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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Thailand’s warm weather, low cost of living, and good healthcare attract many long-term expats, including retirees and remote workers. Life here feels easy and affordable, but medical costs can be high if something goes wrong. Private hospitals are popular because...
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Thailand postpones digital wallet scheme indefinitely
The Thai government indefinitely postponed the digital wallet programme, citing world economic issues and a new US tax policy as the reasons for the delay. The digital wallet scheme was a flagship campaign of the Pheu Thai Party and has been promoted since the General Election. The initiative is reported to be of the former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. The…
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Tragic shooting in Pattani claims lives of two volunteers
Two members of a volunteer protection unit died, and two others were injured in a shooting in Pattani province yesterday, May 19, at 5.30pm. The attack targeted five local volunteers running for exercise in Mueang Mai Kaen district’s Don Sai subdistrict. The assailants, dressed in hijabs to disguise themselves as Muslim women, arrived on motorcycles. Upon reaching the village’s main…
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Transwoman nicked after Pattaya Beach brawl with Israeli tourist
A Thai transwoman who fled the scene of a violent late-night brawl with an Israeli tourist has been arrested by Pattaya police. The suspect vanished shortly after chaos erupted on Pattaya Beach Road during the early hours, where at least five transgender women were caught on video attacking an Israeli tourist in a black T-shirt. The row reportedly kicked off…
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Sky high fixes: Bangkok’s traffic nightmare gets new overpasses
Bangkok’s endless traffic jams might soon have a silver lining—up in the sky. The Transport Ministry has announced an ambitious plan to tackle the capital’s notorious congestion by building a series of new overpasses in the city and surrounding provinces. The move comes as part of a wider push to ease pressure on key transport routes during peak hours, particularly…
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Tragic collision in Ayutthaya leaves one dead and another injured
A tragic collision occurred early this morning involving a speeding pickup truck crashing into a cement-carrying trailer, resulting in one fatality and one person critically injured in Ayutthaya. The trailer then lost control, crashing through a wall and damaging a spirit house shop at a petrol station. Police are investigating the true cause of the incident. Today, May 20, Police…
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Rescue volunteer shocked as foreigner trashes Pattaya booth
A shocked rescue volunteer in Pattaya is pleading for justice after a mystery foreigner allegedly smashed into his emergency booth, causing thousands of baht in damage, including wrecking a defibrillator. Thawin Siangkong, who works unpaid for the Sawang Boriboon Rescue Unit, reported the late-night break-in to Pattaya police in the early hours of today, May 20. Armed with CCTV footage…
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Search continues for Thai worker buried in landslide at MRT site
An operation is ongoing to locate a Thai construction worker who went missing following a landslide at the construction site of the MRT Orange Line on Lan Luang Road in Bangkok. The worker, 33 year old Sarawut “Dao” Chanthason, yesterday, May 19, fell into a 19-metre-deep hole that had been drilled for a foundation pile of the Lan Luang MRT…
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Near miss: Cement chunk smashes woman’s car on Rama II
A terrified motorist narrowly escaped injury after a chunk of cement came crashing down from an overpass and smashed into her rear window while she was driving. The alarming incident occurred yesterday, May 19, on Phra Ram 2 Road near The Niche ID Rama 2 condo, at the expressway exit ramp. The road, notorious for its endless construction and traffic…
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Intoxicated karaoke workers crash into barriers in Trat
Two karaoke bar workers collided with crash barriers while driving home from work, causing damage to 12 barriers. The incident, which occurred at 6am today, May 20, led to the driver admitting to drinking. The accident took place at the Khlong Yai intersection in Wang Krachae subdistrict, Mueang district, Trat province. Police Lieutenant Piyaorn Khamwan, an investigator from Mueang Trat…
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Runaway van slams into 4 taxis outside Phuket Airport
A chaotic crash unfolded outside Phuket International Airport’s international arrivals terminal yesterday afternoon when a van’s accelerator reportedly jammed, setting off a domino-effect collision involving four taxis. The incident happened around 12.50pm yesterday, May 19, right on the first-floor platform. Despite the heavy impact, no injuries were reported. Witnesses were left stunned as the Toyota Commuter van, bearing the distinctive…
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Thailand braces for heavy rain and flash floods warning
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) issued another warning for heavy rainfall across Thailand, urging residents to exercise caution due to potential flash floods and forest runoffs. The weather forecast for the next 24 hours indicates heavy showers in parts of north Thailand, northeast Thailand, central Thailand, including Bangkok and its vicinity, east Thailand, and the west coast of south Thailand.…
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Phuket lawyer accused of misconduct and affair with client’s girlfriend
A Thai man accused a lawyer in Phuket of letting him down both professionally and personally by failing to represent him properly in the court and having an affair with his girlfriend. The 29 year old man, a resident of the Kathu district in Phuket, shared his story with the media to expose the lawyer‘s alleged misconduct. He claims to have…
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Thai boy traumatised after being kicked by classmate’s father
A Thai father kicked a six year old boy in the head at a kindergarten in the southern province of Trang on Thursday, May 15, allegedly because the boy had played roughly with his child, which resulted in an injury. A Twitter account by the name of Mr.Hap shared a video of the physical assault on Saturday, May 17, although the…
