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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Sponsored Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Drunk Swede run over after passing out in Pattaya car park
A drunken night ended in tragedy for a Swedish tourist in Pattaya after he collapsed in a parking lot and was fatally run over by a sedan in the early hours of the morning. At 3.50am today, June 20, emergency responders from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Unit received a report of a serious car accident in the parking lot…
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Chalong sting nabs Uzbek woman in clinic raid
A foreign woman offering backroom beauty treatments in Phuket has been arrested after police uncovered her secret unlicensed clinic. An Uzbek national, known only as Maftu, was caught red-handed operating an illegal beauty business in the Chalong area. The arrest took place on Tuesday, June 17, following a joint raid led by Phuket Provincial Police, Phuket Immigration, Chalong Police, and…
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Thai man claims Cambodian accomplice pushed him to kill gay victim
A Thai man who murdered a gay victim in the Isaan province of Surin and stole his gold accessories claimed a Cambodian man encouraged him to commit the crime. The 15 year old Thai boy discovered the body of his transgender neighbour, 63 year old Pratheep Kongthawee, on June 4. Pratheep’s body was hidden under a red blanket near a…
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Storm alert: Thailand soaked as heavy rain triggers flood fears
The Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasted increased rainfall across Thailand, particularly affecting the eastern, upper northeastern, and southwestern regions, warning locals to be cautious of heavy rain and potential accumulation. In Bangkok, residents can expect rain in the afternoon and evening, with a 60% chance. The intensified southwest monsoon, which covers the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand, combined…
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Pink Line plunge: Ridership nosedives 68% after fares kick in
It was all aboard the ghost train on Tuesday, as passenger numbers on Bangkok’s extended Pink Line dropped a staggering 68% overnight — the moment commuters were asked to pay. The Department of Rail Transport revealed the dramatic fall in ridership just one day after the end of the Pink Line’s free test-run period. The extended two-station line to Muang…
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Singaporean duo busted in Thai sex trafficking crackdown
Two Singaporean men have been arrested in Thailand in a cross-border crackdown on a transnational sex trafficking syndicate that allegedly exploited foreign women and funnelled illicit earnings between countries. The suspects, aged 36 and 38, were apprehended on Tuesday, June 17, following a joint operation between the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Thailand’s Royal Thai Police (RTP). A 50 year…
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Thai soldier found dead in suspected suicide at Bangkok army facility
A Thai soldier today reportedly committed suicide using an M16 rifle at a welfare accommodation facility in Bangkok’s Dusit district. The Phra Chulachomklao Fort Disaster Relief Radio Centre announced on its official Facebook page that it received a report of the man’s death at approximately 3.17pm on June 19. His body was discovered at a welfare accommodation building under the…
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Pattaya panic: Chinese tourists ditch Thailand for Japan
Pattaya’s golden days with Chinese tourists may be fading fast, and local tourism operators are sounding the alarm. Once a firm favourite with Chinese travellers, Pattaya is now seeing a steady drop in visitors from the mainland, with Japan quickly emerging as their top choice instead. The shift is rattling Thailand’s tourism industry, where Chinese tourists have long made up…
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Bangkok’s new mega road to Don Mueang set to open this month
Bangkok drivers are in for a traffic breakthrough as a major new link road connecting Vibhavadi Rangsit and Phahon Yothin roads nears completion — and it’s set to open by the end of the month. The Bang Khen District Office confirmed the much-anticipated infrastructure upgrade is in its final inspection phase, with workers putting the finishing touches on what’s expected…
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Bank robbery thwarted by brave security guard in Buriram
A courageous Thai security guard successfully thwarted a knife-wielding thief attempting to rob a bank in the Isaan province of Buriram yesterday, June 18. Officers from Nonsuwan Police Station received an emergency alarm from the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, Nonsuwan branch, and rushed to the scene. Upon arrival, they found the suspect, 38 year old Somphon, already subdued…
