News
Stay up-to-date with the latest news from across Thailand and beyond with The Thaiger. Our dedicated team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from this stunning part of the world, covering a diverse range of topics, including local politics, business, culture, and tourism. Keep yourself informed about the Kingdom’s rich history, stunning landscapes, and thriving expat communities, as well as updates on events, attractions, and transportation.
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Viral video shows Khao San club guard slapping tourist
A video clip showing a foreign tourist being handcuffed and slapped in the face by a security guard in a popular pub in the Khao San Road area of Bangkok has gone viral on social media. The victim is thought to be a well-known YouTuber. The incident has sparked outrage among commenters and led to the guard being fired. In…
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Krabi homeowner shocked by 5-metre king cobra snake
If you were a giant king cobra snake, where would you live? The answer is apparently “anywhere you want.” A homeowner in Krabi got a major surprise when they discovered a five-metre-long king cobra relaxing at their house this week. A team of snake handlers successfully caught the king cobra that was hiding under a chair in front of their…
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Police in Rayong destroy thousands of guns
Thousands of guns seized by police were destroyed in a ceremony at a Millcon Steel Company facility in Rayong this week. The destruction marks the latest effort by the Royal Thai Police to enforce gun control in the country and combat illegal firearm possession. The national police chief Pol. Gen. Damrongsak Kittiprapas and his deputy presided over the gun destruction…
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Officials warn against Phuket flight price gouging
If you are frustrated at the rising costs of airfare to Phuket, you’re not the only one. The popular resort island has been facing complaints from tourists regarding rising airfare prices during the high season. In response, the Provincial Public-Private Joint Economic Development Committee has warned airlines against overcharging customers for flights to Phuket, especially during long holidays. The warning…
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2-hour flight becomes 16-hour nightmare in Japan
Sometimes a few minutes makes all the difference. After a delayed takeoff, a 2-hour flight across Japan became a 16-hour nightmare when it was denied permission to land because it was 10 minutes late. The 335 passengers aboard Japan Airlines (JAL) flight JL 331 were caught in limbo between their departure from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and Fukuoka International Airport who…
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Thai Airways to merge with Thai Smile to ‘reduce losses’
Thai Airways is to merge with Thai Smile to “reduce losses.” The plan is expected to be approved by the end of this year. Piyasvasti Amranand, chairman of THAI’s committee overseeing the airline’s rehabilitation, said the restructuring had been on the cards for a while and had always been part of the plan. “A study about the merger plan is…
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Metal sphere dubbed ‘Godzilla Egg’ washed onto Japanese beach
A mysterious metal sphere that washed ashore on a beach in Japan has left residents and authorities wondering what it could be. The sphere, approximately 1.5 metres wide, was spotted by a local man in the coastal city of Hamamatsu, who alerted the police after noticing the unusual object on Enshuhama beach. Authorities came to check it out and promptly…
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Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi’s ex-husband accused of dismembering her
Police in Hong Kong search for the ex-husband of socialite Abby Choi after her headless body was discovered in a village house. The home in Tai Po had been rented by her ex-husband’s father recently. The 28 year old model was reported missing on Tuesday. Parts of her dismembered body were found to have been cooked and stored in a…
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Changing Social Norms & Sex Education in Thailand feat. @TichaKanticha | Thaiger Podcast Ep.25
Kanticha Chumma Model, Actress, Youtuber, entrepreneur and TV host has taken Thailand by storm! Daring, Energetic, provocative and with an iron-clad confidence, Ticha is one of the most recognisable and rising stars in Thailand. As a Swedish Thai personality, she has changed the social norms of what it means to be a ‘celebrity’ in Thailand. A multi-talented individual. Ticha also…
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Federal baht bus standing ban puts drivers in a pickle
