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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    What’s not covered by health insurance in Thailand?

    Health insurance in Thailand has important limits that everyone should know. Many policies do not cover pre-existing conditions, motorcycle accidents, extreme sports, or specific treatments. These gaps can lead to unexpected costs during emergencies. Coverage for outpatient care and hospital...

  • Thai OnlyFans star arrested after posting explicit image with monk

    Thai OnlyFans star arrested after posting explicit image with monk

    A Thai OnlyFans creator was arrested today after she posted an explicit picture with a monk on Twitter and promoted a pornography video of herself having sexual intercourse with the monk. However, she later revealed that the video was fake and had just posted it to promote her platform. On March 3, the Twitter account, juniijune6969 posted a picture taken…

  • Thai AirAsia boosts flights from Chiang Mai to 6 international destinations

    Thai AirAsia boosts flights from Chiang Mai to 6 international destinations

    Low-cost carrier Thai AirAsia will soon boost flights daily from Chiang Mai Airport in northern Thailand to six international destinations including Hanoi and Da Nang in Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Flights will run to these Asian tourist hotspots every day starting Sunday, March 26, 2023. The budget airline is celebrating the boost in flights…

  • Taxi driver abandons illegal migrants after blowout

    Taxi driver abandons illegal migrants after blowout

    A taxi driver in West Thailand panicked and fled after a tyre on his pickup burst carrying 33 illegal migrants. Police reported they want to talk to the driver and have launched a search for him. The Thai driver fled after a left rear tyre burst leaving 33 illegal migrants from Myanmar abandoned in a pickup truck in Muang district…

  • Pattaya Police find knife and gun in car with group of teens

    Pattaya Police find knife and gun in car with group of teens

    Pattaya Police found a knife, gun, and bullets in a car with a group of teens during a routine traffic checkpoint in the early hours of this morning. The checkpoint, located on Pattaya Second Road, was set up at 2am to search for drugs, weapons, and illegal items. Officers were checking vehicles when they noticed a group of teenagers acting…

  • Malaysia bans foreign male performers from cross-dressing on stage

    Malaysia bans foreign male performers from cross-dressing on stage

    Performing artists who are male and foreign are no longer allowed to “cross-dress” or dress up like women while performing in Malaysia, according to updated guidelines on live shows and concerts. The Central Agency for Application for Filming and Performing by Foreign Artistes (PUSPAL), under Malaysia’s Ministry of Communications and Digital, recently published some stricter rules regarding live performances by…

  • Monk & nun squat in protest for world peace near Russian Embassy

    Monk & nun squat in protest for world peace near Russian Embassy

    A Buddhist monk and a nun squatting on a pavement in front of the Russian Embassy in Bangkok in protest over the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, hope President Vladimir Putin will acknowledge their world peace vigil from space. The couple’s campaign may be seen as honourable in the eyes of many citizens but the same can’t be said of…

  • Swedish and Brazilian overstayers busted in South Thailand this week

    Swedish and Brazilian overstayers busted in South Thailand this week

    A Swedish man and a Brazilian man were busted in South Thailand’s Surat Thani province for overstaying their visas in Thailand this week. Surat Thani Immigration officers arrested the Swedish man in Koh Samui, on Chaweng Beach Road in front of Central Samui, in the Pho Phut sub-district. The man, 34 year old Christopher Tony Setfors, overstayed his visa by…

  • Buffalo gores 4 siblings in northeast Thailand

    Buffalo gores 4 siblings in northeast Thailand

    A buffalo went on a rampage and gored four siblings today in Uthai Thani province in northeast Thailand. Three are seriously injured and one sustained a minor injury. At 10am, officers from Thap Than Police Station were called by residents of Ban Nong Ya Sai village who said a buffalo (kwai) had “gone crazy” and gored four people. Villagers told…

  • Krabi officials catch stray dog on Ao Nang beach after attack on tourist

    Krabi officials catch stray dog on Ao Nang beach after attack on tourist

    UPDATE Krabi officials caught a stray dog on Ao Nang Beach on Tuesday, following a vicious dog attack on a tourist on March 11. The tourist, 60 year old Thai national Daniel Sudjai Kutrakun, had been walking on Ao Nang Beach when a stray dog ran over to him and bit his left leg. Daniel’s medical expenses cost over 20,000…

