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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.
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How to travel around Thailand for under US$30 a day
The Thaiger key takeaways Staying in budget hostels or guesthouses and eating street food keeps daily expenses low. Mixing buses, trains, and budget flights allows affordable travel between cities and islands. Free or cheap activities, such as temples, markets, parks,...
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Phuket MP blasts visa-free policy over ‘bad tourist’ surge
A Phuket MP has urged the government to review Thailand’s visa-free policy, warning it fuels unruly tourist behaviour and harms the nation’s reputation. Chalermpong Saengdee, MP for Phuket, submitted a formal request urging the government to review the policy, which currently allows travellers from several countries to enter Thailand without a visa. While the measure has boosted arrivals and revenue,…
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Bangkok traffic snarled as Charoen Krung road caves in (video)
After last week’s sinkhole outside Vajira Hospital, another road collapse hit Bangkok’s Charoen Krung area, closing lanes as officials moved to investigate and control severe traffic disruption. The incident was first reported by the Volunteer Foundation of Ruamkatanyu Facebook page linked to Bang Phong Phang Police Station, which shared a video clip showing a large section of tarmac collapsing near…
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Lost phone leads to discovery of skeleton in abandoned building
A lost phone led to the discovery of the skeleton of a Thai man inside an abandoned building in the Chaeng Wattana area of Nonthaburi province near Bangkok. A Thai man posted on Facebook, sharing photos of the skeleton taken inside the abandoned building and appealing to netizens to help him identify the location. He explained that he lost his…
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Thailand confirms 33 cases of new global Covid strain XFG
Thailand has reported 33 cases of the new Covid-19 strain XFG, most of them in Bangkok, with health officials stressing it causes only mild symptoms. The Department of Medical Sciences announced yesterday, September 30, that XFG has now become the dominant Covid-19 strain worldwide, although there is no evidence to suggest it causes more severe symptoms than previous variants. Thailand’s…
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Court grants bail to drunk BMW driver in Nonthaburi wrong-way collision
The Nonthaburi Provincial Court granted bail to a drunk BMW driver who drove against the flow of traffic on a Nonthaburi road, causing a pile-up on Monday, September 29. The driver, 37 year old Paphatsarin, travelled the wrong way for over five kilometres along Ratchaphruek Road at around 9pm on Monday. She collided with a pickup truck, leaving its driver…
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British man arrested in Bangkok hotel with 1 kilogramme of crystal meth
Police yesterday, September 30, arrested a British man at a hotel in the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok after finding one kilogramme of crystal methamphetamine in his possession. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Thaiger (@thethaigerofficial) Officers from the Metropolitan Police Division 5 and Lumpini Police Station received a tip-off about a foreign drug trafficker.…
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Pattaya motorbike crash leaves Russians and Thais badly hurt
A head-on motorbike crash in Pattaya left four people critically injured after two motorcycles collided outside a busy nightlife area in Jomtien. The crash unfolded at around 12.30am today, October 1, when two motorcycles collided on Jomtien Second Road in front of Rompho Market. Rescue teams from the Sawang Boriboon Foundation and police rushed to the scene following an emergency…
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Thailand video news Bangkok scrambles to refill sinkhole ahead of reopening, Bangkok shock as man sets himself ablaze in public
Thailand’s headlines this week ranged from shocking public drama to tough crackdowns and urban challenges. A Koh Samui restaurant drew fire for allegedly refusing service to Israeli tourists, sparking debate over politics in hospitality, while Bangkok commuters were stunned as a young man set himself ablaze in public. Authorities intensified anti-corruption measures against traffic police, seized massive drug hauls from…
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Lottery fever grips villagers at shrine in Uthai Thani
Villagers in Uthai Thani gathered at a shrine to seek blessings and lucky numbers from a revered spirit ahead of the lottery draw, hoping for fortune and safety. Crowds gathered at the T-junction in front of Wat Nong Muang yesterday, September 30, paying homage to Chao Mae Somboon, a revered spirit long associated with the site. Among them was 58…
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British war veteran fights for life in Thai hospital battle
