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 How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Melioidosis outbreak in Thailand claims ten lives, farmers urged caution
An alarming outbreak of melioidosis, also known as Whitmore’s disease, has emerged in Thailand, claiming the lives of approximately 10 farmers in Buriram, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Songkhla. Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) is warning farmers about the disease, triggered by the fungus Burkholderia pseudomallei, typically found in contaminated soil, water, rice paddies, and cropping farms. The spring outbreak has…
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Nightclub raided: underage entry, drug use and lack of license lead to five-year closure
A notorious nightclub in the Lam Luk Ka district was stormed and dismantled by the Ministry of Interior (MOI) for allowing underage visitors and drug use. The raid, conducted last night, alarmed over 300 patrons, with some discarding drugs such as ice, ketamine, and happy wormer on the floor. Out of the total patrons, 137 tested positive for drug use.…
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Disabled man tosses poo at Buriram repair shop over service dissatisfaction
A 66 year old disabled man has been caught on security camera footage tossing poo at a local repair shop due to dissatisfaction with the service he received. The incident took place in Buriram’s Sateuk district. The disabled man used an electric wheelchair to approach the shop late at night and proceeded to scatter faecal matter in front of it.…
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FDA enforces recall of hypertension drugs over cancer-causing impurities
A recall of 42 batches of hypertension drugs has been enforced by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from five pharmaceutical manufacturers following the discovery of potentially carcinogenic impurities. The decision came after the detection of azidomethyl biphenyl tetrazole (AZBT) impurities in some models of irbesartan, a drug used to control high blood pressure. Acting secretary-general of the FDA, Narong…
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Chinese woman divorces despite DNA test proving son’s legitimacy after family suspicions
A Chinese woman, known as Ho, found herself in a tense family situation after her four year old son, Tiewpao, made an innocent comment over lunch. Tiewpao innocently mentioned that his mother often brought home a male visitor during the day. This sparked suspicion and hostility within the family, leading to Ho’s husband taking Tiewpao for a DNA test. The…
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Mother and daughter die in Lampang minibus crash, police investigate cause
A shocking accident occurred when a minibus collided with an electricity pole, leaving a mother and daughter in a coma before succumbing to their injuries at the hospital. Two other individuals sustained minor injuries. The police are urgently investigating the real cause of the accident at 6.40pm yesterday. Officers from Mae Mo Police Station in Lampang province were notified of…
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Thailand seeks free trade agreement with Gulf nations to boost investment
Thailand’s government spokesperson, Chai Wacharonke, declared the country’s intention to establish a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member nations, aiming to enhance trade and investment relations. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin recently concluded his visit to Saudi Arabia, where he participated in the ASEAN-GCC Riyadh Summit at the Ritz-Carlton. During the visit, the 61 year old prime…
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Saudi Arabia pledges to aid Thailand in Israel-Hamas hostage crisis
Thailands Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced that Saudi Arabia has pledged to assist in securing the release of Thai hostages caught in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. His statement came after meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud at the Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Riyadh. The Crown Prince expressed his sympathy towards the Thai workers affected…
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Thailand prepares to send workers back to Israel post-conflict
Thailand’s Labour Ministry has expressed readiness to send its workers back to Israel once the tensions between Israel and Hamas ease. The statement came from Pairote Chotikasathien, the permanent secretary of the ministry. This came after Kittana Srisuriya, a minister counsellor at the Thai embassy in Tel Aviv, held discussions with Eyal Sisu, the director-general of the Population and Immigration…
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Former Bangkok school officials under investigation for alleged corruption and misuse of parents’ donations
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) ordered an investigation into allegations of misconduct and corruption against two former senior staff of Wat Suthiwararam School. Today, Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, the Secretary-General of the NACC, revealed that the Commission had identified wrongdoing linked to public service misconduct against Kongwut Paibulsilp, the former school director, and Laddawan Kowajareon Tham, the former deputy director. The accusations…