  • Phuket hit with petty crime after money boxes stolen

    Phuket hit with petty crime after money boxes stolen

    Petty crime has hit Phuket as police charge a couple for stealing a tip box from a Karon resort. According to a report by the Phuket Info Centre, the tip box was stolen from the Kata Tranquil Villa Hotel reception desk on Soi Patak 12, Karon, at around 11pm last Friday. The Phuket News reported that Karon police checked CCTV…

  • Family of illegal Thai worker who died in South Korea sues employer

    Family of illegal Thai worker who died in South Korea sues employer

    The family of an illegal Thai worker who tragically died at a pig farm in South Korea travelled to the country to seek compensation from the employer. The 67 year old worker, named Boonchu, lost his life while working at a farm owned by 60 year old Kim, who reportedly attempted to conceal the death by leaving the worker’s body…

  • Thailand responds to incoming Russians with extradition treaty

    Thailand responds to incoming Russians with extradition treaty

    Thailand is responding to the flock of incoming Russians fleeing their home country with a new extradition treaty. The Cabinet approved a draft extradition treaty with Russia that is similar to agreements with other nations. According to The Star, the treaty would boost collaboration to help curb crime and does not need Parliament’s approval. The mass exodus of Russians from…

  • Tourist police crackdown on overcharging on Khao San Road

    Tourist police crackdown on overcharging on Khao San Road

    Bangkok Tourist Police on Khao San Road yesterday were approached by several angry foreign tourists after they had been ripped off. The victims told officers that tuk tuk and taxi drivers in the area had tricked them into buying expensive products and services. According to the Bangkok Tourist Police, some tuk tuk and taxi drivers near Khao San Road reportedly…

  • Three suspected Burmese migrants found brutally murdered in southern Thailand forest

    Three suspected Burmese migrants found brutally murdered in southern Thailand forest

    Police have launched a murder investigation after the bodies of three men were found dumped in a forest in Songkhla province in southern Thailand yesterday. Police suspect the men were migrant workers, possibly from Myanmar. At 7.30am, officers at Bang Klam Police Station were informed that three men were found dead at a fly-tipping spot in the forest, around 200…

  • Thailand’s voters say no to legalisation of casinos and e-cigarettes

    Thailand’s voters say no to legalisation of casinos and e-cigarettes

    A recent survey conducted by the Center of Alcohol Studies (CAS) across 12 provinces in Thailand revealed that the majority of citizens do not want the government to gamble on their health and fortune, rejecting the legalisation of casinos and e-cigarettes. The CAS yesterday held a meeting in Bangkok to discuss the report’s findings with family and youth networks urging…

  • Thai tourism officials to monitor impact of SVB collapse

    Thai tourism officials to monitor impact of SVB collapse

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will monitor the long-term impact of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) on Thailand’s tourism. However, TAT believes that the situation is unlikely to cause an immediate slowdown in long-haul markets. The bank’s closure last Friday raised concerns about possible economic turbulence, especially given the number of startups and tech companies it served.…

  • Patong bar raided for child prostitution, 6 teenagers rescued

    Patong bar raided for child prostitution, 6 teenagers rescued

    The special operation unit from the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) conducted an undercover raid on Velvet bar on Bangla Walking Street in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket yesterday after being notified of child prostitution involving teenagers under 18 years old. The international anti-trafficking organisation, Operation Underground Railroad, complained to the DOPA that Velvet bar on Bangla Walking Street lured…

  • Windsurfing and paddleboarding competition coming up in Pattaya

    Windsurfing and paddleboarding competition coming up in Pattaya

    An exciting windsurfing and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) competition is coming up in Pattaya from March 16 to March 26, in a bid to promote tourism and boost the economy. The competition will take place in Jomtien near the Beach Sports Service Center. The event is divided into two categories, with windsurfing taking place from March 16 to 19, and SUP…

  • SUV crashes into motorcycle killing 4 including 2 young children

    SUV crashes into motorcycle killing 4 including 2 young children

    A tragic accident involving a sidecar motorcycle and SUV occurred on a road in the central province of Suphan Buri on Monday, resulting in the deaths of four people, including two young children, a four year old girl and eight month old baby. The SUV driver blamed the motorcycle rider for cutting off his car but a witness reported a…

  • Thailand to adopt stricter firearm controls amid rise in gun-related crimes

    Thailand to adopt stricter firearm controls amid rise in gun-related crimes

    Thailand is adopting stricter firearm controls amid a rise in gun-related crimes. The Cabinet is set to draft a firearms act which deems all privately owned firearms and ammunition must be registered with a government agency. According to The Star, the draft act was approved on Tuesday. Government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek confirmed the news adding that the current measures in…