A British veteran is in intensive care in Thailand after falling critically ill, while his family urgently try to raise funds to bring him back to the UK. Seventy-three year old Alexander Parker, a former Royal Fleet Auxiliary officer who served in the Falklands, the Gulf, Bosnia and Iraq, is in intensive care in Chanthaburi with suspected lymphoma. The Scot…
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Phuket drowning: Unidentified foreigner found dead on beach
A foreign man drowned after being found unconscious on a Phuket beach, with police now working to uncover his identity and the cause of the tragedy. Phuket police are scrambling to identify a foreign man who drowned off Naiyang Beach after his body was found washed ashore without a single clue to his identity. Sakhu Police said they were alerted…
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Thai man blames alcohol after attempted rape of 84 year old neighbour
Police arrested a Thai man for attacking and attempting to rape an elderly woman at her home in Samut Prakan on the night of Sunday, September 28. The 84 year old victim, Nuan, was found outside her home in the Bang Pli district of Samut Prakan province on Monday afternoon, September 29, after seeking assistance from neighbours. She had sustained…
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Phuket splashes 48 million baht on tunnel revamp to boost safety
Phuket officials have launched a multimillion-baht project to enhance lighting in key underpasses, aiming to improve safety and reduce accident risks at night. Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat made the announcement during a provincial committee meeting held on Monday, September 29, at Provincial Hall. He confirmed that contracts for the project were signed earlier this week, and work is set to…
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Bangkok’s 20 baht train fare deal extended to end of November
Bangkok commuters can rejoice as the government has extended the flat 20 baht fare on two major train lines, aiming to ease travel costs across the capital. Following the Cabinet’s meeting yesterday, September 30, the government confirmed that the popular fare cap will remain in place until November 30, easing the financial burden on residents navigating the city. “From today,…
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Thailand braces for more floods and storms amid monsoon chaos
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a new weather alert warning of widespread storms, flash floods and rough seas across multiple regions. A low-pressure cell is currently covering upper Myanmar while a strong southwest monsoon is sweeping across the Andaman Sea, the South and the Gulf of Thailand. The combined systems are driving thundershowers and strong winds, with isolated…
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Bangkok races to fill sinkhole with sand before reopening
Bangkok officials are repairing a major sinkhole outside a hospital, switching from cement to sand to ensure safety and keep the road reopening on schedule. A new plan has been rolled out to tackle the giant sinkhole in front of Vajira Hospital in Dusit district, with engineers deciding to use only sand instead of a sand-cement mix. The change is…
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Man on fire: Bangkok commuters left stunned as horror unfolds
A 21 year old man set himself on fire on a busy Bangkok road, shocking students and commuters as bystanders rushed to extinguish the flames and call for help. CCTV footage released around 10am shows the man, engulfed in flames, running from a bus stop in front of the Land Development Department. Terrified students fled as he stumbled into the…
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Mercedes-Benz driver faces jail and fine for damaging police motorcycle
A Mercedes-Benz driver faces two months in prison and a fine of 12,000 baht after parking his car in a prohibited area on Samsen Road in Bangkok and damaging a motorcycle belonging to a traffic police officer. The incident attracted attention from Thai netizens after the Facebook page เรารักด่านตรวจ (translated as We Love Police Checkpoints) shared a video of the…
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Samui restaurant faces backlash for booting Israeli tourists (video)
A restaurant on Koh Samui is under fire after a social media post claimed it removed a group of Israeli diners, igniting heated debate and divided reactions online. The now-viral post, attributed to the venue, claimed the decision was a stance against Israel’s actions in Gaza, using strong language to criticise the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). It said: “We must…
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Thai foreign minister slammed over UN debut controversy (video)
Thailand’s new foreign minister addressed the UN General Assembly, sparking debate at home over whether he breached constitutional rules by acting too soon. Thailand’s newly appointed Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has come under fire for potentially breaching constitutional rules after delivering a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The 80th UNGA session, which ran from…
