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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Jealous Thai man shoots ex-girlfriend in the head when she refuses to take him back
A jealous Thai man shot his ex-girlfriend in the head this morning in Nakhon Pathom province, central Thailand after she refused to take him back. At 10am, officers at Kamphaeng Saen Police Station were informed that someone was shot and seriously injured at a house in Sa Si Mum subdistrict, reports KhaoSod. The victim, 27 year old Anuthida, was shot in…
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Thai siblings take framed picture of dead father to the cinema
Thai siblings recently went viral on TikTok after they took a picture of their dead father to the cinema to watch the third sequel of his favourite movie. Thai TikToker Naphat Thongsukdee posted a video of when she and her brother took their father’s framed picture to watch a movie on her TikTok account @papapat.p yesterday. She wrote in the…
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Fire ravages Pattaya scrapyard
A scrapyard in Pattaya was engulfed in flames this morning causing significant damage to the property but fortunately, no injuries were reported. The Pattaya Firefighter Unit dashed to the site, located on Soi Ko Phai in the Banglamung district of Pattaya, after being alerted to the blaze at 10.30am. According to eyewitnesses, plumes of smoke could be seen rising from…
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Thai man ‘nearly dies’ from replacing water with kratom tea
A Thai man says he “nearly died” after replacing drinking water with kratom tea. Now, he’s warning others against abusing the formally-illegal plant. Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia. The leaves of the kratom tree are known for their opioid and stimulant-like effects. Leaves of the kratom tree have been used for centuries in Thailand,…
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Ricegate: China’s fake jasmine rice scandal rocks Thai Exporters Association
The Thai Rice Exporter Association recently raised concerns and demanded solutions after a rice mill in China was found to be producing fake jasmine rice and using a Thai brand name to deceive customers. The President of the Thai Rice Exporter Association, Chukiat Opassawong, revealed in an interview with KhaoSod that the rice mill in China had been producing fake…
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Songkran water fights are returning to Pattaya
It’s time to hold on to your water guns and get ready to make a splash after the Pattaya mayor announced that the Songkran festival will go ahead in the city this year. The mayor made it clear that it’s going to be a soaking good time. That’s right, folks, the water fights are back on! The Facebook page Direct Line…
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Golf’s ruling bodies clash with pros over plans to reduce golf ball distance
Some of the world’s top professional golfers slammed plans by golf’s ruling bodies to impose restrictions on the distance that golf balls can travel during elite tournaments. US PGA champion Justin Thomas and former US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau both publically voiced opposition to the move proposed by the R&A, and the United States Golf Association USGA). The plans have…
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Man murders cousin after being bullied about his disability
A disabled man murdered his able-bodied cousin after he repeatedly bullied him about his disability. The accused stated that he did not intend to kill his cousin but only wanted him to experience the same pain and suffering that he had been enduring due to his disability. The 62 year old victim, Somjit Wimonmueng, was shot dead in the early hours…
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5 police officers transferred over child prostitution ring at Patong bar
Five officers from Patong Police Station were transferred after they were connected to the child prostitution scandal at a bar in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket. The Operation Underground Railroad anti-trafficking organisation, the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA), found evidence to implicate the officers involved in the child prostitution racket at the Velvet bar, which saw the eventual rescue of…
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Thailand to celebrate 241st anniversary of Bangkok as its capital around Rattanakosin Island
Thailand will celebrate the 241st anniversary of Bangkok serving as its capital around Rattanakosin Island. The Ministry of Culture and more than 30 other agencies are teaming up to hold the event between April 21 and 25, just a week after the Thai New Year of Songkran. Organisers are hoping to promote tourism and create awareness of the history of…
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SRT on right track to lead Thailand’s green recovery
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is on the right track after announcing plans to build a hospital and develop land around Thon Buri Railway Station into an environmentally friendly zone, to lead the way in Thailand’s green recovery. The transit-oriented development (TOD) project is the first of its kind in the country, designed to bring people, human activities, residential…
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Tourist bitten by Krabi dog donates 20,000 baht worth of food for strays
UPDATE Despite being bitten by a stray dog on Krabi’s Ao Nang Beach, one tourist is now trying to help stray dogs. Media reported yesterday that the man, 60 year old Thai national Daniel Sudjai Kutrakun, donated 20,000 baht worth of food for stray dogs to the Ao Nang Administrative Organisation Office. This is after a stray dog bit Daniel’s…
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Man arrested after robbing 6 convenience stores in 90 minutes
A 22 year old man was arrested yesterday after robbing six convenience stores in the Thon Buri neighbourhood of Bangkok. The suspect spent only ten minutes in each shop and managed to steal 3,500 baht. Officers from three police stations, Ratburana, Bukkhalo, and Wat Praya Krai, worked together to track down the suspect, later identified as 22 year old Thawee…
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Koh Samui needs more direct flights to boost post-pandemic recovery
Koh Samui Tourism Association chief is urging authorities to enhance the island’s tourist infrastructure and increase flight capacity to boost a full post-pandemic recovery of the popular holiday resort. Association president Ratchaporn Poolsawadee revealed that only 70% of independent hotels with three or four-star have resumed operations following the pandemic. This is due to slow cash flow in comparison to…
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‘Don’t whiten teeth with nail polish’ Thai medical technologist warns
A Thai medical technologist is warning people not to whiten their teeth with nail polish. A popular Facebook page, Doctor Lab Panda, warned against using nail polish to whiten teeth due to the dire health risks associated with it. Medical technologist Pakphum Dejhassadin, who runs the page, cautioned the public against the practice. He said that some make-up artists still…
