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 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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Fire fight: Minister braves flames to back Chiang Mai wildfire battle
The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Doctor Chalermchai Sri-on, yesterday made a daring visit to the smoky frontlines of Thailand’s forest fire battle in a show of support. Accompanied by Jatuporn Buruspat, the ministry’s permanent secretary, Chalermchai rallied the troops at Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai, bolstering the morale of fire-fighting personnel and community networks dedicated to…
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Drunk Thai woman crashes pickup into 11 parked vehicles in Pattaya
A drunk Thai woman crashed her pickup into 11 parked vehicles on Pattaya Sai Sam Road in the early hours of this morning. Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident. Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station were alerted to the incident at 3.20am today, January 31, and rushed to the scene. They encountered a sedan with a damaged rear…
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Thailand gears up for Chinese tourist surge amid charter flight push
Thailand is ramping up efforts to boost Chinese tourist arrivals by increasing charter flights from secondary cities in China while launching a major domestic travel subsidy in June. Chuwit Sirivejkul, regional marketing director for East Asia at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), revealed that Thailand welcomed an average of 22,000 to 24,000 Chinese tourists daily in January. The numbers peaked…
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Thailand video news | Thai police arrest Israeli man for using fake US dollars, Thailand’s elite visa faces growing competition from digital nomad visa
In today’s Thailand video news, Jay reports on major developments across the country. Thai police arrested an Israeli man in Pattaya for using counterfeit US dollars, while a heated dispute in Bangkok saw an Indian-Thai man accuse a delivery rider of espionage. Meanwhile, Thailand’s Elite Visa program faces growing competition from the Digital Nomad Visa, raising questions about its long-term…
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Thai seafood exports to US unaffected by fishing gear concerns
The Department of Fisheries aims to reassure the public that recent changes to Section 66 of a Fisheries Executive Decree will not impact seafood exports to the United States. There are concerns that the US might ban Thai seafood caught using fishing gear harmful to certain marine mammals. Bancha Sookkaew, Director General of the Department of Fisheries, responded to a…
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Grim discovery: Elderly couple finds neighbour dead in Sisaket
An elderly couple stumbled upon the dead body of their neighbour outside their home in the serene Sisaket province. The unsettling scene unfolded in Moo 8, Nong Chiang Thun subdistrict, Prang Ku district, where a 77 year old man and his 75 year old wife discovered their 45 year old neighbour, Vachakorn, near a phone top-up machine, bearing a gruesome…
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Investors to pump 40 billion baht into Pattaya’s tourism sector
Investors are set to inject 40 billion baht into Pattaya, focusing on new hotels and attractions to enhance tourism. On Wednesday, January 29, Wallaya Traisorat, CEO and President of Asset World Corporation (AWC) announced the opening of Meliá Pattaya Hotel, a 234-room property with an investment exceeding 2 billion baht. This hotel targets workcation travellers, digital nomads, meetings, incentives, conferences…
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Five Thai hostages released after year-long ordeal in Gaza
Five Thai hostages have been released after being held captive by Hamas in the volatile Gaza Strip for over a year. The news broke yesterday, January 30, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs triumphantly announced the hostages’ release, a moment filled with relief for their families and an entire nation. According to a statement from the Foreign Ministry, the Royal…
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Burning rubber: Blazing inferno engulfs Bangkok car plant
In the early hours of this morning, chaos descended upon a renowned car assembly company in Lat Krabang, Bangkok, as a ferocious fire lit up the capital’s sky. Police Lieutenant Jirayu Wongsingh, an investigator from Chok Chai Noi Police Station, was jolted into action with reports of a blaze ripping through the company premises on Luang Phaeng Road, Thap Yao…
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5 Frenchmen arrested for running police checkpoint in Phuket
