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Five stranded tourists rescued from Phetchaburi mountain
Five tourists were rescued after becoming stuck on a mountain in Phetchaburi last night, April 18, with one 21 year old man later taken to the hospital after feeling faint during the descent. Volunteers from the Sawang Sanphet Dhammasathan Foundation in Phetchaburi were called to help five tourists stranded on Khao Ego, a mountain about 900 metres high in Nong…
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Two die in Bang Na townhouse blaze, cause under investigation
A fire tore through a townhouse at a luxury housing project on Udom Suk Road in Bang Na, Bangkok, early on Sunday, killing two people and injuring two others. The blaze broke out at 2.45am. Police Lieutenant Wirach Samran, deputy inspector of Bang Na Police Station, attended the scene alongside officers from the Sukhumvit Fire and Rescue Station. The fire…
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Nigerian, Swiss suspects arrested in cocaine network bust
Police arrested four suspects, including Nigerian and Swiss nationals, in raids targeting a cocaine network after a months-long investigation, seizing cocaine and other assets in Bangkok and Nonthaburi, according to an operation reported today, April 19. The key suspect was identified as 47 year old Nigerian national Patric, who was arrested in Bangkok at about 11pm yesterday, April 18. He…
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Cannabis shop owner shot dead by police officer in Pattaya
A police officer was arrested after allegedly shooting a cannabis shop owner dead in a Songkran shooting on Pattaya Walking Street early today, April 19. The shooting was reported at 1.06am behind a cannabis shop on Walking Street in South Pattaya, Nong Prue, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri. Police and rescue workers arrived to find the cannabis shop owner, 41…
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Transgender woman falls to death at Bangkok luxury condo
An unidentified transgender woman fell to her death from a luxury condominium in the Kaset-Nawamin area of Bangkok on Friday night, with police launching an investigation into the circumstances of the fall. At 8.10pm on April 18, police sub-lieutenant Natdanai Sriyotha from Phaholyothin Police Station received a report of a fatal fall at a condominium on Prasert Manukitch Road, Senanikom…
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Chiang Mai doctor reports severe lung cases tied to PM2.5
A doctor at Chiang Mai University said on April 17 that PM2.5 and toxic smoke in northern Thailand were linked to two serious lung cases, including a 19 year old foreign tourist who required high-flow oxygen. PM2.5 levels in Chiang Mai remained at concerning levels yesterday with many areas covered by thick haze and reduced visibility. Officials have continued efforts…
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Consumer council calls for 20-baht Green Line fare
The Thailand Consumers Council (TCC) is pushing for a fixed 20-baht fare on Bangkok’s Green Line electric railway, alongside a broader restructuring of mass transit pricing aimed at boosting ridership by 50% and cutting household living costs. TCC secretary-general Saree Aongsomwang made the call during a press briefing titled “Green Line After 2029: Study Shows 20-Baht Fare Feasible,” arguing that…
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Woman accuses Chinese client of assault, detention in Bangkok condo
A woman has filed a complaint after allegedly being detained and assaulted at a condominium in Bangkok by a Chinese client she met through entertainment work, with police now investigating the case. The incident, first shared by the social media page “อยากดังเดี๋ยวจัดให้ รีเทิร์น part 7”, reportedly took place at a condominium in Ramkhamhaeng 24. The victim, identified as 31 year…
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French tourists fined after swimming in restricted Maya Bay area
Two French tourists were fined after entering the water in a no-swimming zone at Maya Bay in Krabi, according to a statement posted yesterday, April 18, by Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. The park said an investigation found the incident took place on February 26 at about 12pm at the PP.5 national park protection unit in Maya…
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Songkran festival: 242 fatalities in Thailand’s road safety report
Thailand’s Songkran road toll falls in 2026, but 242 still killed Thailand recorded 242 deaths, 1,242 accidents, and 1,200 injuries during the Songkran road safety campaign from April 10 to 16, with Bangkok posting the highest death toll at 21 and Phrae province logging the most accidents at 48 and injuries at 50. Speeding was the leading cause of crashes,…
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Thai flight cuts lead to 10% drop in outbound travel
Flight cancellations and capacity reductions are expected to push outbound trips down by 15 to 20% during the low season, with a 10% decline projected across the full year. Several Thai carriers have trimmed their schedules on specific routes. Thai AirAsia X has pulled back on its Bangkok to Sapporo service, while Thai AirAsia has reduced flights to China for…
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Tourist decline in Pai due to severe air pollution
Tourist numbers in Pai have plummeted by nearly 90% over the past two months as persistent air pollution continues to grip northern Thailand, officials and residents in Mae Hong Son province say. Data from the Pollution Control Department on Friday showed PM2.5 levels across the northern region ranging from 63.1 to 193.2 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m³), posing serious health…
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Summer storm warning for upper Thailand from April 17-20
Thailand’s Meteorological Department has issued its seventh warning about a summer storm set to impact upper Thailand from April 17 to 20, bringing thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail to several areas. The storm will first strike the northeastern and eastern regions before moving to the central region, including Bangkok and surrounding provinces, then the north. A high-pressure system and cold…
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3 foreign men assault another foreigner in Pattaya Songkran celebration
A video recently shared online showed a group of foreign men in a fight during Songkran celebrations on Pattaya Walking Street on April 17. The footage, posted by a Thai woman, showed a group of three men, believed to be from Middle Eastern countries, confronting a foreign man reported to be European, aged between 50 and 60. In the caption, the…
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Trat fisherman fined over 140,000 baht for illegal diesel
Excise officers in Trat and marine police seized 3,800 litres of illegal diesel from a fishing boat in Khlong Yai in the early hours of today, April 17, after receiving a tip-off about untaxed fuel entering Thai waters. At about 1am, officers searched the vessel at Por Kasemsiri pier in Khlong Yai district, Trat. Surachai, a 62 year old man…
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Bangkok woman claims date rape drug was sprayed into her face at Songkran party
