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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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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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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Indian tourist pickpocketed in Pattaya, lost 44,000 baht
As tourism grows back in Thailand, some things never change. Stories of Indian tourists having their gold chains stolen, or being pickpocketed or robbed by ladyboys seem to crop up every week. And this week is no exception. An Indian student was reportedly pickpocketed on Friday in Pattaya and had his wallet lightened of about 44,000 baht. The alleged incident…
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Russian arrested acting illegally as tour guide
In Thailand, many jobs are earmarked as being only for Thai people. Even if a foreigner or expat had a business visa and a work permit, they are barred from certain fields. But in Phuket this week, a Russian man was arrested working as a tour guide which is forbidden for foreigners without any visas or permits. Pavel Maslennikov, a…
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Amsterdam institutes red light cannabis ban
While Thailand has turned into a cannabis-free-for-all, some have warned that legalisation leads to a destructive path to crime and degeneration. Those defending legislation have pointed to places where cannabis has been legal for years without becoming Sodom & Gomorrah, like some US states and, famously, Amsterdam. But now authorities in Amsterdam have announced plans to ban street smoking of…
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Death Wish Thailand: Who is ‘Inspector Sua’?
Lt-Colonel Wasawat Mookarasakul, the senior police officer named as “Inspector Sua” in an explosive Facebook post last week, has been suspended from duty pending an investigation by the Crime Suppression Division (CSD). When the Central Investigation Bureau promises a straightforward investigation that is “strictly in line with the law,” questions have to be asked about what goes on during other…
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French Consul meet Patong Police over motorbike incident
The Head of the French Consulate in Phuket met with Patong Police and Phuket Tourist Police to address the issue of French motorbike racers causing a public nuisance. The meeting on Friday was prompted by the recent arrest of 20 French racers who were caught breaking traffic laws in Patong. This incident and footage of their reckless behaviour caused a…
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Latest ambulance crashes in Thailand dismay researchers
The grim statistics on ambulance crashes in Thailand worsened on Friday night when a patient was badly injured in a horrific late-night crash. An ambulance smashed into the back of a truck in the Lom Sak district in the northern part of Phetchabun province, northern Thailand, close to midnight on Friday. The patient, who was being rushed from Khao Kho…
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Anwar demands tougher ASEAN pressure on Myanmar
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called for tougher ASEAN pressure on Myanmar. Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, he said, must take measures to pressurise the Myanmar government into ending atrocities against its people. Anwar, on a two-day official visit to Thailand, said in a speech to the Malaysian-Thai Chamber of Commerce that ASEAN members have to be…
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Exploring the impact of XAU to USD ratio on Thailand’s gold market
Thailand has a long and rich history of goldsmithing and jewelry making, dating back to ancient times. Gold has played a significant role in Thai culture, symbolizing wealth, power, and prosperity. Today, Thailand is a major player in the global gold market, with a thriving industry that includes gold mining, refining, and jewelry production. Thailand’s gold market has grown in…
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Victims of romance scams ‘at their wits end’
Most victims of romance scams in Thailand are women in their 40s. Middle-aged women are the main targets of criminal gangs who prey on those who have taken the questionable step of seeking true love online. Online fraud, including romance scams, has become a serious problem in Thailand, judging by the number of complaints filed with the Royal Thai Police.…
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FBI seeks extradition from Thailand for hit & run
Authorities in the US state of Michigan and the FBI are making a plea to the Thai government to extradite a Thai woman who is accused of causing the death of a college student in the American city of Oakland Township. The suspect, Tubtim “Sue” Howson, is a US citizen but is originally from Thailand and is now residing in…
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Air Force Captain to Celebrity ft. Daniel Kim | Thaiger Podcast Ep.23
https://youtu.be/_bPhVfNGe7w Daniel Kim, a former veteran US Air force captain turned reality TV show superstar. Daniel stars in the reality TV dating show “The Courtship” which is one of the top US TV networks, NBC. Not only is Daniel an actor and model, but he is also a motivational speaker and lifestyle coach. In this podcast, we talk to Daniel…
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Police bust foreign drivers, motorbike rentals
After a recent disturbance involving a group of unruly French motorbike drivers, Police in Patong are taking steps to curb irresponsible driving by foreigners. They are going after the drivers themselves as well as the rental companies that allow foreigners to hire motorbikes without properly vetting them. The crackdown is part of an ongoing effort to improve road safety in…
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Give your lover shallots this Valentine’s Day, suggests PM Prayut
The smell of red onion is in the air this Valentine’s Day in Thailand as Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha invites the public to send shallots to their lover instead of a red rose this year. PM Prayut is pushing shallots as a symbol of love this V-day to support shallot farmers in Srisaket province in northeast Thailand. The shallots grown…
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Thai influencers and YouTubers targeted by Revenue Department
The Thai Revenue Department aims to boost its tax revenue by targeting Thai YouTubers, online influencers, and online vendors. It believes that those who earn a livelihood online should pay their due taxes and predicts a yearly intake of 2.2 trillion baht as a result. The Director of the Revenue Department, Lawaron Saengsanit, acknowledged the shortcomings of the current tax…
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Over 70 people exposed to rabies in northeast Thailand
Over 70 people have been exposed to rabies in Thailand’s northeast provinces of Surin and Buriram. In Surin, 67 people were found to be at risk for contracting the disease, while seven people in Buriram were at risk, adding up to a total of 74 people at risk, according to the chief of the Disease Prevention and Control Office 9.…
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Do fewer shark bites mean fewer sharks?
Shark attacks worldwide fell in 2022, resulting in fewer shark bite incidents compared to the past decade. In 2020, travel restrictions and beach closures were thought to have resulted in fewer encounters between humans and sharks and fewer shark bites. The majority of the 57 unprovoked bites last year occurred in the USA and Australia. Five proved fatal, down from…
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Chiang Mai tackles PM2.5 pollution with giant vacuum cleaner
Thailand‘s Disaster Department is testing out a giant vacuum cleaner as a way to tackle the PM2.5 dust pollution problem that plagues the northern city of Chiang Mai every ‘burning season.’ Every year, farmers around Thailand send their forests and fields up in smoke because it’s the cheapest way to prepare to plant new crops causing PM2.5 levels to shoot…
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Thai tourists don’t need Covid proof to visit India from next week
Thai tourists don’t need to show a pre-departure Covid-19 test report or upload a self-health declaration form to visit India from next week. From February 13, tourists from Thailand, along with those from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, will no longer have to provide any proof of a pre-departure Covid test or complete a self-health declaration form…
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Is Google chatbot smarter than a pigeon?
Embarrassing stammering by Bard, the Google chatbot, has prompted the global public and stock markets to unreservedly rejected machine-generated garbage. The likes of Donald Trump and Elon Musk must be delighted that a talking Google chatbot is held in higher regard than talking billionaires. Google’s response to ChatGPT got off to an embarrassing start when its chatbot gave a wrong…
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The Hope Thailand takes on killer Pit Bull
UPDATE Animal protection organisation The Hope Thailand revealed it is rehabilitating Bobby the Pit Bull, the dog who killed his owner Thedpong one week ago in Korat. The Hope Thailand posted a message on Facebook yesterday… “The Hope Thailand is taking on this case. We have coordinated with the Chief of Ban Talat Municipality as the dog is currently in…
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