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 Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Pattaya Airways turbocharges tourism with new jets
Thailand’s skies are about to get busier—and easier—as Pattaya Airways takes delivery of three ATR72 turboprop aircraft, a move aimed at fuelling domestic travel and making multi-city trips across the kingdom a breeze. The expansion, set to kick off in December, strengthens Thailand’s tourism rebound by adding more routes and increasing flight frequencies between major hubs and emerging hotspots. “These…
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EEC Travel Mart puts Thailand’s tourism in the spotlight
Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) provinces have pulled out all the stops to turbocharge the country’s tourism industry, unveiling a high-powered showcase billed as a game-changer for the region. The EEC Travel Mart, staged yesterday, August 19, at the Nong Nooch Pattaya International Convention and Exhibition Centre, brought together hundreds of top names from the tourism sector. Business leaders, hoteliers,…
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Cambodian singer bans his songs inspired by Thai tunes
Cambodian singer Chorn Sovannreach has announced a ban on seven of his own songs, acknowledging they were inspired by Thai tunes. He incorporated Cambodian lyrics into these songs, which have been part of his repertoire for several years. The seven songs in question are: “មួយខែដប់ថ្ងៃ” (inspired by “Kwan Jai Pee Luang” by Luang Kai), “ជួបដើម្បីបែក” (inspired by “Mae Wa” by…
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Thai Michelin-starred chef Jay Fau fined for unclear crab omelette pricing
The Ministry of Commerce fined the renowned 1-star restaurant owner, Jay Fai, 2,000 baht following a complaint from a YouTuber over the unclear pricing of her signature dish, the crab omelette. The well-known Thai YouTuber based in the UK, Pitchaya “Peachii” Chaychana, posted on X on August 15 that she and her friends were charged 4,000 baht for the crab…
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Bangkok police arrest gang linked to call centre fraud
Bangkok’s metropolitan police have arrested a network involved in procuring mule accounts and managing cash withdrawals for a call centre gang in the Huai Khwang area. The suspects admitted to operating as an organised group, providing services to a Chinese leader. Yesterday, August 19, Police Major General Chotiwat Lueangwilai, commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s Investigation Division, and other senior…
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Thai hotel group sues over 400 baht wage hike challenge
The Thai Hotels Association (THA) is planning to file a lawsuit against the tripartite wage committee in the Administrative Court, aiming to challenge the 400 baht minimum wage increase, which it argues burdens hotels in secondary tourism areas. THA president Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun stated that the association’s committee has already agreed to proceed with the legal action, pending a consensus from…
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Tragedy in Uthai Thani as man drowns in pond accident
In Uthai Thani, a 42 year old man tragically drowned after slipping into a pond while urinating at its edge. Emergency services retrieved his body as family members, including his wife and son, mourned at the scene. The local village headman revealed the deceased had visited him earlier, saying he was there to say goodbye, which he now believes was…
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Thai man arrested for 8 million baht gold robbery in Samut Prakan
Police yesterday, August 19, arrested a Thai man who stole over 8 million baht worth of gold accessories from a shop in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok. Only about 4.5 million baht worth of gold was recovered. A male thief dressed in a delivery rider’s uniform robbed a gold shop in a shopping mall in the Bang Bo neighbourhood of…
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Thailand video news | Free domestic flights spark travel surge for 200,000 tourists, Pattaya nightlife under the microscope in safety sweep
In today’s Thailand video news, Alex and Jay bring you the latest stories shaping the nation—from free domestic flights aimed at boosting tourism and falling arrival forecasts, to tighter mobile banking rules designed to protect vulnerable users. They also cover Pattaya’s nightlife inspections, a crackdown on illegal water taps in Jomtien, and fresh concerns over police corruption. Plus, Thailand highlights…
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Foreign tourists involved in Patong assault await medical report for charges
Patong Police are currently awaiting a medical report before proceeding with charges against foreign tourists involved in a violent incident with a Thai motorbike rental operator in Patong. The assault, which occurred on August 10, involved six people identified as Arab. The suspects were reportedly arrested by August 14, following a video of the attack being shown to Nirat Phongsitthaworn,…
