Thailand News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, and lifestyle—get breaking updates from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. Stay informed on Thai society, economy, tourism, and expat life with The Thaiger.
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Impostor monk busted in Ang Thong for drugs and donation scam
A man posing as a monk was arrested in Ang Thong yesterday, December 18, after police discovered him without monkhood credentials and attempting to fake a urine test. Police from Wiset Chai Chan Police Station were alerted to the suspicious activity near Rong Thong Shrine Market in Moo 6, Sala Chao Rong Thong subdistrict. Responding officers found a man in…
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Bangkok crowned world’s most visited city in 2025
Bangkok has been ranked the most-visited city in the world in 2025, according to a leading international survey, highlighting Thailand’s tourism rebound and reinforcing the capital’s global reputation as a top destination. Deputy Government Spokesperson Aiyarin Phanrit confirmed the news, citing the Top 100 City Destinations Index 2025 by Euromonitor International, a global market research firm. The index places Bangkok…
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Uzbek woman wanted for human trafficking arrested in Pattaya
Police arrested an Uzbek woman wanted under an Interpol Red Notice for human trafficking in Pattaya on Wednesday, December 17. Officers from Chon Buri Immigration Police conducted background checks on foreign nationals who had recently applied for visa-related services and detected irregularities involving a 22 year old Uzbek national, Khurshida Urmanova. They found that she had overstayed her visa by…
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Thai court rules banks must prove credit card fraud, not customers
Thailand’s Supreme Court has ruled that banks, not customers, must prove who authorised disputed credit card transactions, setting a legal precedent that strengthens consumer protection against cyber scams. The case, Supreme Court ruling No. 2624/2568, began when a bank sued a customer over charges made on their credit card without the cardholder’s knowledge or consent. The customer denied making the…
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Thailand video news | Deadly pedestrian bridge collapse in Samut Prakan, Rare leopard and black panther footage revisited in Khlong Lan National Park
In today’s Thailand video news, Alex brings you the latest stories from Thailand and Southeast Asia. Highlights include a deadly bridge collapse, ASEAN observers heading to the Thai–Cambodian border, and later, we’ll wrap things up with some feel-good Friday news to ease you into the weekend. Deadly Pedestrian Bridge Collapse in Samut Prakan Disrupts Traffic A section of a pedestrian…
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Phuket van driver strikes foreign woman with bottle over rubbish dispute
A Thai van driver struck a foreign woman on the head with a plastic bottle outside Phuket International Airport yesterday, December 18, following a dispute over rubbish allegedly left inside his vehicle. Footage of the incident quickly spread across Thai social media after it occurred at around 9pm last night. The confrontation took place near Entrance 2 of the passenger…
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139 arrested in year-end immigration sweep in Nakhon Pathom
Immigration officers in Nakhon Pathom carried out a sweeping year-end crackdown yesterday, December 18, arresting 139 foreign nationals and fining landlords who failed to report their tenants as required by law. Immigration Division 3, acting under orders from the Royal Thai Police, began intensified operations targeting areas with migrant workers in Kamphaeng Saen district yesterday. The raids, led by Nakhon…
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Thai fisherman finds headless body in marshland in Bangkok
A Thai man made a shocking discovery while fishing after finding a headless body in a roadside forest area in the Khan Na Yao district of Bangkok, yesterday, December 18. Rescue workers from the Por Teck Tung Foundation were alerted at around 4.30pm and rushed to a marshland area filled with dense reeds in Soi Khu Bon 31, Khu Bon…
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Thailand 50-year home gold record shattered by Vietnam
Thailand suffered a historic loss on home soil last night, December 18, as the men’s national football team was defeated by Vietnam 3-2 in the SEA Games 2025 final, marking the first time in 50 years that Thailand has failed to win gold as host. The clash at Bangkok’s Rajamangala National Stadium saw Thailand take a confident 2-0 lead in…
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Phuket Tourist Police help British woman in mental health crisis
