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...
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Phuket fishing crew rescued after almost one month at sea
A Phuket fishing crew survived for nearly one month at sea after their boat, the Soi Sakul Petch, suffered engine failure a week after it departed from the island in southern Thailand on January 19. The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) launched a huge search operation after losing contact with the boat, combining marine and air searches, and reached out to…
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Czech Republic star comes out as gay on Twitter (video)
A high-profile Czech Republic international football star yesterday came out as gay. Getafe midfielder Jakub Jankto, currently on loan at Czech side Sparta Prague, announced in a video on Twitter: “I no longer want to hide myself.” The 27 year old who has made 45 appearances for the Czech national side, previously played for Italian clubs Sampdoria, and Udinese. Jankto…
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Nearly 2,000 Chinese flights to enter Thailand in coming months
Nearly 2,000 Chinese flights are set to enter Thailand in the coming months. Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAT) authorised1,910 flights from China to enter the kingdom, with 671 expected to arrive in February and 970 slated for arrival in March, according to CAAT president Suttipong Kongpool. In addition, the CAAT has received 6,318 flight requests for the period from February…
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Phuket police can’t catch foreigner stealing tourists’ credit cards for shopping sprees
A foreign man has made a habit of stealing credit cards from tourists in Phuket, southern Thailand, to go on expensive shopping sprees. He has managed to avoid arrest so far. The same foreign man of unknown nationality is pickpocketing tourists in the Patong area of Phuket and using fake passports to make purchases of expensive items in bulk like…
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Thai woman accuses Philippines airport officers of attempted theft
A Thai woman accused customs officers at Manila International Airport in the Philippines of attempted theft. She said the officers tried to steal 40,000 yen (about 10,000 baht) from her bag. The Thai woman, Saruta Jansila, shared her unnerving experience at the Ninoy Aquino Intl Airport (Manila) in the Philippines on a Facebook group named People Who Like to Roam…
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Phuket officials warn tourists to beware of jellyfish
Phuket officials are warning tourists to beware of potentially dangerous jellyfish while enjoying the island’s beaches. The warning issued today comes after more than 30 visitors reported being stung by jellyfish at Kata Beach last week, with most experiencing mild symptoms. In response to this, signs have been placed at over 20 popular tourist destinations around Phuket, including Patong, Nai…
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Phuket rescuers bring French tourists lost in forest to safety
Phuket rescuers brought two French tourists lost in a forest to safety between last night and this morning. The tourists, a man identified only as Victor, and his girlfriend, had arrived in Phuket earlier yesterday and decided to go for a walk on a local beach. The couple followed a trail up the Nai Thon mountain but found themselves lost and…
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Man accuses son of drugging him and killing his wife to steal 65 million baht
A Thai millionaire accused his son and daughter-in-law of drugging him and killing his wife to steal 65 million baht. The millionaire claims that he was held captive over a two-year period before finally managing to escape in May last year. The 67 year old man, who was not identified, filed a complaint at Chanchoengsao Police Station on Saturday, February…
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Thai man accuses Canadian man of murdering his sister in Phuket
A Thai man accuses a Canadian man of murdering his younger sister who was found hanged in a nail salon in Phuket, southern Thailand, last week. He says the Canadian assaulted, held hostage, drugged, and blackmailed his sister just days before her death. She reported him to the police three days prior to being found dead. The Canadian allegedly offered…
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Patong police officer reportedly refused to help Canadian tourist violently mugged
A Patong police officer reportedly refused to help a Canadian tourist who was violently mugged. The victim, 28 year old William Lamarche Saint Louis, said five men violently mugged him near Patong Beach on Friday. Saint Louis told Patong Police he had been drinking at a bar before going for a walk at night. He said five men approached him…
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Thai police swoop to close down another illegal Chinese operation
Thai police swooped on yet another illegal Chinese business operation, leading to the arrest of one man. Officers from the Consumer Protection Division (CPD) in Thailand conducted searches in two different locations in Prawet District in Bangkok and Samut Prakan province and seized counterfeit cosmetics and low-quality medical supplies worth an estimated 14 million baht. During the raids, a Chinese…
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Report finds most Thais don’t understand climate change
A recent report by the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) has revealed that most Thais have a limited understanding of the impact of climate change on the planet. Only 35% of Thais believe that the use of fossil fuels should be reduced. This reflects a general lack of awareness about climate change and what causes it. Oddly, the…
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Woman steals car of app-based driver in Chon Buri
Police returned a sedan that was stolen by a woman with mental health issues to its 75 year old owner from an app-based ride service. The theft occurred last Friday when the passenger forced the owner out of the vehicle and drove off. Although the car owner forgave the thief due to her condition, police officers stated that they would…
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German tourist snatches Russian woman’s pricey sunglasses at Thai immigration office
A German tourist snatched a Russian woman’s pricey sunglasses at a Thai immigration office, Thai media reported on Saturday. The two holidaymakers were both getting their visas extended at the immigration office South Thailand’s Surat Thani province. CCTV footage caught the crook, 31 year old Marcel, grabbing the sunglasses that the woman left on a chair at the office while…
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CIB arrest 15-year fugitive wanted for double murder
Justice has been finally served on an old open criminal case. After 15 years of being on the run, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of the Royal Thai Police Crime Suppression Division announced a man wanted in connection with the murder of a wealthy couple in Phuket has been arrested. The CIB in Bangkok confirmed an arrest in a cold…
