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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    Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run

    Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...

  • Green snake struggles to climb wall after swallowing gecko | Thaiger

    Green snake struggles to climb wall after swallowing gecko

    A green snake was spotted yesterday attempting to slither away from a house with a noticeably bulging belly after swallowing a gecko whole. A Facebook user posted a video of the over 1-metre-long snake climbing a wall outside a bathroom and trying to squeeze into a hole approximately 2 metres above the ground. The snake’s swollen stomach was shaped like…

  • Bhumjaithai criticises Pheu Thai for cannabis regulation delays | Thaiger

    Bhumjaithai criticises Pheu Thai for cannabis regulation delays

    Bhumjaithai Party senior member Supachai Jaisamut has urged the swift passage of a cannabis control bill, criticising the Pheu Thai Party’s Ministry of Public Health for its perceived inaction in regulating cannabis. This, he claims, has resulted in its widespread availability and associated challenges. Supachai has reiterated that since 2019, the BJT has supported cannabis use solely for medical purposes.…

  • Borderline chaos: Thai-Cambodian crossings shut amid spat | Thaiger

    Borderline chaos: Thai-Cambodian crossings shut amid spat

    Royal Thai Army (RTA) chiefs have slammed the gates shut on all Thai-Cambodian border crossings in Sa Kaeo, citing growing tensions, sovereignty breaches, and a spike in cross-border crime. Lieutenant General Amorn Boonsuya, Commander of the 1st Army Area, yesterday, June 23, issued a top-level emergency order banning all vehicles and travellers, both Thai and foreign, from crossing the border…

  • Sick and tired: HIV surge in Phuket sparks shame and scandal | Thaiger

    Sick and tired: HIV surge in Phuket sparks shame and scandal

    Shocking figures reveal a surge in HIV and STD cases in Phuket, while a Thai student falsely accused of spreading the virus fights to clear her name after being dragged through the digital gutter. Public health officials have raised the alarm after Phuket reported 244 new HIV or sexually transmitted infections, pushing the province’s total number of registered patients to…

  • Giant dolls take over Bangkok for Squid Game Season 3 launch | Thaiger

    Giant dolls take over Bangkok for Squid Game Season 3 launch

    Young-hee, better known in Thailand as the “Gogowa doll,” and her male companion appeared near the Giant Swing in Bangkok to welcome the upcoming release of Squid Game Season 3, which is scheduled to launch on Netflix on June 27. The survival thriller series Squid Game is hugely popular among Thai fans. Created by South Korean director Hwang Dong-hyuk, its…

  • Wildlife officials to prosecute gunman of injured Khao Yai elephant | Thaiger

    Wildlife officials to prosecute gunman of injured Khao Yai elephant

    Thailand’s Department of National Parks (DNP) is preparing legal action against a man suspected of shooting a wild elephant known as “Plai Biang Lek” (also called “Wong Thong”) in Khao Yai National Park. Wildlife officials believe the suspect may be related to a local politician. Previously on June 19, around 5pm, wildlife rangers and volunteers were pushing a wild elephant…

  • New Cabinet list to be finalised this week | Thaiger

    New Cabinet list to be finalised this week

    Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai confirmed today, June 23, that the final line-up for the Paetongtarn Cabinet will be completed this week, but remained silent on speculation over whether he will be shifted to head the Interior Ministry. Phumtham said Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met coalition leaders yesterday to discuss the eight Cabinet positions left vacant following the Bhumjaithai Party’s…

  • Thai woman faces death threat after mother impersonates her for online relationships | Thaiger

    Thai woman faces death threat after mother impersonates her for online relationships

    A Thai woman took to TikTok to plead for help after her mother impersonated her to build romantic relationships with multiple men, ultimately resulting in a death threat against her. The victim, Noina, shared her ordeal on her TikTok account, @napapaaaaaaaaaa, on Friday, June 20. She urged TikTok users to help spread her videos to warn anyone who might be…

  • Thai ex-police chief targets Hun Sen in legal complaint | Thaiger

    Thai ex-police chief targets Hun Sen in legal complaint

    Former Thai Police Chief and Seri Ruam Thai Party leader, Police General Seripisut Temiyavet, filed a legal complaint today, June 23, against Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen at the Royal Thai Police headquarters in Bangkok. Seripisut accuses Hun Sen, Cambodia’s former prime minister, of violating Thai law by allegedly ordering the assassination of political dissident Lim Kimya on Thai soil.…

  • Foreign man drives against traffic flow and confronts Phuket motorist | Thaiger

    Foreign man drives against traffic flow and confronts Phuket motorist

    A foreign man, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, drove against the flow of traffic in Phuket and attempted to confront a Thai woman on the road. The incident was shared by the victim on her Facebook account on Friday, June 20. She stated that it occurred at around 8.10pm on Thursday, June 19, on Kalim-Kamala Road, a two-lane route…

