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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,...
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Thailand’s national lottery: How many years does it take to win the two-digit prize?
A Thammasat University statistics expert revealed that an individual would need to purchase the national lottery consecutively for approximately four years and two months just to win the two-digit prize, raising questions about the promotion of the lottery in Thailand. Assoc. Prof. Wararit Panichkitkosolkul highlighted a recent study conducted by the university’s Faculty of Science and Technology, demonstrating the minimal…
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Mad Buddhist monks brawl at funeral in northeast Thailand
Tensions were high at a funeral in Surin province in northeast Thailand on Friday when a brawl broke out between two saffron-robed Buddhist monks, allegedly over a plastic chair. Yesterday, the acting abbot of Wat Pho Sri Sawang Arom, Phra Toi Kan, told reporters what happened at the temple on Friday. In Thailand, Buddhist funeral rites include a distinctive ritual…
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Tom Kha Gai ranked 9th in TasteAtlas’s Best Rated Soups in the World
Food guide website TasteAtlas ranked the traditional Thai dish Tom Kha Gai, or coconut chicken soup with galangal, ninth in the 100 Best Rated Soups in the World. The well-known Tom Yum soup came in at 16th. The list was compiled based on votes from foodies around the world and published on the TasteAtlas website on March 30. Tom Kha…
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Adapting DDC’s vaccination strategy to address increasing Covid-19 cases
Amidst concerns over a sudden surge in Covid-19 infections, the Ministry of Public Health is altering its vaccination strategy, aiming to handle the increasing numbers connected to the Songkran festivities. The Department of Disease Control (DDC) unveiled the alteration yesterday in response to the spiking rate of new Covid-19 cases experienced last week. According to DDC Director-General Dr Thares Krassanairawiwong,…
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Thailand lottery player bags 114 million baht with 19 winning tickets
“Lucky” is an understatement for the anonymous Thai national who bought 19 winning tickets for Thailand’s national lottery draw yesterday. The newfound millionaire won 114 million baht (US$3.3 million) in total. Yesterday afternoon, the winning numbers 984906 were drawn in Thailand’s national lottery draw. Anyone with a digital or printed lottery ticket dated April 16 with the said numbers wins…
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Injuries increased by 81% during Songkran, road fatalities decreased
Hospital admissions during the Songkran Festival spiked by 81% due to road accidents A significant 81% rise in hospital admissions has been reported due to an alarming 19% increase in the number of people injured in road accidents during the Songkran Festival, as stated by the Ministry of Public Health. The ministry’s permanent secretary, Dr Opas Kankawinpong, expressed his concern…
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Foreign army veteran rescued after Songkran water gun exacerbates PTSD
A Thai rescuer took to Facebook to share knowledge about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms after he helped a foreign veteran suffering from the condition after a water gun attack in the Patong sub-district of Phuket. The Thai rescuer, Nicola Vincenzo Biccai, posted the story on Friday, April 14 that he received a notification from witnesses that a foreign man…
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Quackdown: Rubber duck escorted to police station in Thailand
An inflatable rubber duck waddled down to the police station in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand, during the Songkran holidays after guests at a pool villa were accused of fowl play. In a TikTok clip filmed on Saturday morning, the displeased customers carry the duck down to Ladya Police Station, explaining… “Today we came to visit a pool villa, don’t ask me…
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8 victims injured during RCA Songkran party shooting in Bangkok
Police arrested a gunman in connection with a shooting at a Songkran party in front of Onyx bar at the popular entertainment venue Royal City Avenue (RCA) in Bangkok in the early hours of this morning. Four victims were injured by gunfire, while four others were hurt while trying to flee the scene. Officers from Makkasan Police Station were notified…
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Life-changing silicone prosthetics: The SNMRI is transforming lives
The Sirindhorn National Medical Rehabilitation Institute (SNMRI) is dedicated to achieving organisational excellence at its silicone clinic, focusing on the evaluation and fabrication of silicone prosthetics to improve the lives of those who have undergone post-traumatic amputation. The SNMRI recognises that patients who have lost all or part of an organ due to an accident may face difficulties when it…