A new law has been published in the Royal Gazette, stating that passengers are no longer allowed to stand on the back of baht buses, also known as songtaews. But drivers are also obligated to pick up all passengers, leaving drivers with the dilemma of either illegally not picking up passengers when full or illegally overcrowding and allowing passengers to…
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Thai army punishes 5 soldiers and their commanders for gunfight in Bangkok
The Royal Thai Army (RTA) punished five non-commissioned officers and their commanders after residents living near the premises in Bangkok complained about a gunfight and loud party at night. Locals living near an army premise in the Chaeng Watthana district of Bangkok have recently released a video of soldiers engaging in violent behaviour. The caption said… “The gunfight on February…
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Thai drug lord ‘becomes Korean’ with plastic surgery to evade the law
Thai police arrested a “handsome Korean man” in Bangkok today who is in fact a wanted Thai drug lord who underwent loads of plastic surgery and changed his name to present as a Korean man to avoid prosecution. Police arrested 25 year old “Jimin Cheong,” formerly Sarahat Sawangjaeng, at a condominium in the Bang Na district of Bangkok under an arrest…
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Loan shark claims debtor shot herself in the head at his house in Thailand
A loan shark in northern Thailand informed the police on Tuesday that a debtor – who is also his ex-girlfriend – committed suicide in front of him by shooting herself in the head due to financial stress. Her relatives are not convinced by the claim and insist that she never had a gun. At 8.30pm, 58 year old Somkiat rang…
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Thai-Bangladeshis commemorate International Mother Language Day in Pattaya
Thai-Bangladeshis gathered on Wednesday to commemorate International Mother Language Day in Pattaya. The community commemorated the day at the Unique Regency Hotel on Pratumnak Soi 5. Dozens of residents, esteemed guests, and other members of the Pattaya Thai-Bangladeshi Community attended the event. International Mother Language Day is globally observed and formally recognised by the United Nations. The day aims to…
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Thai Airways Q4 loss narrows
Thai Airways Q4 profit almost tripled as tourists started to return to the holiday kingdom. The carrier’s net income for the three months ending December 31 rose to 11.2 billion baht (US$300 million) from 4 billion baht a year earlier, chief executive officer Chai Eamsiri said on Friday. Thai Airways Q4 profit to support strong growth in 2023 Operating income…
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Malware and ransomware biggest threat to Thai businesses
Malware and ransomware continue to be just as much of a threat to businesses this year as last, according to a cybersecurity firm FortiGuard Labs. The global cyber threat study and research team, found malware and ransomware with sophisticated attack patterns and delivery remain the main threats to Thai organisations. Vulnerability will increase During the fourth quarter of 2022, FortiGuard…
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Video of foreign children playing with dangerous tokay gecko shocks Thai netizens
Netizens in Thailand are baffled by a clip posted by a Thai TikToker of three foreign children playing with a tokay gecko, an aggressive lizard feared most by Thais. Tokay geckos are not venomous but are known for being aggressive, territorial and inflicting strong, nasty bites that draw blood and get infected easily. Once a tokay gecko bites, it locks…
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TAT expects roadshow to help bring 5 million Chinese tourists to Thailand this year
Earlier this week, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) launched its ‘Amazing Thailand Amazing New Chapters Roadshow to China 2023.’ The roadshow began on 21 February in Shanghai and later moved to Chengdu and Guangzhou. TAT expects the roadshow to help it reach its goal of welcoming 5 million tourists to Thailand this year. The roadshow aimed to create business…
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Romance scam: Dutchman files 4 million baht lawsuit against Thai ex-girlfriend
In another romance scam case, a Dutchman is trying to get 4 million baht from his former girlfriend, a woman from Sakhon Nakhon province in northeast Thailand, who he says deceived him into sending her millions for land and a house before abandoning him. The Thai woman says it’s the Dutchman who is in the wrong for starting a relationship…
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Oman Air announces network expansion for 2023 summer schedule
Continuing its ambitious and dynamic strategy of fleet and network expansion, Oman Air, the national airline of the Sultanate of Oman, has unveiled its summer schedule for 2023. The schedule specifies significant frequency increases on existing routes, and the addition of four destinations—representing a 60% increase in the number of flights from its hub in Muscat compared to the previous…
