News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. The Thaiger delivers the latest national news that matters.
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Sponsored 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...
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UK police go to Thailand to solve woman’s mysterious murder 19 years ago
Nearly 19 years after a Thai woman‘s half-naked body was found in a stream in the Yorkshire Dales, UK police officers have come to Thailand to try and solve the suspected murder case. Police want to question David Armitage, her husband who now lives in Thailand, and the woman’s parents. Hikers noticed the body of Lamduan Armitage, formerly Lamduan Seekanya,…
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Woman steals car of app-based driver in Chon Buri
Police returned a sedan that was stolen by a woman with mental health issues to its 75 year old owner from an app-based ride service. The theft occurred last Friday when the passenger forced the owner out of the vehicle and drove off. Although the car owner forgave the thief due to her condition, police officers stated that they would…
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German tourist snatches Russian woman’s pricey sunglasses at Thai immigration office
A German tourist snatched a Russian woman’s pricey sunglasses at a Thai immigration office, Thai media reported on Saturday. The two holidaymakers were both getting their visas extended at the immigration office South Thailand’s Surat Thani province. CCTV footage caught the crook, 31 year old Marcel, grabbing the sunglasses that the woman left on a chair at the office while…
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CIB arrest 15-year fugitive wanted for double murder
Justice has been finally served on an old open criminal case. After 15 years of being on the run, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of the Royal Thai Police Crime Suppression Division announced a man wanted in connection with the murder of a wealthy couple in Phuket has been arrested. The CIB in Bangkok confirmed an arrest in a cold…
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Price of roses rise, but many express Valentine’s love online
Roses have been the traditional gift of love for Valentine’s Day for several centuries. But modern-day V-Day is bringing new trends in the way couples declare their love for one another, with social media platforms and applications offering creative and personalised digital options for expressing affection. Video calls, for instance, have seen a surge as more couples opt for private…
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Elephant in Thailand dies after tourists feed it wrong food
An elephant camp in Koh Chang, eastern Thailand, is warning tourists not to feed elephants food containing chemicals after an elephant died after eating chemically-contaminated bananas. A few weeks ago, a 20 year old male elephant at Kaebai Meechai Elephant Camp in Koh Chang, Trat province, fell ill with flatulence and indigestion after eating food brought in by some tourists,…
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Small hotels recover in Thailand as foreigners move downmarket
As small hotels recover in Thailand, returning tourists are choosing different options from pre-pandemic staples. A study of small hotels and hostels found booking growth is now higher than before the pandemic, with bookings from overseas tourists exceeding those of local travellers. As small hotels recover in Thailand, bookings are up by a quarter from the pre-Covid levels, according to…
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Burmese man killed in paramotor accident near Bangkok
A Burmese man was pronounced dead after he crashed his paramotor in the central province of Pathum Thani near Bangkok. Police from Mueang Pathum Thani Police Station, medical workers, and a rescue team rushed to the accident scene at an empty plot of land in the Baan Chang sub-district of Pathum Thani, but they were unable to save the man’s…
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Unlucky car smashed during fight between two lions
You know that feeling when someone smashes into your car and you just KNOW they don’t have insurance? That was definitely the case for an unlucky car owner in Indonesia whose car got caught in the middle of a fight between two lions. The incident took place in Taman Safari Indonesia II Park in Prigen, East Java. It’s a popular…
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TAT takes part in major tourism exchange event in India
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) took part in a major tourism exchange event in New Delhi, India last week. TAT participated in South Asia’s Travel & Tourism Exchange (SATTE) for the 14th time, heading up a strong delegation of over 40 tourism suppliers. SATTE, which is India’s largest travel fair, was held from February 9 to 11 2023 at…
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Gay-friendly Japanese sauna warns Thai tourists to watch their manners
A gay-friendly Japanese sauna displayed a sign in Thai to remind Thai tourists to exhibit proper etiquette while using the facility. The warning sign’s unique feature of a cartoon penis watermark accompanied by a silent hand gesture attracted significant attention and quickly went viral on social media. A Facebook account named Sa-nguan Khumrungroj posted a picture of the sign with a…
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Police hunt for fake government officials after robbery in Pattaya
Police are on the hunt for three fake government officials after a robbery in Pattaya last week. The victim, 37 year old Prasit, claimed that on February 7, a group of people wearing what appeared to be government officials’ jackets broke into his house in Bang Lamung’s Naklue sub-district. Prasit said the suspects accused him of being a motorcycle thief,…
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Thai police report over 400 romance scams last month
Thai police say there were over 400 reports of romance scams last month. Royal Thai Police (RTP) said yesterday that 403 police reports in January 2023 were related to love frauds, resulting in substantial financial losses of over 190 million baht. Valentine’s Day is coming up, and RTP is now urging the public to be aware of the issue of…
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Thailand’s lovers warned about ‘sextortion’ ahead of Valentine’s Day
The Thai police have warned women to be wary of “sextortion” scams as lovers throughout the world tomorrow celebrate the most romantic day of the year – Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day on February 14 has become a symbol and celebration of romance and love throughout the world. Couples come together and make an extra special effort to show their love…
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Blaze severely damages Phuket luxury villa
A massive blaze severely damaged a luxury villa in the Cherng Talay neighbourhood of Phuket‘s Thalang district on Saturday morning. Four fire trucks were deployed to the scene to find the fire rapidly spreading. It took firefighters around two hours to fully put out the flames at the villa on Soi Pasak 1. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. However, several…
