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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Digital nomading in Chiang Mai? What US$1,000 a month really gets you
Chiang Mai has become a popular destination for digital nomads due to its low living costs, rich culture, and active remote work community. The city offers affordable housing, tasty food, reliable internet, and many co-working spaces, making it a great...
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Another Uyghur refugee dies after 9 years in Thailand detention centre
Human rights groups are urging Thai authorities once more to end forced prolonged detention for Uyghur refugees following the death of a Uyghur man who spent nine years inside a detention centre in Bangkok, Thailand. Mettohti Matturson, a 40 year old Uyghur refugee from Xinjiang in China, died of suspected liver failure at Bangkok’s Suan Phlu Immigration Centre (IDC) on…
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Chinese tourists return for May Day holidays, boosting international bookings
After a long hiatus due to travel restrictions and pandemic-related concerns, Chinese tourists are gearing up for international travel once again. According to DidaTravel, a tech-driven global travel distribution company, Chinese travellers are eager to explore the world and bookings for trips abroad are recovering fast. The upcoming May Day holiday, which runs from April 29 until May 3 and…
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Unusual ventilation break-in shocks Thai homeowners
A recent burglary in Thailand has drawn attention due to its unusual method of entry and the theft of assets worth around 2 million baht (US$60,000). The thieves entered the home through the bathroom ventilation system on the second floor and also stole the entire server of the closed-circuit television (CCTV) system installed in the house. According to the homeowner’s…
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Elephant moves fallen tree blocking road in Thailand (video)
An elephant moved a fallen tree blocking the Lampang – Phrae Road in northern Thailand during a storm on Monday, allowing traffic to resume as normal. The moment was captured on Facebook Live. The owner of the elephant, Weerawat Triyot, said that he was on his way back to Chaiyaphum province after taking his 16 year old elephant Dan Siam…
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Laotian woman arrested in Pattaya for overstaying visa by three years
During a routine inspection at a Pattaya nightclub, local police arrested a Laotian woman who had overstayed her visa by three years. The arrest took place last night at Club Panda, a popular establishment on Walking Street. The inspection occurred around 10pm yesterday when law enforcement officials entered the establishment and found 160 patrons, both local Thais and foreign nationals.…
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Over 800,000 Bangkok residents register for early voting in May 14 General Election
Some 800,000 citizens in Bangkok have registered to cast their ballots ahead of the May 14 General Election, as they intend to engage in early voting on May 7. Among the 2.35 million voters nationwide who have registered for advance voting, numerous are located in Thailand’s capital city, with 74 polling stations available. The largest number of early voters registered…
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Thai politician foresees Phuket and Phang Nga as new global business centres
Thailand’s Phuket and Phang Nga provinces, according to an imaginative proposal by Thai politician, Settha Taweesin, could become the new global business destinations and potentially draw in talented individuals from around the world to work in these areas while simultaneously enjoying the natural beauty and tourist attractions on offer. Settha Taweesin, a candidate for prime minister representing the Pheu Thai…
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Child prodigy creates mesmerizing Sak Yant tattoo in Khon Kaen, Thailand
The skills of a child prodigy went viral on Thai social media after he created a traditional Thai tattoo (or Sak Yant) on a customer in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen. The 10 year old child prodigy, Nakrob “Puen” Sooksusi, is considered the youngest tattoo artist in Thailand. Sak Yant is a popular form of tattoo art in Thailand.…
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Thailand plans to relocate macaque monkeys from Phra Nakhon Khiri historical park
Phetchaburi authorities are currently working on a plan to relocate the large and mischievous macaque population at the Phra Nakhon Khiri historical park, better known as Khao Wang, to a place where they can live a more natural life and cause no disturbance to the peace, provincial governor Natthachai Nampoonsuksan announced on May 1. The number of monkeys in the…
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Crafty Chiang Mai tuk tuk drivers paint pavement yellow to avoid traffic fines
