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 Top 10 reasons for expats to get a comprehensive health insurance in Thailand
Moving to Thailand offers a prospect full of excitement and adventure, but in the same vein, if any injuries were to occur (and god forbid it does), the local healthcare system can be confusing at first glance for many expats...
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Thailand accuses Cambodia of planting landmines on border territory
Thailand is implementing countermeasures against Cambodia following an investigation revealing newly planted landmines in the Chok Bok border area of Ubon Ratchathani. This was confirmed by army commander General Pana Klaewplodthuk yesterday, July 19. The incident occurred on July 16 when a mine exploded, injuring three soldiers during a routine patrol. The Second Army Region, led by Lieutenant General Boonsin…
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Toyota Camry fire on Sirat Expressway swiftly extinguished in Bangkok
Firefighters swiftly responded to a car fire on Sirat Expressway in Bangkok yesterday afternoon when a grey Toyota Camry caught fire. The incident, believed to be caused by an engine malfunction, resulted in no injuries or fatalities. The fire erupted at 5.06pm near the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning in the Phaya Thai district. The 199…
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Raids uncover 7.2 million baht in unsafe electrical goods across Thailand
The premises of three companies involved in selling substandard electrical products online were raided, resulting in the seizure of goods valued at over 7 million baht. Thitiphat Chotidechachainan, the leader of a Ministry of Industry working group, oversaw the inspections after reports indicated the storage of goods lacking certification from the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI). The first location inspected…
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DSI investigates illegal airfield on public road in Nakhon Ratchasima
The Natural Resources and Environment Crime Division of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) recently disclosed findings regarding a private airfield, known as the VIP Runway, located in Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima. Clarifications are awaited from five government agencies regarding the alleged illegal transformation of a public road into a private airstrip. This investigation was prompted by a complaint from…
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Pattaya mob sparks bill-dodging chaos at Indian restaurant
In Pattaya, an altercation at an Indian restaurant has led to significant property damage and financial losses, with patrons fleeing without paying bills amounting to over 5,000 baht. The incident took place in the early hours of Tuesday, July 15, at Green Chilly Indian Restaurant, situated near Soi 16 in South Pattaya. The restaurant’s owner, 34 year old Tiyaporn Saengchan,…
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Phuket’s new ‘OneMap’ takes the stress out of island travel
Phuket’s tangled public transport network just got a digital makeover. In a bold step toward smart mobility, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is pushing Phuket OneMap — a sleek new web platform that shows live public bus routes, estimated arrival times and stop info in one place. No app downloads needed. Just load it on any phone browser and…
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Baby in backpack: Samut Prakan mum busted for abandonment
A newborn baby girl found abandoned in a roadside backpack has sparked outrage — and heartbreak — after police tracked down the mother, who now faces criminal charges. The shocking discovery was made yesterday, July 18, when a passerby found the infant stuffed inside a black backpack left on a footpath along Suhrawardy Bang Kasee Road in Samut Prakan. The…
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Suvarnabhumi tests indoor smoking rooms to curb toilet puffing
Smokers flying through Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport may soon breathe a sigh of relief — indoors. In a controversial move, Thai health authorities are building two prototype smoking rooms inside the airport, aiming to clamp down on passengers lighting up in restricted areas like toilets. The Department of Disease Control (DDC) confirmed the rooms are expected to be completed by the…
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Pattaya woman scammed while trying to save sick aunt
A Pattaya housekeeper desperate to save her sick aunt was cruelly scammed out of nearly 5,000 baht in an online loan fraud — leaving her devastated and broke. The incident unfolded at 10pm yesterday, July 18, when 26 year old Ratchaneekorn Pholjamrat walked into Pattaya City Police Station, clutching receipts and screenshots, to file a formal complaint against the online…
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Mahagitsiri family loses court battle in Nescafé joint venture
