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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What do you need before moving from the US to Thailand?
The Thaiger key takeaways The most common medical emergencies for expats in Thailand include motorcycle accidents, tropical diseases, and food or water-borne illnesses. Air pollution and heat-related conditions like heatstroke also pose serious seasonal health risks, especially in northern and...
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Over 300,000 advance voting ballots unreadable due to handwriting issues in Thai election
Pattharaporn Tan-ngam, a journalist for Thai PBS, posted a shocking video clip on her personal Facebook account, which featured an interview with Pongsatorn Wisetsuwan, the Deputy Managing Director of Thailand Post Co. Ltd. In the video, Pongsatorn revealed that over 300,000 already-cast ballots from the advance voting conducted on April 7 were unreadable due to poor handwriting on the envelopes.…
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Police say woman found dead in Chiang Mai condo wasn’t murdered
UPDATE Despite police saying that they assumed the woman found dead in a condo room in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, this morning was murdered by her foreign husband, they are now saying she was not murdered at all. Pol. Lt. Col. Phirom Yosalai, an inspector at Mae Ping Police Station, said the woman is expected to have died from an…
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Firefighters rescue elderly woman from burning building in Pattaya
Firefighters rescued an elderly woman from a burning building in Pattaya last night. The incident occurred on Soi Bongkot 4 in the Nong Prue sub-district of Bang Lamung district. Firefighters received a call at around 8pm reporting a fire at the TG Battery Shop on Soi Bongkot 4. They arrived at the scene along with Sawang Boriboon rescuers. Upon arrival,…
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Thai singer files complaint against unhinged neighbour after five years of disturbing anti-social behaviour
A Thai singer and businessperson filed a complaint against his seemingly unhinged anti-social neighbour for a series of disturbing incidents that have occurred over the past five years. The woman in question smashed his car with a hammer, threw urine and poo at his house, and attacked an employee with liquid acid. On Tuesday, May 2, Teerasak “Ko” Phantujariya took…
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Thai officials seek to draw tourists to lesser-known spots
Thai officials are seeking to draw tourists to lesser-known spots in the Land of Smiles. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently launched a new campaign aimed at promoting Thailand’s lesser-known destinations, NNT reported yesterday. Dubbed “Amazing Secondary Cities, Must Visit, Must Love,” the campaign aims to highlight the unique cultural heritage of these areas through storytelling, to provide meaningful…
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BJT sues Chuvit Kamolvisit for damage to party reputation
The Bhumjaithai Party (BJT) has filed a lawsuit against the former politician and whistleblower Chuvit Kamolvisit, accusing him of damaging the reputation of its party candidates and seeking 100 million baht in damages. The party’s lawyers, Natchanikarn Ketkhamkhwa and Pichai Iem-on claim that Chuvit has harmed the party’s popularity in the lead-up to the general elections. The BJT is also…
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Transwoman physically assaulted by bar guards in Phuket
A Thai transwoman filed a complaint at Patong Police Station on Tuesday, May 9, after four to five security guards at a bar in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket physically assaulted her and forcibly removed her from the venue without a reason. The 27 year old transwoman posted a video on her TikTok account, Prasita Punyang, three days ago of…
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Six arrested for wildlife trafficking and macaques rescue in Phetchaburi
Phetchaburi authorities arrested six members of a wildlife trafficking gang and rescued over ten macaques near a hill in the Muang district. The arrests took place today morning following a tip-off, leading the police to the foothill of Khao Luang in tambon Thongchai, where they discovered the group capturing long-tailed macaques. Upon monitoring the gang, officers observed four men and…
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Thai woman found dead in Chiang Mai condo, farang husband missing
This story has been updated. Police launched a murder investigation after the body of a Thai woman was discovered in a rented room at a famous condo in Chiang Mai province, northern Thailand, this morning. The deceased’s “farang husband,” who also lives in the room, is nowhere to be found. At approximately 10.45am, officers at Mae Ping Police Station were…
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Uncle Tu offers prayers at Nakhon Si Thammarat main shrine before attending grand rally as lottery enthusiasts gather to buy lucky numbers
