Thailand News
Discover the most recent and relevant news from across Thailand on The Thaiger’s National News page. Covering a wide range of topics, including politics, business, crime, and lifestyle, our dedicated team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
Stay informed about the latest developments in Thai society, economy, and culture, as well as updates on travel, tourism, and expat life. With The Thaiger, you’ll never miss out on the essential news that matters to you.
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Sponsored A healthy tomorrow starts today: Celebrate the great American Smokeout day
The Great American Smokeout, held this year on November 17, is a nationwide event that encourages smokers to take their first steps towards a smoke-free life. If you’re an expat in Thailand, this day could be a timely reminder to...
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Thailand’s zoo horrors captured by British photographer
PHOTO: Aaron Gekoski A British photographer has had a sickening series of photos published in thesun.co.uk after witnessing what he described as “a wildlife house of horrors”. 37 year old environmental photojournalist Aaron Gekoski says he witnessed the shows on a tour of Thailand’s zoos and will now campaign for more restrictions over the industry. In the article he claims……
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“100% interest in 15 days.” Fraudster rips off students.
22 year old Bangkok student ‘Tanya’, along with a Phuket friend who’s still at high school, have made a complaint with crime suppression police to complain about a Thai woman who has ripped them off in a fake loan scheme. They claim that they’ve been conned out of 24,500 baht but say they believe there are 200 victims involved in…
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Burmese workers lucky to escape burning van after crash in Tak
PHOTO: Facebook Fourteen Myanmar migrant workers and a Thai van driver where lucky to escape after their van caught fire after a tyre burst. The burst caused the van to lose control. The van ran off the road into a ditch along side this morning. The van didn’t flip over but the inhabitants were shaken. Luckily they all got out quickly…
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Insurgents fire on police checkpoints in Narathiwat
Southern insurgents have fired at roadside checkpoints in two locations and a marine post in Narathiwat’s Bacho district last night (Sunday). No one was injured in the three attacks. Police and a unit of marines went to inspect the location of the attacks this morning (Monday). Police say that insurgents fired at the road checkpoint in Ban Batu village in…
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Take an air-conditioned rest on Songkran roads this year
Police have prepared air-conditioned accommodation for motorists who might feel tired after a long drive during the Songkran holidays, a police chief said on Monday. Highway police commander Pol Maj Gen Chut Sukkaewnarong says toilet facilities would also be made available for motorists but added that since the number of temporary accommodation spots was limited, motorists were advised to check…
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100 million worth of heroin seized at Bangkok shipping port
PHOTO: Thai Customs Department You can’t accuse Thai Customs officials of sleeping on the job. Yesterday (Sunday) they seized 28 kilograms of heroin with a street value of around 100 million. The heroin was hidden in rubber pillows bound for Hong Kong. Customs officials staffing X-Ray machine at the Klong Toey port say they noticed something suspicious amongst the shipment…
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Looming fishing strike over government IUU restrictions
PHOTO: The Nation Southern fisherman are threatening to strike to put pressure on the Government to ease restrictions on what’s called illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing practices. New technologies and other improvements have been introduced in the Thai fishing fleet in efforts to get the nation removed from the European Union’s “watch list” for illegal fishing. Fishermen claim the restrictions are…
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Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit – Risk-taking billionaire pursuing social justice
New blood politician Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit may have led his family auto-parts business to international success but he remains a socialist in his economic philosophy and a political liberal, with a passion for social justice. The 40 year old has been in the spotlight for less than two months since he announced the formation of the new Future Forward Party. But…
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Cooler weather surprises central & northern Thailand
PHOTO: The Pinoy Legacy Thais in many provinces are surprised about the sudden cool spell that has brought them relief from the sweltering summer heat. According to the Meteorological Department, Thailand’s summer officially began on March 3 (we admit to being totally unaware how they arrive at this date). But instead of experiencing almost unbearable heat, as they expect to,…