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Bangkok commuters get 2-month reprieve on 20-baht fare
Thailand’s transport minister will propose extending the 20-baht flat fare on Red and Purple Line trains to ease commuter costs and ensure policy continuity. Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed that a proposal will be presented at today’s (September 30) Cabinet meeting to extend the 20-baht flat-rate fare for Red and Purple Line trains until the end…
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Pickup truck crushes Burmese worker in Chon Buri car care centre
A Burmese worker at a car care centre in Chon Buri province crashed a customer’s pickup into a colleague, killing him yesterday. The footage of the incident showed car care employees, customers, and bystanders attempting to pull the pickup truck away from the victim. The vehicle was parked on the car washing platform when both front wheels fell off, pinning…
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Indian getaway: SpiceJet adds daily Phuket flights
India’s domestic airline SpiceJet has announced new daily non-stop flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Phuket, giving Indian travellers more options for short-haul international holidays. SpiceJet has announced new daily services linking Delhi and Mumbai to Phuket, one of Thailand’s most popular holiday hotspots. The flights are timed to coincide with the busy winter travel season. According to the airline,…
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Thai woman and toddler missing after Melbourne sighting
Police in Melbourne are searching for a Thai woman and her two year old daughter, who went missing after last being seen in the Central Business District on a recent morning. Victoria police are appealing for public help to locate a Thai woman, 36 year old Priyanud and her two year old daughter, who have not been seen for several…
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Cannabis U-turn: Bhumjaithai vows drug war in 4 months
A senior Bhumjaithai MP told Parliament that the government will prioritise tackling the drug crisis, declaring cannabis reform finished and seeking four months to act. Deputy Prime Minister and Bhumjaithai Party MP for Buriram Sophon Saram made his stance crystal clear during a heated parliamentary session this morning, declaring that tackling Thailand’s drug problem will be his party’s top priority.…
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Royal Thai Navy targets Cambodian casino in border crackdown (video)
The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) is demolishing Cambodian structures built on Thai territory in Trat, with a casino complex set to be the final target of the operation. The RTN has confirmed it is pushing forward with the dismantling of 17 Cambodian-built structures that encroach into Thai territory in Trat province. The operation, which began earlier this month, has already…
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Thailand video news | Tourist confidence falls as foreigners steer clear of Thailand, Thai-Japan collaboration to combat cybercrime intensifies
In Thailand video news, Alex and Jay cover news stories from across Thailand. The stories include the falling tourism confidence in Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra’s plans to request a royal pardon, and, a little later, Thailand’s drug rehabilitation approach gaining international praise. Tourist Confidence Falls as Foreigners Steer Clear of Thailand Thailand’s tourism confidence index dropped to 66 in Q3 2025,…
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Drunken drama: Woman passes out on Pattaya baht bus
Police in Pattaya were called when a songthaew driver found a woman unconscious in his vehicle, prompting rescue teams to step in and revive her. Police in Pattaya were called to an unusual late-night incident after a songthaew driver discovered an unconscious passenger in his vehicle and feared for her safety. The drama unfolded at around 11.40pm on September 26,…
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Lottery fever: Hopefuls hunt lucky numbers in Nakhon Pathom
Devotees gathered at a temple in Nakhon Pathom yesterday to seek blessings and lucky numbers as they prepare for the upcoming national lottery draw. Wat Klang Bang Phra in Nakhon Pathom has once again become a magnet for lottery hopefuls, as devotees gathered yesterday, September 29, to pay respects and seek good fortune from the temple’s revered figures. At the…
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BMTA powers ahead with 1,520 electric buses by 2026
The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) has announced plans to replace non-air-conditioned buses with a fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) in a move set to transform the city’s transport system. Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed that 1,520 electric-powered, air-conditioned buses will be leased to modernise the fleet. “This transition will reduce pollution, improve service, and…
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