The Mahagitsiri family has faced a setback in its legal dispute with Nestlé, as a court has ruled that the original voting rules in their Nescafé joint venture in Thailand must be reinstated. Thailand’s Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court has annulled a temporary injunction previously sought by the family, thereby reinstating the original voting regulations at Quality Coffee…
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Chinese fugitive and Korean drug suspect busted in Pattaya
In Pattaya, Chon Buri province, immigration police have apprehended two foreign men in distinct criminal cases. The Immigration Bureau revealed these arrests, including a Chinese fugitive and a South Korean drug suspect, during a recent press briefing. The first case involved Chon Buri Immigration Office officers raiding a residence in Huai Yai subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, where they detained 39…
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Vietnamese dealer busted in Bangkok bar drug raid
A wild Bangkok nightlife scene turned into a full-blown drug bust early yesterday morning after police swooped in on a popular entertainment venue in Wang Thonglang district, arresting a Vietnamese dealer and detaining 40 others who tested positive for drugs. The raid was the climax of an ongoing investigation by the Metropolitan Police Bureau into a suspected drug operation run…
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Bangkok lift horror: Woman killed in goods elevator accident
A Bangkok worker was crushed to death in a horrific elevator accident yesterday after a goods lift malfunctioned at a commercial building in the capital’s Pom Prap Sattru Phai district. The victim, a 46 year old woman known only as Koi, worked at a forklift parts shop on Ban Batr Road. She was killed instantly when her head became trapped…
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Maya Bay closes for conservation from August
Thailand’s famed Maya Bay is off-limits once again, as officials shut it down for two months to let nature breathe after another hectic High Season. The popular tourist magnet, made famous by the Leonardo DiCaprio film The Beach, will be closed along with neighbouring Loh Sama Bay from August 1 to September 30. The temporary closure, announced by the Department…
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Big Buddha deadlock: Locals demand justice, abbot stalls
Phuket’s iconic Big Buddha Viewpoint remains closed nearly a year after a deadly landslide claimed 13 lives, as tensions mount between locals, temple authorities, and government officials over who should take responsibility — and whether the site should reopen at all. The sole legal owner of the land, the Royal Forest Department’s Phuket branch (RFD Phuket), has issued a list…
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Aussie man found dead in Pattaya condo double tragedy named
A bizarre double tragedy has rocked Pattaya after two foreign men were found dead just hours and floors apart in the same condominium. One of the victims, an Australian national, has been named, while the identity of the Swedish man remains undisclosed pending embassy notification. The grim discoveries were made two hours apart on Thursday, July 17, at the Grand…
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Newborn baby abandoned in backpack on Samut Prakan bridge
Police are searching for a mother who abandoned her newborn baby by placing her inside a backpack and leaving her on a roadside in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok. The Samut Prakan Rescue Foundation was alerted to the discovery at around 2pm yesterday, July 17. The baby was found in a black backpack left on a bridge along Surao Bang…
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Zika fear grips Thailand amid rainy season spike
Thailand is on red alert as the Zika virus spreads rapidly through the rainy season, with pregnant women warned they could face devastating consequences if infected. Health officials have sounded the alarm after a spike in cases was reported across three provinces – Bangkok, Phayao, and Maha Sarakham – urging residents to take immediate precautions. The Department of Disease Control…
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Pattaya motorbike taxi driver found dead in apartment
Pattaya was rocked by a tragic late-night discovery when a local motorcycle taxi driver was found dead in his apartment, shocking his community and leaving his wife devastated. The grim scene unfolded at 1.06am today, July 18, when the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Unit received a call about a body found in a room at an unnamed apartment block on…
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Brit mum busted in Munich drug sting after Thailand detour
A British mum has been charged after she was reportedly caught smuggling cannabis from Thailand to Germany, becoming the latest in a troubling wave of young UK nationals caught in overseas weed crackdowns. Cameron Bradford, a 21 year old from Knebworth, Hertfordshire, is facing serious charges in Germany after being arrested at Munich Airport on April 22. Immigration officers declared…
