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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Thailand government includes cash options in 10,000-baht handout
The Thailand government’s 10,000-baht handout programme is set for adjustments, with Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat acknowledging the need to include cash distributions for some recipients instead of digital money. Numerous petitions against the government’s flagship policy contributed to this decision, Julapun said yesterday. Additionally, feedback from various sectors has prompted changes to improve the programme’s effectiveness. Initially, the policy…
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Evidence found in Russian man’s death in Phuket suggests suicide
Police reported yesterday that they have gathered multiple pieces of evidence and information from the wife of a Russian man, whose body was discovered on Karon Beach in Phuket, suggesting that he may have committed suicide. The body of the Russian man, Ilia Orlov, was discovered near Karon Beach in Phuket on Tuesday, September 3. The 27 year old had…
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Man falls from tree into Wang River and dies in northern Thailand
A man who climbed a tree to rest tragically fell into the Wang River and died. His body was discovered by a Good Samaritan who was relaxing at a riverside park. At 4.40pm yesterday, September 4, rescue workers from Sawang Nakhon Lampang retrieved the body of 45 year old Ek, a construction worker who had fallen into the Wang River…
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Ayutthaya residents warned of flash floods amid rising water levels
The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) alerted residents in parts of Ayutthaya to prepare for flash floods due to a continued surge in the Chao Phraya River. Monitoring is ongoing at two primary water stations, and the warning comes as water levels rise significantly. Residents near Khlong Phong Pheng in Ang Thong, as well as those living along the banks of…
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Thailand recovers first mpox clade Ib patient, no further cases
Thailand has successfully managed its first confirmed case of the mpox (formerly monkeypox) clade Ib variant, with the patient fully recovered, public health officials announced yesterday. The 66 year old European male arrived in Bangkok on August 14 after travelling from Africa. The following day, he was admitted to a hospital, where laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the clade…
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Jailhouse rock or just a comfy block? Police probe luxe prison stays
Provincial Police Region 7 launched an investigation into a hotel-style service provided to inmates at a prison in the central province of Samut Sakhon, following revelations from two former prisoners about their comfortable lives in jail. The 26 year old male inmate A, and the 30 year old female inmate B, from Mueang Samut Sakhon Police Station, reached out to…
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Thailand braces for heavy rain and floods as Typhoon Yagi nears
The Meteorological Department of Thailand (TMD) issued its seventh warning about Typhoon Yagi. Northern and northeastern Thailand are expected to experience heavy rain and strong winds, with potential flash floods and landslides. Coastal areas face high waves, urging caution for all residents. Today, September 5, the TMD announced Typhoon Yagi’s seventh warning (166/2024). At 4am, the typhoon was positioned over…
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Chiang Rai vendor receives 54-year sentence for lese-majeste
A Chiang Rai clothing vendor has had his prison sentence extended to a record 54 years and 6 months for lese-majeste offences, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR). The appeal court’s decision yesterday, September 4, upheld Mongkol Thirakot’s earlier conviction, adding to his existing sentences to make it the longest ever under Section 112 of the Criminal Code,…
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Swiss man walks free: Shocking gaps in prosecution exposed
In a sensational courtroom drama that gripped Phuket, Swiss businessman Urs Fehr aka David has been acquitted of assault charges after the Phuket Provincial Court found glaring inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case. The owner of an elephant park, David, was accused of kicking Thai doctor Thandao Chandam on Yamu Beach in Thalang district on the night of February 24, but…
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Repairs underway for Cathay Pacific A350 faulty engines
Cathay Pacific Airways has been thrown into chaos after an in-flight engine failure on one of its Airbus A350 jets sparked urgent repairs across its fleet. The airline, which operates 48 of these aircraft, revealed that it had identified fuel line issues in 15 of its aircraft, leading to the cancellation of 45 return flights this week. The cancellations, mostly…
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Cambodian worker buried alive by Chon Buri landslide saved
A Cambodian worker was miraculously rescued after being buried alive by a landslide while fitting a drainage pipe. The terrifying ordeal unfolded this morning, September 4, in an alley on Soi Wat Boonsamphan, in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province. Rescuers from the Sawang Boribun Thammasathan Foundation rushed to the scene, where they battled against time and…
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Thai school bus driver accused of sexually assaulting teenage girl
A Thai mother accompanied her 13 year old daughter to file a complaint against a school bus driver who allegedly sexually assaulted her. The accused driver denies the accusation. The 41 year old mother, Ta, brought the sexual assault case to her lawyer, Kritsada Lohitdee, who took her to the Damrongdham Centre, under the Ministry of Interior, to file a…
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Body found floating near Koh Loy in Sri Racha
A man’s body was discovered floating near Koh Loy in Sri Racha district yesterday. Sri Racha Police Station received a report of a body found face down near the shoreline. Officers, along with rescue workers from the Sawang Prateep Sri Racha Foundation, promptly went to the scene to investigate. Police discovered the body floating approximately 50 metres offshore, near an…
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Aussies now need an ETA to enter Thailand
Australians planning a getaway to Thailand will soon have an extra step to complete before boarding their flight. The Thai government is introducing a mandatory electronic travel authorisation (ETA), which must be obtained ahead of travel. This new system, introduced by Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is designed to enhance the screening and tracking of foreigners entering the country. “The…
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SCB predicts Bank of Thailand to lower rates by 0.25%
Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) anticipates the Bank of Thailand (BoT) will initiate a series of policy rate cuts starting later this year, potentially continuing into early next year. This move is expected to trigger a reduction in interest rates across the banking sector. SCB’s Chief Executive Kris Chantanotoke predicts the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee will reduce the policy rate…
