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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    Can health insurance help speed up your Thai visa process?

    The Thaiger key takeaways Having the right health insurance keeps your visa process moving without unnecessary hold-ups. Showing proof of coverage early can make approvals and renewals faster. Keeping your insurance active avoids surprises and ensures smooth compliance. Applying for...

  • Thailand’s cheating lecturers – the lazy academics faking their research | Thaiger

    Thailand’s cheating lecturers – the lazy academics faking their research

    Thailand’s cheating lecturers are under investigation as eight of the kingdom’s universities claim that a third of lecturers have submitted research papers that they bought on the Internet and claimed as their work. Sirirurg Songsivilai, permanent secretary of the department of higher education, told the media that… “Thirty-four universities have conducted separate investigations into research papers submitted by more than…

  • The Importance of Wellness ft. Niels Steeman | Thaiger Podcast Ep.24 | Thaiger

    The Importance of Wellness ft. Niels Steeman | Thaiger Podcast Ep.24

    Click the link to watch the video: https://youtu.be/WaQ-gHWE1NA Niels Steeman. Health, Fitness & Life Coach. A former senior executive in the travel and tourist industry turned health and wellness expert. Throughout his transformative journey he has gained an extensive amount of knowledge that has led into providing sustainable success stories for many of his clients using The Thrive Approach. A…

  • All the single ladies… Unmarried Thai women sick of being bad-mouthed | Thaiger

    All the single ladies… Unmarried Thai women sick of being bad-mouthed

    As a foreigner who is not married and has no intention of ever marrying, unmarried Thai women are not happy with me, and neither is anyone else. It seems to me that Thai society is composed of everyone knowing their own place and knowing everyone else’s place too. There actually is a place for a “man like me” – it’s…

  • Cloud Nine Celebrates their “GET LIFTED” Grand Opening Wednesday March 1st, 2023 | Thaiger

    Cloud Nine Celebrates their “GET LIFTED” Grand Opening Wednesday March 1st, 2023

    Press Release Cloud Nine has officially opened its doors, offering a fun and immersive space where guests can find a highly curated selection of the finest cannabis and head shop accessories throughout Thailand. On March 1st, Cloud Nine will celebrate by hosting a “GET LIFTED” Grand Opening extravaganza. The exciting atmosphere of Cloud Nine lures guests in by offering comfortable…

  • SRT insists 96.3 million baht robots are worth the dosh | Thaiger

    SRT insists 96.3 million baht robots are worth the dosh

    The Thai public demanded clarification regarding the benefits and quality of the UV-C light disinfection robots after the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) splashed 96.3 million baht on the equipment. Many have claimed that they have yet to witness the costly robots in operation despite the SRT’s purchase of them. According to a report from the Public Relations Department of…

  • Thai monk starring in sex clip claims he was drugged by German man | Thaiger

    Thai monk starring in sex clip claims he was drugged by German man

    A Thai monk is in the spotlight after a video of him performing oral sex on a German man circulated on the Internet. The Buddhist monk admitted it was him in the clip but claims it was filmed two years ago when he temporarily left the monkhood. Not only that, he claims that the German man drugged him with a…

  • Thai Airways cancels flights to Germany due to strikes | Thaiger

    Thai Airways cancels flights to Germany due to strikes

    Thai Airways announced the cancellation of all flights from Bangkok to Frankfurt and Munich and vice versa today – February 17 – due to labour strikes at airports all over Germany. Airport workers at major hubs in Germany are taking part in a day-long strike today over pay disrupting airline operations. Public sector workers and ground handlers are striking at…

  • Thai Parliament authorises lese majeste law changes, including the word ‘monarchy’ | Thaiger

    Thai Parliament authorises lese majeste law changes, including the word ‘monarchy’

    In a move that could see even more people prosecuted for insulting the Thai monarchy, the far-right Thai Pakdee Party has been given the green light to gather signatures for proposed changes to the lese majeste laws. The changes would expand the definition of those protected by the law to include former Thai kings of the current Chakri Dynasty, princes…

  • Big Joke says Canadian businessman didn’t murder Thai girlfriend in Phuket | Thaiger

    Big Joke says Canadian businessman didn’t murder Thai girlfriend in Phuket

    UPDATE 2 Deputy national police chief “Big Joke,” says that a Canadian businessman did not murder his Thai girlfriend who was found hanged in her nail salon in Phuket, southern Thailand, on February 8. Landy came into the spotlight when the deceased’s elder brother Kriengsak accused him of murdering his younger sister Wanvisa Riewklang. Surachat “Big Joke” Hakparn said that…

  • Govt confident new programme will stamp out illegal drugs in Thailand | Thaiger

