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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    The 5 most common travel emergencies in Thailand and how to be prepared

    Thailand is a popular destination known for its dynamic culture, stunning beaches, and bustling cities however, travellers can face unexpected travel emergencies that include medical issues, road accidents, petty theft, and natural disasters. To ensure a safe and enjoyable trip,...

  • Nakhon Ratchasima battles major flooding after day-long downpour

    Nakhon Ratchasima battles major flooding after day-long downpour

    The urban area of Nakhon Ratchasima was hit by a significant downpour that lasted from 2am until late in the evening yesterday. The persistent rain resulted in severe flooding that engulfed the city’s streets, public areas, and residential properties. The deluge posed considerable challenges to local inhabitants, motorists, and pedestrians alike. Inundated roads caused trouble for drivers, many of whom…

  • Thai-Ghanaian football player condemns racist Thai referee

    Thai-Ghanaian football player condemns racist Thai referee

    A half-Thai, half-Ghanaian Prachin Buri City football player condemned a racist Thai referee who allegedly called him a “ni**a!” The drama erupted after the match between Prachin Buri City FC and Pluakdaeng United FC on October 29. Prachin Buri City FC player Abdulkordiri Hamit, also known as Abdul, posted on his Pog Dul Facebook account what happened. “I can understand…

  • Vietnamese woman video records hospital stay before childbirth on TikToK

    Vietnamese woman video records hospital stay before childbirth on TikToK

    A 26 year old Vietnamese woman has become a viral sensation on TikTok after sharing images of her hospital stay while awaiting childbirth. The photos, which revealed a relaxed atmosphere with Yen’s mother and mother-in-law present, suggested that the visit was more akin to a leisurely trip than a tense anticipation of labour. In one of the pictures, the pregnant…

  • Sirens sour the silence: Silom hotel’s plea ignites global social media symphony

    Sirens sour the silence: Silom hotel’s plea ignites global social media symphony

    An escalating drama unfolded as a hotel in the Silom area penned a letter to a foundation requesting the discontinuation of ambulance siren noise. The hotel cites the disturbance and nuisance caused by the loud sirens, thereby interrupting the leisure time of the guests. The revelation of this issue by the Thai press stirred up a global social media storm. The…

  • Dragon dance drama: Actor’s fall leaves crowd in shock and awe in Kamphaeng Phet

    Dragon dance drama: Actor’s fall leaves crowd in shock and awe in Kamphaeng Phet

    A shocking incident transpired during a dragon dance performance when an actor fell from a pole and hit the ground, causing immediate unconsciousness. The event occurred today, in the Nakhon Chum district of Kamphaeng Phet. The incident was captured and shared by a TikTok user, @suparatthepparos, who happened to be attending the performance. In the shared clip, an actor is…

  • Thailand’s fitness deficit: Running endorsed to get the nation moving

    Thailand’s fitness deficit: Running endorsed to get the nation moving

    Recent statistics from this year reveal that only 62% of the Thai population engage in sufficient physical activities, while over 38% don’t. To encourage an active lifestyle, Social Marketing Thaihealth (SMT) and its network have endorsed running as an affordable and accessible form of exercise. SMT and the Thai Health Day Run believe that running can pave the way for…

  • Vanishing act: Thai man’s disappearance sparks monk’s mystical ceremony

    Vanishing act: Thai man’s disappearance sparks monk’s mystical ceremony

    A 49 year old Thai man mysteriously vanished from his home in the early hours of October 26 leading to a monk’s mystical ceremony to find him. Residents from Mo 9, Nern Phayom, Thung Pho, Nong Chang, Uthai Thani, and neighbouring villages were joined by over 30 officials in a desperate search that lasted four days. Their journey led them…

  • Prescription for drama: Accused mistress denies love affair, claims she is a nurse

    Prescription for drama: Accused mistress denies love affair, claims she is a nurse

    A Thai woman accused her husband of cheating and conspiring with his mistress to file a lawsuit against her. The accused woman denies being her husband’s lover, insisting that she is only his nurse. The 52 year old wife, Naruecha “Sida” Kamutyothin, gave an interview to Channel 3 yesterday, October 30, explaining that she married her husband, Jade, and have…

  • Seoul-searching: South Korean authorities accused of discriminating against Thais (video)

    Seoul-searching: South Korean authorities accused of discriminating against Thais (video)

    Outraged Thai netizens called for a ban on travel to South Korea, accusing authorities of discriminating against Thai nationals, pushing the hashtag #BanTravelToSouthKorea (#แบนเที่ยวเกาหลี) to the top of Twitter (X). The Southeast Asian nation is a popular destination for Thais due to the influence of K-pop artists, fashion and South Korean drama. Thais do not need a visa to enter…

  • Chinese firm faces backlash over controversial punishment video provoking online outrage

    Chinese firm faces backlash over controversial punishment video provoking online outrage

