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 Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Blue pee surprise: Thai Highway Police bust narcotics ring in Bangkok
The Thai Highway Police today busted a narcotics ring and its leader who produced blue pee after taking a urine drug test in Bangkok. The gang employed an unconventional smuggling tactic to transport a massive haul of 400,000 methamphetamine pills. Their plan involved transporting the illicit drugs from Bangkok to Surat Thani. The police successfully carried out the operation, culminating in…
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Surin beach tragedy: Body of 44 year old Thai man washes up on Phuket shores
Tragedy hit the shores of Phuket yesterday as the body of a 44 year old man from Phitsanulok, was found washed up on the seaside. The man, Thawat Sriracha, who had come to Phuket to kickstart a new job, vanished on Sunday, July 30 amid the large waves of Surin Beach. Patrons of Surin Beach on that eventful day were…
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Maya Bay closed until September 30 for nature restoration and tourist safety
Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Koh Phi Phi Nationa Park authorities, located in the southern province of Krabi, announced they will close Maya Bay and Loh Sama Bay from August 1 to September 30. The move aims to preserve nature and prioritise tourist safety during the monsoon season. Ratchanok Parenoi, the national park director, pointed out that Thailand experiences the monsoon season…
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Songkhla man nabbed smuggling 14 undocumented Burmese for 30,000 baht
A 31 year old man from Hat Yai, Songkhla, has been arrested by highway police in Surat Thani for allegedly smuggling 14 Burmese immigrants into Thailand. The arrest took place on Phetkasem Road within Thachang, where he, after an initial attempt to flee, was apprehended with his Toyota Revo pickup truck, registration number ผผ7620 Songkhla. The man, Rusdee, was found…
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Beach beating: Thai transwomen assault foreigners in Pattaya
In the early hours of this morning, a gang of twenty Thai transwomen unleashed a physical assault on three foreigners along Beach Road in Pattaya, raising concerns due to their previous involvement in violent acts in the area. The Pattaya Tourist Police swiftly responded to a distress call and arrived at the scene to aid the victims, comprising two Saudi…
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Water shortages: Thai govt mulls halting Central Plains rice farming amid anticipated drought
In a bid to counteract the effects of a potential drought, the central government of Thailand is contemplating the suspension of rice cultivation in the Central Plains region. This proposal comes alongside the potential establishment of a command centre to combat reduced rainfall and water shortages. The Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) initiated this conversation, citing apprehensions about…
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Drunk shoots neighbour in ongoing feud in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand
A severe case of neighbourhood conflict escalated drastically yesterday when a drunk man shot his neighbour with a shotgun in northern Thailand. Local police dashed to the scene to investigate the incident with an emergency rescue unit in Chiang Mai. The perpetrator was arrested and charged. The 66 year old offender, Manu, was found in a severe state of inebriation…
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Bangkok cleanup: State railway clear rubbish on future elevated train line site
An assertive Bangkok cleanup approach has been taken by both the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) in conjunction with the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), to clear mounting rubbish clustered along the rail tracks in proximity to Phaya Thai. This follows a poignant post by a Japanese Twitter user which displayed the deplorable conditions encircling a Kiha-183 train, generously donated to…
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Tissue dreams ahead: Kuma Thailand to build dedicated factory in five years
Kuma (Thailand) Co, the parent firm of the Kuma tissue brand, is setting its sights on augmenting its production capabilities by developing a dedicated factory within the next five years. The goal of this ambitious project is to bolster the company’s capacity and pave the way for future product expansion in the consumer goods sphere. The director at the helm,…
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Flash flood scare at Bueng Kan’s Phuwua Sanctuary prompts quick evacuation of tourists
The renowned tourist attraction of Phuwua Wildlife Sanctuary was the recent setting of a narrow escape for visitors in Bueng Kan, northeast Thailand. Sudden heavy rainfall resulted in water flooding down from the Phuwua mountains, leading tourists, who were enjoying a day at the Tham Phra Waterfall, to flee for higher ground. As reported at 4pm yesterday, amidst a vibrant atmosphere,…