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Elderly man arrested for illegal excavation in Chiang Mai
An arrest has been made of a 70 year old man, accused of operating an illegal soil excavation site in Chiang Mai’s San Kamphaeng district, which has caused disturbance for over 20 years. Police seized equipment, including two excavators and three dump trucks, at the site located in Buakkang subdistrict. Ayree has been suspected of operating the excavation site without…
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Thai government pays 750k baht to families of tortured conscripts
The Thai government awarded 750,000 baht per family to the relatives of two conscripts who died from torture. Today, June 19, at 9am, at the Ministry of Justice on Cherng Watthana Road, Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong, the justice minister, presided over the compensation ceremony for the victims’ families under the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act 2022.…
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Playful leopard swipes tourist’s flip flop at Kanchanaburi safari (video)
A cheeky leopard at a Kanchanaburi Safari Park has gone viral after it snatched a tourist’s flip flop and made a game of it — leaving the unlucky visitor both barefoot and baffled. The incident, caught on camera and shared by TikTok user @p.phonpimon2544, unfolded at the Safari Park Open Zoo in Nong Kum subdistrict, Bo Phloi district, Kanchanaburi province.…
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Thai police nab suspect in 10 million baht luxury theft
Hong Kong police coordinated with Suvarnabhumi Immigration to apprehend a suspect involved in a 10 million baht luxury brand theft, following his flight to Thailand. Yesterday, June 18, Police Major General Choengron Rimpadee, commander of Immigration Division 2, announced the arrest of Su Kai, a suspect in a high-profile robbery case. This operation was part of a broader initiative to…
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Bangkok mechanic dodges tyre explosion in viral TikTok shocker (video)
A dramatic moment caught on TikTok has gone viral after a tyre unexpectedly exploded during a routine inspection, with the shop owner narrowly dodging disaster in the nick of time. Posted by user @chonkanyang, the video shows the terrifying near-miss at a tyre shop yesterday, June 18. The CCTV footage captures the calm before the blast as the shop owner…
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Transwoman throws wig, cries for help after fleeing scam gang in Cambodia
A Thai transwoman caused a commotion after she and her boyfriend were arrested for illegally crossing the border from Cambodia, claiming that she did not join a call centre scam operation but instead the gang deceived her. Immigration officers apprehended the transwoman and her boyfriend at the Khlong Luek Border Checkpoint in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province, at around 4pm…
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Teen motorcyclist dies in Bang Pakong road collision
A tragic accident occurred yesterday involving a teen motorcyclist who lost control and collided with a barrier, resulting in fatal injuries. The incident, which also involved a car, took place yesterday, June 18, around 10.30pm on Bang Na-Trat Road, outbound to Bangkok, in Bang Samak subdistrict, Bang Pakong district, Chachoengsao province. Police Lieutenant Veerawat Khunsuk, Deputy Inspector of Bang Pakong…
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Thai restaurants struggle with 400 baht minimum wage hike
The Thai Restaurant Association expressed concern about the impact of the recent decision to raise the daily minimum wage to 400 baht on the already struggling restaurant sector. This adjustment, effective from July 1, will apply to all workers in Bangkok and is extended to employees in most hotels and entertainment venues across the country. Currently, the minimum wage in…
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Chon Buri man found dead with gunshot wound amid marital issues
A 42 year old man was found dead in his bedroom with a gunshot wound to the temple in Chon Buri’s Mueang district. His mother fainted upon seeing the body, while his wife revealed marital issues that might have contributed to the incident. Yesterday, June 18, at 10.40pm, Police Colonel Suchaiyot Chuaikaew of Don Hua Lo Police Station received a…
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Thai man with heart disease dies allegedly after clinic refuses him
A clinic in the Pracha Uthit area of Bangkok on Tuesday reportedly refused to treat a Thai man with heart disease, resulting in the patient’s death. The Facebook page, Jmoi V+, reported the incident, which occurred to the 60 year old man with a heart disease named Somchai, at a clinic in Soi Pracha Uthit 33 yesterday, Wednesday, June 18,…
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Thai political instability threatens economy amid US tariff concerns