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Four suspects arrested over murder of 4 men in southern Thailand
Police arrested four suspects in connection with the murder of four men whose bodies were found in Juerae Lake and the Kolok River in the southern province of Narathiwat two days ago. Residents found three dead bodies with gunshot wounds in a sedan truck submerged in Juerae Lake. Then another lifeless body who was also shot dead was found in…
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Thailand votes for Russia to withdraw from Ukraine at UN Assembly
Thailand was one of 141 countries at the United Nations (UN)’s General Assembly yesterday that voted for Russia to end the war in Ukraine and withdraw troops immediately. Seven countries voted against and 32 countries abstained. Thailand’s vote is significant since Thailand refused to condemn Russia’s annexation of Ukraine at a UN Assembly in October 2022, abstaining from the vote.…
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Driving instructor intentionally crashes into and kills Thai police officer (video)
A driving instructor crashed his sedan into the motorbike of a highway police officer in Pathum Thani province in central Thailand yesterday, instantly killing him. The crash was captured clearly by the camera attached to the highway police officer’s helmet. After inspecting the footage, police believe the crash was intentional. At 4.30pm, the Highway Police received notification of an accident…
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The healing power of cannabis in Thai herbal medicine
Want to explore new ways to heal your body and mind? Then Thailand’s thriving medical cannabis clinics is your answer. Since the legalization of cannabis in 2022, these clinics have popped up all over the country, offering innovative treatments for a variety of ailments. But wait, what exactly is Thai herbal medicine, and how does cannabis fit in? Well, let’s dive…
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Dozens of luxury cars stolen from UK seized in Thailand
Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) seized 29 of 35 luxury cars reportedly stolen from the UK and smuggled to Bangkok, Thailand, reports ThaiRath. The seizures follow a request from England’s National Crime Agency for the DSI’s help in locating 35 luxury cars collectively worth more than £2.4 million (more than 100 million Thai baht), believed to be illegally imported…
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Get your groove on at Thailand’s biggest reggae festival
Get your groove on at Thailand’s biggest reggae festival, coming up next month in the beach town of Cha-am. The Sunset Beach Music Festival 2023 will feature some of the biggest names in the industry, Thailand’s reggae and ska fans can expect to have a blast. The festival will be held at the Baan Mai Bon Hat resort on Bang…
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UK pilot thought dead co-pilot was jokingly taking a nap beside him
A UK pilot thought his co-pilot was jokingly taking a nap beside him when he had actually suffered cardiac arrest and died in the cockpit. The pilot was flying around an airport in northern England and realised what had happened only after he landed. According to the Straits Times, a safety report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch in Britain…
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China declares Covid-19 pandemic is over after ‘miracle’ exit from Zero-Covid policy
China is victoriously declaring that the Covid-19 pandemic has ended after a “miracle” exit from its previous Zero-Covid policy. Liang Wannian, head of the National Health Commission’s Covid-19 expert response team, commented on the revelation. “The pandemic still exists from a global perspective and the harm of the disease still exists, but we can say our country has achieved a…
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Bird flu takes life of 11 year old girl in Cambodia
The bird flu, or H5N1, has taken the life of an 11 year old girl in Cambodia, marking the first known infection from the disease since 2014. The girl from the rural southeastern province of Prey Veng fell ill on February 16 and was sent to a hospital in Phnom Penh. According to the South China Morning Post, doctors diagnosed…
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World of sport mourns legendary commentator John Motson
The world of sports broadcasting is mourning the loss of legendary commentator John Motson, who passed away at the age of 77. The iconic voice of British football, affectionately known as “Motty,” had a 50-year career with the BBC, covering 10 World Cups, 10 European Championships, and 29 FA Cup finals. In a statement released by Motson’s family, they confirmed…
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