Phuket Tourist Police officers shared their successful operation in which they helped calm and support a British woman who was suffering from stress and mental health issues at a hotel in the Patong area. The officers shared photos of the incident on the official Phuket Tourist Police Facebook page on Tuesday, December 16. In the post, they included the message…
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Thai karate coach dies in crash hours after SEA Games success
Thailand’s sporting community suffered a loss yesterday, December 17, after national karate coach Kanokporn Donsamran, widely known as Kru Gift, was killed in a road accident in Loei province just hours after helping the Thai karate team secure an impressive medal haul at the 2025 SEA Games. A native of Loei, 38 year old Kanokporn was travelling home after completing…
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Army raids border warehouse and seizes cash and gold from Thai-Cambodia couple
Officials from the 2nd Army Area and local police officers seized cash and gold worth a total of around 14 million baht from a Thai-Cambodian couple during a raid on a warehouse in Sisaket province today, December 18. The assets are suspected to be linked to transnational crime, but the couple denied the accusation. The operation was carried out at…
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Dutch motorcyclist killed after crashing into parked pickup in Chon Buri
A Dutch man lost his life in a motorcycle accident in Chon Buri province in the early hours of today, December 18, after he allegedly crashed into a parked pickup truck with a trailer. Officers from Nong Prue Police Station, together with rescue workers from the Sawang Borriboon Dhammastan Foundation, rushed to the scene after receiving reports of a serious…
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Man turns himself in after high-speed police chase in Samut Prakan
A man turned himself in to police in Samut Prakan today, December 18, after allegedly leading officers on a high-speed chase spanning more than 10 kilometres and injuring two of them in the process. The incident began late last night, December 17, when officers from Samrong Tai Police Station were patrolling on Pu Chao Saming Phrai Road near the entrance…
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Anwar confirms ASEAN meeting on Thai-Cambodian conflict
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced today, December 18, that Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to the deployment of an ASEAN observer team as part of efforts to de-escalate ongoing border tensions. The announcement comes ahead of a special ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting set to take place on December 22 in Kuala Lumpur. Anwar confirmed that both Thailand and Cambodia…
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6 Thai masseuses arrested for prostitution during raid on spa in Taiwan
Police in Taiwan raided a spa in Tainan City and arrested six Thai masseuses for allegedly providing illegal sex services. A Taiwanese customer was also arrested after being caught engaging in sexual activity during the operation. Officers from Shanhua Police Station carried out the raid on December 10 after receiving a tip-off that the spa was secretly operating as a brothel.…
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Embassy supports Thai woman suing South Korean ex over boiling water attack
The Royal Thai Embassy in South Korea stepped in to support a Thai woman in pursuing legal action against her South Korean husband after he allegedly poured boiling water over her, causing severe injuries. The Thai victim, later identified as Namfon, sought help from the Thai community in South Korea following the attack on December 3. She later shared with…
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Three Cambodian youths arrested after explosive stunt in Rayong
Three Cambodian youths were arrested in Rayong yesterday, December 17, after a video showing a youth group throwing an explosive and taunting Thai people went viral. The incident came to light when investigators traced a viral video showing more than 10 youths riding motorcycles on a public road, wielding long machetes and detonating a ping-pong bomb before shouting challenges directed…
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Petrol station bathroom in Khon Kaen go viral for unique designs
A Thai man shared a video reviewing a unique public bathroom at a petrol station in Khon Kaen province, drawing laughter and praise from online viewers. The video was posted on the Facebook account. Nax Chanaphat Reerom, on Tuesday, December 16. In the caption, Chanaphat wrote, “The review at petrol station bathroom.” Throughout the video, he could be heard laughing as…
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Thailand’s English proficiency ranks second lowest in Asia
Thailand has recorded one of the lowest levels of English proficiency in Asia, according to the 2025 EF English Proficiency Index, which shows a continued global stagnation in English skills since 2020. The index is based on test results from 2.2 million participants across 123 countries, with an average test-taker age of 26. While English remains the most commonly shared…
