Crime News

Thailand crime news, breaking reports, investigations, and law enforcement updates—stay informed on drug trafficking, cybercrime, corruption, and public safety developments. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for crime news in Thailand.

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    Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?

    Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...

  • 12 gamblers arrested in raid on restaurant in central Thailand

    12 gamblers arrested in raid on restaurant in central Thailand

    Police have arrested 12 people found eating, drinking, and gambling in a restaurant in the central province of Pathum Thani. Under disease prevention measures, there is currently a ban on in-restaurant dining in a number of provinces in Thailand. According to the Bangkok Post, the authorities raided the restaurant in the Lam Luk Ka district of Pathum Thani late last…

  • Social distancing violation busts Pattaya illegal loan scheme

    Social distancing violation busts Pattaya illegal loan scheme

    Covid-19 safety violations brought down a Chinese man and 39 Thai employees running an illegal loan operation in Pattaya. The group was arrested for offering money lending services after violating the Chon Buri Disease Control orders and emergency decree restrictions of social distancing and large gatherings. Chon Buri police raided the office building in Nongprue on Pattaya Second Road and…

  • Japanese man who ran 12 million baht scam arrested in Pattaya

    Japanese man who ran 12 million baht scam arrested in Pattaya

    A Japanese man, now arrested in Pattaya by immigration police, ran a scam netting over 12 million baht from 46 victims before fleeing to Japan. The 46 year old man identified as Michuma had been living in Thailand for 2 years after arriving on a visitor visa. Suspicion was aroused after an informant told immigration officials that the man was…

  • Police in Phuket seize 100,000 methamphetamine pills, women arrested on drug charges

    Police in Phuket seize 100,000 methamphetamine pills, women arrested on drug charges

    Police in Phuket arrested 2 women on drug charges and seized a package containing 100,000 methamphetamine pills, 200 grams of crystal methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia. Police say they received a tip about women suspected of selling methamphetamine and pills known as “ya ba,” meaning “crazy drug” in Thai. Officers tracked down 38 year old Ladawan ‘Mod’ Chuengyang and 24 year old…

  • Officers seized 31 million baht in cash and assets in 20 drug trafficking raids

    Officers seized 31 million baht in cash and assets in 20 drug trafficking raids

    In a major crackdown on a suspect drug network run by a woman in Northern Thailand, officers raided 20 locations in the Eastern region and seized cash as well as other assets valued at a total of 31 million baht. Thailand’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board launched an investigation back in October into a suspected drug network said to…

  • Opium and Heroin seized at Chiang Mai checkpoint

    Opium and Heroin seized at Chiang Mai checkpoint

    500 grams of heroin and 50 kilograms of raw opium were seized at a Chiang Mai checkpoint by Pha Muang Force soldiers. The cache was confiscated Tuesday evening in the Chai Prakan district’s Pha Hong checkpoint in Tambun Si Dong Yen. The soldiers stopped 2 drivers who aroused suspicion and who promptly fled when stopped. The motorcycle was left with…

  • Nuns arrested for allegedly scamming hundreds out of a total of 10 million baht

    Nuns arrested for allegedly scamming hundreds out of a total of 10 million baht

    Police arrested 3 Buddhist nuns at a meditation centre in Thailand’s Isaan region for allegedly scamming more than 400 people, promising returns to those who invested in a fund for the poor. Victims say the nuns took off with a total of around 10 million baht. A nun at the centre claims those who made merit would receive returns, but…

  • Police crackdown on 3 drug networks in Northern Thailand, local politician on the run

    Police crackdown on 3 drug networks in Northern Thailand, local politician on the run

    In an effort to suppress drug trafficking during the Covid-19 pandemic, police are cracking down on 3 suspected networks in Northern Thailand, including one linked to a local politician who is now on the run. In the busts, police confiscated assets valued at a total of 30.5 million baht. Police are still investigating drug cases linked to the head of…

  • 28 people arrested at private villa parties in Pattaya for violating disease control orders

    28 people arrested at private villa parties in Pattaya for violating disease control orders

    Private parties at luxury pool villas in a Pattaya neighbourhood were raided by police last night and 28 people were arrested. Around 50 officers from the Banglamung district and Chon Buri stations were called to the area after neighbours complained that the parties could potentially lead to the spread Covid-19. A birthday party for an English teacher was hosted at…

  • Pedigree cats seized in drug raid find new home with “cat lady”

    Pedigree cats seized in drug raid find new home with “cat lady”

