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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Thailand is the world’s biggest exporter of durian
Thailand, known for its rich culture and stunning beaches, is also the world’s biggest exporter of the notorious fruit, durian. According to the Trade Policy and Strategy Office, Ministry of Commerce, Thailand has retained its top spot for durian exports, accounting for a whopping 93.3% of the global market share, Pattaya Mail reported yesterday. In 2022, Thailand exported fresh durian…
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Hungarian diver summoned by police for touching pipefish in Thailand
A Hungarian diver was summoned to the police station in Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province in southern Thailand yesterday for allegedly touching a pipefish. Police say he was formerly charged with touching protected marine life once before in 2020. In a video entitled “Scuba diving in the paradise, Koh Phangan” on the YouTube channel “Paradise Films by Attila…
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Pheu Thai sets conditions for coalition government formation
Pheu Thai Family leader and prime ministerial candidate Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra has revealed three conditions for the party to form a coalition government, with one condition being that Pheu Thai must manage all major ministries. During an hour-long interview published on TikTok and Instagram Live, which was hosted by celebrity Kachapa “Mod Dam” Tancharoen on Monday night, Paetongtarn maintained…
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Eastern economic corridor barely accessible to small businesses
The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) project in Thailand is falling short of its intended purpose, as only a few small local businesses are able to access and benefit from it, according to the Thai Sang Thai (TST) Party. Prime ministerial candidate for the TST, Supan Mongkolsutee, stated that the EEC scheme is predominantly aimed at larger companies, leaving small businesses…
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Murderer arrested in Thailand after 16 years on the run
A Thai man who brutally murdered his wife 16 years ago was arrested at a temple in Roi Et province in northeast Thailand yesterday. He confessed to beating his wife to death with a helmet in 2007. Police arrested 63 year old Adirek at a temple in Nong Phok district under an arrest warrant from Phitsanulok Provincial Court dated August…
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6-wheel truck crashes into 4 cars: 11 injured including 5 month old child
A six-wheel truck smashed into four cars resulting in 11 injuries, including a five month old child, on Bang Na-Trat Road in the Bang Wua sub-district, Bang Pakong district, Chachoengsao province. The driver allegedly confessed that he picked up his phone to answer a call and did not notice the other cars. At 8.30pm yesterday, officers from Bang Pakong Police…
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Thai monk dies in sweltering heat after drunk policeman causes power outage
A drunk policeman crashed into an electric pole causing a power outage in Surin province in northeast Thailand on Thursday amid soaring temperatures. This caused problems for a Buddhist monk with a lung complaint because he was hot and couldn’t turn on his fan because of the power outage. His naked body was discovered in his room the next morning, reports…
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Thai man dies reconciling with wife: Fatal asthma attack in rice field
A man from Thailand died in a rice field in Ang Thong province while trying to walk 24 kilometres to his wife’s house to reconcile with her. It was later revealed that he had suffered a fatal asthma attack during the journey. Officers from Meaung Ang Thong Police Station were notified of the man’s death by 45 year old tractor…
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Elderly woman dies in heatstroke after walking 2km barefoot
An elderly woman, famously known for walking barefoot for two kilometres to ask for money for food, was found dead alongside a road in Udon Thani province yesterday. The 81 year old woman named Boon, who was discovered naked, is believed to have succumbed to the sweltering heat. At 9am, Ratpol Mora Rat, an investigator at Na Kha Police Station,…
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Man discovers his 17 year old twins aren’t his, DNA test reveals wife’s cheating
A man was left stunned after discovering that his wife cheated on him and that the twins he had raised for 17 years were not his children after they took a random DNA test. The unnamed American man immediately realised that his wife had cheated on him when news of the DNA test was revealed. He shared the story on…
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Sam Smith plans to kick off Asia leg of tour in Bangkok area in October
Musical superstar Sam Smith is heading back to Thailand. The 30 year old Smith announced plans to kick off the Asia leg of their ‘Gloria’ world tour in the Bangkok area in October. They will perform at IMPACT Arena in the Pak Kret district of Nonthaburi province on October 3. The pop sensation announced the performance dates on their social…
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Chinese tour minibus crashes in northern Thailand, 8 injured
A minibus carrying 30 Chinese tourists overturned in Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand on Monday. Eight people were injured in the crash. Officers from Mae Chan Police Station were informed that a minibus lost control and crashed on the Mae Chan-Fang Road in Ban Thung Thang, Pa Tueng subdistrict, Mae Chan district. Police rushed to the scene with Highway…
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Pig farmers raise a stink outside Government House, demanding to ham-mer out solutions against pork smuggling
An estimated 1,000 pig farmers gathered outside Government House yesterday, demanding action against the smuggling of foreign pork and the high cost of feed. They claim both issues are driving up pork prices and threatening the livelihood of local farmers. The group’s representatives submitted their complaint to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, stating that both problems are causing serious harm to…
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Sex offender confesses to murdering Thai-British teenager, girlfriend still missing
A man formerly imprisoned for sex crimes has confessed to murdering the Thai-British teenager who was found dead in the woods of Lampang province, northern Thailand, on Sunday. The police are still searching for the deceased’s missing girlfriend. Police arrested a 44 year old Thai man named Chaiwat Boonkarin under suspicion of murder and concealing a corpse on Monday. Initially,…
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Police attacked while investigating voter fraud, former MP involved
Four to five men attacked a police officer when the officer was investigating voter fraud in a community in the central province of Ratchaburi. The former Member of Parliament (MP) to Ratchaburi from Palang Pracharath Party, Pareena “Ae” Kraikupt, defended the attackers. The officer, identified as Jaruphat Khakaew, suffered neck and knee injuries and had his gun stolen during the…
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Transwoman attacked by pub guard in southern Thailand
