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 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Six drug smugglers killed in gunfight in northern Thailand
Six suspected drug smugglers were killed in a gunfight with an army patrol near Thailand’s northern border in the Mae Ai district of Chiang Mai. The incident, which took place on September 6 night, also led to the seizure of approximately 1.3 million speed pills. The confrontation began around 11.15pm when soldiers on patrol near a natural border crossing spotted…
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Patong boosts public safety in Soi Bangla and Soi Lao crackdown
Patong officials are stepping up efforts to improve public safety and cleanliness in the bustling tourist area, particularly focusing on Soi Bangla and the notorious Soi Lao. This initiative aims to tackle ongoing issues in the area, including drug-related activities, illegal street vending, and misuse of public spaces. A team of officials, led by Kathu District Chief Thammarong Chuay-akson and…
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Drunk driver crashes pickup into Chachoengsao noodle shop
A man drove his pickup truck into a noodle shop in Chachoengsao province after consuming three cans of beer to relieve stress following work. He admitted to having no insurance, no tax, and no money to pay for damages, opting to face jail time. Police officer Arthit Sunthwanik, together with rescue units, responded to an incident in the early hours…
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Bangkok woman arrested for Australia vineyard job scam
A Thai woman was arrested at a prominent shopping mall in Phasi Charoen, Bangkok for allegedly defrauding over 30 individuals by promising them lucrative jobs in Australian vineyards. The job seekers were charged between 120,000 and 170,000 baht each but were never sent to Australia. Police Major General Montri Teskan led the operation, ordering Police Colonel Wiwat Jitsophakul to apprehend…
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Fisherman survives four days at sea off Satun
A fisherman miraculously survived after floating in the sea off Satun in southern Thailand for four days. Despite exhausting his strength, he managed to stay alive by drinking from a floating bottle of sugarcane juice. His incredible ordeal concluded when waves carried him to Bulon Mai Phai Island. News emerged yesterday, September 6, of the incredible survival of Suntorn Khaosom,…
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Police apprehend Cambodian beggars in Bangkok, plan deportation
Police apprehended 10 Cambodian beggars, including children, and are preparing to deport them. The police urge Thai citizens not to give money to beggars, revealing that children are often exploited in such operations. Police officers, led by Voraprach Wutthirak, Deputy Superintendent of the Children and Women Protection Sub-Division, and Parrampha Phattanawat, Inspector of the same division, conducted a raid yesterday, September…
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Sparks fly as electricians and ceiling installers clash in Phuket
A violent brawl erupted in Patong between three ceiling installers and eight electricians, all subcontractors working on adjacent rooms in the same building. The incident, involving knives and resulting in multiple injuries, prompted an immediate police response. Investigative officer Pongpipat Kamchumphu received a report yesterday, September 6, of the brawl at a construction site near the fire station intersection on…
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Mother and child narrowly escape attack by two Thai dogs (video)
A mother and her child narrowly escaped an attack by two Thai dogs that had broken free from their home. The incident, shared by a TikTok user, sparked significant online backlash, especially towards households with American Bullies, despite these dogs often being gentle with children. A video posted by TikTok user @kingjoeceo yesterday depicted the alarming moment when two Thai…
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Escort injured in escalator attack by man’s ex-girlfriend in Thailand (video)
A young escort was severely injured after being kicked down an escalator by a man’s ex-girlfriend, who then fled the scene with him. The incident occurred on August 29 when the man had hired the woman to accompany him for a day out, pretending to be his girlfriend. Tanyawan Wuttiwut shared the story on Facebook, detailing how the escort was…
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Deceased monk found on Udon Thani road sparks safety concerns
A monk was found dead on a road in Udon Thani province, leaving locals puzzled about the circumstances. The incident, which occurred around 8pm yesterday, September 6, has raised concerns about road safety and the need for better street lighting in the area. Police Lieutenant Apiwut Leepontong, an investigator at Nong Han Police Station, received a report of a monk…