    A cat lady has taken in 6 pedigree cats who were auctioned off yesterday after their owner was arrested in a drug raid. The auction proceeds went to the Narcotic Control Fund, which organises drug raids. The 6 cats, consisting of 5 Scottish Folds and 1 Bengal breed, were sold to Nutch Prasopsin, who owns a Facebok fan page called,…

  • Man arrested for allegedly stealing from foreign men he met through online dating

    Man arrested for allegedly stealing from foreign men he met through online dating

    Immigration police in Bangkok arrested a 29-year-old Thai man who allegedly stole from foreign men he met through dating applications like Grindr. Allegedly, he even drugged some of his dates. Police say the man would sleep with the men in hotel rooms and then somehow get them to reveal their passwords for their online banking account. Police say he would…

  • 6 cats up for auction after owners in drug raid, proceeds go to Narcotics Control Fund

    6 cats up for auction after owners in drug raid, proceeds go to Narcotics Control Fund

    6 cats in Thailand are up for auction after their owners were involved in a drug raid. Thailand’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board says, according to the law, the cats are considered living assets, and must be put up for auction. Secretary-General of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, Wichai Chaimongkol, explained that the felines were confiscated, along…

  • New Yaba pill laced with crystal meth to increase potency

    New Yaba pill laced with crystal meth to increase potency

    A new type of yaba (methamphetamine) pill in Thailand is being laced with a crystal meth coating to boost its potency. The news comes after Border Patrol Police say they seized 40,950 Yaba pills in Thailand’s northeastern Nakhon Phanom province. Police say the pills are not the regular yaba pills that have existed in the country for years, but are a…

  • Immigration police arrest Frenchman on drug charges, 3 other foreigners for overstay

    Immigration police arrest Frenchman on drug charges, 3 other foreigners for overstay

    Immigration police arrested a French man who was allegedly involved in a crime network who allegedly smuggled cannabis, and arrested 3 other foreigners on overstay charges. Police say the crime network sold cannabis to foreigners living in tourist cities in Thailand. Officers say they suspect there are more people involved in the alleged smuggling operation on the Eastern seaboard, which…

  • Thailand hoping to be upgraded to a Tier 1 nation in anti-human trafficking efforts

    Thailand hoping to be upgraded to a Tier 1 nation in anti-human trafficking efforts

    Thailand is hoping its newest anti-human trafficking report will earn an upgrade from the US from Tier 2 to Tier 1. The report was submitted to the Washington’s Trafficking in Persons Report. Deputy government spokeswoman, Rachada Dhnadirek, said the government is ready to be upgraded after remaining on Tier 2 for 3 years in a row. Those nations who fall on…

  • Phuket man shot by off-duty police officer now paralysed

    Phuket man shot by off-duty police officer now paralysed

    A 25 year old Phuket man who was allegedly beaten and shot by an off-duty, drunken police officer, will never walk again as he remains paralysed in the hospital. The news, according to doctors at Vachira Phuket Hospital, comes after Aroon Thongplab, was shot from a close range, with the bullet hitting his spine. The man was a noodle vendor and…

  • Japanese man allegedly beaten by Pattaya bar security

    Japanese man allegedly beaten by Pattaya bar security

    A Japanese man is recovering after allegedly receiving a beating by security guards at a bar in central Pattaya just after midnight this morning, according to the Pattaya City Police. The 41 year old Japanese man, Takeshi Shigami, arrived at the police station at 1am, saying that two nightclub guards assaulted him “without provocation”. He claims he did nothing to…

  • Foreigners charged with DUI teach English to Koh Samui probation staff

    Foreigners charged with DUI teach English to Koh Samui probation staff

    Foreigners on Koh Samui who have been caught driving while intoxicated are now teaching English to probation officers as part of their community service. Those with a drink driving charge are ordered by the court to complete 24 hours of community service. The foreigners have been teaching probation staff basic greetings and conversational English as well as grammar and legal…

  • Thai man arrested after beating and killing dog for being “mangy”

    Thai man arrested after beating and killing dog for being “mangy”

    A 24 year old Thai man has been arrested in northeastern Thailand’s Udon Thani province, for beating and killing a dog because it appeared to be “mangy.” Watchdog Thailand, posted a graphic video clip on Facebook of the man assaulting the dog several times with a knife and pipe in front of its owner’s house. Later that day, the dog’s owner…