  • Pod of dolphins makes an appearance in Phang Nga

    Pod of dolphins makes an appearance in Phang Nga

    A pod of dolphins made an appearance in Phang Nga‘s Mu Ko Surin National Park in the Khura Buri district, much to the delight of tourists. A tour boat was travelling through the park when the captain spotted the dolphins. The captain slowed the speedboat to let the tourists admire the creatures. The dolphins stayed to hang out around the…

  • Lime growers in central Thailand pick up guns to patrol for thieves

    Lime growers in central Thailand pick up guns to patrol for thieves

    Lime growers in central Thailand aren’t playing around when it comes to protecting their produce. Lime growers in Kamphaeng Phet province are picking up guns after thieves snatched their limes in broad daylight. The farmers have formed an armed patrol unit to protect their lime gardens from theft after unprecedented price hikes. Retail prices for lime in Bangkok and major…

  • Woman says Prime Minister’s security assaulted her

    Woman says Prime Minister’s security assaulted her

    Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is facing new scrutiny for the alleged misconduct of his security staff. Yesterday, The Thaiger reported on a woman charged with causing chaos in public as the prime minister passed. But now, former Puea Chart Party election candidate, Wanthana Othong, is telling her side of the story. She has filed a complaint against PM Prayut’s security…

  • Ancient Buddhist stupa emerges from Mekong river in Thailand

    Ancient Buddhist stupa emerges from Mekong river in Thailand

    A Buddhist stupa believed to be over 700 years old has emerged from the Mekong River between Laos and northeast Thailand. Buddhists are flocking to Nong Khai province in Isaan to catch a glimpse of the sacred structure, which has emerged as the river’s water level has drastically fallen as Thailand enters the summer season. Phra That Lah Nong –…

  • Bali to ban foreigners from renting motorbikes

    Bali to ban foreigners from renting motorbikes

    Governor of the Indonesian island of Bali, I Wayan Koster, said that foreigners will soon be banned from renting motorbikes and scooters on the island. He said he will request all motorbike rental shops to ban foreigners from using their services. The governor has had enough of foreign tourists violating traffic rules… “As tourists, act as tourists, using the vehicles prepared…

  • Pattaya officials discuss motorcycle taxis and other issues plaguing Walking Street

    Pattaya officials discuss motorcycle taxis and other issues plaguing Walking Street

    Pattaya officials, police, and business owners on Walking Street held a meeting yesterday to discuss motorcycle taxis and other issues plaguing the street. One of the main issues discussed was the complaints of motorcycle taxi riders driving in pedestrian areas. The city officials have planned to move them to nearby areas. Garbage disposal was also discussed at the meeting. It…

  • Thai woman mysteriously leaps to her death from Pattaya condominium

    Thai woman mysteriously leaps to her death from Pattaya condominium

    Police officers are investigating a mysterious scene after a woman appeared to have lost her mind and jumped naked from the seventh floor of her room at a condominium in Pattaya. The woman’s younger sister reported that she screamed “I’m scared” before leaping to her death. Officers from Mueng Pattaya Police Station rushed to the condominium in Soi Thappaya in…

  • Bangkok expats raise over 350,000 baht for charity with football event

    Bangkok expats raise over 350,000 baht for charity with football event

    A group of German-speaking expats presented a Bangkok charity with a cheque of over 350,000 baht on Monday. The money had been raised at a football fundraiser in January. The group of expats are called the Thai.Ger Supporters. The 12th annual THAI.GER Charity Soccer Event was held on January 28 at the Ruamrudee International School- Swiss Section, a German-speaking school…

  • ‘Discipline’ vs science: 5.30am school start in Indonesia

    ‘Discipline’ vs science: 5.30am school start in Indonesia

    The early bird catches exhaustion. Starting school early in the morning has been found in numerous studies to result in a lack of sleep and decreased focus among students. In 2014, a landmark study suggested that school should never start before 8.30am. Additionally, a 2017 study found that starting classes at 10am led to a 20% improvement in the national academic…

  • Attacker slashes Burmese worker, reportedly over drunkenness

    Attacker slashes Burmese worker, reportedly over drunkenness

    An unidentified attacker slashed a Burmese gas station worker in Chon Buri on Monday morning, reportedly over the worker’s drunkenness. Police and rescuers rushed to a gas station in the main city district at around 7am, after they were alerted of a serious assault. They found the worker, Myaung Paing, lying in a pool of blood at the gas pump.…