Political instability between Thailand’s ruling Pheu Thai Party and its coalition partner, the Bhumjaithai Party, is expected to further weaken investor confidence. This comes amid threats of a 36% US tariff on Thai exports. Poonyawat Sreesing, a senior economist at Siam Commercial Bank’s Economic Intelligence Centre (SCB EIC), highlighted that the Thai economy has been enduring political uncertainty for some…
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Bangkok woman arrested for selling husband’s ammunition online
Bangkok investigators detained a 33 year old woman for selling her husband’s ammunition online without his knowledge. Police charged her with illegal distribution and possession of ammunition. The arrest occurred yesterday, June 18 at Thaniya Soi 2 in Bangkok following an undercover operation. On June 12, around 1am, officials discovered a Facebook post in the group Food and Goods in Rama…
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8,000 tonnes of illegal waste found in Prachin Buri factory raid
A secret industrial dumping ground packed with over 8,000 tonnes of toxic waste has been uncovered in Prachin Buri, exposing a massive illegal recycling racket run by foreign nationals in defiance of Thai law. The shocking discovery was made during a joint raid led by the Industry Ministry and its so-called “Sudsoi Team,” a taskforce spearheaded by Industry Minister Akanat…
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Thai father arrested for assaulting daughter with bamboo stick
A Thai father in Chachoengsao province has been taken into custody for allegedly assaulting his young daughter with a bamboo stick. The incident occurred after the daughter, a primary school student, was too scared to use the bathroom at night due to a fear of ghosts. The situation came to light when a teacher visited the family’s home and reported…
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Man in Prachuap Khiri Khan arrested for drug possession
Following suspicions from neighbours about a man who seemed to own luxury motorcycles without a visible job, police arrested a man known as Ball in Prachuap Khiri Khan. Officers discovered over 700 methamphetamine pills and drug paraphernalia, also seizing three vehicles. Today, June 19, Police Colonel Phaitoon Promkhian, together with Pol. Col. Khranchit Khawattachai, and other local police officials, conducted…
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Thailand drought relief cash halted amid graft claims
A massive 51 billion baht drought relief fund has been frozen amid explosive claims of political meddling and potential budget abuse, sparking fears over delayed aid for struggling communities. Deputy Prime Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong confirmed this week that the Budget Bureau has issued a formal notice halting the disbursement of funds earmarked under the 2025 fiscal mid-year budget for water…
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15 year old Thai boy shoots father after enduring 8 years of abuse
A 15 year old Thai boy shot his biological father at their shared home in the Isaan province of Buriram, following eight years of physical abuse that the teenager had endured. Officers from Lam Plai Mat Police Station arrested the boy at his home in the Ban Nong Hua Chang Phattana community, located in Buriram’s Lam Plai Mat district, after…
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Police arrest 33 migrants in Kanchanaburi smuggling bust
Police and administrative officials in Kanchanaburi successfully apprehended a group involved in smuggling migrant workers. The operation yesterday, June 18, resulted in the arrest of 33 undocumented migrants who were found hiding at a meditation centre in Mueang district. During a routine surveillance operation, Kanchanaburi Highway Police identified two suspicious vehicles on Highway 323, heading towards the city. The vehicles,…
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54 arrested in Bang Yai raid on illegal gambling den
Police and administrative officials conducted a raid on a dragon-tiger gambling den in Bang Yai, arresting 54 gamblers and seizing 218,340 baht. This is the second such raid in the area within a fortnight. Yesterday, June 18, at 3pm, Kiattisak Trongsiri, Governor of Nonthaburi, along with Police Major General Kittithane Thananantawisin, Commander of Nonthaburi Provincial Police, and other officials led…
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Chinese grey businesses under fire in Thailand over steel scam
A wave of shady Chinese-owned factories is wreaking havoc on Thailand’s economy — and the environment — as the government launches a crackdown on so-called “grey businesses” operating illegally under the radar for years. Industry Minister Akanat Promphan declared war on unlawful foreign-owned industrial operations, particularly in the steel and recycling sectors. Under his “Sud Soi” campaign — meaning “all…
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