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Pattaya mob attack: Bolt driver beaten by gang of 30
Pattaya’s nightlife turned violent in the early hours of today when a Bolt driver was viciously attacked by a mob of more than 30 people, leaving tourists and bar staff in shock. The savage assault unfolded at 3.36am today, July 18, along Pattaya Second Road near Soi 10, where police responded to frantic calls about a mass brawl. Officers arrived…
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Paetongtarn visits rangers hurt in Ubon border blast
What began as a routine patrol near the Thai-Cambodian border ended in a bloody blast, leaving one soldier without a leg and two others wounded. Now, Thailand’s Prime Minister and Culture Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is stepping in to deliver more than just sympathy—she’s promising action. Today, July 18, Paetongtarn travelled to Sapphasitprasong Camp Hospital in- Ubon Ratchathani province to visit…
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Aussie tourist found dead in Patong hotel bathroom
A 69 year old Aussie tourist was found dead in his Phuket hotel bathroom yesterday morning, just days after arriving for a six-week tropical getaway. Hotel staff at the property off Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road in Patong made the grim discovery around 10.30am yesterday, Thursday, July 18, after a concerned Thai woman reported she hadn’t heard from the man in…
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Pattaya police allegedly ignore sexual assault complaint against Bolt rider
A Thai woman accused Pattaya police officers of failing to take action after she lodged a sexual assault complaint against a Bolt motorcycle taxi rider. The woman shared her account of the assault yesterday, July 17, in a Facebook group, พัทยา (Pattaya), condemning officers at Mueang Pattaya Police Station for their alleged inaction. In her post, she wrote… “I reported…
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Copper conned! Aussie cop fleeced in Thai cryptocurrency scam
A retired Aussie police officer hoping to enjoy a quiet life in Thailand has instead been left nearly penniless, after being duped out of more than 40 million baht in a slick cryptocurrency scam run by a German expat in Phuket. Michael “Tom” Reinecke, thought he was investing in a high-return digital currency venture but now says he’s the latest…
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Vietjet stuns with 0 baht fares on new Bangkok-Kolkata route
Bargain-hunters, brace yourselves—VietJet Thailand is shaking up the skies again, this time with 0 baht fares to India. The budget airline has announced a jaw-dropping promotion to celebrate its brand-new direct route from Bangkok to Kolkata, launching this November. VietJet Thailand CEO Voranate Laprabang revealed that the new route is part of the carrier’s aggressive push to expand its international…
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Wheels of misfortune: Woman crushed in Phuket truck horror
A sunny Phuket afternoon turned into a nightmare when a young woman riding pillion was killed after a six-wheeled lorry ploughed into a motorbike on Wiset Road in Rawai, sparking fresh calls for better road safety. The fatal crash happened at around 1.45pm yesterday, July 17 near the Go Wholesale branch in Rawai, when a white Hino truck collided with…
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Man drowns after pickup plunges off Nakhon Si Thammarat bridge
A late-night shortcut turned fatal for one man in Nakhon Si Thammarat, when a routine drive ended in horror as his pickup truck plunged off an unfinished bridge, claiming his life in a freak drowning accident. The tragic incident unfolded around 8.30pm yesterday, July 17, when 51 year old Bamrung’s brown-black Isuzu pickup veered off a construction zone in Village…
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Thaksin plans to turn Thailand into a tech and aviation powerhouse
Thaksin Shinawatra is back in the spotlight—and he’s thinking big. The former PM has laid out an ambitious strategy to turn Thailand into a regional superhub for aviation, electric vehicles (EV), and green-powered data centres, in what he calls a “golden opportunity” for national transformation. In his recent public statement, Thaksin said Thailand is geographically primed to become ASEAN’s premier…
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Soap and rob: Pattaya ladyboy claims Indian stole cash mid-shower
A 27 year old ladyboy woman flipped the script in Pattaya after claiming an Indian man swiped her cash while she was in the shower, in a steamy Walking Street encounter that ended with police dragging him off to the cells. The distressed victim arrived at Pattaya City Police Station at 3am today, July 18, to file a complaint against…
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