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Cautionary Krabi Sea waves: Dramatic speedboat manoeuvres issue stern warning to operators and tourists (video)
Dramatic documentation of three speedboats manoeuvring massive 5-metre waves in the Krabi Sea issued a stern warning to the boat operators and tourists to remain cautious. The posted video, which instantly caused a commotion on social media yesterday, showcased the life-threatening conditions faced by the vessels amidst the towering waves. An individual on Facebook initially shared the gripping video of the…
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Thai NHSO launches homegrown rubber prosthetic fistula, expects 540 million baht savings
Moving towards medical self-sustainability while concurrently conserving expenses, Thailand’s National Health Security Office (NHSO) has come up with an innovative solution. The NHSO has launched a new, locally made prosthetic fistula prepared from natural rubber for those participating in the Universal Healthcare (UHC) programme, also commonly referred to as the “gold card” scheme. This new initiative aims at reducing the…
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Family feud over dinner turns fatal as man in northern Thailand kills father
In a tragic act of family violence, a 32 year old man fatally slashed his father after a dispute over eating rice in the family farm hut, in Ban Tat, Non Sung District, Udon Thani province in northeastern Thailand. At around 8.15pm yesterday, Non Sung Police Station officer, Sethawit Kunseth, rushed to the scene where they found the body of…
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ASEAN bolsters talks with UK, Russia for potential economic cooperation plans
In an attempt to further drive economic cooperation, Southeast Asia, through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), is accelerating its dialogue with the United Kingdom and Russia. This information was released by Auramon Supthaweethum, the head of the Trade Negotiations Department. A senior official from the department, Duangarthit Nidhi-u-tai, was sent to represent the region at the 4th ASEAN-UK,…
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Tourism revival in Thailand risks airport slot overcrowding, suggests alternative options
In anticipation of the upcoming high season, Thailand’s Tourism Authority (TAT) expressed concerns over the slot capacity at international airports. As more flights are set to resume, it is predicted that the country will receive around 8 million tourists this year, primarily derived from long-haul markets anticipating a significant tourism revival. The deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East,…
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Education rights for Burmese students advocated by former Thai minister
A case involving former Thai education minister Chaturon Chaisang has recently shone a light on the plight of 126 Burmese students caught in a legal conundrum. The students, undocumented and without Thai nationality, were accepted into the school by Kanlaya Thasom, also known as Teacher Poo, the former head of Thairath Wittaya 6 School in Ang Thong province. This issue…
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Hidden electrical fault causes boiling ground and shocks central Thai district
A mysterious plume of smoke erupting from the ground yesterday left locals in the Bang Chakreng district perplexed. Residents were especially alarmed when a frog leapt into view, only to be cooked alive in some boiling water on the path. Importantly, it wasn’t until staff at the Electricity Authority switched off the power that the reason for this unusual happening was…
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Yoga attire of a woman on Hong Kong subway sparks online controversy
In Hong Kong, an online community member sparked a debate after he shared a picture of a woman, captured in secret, wearing yoga pants on a subway ride. Said woman, wearing a black top and skin-tight grey yoga pants, was engrossed in her phone when the picture was taken and put up on a public forum for criticism. The post,…
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Vietnamese man inherits 1.4 million baht from elderly mother-in-law’s banknote
A Vietnamese man cared for his frail and elderly mother-in-law at home, fulfilling his wife’s wishes to have her close by. This action yielded unexpected rewards when the woman’s death led to accidental wealth for him and his wife. Minh, a Vietnamese man, and his family welcomed his sick and elderly mother-in-law into their home as per the request of…
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Extramarital affair: Young girl exposes father’s infidelity, triggers divorce proceedings
In an unprecedented twist, a five year old girl found herself in the middle of a domestic fallout after revealing to her mother about her father’s extramarital affair. Jean, in her early thirties, was blindsided by her daughter’s revelation, sparking off an unravelling of their seemingly happy family life built over eight years of marriage. Jean and her spouse lived…
