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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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12Go introduces Japan Rail Passes to enhance travel accessibility for international travellers
For those who have travelled throughout Thailand, 12Go is a well-known provider of various trips, though the platform itself has a much wider reach. Ranging from buses to planes, 12Go is undoubtedly a leading booking platform for travel throughout the...
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Russian man rushed to hospital after being found in stolen pickup truck in Phuket
A Russian man was rushed to a hospital after police found him in a stolen pickup truck parked at a Phuket beach. Sakhu police found the man, 27 year old Egor Andriesh, in the truck parked on Nai Thon Beach, The Phuket News reported. The doors of the pickup were locked, and officers had to call a locksmith to open…
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SRT insists 96.3 million baht robots are worth the dosh
The Thai public demanded clarification regarding the benefits and quality of the UV-C light disinfection robots after the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) splashed 96.3 million baht on the equipment. Many have claimed that they have yet to witness the costly robots in operation despite the SRT’s purchase of them. According to a report from the Public Relations Department of…
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Thai monk starring in sex clip claims he was drugged by German man
A Thai monk is in the spotlight after a video of him performing oral sex on a German man circulated on the Internet. The Buddhist monk admitted it was him in the clip but claims it was filmed two years ago when he temporarily left the monkhood. Not only that, he claims that the German man drugged him with a…
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Patong Police arrest 5 over fight involving foreign motorbike racers
UPDATE Patong Police have arrested five people in connection with the recent fight involving foreign motorbike racers on Bangla Road earlier this week. Police said they used CCTV footage to hunt down two Swedish nationals and three Thais. One of the men arrested admitted that he got involved in the fight after he warned a group of foreign motorbike racers…
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Thai Airways cancels flights to Germany due to strikes
Thai Airways announced the cancellation of all flights from Bangkok to Frankfurt and Munich and vice versa today – February 17 – due to labour strikes at airports all over Germany. Airport workers at major hubs in Germany are taking part in a day-long strike today over pay disrupting airline operations. Public sector workers and ground handlers are striking at…
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Thai Parliament authorises lese majeste law changes, including the word ‘monarchy’
In a move that could see even more people prosecuted for insulting the Thai monarchy, the far-right Thai Pakdee Party has been given the green light to gather signatures for proposed changes to the lese majeste laws. The changes would expand the definition of those protected by the law to include former Thai kings of the current Chakri Dynasty, princes…
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Researchers launch first cultural map of Thailand
Culture enthusiasts will be excited to learn that researchers launched the first cultural map of Thailand, featuring more than 2,000 cultural sites from across the country. The map provides cultural details that are categorized into 11 archetypes, which are: artefacts, architecture, historical sites, cultural spaces, languages, folk literature, knowledge and practices concerning nature and cosmology, performance arts, folk sports games…
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Chiang Mai school director shocked by former student and Wild Boar football captain’s sudden death
The director of a school in Chiang Mai says he is shocked by his former student and Wild Boar football team captain’s sudden death. Duangphet “Dom” Phromthep was a Mathayom Suksa 5 (Grade 11) student at Vachiralai School in Chiang Mai’s Saraphi district before he received a scholarship from the Zico Foundation to play football at an academy in England.…
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Pattaya boy stabs schoolmate in stomach
There’s been another disturbing stabbing attack in Pattaya. A Pattaya boy stabbed his schoolmate with a knife on Wednesday. The boy, 16 year old Nattapol Slipchart, stabbed 15 year old Ratchata Marudok in his stomach with a pocket knife outside of Ban Nong Ket Yai School. The school is located in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district. Police arrested Nattapol, and…
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Govt confident new programme will stamp out illegal drugs in Thailand
Thailand has long been plagued by a history of drug abuse. The kingdom has harsh penalties for those caught possessing, taking, or selling illegal drugs. The Thaiger writes story after story of Yaba-fuelled chaos, drug busts and the illicit trafficking of narcotics dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of prohibited pharmaceuticals. The government, however, is optimistic that it…
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Officials bust Phuket man selling crocodiles on TikTok
Officials busted a Phuket man yesterday who sold baby crocodiles on TikTok. Officers from the Phuket Provincial Fisheries Office seized 22 freshwater baby crocodiles from the suspect’s house on Moo 8 SriSoonthorn in Thalang district. The officers found the crocodiles in an area in the house with a small pool. The raid followed complaints that crocodiles were being advertised on…
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Police find underage prostitution at Pattaya go-go bar
In a sting operation, police found evidence of underage prostitution at Club 4, a go-go bar in Pattaya in eastern Thailand. Police ordered the closure of Club 4 – in Soi Bong Koch 8 in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district – for five years. A woman was arrested under suspicion of human trafficking. Officers from Pattaya City Police Station…
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Elderly Thai market vendor wins 12 million baht lottery jackpot
An elderly Thai lady says she will continue her career selling fried chive cakes at the market despite winning 12 million baht in the government lottery yesterday. Yesterday afternoon, 72 year old Phuangphet Pelacheun from the northern province of Uttaradit forgot to check the lottery results. When her colleagues started talking about the winning numbers, Grandma Phuangphet leapt up, screamed…
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Senior Buddhist monk’s visit to Islamic education centre in Thailand’s Deep South sparks uproar
A senior Buddhist monk in Thailand sparked uproar over his visit to an Islamic education centre in the south. The visit to the centre in Narathiwat province in Thailand’s south came with heavy criticism on the second day of the House debate against the Prayut government yesterday morning. According to Thai PBS World, army officials defended the visit by saying it…
