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 hit by cold snaps up north and storms down south
A cold snap and stormy weather are sweeping across Thailand, bringing temperature drops in the north and heavy rain in the south, as officials warn of changing conditions. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued its latest forecast, warning of a 1 to 2°C dip in temperatures across northern and northeastern Thailand due to a moderate high-pressure system blowing in…
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Former police arrested over 2021 Taiwanese kidnap and extortion case
A former Thai police officer accused government officials and the Royal Thai Police (RTP) of betraying him after he was arrested today, November 13, over the alleged kidnapping and extortion of a Taiwanese businessman in 2021. Officers from Thong Lo Police Station arrested the former Special Branch Bureau officer, Santhana Prayoonrat, at his accommodation in Bangkok this afternoon. The arrest…
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Central Thailand vendor offers red drinks after lottery windfall
A local vendor in central Thailand fulfilled a vow at a famed temple after winning the lottery’s second prize, offering red drinks and seeking fresh fortune. Somkid, a 55 year old merchant from Uthai Thani, visited Wat Sawang Arom in Nakhon Chai Si district, Nakhon Pathom province, to make an offering of 100 red drinks to Kumarn Chuk Dam, a…
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Thai transwoman watches TikTok videos at clinic for hours to avoid payment
A Bangkok beauty clinic owner took to social media to share her experience with a transgender client who refused to pay for breast augmentation surgery and lay on the operating table for hours watching TikTok videos until police arrived. The clinic owner, Supassara Tweesan, posted footage of the incident on her Facebook page on Monday, November 10. The video showed…
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Drunk Russian tourist hauled off Patong street after outburst
A Russian tourist was arrested in Patong after police responded to reports of public intoxication and disorderly behaviour near a busy roadside canal. The incident unfolded around 10.30am today, November 13, when officers from Patong Police Station were called to Sai Nam Yen Road in Patong subdistrict, Kathu district. The 43 year old man was found near a canal adjacent…
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Bangkok underpass shut after flooding chaos and cable theft
Flooding caused by cable theft and torrential rain forced officials in Bangkok to close a major underpass while nearby provinces battled widespread inundation. Officials in Bang Sue confirmed that the underpass along the railway road had to be shut down due to waterlogging, which was compounded by the theft of electrical cables powering the drainage system. Without operational pumps, water…
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3 Burmese suspects arrested for stealing 10 million baht from colleague
Police yesterday, November 12, arrested three Burmese nationals accused of stealing 10 million baht in cash and assets from the condominium of a Burmese colleague in the Phra Khanong area of Bangkok. The 33 year old Burmese victim, who works for a recruitment agency in Thailand, filed a complaint with Phra Khanong Police Station on November 9 at around 10.30pm…
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Thai woman claims sister killed by Cambodia scam gang
Police in southern Thailand are probing a woman’s claim that her sister was killed by a scam gang in Cambodia, though no evidence has confirmed the report. Police in Takua Thung district, Phang Nga, have launched an investigation after a local woman reported that her sister was killed by a scam gang in Poipet, Cambodia. Malee Na Cholkhet, a resident…
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Police hunt fake doctor after raid on unlicensed clinic in Pattaya
A fake doctor remains at large after his unlicensed clinic in Pattaya was raided and several dangerous medicines were seized yesterday, November 12. The unlicensed medical centre reportedly targeted sex workers and foreign nationals in the area. Officers from Provincial Police Region 2 and the Chon Buri Provincial Public Health Office raided the unregistered clinic named Centre Pattaya Medical Clinic…
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Thailand tightens visa rules to curb abuse by repeat visitors
Thailand’s Immigration Bureau has launched a nationwide crackdown on foreigners repeatedly entering Thailand under visa-free exemptions, aiming to shut down “visa runs” being used as cover for illegal activity, including cybercrime and human trafficking. The directive, announced by Phuket Immigration yesterday, November 12, follows an urgent meeting chaired by Police Lieutenant General Panumas Boonyalak, Commissioner-General of the Immigration Bureau, acting…