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Power plant in Thailand ups reward for missing radioactive cylinder to 100,000 baht
UPDATE A power plant in Prachin Buri province in central Thailand has upped the reward for information on the whereabouts of a missing radioactive cylinder containing Caesium-137 from 50,000 to 100,000 baht. The Office of Atoms for Peace have checked CCTV and scoured second-hand shops in the Si Maha Phot district to no avail. The radioactive cylinder was noticed missing…
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Thai AirAsia boosts flights from Chiang Mai to 6 international destinations
Low-cost carrier Thai AirAsia will soon boost flights daily from Chiang Mai Airport in northern Thailand to six international destinations including Hanoi and Da Nang in Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Flights will run to these Asian tourist hotspots every day starting Sunday, March 26, 2023. The budget airline is celebrating the boost in flights…
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Monk & nun squat in protest for world peace near Russian Embassy
A Buddhist monk and a nun squatting on a pavement in front of the Russian Embassy in Bangkok in protest over the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, hope President Vladimir Putin will acknowledge their world peace vigil from space. The couple’s campaign may be seen as honourable in the eyes of many citizens but the same can’t be said of…
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Krabi officials catch stray dog on Ao Nang beach after attack on tourist
UPDATE Krabi officials caught a stray dog on Ao Nang Beach on Tuesday, following a vicious dog attack on a tourist on March 11. The tourist, 60 year old Thai national Daniel Sudjai Kutrakun, had been walking on Ao Nang Beach when a stray dog ran over to him and bit his left leg. Daniel’s medical expenses cost over 20,000…
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Family of illegal Thai worker who died in South Korea sues employer
The family of an illegal Thai worker who tragically died at a pig farm in South Korea travelled to the country to seek compensation from the employer. The 67 year old worker, named Boonchu, lost his life while working at a farm owned by 60 year old Kim, who reportedly attempted to conceal the death by leaving the worker’s body…
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Tourist police crackdown on overcharging on Khao San Road
Bangkok Tourist Police on Khao San Road yesterday were approached by several angry foreign tourists after they had been ripped off. The victims told officers that tuk tuk and taxi drivers in the area had tricked them into buying expensive products and services. According to the Bangkok Tourist Police, some tuk tuk and taxi drivers near Khao San Road reportedly…
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Three suspected Burmese migrants found brutally murdered in southern Thailand forest
Police have launched a murder investigation after the bodies of three men were found dumped in a forest in Songkhla province in southern Thailand yesterday. Police suspect the men were migrant workers, possibly from Myanmar. At 7.30am, officers at Bang Klam Police Station were informed that three men were found dead at a fly-tipping spot in the forest, around 200…
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Thailand’s voters say no to legalisation of casinos and e-cigarettes
A recent survey conducted by the Center of Alcohol Studies (CAS) across 12 provinces in Thailand revealed that the majority of citizens do not want the government to gamble on their health and fortune, rejecting the legalisation of casinos and e-cigarettes. The CAS yesterday held a meeting in Bangkok to discuss the report’s findings with family and youth networks urging…
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Thai tourism officials to monitor impact of SVB collapse
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will monitor the long-term impact of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) on Thailand’s tourism. However, TAT believes that the situation is unlikely to cause an immediate slowdown in long-haul markets. The bank’s closure last Friday raised concerns about possible economic turbulence, especially given the number of startups and tech companies it served.…
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Windsurfing and paddleboarding competition coming up in Pattaya
An exciting windsurfing and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) competition is coming up in Pattaya from March 16 to March 26, in a bid to promote tourism and boost the economy. The competition will take place in Jomtien near the Beach Sports Service Center. The event is divided into two categories, with windsurfing taking place from March 16 to 19, and SUP…
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SUV crashes into motorcycle killing 4 including 2 young children
A tragic accident involving a sidecar motorcycle and SUV occurred on a road in the central province of Suphan Buri on Monday, resulting in the deaths of four people, including two young children, a four year old girl and eight month old baby. The SUV driver blamed the motorcycle rider for cutting off his car but a witness reported a…
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Thailand to adopt stricter firearm controls amid rise in gun-related crimes
Thailand is adopting stricter firearm controls amid a rise in gun-related crimes. The Cabinet is set to draft a firearms act which deems all privately owned firearms and ammunition must be registered with a government agency. According to The Star, the draft act was approved on Tuesday. Government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek confirmed the news adding that the current measures in…
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Bangkok police officer shot by SWAT team dies in hospital
UPDATE #4 The mentally disturbed police officer who was shot by SWAT officers at his home in the Sai Mai district of Bangkok after a 27-hour standoff passed away from his injuries in hospital yesterday. After firing more than 50 shots over the course of the siege, Pol. Lt. Col. Kitikarn Sangboon was shot three times by the SWAT team…
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Car crashes into Phuket power pole, two children and an adult injured
A car crashed into a power pole in Phuket on Monday night, injuring two children and an adult. The sedan crashed into a power pole on Chao Fah – Suan Lueang Road in the Wichit sub-district of the main city district. Rescuers arrived on the scene to find the sedan damaged in the middle of the road. The power pole on…
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Pattaya officials discuss motorcycle taxis and other issues plaguing Walking Street
Pattaya officials, police, and business owners on Walking Street held a meeting yesterday to discuss motorcycle taxis and other issues plaguing the street. One of the main issues discussed was the complaints of motorcycle taxi riders driving in pedestrian areas. The city officials have planned to move them to nearby areas. Garbage disposal was also discussed at the meeting. It…
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