    Govt confident new programme will stamp out illegal drugs in Thailand

    Thailand has long been plagued by a history of drug abuse. The kingdom has harsh penalties for those caught possessing, taking, or selling illegal drugs. The Thaiger writes story after story of Yaba-fuelled chaos, drug busts and the illicit trafficking of narcotics dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of prohibited pharmaceuticals. The government, however, is optimistic that it…

  • Elderly Thai market vendor wins 12 million baht lottery jackpot | Thaiger

    Elderly Thai market vendor wins 12 million baht lottery jackpot

    An elderly Thai lady says she will continue her career selling fried chive cakes at the market despite winning 12 million baht in the government lottery yesterday. Yesterday afternoon, 72 year old Phuangphet Pelacheun from the northern province of Uttaradit forgot to check the lottery results. When her colleagues started talking about the winning numbers, Grandma Phuangphet leapt up, screamed…

  • Thailand’s smartphone market poised for revival | Thaiger

    Thailand’s smartphone market poised for revival

    As the world starts to emerge from the pandemic, Thailand‘s smartphone market is expected to see a resurgence in the second half of 2023. Despite a decrease in smartphone sales last year, the premium smartphone segment remains strong and is less affected by economic woes. According to Wansiri Fitschen, a senior category manager at Thai Samsung Electronics, pre-orders for the…

  • Thai ecologist sounds alarm on declining shark numbers | Thaiger

    Thai ecologist sounds alarm on declining shark numbers

    A Thai ecologist is sounding the alarm on the decline in the number of sharks in the country’s waters. The marine ecologist, Assistant Professor Thon Thamrongnawasawat, the deputy dean of the Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University, presented some worrying facts about the situation. Dr Thon said that around 75 of the 87 shark species in Thai waters are endangered.…

  • 75 Foreign lives lost by road accidents in 2023 | GMT | Thaiger

    75 Foreign lives lost by road accidents in 2023 | GMT

      In today’s episode, Thailand’s plastic bag use plunges by 148,000 tonnes in 3 years, Phuket health spa slams travel agency for ripping off foreigners, 400 people fall victim to Japan tour scam resulting in 14 million baht loss, Massive fire breaks out in front of Pattaya massage parlour, and Thailand’s perilous roads claim the lives of 75 foreigners so…

  • Body of Thai woman killed in Turkey earthquake returns home | Thaiger

    Body of Thai woman killed in Turkey earthquake returns home

    The body of the young Thai woman who was killed by the recent earthquake in Turkey has been returned to her family in Chaiyaphum province in northeast Thailand. At 4am this morning, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs returned the body of 29 year old Chamaiphon “Dao” Homsanthia to her home town in Nong Bua Rawae district in Chaiyaphum.…

  • Thai woman protests agains Polish husband’s deportation in Bangkok | Thaiger

    Thai woman protests agains Polish husband’s deportation in Bangkok

    UPDATE A Thai lady and her relative staged a two-person protest at the United Nations HQ in Bangkok to appeal for “justice” for her Polish husband, who says that forcing him to return to Poland is a certain death sentence for him, reports SiamRath. Sornsiri Khittook’s 37 year old husband Michal Kamil Wielebinski, was arrested and detained in Koh Samui…

  • 400 people fall victim to Japan tour scam resulting in 14 million baht loss | Thaiger

    400 people fall victim to Japan tour scam resulting in 14 million baht loss

    Representatives from 10 travel agencies filed a complaint with the Central Investigation Bureau after being lured into buying 14 million baht worth of fake tour packages to Japan. Over 400 victims have been duped by the scam so far. Representatives for the group claimed to have purchased tour packages from a major company based in the central province of Pathum…

  • Thai Airways expands into 5 Chinese cities | Thaiger

    Thai Airways expands into 5 Chinese cities

    Thailand‘s flag carrier Thai Airways (THAI) is ramping up flights to China to facilitate increased demand from the Chinese tourist market since the country recently reopened its borders for the first time in three years. Thai Airways will operate 14 nonstop services per week to five hot destinations, the earliest departing on March 1, 2023… Bangkok – Kunming Twice per…

  • Massive fire breaks out in front of Pattaya massage parlour | Thaiger

    Massive fire breaks out in front of Pattaya massage parlour

    Another devastating fire has struck Pattaya. A massive electrical fire broke out in front of a Pattaya massage parlour last night. Firefighters rushed to the scene on Pattaya Second Road in Soi 13 where a fire was burning overhead wires and signs in front of the fire. Meanwhile, terrified passersby watched as the incident unfolded. The firefighters were eventually able…

  • Best Thai cannabis strains for sleep and insomnia relief | Thaiger

    Best Thai cannabis strains for sleep and insomnia relief

    Cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries, and one of its most common applications is to help with sleep and insomnia. With the growing popularity of cannabis as a sleep aid, it can be challenging to know which strains are the best for promoting a restful night’s sleep. In this article, we will explore some of the best…