Yesterday in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand, General Prayut Chan-o-cha, a prime ministerial candidate for the Palang Pracharath Party, spent the whole day campaigning and visiting five districts. Later, he concluded the campaign with a large rally at the city’s central sports field, ahead of the elections on May 14. Feeling tired from the continuous travel and rallies, Prayut took…
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Chinese mother laughs as son smuggles her gold bracelet as a gift for his preschool crush
A video of a Chinese boy admitting to taking his mother’s gold bracelet to primary school has gone viral online. In the clip, a young boy can be seen confessing to his mother that he took her valuable jewellery, worth nearly 48,000 baht (US$1,540), to school to give to his girlfriend. The mother’s laughter as she questions her son has…
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Shooting instructor opens fire in Rayong, Thailand
A shooting instructor who is a former soldier fired gunshots from inside a house in Rayong province in eastern Thailand this morning. Police surrounded the house but the gunman still hasn’t surrendered. No injuries or fatalities have been reported. At 7am, officers at Mueang Rayong Police Station received a call from 70 year old “Rang” to help arrest his “manic”…
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Tattooed Thai gangster-turned-influencer Keng Laiprang sentenced to prison
UPDATE Thai gangster-turned-star Panya Yimumphai – better known as Keng Laiprang – was sentenced to 10 months and 40 days in prison yesterday for persuading his followers to gamble online in a TikTok clip. At 10am, police escorted 41 year old Keng Laiprang to Don Mueang District Court to face trial for the charge of “persuading others, directly or indirectly,…
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Thailand to tighten penalties for illegal surrogacy facilitators
The Department of Health Service Support (DHSS) is in the process of drafting an amendment to the “Protection of a Child Born by Medically Assisted Reproductive Technology Act, B.E. 2558 (2015)” to increase penalties against individuals involved in illegal surrogacy in Thailand. This includes brokers and women who are hired for the purpose of surrogacy. According to DHSS chief Sura…
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Cyanide serial killer’s sister-in-law questioned for possessing victim’s assets
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) summoned and questioned the sister-in-law and younger brother of the cyanide serial killer, Sararat “Am” Rangsiwuthaporn, after her sister-in-law was found to have a designer bag and mobile phone belonging to her latest victim. The Thai cyanide serial killer is currently imprisoned at the Central Women Correctional Institution in Bangkok after being accused of taking…
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Rare ceremony for Jao Por Xiang Do brings luck and excitement to Surin community after 10 years
Yesterday, at 9am, more than 1,000 participants gathered for a ceremony at the Seiang Do Shrine near the Huay Kaew water storage in Rattnaburi, Surin province. This ritual was a part of the annual Boon Bang Fai ceremony for Surin province’s Ban Phue community in Rattanaburi. It serves to preserve ancient cultural traditions and is being held for the first…
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NACC requires political parties to submit policy corruption risk assessments to EC
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has announced that it requires every political party to submit their policy corruption risk assessment criteria reports to the Election Commission (EC) urgently as the EC will forward the findings to the NACC after this Sunday’s election. The NACC stated that it wanted to clarify the urgent letter issued on May 3 to all political…
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Legal action against violent demonstrators at Samran Rat police station
Authorities have confirmed their intentions to take legal action against a group of demonstrators involved in a violent protest at Samran Rat police station. The demonstration occurred on Wednesday night and saw nine protesters arrested for their alleged role in leading about 20 people to spray paint the station in the Phra Nakhon district. The Metropolitan Police Division 6’s commander,…
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Kiwi tourist pleads guilty to ecstasy possession in Phuket, Thailand
A tourist from New Zealand pleaded guilty to drug possession at a court in Phuket, southern Thailand, on Monday. In September, police arrested 45 year old Ari Michael Salinger after finding two ecstasy tablets on his person. He was released on bail and his passport was confiscated while awaiting trial. On Monday, the court sentenced Salinger to a “small fine”…
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Campaign urges senators to back winning party in forming Thai government
A campaign led by a group of academics is calling for the support of senators for the political party that secures the most House seats in Sunday’s election, in hopes to establish a new government efficiently. The public can contribute their views on this initiative from midday on Monday until midday Wednesday by voting through the QR code provided by…