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Bangkok sees drop in PM2.5 levels but 41 areas still exceed standard, orange alert issued
Air Quality Data Centre in Bangkok reported a decrease in PM2.5 levels today, from 5am to 7am. The measurements ranged from 25.8 to 60.2 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³), with an average of 40.1µg/m³ across Bangkok. Despite the decrease, 41 areas still exceed the standard level, impacting health with an orange level alert. As of 7am, PM2.5 measurements ranged between…
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ACE’s 18 solar projects to boost revenue with 665m baht annually
Absolute Clean Energy (ACE), a prominent biomass power developer and operator based in Bangkok, is set to see a significant increase in revenue following the selection of its 18 solar power generation ventures to feed the national grid. The projects are being executed under the umbrella of ACE’s 14 entirely owned subsidiary companies. ACE, in a recent announcement by its…
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Thai workers in debt eager to return to Israel after conflict cessation
The cessation of conflict in Israel is eagerly awaited by Thai workers who have returned home, as they are burdened by significant debts that require their return to work. Among them is 38 year old Thaworn Aksornsue, a recent returnee from Israel where he spent seven months labouring on a farm, earning approximately 55,000 baht (US$ 1,507) monthly. A substantial…
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Bombings and skirmishes in Narathiwat leave four officers injured and power outage
Four officers were injured in a fierce confrontation between police and criminals, who instigated several bombings and skirmishes in Narathiwat, Thailand. A gold shop was severely damaged, and approximately 10 electricity poles were knocked down. Early in the morning of today, around 1.30am, troublemakers clashed with officers and secretly planted bombs near the Tabah checkpoint in Jeh Heh, Tak Bai…
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Changsha woman falls into coma following allergic reaction to salon hair dye
A 60 year old woman from Huinan, Changsha City, suffered a severe allergic reaction after having her hair dyed at a beauty salon. Four hours after leaving the salon, she started to experience breathing difficulties and was rushed to the hospital. In the emergency room, she was put on a ventilator and she fell into a coma which lasted for…
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Court rejects anti-corruption agency’s review bid in Prawit’s wristwatch probe
The Supreme Administrative Court yesterday upheld a prior court’s decision against the National Anti-Corruption Commission’s (NACC) request for a case review involving luxury wristwatches linked to former Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon. The court found no basis for the review, which would require the NACC to disclose details of their investigation into the wristwatch controversy to political activist Veera Somkhwamkid.…
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Hong Kong man praised for compassionate act during public altercation with naked woman
Panic swept through the streets as a woman was spotted running naked, eventually engaging in an altercation with a man. Amid the chaos, one man took compassionate action, earning praise from onlookers. Recently, a video clip circulated in Hong Kong’s WhatsApp groups showed a naked woman running wildly on the street before engaging in an altercation with a man. The…
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Heavy rainfall to hit 43 Thai provinces: Bangkok residents warned of flash floods
Today, Thailand’s Meteorological Department warned 43 provinces of continuous heavy rainfall, affecting 70% of the area. Bangkok is particularly hit with strong winds, and the risk of flash floods is high. The Meteorological Department’s 24-hour weather forecast indicates a high-pressure system or a mass of cold air from China is spreading and covering northern Thailand. This condition leads to thunderstorms…
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Thailand set to become ASEAN’s gaming hub, says Thailand Game Show organisers
With its burgeoning gaming sector, Thailand is poised to become the gaming hub of the ASEAN region, according to organisers at the Thailand Game Show 2023. The nation’s gaming industry, valued at 30 billion baht, is leading in Southeast Asia and ranks 20th globally. In addition to boasting impressive user numbers and hosting gaming competitions, Thailand is also nurturing game…
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Thai hostages safe in Gaza, release hinged on Israeli military ceasefire
Seyed Reza Nobakhti, the Iranian ambassador to Thailand, confirmed that the Thai hostages currently held in Palestinian territories remain safe. He mentioned that the hostages, along with others, will only be released once the Israeli military halts its attack on the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian militant group, Hamas, had captured about 200 hostages, including 19 Thai workers, during an unexpected…
