News
Stay up-to-date with the latest news from across Thailand and beyond with The Thaiger. Our dedicated team brings you breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive stories from this stunning part of the world, covering a diverse range of topics, including local politics, business, culture, and tourism. Keep yourself informed about the Kingdom’s rich history, stunning landscapes, and thriving expat communities, as well as updates on events, attractions, and transportation.
The Thaiger is your essential resource for staying connected with Thailand’s captivating blend of tradition and modernity. To remain in the loop with the country’s most trusted news source, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media.
-
Pattaya fireworks festival named 1 of 3 top Asian marine festivals
The International Festival and Event Association of Asia has named the Pattaya International Fireworks Festival one of three “major marine tourism festivals in Asia”. Pattaya’s city manager said yesterday that almost 20 countries participated in the international firework competition. The Pattaya festival was then selected for the final round. The festival is held every year in Pattaya, usually later in…
-
Taxi driver accused of driving off with tourist’s luggage says he was using the restroom
A taxi driver who was accused of robbing a tourist and leaving him at a petrol station told police that he never left the tourist, saying he was in the restroom the entire time because he needed to poop. The driver taking two people from the Ubon Ratchathani International Airport to the Khemmarat district had stopped at a petrol station…
-
Huge fire in Prachinburi Market, Central Thailand, 100 million baht worth of damage
A huge fire destroyed more than 30 shops at the Prachinburi Town Municipality Market yesterday. The fire reportedly destroyed properties worth more than 100 million baht. No injuries and deaths were reported, and volunteers rescued seven bedridden local residents who lived in the area where the fire broke out. Officials were first alerted about the incident at 5pm, and arrived…
-
Exorcist in Thailand expels evil spirit from woman’s vagina
A woman who claims she had “black magic in her private parts” for 25 years finally had the evil spirit expelled by exorcists in central Thailand’s Ratchaburi. A somewhat disturbing clip circulating online displays an exorcism for a woman who claimed that her vagina had been possessed by an evil spirit for 25 years. She described the spirit’s presence as…
-
UKRAINE UPDATES: Russia relents, Ukraine offers concessions at Turkey peace talks; Amnesty decries Russian war crimes
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues into its second month, here’s the latest deadlines… • With Russian and Ukrainian forces at a military stalemate in Ukraine, the door has opened for a diplomatic resolution to end the war. • At Tuesday’s peace talks in Istanbul, Ukrainian negotiators offered a pledge of neutrality and no NATO membership, in exchange for…
-
Homemade bomb explodes on Rayong road, 8 other bombs being defused
A homemade bomb packed with gunpowder, nails, and steel nuts exploded and eight undetonated bombs were found on a main road in eastern Thailand’s Rayong. The blast caused minor damage to the road and no one was injured. The nine bombs are being defused today by the province’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team. One bomb defused today caused a big blast,…
-
Thai Airways makes 1 million baht in 1 minute from selling airplane seats
Thai Airways International made over a million baht in just a minute yesterday by selling their colourful economy class seats from a decommissioned Airbus A330-300. The strapped-for-cash airline climbing out of an around 400 billion baht debt has been working on ways to stay afloat financially during the pandemic, like selling off its warehouse items and opening up a pop-up…
-
Wednesday Covid Update: 25,389 new cases; provincial totals
87 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 25,045 with 3,347 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 25,389 new Covid-19 cases and 26,084 recoveries. There are now 244,372 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
-
Half of worldwide pregnancies unintended, Ukraine crisis could raise the rate
In a new report, the United Nations Population Fund stated yesterday that almost half of the pregnancies across the globe are unintended, and the Ukraine crisis is expected to raise the rate. The UNFPA reported 121 million unintended pregnancies every year, with 331,000 every day. 60% of these unintended pregnancies end in abortion, and almost half of these abortions are…
-
Thailand redesigns warning labels on cigarette packs showing extreme effects of smoking
Thailand has redesigned the graphic warning labels on cigarette packages, which show the harmful -and extreme – effects of smoking. Retailers and wholesalers across the country must start selling cigarettes with the new packaging starting April 11. The new labelling will be in line with an official announcement made in 2021 by the Public Health Ministry under the Tobacco Products…
-
Taxi leaves passenger at petrol station, drives off with luggage, tourist’s passport
UPDATE: The taxi driver has met with the police and says didn’t leave the tourist, he was just using the restroom. Read more HERE. Original story… A taxi driver allegedly robbed a passenger and left him and his friend at a petrol station in Isaan province Ubon Ratchathani. The tourist from Bangkok says that not only did the driver overcharge…
-
Hill tribes in Chiang Mai resist construction of coal mine
Villagers from Omkoi, a district 150 kilometres south west of Chiang Mai, are running a campaign to resist an upcoming mining project which they say will impact their way of life, health, livelihoods and the local environment. The villagers are filing a lawsuit against the International Energy Agency who did not notify or involve local people in the planning of…
-
Iranian tourist missing after white water rafting accident in Thailand’s Phang Nga
UPDATE: The tourist’s body has since been found. Read more HERE. An Iranian tourist has gone missing after a white water rafting accident yesterday in Southern Thailand’s Phang Nga province. A group of five foreign tourists alongside two tour operators were white water rafting down a river in Song Phraek village when they crashed into a rock causing their rubber…
-
Health Ministry denies claims of short supply of anti-viral medicine for Covid patients
In response to complaints about a shortage of the anti-viral medicine Favipiravir, with hospitals running low on the primary drug in Thailand used to treat Covid-19, the Public Health Ministry has said that the country’s supply is enough to meet the local demand. Hospitals may experience a “temporary” shortage with the uptick in Covid-19 cases, according to Public Health Deputy…
-