Police arrested five Frenchmen for running a police checkpoint while riding their motorcycles on the Kamala-Patong Road in Phuket at 1.15am on Sunday, January 26. A Thai motorist, Yuttaphon Naluck, shared dashcam footage of the incident on his Facebook account on January 27, showing the foreign motorcyclists ignoring the checkpoint and speeding away in front of Thai police. He captioned…
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Thailand to modernise railway with 184 new diesel railcars by 2030
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) plans to replace its ageing fleet by procuring 184 air-conditioned diesel railcars, along with spare parts, at a cost of 24.1 billion baht. These new railcars aim to modernise the current fleet, which has been in service for three decades. SRT chief Veeris Ammarapala stated that the new railcars will replace 10 existing long-distance…
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Living the dream to living the screams: British man’s tale of survival
Imagine living the dream, only to have it shattered in the blink of an eye in Thailand: This is the reality for a British man who has captivated the hearts of many with his tale of survival against the odds. Lee Francis was left paralysed after a motorbike crash in Thailand but is determined to turn his nightmare into a…
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Cool front chills North Thailand while the south gets stormy
Hold onto your hats, Thailand, as a chill is set to sweep across the north of the country while the south braces for some electrifying thunderstorms. Weather boffins at the Meteorological Department of Thailand (TMD) forecast a frosty turn with mornings cloaked in fog. But that’s not all, expect a dust-up as particles hang heavy in the air. As of…
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Thai PhD student goes missing in Japan amid exam stress
A Thai PhD student went missing in Miyazaki Prefecture on Kyushu Island, Japan. She was last seen at a town centre bus stop near the University of Miyazaki International House at around 10am on Thursday, January 23. The news Facebook page กิ๊ฟจังนั่งเล่า (Gift Chan News), which focuses on Japanese news, shared a missing person poster for the 30 year old…
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Elite vs DTV: Is Thailand’s ‘privilege’ visa losing its edge?
Thailand’s Elite visa programme is facing growing competition from cheaper long-term visa alternatives, with the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) emerging as a serious contender. Manatase Annawat, President of Thai Privilege Card (TPC), admitted that rival visa schemes are cutting into their market, particularly DTV, which costs a fraction of the Elite price but lacks its luxury perks. Manatase recently suggested…
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Rare tiger family caught on camera in Kaeng Krachan park (video)
For the first time, a tigress and her three cubs have been recorded roaming Kaeng Krachan National Park, confirming that Thailand’s largest wild cats are successfully breeding in the protected forest. The footage, captured by camera traps deep in the jungle, shows the tigress, identified as KKT-003F, leading her three cubs through the wilderness. Officials estimate the cubs are now…
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Rabies panic: Khon Kaen officials say cooked beef is safe
Health officials in Sam Sung district, Khon Kaen moved to calm public fears after reports of rabies-infected beef sparked concerns about food safety. While a cow infected with rabies was slaughtered and consumed earlier this month, officials have clarified that properly cooked beef remains safe to eat. The outbreak began on January 23, when a dog infected with rabies entered…
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British drug dealer busted and back in cuffs after Thailand trip
A notorious drug dealer, who made a run for it to Thailand while his gang mates were being slammed with a 44-year sentence back in the UK, has found himself back behind British bars. Luke Atkin now faces a decade in jail after being nabbed by Thai police and sent packing back home. The 37 year old drug dealer, a…
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Booze and bloodshed: Kamnan Nok gets life over police murder
A Thai ex-official known for his lavish lifestyle and political connections has been sentenced to life in prison for ordering the cold-blooded murder of a police officer at a boozy dinner party. The Criminal Court handed down the sentence to 37 year old Praween Chankhlai, alias Kamnan Nok, after finding him guilty of ordering the execution of Police Major Sivakorn…
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Rama 2 Road collision leaves two injured in Samut Songkhram
A collision occurred on Rama 2 Road in Samut Songkhram province involving a pickup truck and a six-wheel truck. Police speculate that the driver might have fallen asleep at the wheel. The incident happened at 9pm yesterday, January 29, at kilometre 74+100, heading south in Mueang Yisan district. Upon arriving at the scene, Police Lieutenant Pitipan Wongaree from the Yi…