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Thailand’s smartphone market poised for revival
As the world starts to emerge from the pandemic, Thailand‘s smartphone market is expected to see a resurgence in the second half of 2023. Despite a decrease in smartphone sales last year, the premium smartphone segment remains strong and is less affected by economic woes. According to Wansiri Fitschen, a senior category manager at Thai Samsung Electronics, pre-orders for the…
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Thai election explainer – Constitution, House and Senate
Thailand’s democratic structure consists of a Constitution, House of Representatives and Senate. The constitutional monarchy is ruled by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, the head of state. The king has limited formal power but is highly influential in politics. He has significant influence over the military. Constitution, House and Senate – Constitution The current constitution was developed by a committee appointed by…
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Thai ecologist sounds alarm on declining shark numbers
A Thai ecologist is sounding the alarm on the decline in the number of sharks in the country’s waters. The marine ecologist, Assistant Professor Thon Thamrongnawasawat, the deputy dean of the Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University, presented some worrying facts about the situation. Dr Thon said that around 75 of the 87 shark species in Thai waters are endangered.…
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75 Foreign lives lost by road accidents in 2023 | GMT
In today’s episode, Thailand’s plastic bag use plunges by 148,000 tonnes in 3 years, Phuket health spa slams travel agency for ripping off foreigners, 400 people fall victim to Japan tour scam resulting in 14 million baht loss, Massive fire breaks out in front of Pattaya massage parlour, and Thailand’s perilous roads claim the lives of 75 foreigners so…
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Rogue balloons shot down in the US were not Chinese spy devices, says Biden (video)
United States President Joe Biden yesterday announced that he will speak with his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, over the recent Balloongate incidents, adding he doubted they were spy balloons sent from China. US military shot down three rogue balloons over South Carolina, Alaska, and Lake Huron on the US-Canada border this month claiming they were Chinese surveillance balloons. But…
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Body of Thai woman killed in Turkey earthquake returns home
The body of the young Thai woman who was killed by the recent earthquake in Turkey has been returned to her family in Chaiyaphum province in northeast Thailand. At 4am this morning, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs returned the body of 29 year old Chamaiphon “Dao” Homsanthia to her home town in Nong Bua Rawae district in Chaiyaphum.…
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Viral video of fight reveals more drama with foreign motorbike racers in Patong
Patong is once again having drama with foreign motorbike racers. On Wednesday night, a video of a fight involving foreign motorbike racers on Bangla Road went viral. The racers were reportedly causing a disturbance. Residents and police tried to warn the racers to stop, but they didn’t listen. The racers then allegedly pushed residents before the residents got angrier and…
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Thai woman protests agains Polish husband’s deportation in Bangkok
UPDATE A Thai lady and her relative staged a two-person protest at the United Nations HQ in Bangkok to appeal for “justice” for her Polish husband, who says that forcing him to return to Poland is a certain death sentence for him, reports SiamRath. Sornsiri Khittook’s 37 year old husband Michal Kamil Wielebinski, was arrested and detained in Koh Samui…
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How to find high-quality cosmetic packaging for multiple use
When it comes to finding high-quality cosmetic packaging for multiple use, one of the best options is to work with wholesale cosmetic packaging suppliers. These suppliers specialize in providing a wide range of packaging options for cosmetics and other beauty products, and they often offer bulk discounts and other cost-saving benefits for businesses and individuals who are looking to purchase…
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400 people fall victim to Japan tour scam resulting in 14 million baht loss
Representatives from 10 travel agencies filed a complaint with the Central Investigation Bureau after being lured into buying 14 million baht worth of fake tour packages to Japan. Over 400 victims have been duped by the scam so far. Representatives for the group claimed to have purchased tour packages from a major company based in the central province of Pathum…
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Massive fire breaks out in front of Pattaya massage parlour
Another devastating fire has struck Pattaya. A massive electrical fire broke out in front of a Pattaya massage parlour last night. Firefighters rushed to the scene on Pattaya Second Road in Soi 13 where a fire was burning overhead wires and signs in front of the fire. Meanwhile, terrified passersby watched as the incident unfolded. The firefighters were eventually able…
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Best Thai cannabis strains for sleep and insomnia relief
Cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries, and one of its most common applications is to help with sleep and insomnia. With the growing popularity of cannabis as a sleep aid, it can be challenging to know which strains are the best for promoting a restful night’s sleep. In this article, we will explore some of the best…
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Phuket using street art to draw tourists to historic Old Town
Phuket is using street art to draw tourists to its historic Phuket Old Town. The colourful, vibrant mural art is a painting of a cute character and a Chinese-style dragon, as well as a painting of a boat and a sea turtle amidst Phuket’s buildings. Phuket City Mayor Saroj Angkanapilart stated that the local government is prepared to welcome Chinese…
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Siam Paragon invests 3 billion baht to transform the global landmark to the next level
Siam Paragon, a world-class destination, has officially launched a transformation project to redefine the ‘global landmark in the heart of Bangkok’ and take it to new heights of excellence to meet all the lifestyle needs of the future, reinforcing its positioning as one of the most-visited ‘global landmark destinations’. Starting towards the end of 2022, the 3-billion-baht investment project will…
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Malaysia and Thailand jointly investigate Betong shooting
A man from Malaysia is seriously injured after he was shot by a suspected Thai national in Betong town, Yala province, southern Thailand, on Saturday. The victim, 55 year old Rada [surname withheld], from Kampung Padang Tamat in Pengkalan Hulu, was driving a motorbike along Chantharothai Road when he was shot three times in front of a convenience store at…
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