  • Man’s genitals cut and flushed by jealous girlfriend

    Man’s genitals cut and flushed by jealous girlfriend

    Ever felt like your sex life has been flushed down the toilet? A man in Taiwan experienced that literally when his girlfriend cut off his genitals while he slept and flushed them down her toilet on the evening of March 30. The story, first published by the website Mothership the day after the incident, involves a 52 year old man…

  • Young men shot and killed in Khon Kaen, gunman still at large

    Young men shot and killed in Khon Kaen, gunman still at large

    A gunman shot and killed 2 young men last night in the Isaan province Khon Kaen. Both 18 year old Korkiat Chanasri and 23 year old Theerayuth Faithee were shot in the head. Witnesses say they saw a man talking with the 2 victims. They heard a gunshot and Korkiat collapsed. Theerayuth tried to flee, but he was also shot.…

  • Man finds live hand grenade in Pattaya area forest – VIDEO

    Man finds live hand grenade in Pattaya area forest – VIDEO

    A man found a live hand grenade under a tree in Pattaya area forest yesterday while he was searching in the woods for termites to later feed to his pet fish. Officers from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team say the M26 hand grenade is very dangerous and can still explode. 51 year old Su Supayut told Pattaya News reporters that…

  • April Fool’s jokes posted online could land you in Thai jail, police warn

    April Fool’s jokes posted online could land you in Thai jail, police warn

    April Fool’s jokes, pranks and hoaxes are not allowed to be shared on social media in Thailand. No, it’s not a joke. April Fool’s jokes posted on social media could land you in Thai jail, or slapped with a hefty fine for violating the country’s Computer Crime Act. Some April Fool’s jokes posted online are considered “fake news” that mislead…

  • 5 pro-democracy activists indicted for alleged violence against Queen’s liberty

    5 pro-democracy activists indicted for alleged violence against Queen’s liberty

    Prosecutors indicted 5 pro-democracy activists today for attempting to “harm HM the Queen’s liberty” during a rally in Bangkok last year that happened to be along the same route as a royal motorcade. The charge for an “act of violence against the HM the Queen’s liberty” carries a minimum sentence of 16 years in prison. For serious attempts to harm…

  • 21 year old accused of defrauding more 100 people in surfskate board scam

    21 year old accused of defrauding more 100 people in surfskate board scam

    A 21 year old Thai man is accused of cashing in on the new surfskate trend by allegedly scamming more than 100 people with damages valued at more than 2.7 million baht. Apparently, he advertised preorders for surfskate boards on Facebook and victims of the scam say they paid in full for the boards, but never received their orders. Surfskating,…

  • Woman warns of paying cash on delivery after being scammed

    Woman warns of paying cash on delivery after being scammed

    A woman is warning internet users to beware of accepting parcels by paying cash on delivery after being allegedly scammed. According to Thai Residents, the woman says she accepted a package without knowing she didn’t order it, paying 590 baht in cash. Once she opened the package, she saw a pink t-shirt with a note that said, “I am sorry,…

  • Phetchaburi man bludgeons wife to death, shoots himself

    Phetchaburi man bludgeons wife to death, shoots himself

    A man in Phetchaburi allegedly bludgeoned his wife to death before committing suicide yesterday, according to local authorities. It appears that Wichai Leeka, a 43 year old auto tyre repairman, beat his young wife, 21 year old Thanthip Pothong to death with a steel bar, before using a shotgun to take his own life with a shot to the head.…

  • Man who buys truck from auction finds 20 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine inside

    Man who buys truck from auction finds 20 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine inside

    A man who bought a truck from a Bangkok auction site got a hefty surprise after finding 20 kilograms of crystal meth (ice) in a secret compartment when he went to install a new audio system. He says the drugs were bundled in gold wrapping when he discovered them and immediately returned the truck to the auction in the Bang…

  • Thai rocker granted temporary bail after court upholds sentence

    Thai rocker granted temporary bail after court upholds sentence

    A Thai rock musician is being released on a temporary bail, after losing his appeal to the Supreme Court. Seksan Sookpimay, known as “Sek Loso,” used his alleged diagnosis of suffering from bipolar disorder as part of his appeal to be let off from serving a 42 month prison sentence for several offences dating back to New Years Eve 2017.…

  • Man arrested for allegedly harassing PM Prayut’s daughters

    Man arrested for allegedly harassing PM Prayut’s daughters

    Officers from the computer crime division arrested a 40 year old man for allegedly harassing PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s twin daughters on the social media platform Twitter. Police say the man posted a Tweet, encouraging anyone who comes across the twins Tanya and Nittha to rape the women. Prayut immediately had his lawyer file a complaint. The man’s name was not…