    A video showing a controversial disciplinary method by a company in Sichuan, China, sparked online outrage. The footage revealed a female employee crying while pouring water on the head of an individual, with a queue of colleagues waiting their turn to do the same. The viral video stirred up a heated debate among Chinese netizens, with many criticising the act as…

  • Artistic intrigue: Thai national artist’s chilly encounter with graffiti mysteries

    Artistic intrigue: Thai national artist’s chilly encounter with graffiti mysteries

    A compelling story about Chalermchai Kositpipat, a Thai national artist, has been shared on the Facebook page Little Mouse on the Cold Mountain Peak. The narrative unfolds in the chilly Chiang Rai province, near Wat Rong Khun, where an anonymous group painted graffiti on a wall. One night, a group covertly began to create street art on a wall opposite…

  • Thailand Ministry of Labour: Refund for Thai workers who paid for return from Israel

    Thailand Ministry of Labour: Refund for Thai workers who paid for return from Israel

    Thai workers who fled unrest in Israel and bought their return tickets can now apply for a refund, according to the Ministry of Labour‘s Secretary, Pairoj Chotikasathien. This is in response to the recent conflict in Israel that has impacted Thai workers in the country. Thai workers who have returned from Israel since October 7, can now request reimbursement for…

  • Thailand to lift visa requirements for Taiwanese and Indian tourists

    Thailand to lift visa requirements for Taiwanese and Indian tourists

    Thailand is set to lift visa requirements for tourists from India and Taiwan starting next month, lasting until May 2024. This move aims to attract more tourist influx as the peak season is on the horizon. This move follows in the footsteps of the decision made in September to abolish visa requirements for Chinese tourists, Thailand’s leading tourism market before…

  • Golden opportunity gone wrong: Burmese man arrested for gold necklace heist

    Golden opportunity gone wrong: Burmese man arrested for gold necklace heist

    Police arrested a Burmese man for stealing a gold necklace worth 65,000 baht from a Thai woman in the northern province of Chiang Mai. The 42 year old victim, surnamed Oil, filed a complaint at Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station on October 29, saying a man snatched a gold necklace she was wearing and fled at around 4am. The theft…

  • Flare for trouble: Thai teen’s homemade firework mishap douses floating lantern festival

    Flare for trouble: Thai teen’s homemade firework mishap douses floating lantern festival

    An incident at a floating lantern festival in Khelang Nakorn led to a young man severely injuring his hand with a homemade firework. The unfortunate event unfolded yesterday evening around 8pm. Emergency services from Amarin responded swiftly to calls for assistance from the festival, held at the Wang River Sports Field in the Fon Village, Chom Phu, Lampang. The injured…

  • Deputy Interior Minister’s whirlwind day: Prayers, fire, and fashion in Bangkok

    Deputy Interior Minister’s whirlwind day: Prayers, fire, and fashion in Bangkok

    Deputy Interior Minister Chada Thaiseth started his day with religious activities, then assisted in a fire incident during the day, and ended it at a fashion show in Bangkok, showcasing his versatile persona. The deputy interior minister revealed the incident of rescuing an elderly woman from a burning building in Uthai Thani yesterday. While attending a merit-making event yesterday, he…

  • Mystery surrounds death of Thai barista at coffee shop in Khao Yai

    Mystery surrounds death of Thai barista at coffee shop in Khao Yai

    A Thai woman discovered the dead body of her barista boyfriend at a coffee shop on Thanarat Road in the Khao Yai neighbourhood of Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeastern Thailand. The cause of his death remains a mystery. The woman, Charinthon Phuekkoksung, reported the death of her boyfriend, 25 year old Pasathorn Chaiyakarn, at Moo Si Police Station at 9.45pm yesterday,…

  • As Phuket tourism market recovers, a potential “carmageddon” infrastructure crisis looms

    As Phuket tourism market recovers, a potential “carmageddon” infrastructure crisis looms

    Phuket hotels experienced promising momentum for the first half of 2023, which has set an optimistic path for the remainder of the year. At the mid-year juncture, international and domestic flight volume was already up 75% over total flights in 2022.  Russia and China led the way as the two top tourism source markets in the first six months of…

  • Teenagers posing as junior police threaten resident with knives and a bomb

    Teenagers posing as junior police threaten resident with knives and a bomb

    Two teenagers narrowly escaped a violent confrontation after falsely claiming they were junior police officers. Armed with knives and a ping-pong bomb, they threatened a resident before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle. The quick response of local police prevented any further escalation. The incident occurred last night at around 11.30pm local time, according to Thanit Thapakdi, Deputy Investigating Officer…

  • Suicide of Wild Boar footballer sparks nationwide query into mental health support

    Suicide of Wild Boar footballer sparks nationwide query into mental health support

    The tragic suicide of Dom, a member of the “Wild Boar” football team, has left many with questions. As per a report by the BBC, Dom, full name Duangpetch Promthep, was one of the 13 individuals from the football team who were trapped in the Tham Luang cave and died eight months after his rescue. The cause of his death…

