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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    5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)

    Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...

  • Malaysian tourists boost Thailand’s economy by 100 million baht

    Malaysian tourists boost Thailand’s economy by 100 million baht

    The recent influx of tourists to Thailand’s southern region during Malaysia’s National Day, known as Merdeka Day, is poised to inject approximately 100 million baht into the local economy. Over 13,000 Malaysian tourists crossed into Songkhla through the Sadao checkpoint yesterday, August 31, with an additional 5,000 arriving via the Betong checkpoint in Yala, according to local officials. The substantial…

  • Car swerves, causes fatal crash in Khon Kaen

    Car swerves, causes fatal crash in Khon Kaen

    A car swerved in front of a pickup truck yesterday at 9.56pm, causing it to lose control and flip onto its side before being hit by another vehicle, resulting in one death and two injuries. CCTV footage from Sanan Lab Kom restaurant, located by Mittraphap Road, captured the moment when a pickup truck traveling towards Bangkok was cut off by a…

  • Thai baby girl’s early birth on rescue vehicle sparks lottery buzz

    Thai baby girl’s early birth on rescue vehicle sparks lottery buzz

    A 30 year old woman gave birth to her fourth child in a rescue vehicle on the way to Samut Sakhon Hospital. Residents are now speculating on the vehicle’s registration number for the upcoming lottery draw. The Bang Khun Thian Civil Defense Volunteers (OPPR) in Bangkok received a call yesterday about a woman in labour at her home near Phra…

  • Young thief arrested in Buriram after stealing 2-million-baht valuables

    Young thief arrested in Buriram after stealing 2-million-baht valuables

    A young thief broke into the home of a retired police colonel, taking numerous valuables. Within a month, he managed to rob four houses, amassing items worth over 2 million baht. Police investigators from Buriram province, along with city police, arrested 26 year old Khamron near a canal behind Big C in Ban Suan Khrua, Isaan subdistrict. Khamron worked as…

  • Pattaya man seeks help after losing motorcycle to scammers

    Pattaya man seeks help after losing motorcycle to scammers

    A Thai man in Pattaya is appealing to the public for assistance after being scammed by thieves who made off with his motorcycle. The 27 year old Thai man, Nontaworn Mukura, shared with reporters that he fell victim to a scam on August 25. He recounted how individuals pretending to be his friends tricked him into lending them his Honda…

  • Chinese man brandishes knife in Pattaya road rage incident (video)

    Chinese man brandishes knife in Pattaya road rage incident (video)

    A Chinese man allegedly brandished a knife at another driver in a dramatic road rage incident in Pattaya earlier this week. A TikTok video, which has since gone viral in Thailand, shows a foreigner, believed to be Chinese, threatening another driver with a knife on a busy road. The 22-second clip captures the man, driving a white Ford Everest, opening…

  • Korean tourist becomes second Pattaya fall victim this week

    Korean tourist becomes second Pattaya fall victim this week

    A night of camaraderie and drinks in Pattaya turned into a nightmare when a 62 year old South Korean tourist plunged to his death from the 10th floor of a hotel in the early hours today. The tragedy, which has left friends and police searching for answers, unfolded at around 5.05am, sending shockwaves through the popular holiday destination. Local police,…

  • Aircraft shortage delays launch of Thailand’s Really Cool Airlines

    Aircraft shortage delays launch of Thailand’s Really Cool Airlines

    The worldwide aircraft shortage has led to a delay in the launch of Really Cool Airlines in Thailand. The airline, headed by chief executive Patee Sarasin, is finalising a lease agreement for two Airbus A330 aircraft, with delivery now expected by the end of this year rather than the initially planned first half. Commercial airlines are struggling to acquire aircraft…

  • NACC awaits CCTV in Thaksin hospital treatment probe

    NACC awaits CCTV in Thaksin hospital treatment probe

    The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has yet to receive CCTV footage from the Police General Hospital as it investigates potential preferential treatment given to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra during his hospital stay. Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, NACC secretary-general, stated yesterday that the commission has gathered substantial information and will soon determine if there is sufficient evidence to proceed with questioning. The…

  • Thai House of Representatives to make 7.8 billion baht budget cut

    Thai House of Representatives to make 7.8 billion baht budget cut

    The House of Representatives is set to proceed with the second and third readings of the budget bill for the 2025 fiscal year next week. This development comes amidst reports that the proposed spending plan has been reduced by nearly 8 billion baht. House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha announced that the budget debate will take place from September 3…

  • Prosecutor defends involvement in Red Bull heir hit-and-run case

    Prosecutor defends involvement in Red Bull heir hit-and-run case

    A former senior prosecutor has revealed he assisted Red Bull heir Vorayuth Yoovidhya in the 2012 hit-and-run case due to a compassionate gesture, as the driver was a friend of his niece. Chainarong Saengthong-aram, one of eight defendants accused of mishandling the high-profile incident that resulted in the death of a policeman, allegedly underreported the speed of Vorayuth’s Ferrari from…