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Lightning strike blasts Chon Buri restaurant during storm
A restaurant in Chon Buri was damaged when lightning struck during a thunderstorm, splitting a tree, damaging property, and causing a brief power outage. A violent thunderstorm in Takhian Tia, Chon Buri, caused chaos yesterday, November 12, after lightning struck the rooftop toilet of a well-known restaurant, Krua Tee Lek Khao Pa. The strike caused significant property damage, but luckily,…
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Thai woman steals valuables worth 150,000 baht from Pattaya restaurant owner
A Thai woman sneaked into a bedroom above a noodle shop in Pattaya and stole valuables worth more than 150,000 baht yesterday, November 12. The victim, 40 year old noodle shop owner Anchana Rattanapisankun, filed a complaint with Bang Lamung Police Station in the evening yesterday. She also submitted CCTV footage that showed the thief’s identity. In an interview with…
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Pattaya jet ski operators face bans over insurance crackdown
Marine officials in Pattaya have announced new rules requiring all rental jet skis to carry group insurance, warning operators of strict penalties for violations. The crackdown was announced at a high-level meeting chaired by Bang Lamung Senior District Chief Wanchat Wannaphrahm at the Bang Lamung District Community Hall. Also in attendance were Jarin Butrwong, Director of the Pattaya Regional Harbormaster…
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South Korea eases visa rules for young Thai job seekers
South Korea has eased visa rules for young Thai nationals who speak Korean, allowing them to apply for longer stays and job opportunities with fewer restrictions. The South Korean Embassy in Bangkok has announced a major visa policy shake-up, easing the path for young Thai nationals fluent in Korean to live and work in the country. Effective this month, the…
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German tourist loses 140,000 baht in ‘miracle oil’ scam in Pattaya
A German man lost over 140,000 baht yesterday, November 12, after being tricked by a scammer into buying five bottles of so-called “miracle herbal oil” for hair care. The German victim, 52 year old Nadir Altaf, filed a complaint with Mueang Pattaya Police Station at around 10pm. He told police that the scammer was a foreign man, believed to be Middle…
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Late-night earthquake rattles Koh Samui, no damage reported
A minor earthquake struck Koh Samui overnight, shaking homes and alarming residents across several areas, with reports of loud noises and repeated tremors. The quake, measuring 2.4 on the Richter scale, struck Koh Samui in Surat Thani province early today, November 13, sending tremors across the island and waking startled residents. The quake occurred at 12.47am at a shallow depth…
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Pattaya woman files complaint after violent attack by procuress
A Thai woman sought protection from police after a procuress physically assaulted her on Pattaya Beach and attempted to force her back into prostitution, following her escape from the attacker last year. The 20 year old woman, Jeerawan, filed a complaint with Mueang Pattaya Police Station and shared the details of the assault with several news agencies, hoping to secure protection…
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Bangkok road swamped as flash floods bring traffic chaos
Bangkok police shut a key inbound route after flash floods led to severe waterlogging, triggering safety warnings and widespread traffic disruption. Flash flooding brought Bangkok traffic to a standstill today, November 13, as water levels surged on key roads, prompting police to close a major inbound stretch of Ratchadaphisek Road. The sudden early-morning downpour overwhelmed drainage systems across the capital,…
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‘Big Joke’ sued for calling Thai police a criminal gang
A former deputy police chief is being sued by senior officials after accusing Thailand’s national police force of being a criminal organisation in an interview. Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, the former deputy national police chief, is facing a defamation lawsuit after reportedly branding the Royal Thai Police (RTP) as “the largest criminal organisation” during a recent media interview. Assistant National…
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Sa Kaeo border blast triggers panic and cross-border blame
An explosion near Sa Kaeo province’s Nong Ya Kaeo checkpoint triggered chaos and evacuations on both sides of the Thai-Cambodian border last night, with Thai authorities firmly denying involvement in the incident. According to a source from the Burapha Task Force, a loud blast was heard at approximately 7.30pm yesterday, November 12, opposite Checkpoint 34 at Ban Nong Ya Kaew…
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Thailand scraps elected council in charter rewrite shake-up
