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.
-
Sponsored
Travel insurance vs digital nomad insurance: What’s the difference?
Travel insurance and digital nomad insurance protect travellers but cater to different needs. Travel insurance is for short trips, like vacations or business trips. It covers things like medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and lost bags. It works best for people...
-
Border-bound train shot at by suspected militants
Gunman are reported to have opened fire at a train in Narathiwat last evening (March 31). No passengers have been reported as injured. At about 5.30 pm, the Surat Thani/Sungai Kolok train had just left Cho Airong district railway station. After approximately 500 metres from the station gunfire was heard by the driver and some passengers. The train driver didn’t…
-
Abandoning the cap – Campaign to get rid of bottle cap seals starts today
By Pratch Rujivanarom Thai bottled water producers have responded well to a plan to stop using cap seals, which will not only decrease plastic waste but also reduce unnecessary production costs. In a campaign kicking off today, the Pollution Control Department plans to totally abandon the use of cap seals on bottled water by the end of 2019. Five giant…
-
90 bikes and 90 motorcyclists bailed up in Bangkok
Bangkok police arrested 90 motorcyclists and a pillion rider and seized 90 bikes in an operation to prevent racing on the capital’s streets. The arrests were made by police from 10 Bangkok police stations who manned road checkpoints late on Friday night and early on Saturday. At the end of the operation, Pol Maj-General Surachet Hakpal held a press conference…
-
Thalang robber arrested
Thalang Police have arrested a 27 year old man from Phang Nga, Kittikorn Somsert, who robbed valuables worth about 200,000 Baht from a local house during daylight. The police saw the robber riding a bicycle along with plenty of bags and seemed suspicious so they stopped him to talk. Police found that the stolen items include a bicycle, a Nikon…
-
4 metre king cobra found in a Krabi toilet
A four metre long king cobra has been found in the toilet of a local man’s house. The owner of the house, Amnuay Ritthong, said that he was heading to the toilet, which is built next to his house, and spotted the snake next to the toilet before it quickly slithered inside the stall. He called Ao Luek Villa Rescue…
-
Drugs crackdown at Sapanruam Community in Rassada
Police have arrested 5 people with drugs and electronic cigarettes. The Sapanruam Community in Rassada was the target. Police have long recognised it to be a drug trading area. Police initially arrested 67 year old Daeng Chuaysod at the community with 5 kilograms of Kratom leaves and 46 bottles of coughing syrup, 60 ml each. Then police arrested 21 year…
-
82-year-old assault victim dies – Assailant faces new charges
A 21 year old motorcyclist, alleged to have assaulted an 82 year old tricycle-riding scavenger over a minor collision in Bangkok’s Huai Kwang district on March 13, has been hit with an additional charge of causing death to another person by inflicting injury without intent to cause death. The new charge was filed against Narathorn Sodetiyung, son of a Pratunam-based…
-
Random search at Phuket prison
Phuket’s Governor, along with the Deputy Police Region 8, Deputy Phuket Police Commander and other local authorities, led a team for an official search of the Phuket prison for drugs, other illegal items and mobile phones. However, no illegal items were found in the prison. The search covered male and female prison sections and 250 prisoners were tested for drugs…
-
UPDATE: Tak bus disaster – 20 Burmese workers burned to death
PHOTO: Thai PBS The badly-burned bodies of 20 Burmese workers killed in a bus fire in Tak’s Muang district early on Friday will be sent about 150 kilometres to two hospitals in Phitsanulok for identification. The bodies were initially sent to the Tak provincial hospital. Due to a lack of equipment required for the disaster victim identification process, that hospital…
-
Your Say – Closure of Maya Bay during the monsoon 2018
A decision to temporarily close Maya Bay to all tourists during the wet season from this June to September has been approved by the marine national parks chiefs. The move follows proposals from prominent academics and concerned locals to restore the coral reefs and ecosystem to allow nature to recover from the impacts of uncontrolled tourism during the rest of…
-
20 Burmese migrants die in Tak bus blaze
A chartered double-decker bus taking 47 registered Myanmar workers to Pathum Thani caught fire in Tak early today (Friday), killing 20 of them trapped inside. Tak shares a border with Myanmar, north west of Bangkok. Police report that three other people were injured when they jumped down from the bus while 24 others were able to run out in…
-
Songkran back-flip
Songkran revellers are welcoming news the government will relax its ban to allow them to splash water from the beds of pickups this year – just one of a number of back-flips on previously announced prohibitions for the 2018 Thai New Year celebrations. The water festival in mid-April, the hottest month of the year, is known worldwide. One tradition sees…
-
New ferry service to link Phuket Airport to nearby provinces
File Photo The Harbour Department will build a new pier near Phuket Airport and open five ferry routes linking Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga according to the department chief today (Thursday). Jirut Wisaljit, director-general of the Harbour Department, said the new port and the “Andaman Ring Route” ferry service would reduce congestion at the Phuket airport and on roads in…
-
Police junior officers revolting over AC contributions
A junior policeman is crying foul over his supervisors’ demand that he contribute money for the purchase of a new air-conditioner at their police station. Pol Sgt-Major 3rd Class Lersak Nonkhuntod, who works at the Phaholyothin Police Station in Bangkok, lodged a complaint with both the Metropolitan Police Bureau and the Office of Public-Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC). Due to the…
-
THAIGER TODAY Thursday, March 29
NACC hands down decision on Prawit case today | Patong and Kamala are #1 in international affordable 5 star hotel survey | Snake under a taxi | French tourist dies after visit to Emerald Cave | Woman push back on calls for females to ‘dress appropriately’ during Songkran | Police juniors complain about their wages being docked for boss’s air…