  • Thai taekwondo star wins Thailand’s first Paralympic medal in Paris

    Thai taekwondo star wins Thailand’s first Paralympic medal in Paris

    Thai taekwondo star Khwansuda Phuangkitcha, aka Khwan, clinched Thailand’s first medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, securing a bronze in the women’s 47-kilogramme taekwondo category. Khwansuda triumphed over Iran’s Maryam Abdollahpour Deroei in a fiercely contested match. The bout concluded in a 4-4 tie, leading to a golden round where no points were scored. Ultimately, Khwansuda, ranked third in the…

  • Hungary and Thailand to sign MoU for stronger economic ties

    Hungary and Thailand to sign MoU for stronger economic ties

    Hungary and Thailand are set to strengthen their economic ties with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Hungarian-Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Budapest Chamber of Commerce next month. The Hungarian embassy facilitated a luncheon in Bangkok, where the Hungarian ambassador and local Thai media discussed Hungary’s role as president of the Council of the European…

  • Probe launched into Koh Rap land deeds amid national park plans

    Probe launched into Koh Rap land deeds amid national park plans

    Police officers from the Anti-Corruption Division (ACD) of the Central Investigation Bureau are investigating the issuance of 33 title deeds covering a total of 400 rai on Koh Rap, Surat Thani, which is set to become part of a national park. Government officials, including officers from several agencies, inspected land ownership documents from restaurants, hotels, and tourism businesses on the…

  • Police truck flips in heavy rain, injuring two officers

    Police truck flips in heavy rain, injuring two officers

    A police pickup truck from Bang Pla Ma Police Station in Suphanburi overturned and was severely damaged while returning from delivering evidence in Bangkok. The incident occurred yesterday, August 29, at 6.30pm on the Taling Chan-Suphanburi Road. The accident took place near Moo 7, Na Mai subdistrict, Lat Lum Kaeo district, Pathum Thani province. Police Lieutenant Colonel Thiraphong Nakhwa from…

  • Thailand’s Seri Ruam Thai Party dumps Pheu Thai amid feud

    Thailand’s Seri Ruam Thai Party dumps Pheu Thai amid feud

    Thailand’s Seri Ruam Thai Party has quit the Pheu Thai-led coalition government. The move follows a heated dispute between Seri Ruam Thai’s leader, Police General Sereepisuth Temeeyaves, and the ruling Pheu Thai Party, which he accuses of neglect. In a tense briefing at the Seri Ruam Thai headquarters yesterday, Pol. Gen. Sereepisuth revealed that the party executive board had decided…

  • Suspect vanishes into thin air: Bang Sri Mueang cops under fire

    Suspect vanishes into thin air: Bang Sri Mueang cops under fire

    A suspect in a criminal case disappears from Bang Sri Mueang Police Station, raising concerns over potential police misconduct. The incident, which occurred yesterday August 29, has prompted the plaintiff to file a complaint against the officers involved. Yesterday at 6pm, the plaintiff, Sanit Champak, through his lawyer Montri Prasatkaew, reported the disappearance of the suspect from Bang Sri Muang…

  • Elephant calf gets star-studded welcome in Pattaya

    Elephant calf gets star-studded welcome in Pattaya

    A heartwarming spectacle unfolded at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden Pattaya as a traditional elephant blessing ceremony celebrated the arrival of a newborn elephant. The event, led by Phra Kru Kasemkittisophon, abbot of Samakkhibanphot Temple, marked the garden’s sixth elephant birth this year—a milestone that has now brought their total number of elephants to an impressive 79. In true Thai style,…

  • 2 Japanese AV stars to meet Bangkok fans this September

    2 Japanese AV stars to meet Bangkok fans this September

    Lovers of Japanese pornography are in for a treat next month with two of Asia’s best-known adult video (AV) stars making a guest appearance in Bangkok at the For 16 Years Asia Tour Fan Meeting. AV stars Hatano Yui and Otsuki Hibiki have been close friends since they were members of the now-disbanded idol group T♡Project. The girls, both 36…

  • Human bones found in Trang may indicate old Chinese burial site

    Human bones found in Trang may indicate old Chinese burial site

    Two burial urns containing human bones were discovered by a hired worker digging a drainage ditch in Trang province. The discovery raises suspicions that the site might be an old Chinese burial ground. An investigator at Muang Trang Police Station, Police Lieutenant Colonel Charoon Sangkhara, received the report about the human bones found in the urns buried at Moo 6,…

