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 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Thai govt’s debt settlement programme attracts over 150,000
The Thai government’s debt settlement programme has attracted over 150,000 registrations, totalling informal debts of nearly 12 billion baht (US$337 million), the Interior Ministry reported. So far, the initiative has facilitated the settlement of over 771 million baht (US$22 million) in debt for 18,509 individuals. The registration window spanned from December 1 to February 29. Suttipong Juljarern, the permanent secretary…
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Poker tournaments gain popularity in Bangkok
Despite gambling being illegal across Thailand, Bangkok is increasingly considered as a world hub for professionals earning enough income and living the good (that is, relatively cheap) life. Like digital nomads or other online entrepreneurs, poker professionals continue to settle in Bangkok and other coastal cities for the exact same reasons. According to media reports from 2022, moving to Thailand…
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Bangkok’s Loy Krathong goes digital and eco-Friendly, wins Asia Pinnacle Awards
Bangkok won the Asia Pinnacle Awards for Best Eco-Friendly Festival category under Loy Krathong Digital’s judges’ assessment on 28 February. BMA Spokesperson and Assistant Secretary to the Governor of Bangkok, Mr. Aekvarunyoo Amrapala, announced that the first “Bangkok Digital Loy Krathong Festival”, held on November 27, 2023, at Khlong Ong Ang, Phra Nakhon District, and Samphanthawong District by the Bangkok…
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AirAsia launches Takeover Thailand campaign with celeb partner
AirAsia is doubling down on its commitment to boost regional tourism, unveiling the Takeover Thailand campaign, aimed at thrusting Thailand into the spotlight as the go-to destination for travellers from Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. Strategically aligning forces with Tay Tawan, a distinguished Thai personality appointed as AirAsia’s Route Presenter for Malaysia, the airline is geared up to elevate the travel…
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Fare play: Thai taxi driver slams cops for toll indulgence
A female Thai taxi driver condemned police officers for indulging two foreign tourists who refused to pay toll fees by covering the costs themselves. The female taxi driver shared a video of when she engaged in an argument with police officers and two foreign women passengers on Facebook. In the video, she refused to accept money from the police and asked…
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Raging forest fires force closure of Thai-Cambodian Border park
Forest fires ablaze along the Thai-Cambodian border have ignited chaos, choking Khao Phra Wihan National Park in Sisaket province with clouds of thick smoke and dust particles, forcing a three-day shutdown. The infernos, wreaking havoc on the region’s flora and fauna, including monkeys, bats, and birds, have sparked concerns for both tourism and wildlife preservation. Sisaket Governor Anuphong Suksomnit, undertook…
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Surging Pattaya hotel occupancy shows post-pandemic recovery
Pattaya is experiencing a remarkable resurgence, with hotels bursting at the seams, boasting over 90% room occupancy. Sanphet Supabawornsathien, Eastern Thai Hotel Association President, reveals that Pattaya’s hotel industry is booming, with room occupancy rates soaring above 90% as tourists from China, Russia, and India flood the city alongside a surge in domestic travel. This remarkable trend is fuelled by…
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Dine-and-dash: Fake cop shirks 1,500 baht bill from Michelin-starred Jay Fai
Bangkok’s culinary Michelin-starred hotspot, Jay Fai, fell victim to a brazen food theft, leaving locals and tourists stunned as a fake cop vanished after downing a delectable 1,500-baht feast. The Samranrat Police Station is hot on the trail of the impostor but with no affiliation to their force. Colonel Tossapon Ampaipipatkul, the superintendent leading the investigation, reassured that the police…
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Mukdahan hosts first Border Trade Fair to boost economy
Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai inaugurates the first Border Trade Fair in Mukdahan, aiming to boost the border economy and facilitate fruit exports through the Mukdahan checkpoint. The event also included a visit to the One-Stop Service Center (OSS) in Mukdahan – Nakhon Phanom to support exporters. The inaugural Border Trade Fair in Mukdahan province, which takes place from February 29…
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2 Chinese men arrested at Bangkok airport for fake Canadian passports
Officers from the Immigration Bureau arrested two Chinese men at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok for attempting to travel to Taiwan on fake Canadian passports. EVA Air check-in staff reported to the immigration police that two Chinese nationals presented their Canadian passports at the counter for the flights to Taipei in Taiwan. According to the flight schedule, the two were…