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Capsized kayak calamity off Pattaya: Adventure takes an unexpected plunge
A kayaking adventure off the coast of Pattaya nearly ended in tragedy as a boat carrying a 42 year old man and a 14 year old girl capsized in the early hours of yesterday morning. The incident, which occurred at 4.30am, drew swift response from emergency services who attended the scene near Walking Street in South Pattaya, Banglamung district, Chon…
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Myanmar national sought by Thai cyber police in iPhone fraud scheme involving mule accounts
The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau is gearing up to issue an arrest warrant for a Myanmar national involved in a fraudulent iPhone sale to a sixth-form student. The scheme involved easily controlled mule accounts, with a recent arrest of a 39 year old woman, Nattanicha Suksri, who was involved in withdrawing funds. The arrest took place yesterday in Chiang Rai…
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Universal healthcare with one ID card set to expand in Thailand
The One ID Card, Universal Healthcare initiative is set to be extended to four additional provinces in Thailand, according to Dr Chonnan Srikaew, minister of the Ministry of Public Health. Stating that the new policy will be officially announced on October 24, the minister clarified that the single ID card will enable citizens to access healthcare services in all networks, including…
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Chinese couple’s 20-year routine leads to 15 million baht gold theft
A gold shop owner couple who have been transporting 30 kilogrammes of gold back and forth from their home for over 20 years woke up to a shocking gold theft reality – a thief had stolen their gold worth over 15 million baht. The couple, based in the city of Shuangyashan, Heilongjiang province, China, were under the impression that keeping…
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Over 100 victims lured into buying fake concert tickets and perfume
Forty victims, representing more than 100 others, filed a complaint with the police after a Thai woman lured them into buying fake concert tickets and perfume from their beloved Thai singer, Palitchoke “Peck” Ayanaputra. One of the victims, whose identity has not been revealed, told ThaiRath that Peck’s fans formed a group on social media to talk about Peck and…
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Flight flab: Thai airlines weigh in on passenger pounds
Several airlines have introduced weight checks for passengers and their luggage before boarding to calculate standard and average passenger weight. This passenger weigh-in measure, initiated today, allows airlines to distribute weight more effectively on international flights, thus reducing fuel usage. Foreign airlines have implemented the passenger weigh-in rule to investigate and calculate standard and average passenger weight. The collected data…
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Indie guitarist hits rock bottom: From strings to online gambling sins
A renowned ex-Indie band guitarist found himself on the wrong side of the law after falling into online gambling and resorting to theft. The 31 year old musician, Anutree, was apprehended for theft today by the police team led by Thiti Saengsaeng, Napasorn Poolsawat, Theeradech Thammasuthee, and Warapoj Rungkrajang. The arrest came after an incident on October 10, when an unidentified…
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Internet star Lina Jung highlights squalid state of 100 million baht Bangkok complex home
Popular Internet idol Lina Jung recently exposed the shocking condition of her city-centre shopping complex home, worth over 100 million baht, which she has resided in for over 30 years. The building has been left in a squalid condition, filled with drugs, sanitary bags, and rubbish, prompting Jung to draw the attention of the Royal Thai Police and the Governor of…
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Missing 12 year old Bangkok girl sparks urgent search
A 12 year old girl has been missing for three continuous days under mysterious circumstances. Her distraught mother found a chat conversation between her daughter and a young man, prompting urgent police action to locate her. Concerns for her safety arose when the last CCTV footage of her was found at 10am today at Bang Na Police Station. Kanthasat Pongpaibulvech,…
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Thai couple arrested for filming and selling explicit content of women lured via dating app
A Thai husband and wife were apprehended by the Royal Thai Police for allegedly deceiving women through a dating app, playing them with alcohol, filming explicit content, and subsequently selling it on social media platforms. The couple, 24 year old Kantakawee Boonchalom and 27 year old Rossukon Phanarboon, who identified themselves as sex creators, reportedly earned around 600,000 baht from their…
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