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Flooding: East Pattaya residents left reeling as relief rolls in
East Pattaya residents are once again feeling the brunt of the relentless rains. Mayor Poramet Ngamphichet and his team swooped into Chok Nimit 2 Village in Soi Boon Sampan 2, Khao Noi Community on Thursday, September 5, to assess the aftermath of severe flooding triggered by heavy rainfall on Tuesday. Ten households, submerged by the rising waters, received crucial survival…
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Indian murder suspect arrested in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district
An Indian man accused of multiple crimes, including murder and abduction, has been apprehended in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district. Immigration officers and other officials arrested 27 year old Parveen Kumar at a restaurant in the Bang Khun Phrom area of Phra Nakhon district yesterday, September 6. Kumar, known by the alias Kala, was wanted in connection with 13 criminal cases…
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Phuket art festival: Thai dancers to take over Venice canals
In an unprecedented cultural spectacle, Thai dancers commandeered Venice’s iconic gondolas, leaving locals and tourists in awe as Phuket stakes its claim as the next global art hotspot. Thailand’s Office of Contemporary Art and Culture, under the Ministry of Culture, held a press conference in Venice, Italy, on Monday, September 2 to promote the Phuket Biennale 2025. Modelled after the…
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Drunken Hong Kong taxi thief crashes into police station
A man who stole a taxi in Hong Kong ended his wild ride by crashing into a police station gate on Wednesday. The chaos unfolded around 4pm local time, on Wednesday, September 4, when a 41 year old taxi driver, surnamed Hau, reported a terrifying incident at the Long Ping Commercial Centre in Yuen Long district. According to Hau, a…
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Phuket pickup truck crash kills two teens, another one critical
Tragedy struck in the early hours of this morning as two teenagers lost their lives and a third remains in critical condition following a horrific high-speed crash on Thep Krasattri Road in Phuket. The white Isuzu D-Max pickup truck they were travelling in veered out of control and smashed into a palm tree, leaving devastation in its wake. Emergency services were…
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Covid chaos hits Thai Cabinet: 2 deputy ministers sidelined by virus
Incoming Deputy Interior Ministers Songsak Thongsri and Sabeeda Thaised have been forced into isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 during routine RT-PCR tests at Government House. Both ministers, from the Bhumjaithai Party, will have to delay their official duties as they recover, a government insider revealed. Songsak, who has held his post since 2019, and first-timer Sabeeda, daughter of outgoing…
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Thai stocks hit 18-month high as baht rallies post new govt formation
Thai stocks surged to their highest levels since March last year, with the baht also experiencing a significant rally. This boost in financial markets follows the formation of the new government, sparking optimism over policy continuity. The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index rose by as much as 2.9%, driven by gains in the packaging, information and technology, and petrochemical…
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Former local chief shot dead in Lopburi, suspects on the run
A former local administrative chief was fatally shot outside a house in Moo 5, Nikhom Lam Narai, Chai Badan district, Lopburi province. Witnesses reported that two assailants had been lurking for an hour before ambushing the victim and fleeing on a motorbike. Officers Phukanwik Chotiksathien, Chaimit Sitthipoon, and Winai Khamsuk interviewed the 55 year old administrative chief Thawatchai Thongtae’s 60…
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Pathum Thani abbot agrees to repay 10 million baht debt
A resolution has been reached after a late-night investigation led by the local ecclesiastical head. The abbot of Wat Phuet Udom, who borrowed nearly 10 million baht, has agreed to settle the debt. A 57 year old woman claimed that the abbot of Wat Phuet Udom in the Klong 13, Phuet Udom subdistrict, Lam Luk Ka district, Pathum Thani province,…
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Police exposes spa offering sex services to gay community (video)
Immigration police raided a spa in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen for offering sex services and found a 17 year old Laotian man offering himself to gay customers for 1,600 baht each. Anonymous locals in Khon Kaen complained to the Ministry of Interior’s Damrongdham Centre that the Adora Spa was not providing spa or massage services as it should, but…
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Teeing off comeback: Laguna Phuket at the heart of tourism revival