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Surin police spirit house ritual sparks lottery fever
A buzz of excitement swept through the police housing complex in Surin Province yesterday as officers and the local community gathered for a ritual ceremony. The ceremonial relocation of a spirit house at the police flats, adjacent to the main road number 226 from Sikhoraphum to Surin, became the focal point for lottery enthusiasts seeking auspicious numbers to bet on…
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Bangkok’s expressway toll fees skyrocket starting today
Toll fees along Bangkok’s Chalong Rat and Burapha Withi expressways are seeing a steep increase starting from today, March 1. The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) dropped this bombshell earlier this month, announcing a hefty hike in toll charges. For four-wheel vehicles traversing the Chalong Rat Expressway, be prepared to shell out an extra 5 baht, pushing the toll to…
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Beach blunder: Swiss man and wife regret assaulting Thai doctor in Phuket (video)
An underfire Swiss man and his Thai wife apologised to a Thai doctor for physically assaulting and insulting her after she innocently sat on the steps to their beachside villa. The foreign man claims the incident was an accident, stating that he mistakenly identified the victim and her friend as a previous Chinese trespasser. The Thai doctor, 26 year old…
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AIS partners with ministry byte cyber threats in Thailand
Advanced Info Service Plc (AIS), in a significant partnership with the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, has undertaken an initiative to tackle cybersecurity challenges. Under the Aunjai Cyber syllabus, the collaboration aims to arm both the ministry’s staff and the public with indispensable digital intelligence skills. AIS Chief Executive Somchai Lertsutiwong emphasised the importance of the partnership with…
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Pattaya’s water safety initiative makes a splash on Koh Larn
In a bid to stem the tide of tragic accidents, the Pattaya Tourist Police have joined forces with multiple agencies to spearhead a campaign aimed at curbing tourist fatalities during water activities in Koh Larn. The curtain rose on this vital initiative on the shores of Tawaen Beach, Koh Larn, with Deputy Mayor of Pattaya, Manot Nongyai taking the helm…
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Journalist found dead in car after aiding Thai accident rescue
A tragic incident unfolded yesterday when a 44 year old journalist, identified only by his first name, Pairin, was found dead in his vehicle, which was parked in the middle of a road in Pathum Thani Province. The cause of death remains undetermined, but no signs of violence were apparent on the body. The journalist had recently been involved in…
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Rolling the cyber dice: Thai police bust online gambling network
Police from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau yesterday seized 329 million baht in assets and arrested four suspects in a crackdown on online gambling. Following the crusade to shut down illegal online gambling in Thailand, police investigated a website, Fullplays 39, and discovered it offered online gambling games and had over 200,000 users. The amount of money circulating on the…
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Crane truck plunges off steep Phuket road, driver tragically killed
A tragic incident unfolded in the steep hills of Karon, Phuket, last night when a heavy-duty crane truck, burdened with cement pillars, plummeted off the side of a narrow, serpentine road. The unfortunate accident resulted in the driver’s fatality, marking a gloomy end to February 29. The incident was reported to Police Captain Surasak Sudmuang of the Karon Police Station…
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China-Laos high-speed rail to transform northeast Thailand
Krungthai COMPASS Research Centre unveiled a groundbreaking vision, identifying the China-Laos high-speed railway as the cornerstone for transforming the northeast of Thailand into an economic juggernaut within the Greater Mekong Subregion. The centre disclosed that the China-Laos high-speed railway, now operational for both passenger and freight services along the Kunming-Vientiane route, will directly turbocharge trade and investment in Thailand’s northeastern region,…
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Phuket on course to become a top eco-industrial city by 2027
Earlier today, Phuket Provincial Hall played host to an informative workshop, aimed at fostering a comprehensive understanding of the plans to transform Phuket into a renowned eco-industrial city. This initiative was overseen by Phuket Vice Governor Sattha Thongkam, to disseminate knowledge on ideal methodologies for environmental preservation, protection, and restoration across diverse sectors. The workshop is deemed instrumental in aiding…
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AWC plans 36 billion baht investment in high-end tourism
