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.

  • Sponsored

    What is the 5 year visa for the digital nomad in Thailand?

    The Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) is a great option for digital nomads, remote workers, and freelancers who want to stay in Thailand for a long time. This multiple-entry visa is valid for five years, allowing stays of up to 180...

  • Teen drowns at privately run tourist attraction in Nakhon Nayok

    Teen drowns at privately run tourist attraction in Nakhon Nayok

    PHOTOS: The Nation A senior Nakhon Nayok provincial official visited a privately run tourist attraction in the district’s Tambon Hin Tang today (Monday) to inspect the scene where a female Thai tourist drowned yesterday after being swept away when playing in a river. Nakhon Nayok is an hour’s drive north east of Bangkok. The official, Khomthat Tantiyamas, said that he would…

  • Broken promises – Mong Thongdee still waits, nine years later

    Broken promises – Mong Thongdee still waits, nine years later

    by Thai PBS It was nine years ago when this young stateless boy was the media poster boy for a week with his story and dreams to represent his country in an international paper plane contest. In the wake of the granting of citizenship for four of the Mu Pa team, Mong Thongdee’s story didn’t end the same way and deserves…

  • More rain and flood warnings for the north and north-east

    More rain and flood warnings for the north and north-east

    The north-east regions have just been mopping up over the last week and now the TMD (Thai Meteorological Department) are warning that there’s more on the way. Residents in the North and North-east are bracing for more rain with isolated torrential downpours on Wednesday and Thursday (August 15-16) that could trigger flash floods in the region. TMD chief Wanchai Sakudomchai,…

  • Don’t ride elephants in Thailand – warning to Kiwi tourists

    Don’t ride elephants in Thailand – warning to Kiwi tourists

    by Alex Baird Elephant rides in Thailand are coming under increasing international pressure as stories of abusive training practices reach mainstream news and travel sites. NewsHub reports that New Zealand travellers are being told to steer clear of elephant riding due to the severe abuse the animals face. Intrepid Travel co-founder Geoff Manchester released shocking footage on Sunday – which happens to…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Sunday

    Thaiger Radio News – Sunday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.

  • More delays for next February’s election?

    More delays for next February’s election?

    PHOTO: On the lookout for next year’s election – The Nation February 2019 is just six months away, the deadline for the long-awaited, and must postponed, Thai general election. Although the junta have ‘promised’ that THIS will be the date for Thailand’s return to democracy, an increasing amount of politicians are starting to wonder if the deadline will be met.…

  • UNHCR praises decision to issue Thai citizenship to four Mu Pa boys

    UNHCR praises decision to issue Thai citizenship to four Mu Pa boys

    Through all the drama and an international team of rescuers to recover them, some good has come from the Mu Pa football team story. Thai PBS reports that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has welcomed the Thai Government’s decision to grant Thai citizenship to three stateless Wild Boars boys and their football coach this week. “By providing…

  • Eight Thai dams on ‘floodwatch’

    Eight Thai dams on ‘floodwatch’

    The Mekong River is steadily dropping, but a ‘flood watch’ is on for some central north-eastern dams as well as two dams south of Bangkok. The Office of National Water Resources secretary-general Somkiat Prajumwong says the department is keeping a close watch on eight large-sized dams which are holding water at alarming levels. The eight dams are Nam Phung dam…

  • More rain = more Dengue fever

    More rain = more Dengue fever

    The wet season has provided a spike in new Dengue cases around the Kingdom. The Disease Control Department chief says a total of 3,301 new cases of dengue fever have been reported nationwide during the past week. Dr Suwannachai Watanayingcharoenchai says the number of people infected with dengue was an average of 10,000 patients a month during the rainy season…

  • Who is this week’s Champion of Overstayers? – Operation X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner

    Who is this week’s Champion of Overstayers? – Operation X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner

    PHOTOS: Thai Tourist Police Bureau The Thai Tourist Police have executed the 20th raid in their “X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner” campaign. Again, they’ve turned up dozens of foreigners on overstay and people entering the Kingdom illegally. Eighteen schools were raided for illegals including three international schools and 2 language institutes. Pol Maj Gen Surachete Hakpal – aka ‘Big Joke’ in the…

  • Thaksin slams Thai ‘democracy’ on the celebration of his birthday

    Thaksin slams Thai ‘democracy’ on the celebration of his birthday

    Former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra is vowing to keep on his “battle for Thailand’s democracy”, despite living in self-exile overseas for around a decade. This announcement from red-shirt media yesterday (August 9). The Peace News Facebook page reports that the ex-premier, overthrown by a military coup in 2006, made a speech during his belated birthday party with his sister, another…

  • Storms raise flood threats in 37 provinces

    Storms raise flood threats in 37 provinces

    Whilst the flood situation in the far north of the country, bordering the Mekong River, has abated over the past week, the situation is still dire for many other communities around the Kingdom today. Disaster warnings have now been issued as heavy downpours threaten to bring flash floods and landslides to 37 provinces across Thailand. A monsoon storm is predicted…

  • Weather warnings for 37 provinces

    Weather warnings for 37 provinces

    The 2018 wet season has been taken literally by Mother Nature in many parts of Thailand. Heavy rain is affecting many provinces of the country. The Thai Meteorological Department is warning of outbreaks of rain and isolated heavy downpours to hit the North, Northeast, Central, East and South regions today – that’s just about everywhere! The TMD says the poor…

  • Thailand to adopt some of Japan’s road safety measures

    Thailand to adopt some of Japan’s road safety measures

    PHOTO: The Nation “It was found that Japan had placed importance on measures related to public transports which focus on the standard of transports and equipment and the safety of drivers and passengers.” In an effort to reduce the country’s shameful road toll, the Ministry of Transport says it’s started to implement some of Japan’s road safety measures in Thailand.…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Thursday

    Thaiger Radio News – Thursday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.