  • King’s royal gifts boost soldier morale along Thai‑Cambodian border | Thaiger

    King’s royal gifts boost soldier morale along Thai‑Cambodian border

    His Majesty the King has graciously provided royal gifts to boost morale among Thai soldiers stationed along the Thai-Cambodian border today, June 23. Lieutenant Colonel Aniwat Sirikhuang, commander of the 3rd Infantry Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, also serving as commander of the 24th Infantry Battalion, Task Force 2, led his troops to a ceremony to receive the royal items. The…

  • Thai schoolboy reveals sexual abuses by male teacher in Samut Prakan | Thaiger

    Thai schoolboy reveals sexual abuses by male teacher in Samut Prakan

    A male teacher in the central province of Samut Prakan allegedly sexually assaulted multiple schoolboys and kept images and videos of the abuses. The 31 year old Thai mother accompanied her 16 year old son, Pae, to Phra Samut Chedi Police Station to file a child abuse complaint. The boy insisted that he was not the first or only victim,…

  • Thai man killed in renewed dispute shortly after making peace with rival | Thaiger

    Thai man killed in renewed dispute shortly after making peace with rival

    A Thai man, who believed he had finally reconciled with a long-time rival and shared the news on social media, tragically died following a renewed dispute yesterday, June 22. A motorist discovered a body at the side of Khaerai Road in Krathum Baen district, in the central province of Samut Sakhon, and notified Krathum Baen Police Station in the early hours…

  • Latvian man caught smuggling heroin into Thailand | Thaiger

    Latvian man caught smuggling heroin into Thailand

    Immigration officials, in collaboration with the Customs Department, have apprehended a foreign national at Suvarnabhumi International Airport today, June 23, for attempting to smuggle heroin concealed in metal pipes. The suspect had recently travelled from Laos. Intelligence from the Suvarnabhumi Airport Investigation and Suppression Division of the Customs Department indicated a foreigner was attempting to smuggle drugs through Thailand. Immigration…

  • Cambodian motorbikes blocked at border in retaliation over fuel ban | Thaiger

    Cambodian motorbikes blocked at border in retaliation over fuel ban

    Thai authorities today, June 23, imposed an immediate ban on Cambodian-registered motorbikes and modified vehicles entering the kingdom through the Ban Khlong Luek permanent border checkpoint in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province. The move comes in response to Cambodia’s recent decision to halt the import of fuel and gas from Thailand. Effective from 5am, the Thai military’s Burapha Task Force…

  • Bangkok-Samui bus accident leaves nine injured, two critically | Thaiger

    Bangkok-Samui bus accident leaves nine injured, two critically

    A Bangkok-Samui passenger bus veered off the road, injuring several passengers, with two in critical condition. The incident occurred at 2.50am today, June 23, along Asia Highway 41 in Chumphon province. Nearby, a damaged pickup truck was also found, prompting further investigation by the police. Police Lieutenant Kreangchai Chumkaew, Deputy Inspector of Sawi District, Chumphon province, received the initial report…

  • Taiwanese man arrested after rampage with drugs and weapons in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Taiwanese man arrested after rampage with drugs and weapons in Pattaya

    Police today, June 23, arrested a Taiwanese man following his violent rampage at a condominium in Pattaya. Officers confiscated drugs and weapons from his room, where a Thai party entertainer was also found under the influence of drugs. Officers from the Chon Buri Provincial Immigration Bureau and Mueang Pattaya Police Station responded to an incident at a condominium in the…

  • Phuket sets world record with largest Hokkien noodle stir-fry | Thaiger

    Phuket sets world record with largest Hokkien noodle stir-fry

    Phuket has achieved a Guinness World Record for the largest simultaneous stir-fry of Hokkien noodles, highlighting this year’s Phuket Peranakan Festival. The record-breaking event occurred yesterday, June 22, at Saphan Hin, local officials confirmed. The Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO), in collaboration with Phuket City Municipality, the Peranakan Association of Thailand, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), the Thailand…

  • Thailand Video News | Thai couple arrested after scamming 2,000 businesses, Phuket retires iconic pink buses for modern electric fleet | Thaiger

    Thailand Video News | Thai couple arrested after scamming 2,000 businesses, Phuket retires iconic pink buses for modern electric fleet

    Phuket’s familiar pink buses are now a thing of the past as the city shifts to electric transport. Across Thailand, a scam operation targeting thousands of businesses has been shut down, and changes are coming for foreigners applying for a Thai driver’s licence. Meanwhile, political tensions rise as PM Paetongtarn faces calls to step down. Phuket Retires Iconic Pink Buses…

  • SSO ensures insured Thai nationals access to safe abortion services | Thaiger

    SSO ensures insured Thai nationals access to safe abortion services

    The Social Security Office (SSO) has announced that insured Thai nationals are entitled to medical services to terminate unplanned pregnancies without legal repercussions. Today, June 23, Marasri Jairangsee, secretary-general of the SSO, stated that they are committed to ensuring comprehensive access to quality medical services for insured people. This includes both general healthcare and specific treatments through contracted primary care…

