government documents, such as licence…
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Former Thai PM Thaksin’s parole could be as early as February
Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is expected to be granted parole as early as the latter part of February next year, following a reduction of his original eight-year prison term to a single year. This update was provided by a high-ranking official from the Department of Corrections. The 74 year old former prime minister made his way back to Thailand…
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Thai woman sexually harassed on public bus by masturbating pervert in Nakhon Nayok
A Thai woman shared a video of a pervert masturbating and sexually harassing her on a public bus travelling from Bangkok to Nakhon Nayok province to denounce the deviant and warn others. The victim, 23 year old Boat, shared a video of being sexually harassed on the public bus on Facebook on Monday, September 18. In the video, the man…
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Phuket’s taxi turf war: App-hailing shakes up local cooperatives
The rise in popularity of taxi apps and cheaper fares threatens the long-standing dominance of local taxi cooperatives at key tourist locations in Phuket. Officials convened with representatives of these groups yesterday to address the emerging issues. The discussion took place at the Phuket Provincial Ombudsman’s Office and was led by Phuket Vice Governor Anupap Rodkhwan Yodrambam. One contentious issue…
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Lucky gecko’s double tail: The house’s ticket to lottery fortune in Thailand
Residents of a house believe a distinctive two-tailed gecko they spotted clinging to a wall in Phayao province, Thailand is a lucky lottery omen. The homeowner, holding a belief in the superstition that geckos are harbingers of good luck, decided to take a chance with the lottery by using the house number. These particular geckos, remarkably plump and measuring approximately…
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13 year old girl hides truth about giving birth to baby after being raped
A 13 year old Thai girl lied to her family and the police after giving birth because she was ashamed of being raped. Fearing that her family would not accept the truth, the girl lied that she found a newborn baby abandoned in a market in the Pathum Thani province, near Bangkok. The young girl told her teacher on September…
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Mind the gap! Bangkok BTS Skytrain startles passengers with open-door drama
A video clip of a Bangkok BTS Skytrain running with one of its doors wide open left passengers and netizens shocked. The footage, which quickly spread around the world online, was captured on a BTS Skytrain in Thailand. A TikTok user, under the account @star111042, shared the video, warning others not to stand or lean against the doors. The video…
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Former FFP MP, Pannika Wanich, banned for life for disrespecting Thai monarchy
The Supreme Court issued an official notice, permanently banning former Future Forward Party (FFP) MP Pannika “Chor” Wanich from participating in elections and holding political positions for life, following her display of disrespect towards the monarchy. This action stems from a 2019 Facebook post by Chor, which prompted the secretary-general of the Association for the Protection of the Thai Constitution,…
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Lottery luck runs out for bag-grabbing Thai employee
A private Thai company employee was arrested by Nakhon Sawan police for theft after CCTV footage showed him picking up an unattended bag left at a hospital. The bag, belonging to a local cattle trader contained 105,000 baht and 20 government lottery tickets. Instead of returning the bag, he used the money for personal indulgences, including buying drugs, a motorbike,…
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Phuket’s tourism boom: Visa-free policy sparks influx of Chinese and Kazakhstani visitors
The popular tourist destination of Phuket is on the cusp of a significant increase in Chinese and Kazakhstani visitors, thanks to a new visa-free policy set to take effect next week. The policy, unveiled in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday, grants 30-day visa-free stays for nationals from both countries, starting from Monday and extending until February 29. The Tourism Authority…
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Thai woman issues warning after naked woman breaks into her house in Krabi to watch TV (video)
A Thai woman issued a warning to residents of Ao Luek district in the southern province of Krabi after a naked woman broke into her house to watch television. The homeowner, a 47 year old woman named Romla Saiwaree, shared a video of the naked woman with Channel 7 yesterday. In the video, Romla and another man are seen entering…
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Thai Smile Bus electrifies its fleet with a shocking 1,083 EVs
Thai Smile Bus, a leading public transportation company utilising clean energy, plans to introduce an additional 1,083 electric buses (EV) to its fleet by next year, according to the company’s CEO, Kulapatsorn Wongmajarabhin. This initiative is part of the company’s ongoing commitment over the past two years to develop environmentally friendly public transportation and reduce PM2.5 dust pollution in urban…
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