  • Tearaway teens arrested for robbing four motorists | Thaiger

    Tearaway teens arrested for robbing four motorists

    Three teenagers and a man were arrested for robbing four motorists at the weekend in Samut Prakarn province in Bangkok. The suspects reportedly admitted to committing the crime to obtain funds to buy kratom drinks. Footage captured by a car dashcam went viral on Thai social media. It showed the four thugs intimidating a motorcyclist into surrendering his valuables and…

  • Thailand’s perilous roads claim the lives of 75 foreigners so far this year | Thaiger

    Thailand’s perilous roads claim the lives of 75 foreigners so far this year

    Thailand’s deadly roads have claimed the lives of 75 foreigners so far this year. A further 2,886 foreigners were injured, according to data from Thai RSC, an accident information centre. Foreigners getting into road accidents in Thailand regularly make headlines but much more go unrecorded by the media. Data recorded from January 1 – February 15, 2023, reveals that 2,099…

  • Disney launches special pop-up event at Asiatique The Riverfront | Thaiger

    Disney launches special pop-up event at Asiatique The Riverfront

    Walt Disney is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a special event at Asiatique The Riverfront in Bangkok next month. Wanlapa Trisorut, the Managing Director of Asset World Corporation, announced a business expansion plan that involves investing over 800 million baht in Asiatique The Riverfront. The goal is to transform the open-air mall into Bangkok’s largest riverside retail destination, catering to…

  • Phuket health spa slams travel agency for ripping off foreigners | Thaiger

    Phuket health spa slams travel agency for ripping off foreigners

    A Phuket health spa announced that it will no longer accept reservations from travel agencies after one agency ripped off its foreign customers. The decision was made after the agency in question overcharged foreign customers, causing them to file complaints about the high prices of the spa services. Phumontra Cafe & Massage is one of the most popular spa spots in Phuket…

  • Pattaya to ban parking on beach side of road from March 1 | Thaiger

    Pattaya to ban parking on beach side of road from March 1

    Pattaya City is banning parking on the beach side of the road from March 1. Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches, says the move is in response to an increase in traffic issues after the city has seen more tourists arriving. According to The Pattaya News, the new rule stirred up social media reactions with many residents agreeing with the move. However,…

  • Thailand’s deputy police chief “Big Joke” is unsure that missing baby is alive | Thaiger

    Thailand’s deputy police chief “Big Joke” is unsure that missing baby is alive

    Thailand’s deputy police chief “Big Joke,” says he is unsure that the missing eight month old baby who disappeared from his home is alive. However, Surachate Hakparn, better known as “Big Joke,” says he is quite sure that the baby’s parents know what happened. The parents of the missing baby, 19 year old Sitthichoke Saengsawang and 16 year old Philaiporn…

  • Thai woman who fled from America after alleged hit-and-run agrees to return to face punishment | Thaiger

    Thai woman who fled from America after alleged hit-and-run agrees to return to face punishment

    A Thai woman who left America after an alleged hit-and-run incident has agreed to return to face her punishment. The woman, Tubtim “Sue” Howson, allegedly struck Michigan State University student Benjamin Kable, 22, before dawn on January 1. Kable was killed and Howson allegedly fled to Thailand over fears of being arrested and charged with his murder. The 57 year…

  • Thai activists want humiliating haircut punishments to stop in government schools | Thaiger

    Thai activists want humiliating haircut punishments to stop in government schools

    Thai activists want humiliating haircut punishments to stop in government schools after a teacher was accused of cutting at least 100 students’ hair. According to The Guardian, the activists are calling for clearer guidelines surrounding the haircut rule in government schools after the Ministry of Education revoked the decades-long haircut regulations. Now, the Ministry says schools can develop their own…

  • Mosquito bite in Thailand causes Dutchman to lose both legs | Thaiger

    Mosquito bite in Thailand causes Dutchman to lose both legs

    A Dutchman living in Nakhon Rathasima in Thailand is on a mission to spread awareness about “flesh-eating bacteria” (necrotising fasciitis) after a mosquito bite led to the amputation of his left leg and lower right leg. Long-term expat, 62 year old Ed Olieslagers from the Netherlands, went to the hospital in April last year after a mosquito bite became inflamed and…

  • Chadchart admits Bangkok flood is challenging issue to solve | Thaiger

    Chadchart admits Bangkok flood is challenging issue to solve

    Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt admits solving the flood predicament in the Udon Suk neighbourhood of the city is a complex matter, as some of the potential solutions will have profound impacts on residents living along the canal. An hour after the heavy rain hit the capital yesterday, several areas and roads in Bangkok were underwater, especially in Udom Suk, Bangna,…