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We’re in for a bumper Songkran this year
Economists are predicting a bumper Songkran festival this year due to a number of factors. he University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce’s Centre for Economic and Business Forecasting says surveys indicate that Thai new year revellers are showing greater willingness to spend more this year. They estimate there will be 3-5% growth in spending which they predict will bring…
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Natnicha killed in car crash in Ayutthaya
An actress was killed when her BMW car crashed into a tree on a roadside in Ayutthaya province on Saturday morning. 21 year old Natnicha Cherdchubupphakaree died when her car plunged into the roadside on highway No 9 on the Saraburi-bound side in Tambon Chiang Rak Noi, Bang Pa-in district. Police suspect the car was speeding and lost control as…
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Merging Thailand’s emergency phone numbers to 191
Gen. Chakthip Chaijindra, chief of Thai Police, says they are setting up a new emergency service centre to bring together all the nation’s mergence hotlines into just one. The whole of Thailand will have just a single emergency hotline – 191. The call centre and emergency response system will co-ordinate responses to all distress calls for crimes, emergencies, fires or traffic…
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1 killed, 11 injured in Lampang bus crash
A bus hostess was killed and 11 passengers were injured when a Bangkok-Chiang Rai bus ran off the road and hit trees early today (Friday). Police said the accident happened at 5am on the Ngao-Song road in Ban Poh village in Tambon Ban Pong in Lampang’s Ngow district. The bus hostess, Penpit Jarujit, died at the scene. The 11 injured…
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Pattaya’s Belarusian sex coach charged with prostitution
FILE PHOTO Anastasia Vashukevich, (AKA Nastya Rybka) the Belarusian ‘sex expert’ who claims to have insider dirt on Russian attempts to meddle in the US election, has been charged with prostitution. Last month she went public asking the US to help her out from her predicament, detained in a Thai prison in Bangkok, in exchanged for information on alleged ties between…
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41 year old Singaporean arrested following Scoot bomb hoax
PHOTO: Kevin Lim A 41 year old man has been arrested for making a false bomb threat on board a Scoot flight from Singapore to Hat Yai, Songkhla, which resulted in the plane returning to Changi Airport. Flight TR634, which left Changi Airport at 1.20pm on Thursday (April 5), was escorted back by two Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)…
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Police getting ready for Songkran – national initiatives to increase safety over the holiday
The Royal Thai Police are launching various safety and security measures, including a vacation home-watch scheme, for the upcoming Songkran holidays. Among the measures are preparedness of the Bangkok-based 191 Emergency Call Centre (Phanfa), which is in the process of being upgraded to a national-level centre linking related agencies to ensure help arrives within 10 minutes of a call. Tourist…
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Scoot airline flight returns to Singapore after alleged bomb threat
File Photo Channel News Asia is reporting that budget carrier Scoot Airlines say that one of its flights bound for Thailand has returned safely to Singapore after an alleged bomb threat. Scoot say flight TR634, heading for Hat Yai, was escorted back by Singapore’s air force and that the airline was “working closely with the authorities” for necessary follow-up to ensure…
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20% of Yala men reporting for the conscription lottery test positive for drugs
It’s conscription season where Thai men over 21 have to submit for the annual lottery. Military personnel were shocked to find a hidden problem with Yala’s young men who fronted up for the military conscription lottery yesterday. More than 100 young men appearing for the first day of military conscription in Muang Yala on Tuesday tested positive for illicit drugs,…
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Narathiwat policeman shot whilst PM heads to Pattani in the south
A police captain has been shot dead in Narathiwat’s Sungai Padi district this morning in what is believed to be another insurgent attack. Pol Capt Wutthisak Poonsawat was killed behind the house of his mother-in-law in Tambon Sakor in Sungai Padi at 8am. Wutthisak, a deputy inspector of Sakor police, went to the house to take care of his fighting…
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Arms smuggler or getting ready for a crime? Songkhla resident nabbed in Satun.