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Miracle in the Gulf of Thailand: No casualties reported after ferry sinks
Interior Ministry permanent secretary Sutthipong Julcharoen reported no casualties on the ferry that sank en route between Koh Samui and mainland Surat Thani yesterday. The ferry sank at Don Sak pier after passengers and vehicles had left the vessel. No one was injured, according to the Interior Ministry. Sutthipong revealed that the R10 ferry of Raja Ferry Co sank at…
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Thai official says 91% of serious injuries during Songkran due to not wearing seat belts
The Songkran festival, which is celebrated annually in Thailand, is known for its festive water fights and partying. However, it has also gained a reputation for being one of the deadliest times on the roads due to increased traffic and road accidents. According to the Secretary General of the Thai Public Health Ministry, Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, there was an uptick…
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Pattaya debtor allegedly stabs loan shark in self-defence
A Pattaya debtor allegedly stabbed a loan shark in self-defence last night. The incident occurred near the Rueangwilai apartment complex in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district at 10pm. Police found the victim, 33 year old Sarawut Kamsaiprom lying in pain at the front of the apartment with serious stab wounds to his left ribcage. Pattaya authorities found a bloodstained kitchen…
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Pattaya cops swoop on Chinese and Burmese nationals for illegal entry and overstay
Pattaya cops swooped on a group of Chinese and Burmese nationals caught illegally entering Thailand, and overstaying their visas. Pattaya Police raided a house in the Takhian Tia sub-district of Bang Lamung district of Bang Lamung district yesterday. This was after an investigation revealed that the house residents reportedly got into Thailand without obtaining proper documents. The group included three…
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Thai park officials spot rare, endangered serow
Wild animal enthusiasts will be delighted to hear that Thai National Park officials spotted a rare, endangered serow in the past week. Officials at Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, located in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, spotted a serow on April 11, Hua Hin Today reported yesterday. Video footage from Thai media shows the majestic creature carefully and gracefully climbing the…
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100 police deployed to reservoir in the hunt for killer cop in South Thailand
There’s been a new development in the case around the cop in South Thailand who killed several of his family members, including his wife and son. The killer cop, 46 year old Pol. Snr. Sgt. Maj. Atthaporn Wichian, killed six people in Surat Thani province last week, including his wife, son, and father-in-law. Police have been on the prowl for…
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Woman searches for sister who went missing on Phuket trip
A woman is searching for her sister, who she says went missing on a trip from Bangkok to Phuket. The woman, Prangthip Kottathum, says her sister, 27 year old Vannapa Bamrab, went missing on April 11. Prangthip filed a missing person report to Hua Mak Police Station on Thursday, April 13, Khao Phuket reported. Pranthip said that Vannapa called one…
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Death toll during Songkran increases to 158
Forty-four individuals tragically lost their lives, and a further 368 were injured in road accidents across various regions on Friday, the fourth day of the “seven dangerous days” during the Songkran festivities. This has brought the total number of fatalities throughout the celebration thus far to 158. The reported number of deaths during the first four days has decreased by…
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3 detained in seizure of 100kg narcotics
In a significant narcotics bust in Thailand, authorities have apprehended suspects from three countries and intercepted over 100 kilograms of drugs, according to the Narcotics Control Board (NCB). On Tuesday, Thai authorities received information regarding the smuggling of heroin from Thailand to Australia. Working together with a joint task force, the NCB managed to seize 80 bricks of heroin, totalling…
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Oops! Cardi B rips hotpants onstage while twerking in Pattaya
It turns out, even American celebrities have wild nights in Pattaya. A twerking session in Pattaya went massively wrong for music sensation Cardi B after her hotpants ripped onstage, news outlets reported yesterday. This was at the event Rolling Loud Thailand 2023. The event began in Pattaya on Thursday and lasts until today (Saturday). Footage from Daily Mail shows the 30 year…