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Remembering the dead – Koh Tao dive master mystery
Twenty-three years before diving instructor Neil Giblin from Birmingham died on Koh Tao last month, a fellow Brummie diver lost his life there. Giblin is the fifth Koh Tao dive master to die on the island where Ian Jacobs, from Sutton Coldfield, died on January 18, 2000. Jacobs was found at the bottom of a well on the island. Giblin…
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Axing for trouble in Nothanburi
The family of a man killed by his neighbour over a parking dispute in Nonthaburi believes the murder scene was staged. Veera Prasitthong, 54 years old, was killed in his neighbour’s shop in Pak Kret last week. Veera was home when he found his path blocked by neighbour Visit Chanakul, who had parked outside his shop to unload some goods.…
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Sufficient life jackets on HTMS Sukhothai – RTN
The Naval Supply Department insisted that there were 130 life jackets on HTMS Sukhothai when it sank in December, more than enough for the 105 crew. Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), Admiral Choengchai Chomchoengpaet yesterday said that the RTN is finding out why some of the survivors claimed that there were not enough life jackets on HTMS Sukhothai. Regarding…
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PLTO meets with taxis from outside Phuket over crackdown
The Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) and the Phuket Provincial Police have recently held discussions with a group of taxi drivers and tour operators from outside of Phuket who have been banned from working on the island. The talks were focused on finding a solution to the continual problem of green plate taxi operators facing difficulties, including arrests and bans…
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Indian tourist pickpocketed in Pattaya, lost 44,000 baht
As tourism grows back in Thailand, some things never change. Stories of Indian tourists having their gold chains stolen, or being pickpocketed or robbed by ladyboys seem to crop up every week. And this week is no exception. An Indian student was reportedly pickpocketed on Friday in Pattaya and had his wallet lightened of about 44,000 baht. The alleged incident…
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British drug fugitive Richard Wakeling arrested in Bangkok
British fugitive Richard Wakeling, wanted on narcotics trafficking charges, was arrested in Bangkok on Friday. The National Crime Agency of the UK requested cooperation from Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) in the arrest of the man from Brentwood, Essex. The 54 year old Wakeling had been sentenced to 11 years in prison for attempted amphetamine smuggling of product worth about 8…
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Amsterdam institutes red light cannabis ban
While Thailand has turned into a cannabis-free-for-all, some have warned that legalisation leads to a destructive path to crime and degeneration. Those defending legislation have pointed to places where cannabis has been legal for years without becoming Sodom & Gomorrah, like some US states and, famously, Amsterdam. But now authorities in Amsterdam have announced plans to ban street smoking of…
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Death Wish Thailand: Who is ‘Inspector Sua’?
Lt-Colonel Wasawat Mookarasakul, the senior police officer named as “Inspector Sua” in an explosive Facebook post last week, has been suspended from duty pending an investigation by the Crime Suppression Division (CSD). When the Central Investigation Bureau promises a straightforward investigation that is “strictly in line with the law,” questions have to be asked about what goes on during other…
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French Consul meet Patong Police over motorbike incident
The Head of the French Consulate in Phuket met with Patong Police and Phuket Tourist Police to address the issue of French motorbike racers causing a public nuisance. The meeting on Friday was prompted by the recent arrest of 20 French racers who were caught breaking traffic laws in Patong. This incident and footage of their reckless behaviour caused a…
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Japanese crime ring masterminded from Thailand and Philippines
A Japanese crime ring operated from Thailand and the Philippines is behind a string of crimes across Japan. The international crime syndicate was coordinated remotely from Thailand. The crimes being investigated include the murder of a 90 year old woman as well as cash-card fraud involving a number of elderly victims. Yuki Watanabe, 38 years old, and another senior member…
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Anwar demands tougher ASEAN pressure on Myanmar
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called for tougher ASEAN pressure on Myanmar. Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, he said, must take measures to pressurise the Myanmar government into ending atrocities against its people. Anwar, on a two-day official visit to Thailand, said in a speech to the Malaysian-Thai Chamber of Commerce that ASEAN members have to be…
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Exploring the impact of XAU to USD ratio on Thailand’s gold market
Thailand has a long and rich history of goldsmithing and jewelry making, dating back to ancient times. Gold has played a significant role in Thai culture, symbolizing wealth, power, and prosperity. Today, Thailand is a major player in the global gold market, with a thriving industry that includes gold mining, refining, and jewelry production. Thailand’s gold market has grown in…
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Victims of romance scams ‘at their wits end’
Most victims of romance scams in Thailand are women in their 40s. Middle-aged women are the main targets of criminal gangs who prey on those who have taken the questionable step of seeking true love online. Online fraud, including romance scams, has become a serious problem in Thailand, judging by the number of complaints filed with the Royal Thai Police.…
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Seahorse Ferry relaunches Pattaya to Samui route
After a four-month hiatus, the Seahorse Ferry Company is finally ready to set sail again, resuming its weekly service between Sattahip and Koh Samui from Thursday, February 16. After a temporary pause for essential repairs and maintenance shortly after launching, the ferry is now back in business and ready to welcome passengers on board once again. If you’re planning a…
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Air Force Captain to Celebrity ft. Daniel Kim | Thaiger Podcast Ep.23
https://youtu.be/_bPhVfNGe7w Daniel Kim, a former veteran US Air force captain turned reality TV show superstar. Daniel stars in the reality TV dating show “The Courtship” which is one of the top US TV networks, NBC. Not only is Daniel an actor and model, but he is also a motivational speaker and lifestyle coach. In this podcast, we talk to Daniel…
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