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...
-
Thailand rice is on the rise with global GI glamour
The Thailand Rice Department is on a mission to put Thai rice in the global spotlight by promoting its distinctive strains with certified Geographical Indication (GI) labels to a wider audience. Farming communities in Phatthalung and Trang in the south, along with Phayao in the north, have crafted premium rice products that command top prices. These farmers are betting on…
-
Thai man wanted for fatally shooting friend in Samut Prakan condo
A Thai man escaped after fatally shooting his friend in a condo in Samut Prakan province, near Bangkok, yesterday. The motive is still under investigation. At around 6pm yesterday, September 8, officers from Samrongnuea Police Station and rescuers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation were called to the murder scene, a room on the first floor of an apartment in Soi Si…
-
Fire destroys 15 shops in Bangkok, one fatality reported
A devastating fire in Bangkok engulfed 15 shops, destroying motorcycles and cars, and tragically claiming the life of a bedridden man. Witnesses recounted the harrowing moments as a husband led his wife and child to safety. At 2.45am yesterday, September 8, the Deputy Inspector of Wang Thong Lang Police Station, Pakapol Paiboonsombat, received a report about a fire in a…
-
Thailand’s gold prices drop like a rock, baht’s the culprit
Gold prices in Thailand have taken a nosedive, plummeting by 2,000 baht per baht weight in just over a month. This dramatic drop is attributed to the Thai baht’s impressive 7% rise during the same period. The Gold Traders Association (GTA) warns that prices could fall further if the baht continues to strengthen. Jitti Tangsithpakdi, President of the GTA, explained…
-
Burglar steals water pump from Chanthaburi governor’s home
In a gleaming example of who not to rob, a burglar broke into the home of the governor of Chanthaburi province to steal a water pump, which turned out to be an ill-fated decision. The suspect, Chonlathit Wongpramut, also known as Oat, has a criminal record that includes multiple offences. Bang Lamung Police Station received a report of a burglary…
-
Tourist police arrest man for stealing iPhone on Koh Larn ferry
A man from Ayutthaya was arrested by the Pattaya Tourist Police yesterday for allegedly stealing a tourist’s iPhone on a ferry to Koh Larn. Identified as 52 year old Somchai Buengnok, the suspect has an extensive criminal record. At approximately 10.30am, yesterday, September 8, Senior Inspector of Tourist Police Division 4, Police Lieutenant Colonel Piyapong Ensan, received a report from…
-
Foreign man in collision with sidecar motorcycle in Pattaya
A foreign man, who was reportedly drunk, crashed his motorcycle into a sidecar motorcycle in Pattaya yesterday, seriously injuring a Thai motorist. The Sawang Dhammastan Rescue Foundation was alerted to the accident on Soi Chaiyaphruek 1 in the Bang Lamung district of Pattaya yesterday, September 8. Upon arrival, rescuers found a severely damaged sidecar motorcycle with significant damage to its…
-
Thailand backs 20-baht cap on mass transit fares
Thailand Consumer Council (TCC) backs the Transport Ministry‘s initiative to cap mass transit electric train fares at 20 baht per trip, according to Secretary-General Saree Ongsomwang, who also advocates for a fair budget allocation for public bus services across all provinces. Saree stated that the 20-baht fare cap was one of Pheu Thai’s campaign promises ahead of last year’s election.…
-
Bangkok hospital’s Nazi ‘gas chambers’ plan sparks fury
The director of Mongkutwattana Hospital in Bangkok sparked a storm of controversy with a plan to punish smokers who defy his anti-smoking ban, drawing comparisons to Nazi Germany’s grim practices. Rienthong Nanna, the director of the private hospital located in the Laksi district, declared on Facebook that he would confine defiant smokers in ‘gas chambers’ made from old telephone booths…
-
Missing Belgian woman found dead in waterfall spillway in Mae Hong Son
Tourist Police officers discovered the lifeless body of a missing Belgian woman buried under the sand at the bottom of the Mae Yen Waterfall spillway in Pai District, in the northern province of Mae Hong Son, after three days of searching. The 28 year old Belgian woman, Chloe Ferari, disappeared after leaving her accommodation with a bicycle in the early…
-