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Indian man refuses to leave Thai wife despite divorce demand
An Indian man in Samut Prakarn province, near Bangkok, is seeking justice after his Thai wife heartlessly demanded a divorce and expelled him from their home. He acknowledged that he was aware she had deceived him for money but he loved her enough to tolerate it. Chaos erupted at Mueang Samut Prakarn Police Station yesterday, September 3, due to a…
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Blocking bad clicks: DES ramps up crackdown on shady sites
The Digital Economy and Society Ministry (DES) has significantly ramped up efforts to curb access to illicit online content, blocking 138,660 attempts to access unlawful social media pages and website URLs over the past 11 months. This marks an 11-fold increase compared to the same period last year. The DES, led by Prasert Jantararuangtong, has concentrated on fighting cybercrime by…
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Romantic comedy ‘Love You to Debt’ tops Netflix Thailand charts (video)
Love You to Debt, the top movie on Netflix in Thailand as of today, is a Thai romance-action film entirely set and filmed in Pattaya. Premiering in cinemas in April, the film has recently become available for streaming on Netflix. The story centres on Bo, an illegal loan shark and debt collector working for his formidable mother. His life takes…
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Thai man loses millions to masseuse in love scam (video)
A Thai man’s pursuit of love with a masseuse led to a courtroom showdown after she allegedly drained nearly 2 million baht from his account using a mobile banking app. The 47 year old victim, named Wittawat, sought help from non-profit organisation Saimai Survive after losing 2 million baht to the masseuse identified as Ray. He was worried that she…
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Thailand’s life-saving tech boost to guard against natural disasters
Thailand is gearing up to supercharge its natural disaster warning system with a sweeping expansion of automated monitoring stations. In a bold move to protect lives and property, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed yesterday, September 3, by the Friends in Need Volunteers Foundation and various national agencies, marking the launch of the second phase of a nationwide project.…
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Bangkok: American teacher arrested for assaulting student
An American language teacher in Bangkok has been arrested on serious charges involving the alleged abuse of a 14 year old student. The American, 41 year old Robert Leroy Keller, was apprehended yesterday, September 3 by officers from Phetkasem Police Station, following a distressing report from the girl’s mother. The incident began on February 16, when the girl’s mother sent…
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Brew-tal concoction: Thai woman dies after sipping toxic coffee mix
A Thai woman died, and her husband is in a serious condition, allegedly after drinking coffee mixed with sappan wood, which is believed to have health benefits. A doctor discovered an unidentified toxic substance in their bodies. The 21 year old man, Worrawit Chaisirin, revealed to Thai Rath that his mother, 49 year old Naree Chaisirin, died on Sunday, September 1,…
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Temu’s impact on Thailand’s e-commerce market remains uncertain
Chinese e-commerce giant Temu‘s potential to impact the e-commerce market in Thailand and the region remains uncertain, according to market analytics firm Cube Asia. Sellers may need to brace for another price war if Temu sustains strong incentives and a low-price strategy, similar to the shifts seen with Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop focusing on profitability. Simon Torring, co-founder of…
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Cheat nations exposed: Thailand tops global infidelity list
Curious about where your country ranks on the global infidelity scale? Insider Monkey revealed the 25 most unfaithful countries in a recent article. It’s important to remember that being in one of the top 10 most unfaithful countries doesn’t mean you’ll end up marrying a cheater. Similarly, living in a place with low cheating rates doesn’t guarantee wedded bliss. However,…
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Thai court slaps 35.2m baht fine on pyramid scheme defendants
The Criminal Court of Thailand sentenced defendants in the pyramid scheme case, กองทุนพัฒนาเกษตรกรไทยสู่สากล (Thai Farmers Development Fund to Global) to 352 years in prison and fined them 35.2 million baht. The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) plans to use artificial intelligence (AI) to detect such scams online. The DSI’s Financial Crime Division had been investigating special case number 40/2559 involving…
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Bangkok’s flood defences on high alert: River embankment boost
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt announced that the Chao Phraya River embankment is ready to handle the first surge of northern floodwaters, with an additional capacity of 1.75 metres. Officials are ordering drainage in canals and warning 17 communities outside the embankment to prepare for potential flooding tomorrow. Chadchart, alongside Deputy Governor Wisanu Subsompon and the Drainage and Sewerage Department, inspected…
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Man arrested for shooting inherited gun, causing panic in Bangkok
A man has been arrested in Bangkok for firing a gun into the sky, causing panic among residents. He claimed he was merely testing the firearm, which was an inherited keepsake from his father, to see if it was still functional. Police Colonel Anan Worasart, head of Bang Khen Police Station, ordered the arrest of 38 year old Marut by…
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Cutting argument: Woman chops dad’s hand over rice and magic
A shocking incident occurred today in Udon Thani, where a woman attacked her father with a large knife, severing his hand from the wrist. The altercation reportedly stemmed from the father’s insistence that she cooks rice daily and accusations of him practicing black magic. Officers from the Mueang Udon Thani Police Station received an emergency call about the incident at…
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Karaoke bar owners jailed for exploiting minors in Sisaket
The Criminal Court of Thailand sentenced two karaoke bar owners to 11 years and 14 months in prison for sexually exploiting minors. The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) received a tip-off from the non-profit organisation Operation Underground Railroad (OUR), which supports law enforcement in rescuing children from human trafficking and exploitation. The information revealed the presence of an X (Twitter)…
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Thai woman arrested for call centre scam, money laundering
A 25 year old woman was arrested at Ayutthaya Railway Station for her involvement in a call centre scam linked to money laundering. She faces three arrest warrants for fraud and deception, with victims scammed into transferring money. Police Major General Worawat Watnakornbancha directed Police Colonel Phumipat Phattharasriwongchai and Deputy Police Colonel Bancha Srisuk to apprehend Sirivan following a warrant issued…
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