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Thai interest rate cut fuels stock market surge
Thailand’s stock market has been handed a shot of adrenaline after the Bank of Thailand (BoT) slashed its policy rate by 25 basis points to 1.50%, a move analysts say could send the SET index surging to 1,370 points by the year’s end. Market watchers hailed the rate cut as the start of “a policy-led re-rating phase” that will redirect…
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Temple robbery in Udon Thani: 6,500 baht stolen
A monk’s residence at Sri Khun Mueang Temple, Udon Thani, was broken into, resulting in the theft of money and electronics. The incident occurred early in the morning when the monk was attending a morning prayer session. Police Major Chakrapong Tongtam, an investigator at Mueang Udon Thani Police Station, along with the Pirun investigative team, responded to a report of…
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Thai hospitals probed over fake migrant health certificates
Private hospitals in Thailand are facing a scandal after allegations surfaced that they have been issuing fake health certificates to migrant workers without carrying out proper medical checks. Deputy Public Health Minister Chaichana Dechdecho announced yesterday, August 19, that two to three hospitals are under investigation, with early evidence suggesting doctors signed off on the fraudulent certificates without conducting blood…
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Monk falls from 10-metre cliff at Surin temple, stable in hospital
A 66 year old monk, Prasert Sathale, from Wat Khao Sala Utthathanacharo in Surin province fell from a 10-metre cliff at the temple premises while clearing leaves. Rescue teams from Bua Chet district and Tadan in Sangkha district responded promptly and transported him to Bua Chet Hospital, where he is now in stable condition. The incident was reported yesterday, August…
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Electric car plunges into canal in Nakhon Sawan, driver escapes
A driver using GPS to find a café encountered an unexpected hazard when his electric car veered off an uneven road, plunging into an irrigation canal in Nakhon Sawan province. The incident occurred on August 18 in the evening. Fortunately, the driver escaped unharmed before the current carried the vehicle approximately 50 metres downstream, where it eventually sank 2 metres…
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Paetongtarn skips Cabinet again as court date looms
Thailand’s suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is facing the fight of her political life—and she’s staying silent. For the second week running, Paetongtarn skipped yesterday’s weekly Cabinet meeting, fuelling speculation as she prepares to take the stand in an explosive ethics case linked to a leaked phone call. The 38 year old leader, who also holds the post of culture…
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Phuket restaurant accuses foreigners of stealing designer watch
A restaurant in Phuket is searching for a group of foreigners after one of them allegedly stole a watch from the premises on Friday, August 16. The restaurant owner shared brief details of the incident on the Phuket Times Facebook page yesterday, August 19, along with CCTV screenshots and a picture of the stolen watch. The owner stated… “A foreign…
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Ayutthaya vendor defends against teen robbers with fruit knife
In the early hours at Wang Noi Market, Ayutthaya, two teenagers attempted to rob a vendor at knifepoint, demanding 1,000 baht. The vendor, however, defended himself with a fruit knife, causing the assailants to flee. The incident, captured on CCTV and shared on social media, occurred at 4.43am yesterday, August 19, in Lam Sai subdistrict, Wang Noi district. The footage…
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Rogue app drivers face tough Pattaya clampdown
Chaos on Pattaya’s streets is finally facing a clampdown, after city police and transport chiefs joined forces to tackle rogue taxis, illegal ride-hailing apps, and traffic gridlock. On Monday, August 18 at 4.45pm, top brass gathered at Pattaya City Police Station’s Operations Centre for an urgent summit on transport reform. The meeting was co-chaired by Police Lieutenant Colonel Phanuphong Nimsuwan,…
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Migrant workers caught in Aranyaprathet sugarcane fields
Yesterday, August 19, border patrol units apprehended 21 migrant workers hidden in sugarcane fields along the border in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province. The group, divided into nine Cambodians entering Thailand and twelve Myanmar nationals crossing to Cambodia, was intercepted by the Burapha Task Force and the 1204th Border Patrol Company, collaborating with the 2nd Infantry Regiment. The first group…