Nationwide daily minimum wage to be raised to 400 baht tomorrow
Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed plans to raise the daily minimum wage to 400 baht nationwide starting tomorrow, September 10, despite echoing concerns that the increase could negatively impact businesses. Phiphat announced that after discussions with business operators and a thorough study by a subcommittee from the Ministry of Labour, the decision to implement the minimum wage hike will proceed…
-
Thailand’s economy feels the squeeze as Q3 wraps up
Thailand’s economy is under severe strain, grappling with both internal and external pressures as the end of the third quarter looms. The kingdom is fighting to stabilise its financial footing while China, a vital trading partner, wrestles with its economic troubles. The Thai baht took a hit earlier this month, mirroring the ongoing turmoil in the world’s second-largest economy. The…
-
Digital TV operators sink or swim with licence deadline drama
Digital TV operators are in hot water as they face a raft of industry troubles and the looming expiry of their licences in 2029. The sector is grappling with rapidly changing viewer habits, a surge in streaming services, and nagging worries about dwindling viewership figures. Back in 2013, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) auctioned off 24 digital TV…
-
Thai police crackdown on Hat Yai motorcycle racing gang
Thai police in Hat Yai conducted a late-night operation to apprehend a motorcycle racing gang, seizing 35 motorcycles and detaining 40 young individuals for profiling and training, with strict warnings against future gatherings. Hat Yai police, led by Police Colonel Phum Banthip, Deputy Police Superintendent Adinan Wongmatthong, and Police Lieutenant Colonel Thatchanon Kaewchan, executed a planned crackdown on a group…
-
Phuket motorcycle taxi driver warned for harassing passenger
A motorcycle taxi driver in Patong has been identified and warned by police following allegations of sexually harassing a female passenger. A social media post under the heading “Patong Taxi Drivers Are Very Horny,” surfaced yesterday, September 7, describing the driver’s suggestive and harassing behaviour towards female passengers. This post caught the attention of Patong Police officers. The post did…
-
Father chains boy to chair on Pattaya Beach, tests positive for drugs
An 11 year old boy was discovered chained to a chair on Pattaya Beach by his father, who later tested positive for drugs. The incident occurred after the boy had previously been caught vaping on Walking Street. Yesterday, September 7, a video circulated on social media showing the boy in distress. It was later revealed that Pangpond has a history of…
-
Drug-fuelled chase in Bangkok ends in fatal mob beating
A man under the influence of drugs stole a farm tractor, leading police on a wild chase through Bangkok before collapsing and being fatally beaten by a mob. At 12.40am yesterday, September 7, Damrongsak Jaisawang, a deputy investigator at Hua Mak Police Station, received reports of locals apprehending a thief who had stolen a vehicle in front of the Siam…
-
Man arrested for sharing explicit videos of ex-girlfriend
A man was arrested for releasing explicit videos of his ex-girlfriend online out of revenge. Despite later requesting their removal, the videos had already spread widely. Police apprehended 37 year old Keng at his residence in Tha Sala, Lopburi. The arrest followed a warrant from the Criminal Court, which charged him with defamation, coercion, and uploading obscene content to a…
-
Truck crash in Chon Buri kills driver, injures four workers
A truck carrying Burmese workers tried to overtake another vehicle but collided with a six-wheeler, causing it to flip over and land upside down. The driver died at the scene, while four workers in the back narrowly escaped death. At approximately 6.30pm yesterday, September 7, police officers from the Mueang Chon Buri Police Station received a report of a pickup…
-
Man fatally stabbed in Bangkok apartment dispute
A 25 year old man was fatally stabbed following a dispute with a neighbour at an apartment complex in Din Daeng, Bangkok. The incident was reported to the police yesterday morning, and the suspect, a 42 year old man with a history of mental illness and drug use, has been apprehended. Police received the emergency call at 8.52am, Yesterday, September…
-
Thai police arrest woman in 1.8 million baht call centre scam