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Progressive Movement’s Piyabutr Saengkanokkul supports MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat amid election eligibility controversy
Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, an influential figure in Thailand’s Progressive Movement and a key helper for the Move Forward Party’s election campaign, encouraged the party’s supporters on Thursday to stand firm against attempts to discredit Pita Limjaroenrat, the 42-year-old leader and sole prime ministerial candidate for the MFP. He also urged them to fight against efforts to prevent the party from achieving…
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Chartthaipattana Party aims for 25 parliamentary seats and support of monarchy in election
The leader of the Chartthaipattana Party, Varawut Silpa-archa, said yesterday that his party would obtain at least 25 Parliamentary seats in the upcoming General Election on Sunday. He expressed the party’s desire to form a government with other parties supporting the monarchy. Varawut assigned all candidates from the party to participate in on-site campaign rallies. He commented on the complexities…
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Thundershowers, winds, rain, and floods expected in Thailand
The Thai Meteorological Department warns of thundershowers, gusty winds, heavy rain, and floods in Thailand. In upper Thailand, the department warns of a tropical storm that could bring thundershowers and gusty winds until Monday (May 15). In addition, heavy rains, hailstorms and lightning are forecast in some areas during this period. People living in upper Thailand have been advised to…
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RTA army chief assures there’ll be ‘no coups on his watch’
Royal Thai Army (RTA) Chief General Narongpan Jittkaewtae assured the Thai public yesterday that there would be no coups on his watch, stating that the term should not exist in anyone’s vocabulary. General Narongpan is set to retire on September 30 and provided reassurances in the lead-up to the elections on Sunday. There have been concerns about possible unrest following…
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Lottery predictions for May 16: Exploring prominent numbers and news stories
In recent lottery news, various prominent numbers and stories have been making headlines and The Thaiger has compiled the most interesting updates for readers to ponder over. In one piece of news, a TikTok user under the account ‘nid8857,’ posted a video sharing five sets of Chinese calendar lottery numbers: 549, 4951, 240, 920, and 346. Another story that has…
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Tourists warned against taking ‘Happy Water’ drug in Thailand
Thailand‘s Department of Medicine is warning partygoers against taking “Happy Water,” a dangerous cocktail of various illicit drugs which has become an “epidemic” in the country’s nightlife scene, reports KhaoSod. Happy Water is made by mixing various drugs into a sweetened drink, typically including ketamine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, diazepam, caffeine, and tramadol all in one, according to the Deputy Director-General of…
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Thai man arrested for selling fake 1,000 baht banknotes
Officers from the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) yesterday arrested a Thai man after discovering he sold fake 1,000 baht banknotes online with a promotion, buy 10 get 1 free. The Bank of Thailand received a complaint about counterfeit banknotes being sold on Twitter and then reported the issue to the EDC and urged for an urgent investigation as the…
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Thailand and china collaborate to crack down on crime
Thailand and China are collaborating to crack down on crimes committed by Chinese nationals using Thailand as a base. Thai immigration police, led by Pol. Maj. Gen. Pantana Nutchanart, flew to China to seek cooperation and exchange of information with Chinese police in a week-long trip from May 5 to 11. The goal of the trip was to prevent Chinese…
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Tenant leaves condo in shocking state after not paying rent for 4 months
The owner of a luxury condominium reported a shocking discovery after opening a rented room to find it packed with garbage. The tenant, a beautiful young woman, had been renting the room for four months and claimed she was unable to clean it up because she had undergone breast augmentation surgery. Yesterday, the owner of the high-end condominium reported via…
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Miracle in Thailand: Siblings reunite with missing mother after 30 years
Against all odds, six siblings in Thailand were reunited with their 86 year old mother today who went missing from their family home over 30 years ago. For the past 18 years, monks and villagers were taking care of her at a temple in Prachin Buri province. Khamthep Iammalai, the former abbot of Wat Mai Saraburi in Kabin Buri district,…
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