  • Two drug gangs busted

    Two drug gangs busted

    Two big drug hauls today in different parts of the country. Firstly, police arrested six suspects including the alleged drug-trafficking gang leader Phusinthorn Jomtharak, along with over 68,000 methamphetamine pills in Chaiyaphum province. 24 year old Phusinthorn, a Nong Bua Dang district native, was nabbed yesterday (Tuesday) while visiting a drug inmate friend at Chaiyaphum Prison. Police say that Phusinthorn…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Wednesday

    Thaiger Radio News – Wednesday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.

  • Thaiger Radio News – Tuesday

    Thaiger Radio News – Tuesday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.

  • Thaiger Radio News – Monday

    Thaiger Radio News – Monday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.

  • Latest ‘Operation X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner’ nets UK and Nigerian overstayers, both over 1,000 days

    Latest ‘Operation X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner’ nets UK and Nigerian overstayers, both over 1,000 days

    File Photo The crackdown on serial overstayers continues across the country, including a British national arrested in Phuket. 53 year old Chris Michel was bundled up on Friday morning after it was revealed that he had overstayed his visa by 1077 days, nearly 3 years. 62 foreign nationals were detained in the latest ‘Operation X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner’, targeting 75 locations…

  • Thaiger Radio News – Sunday

    Thaiger Radio News – Sunday

    Listen to the daily news from The Thaiger, anytime, anywhere.

  • Jobs for the boys – Women’s groups attack rampant gender bias

    Jobs for the boys – Women’s groups attack rampant gender bias

    “Out of over 10,000 police officers in Thailand, only 400 are women.” Despite the country’s ‘sabai sabai’ attitude towards many issues, rampant sexism and gender-bias still exists across the board, especially in the higher levels of Thai army and police ranks. Three women’s rights groups are urging the Office of the Ombudsman to rule on the validity of a move…

  • Yingluck flies to Dubai – “Dubai flight was pre-planned”

    Yingluck flies to Dubai – “Dubai flight was pre-planned”

    “Yingluck reportedly flew from London on Wednesday, just a day after the media reported the Thai government’s extradition request to the UK government.” Former PM minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s flight from London to Dubai on Wednesday had nothing to do with the Thai government’s extradition request to the UK. This explanation from a Pheu Thai Party member yesterday. The flight was…

  • Tuk Tuk rally on August 18-19 with an Ayutthaya period costume twist

    Tuk Tuk rally on August 18-19 with an Ayutthaya period costume twist

    The Ayutthaya provincial administration is holding a tuk tuk rally on August 18 and 19 to promote tourism to the historical site. Ayutthaya governor Sujin Chaiyachumsak said up to 250 teams of contestants can take part in the rally, for which the application fee is 1,000 baht. At least one member of the team must be dressed in an Ayutthaya…

  • Villagers try to lynch top policeman’s son in Phetchabun re-enactment

    Villagers try to lynch top policeman’s son in Phetchabun re-enactment

    Re-enactments, where a person, who has admitted their guilt, is taken to the scene of the crime to re-enact it, often in public view, is a common practice in Thai police investigations. Video footage on the Thai Rath Facebook page shows the moments when a top policeman’s son was taken on one of these re-enactments, this time for a horrific…

  • 49 offenders escape electronic monitoring devices since March 1

    49 offenders escape electronic monitoring devices since March 1

    By Kesinee Tangkhieo Electronic monitoring devices are another way to keep people out of jail but still limited in their freedoms. But they’re not 100% effective as a survey of the Thai Court of Justice found. The electronic monitoring (EM) devices on 49 of the 1,800 offenders ordered to wear them while freed on bail were found to have been…

  • Deadly link: Puppy factories and rabies

    Deadly link: Puppy factories and rabies

    (12 minute read) A media release from soidog.org The panic over rabies that erupted at the beginning of this year seems to have died down. Fourteen people have died; dozens of dogs were poisoned and thousands more died after being incarcerated in government pounds as officials across the country stumbled to stamp out the spread of the disease. Yet absolutely nothing…

  • Event Round-Up with The Sponsorship Experts – August 2018

    Event Round-Up with The Sponsorship Experts – August 2018

    by Paul Poole The running craze continues in August with races held throughout the country. The month starts off with Bangkok Airways Phuket Marathon 2018 on August 5 where runners can choose between three distances, 21, 10 and five kilometres, and CIMB Thai Triathlon for ASEAN Day 2018, also on August 5. Perfect for beginners, the event allows participants to…

  • Greedy Nakhon Ratchasima Facebookers get scammed out of 1 million baht

    Greedy Nakhon Ratchasima Facebookers get scammed out of 1 million baht

    Beware the scammers who are now diversifying onto social media in order to con their prey. Same old tricks just new platforms. This time ten Facebook users in Nakhon Ratchasima. The ten have filed a complaint with police this morning (Wednesday), claiming they had handed over about one million baht to a woman who had promised high yields (of course)…

  • July stats see a small drop in tourists through Thai airports

    July stats see a small drop in tourists through Thai airports

    July 2018 stats from the AoT (Airports Authority of Thailand) indicates that fewer tourists went through Thai airports than expected. Channel 7 News reports that, while there was still an increase of 4% compared to the same month in 2017, the numbers buck the overall trend which has seen an average 9% rise in usage per month since the start…