-
Sexual harassment isn’t our fault, it’s mens’ – Sirinya “Cindy” Bishop
A well-known model has launched a social-media campaign to tackle the widespread and erroneous belief that sexual harassment stems from a woman’s choice of clothes. Sirinya “Cindy” Bishop, who is also an actress, has used social media to counter recent messages propagated by authorities that sexual harassment can be stopped by urging women not to dress in a revealing way.…
-
Police arrest the Patong motorcycle robber
The 27 year old motorcycle taxi, Anuruk ‘Ten’ Padungpon, who has already confessed to robbing a Turkish woman, 26 year old Biher Ucar, has now been arrested but denies the alleged attempt at sexual assault of the victim. This morning (March 28), police spoke to the media revealing the motorcycle taxi robber from Phang Nga. He was caught at his…
-
Six sentenced to death over last year’s Krabi murder of eight family members
PHOTO: The Worayuth Sunglung family murdered over a Land Deed argument in Krabi last year The Krabi Provincial Court has sentenced “Bang Fut” and five others to death for the execution-style murders of eight members of the one family in Krabi that shocked the country last year. The ruling of the court was overseen by the Royal Thai Police commissioner…
-
4.5 metre King Cobra captured in Karon
This morning (March 28), the Phuket Ruamjai Rescue Foundation captured a 4.5 metre male king cobra. Records show that there have been about 80 snakes captured within the past 3 months by the Ruamjai team. The rescue team was contacted by a local about the snake in Soi Patak 24 in Karon. The snake was hidden underneath a green-plate taxi parked…
-
THAIGER TODAY Wednesday, March 28
Dos and Don’ts for Songran this year | Red Cross calling for blood donations leading up to the Thai New Year holiday | PM confident of the election road-map timing | 2 drown off Songkhla | Report card for Phuket Airport, and it’s not good | Charges against bus company for last week’s Nakhon Ratchasima crash | Human rights campaigner…
-
Torching hornets nest causes 20 rai forest fire in Mae Hong Son
Two men from Myanmar have been arrested for inadvertently causing a forest fire that damaged some 20 rai of forest in the Khun Yuam district of Mae Hong Son province. Firefighters, district officials and rangers of the Ranger Company 3605 rushed to the forest in Moo 1 village in Tambon Khun Yuam, Khun Yuam district at 4.30pm after they saw…
-
35 million make-over for the Charter Bank building in Old Phuket Town
The Sino-Portuguese mansion of Charter Bank is poised for a full renovation thanks to a 35 million Baht budget to turn it into a museum and to accommodate VIP guests of the island, aiming to attract more tourists to visit the place as well. “There are many buildings in the area of Phuket Municipality that are unique in Sino-Portuguese style,…
-
Phuket Airport has a lot to fix – Transport Commission
The Transport Commission of the National Assembly of Thailand (NAT) visited Phuket International Airport to follow up on the current renovation and services at the terminal following numerous complaints from passengers, tour companies, media and other government departments. The team from the Transport Commission were welcomed by the Director of Phuket International Airport, Petch Chancharoen, who took them on a…
-
Phuket Airport cleaner returns 600,000 Baht worth of valuables
The Director of Phuket International Airport, Petch Chancharoen, has officially thanked and made a presentation to a cleaner at the airport, Nattaya Prasanpan, who found and returned 600,000 Baht worth of valuables to a passenger. The cleaner found the valuables, including a Celine bag, 1,500 Baht in cash, a Mini Cooper car key, a Rolex watch, Prada card wallet, credit…
-
THAIGER TODAY Tuesday, March 27
Premchai being sued in civil case | New type of ‘start up’ visa on the way | Amorous Russians have left the country | Grab taking over Uber in South East Asia | Underwater gamblers in hot water | New Mae Hong Son flights from DMK | Arsonist lit fires on 10 vehicles in Chonburi | Road resurfacing magic in…
-
Four Andaman provinces discuss logistics issues
The Transport Commission of the National Assembly of Thailand held a meeting at the Proud Phuket Hotel to discuss logistics development for Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga and Ranong with the governors of the 4 provinces. The Chairperson of the Transport Commission, Lt Gen Charaesak Anupap, says that the commission board have received many submissions from individuals, including operators and players…
-
THAIGER TODAY Monday, March 26
Driver point demerit system proposed (again) | Taxi driver found dead | Thai Government seeking exemptions over US tax tariffs | Serbian tourists fined over ‘innapropriate’ clothing at temple | Box jellyfish warning in waters off Trat | French tourist beaten up by 5 men in Pattaya | NGOs seek extension for registration of migrant workers | 35 passengers have…
-
Krabi’s underwater gamblers in hot water
A group of four divers playing cards for money under water could be in trouble if they were really gambling under the sea in Krabi. But authorities think that it is probably just a prank filmed abroad even though Thai money is clearly visible. A video of the “card school” has been shared on Facebook. Four people with lots of ten baht…
-
4,000 runners compete at 4th Supersports 10 Mile International Run 2018 @ Thanyapura, Phuket
A weekend of sporting fun saw a record-breaking 4,000 runners enjoy the 4th Supersports 10 Mile International Run 2018 Phuket Presented by Thanyapura. Held on March 24 & 25 at the award-winning Thanyapura Health & Sports Resort, there was something for everyone with distances including a 500 metre Kids Run, 3 Mile (4.8km), 5 Mile (8km) and the iconic 10…
-
Road-resurfacing in Kathu leaves traffic hazard
Good news for people driving around the Kathu Ring Road (specifically the section going past the Loch Palm Golf Course entrance), the roads are being resurfaced from the entrance of Soi Namtok to near the entrance of Loch Palm Gof Course today (Monday). Bad news, the roadmakers have left a 8-12 cm gap between the surface of the road and…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.