PHOTO: Thai PBS A 35 year old resident old has been arrested for being found in possession of a submachine gun and 4,500 rounds of ammunition. He was nabbed at a checkpoint in Satun. Police thought he was behaving suspiciously so checked the back of his pick-up and discovered the cache of ammunition hidden in the spare tyre compartment. Along…
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“Junta has a report card for each and every critic” – Vanchai
Veteran journalist Vanchai Tantivitayapitak posted on Facebook on Monday that the ruling junta has a “report card” for each and every critic who is influential on social media, and will pay them a visit after a certain limit was reached. The post came after his resignation at the end of March from news station PPTV, where he was a senior…
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Won’t lift the ban. Might amend it – PM Prayut
PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha has dismissed a concerted call by major political parties to lift a controversial junta order that prevents political activities. He said the directive “may be amended on certain issues” in order to help get rid of “administrative problems” raised by the various existing and new parties. Prayut, in his capacity as head of the National Council…
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Three die, three injured, in Bangkok apartment blaze
Three people have died and three others injured after a fire broke out in a Bangkok apartment early today (Tuesday), trapping 24 tenants. The fire started at the 15-storey Ratchathewi Apartment building on Soi Phetchaburi 18 off Phetchaburi Road in Ratchathewi district at about 2am. Ten fire engines responded to the emergency call. However, as the soi is…
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Trucks and buses caught speeding more than 17 million times last year
Cargo trucks and public transport buses in Thailand were found to have been speeding beyond the legal limit on more than 17 million occasions last year, according to a GPS-based study by a Bangkok-based university. The study puts definitive proof at the feet of the Thai government and transport officials in the wake of several appalling weeks on Thai roads,…
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30,000 people line up for free herbal cancer ‘cure’
People will go to any lengths in desperation to find a cure for a life-threatening disease. When it comes to cancer, fear and mis-information are a dangerous combination and can lead to people taking risks with almost anything or anyone offering a remedy to their condition. An estimated 30,000 cancer patients and their relatives showed up yesterday (Sunday) outside the…
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‘Daeng’ on the mend after being shot with arrow in Udon Thani
A stray dog living in a public park in Udon Thani’s Muang district, which was seen with an arrow piercing its left eyebrow on Friday morning, was captured, sent for treatment at Bamrungraks Animal Hospital and now recovering from its adventures. The whole sad story of Daeng, the stray dog, was captured by Facebook user Napassorn JowYing Hodges. Napassorn, who…
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Border-bound train shot at by suspected militants
Gunman are reported to have opened fire at a train in Narathiwat last evening (March 31). No passengers have been reported as injured. At about 5.30 pm, the Surat Thani/Sungai Kolok train had just left Cho Airong district railway station. After approximately 500 metres from the station gunfire was heard by the driver and some passengers. The train driver didn’t…
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Abandoning the cap – Campaign to get rid of bottle cap seals starts today
By Pratch Rujivanarom Thai bottled water producers have responded well to a plan to stop using cap seals, which will not only decrease plastic waste but also reduce unnecessary production costs. In a campaign kicking off today, the Pollution Control Department plans to totally abandon the use of cap seals on bottled water by the end of 2019. Five giant…
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Driver says fire started in luggage compartment – Tak bus tragedy
A news story from Thai Residents is saying that the driver of a tour bus in Tak which was completely destroyed by fire and killed 20 Burmese workers and injured 3 others, claims a cigarette butt which got into the luggage compartment sparked the blaze. His claim has not been confirmed by forensic police at this stage. 47 passengers, all…
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82-year-old assault victim dies – Assailant faces new charges
A 21 year old motorcyclist, alleged to have assaulted an 82 year old tricycle-riding scavenger over a minor collision in Bangkok’s Huai Kwang district on March 13, has been hit with an additional charge of causing death to another person by inflicting injury without intent to cause death. The new charge was filed against Narathorn Sodetiyung, son of a Pratunam-based…
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