A transwoman filed a complaint against a guard who attacked her at a pub in the Hat Yai district of Song Khla province in southern Thailand. The suspect said she was out of control while she was dancing while the victim insisted, she did not annoy any other partygoers with her moves. The 19 year old transwoman, Arwut, also known…
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Man brutally kills 4 stray dogs in southern Thailand
A man reportedly killed four stray dogs at Kantang Stadium in Trang province in the southern part of Thailand on Monday, May 8. The dog killer in question brutally slashed each dog and left their dead bodies on a road causing outrage among locals and animal rights activists. A 43 year old local man, Apichart Leeasa, who encountered the dead…
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Royal Thai Army officer shoots dead junior soldier over alleged theft
A senior Royal Thai Army (RTA) officer shot dead a junior officer whom he suspected of stealing belongings from his residence in the central province of Lob Buri. The victim, 69 year old Sub Lieutenant Theerapong Ngernpan, was found dead near his house with gunshot wounds to his neck and left eye. An investigation by officers from the Mueng Lob…
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Thai woman accuses police officer in Lampang of embezzling 75,000 baht
A Thai woman recently filed a complaint with the Damrong Dharma Centre, alleging that a police officer at a Mueang Lampang Police Station in the northern province of Lampang had embezzled 75,000 baht from her. The woman, Auttaporn, claims that she was charged with buying some stolen property in 2021 and was released on bail for 75,000 baht. After the…
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Over 500 people fall victim of jewellery fraud causing 60 million baht damage
More than 500 people fell victim to a jewellery fraud in central Thailand. A Thai couple who owned a jewellery shop in the Samut Sakhon province lured unsuspecting customers into buying jewellery worth about 60 million baht. Paisarn Ruengrit, a lawyer representing 30 of the victims, complained with the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) after discovering that the jewels sold were…
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Arrested ‘New Pakaphum’ caught attempting suicide in cells at police station in Sa Kaeo province
New Pakpoom, a close associate of drug lord Sua, was apprehended yesterday just before crossing the night and later attempted to commit suicide by hanging himself in his cell at Klong Luek Police Station, Sa Kaeo Province. Today, Atchariya Reuangratanapong, the President of Crime Victims Assistance Club brought a 25-year-old female victim and the family of a 25-year-old deceased male…
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Pattaya’s real estate market soars thanks to Chinese and Russian buyers
Real estate in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, is being snapped up like hotcakes thanks to Russian and Chinese buyers, according to leading real estate developer Habitat Group Co. Ltd. Chief Executive Officer of Habitat Group Chanin Vanichwong revealed today that demand for real estate in Pattaya from both Thai and foreign customers is continually growing, reports Thansettakij. Demand from the foreign…
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Bersatu dismisses claims of opposition having numbers to challenge Anwar Ibrahim
Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) has dismissed claims that the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition has the numbers in the Lower House to challenge Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim amidst speculation of a move to oust him from his position. According to The Star, Bersatu information chief Razali Idris noted recently that there have been claims that his party has enough…
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Thai citizens swarm truck shop owner’s son’s ordination for chance to win over US$11,000
Crowds of Thai citizens gathered at the ordination ceremony of a prominent truck body shop owner’s son, hoping to win a cash prize exceeding US$11,000 (372,000 baht). Naka, short for Warapol Pensri, is 20 years old and the son of a major truck body shop business in Thailand. The ordination ceremony took place at their residence, followed by a traditional…
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Voyeur captures Chinese students having sex behind a lorry in Wenzhou
Two Chinese students having sex behind a lorry was snapped by an opportunist voyeur in Wenzhou, a city in the southeastern province of Zhejiang, in the People’s Republic of China. Unsurprisingly, the video clip and snaps went viral on social media. The Chinese students, taking advantage of what they believed to be a hidden corner next to a lorry, thought…
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Chinese man leaves ER in pain, but onlookers can’t help laughing at his bandaged face
A Chinese man was left feeling both hurt and furious after he walked out of an emergency room with a bizarrely patched-up face, prompting laughter from onlookers. The man couldn’t understand why people were laughing at first, but after catching his reflection in a mirror, he came to realise his strangely startling appearance. The incident reportedly occurred at a hospital…
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Thai actress cleared of wrongdoing after buying cyanide to kill lizards
The Royal Thai Police found nothing criminal about a famous Thai actress’ online purchase of cyanide after calling her in for questioning last week, deputy national police chief Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn said yesterday. Preechaya “Ice” Pongthananikorn wept during an interview as she apologised for ordering cyanide without a permit on April 25 for a price of 3,132 baht –…
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Election commission provides Braille campaign guide for visually impaired voters
The Election Commission of Thailand has recently launched a Braille guidebook to assist visually impaired citizens in voting for the upcoming general election. This initiative, carried out by the Office of the Promotion of Citizenship, is designed to ensure that visually impaired individuals are well-informed about the election process and can exercise their democratic rights on Sunday, May 14. The…
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Fire at electrical appliance store in Korat causes 50 million baht in damage
A fire broke out at a large electrical appliance store in downtown Korat City, situated in Nakhon Ratchasima, causing an estimated US$1.5 million worth of damage. Fortunately, no casualties were reported. The incident occurred today at the Tai Fa Universe store on Chom Surangyat Road in Mueng district. The fire was reported to have started around 7:30am. Local residents claim…
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Departure Tax: Thailand considers charging 1000 baht to leave country
Thailand‘s Revenue Department proposed that a 1000 baht “departure tax” be charged upon Thai citizens and foreign permanent residents in a bid to prevent excessive overseas spending. The idea has been met with resistance from tourism officials. Airline passengers would be charged 1000 baht to leave the country and those exiting via land and sea would be charged 500 baht…
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