  • Thai police thwart migrant smuggling after truck stuck in mud | Thaiger

    Thai police thwart migrant smuggling after truck stuck in mud

    In Kanchanaburi, a man from Bang Saphan was apprehended after attempting to smuggle 41 illegal migrant workers in a pickup truck. The vehicle became stuck in mud during a police chase, leading to the arrest of all involved. The migrants, from Myanmar, confessed to paying over 50,000 baht (US$1,515) each for passage to Bangkok and Malaysia. Today, June 23, Chakrit…

  • Thai transwomen removed from teacher exam over female attire | Thaiger

    Thai transwomen removed from teacher exam over female attire

    Two Thai transwomen stepped forward to seek justice after being removed from a teacher licensing examination for dressing according to their gender identity rather than their biological sex. One of the transwomen, Punyaphat Dechbanrung, took to her Facebook account yesterday, June 22, to share her disappointment over being treated unequally due to her gender identity. She posted a photo of herself…

  • Songkhla students scammed by local landlord, left without rooms | Thaiger

    Songkhla students scammed by local landlord, left without rooms

    A group of first-year university students in Songkhla have reported being defrauded by a local accommodation owner who allegedly took their deposits and double-booked rooms, leaving more than 50 students without accommodation. The incident was widely shared on social media, prompting further investigation. The students, primarily from Songkhla Rajabhat University, found the accommodation through Facebook. Situated in the Mueang district,…

  • Large water monitor lizard rescued from Ayutthaya house ceiling | Thaiger

    Large water monitor lizard rescued from Ayutthaya house ceiling

    Rescue services in Ayutthaya were called upon to deal with a large water monitor lizard that had taken refuge in the ceiling of a house for several days. The creature, over 2 metres long and weighing more than 30 kilogrammes, was discovered at a residence in Khan Ham subdistrict, Uthai district, Ayutthaya province, on June 23. Residents, initially unaware of…

  • Old Thai man shoots 2 neighbours over stolen palm trees | Thaiger

    Old Thai man shoots 2 neighbours over stolen palm trees

    A 79 year old Thai man shot two neighbours yesterday, June 22, in the southern province of Surat Thani, allegedly over a long-standing dispute involving stolen palm trees. Police from Kanchanadit Police Station were called to the scene in the Chang Sai subdistrict of Kanchanadit district at 8.46am. Inside one home, officers found 88 year old Angsri critically injured with…

  • Elderly woman tragically killed by truck in Lop Buri accident | Thaiger

    Elderly woman tragically killed by truck in Lop Buri accident

    A 73 year old woman was fatally struck by a pickup truck while crossing a road in Lop Buri. The driver claimed he believed the woman had stopped to let his vehicle pass but was unable to avoid her as she unexpectedly continued crossing. Yesterday, June 22, at 5.30pm, Police Lieutenant Phusit Muangmu of the Khok Samrong Police Station received…

  • Udon Thani chicken dispute resolved after police intervention | Thaiger

    Udon Thani chicken dispute resolved after police intervention

    A dispute over a dog attacking and killing 26 fighting chickens in Udon Thani province nearly escalated until police intervention helped resolve the issue. Yesterday, June 22, at 3pm, Police Lieutenant Natthaphon Srivicha, Deputy Inspector of Nong Bua subdistrict, received a report about a dog attacking chickens at a traditional elevated house in Ban Nong Sai, Mueang district. The house,…

  • Fisheries boost monitoring amid toxic fears in Thai rivers | Thaiger

    Fisheries boost monitoring amid toxic fears in Thai rivers

    The Department of Fisheries is intensifying its monitoring efforts on aquatic life in the Sai and Kok Rivers due to concerns about toxic contamination. The Department of Fisheries has expanded its inspection sites from four to 22, covering high-risk areas in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Recent tests on over 12 species of freshwater fish showed most were in good…

  • Border patrol officer kills family of 3 in Songkhla car accident | Thaiger

    Border patrol officer kills family of 3 in Songkhla car accident

    A border patrol police officer crashed his car into a motorcycle and killed a family of three in the southern province of Songkhla, leaving the couple’s eldest son orphaned. The tragic incident came to light after a Thai man, Chaiwat Meesanthan, sought justice for his late friend via a post on his Facebook account yesterday, June 22. In part of…

  • Fears rise over buried industrial waste in Chachoengsao | Thaiger

    Fears rise over buried industrial waste in Chachoengsao

    In Chachoengsao province, fears have arisen over the discovery of 1,000 litres of industrial waste buried underground, which was found in 2022 without any legal action taken. The Ministry of Industry team has vowed to investigate the matter retrospectively. Yesterday, June 22, the EARTH Foundation reported the discovery of more than 1,000 litres of liquid industrial waste buried at an…