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Embassy searches for Thai woman missing in Turkey after earthquake
The Royal Thai Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, is searching for a missing Thai woman in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that hit southern Turkey and northern Syria. The Thai embassy requested clues about the woman, Wilairat Channual, and the rescue team has been notified, Nation Thailand reported yesterday. The embassy is also working with local agencies to repatriate the…
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Elephant in Thailand dies after tourists feed it wrong food
An elephant camp in Koh Chang, eastern Thailand, is warning tourists not to feed elephants food containing chemicals after an elephant died after eating chemically-contaminated bananas. A few weeks ago, a 20 year old male elephant at Kaebai Meechai Elephant Camp in Koh Chang, Trat province, fell ill with flatulence and indigestion after eating food brought in by some tourists,…
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Small hotels recover in Thailand as foreigners move downmarket
As small hotels recover in Thailand, returning tourists are choosing different options from pre-pandemic staples. A study of small hotels and hostels found booking growth is now higher than before the pandemic, with bookings from overseas tourists exceeding those of local travellers. As small hotels recover in Thailand, bookings are up by a quarter from the pre-Covid levels, according to…
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Burmese man killed in paramotor accident near Bangkok
A Burmese man was pronounced dead after he crashed his paramotor in the central province of Pathum Thani near Bangkok. Police from Mueang Pathum Thani Police Station, medical workers, and a rescue team rushed to the accident scene at an empty plot of land in the Baan Chang sub-district of Pathum Thani, but they were unable to save the man’s…
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3 Thais, 1 Malaysian handed death penalty for businessman’s murder
On Friday, a court in Thailand sentenced four people – three Thai and one Malaysian – to the death penalty over the murder of a businessman in Songkhla province seven years ago, despite none of them pulling the trigger. Songkhla Provincial Court sentenced two more defendants, the gunman and his driver, to life imprisonment. In December 2014, 54 year old…
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TAT takes part in major tourism exchange event in India
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) took part in a major tourism exchange event in New Delhi, India last week. TAT participated in South Asia’s Travel & Tourism Exchange (SATTE) for the 14th time, heading up a strong delegation of over 40 tourism suppliers. SATTE, which is India’s largest travel fair, was held from February 9 to 11 2023 at…
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Gay-friendly Japanese sauna warns Thai tourists to watch their manners
A gay-friendly Japanese sauna displayed a sign in Thai to remind Thai tourists to exhibit proper etiquette while using the facility. The warning sign’s unique feature of a cartoon penis watermark accompanied by a silent hand gesture attracted significant attention and quickly went viral on social media. A Facebook account named Sa-nguan Khumrungroj posted a picture of the sign with a…
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Police hunt for fake government officials after robbery in Pattaya
Police are on the hunt for three fake government officials after a robbery in Pattaya last week. The victim, 37 year old Prasit, claimed that on February 7, a group of people wearing what appeared to be government officials’ jackets broke into his house in Bang Lamung’s Naklue sub-district. Prasit said the suspects accused him of being a motorcycle thief,…
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Building under construction collapses in Bangkok injuring 5
Over 100 Burmese workers fled to safety as a four-storey building under construction in Bangkok collapsed yesterday. Five people were injured. At 4pm, officers at Makkasan Police Station were informed that an unnamed building collapsed onto construction workers on Soi Wat Uthai Tharam, Kamphaeng Phet 7 Road, Huai Kwang district. Police, officials from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation…
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Thailand’s lovers warned about ‘sextortion’ ahead of Valentine’s Day
The Thai police have warned women to be wary of “sextortion” scams as lovers throughout the world tomorrow celebrate the most romantic day of the year – Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day on February 14 has become a symbol and celebration of romance and love throughout the world. Couples come together and make an extra special effort to show their love…
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Blaze severely damages Phuket luxury villa
A massive blaze severely damaged a luxury villa in the Cherng Talay neighbourhood of Phuket‘s Thalang district on Saturday morning. Four fire trucks were deployed to the scene to find the fire rapidly spreading. It took firefighters around two hours to fully put out the flames at the villa on Soi Pasak 1. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. However, several…
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Remembering the dead – Koh Tao dive master mystery
Twenty-three years before diving instructor Neil Giblin from Birmingham died on Koh Tao last month, a fellow Brummie diver lost his life there. Giblin is the fifth Koh Tao dive master to die on the island where Ian Jacobs, from Sutton Coldfield, died on January 18, 2000. Jacobs was found at the bottom of a well on the island. Giblin…
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Take the slow train to monkey city
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is offering trips on a slow train to monkey city, from Bangkok to Lopburi in the Northeast Thailand, on the refurbished Kiha 183 diesel-powered trains from Japan. The trips this weekend and next will cost 599 baht. Only 200 seats will be available each day. The train leaves Bangkok’s historic Hua Lamphong Railway Station…
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Sufficient life jackets on HTMS Sukhothai – RTN
The Naval Supply Department insisted that there were 130 life jackets on HTMS Sukhothai when it sank in December, more than enough for the 105 crew. Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), Admiral Choengchai Chomchoengpaet yesterday said that the RTN is finding out why some of the survivors claimed that there were not enough life jackets on HTMS Sukhothai. Regarding…
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PLTO meets with taxis from outside Phuket over crackdown
The Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) and the Phuket Provincial Police have recently held discussions with a group of taxi drivers and tour operators from outside of Phuket who have been banned from working on the island. The talks were focused on finding a solution to the continual problem of green plate taxi operators facing difficulties, including arrests and bans…
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