Thailand’s parliamentary committee tasked with reviewing constitutional amendments has scrapped plans to establish a directly elected advisory council, instead opting for a 35-member charter-drafting committee (CDC) to oversee the creation of a new constitution. The decision was reached during a recent meeting finalising the structure of the drafting process. The advisory council, originally proposed in the opposition People’s Party’s amendment…
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Foreign hacker wanted by FBI arrested in Phuket hotel
Police arrested a foreign hacker, wanted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), at a hotel in the Thalang district of Phuket yesterday, November 12. The Commander of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), Police Lieutenant General Suraphon Prembut, announced the successful cooperation between Thai officials and the FBI. Suraphon explained that Thai police had been notified about…
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Thailand gives illegal migrant workers a year-long lifeline
Thailand has approved a one-year extension allowing undocumented migrant workers from neighbouring countries to stay and work legally in the country. Labour Minister Trinuch Thienthong announced the measure this week, confirming that it applies to Laotian, Myanmar, and Vietnamese workers who are either overstaying their residence or work permits or entered the country illegally but wish to become part of…
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Blackout behind the wheel kills Bangkok taxi driver in crash
A taxi driver in Bangkok died after blacking out while driving, causing his vehicle to crash into trees and overturn during the early hours of the morning. A 38 year old taxi driver, identified only as Chayanan, was killed in a horrific accident after losing consciousness while driving, causing his vehicle to veer off the road, smash into two large…
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Thai man defends attack of brother’s bullies at school
Police arrested a Thai man for physically assaulting a 14 year old boy at a school in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. The suspect defended his actions, claiming the victim had repeatedly bullied his younger brother and even put his life at risk. Footage of the attack circulated on Thai social media yesterday, November 11. The video showed…
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Indian woman with severe injuries denied boarding in Chiang Mai
An Indian tourist was denied boarding at Chiang Mai airport after airline staff discovered her severe injuries from a motorbike crash in northern Thailand. Tourist police in Chiang Mai stepped in to assist an Indian woman after she was denied boarding on her flight home due to serious injuries sustained in a motorbike accident. The incident unfolded yesterday, November 11,…
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Warrant issued for mum who sold Thai girl in Tokyo trafficking case
A Thai woman faces arrest for allegedly trafficking her daughter into sex work at a Tokyo massage parlour, where the child’s earnings were sent to the woman. Japanese police have issued an arrest warrant for a Thai woman in her twenties who allegedly trafficked her 12 year old daughter into sex work at a Tokyo establishment, according to investigative sources…
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Thai vendor fined 2,000 baht after allegedly overcharging South Korean YouTubers
The Ratchaburi Provincial Commercial Affairs Office fined a vendor at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market 2,000 baht for allegedly overcharging two South Korean YouTubers. Thai fans of the South Korean YouTubers, Cullen and Jung, raised concerns after seeing the pair pay inflated prices for clothes at the famous floating market in Ratchaburi province in a recent travel vlog on their YouTube…
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HIV positive Thai man accused of raping at least 7 girls
Parents in the Isaan province of Udon Thani filed complaints against a Thai man, accusing him of raping at least seven young girls aged between four and ten and spreading HIV to the victims, as his wife is reportedly infected. Worried parents reached out to Panumas “Piak” Jitwasinkul, who operates the Facebook page Hia Piak Helps, saying that officers from…
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People’s Party urges tough diplomacy after border mine blast
The People’s Party has called on the government to adopt urgent diplomatic measures after a mine explosion left soldiers injured near the Cambodian border. On Monday, November 10, a mine explosion near Huai Ta Maria in Sisaket’s Kantharalak district left one Thai soldier severely injured, resulting in the amputation of his right ankle. In the aftermath, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul…
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