Crafty Tuk Tuk drivers were caught on camera painting yellow paint over the red lines on the pavement in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand so they could park their three-wheeled vehicles next to Tha Phae Gate without getting traffic fines. Red and white means absolutely no parking, whereas yellow and white means parking there temporarily is permitted. In a short…
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Chinese doctor arrested for selling herbal medicine without permit
Thai authorities arrested a Chinese doctor for selling herbal medicine in Thailand without a permit and seized 60,000 herbal medicine tablets and pharmaceutical machines. The Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released details of the Chinese doctor’s arrest during a press conference yesterday. The 45 year old doctor, Lijun Cheung, reportedly operated a clinic…
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Stray dogs intimidate foreign tourists at Krabi’s Ao Nang Beach
There’s been more drama involving stray dogs at Ao Nang Beach in Krabi province. A pack of stray dogs intimidated two foreign tourists on the beach, The Phuket Express reported yesterday. The couple was walking their pet dog along the beach when the pack of five to six strays aggressively barked at them. The couple tried to chase the dogs away, but…
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New Balance kicks out of Thailand
American sports footwear brand New Balance closed all of its stores in Thailand after the contract with its importer and distributor in Thailand, CRC Sports, expired. CRC Sports, a retail company under the Central Group, was established on December 26, 1996, with a registered capital of 370 million baht. It operated under the Supersports brand and offered sports products. According…
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Girlfriend of Australian tourist found dead in Thai police custody suspects foul play
UPDATE The girlfriend of the Australian man who was found dead inside the detention room at a police station in Phuket, southern Thailand, on Monday says her boyfriend was “not suicidal” and had every intention of returning to his family. Police arrested 31 year old Matthew Michael Winder for being drunk and disorderly at around 5.45am and detained him at…
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Kanit Sangsubhan joins Palang Pracharath Party to boost southern Thailand’s economy
The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) recently announced the appointment of Kanit Sangsubhan, previously a special adviser to the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Office, as a member of its economic team. This move is intended to bolster the economy in Thailand’s southern border provinces. PPRP leader Prawit Wongsuwon expressed his delight at welcoming Kanit as a key member of the party,…
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Woman arrested for stealing from foreigners at Bangkok airports and malls
The Thai Tourist Police arrested a woman for stealing money and assets from foreigners at Don Mueang International Airport and shopping malls in Bangkok. The officers also discovered 293 tablets of methamphetamine and 1.26 grammes of crystal meth at her accommodation. The arrest was made after a Chinese woman reported that her designer YSL (Yves Saint Laurent) handbag worth over…
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Thailand’s Supreme Court upholds death penalty for school director who killed 3 in gold shop robbery
The Supreme Court of Thailand ruled today that the death penalty will be upheld for the former primary school director who shot dead three people – including a two year old child – and wounded another during a gold shop robbery in Lop Buri province three years ago. On January 9, 2020, then-39 year old Prasitthichai “Golf” Khaokaew entered the…
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Thailand detects 6 new cases of Omicron XBB.1.16 subvariant and one XBB.1.16.1
Thailand‘s Department of Medical Sciences announced yesterday that it has identified six new cases of the Omicron XBB.1.16 subvariant, as well as one case of the closely related XBB.1.16.1 subvariant. This brings the total number of people in the kingdom infected with the XBB.1.16 subvariant to 34. The department’s director-general, Supakit Sirilak, confirmed that XBB.1.16 is responsible for 9.8% of…
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Thai Senate committee discusses foreign satellite regulations
The Thai Senate committee yesterday met to focus on information technology, communication, and telecommunications and convened to discuss the proposed changes by the state telecommunications regulatory body regarding the regulations governing the utilisation of foreign-owned satellites to offer domestic telecommunications services. The gathering presided over by General Anantaporn Kanchanarat, focused on assessing concerns and suggestions raised by the National Broadcasting…
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Two booze ban days coming up in Thailand
In case drunkenness influences voters to tick the wrong box in Thailand‘s upcoming elections, alcohol sales will be banned nationwide for two Saturdays next month – early voting day and Election Day. No alcohol may be sold from 6pm on May 6 until 6pm on May 7, as well as from 6pm on May 13 until 6pm on May 14.…