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High drama in Pattaya: Foreigner’s cappuccino turns fatal at ganja café
A foreign man met a tragic end at a marijuana shop in Pattaya, allegedly after consuming what the shop owner claimed was a cappuccino. The unfortunate incident occurred on Sunday, July 30, at a well-known ganja café situated on the bustling Walking Street. The identity of the deceased, Hamad Alblaiher, a 52 year old man of unknown nationality, was found…
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Fireworks fiasco: Narathiwat warehouse woes lead to married Thai culprits
In the aftermath of the harrowing fireworks explosion in Narathiwat province on Saturday, a disaster which resulted in 12 fatalities and left 121 people wounded, local authorities were quick to establish the identities of those accountable for the fire on Saturday, July 29. They identified Sompong Nakul and Piyanut Puengworawat, a married couple, as the proprietors of the warehouse responsible…
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Revving up for justice: RTP launches covert crackdown on rogue motorcycle clubs
A countdown is underway for five prominent foreign motorcycle clubs that have been operating covertly within Thailand‘s borders. This comes as the Royal Thai Police (RTP) intensifies its efforts following a successful crackdown on the infamous Outlaws Motorcycle Club in Pattaya last month. The RTP’s relentless pursuit, initiated on July 21, resulted in the arrest of the alleged Austrian group…
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Shocking surprise: Power interruption leaves Phuket residents in the dark
Residents of Srisoonthorn, in particular those living in the Sri-Suphalak Orchid Villas housing estate, Moo 6, Phuket, should brace for a power interruption this week, as announced by the Thalang branch of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA Thalang). This power interruption, scheduled for Thursday, is expected to last from 9am to 4.30pm. The temporary state of darkness isn’t without a…
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Love scam wheels to a halt: Police nab notorious carjacking temptress in central Thailand
The leader of the notorious Busarakam Gang, renowned for deceiving men into falling in love with members of her gang and then stealing their cars, was apprehended today. The police confirmed that they successfully captured the mastermind, a 33-year-old woman from Ratchaburi province. Based on the warrant 384/2023 issued by the Pattaya court on July 24, she had at least…
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Koh Tao sees record-breaking one-day tourist influx
The island of Koh Tao has seen a record-breaking number of tourists reported to have landed on July 28. The Surat Thani Provincial Governor, Wichuwat Jinto, shared the good news earlier today. Koh Tao, the smallest of the three main southern gulf islands, welcomed a staggering 3,106 visitors, all of whom arrived via boat on the same day. This influx…
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Unbear-lievable scandal at Chinese zoo: Are sun bears actually humans in bear suits? (video)
A Chinese zoo categorically denied its sun bears are humans dressed in bear suits. Hangzhou Zoo finds itself embroiled in controversy as speculations swirl on social media, alleging that its sun bears may not be genuine creatures but humans in bear suits. The uproar erupted when images of one of the zoo’s sun bears, a species native to Southeast Asia,…
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Samui Slam Volleyball tournament coming next month
The Samui Slam Beach Volleyball Tournament & Training Camp will be held next month on the island of Koh Samui in the southern province of Surat Thani. It will run from September 18 to 24 at the stunning SEEN Beach Club on Chaweng Beach. Promising to be a thrilling sporting event, the Samui Slam is originated by organiser Biggs Island…
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Bangkok: The digital nomad’s No.1 destination, says survey
Bangkok earned the prestigious title of top city for digital nomads worldwide, according to a recent survey conducted by CommercialSearch, a renowned platform specializing in working and co-working spaces. The bustling metropolis outshone all its competitors in this year’s rankings of the Best Cities for Digital Nomads. CommercialSearch’s evaluation process involved assessing cities globally with populations exceeding 400,000 residents and…
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Woman’s provocative prank raises questions of public decency
A prank involving a bold young woman trying to generate video content by abruptly sitting on the laps of men on public streets has stirred substantial online debate. In one particularly alarming episode, she approached a man seated with his girlfriend. This audacious act created an intense scenario when she casually asked, “Can I sit for a moment?” The young…
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