  • Thai steel firms request BoI incentives for eco-project

    Thai steel firms request BoI incentives for eco-project

    Thai steel manufacturers G Steel and GJ Steel are actively seeking investment incentives from the Board of Investment (BoI) to support a 4.5 billion baht development project. This initiative aims to tackle the challenges plaguing the local steel market while minimising carbon dioxide emissions. The founder and honorary chairman of both companies, Somsak Leeswadtrakul, revealed that despite employing over 1,000…

  • Pattaya Airways’ maiden flight set to revolutionise Thai logistics

    Pattaya Airways’ maiden flight set to revolutionise Thai logistics

    Thailand’s skies witnessed a game-changing event as Pattaya Airways launched its inaugural cargo flight on August 21. Flight PTW822 soared out of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport at 6am, touching down in Phuket by 8.15am. The aircraft returned to the capital just after midday, marking a significant milestone in Thailand’s logistics industry. Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat rolled out the red carpet for…

  • Myanmar journalist jailed for life, another gets 20 years

    Myanmar journalist jailed for life, another gets 20 years

    A military court in Myanmar sentenced one journalist to life imprisonment and another to 20 years behind bars, further tightening the junta’s iron grip on the nation’s media. The verdict was delivered under a draconian counterterrorism law. The journalists, 40 year old Myo Myint Oo and 49 year old Aung San Oo, who work for the independent online news service…

  • Tourism triumph: Can Thailand hit the 2.3 trillion baht jackpot?

    Tourism triumph: Can Thailand hit the 2.3 trillion baht jackpot?

    Despite a whirlwind of global economic challenges and shrinking wallets worldwide, Thailand’s tourism sector is making a remarkable comeback. The nation is on the brink of welcoming nearly as many visitors as it did in the golden year of 2019, when almost 40 million foreign tourists poured in, generating a staggering 2 trillion baht in international revenue. However, while the…

  • Birds of a feather flocked together, pooped on ceiling, injuring 4

    Birds of a feather flocked together, pooped on ceiling, injuring 4

    An accumulation of pigeon droppings caused a ceiling in the Kham Khuean Kaeo district meeting hall in the Isaan province of Yasothon to collapse onto students and teachers during an exhibition visit, resulting in four injuries. The ceiling collapse occurred yesterday, August 29, when teachers and students from several schools in the Kham Khuean Kaeo district came to see an…

  • Bang Lamung trains 150 volunteers in disaster skills 2024

    Bang Lamung trains 150 volunteers in disaster skills 2024

    The Bang Lamung district chief concluded a training program for civil defence volunteers yesterday, aiming to boost their disaster prevention and mitigation skills. Weekit Manarojkit presided over the closing ceremony of the 2024 Civil Defense Volunteer (CDV) Training ProgramME at the Bang Lamung District Community Hall. The event gathered 150 volunteers who participated in the training session designed to equip…

  • Bangkok security guard arrested for fatal stabbing over traffic cones

    Bangkok security guard arrested for fatal stabbing over traffic cones

    A security guard was arrested after fatally stabbing an elderly caregiver following a dispute over traffic cones in Bangkok’s Thawi Watthana district. The incident occurred yesterday, August 29, at Pin Klao Nakorn 2 Village, Soi Phutthamonthon Sai 2. Police Lieutenant Weerawit Tasanapinyoyo received a call about a fatal stabbing at 5pm. The altercation took place in front of house number…

  • DJOP evaluates Thicha Nanakorn’s contract amid budget cuts

    DJOP evaluates Thicha Nanakorn’s contract amid budget cuts

    The Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection (DJOP) is evaluating whether to renew the contract of a seasoned expert in juvenile justice, Thicha Nanakorn amid budget cuts for hiring specialists. A document released today by the DJOP outlines a policy to reduce staff numbers, particularly specialists and experts, during the 2025-2028 fiscal years. This policy has led to Thicha’s resignation,…

  • Police scandal: 15 cops transfered over escort and extortion claims

    Police scandal: 15 cops transfered over escort and extortion claims

    The recent scandal involving a Thai escort and multiple police officers has resulted in the transfer of 15 officers from the Ayutthaya Special Operation Police Unit. An investigation is now underway to determine if these officers failed to pay for the escort’s services and if they extorted 20,000 baht from two sex workers. The transfer of the 15 police officers…

  • Five Star Cinema in Korat screens final show after 29 years

    Five Star Cinema in Korat screens final show after 29 years

    The final chapter has closed on Korat’s beloved Five Star Cinema, a cherished venue for local students and residents. Yesterday, August 29, marked the last screening at the iconic theatre, succumbing to the competition from central investors and streaming services. Five Star Cinema, located at the Chai Narong Gate intersection next to the Panjadara Hotel in Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat), originally…