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Mum of British backpacker who died in Thailand warns of signs of dengue fever
The mum of a British backpacker who died in Thailand in 2016 is warning others to spot the signs of dengue fever that her son experienced before his tragic death. Her son, 21 year old Bob Toulson-Burke, died just two weeks after developing flu-like symptoms while travelling. Bob’s mother, Jayne, told Evening Standard yesterday that his symptoms included headaches, nausea,…
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Phuket kitchen staffer stabs colleague to death
A Phuket kitchen staffer stabbed his colleague to death in the car park of a well-known hotel in Cherng Talay on Thursday, The Phuket Express and The Phuket News reported last night. The suspect, 20 year old Sarayut stabbed 23 year old Roongroj, in the stomach. Cherng Talay Police rushed to the scene after being informed of the incident at around 4.30pm. Upon arriving…
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Egg-thrower convicted of threatening behaviour towards King Charles III
UK authorities found a young man who threw eggs at King Charles guilty of threatening behaviour at York Magistrates Court, BBC reported yesterday. The young man, 23 year old Patrick Thelwell, hurled five eggs at King Charles and the Queen Consort as they arrived at Micklegate Bar on November 9, 2022. All five eggs missed. At the time, Thelwell had…
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Pattaya motorcycle taxi rider threatens to kill 2 foreigners over fare dispute
Pattaya Police yesterday arrested a Thai motorcycle taxi rider after he turned into a knife-wielding thug after a row with two foreign passengers over fare prices. According to reports, the taxi driver threatened to kill both foreigners during the altercation. The incident kicked off on Pattaya Second Road near Soi 6/1 early yesterday evening. Pattaya Police received a call about…
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EC justifies Songkran trips to monitor early voting
The Election Commission (EC) in Thailand has come under scrutiny after all six of its members travelled abroad during the Songkran holiday on taxpayer-funded inspection visits. Former election commissioner and current MP candidate for the Seri Ruam Thai Party, Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, criticized the move, questioning the purpose and timing of the trips, given that the General Election has not yet…
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International drug ring busted in Thailand: NCB seizes 100kg of narcotics, 3 arrested
A major international drug bust took place in Thailand yesterday with more than 100 kilogrammes of narcotics intercepted, and a group of suspects from three countries arrested, the Narcotics Control Board (NCB) reported. NCB secretary-general Wichai Chaimongkhon stated that Thai authorities received an anonymous tip-off on Tuesday about a heroin shipment heading from Thailand to Australia. Collaborating with a joint…
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Limited access to Khao San Road due to overcrowding
Police temporarily blocked access to the renowned backpacker haven of Khao San Road last night, as the Songkran event attracted an overwhelming number of participants. Police are urging new visitors to await the departure of those already at the venue before entering the 400-metre-long road in Phra Nakhon district. Songkran festivities kicked off yesterday and are expected to continue well…
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Elderly in Thailand expect their children to look after them
A recent survey carried out by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) revealed that the majority of elderly people in Thailand expect to receive care from their families, specifically their daughters. This survey aimed to identify who the Thai elderly believe should be responsible for their care, questioning a sample of 1,310 individuals aged 60 and above. The study…
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Zoos in Thailand and Vietnam collaborate to protect endangered cranes
The Zoological Park Organization (ZPO) is joining forces with the Vietnam Zoos Association to increase the Eastern Sarus Crane population in Vietnam. Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the collaboration will also involve the People’s Committee of Dong Thap Province in Vietnam and the International Crane Foundation. Since 2009, ZPO has been reintroducing Eastern Sarus Cranes to Thailand by breeding…
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12,000 refugees from Myanmar depart Tak
Around 12,000 Myanmar refugees returned to their homeland in Myawaddy this week after seeking temporary refuge on Thai territory over the past week, according to the Royal Thai Army (RTA). Maj. Gen. Sirichan Ngathong, the RTA deputy spokesperson, confirmed yesterday that the last 89 Myanmar refugees who were sheltering in tambon Mae Kasa of Mae Sot district departed on Wednesday.…
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