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Motorbikes flout Pattaya’s one-way rule, locals demand action
Traffic in Pattaya’s bustling Buakhao area is turning into a dangerous free-for-all, as motorbikes continue to ignore one-way restrictions on Soi Honey and Soi Diana, raising serious safety concerns among residents and business owners. Despite clear one-way street designations, riders are brazenly driving against the flow of traffic, creating chaos and near-miss collisions in the heart of Pattaya’s nightlife district.…
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Bangkok seeks air pollution control status amid rising PM2.5 levels
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) plans to request the government’s declaration of Bangkok as an air pollution control area due to anticipated rises in PM2.5 levels over the coming week. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt announced yesterday, January 29, that he will present the proposal to the Cabinet next week. Declaring Bangkok a pollution control area would empower the BMA to…
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Pattaya tragedy: Tourist killed, wife critical after speeding bike crash
A romantic evening turned into a nightmare for a Russian couple in Pattaya when a speeding motorcycle ploughed into them as they crossed the street hand in hand. The foreign rider struck them at high speed, killing the husband instantly and leaving his wife in critical condition. The accident happened just before midnight yesterday, January 29 on Jomtien Second Road,…
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Motorcyclist killed in tragic collision with truck at petrol station
A tragic accident occurred when a trailer truck collided with a motorcycle at a petrol station entrance, leading to the death of a 29 year old man from Kamphaeng Phet. The incident took place at 3pm yesterday, January 29 and involved the man reaching out to save his girlfriend in a final moment before being fatally struck by the truck.…
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Little worm: Thai teen attacks classmate over penis size insult
A 14 year old boy in the Isaan province of Kalasin organised a gang attack on a classmate he suspected of leaking a video of him masturbating. The video reportedly prompted classmates to mock his penis size, calling him “little worm.” The non-profit organisation, Saimai Survive, shared the victim’s story on its official Facebook page yesterday, January 29. Their post…
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Man confesses to stealing and killing buffalo in Phetchabun
A man confessed to stealing and killing a buffalo for its meat in Phetchabun province. The buffalo, cherished by its owner, was intended for breeding purposes. The theft and killing occurred on Saturday, January 25. Pian, a 49 year old resident of Ban Tio subdistrict in Lom Sak district, reported the theft to local police, stating that her buffalo, which…
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Illegal work hub: 17 foreigners arrested in island raids
Police in Surat Thani have swooped on illegal foreign workers across three of Thailand’s most popular tourist islands, arresting 17 foreign nationals and one Thai citizen in a sweeping immigration raid this week. Led by Surat Thani immigration officers, police, and local officials, the raids targeted Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan, and Ko Tao, following reports of foreigners running unregistered…
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Publicity stunt: PM Paetongtarn launches monthly TV show
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is set to make her TV debut this Sunday, February 2, in the first episode of her brand-new talk show, Empowering Thais. The programme aims to promote her government’s achievements and future vision, giving the public a direct insight into national policies. Airing on Channel 11 of the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT), the half-hour…
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Body of Thai crewman found floating near Phuket
Police yesterday launched an investigation after the body of a 31 year old Thai crewman was discovered floating near Ao Por, Pa Khlok. The man, identified as Thanyawit Thahanthai, was last seen the night before, staying overnight on the tour boat where he worked—but by morning, he had vanished. Locals spotted the body offshore around midday, yesterday, January 29, and quickly…
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University student killed in bus accident in Bangkok
A tragic accident occurred today when a second-year university student riding a motorcycle was fatally struck by an air-conditioned bus on Phahonyothin Road in the Bang Khen district. Officers from Bang Khen Police Station received a report of the incident today, January 30, involving a bus and a motorcycle, resulting in a fatality. The accident took place on the inbound…
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