Cyber police raid Nonthaburi luxury house, 10 gambling suspects
The Thai Police Cyber Taskforce raided a Nonthaburi luxury house yesterday, where they believe 10 suspects helped facilitate gambling activities. The suspects allegedly used the house as a base for four gambling websites, which made 20 million baht. The taskforce found that the house was connected to 16 other locations in Bangkok that police had raided earlier on the same…
-
Thailand’s central bank may revise inflation rate, GDP to battle economic downturn
The Bank of Thailand’s rate-setting committee with meet today to discuss a possible revision of key economic figures such as interest rates and GDP, as the country battles an economic climate that has soured high hopes for the year. Various factors include a weakened baht, rising inflation and the impact of the war in Ukraine, which has resulted in spiking…
-
Head of Thai Army’s Channel 5 to be replaced after plan to exchange news with Russia
After a controversial meeting with the Russian ambassador on news coverage of the Ukraine conflict, the director of the Royal Thai Army-owned TV Channel 5 is being replaced. Reports point out the meeting between Channel 5 director Rangsee Kitiyanasap and the ambassador earlier this month, but it’s unclear why the channel’s chief is being replaced. Rangsee says he had submitted…
-
Koh Phangan’s Full Moon Party set for Songkran, but no word on water fights
Koh Phangan’s famous Full Moon Party has been given the green light for Songkran, the Thai New Year known for massive water fights, but there hasn’t been any word if water splashing will be allowed. Koh Phangan, one of the trio of Gulf of Thailand islands off the Surat Thani coast, is known for its massive parties on Haad Rin…
-
Police arrest man who made 75,000 baht a month selling cannabis on Facebook, Line
Police arrested a man in a post office yesterday in the central province of Samut Prakan after being tipped off that he was selling marijuana via Facebook and Line and sending it to customers through the post. The man’s regular customers were granted entry into a special Line group and sent a Buddhist amulet with their brick of marijuana as…
-
Muay Thai gym opens som tum shop for income during the pandemic
Headshot kick knock-out som tum. That’s what happens when Muay Thai boxers put away the gloves and get out a mortar and pestle to smash chillis for the spicy papaya salad. With fewer students participating in close-contact sports due to Covid fears, a Muay Thai boxing gym in the central province of Ratchaburi adapted by opening a weekend restaurant selling…
-
Asia News Today | Japanese yen drops to a seven year low
Nearly 9,000 soldiers from the Philippines and US are participating in the largest-ever joint military drills as the two longtime allies do some high-level sabre-rattling amid fresh tensions in the disputed South China Sea. Filipino and American soldiers will take part in the 12 day military exercises across the main Filipino island of Luzon. Philippine military chief welcomed soldiers from…
-
Murder investigation launched, 2 arrested after dog carries human skull out of forest
Two suspects in a murder investigation have been arrested after a dog found the remains of a police officer’s missing brother in a forest in Thailand’s Isaan region. Officers are still searching for four other suspects. A farmer taking his cows out to feed near an abandoned shoe factory spotted a dog carrying a human skull out of a eucalyptus forest…
-
Tuesday Covid Update: 21,678 new cases; provincial totals
78 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 24,958 with 3,260 of those fatalities since the start of this year. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 21,678 new Covid-19 cases and 27,183 recoveries. There are now 245,154 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of…
-
Convenience store employee attacked after telling a customer to wear a mask
Four teenagers were arrested after they allegedly attacked a convenience store clerk who told customers to wear face masks before entering the shop over the weekend. Surveillance camera footage from the shop in the central province of Ratchaburi shows a group of teenagers gathering around the 19 year old employee before attacking him, punching and kicking until he fell on…
-
45,000 counterfeit items seized nationwide in one month
Fake Gucci handbags, Nike shoes and Prada sunglasses with low price tags can be found around every corner of almost every market in Thailand and are easily identifiable from their real counterparts. Counterfeit items are popular with locals and tourists alike, but the Department of Intellectual Property wants to make an example that selling fake brand names in Thailand is…
-
Flash flood warning for 8 Southern Thailand provinces
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall is expected over the weekend in eight provinces in Southern Thailand. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation has announced a flash flood warning from April 2 to 4 in Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat. The situation is likely to be severe in some areas and the department…
-
Hua Hin motorbike taxi driver shot to death after fight over foreign passenger
A motorcycle taxi driver in Hua Hin allegedly shot and killed another win driver after a fight over a foreign passenger, Thai media reports. The 62 year old win driver was shot to death in Hua Hin’s nightlife area in Soi Ha Yaek in the southern province of Prachuap Kiri Khan. Officers from Hua Hin Police Station found the driver…
-
Thai grandma praised as village’s top snake catcher, grabs pythons with her bare hands
A 67 year old grandma in Thailand’s Isaan region, known to catch large snakes with her bare hands, has been praised by Surin residents as the top “community rescuer” after she caught her biggest python so far. When someone in the community finds a snake, they come to grandma Prakuad “Own” Pasomsi to catch it. The grandma has been catching…
-
Investigation launched in central Thailand after 2 oil tanker explosions in a month
An investigation is being launched into why there have been 2 oil tankers explosions in Bangkok in the space of a month. The Transport Ministry has instructed the Marine Department to launch a probe into the explosions, the latest of which occurred on Sunday. The Ampar 8 was carrying over 3 million litres of crude oil from the island of…
-
UPDATE: Will Smith apologises for Oscars outburst, after Academy rebuke
While fans in Asia were going to bed, Will Smith was waking up in Hollywood — to a world full of controversy and condemnation. The 53 year old actor slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage at the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday night, then won his first Oscar. The assault occurred in response to Rock cracking an insensitive joke about…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.