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French tourists allegedly fabricate bad boat trip experience in Phuket for refund
French tourists allegedly used artificial intelligence (AI) to edit photos from a boat trip in Phuket in an attempt to claim refunds by portraying their experience as poor. The accusation was reported today, December 18, by the Facebook page Phuket Times. According to the page, a group of French tourists joined a boat tour in Phuket and took photographs of…
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Thai researchers test Riceberry for hair regrowth
Researchers in Thailand are set to begin clinical trials next year on a Riceberry-based compound that may help reduce hair loss and bring back natural hair colour. The project is a collaboration between Chulalongkorn University and Mahidol University, with trials expected to begin early next year. It focuses on AnthoRice Complex, a formula derived from organic Riceberry rice, which has…
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Modified pickup truck clouds Pattaya in black smoke
A modified pickup truck emitted clouds of black smoke through Pattaya’s Walking Street area, drawing online criticism over pollution and public safety. The incident occurred around 3.30am, according to local reports. The truck, described as a customised racing-style vehicle, accelerated along Pattaya’s beachfront road and released dense black exhaust fumes in front of over 100 tourists in the area. A…
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Phuket man arrested after beating wife to death with broomstick
Police arrested a Thai man after he beat his wife to death with a broomstick inside their rented room in Phuket yesterday, December 17. Officers from Mueang Phuket Police Station were alerted to the case after medical staff at Mission Hospital Phuket reported that a 51 year old Thai woman, Kai, was admitted with severe injuries believed to be caused…
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Kazakh fraud suspect on Interpol Red Notice arrested in Phuket
Police arrested a Kazakh national wanted under an Interpol Red Notice after he fled a fraud case in his home country and went into hiding in Phuket. Officers from the Phuket Provincial Immigration Office were alerted to the presence of the wanted man, identified as Adilet, and launched an investigation to track down his whereabouts. On Monday, December 15, officers…
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Another Thai soldier dies in Sisaket border clash, bringing death toll to 21
Another Thai soldier died during ongoing border clashes in Sisaket province yesterday, December 17, raising the death toll among Thai army personnel to 21. The Facebook page Army Military Force reported that Private Wasan Khanhuatone was killed during a confrontation in Kantharalak district, Sisaket province. The page said the soldier sacrificed his life while carrying out his duties on the…
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Phuket woman pulls gun on finance agents over missed payments
A heated confrontation over missed car payments turned dangerous at a viewpoint in Phuket yesterday, December 16, when a woman allegedly threatened two finance company employees with a gun. The incident took place around 4:20pm yesterday at Khao Khad Viewpoint in Wichit, where two female employees of a private company working on behalf of a car finance firm were tracking…
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Foreign student injured in Chiang Rai car crash seeks accountability
A foreign student at Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai turned to TikTok to seek justice after being injured in a car accident in which a Thai driver failed to take responsibility, despite one man dying at the scene. The victim, La Min Khaing, is a second-year undergraduate at the Faculty of Cosmetic Science at Mae Fah Luang University.…
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3 Vietnamese men arrested in illegal cannabis farm raid in Bangkok
Police raided an illegal cannabis farm hidden inside a warehouse in Bangkok’s Bang Khun Thian district and arrested three Vietnamese men today, December 17. The raid was carried out by officers from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) in coordination with officials from the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine. Officials moved in after receiving a complaint from a local…
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Phitsanulok woman who woke up at her funeral passes away
A woman from Phitsanulok, who previously shocked family members and temple staff after briefly showing signs of life inside a coffin, has since passed away peacefully on December 14. Wat Rat Prakhong Tham announced via its Facebook page today, December 17, that 65 year old Chonthirat Sakulku died peacefully at Bang Yai Hospital, Nonthaburi, on December 14. Funeral rites and…
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