  • Thai community leader commits suicide after plan to kill ex-wife fails

    Thai community leader commits suicide after plan to kill ex-wife fails

    A Thai community leader committed suicide at his home in the central province of Nakhon Nayok after a plan to kill his ex-wife at a school failed. The director of Wang Phan Thip Phantaram School contacted officers at Mueang Nakhon Nayok Police Station after the school shooting incident at around 3pm yesterday, October 30. Officers rushed to the scene and…

  • 72 year old American trail runner found safe in Chiang Mai’s national forest reserve

    72 year old American trail runner found safe in Chiang Mai’s national forest reserve

    The 72 year old American trail runner who vanished in the national forest reserve of Pa San Sai, Chiang Mai, has been found. Reach Mikob, an American national, was reported missing during a nature trip with 20 friends. He was located by the head of Pong village, Manop Boonsiri, and subsequently taken to a Chiang Mai hospital for a health…

  • Grab cross-border delivery of chicken rice on TikTok revealed as hoax

    Grab cross-border delivery of chicken rice on TikTok revealed as hoax

    A Green-clad Grab delivery worker hopping on a plane to Singapore to transport a customer’s chicken rice order in Thailand turned out to be a hoax. A TikTok video depicting the scenario went viral, with a spokesperson for Grab Singapore confirming to The Straits Times that the video was created independently by a public individual, and the featured delivery partner…

  • Hong Kong temple tells Thai tourists to stop sticking gold leaf on prayer wheel

    Hong Kong temple tells Thai tourists to stop sticking gold leaf on prayer wheel

    There has been a call for Thai tourists to stop adhering gold leaf to an ancient prayer wheel at a temple in Hong Kong. A Thai tour guide‘s Facebook post drew attention to the unusual practice, suggesting that the temple’s authorities had said it was the work of Thai visitors. The act of sticking gold leaf to the wheel is…

  • Residents soar in opposition to Chiang Mai Airport’s extended hours plan

    Residents soar in opposition to Chiang Mai Airport’s extended hours plan

    Chiang Mai International Airport‘s proposed plan to extend its operating hours is facing mounting opposition from the locals of the Mae Hia subdistrict. The contention stems from the lack of compensation for the damages inflicted by the airport’s activities over the past five years. Meena Chankaew, president of the Nimman Noradee Neighbourhood, voiced the concerns of the residents whose properties…

  • Foreign man found dead with 4 stab wounds at hotel in Phuket

    Foreign man found dead with 4 stab wounds at hotel in Phuket

    A maid discovered the dead body of a foreign man with stab wounds to the neck in a hotel room in Phuket. There were no signs of theft or struggle. A substance similar to crystal meth was found in the bathroom. The hotel maid reported her shocking discovery to officers at Cheng Talay Police Station at around 9.30am yesterday, October…

  • Bangkok’s secret sting: Counterfeit goods crackdown hits Yannawa’s underbelly

    Bangkok’s secret sting: Counterfeit goods crackdown hits Yannawa’s underbelly

    Bangkok witnessed an undercover operation led by the Thai Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) that unfolded on Saturday, October 28. The day marked a significant blow to the counterfeit product industry, as a considerable quantity of fake goods including watches and handbags, counterfeit trademarks, and fabricated warranties, were seized in Yannawa, a district in the heart of Bangkok. The culprit…

  • Thai’ed down: Fertility crisis set to halve Thailand’s population in six decades

    Thai’ed down: Fertility crisis set to halve Thailand’s population in six decades

    Thailand’s population is predicted to plummet by half over the ensuing six decades due to a mounting fertility crisis. This alarming situation has spurred the Ministry of Public Health to instigate measures to encourage pregnancy and subsequently manage the drastic demographic shift that the country is poised to face. The Public Health Minister, Cholnan Srikaew, highlighted yesterday, October 30 that…

  • Pattaya taxi drivers apologise after assaulting man mistaken for ride-hailer

    Pattaya taxi drivers apologise after assaulting man mistaken for ride-hailer

    A contentious altercation that took place on Pattaya’s bustling Walking Street has seen local taxi drivers extending sincere apologies to a Thai couple in the wake of a severe misunderstanding. The incident, which occurred on October 28, led to 41 year old Sathit Ruenjit being assaulted by the taxi drivers who mistakenly believed he was operating as a ride-hailing driver.…

  • Bangkok’s 20-baht electric train policy boosts ridership by 30% on key lines

    Bangkok’s 20-baht electric train policy boosts ridership by 30% on key lines

    Bangkok was abuzz with positivity on October 28, as Dr Pichet Kunadhamraks, the Director General of the Department of Rail Transport, stepped forward to share the latest numbers. The recently implemented 20-baht electric train ride policy on the Red and Purple BTS lines saw a significant increase in ridership since its inception on October 16. The director general revealed a…