Asset World Corp (AWC), a Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET)-listed company, maintains a positive outlook on high-spending tourists and outlined plans to invest in projects estimated at 36 billion baht (US$1 billion) this year. Wallapa Traisorat, AWC’s chief executive and president, highlighted Thailand’s potential to attract high-spending tourists from regional competitors through quality property development, specifically hotels in partnership with…
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Property tycoon in KCUC embezzlement case to be charged
Property magnate Anant Asavabhokhin is to be charged with money laundering linked to the notorious Khlongchan Credit Union Cooperative (KCUC) embezzlement case. This development comes from a source within the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG). The money laundering charge, recently approved by Attorney-General Amnat Jedcharoenruk, is predicted to be enacted by the OAG’s special litigation office on April 2. Anant, former…
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Chinese man faces 2-year jail for stealing identity of Thai citizen
Pattaya Provincial Court sentenced a Chinese man to two years of imprisonment for stealing the identity of a Thai citizen and concealing it for more than 30 years. The 45 year old Chinese suspect is recognised by Thai locals as Iao but also adopts the Thai alias Nitiphat Chokchaitanaporn. The case of identity theft came to light following a raid…
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Newborn found mutilated near Mae Hong Son camp
A tragic discovery was made outside a worker’s camp in Mae Hong Son province, where the body of a newborn baby, suspected to have been abandoned post-birth, was found mutilated and partially burnt. Authorities are investigating this harrowing incident, which has shocked the local community and prompted a search for the person responsible. Police were alerted to the gruesome scene…
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Thailand Video News | Recreational Cannabis to be banned by year end?, Tuk Tuks and Taxis overcharging foreigners fix
Stay up-to-date for the latest news in Thailand: Thai prosecutors plan to indict key figures aiding Red Bull heir’s evasion of justice. Recreational marijuana ban imminent in Thailand amidst industry growth. Chemical warehouse fire prompts evacuations. Bangkok tackles tourist overcharging issue. Human-elephant conflict persists in Thailand. Another arrest has been made in the case of the absconding Red Bull heir…
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Off-duty officer causes multiple collision in Samut Prakan
A police officer driving under the influence of alcohol caused a multi-vehicle collision in Samut Prakan province, claiming a gearbox issue led to the crash. The officer, who was driving a Toyota Vios, collided with a bus and then reversed into two parked pickup trucks. The incident, which occurred near Soi Nakhon Khuean Khan 8 in the Phra Pradaeng district,…
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Don Mueang Airport combats congestion with designated drop lanes
An initiative to combat heavy traffic congestion at Don Mueang International Airport‘s Terminal 2 will see the enforcement of designated passenger drop lanes for taxi drivers starting today, March 1. This mandate is part of the Transport Ministry’s broader strategy to enhance passenger experience at the nation’s largest low-carrier hub, an imperative necessity as the Songkran holiday period is expected…
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TikTok shopping: The new trend in Thai e-commerce
TikTok has usurped traditional e-commerce giants to claim the throne as Thailand’s premier shopping platform for millennials, a survey by the Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO) discloses. With 4,699 respondents nationwide, the survey unveiled TikTok’s meteoric rise as an online shopping hub, particularly among the youth demographic. Renowned for its fusion of joyous content and retail therapy, TikTok pioneers…
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Chem-mess: Essex man and Thai girlfriend nabbed for flat folly
An Essex man and his Thai girlfriend have been arrested for running a nefarious chemsex operation from her West London flat. The 29 year old toy boy, Kane Duncan, hailing from Bracken Close, Loughton, found himself behind bars alongside his partner-in-crime, 42 year old Jurairat Suttabut, following revelations of their sordid dealings unveiled at Southwark Crown Court last Friday, February 23.…
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Thai govt’s plan to transform southern provinces into tourist hub
The Thai government has committed to transforming the country’s three southernmost provinces into global tourist attractions and increasing investment in this region. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin gave this assurance during a three-day visit to Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala which concluded yesterday. According to the 62 year old Thai prime minister, the southernmost provinces possess the potential to rise as the…
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