Thai police arrested a woman involved in a money laundering scheme linked to a call centre scam that tricked victims into transferring 1.8 million baht. The woman confessed to opening bank accounts for the criminals for a fee. Police arrested 40 year old Yupaporn, in front of a house in Chang Klang, Nakhon Si Thammarat. This followed an order from Police…
-
Police seize 250kg of crystal meth worth 100 million baht
Police in Surat Thani arrested four individuals and seized 250 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine hidden in a container truck during a routine search in Tha Chang district. The drugs, intended for export, were concealed in fertiliser sacks beneath baskets of fruit and had an estimated street value of 100 million baht (US$3 million). Highway officers searched 4pm on September 6…
-
1,000 protest in Phrae over 200-billion-baht Kaeng Suea Ten Dam plan
Approximately 1,000 residents gathered in Phrae to protest against the Pheu Thai Party’s plan to revive the contentious Kaeng Suea Ten Dam project in Song district. The demonstrators assembled in tambon Sa Lab, carrying three coffins inscribed with the names of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin, and Former Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop…
-
Ex-navy officer arrested in Bangkok for 20 years of unlicensed medical practice
A 55 year old former navy officer has been apprehended in Bangkok for practicing medicine without a valid licence for the past two decades. Thanaboon was detained at a clinic on Phetchaburi Soi 31 in the Ratchathewi district on September 6, according to the Metropolitan Police Bureau. This arrest stemmed from a complaint by a local regarding a group of…
-
Six drug smugglers killed in gunfight in northern Thailand
Six suspected drug smugglers were killed in a gunfight with an army patrol near Thailand’s northern border in the Mae Ai district of Chiang Mai. The incident, which took place on September 6 night, also led to the seizure of approximately 1.3 million speed pills. The confrontation began around 11.15pm when soldiers on patrol near a natural border crossing spotted…
-
Patong boosts public safety in Soi Bangla and Soi Lao crackdown
Patong officials are stepping up efforts to improve public safety and cleanliness in the bustling tourist area, particularly focusing on Soi Bangla and the notorious Soi Lao. This initiative aims to tackle ongoing issues in the area, including drug-related activities, illegal street vending, and misuse of public spaces. A team of officials, led by Kathu District Chief Thammarong Chuay-akson and…
-
Drunk driver crashes pickup into Chachoengsao noodle shop
A man drove his pickup truck into a noodle shop in Chachoengsao province after consuming three cans of beer to relieve stress following work. He admitted to having no insurance, no tax, and no money to pay for damages, opting to face jail time. Police officer Arthit Sunthwanik, together with rescue units, responded to an incident in the early hours…
-
Bangkok woman arrested for Australia vineyard job scam
A Thai woman was arrested at a prominent shopping mall in Phasi Charoen, Bangkok for allegedly defrauding over 30 individuals by promising them lucrative jobs in Australian vineyards. The job seekers were charged between 120,000 and 170,000 baht each but were never sent to Australia. Police Major General Montri Teskan led the operation, ordering Police Colonel Wiwat Jitsophakul to apprehend…
-
Fisherman survives four days at sea off Satun
A fisherman miraculously survived after floating in the sea off Satun in southern Thailand for four days. Despite exhausting his strength, he managed to stay alive by drinking from a floating bottle of sugarcane juice. His incredible ordeal concluded when waves carried him to Bulon Mai Phai Island. News emerged yesterday, September 6, of the incredible survival of Suntorn Khaosom,…
-
Police apprehend Cambodian beggars in Bangkok, plan deportation
Police apprehended 10 Cambodian beggars, including children, and are preparing to deport them. The police urge Thai citizens not to give money to beggars, revealing that children are often exploited in such operations. Police officers, led by Voraprach Wutthirak, Deputy Superintendent of the Children and Women Protection Sub-Division, and Parrampha Phattanawat, Inspector of the same division, conducted a raid yesterday, September…
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.