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Democrat Party plan to transform Hat Yai into major economic hub
The Democrat Party in Thailand recently revealed its intentions to rejuvenate its previous plan to turn the commercial district of Hat Yai, located in Songkhla province, into a significant economic centre. This attempt aims to attract more investors to the area. Democrat Party officials mentioned that they are considering the enactment of a special law that would promote the growth…
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Thailand offers 11 billion baht subsidy for low-income electricity bills
The Thai government announced plans to allocate over 11 billion baht to support low-income earners with their electricity bills over the next four months, with the subsidy set to begin in May. However, the proposal needs to be reviewed and approved by the Election Commission (EC) before it becomes official. Following yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha addressed the…
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Vietnamese woman performs ritual for sacred objects in Thailand
A Vietnamese woman who sells sacred items and amulets with a Thai cult leader performed a ritual on some sacred objects in Supha Buri province, much to the chagrin of some Buddhists. The foreign woman revealed that the items were very popular among her customers in Vietnam. The Vietnamese woman, Thut Tam Che, travelled from Hanoi in Vietnam to join…
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Bangkok’s luxury condo market is booming
Bangkok’s luxury condo scene is booming with rent at some high-end condominiums now hitting 100,000 baht per month, reports BangkokBizNews. Sanchai Khu-Ekachai, Director and Head of Research and Consulting at Knight Frank Thailand Co., Ltd. said… “The condo market began to recover because of demand from foreigners affected by the Russia – Ukraine war, especially condos in Bangkok. Russian tourists stimulated…
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6 Chinese men arrested for 10 million baht fake gold scam in Thailand
Police arrested six Chinese men for selling fake gold to rich Thai people resulting in a profit of more than 10 million baht. The suspects were reported to be former members of a scam call centre gang based in Indonesia. The gang confessed that their criminal act was inspired by a television series about scammers. One victim, a Chinese man…
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Thai YouTuber reveals 25 million baht online gambling loss during police questioning
Today, a Thai YouTuber and celebrity Sodor Style, whose real name is Pimlada Wewvitsong, visited the Royal Thai Police’s Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) in response to a summons. She was there to give her side of the story regarding her live TikTok broadcast where she revealed her experience with online gambling. According to her account, she lost more than…
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MFP secretary-general confident of securing at least 100 seats in General Election
Chaithawat Tulathon, secretary-general of the Move Forward Party (MFP), expressed confidence that his party is on track to secure a minimum of 100 House seats in the upcoming General Election. Speaking at a major campaign rally in Samyan Mitrtown, which drew attendees of all age groups, Chaithawat was optimistic about the MFP’s chances of surpassing the now-dissolved Future Forward Party’s…
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Injured young Brit transferred to UK for treatment after 3 months in Thailand hospital
UPDATE 2 The young British man who sustained life-threatening injuries in a motorbike crash in Thailand in February has finally returned home to the UK after undergoing four surgeries in three months at Bangkok Hospital. The 24 year old ice hockey player from Blackburn, Josh Richardson, returned on a flight on £20,000 flight on Thursday accompanied by a doctor, two…
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Thai woman arrested for allegedly killing 5 with cyanide
A Thai woman has been arrested for the alleged poisoning and killing of five people using cyanide. The arrest was made after the sudden and unexplained death of the alleged murderer’s most recent victim, Siriporn “Koy” Khanwong, a 32 year old Thai woman from the central province of Ratchaburi, on Saturday, April 1. Koy was found dead at the Baan Pong…
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Ft set to decrease next month, says Thailand’s ERC
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is set to reduce the fuel tariff (Ft) next month, following a recommendation by the subcommittee responsible for its calculation. The decision comes in response to concerns regarding the rising cost of living, with water rates also marked for an increase after 23 years of stagnation. As reported by Khomgrich Tantravanich, the ERC’s secretary-general, the…
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