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Pattaya car scam swindles Indian owner, vehicle vanishes
A luxury rental car has vanished without a trace in Pattaya, leaving its owner—an Indian businessman—crying foul and calling it the work of professional scammers. Yesterday, August 19 at 11.30pm, 54 year old Prem Kumar walked into Pattaya City Police Station to file a complaint. He reported that a white-and-black Toyota, bearing licence plate JPH 9160 Chon Buri, had been…
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Shooting injures student in Trang romantic dispute
A 19 year old man and a 16 year old boy engaged in a physical confrontation over a romantic dispute, resulting in a school shooting that injured an 18 year old female student. The incident led to the swift arrest of two people and the recovery of the firearm used. The incident occurred on August 18 at 1am in Mueang…
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Business tycoon jailed for land forgery in Saraburi scandal
The Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Region 1 sentenced Prachai Leophairat to eight years in prison over a land document forgery case in Saraburi. The veland forgeryrdict was delivered yesterday, August 19 at the mentioned court, with case numbers Aot98/2567 and Aot.84/2568. The prosecution was led by the Office of the Special Prosecutor for Corruption Suppression 1, Region 1,…
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Teacher’s husband runs pickup over schoolboy, leaving child in critical condition
The husband of a teacher in Udon Thani province ran over a 12 year old schoolboy in his pickup truck, leaving the boy with broken bones and a critical condition. The victim was reportedly waiting for his parents at the time of the incident. The boy’s parents shared details of the incident with Channel 7, as the parents were concerned…
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Patong police stalled as ‘Arab’ tourist gang walks free
Patong Police are under mounting scrutiny as they continue to delay charges against six foreign tourists, described in official reports as “Arab,” who were allegedly involved in the brutal beating of a Thai motorbike rental operator. The attack, which took place on August 10, left the victim hospitalised with a broken jaw and broken ribs. The case only gained traction…
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Reduced rainfall forecast for Thailand, thunderstorms in 26 provinces
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts reduced rainfall for tomorrow, though 26 provinces may still experience thunderstorms. Coastal areas could see waves up to 2 metres high, prompting caution for seafarers. The TMD predicts a decrease in rain over Thailand due to weakened southwesterly monsoon winds covering the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand, along with a low-pressure…
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Thailand pushes for UNESCO glory with ancient shadow play
The Ministry of Culture confirmed yesterday that nang yai, a spectacular shadow puppet performance dating back to the 15th century, will be proposed for UNESCO’s Register of Good Safeguarding Practices by March 2026. Suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, currently overseeing the ministry, said the campaign is officially titled the Community-based Revitalisation of Nang Yai Tradition in Thailand (CRNT). She described…
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Thailand goes all in on AI—but can it be trusted?
Thais are embracing artificial intelligence (AI) like never before, with new research showing it’s become an “invisible” part of daily life—but concerns over fairness, bias, and safety are growing just as fast. A report launched in Bangkok yesterday, August 18, by telecoms giant Telenor Asia revealed that 91% of Internet users in Thailand now rely on AI, up from 77%…
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Police accused of embezzlement during gambling raid in Nakhon Si Thammarat
Gamblers in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat accused police officers of taking 50,000 baht in cash, which should have been presented as evidence in a criminal case. A member of the Thung Song District Office, Chanin Jaidee, shared details of the alleged corruption with Channel 8 in the hope of seeking justice for gamblers arrested on August 13.…
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Thailand taps Polish Airlines to lure big-spending tourists
Thailand is stepping up its campaign for European tourists with a bold new partnership with LOT Polish Airlines, spearheaded by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool. The deal targets high-spending Eastern Europeans, with Poland leading the charge, and aims to reinforce Bangkok’s ambition to become Southeast Asia’s aviation capital. The push comes as overall foreign arrivals…
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