Laguna Phuket, a luxurious 2,500-rai resort complex, is at the heart of Phuket’s tourism resurgence. After the pandemic’s brutal hit to the travel industry, Laguna Phuket Vice President Paul Wilson shares how this iconic destination has not only weathered the storm but emerged stronger than ever. “Laguna Phuket’s prime location in Cherng Talay, with its luxury hotels, 18-hole golf course,…
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Floods drive August inflation up 0.35% due to rising food prices
Rising prices of fresh vegetables and fruit, influenced by flood-damaged production areas, have driven up inflation by 0.35% in August. Director-General of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO), Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, reported that headline inflation in August saw a 0.35% year-on-year increase. The surge in food prices, particularly fresh vegetables and fruit, was primarily due to flooding in agricultural regions,…
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Thai trade talks push for expanded ASEAN market access
Thai representatives, led by Thatchayanpol Apimontechabutr, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Trade Negotiations, recently participated in the 11th ATIGA Upgrade Negotiation Trade Negotiating Committee (ATIGA-TNC) meeting in Malaysia. The meeting, held over four days, aimed to accelerate negotiations for a comprehensive conclusion by the middle of next year. The Thai Department of Trade Negotiations prioritises Free Trade Agreement (FTA)…
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Cambodian woman on the run after stabbing 2 Thai men in Pattaya
Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station are searching for a Cambodian woman who stabbed two Thai men at a dormitory on Soi Thep Prasit 7. Police yesterday, September 5, were alerted to the dormitory stabbing and went to the scene to investigate. The Cambodian attacker fled the scene before the police arrived but officers managed to arrest her 32 year…
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Fatal car crash on Wat Phra Dhammakaya bridge leaves one dead
A tragic car accident occurred on the bridge over the Wat Phra Dhammakaya intersection, resulting in one fatality and three injuries. The incident involved multiple vehicles, with a white Honda and a black Mazda 2 colliding before another Mazda 2 was also hit. At 12.05am today, September 6, Kriengkrai Sri Mai, an investigator at Khlong Luang Police Station, received a…
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Thailand removes CRC reservation on refugee children’s rights
Thailand has taken a monumental step to protect refugee children by fully embracing a crucial international convention. The country’s final reservation to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has officially been withdrawn, reinforcing its commitment to safeguarding children’s rights. H.E. Cherdchai Chaivaivid, Thailand’s Ambassador to the United Nations in New York, formally deposited the Instrument of Withdrawal…
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Jealous bus driver steals taxi to spy on girlfriend, gets arrested
A driver from bus Line 8, driven by jealousy after his girlfriend took leave to visit her hometown, stole a taxi to spy on her and was subsequently apprehended by the police. The 25 year old pleaded for leniency, citing his responsibility for his four year old child. Yesterday, September 5, police officers, including Kanthaphon Wanna, Niwet Nilwadee, and Setthawut…
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International schools in Thailand soar as local schools shrink
While Thailand faces a crisis with its plummeting birth rate and shrinking student numbers, international schools are thriving, growing by an average of 13% annually. In stark contrast to the decline in Thai public and private school enrolments, the demand for international education is skyrocketing. According to a study by Kasikorn Research Centre, international school enrolments surged by 10.2% last…
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House passes 3.7 trillion baht budget plan after tepid debate
After a three-day debate that barely sparked a fire, the House of Representatives finally pushed through the colossal 3.7 trillion baht budget bill for the 2025 fiscal year. In a vote held late last night, the bill was approved by a margin of 309 to 155, with four MPs opting to abstain, leaving no one without a voice. Deputy Prime…
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Former Pheu Thai MP sentenced to prison for corruption
The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders sentenced Somying Buabut, a former Pheu Thai MP, to three years and four months in prison and fined her 100,000 baht for corruption related to the construction of a futsal field. The sentence has been suspended for three years. Yesterday, September 5, the Supreme Court delivered its verdict on case number…
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