A Thai woman issued a public warning after alleging that she was exposed to gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), or date rape drug, through water sprayed from a water gun during a Songkran event at an entertainment venue in Bangkok. The TikTok user, @jeeppji, shared a photo of herself unconscious in the hospital on Monday, April 13. In the caption, she wrote that…
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Yala boy with special needs found dead in scrapyard car after four-day search
A 12 year old Thai boy with special needs was found dead in a scrap car about 800 metres away, four days after he went missing from his home in Yala province. The 38 year old mother, Wanida, reported the disappearance of her son, Yuttasak, also known as Best, to Yarom Police Station on April 12 after the boy went missing…
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Thailand set for slowest economic growth in ASEAN in 2026, IMF says
Thailand is expected to record the slowest economic growth in ASEAN in 2026 after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its forecast to 1.5%, down from 1.6% projected in January. The downgrade, reported today, April 17, places Thailand behind its regional peers, including Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The IMF said Vietnam is expected to lead the region with 7.1% growth, followed…
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2 transgender suspects surrender after leaving hickey on victim’s neck
Two from three transgender suspects surrendered to police after sexually assaulting a man during Songkran celebrations in Phichit province, leaving a hickey on his neck. The 24 year old victim, Chitsanupong, filed a complaint with Mueang Phichit Police Station after the incident on April 15 at a Songkran event on Khao Tang Road. He had earlier shared details of the…
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British pensioner dies after being swept out to sea in Hua Hin
A British pensioner from Liverpool died after being swept out to sea in Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan, on April 15. Police said he was swimming alone and was unable to return to shore. The 75 year old man had entered the water in the morning as his girlfriend watched from the beach. His body was later found by a fisherman…
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Thailand video news | Phuket demands tougher response to Songkran tourist misconduct, Pattaya keeps Songkran going with extended Wan Lai celebrations
In today’s Thailand video news, Alex covers major stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. The headlines include the final wave of Songkran crackdowns, as viral videos show tourists taking celebrations too far. A controversial legal battle between ONE Championship and its biggest star is also making news. Meanwhile, a Chinese woman and her accomplices have been arrested after allegedly…
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Private detained for raping girl in public bathroom near Khao San Road
The First Army Area detained a private who raped a girl in a public bathroom near Khao San Road during Songkran celebrations. The brother of the 15 year old victim took her to Chana Songkram Police Station at 1am on April 14 to file a complaint. The family alleged that police refused to take legal action at first and instead…
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Bangkok draws nearly 5 million to Songkran events
Nearly five million people attended Songkran events in Bangkok between April 10 and 15, according to City Hall data released yesterday, April 16. The capital also recorded increases in rubbish, grass fires and road deaths compared with the same period last year. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) Spokesperson Aekvarunyoo Amrapala said cumulative attendance at 94 Songkran venues reached 4,958,965 people, a…
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Thai Airways cuts May flights across Asia, Europe
Thai Airways has reduced flight frequencies across domestic, Asian and European routes for May in response to weaker tourism demand and high fuel costs. The schedule, reported as of yesterday, April 16, affects key routes from May 1 onwards, with some reductions lasting until the end of the month. On domestic routes, flights to Khon Kaen will be reduced from…
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Bystander student hospitalised after Udon Thani Songkran brawl
A university student was seriously injured after a beer bottle struck her face during a Songkran brawl in Mueang district, Udon Thani province, on April 14. The student, who was not involved in the fight, is being treated at a hospital for multiple injuries. The student’s mother, 51 year old Kie, filed a complaint with Mueang Udon Thani Police Station…
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Bangkok tuk tuk driver tries to overcharge influencer during Songkran, faces legal action
A Bangkok tuk tuk driver is facing possible legal action after he allegedly tried to overcharge a beauty blogger 2,000 baht for a journey of about 700 metres, in a trip that took around three minutes in total. The influencer, Chatsak Mahata, better known as Eclair Juepak, posted a video on social media on Tuesday, April 14, describing the incident.…
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Chinese woman stages her own kidnapping to extort money from father
Thai police arrested four Chinese nationals in Samut Prakan after a Chinese woman staged her own kidnapping with her boyfriend and two other men to extort money from her father. The case came to light after the woman’s father filed a complaint with police in China, saying his daughter, identified only as Tong, was kidnapped in Cambodia. He was told…
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Japan pledges US$10 billion to tackle energy crisis in Asia
Japan pledged US$10 billion, or around 300 billion baht, to support Asian countries in addressing the energy crisis, citing the close links and interdependence created by supply chains. After a meeting with leaders from Asian countries, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae announced that the funding would be directed to countries in Asia, particularly in Southeast Asia, to help secure crude…
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4 Pattaya taxi riders and bar guards arrested for attacking 2 foreigners
Four Thai men, including motorcycle taxi riders and bar security guards, were arrested after a viral video showed them attacking two foreigners during Songkran celebrations in Pattaya. The video was shared by the SiamChon News Facebook page on April 13 with a caption claiming that Pattaya motorcycle taxi riders attacked a foreign tourist in Soi Pattaya 6 after he sprayed…
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2 Frenchmen arrested for assault on Thai motorcyclist in Phuket Songkran celebrations
A Thai man suffered serious injuries after he was attacked by Frenchmen in Phuket on April 13 after refusing to join a Songkran water fight. The victim’s girlfriend, 27 year old Maytinee Sila, went to Patong Police Station on the day of the incident to report the assault on her 29 year old boyfriend, Kunanya Phokham. The incident took place at…
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