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Argument turns deadly as nephew stabs uncle in Nakhon Ratchasima
An argument turned fatal in Nakhon Ratchasima this morning, May 19, when a 32 year old man fatally stabbed his uncle during a violent altercation following a heated argument. The incident occurred around 8.15am at a single-storey house in Ban Krabueang Noi, Phimai district. Police from Phimai Police Station responded to the scene after receiving a report from local patrol…
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2 Israeli men and Pattaya transwomen fight over sex service deposit
A group of Thai transwomen and two Israeli men are facing charges following a physical altercation over a deposit for a sex service at Pattaya Beach Road earlier today, May 19. The incident was caught on a viral video shared across Thai social media platforms. One of the foreign men was wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, while the other…
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Thailand and Indonesia shakes hands on continued partnership
Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding, aiming to deepen cooperation between the two nations’ health ministries. The agreement, signed in Bangkok today, May 19, covers public health initiatives such as strengthening primary healthcare systems, communicable disease prevention and control, pharmaceutical and medical equipment security, healthcare financing, and medical tourism. In…
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Ayutthaya high-speed rail plans raise UNESCO heritage concerns
Plans to build a high-speed rail station in Ayutthaya have sparked fears that the project could threaten the city’s World Heritage status. Ayutthaya Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991, lies near the proposed site of the Ayutthaya station, part of the Thailand-Laos-China high-speed railway project. Concerns have been raised over potential visual and structural impacts on the…
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South Korean man cut on face by steel plate on Pattaya footpath
A South Korean man sustained a serious facial injury yesterday, May 18, in Pattaya, after he accidentally walked into a protruding piece of a galvanised steel plate on a footpath, illegally placed by a nearby construction site. Rescuers from the Sawang Borriboon Thammasathan Foundation responded to the incident on a footpath along Pattaya Sai Sam Road at around 10.30pm. The…
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Thai Finance Ministry to ease debt relief criteria
The Thai Finance Ministry is considering easing debt relief criteria under the You Fight, We Help programme, allowing those with a single day of default to participate. Deputy Finance Minister Paophum Rojanasakul announced that discussions with the Bank of Thailand are ongoing to broaden the eligibility criteria. The proposed changes aim to expand the Pay On Time, Keep Asset measure,…
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Suspects surrender over Thai office building collapse, claim limited role
The two remaining suspects from Company V. and Associates surrendered to police due to the collapse of the new office building of the State Audit Office of Thailand. They presented evidence claiming their involvement was limited to electrical and plumbing systems, not structural work. Their lawyer prepared bail of over 1 million baht (US$30,165). Today, May 19, at Bang Sue…
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Tragic collision on Rama 2 Road leaves one dead, one injured
A tragic accident occurred when a truck carrying cattle collided with the rear of an 18-wheeler truck transporting animal feed, resulting in one fatality and one critical injury. The incident took place around 6am today, May 19, on Rama 2 Road, Samut Sakhon province, as the victims were returning to Phetchaburi from buying cattle in northeast Thailand. Police Major Sukkrit…
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Claw machine crackdown in Thailand targets student routes
Police in Nakhon Si Thammarat seized dozens of claw machines placed near schools and tutoring centres this past Saturday, May 17, raising growing concern over the devices’ impact on children and their classification as gambling equipment under Thai law. The operation was led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Narakorn Ladchuay, acting Deputy Superintendent of Nakhon Si Thammarat City Police Station, in…
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Man arrested after decade on the run for machete attack
Police have apprehended a 69 year old man, Patipol, for allegedly attacking his sister with a machete in a severe inheritance dispute. The incident occurred nearly a decade ago in Chumphon province, and Patipol had since evaded capture by working as a fisherman in the sea near Chon Buri. The arrest was carried out on May 19 following the orders…
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Thailand video news | Missing British Teen found smuggling, DJ found murdered, Naked farang escapes hospital
In today’s video, we talk about a naked foreigner causing chaos in Pattaya after escaping from a hospital, the suspicious death of an Indian tourist on Koh Samet, and a missing British teen who turned up arrested in Georgia for drug smuggling. We also cover the tragic discovery of DJ Tete’s body in Kanchanaburi, a deadly wild elephant attack in…
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Pattaya app-based taxi rider punches Indian man for groping him
A male app-based motorcycle taxi rider repeatedly punched an Indian man outside a hotel in Pattaya last night, May 18, allegedly after the passenger had groped him during the ride. A security guard at a hotel on Soi Thep Prasit 17, in Bang Lamung district of Pattaya, called rescuers from the Sawang Borriboon Thammasathan Foundation to assist the injured Indian man,…
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Petition planned to halt Senate’s appointment powers amid election probe
A Thai Senator plans to petition the Constitutional Court for a temporary suspension of the Senate’s authority to approve appointments to independent state agencies. Finalisation of the petition is expected by today, May 19, amid ongoing investigations into the legitimacy of senatorial elections. The petition, once complete, will be presented to Senate Speaker Mongkol Surasajja for submission to the Constitutional…
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Family dispute turns violent as monk accused of assault
A family dispute escalated into violence when a woman was assaulted by a monk and his associates at her home on May 17. The incident, shared on the Facebook page “อยากดังเดี๋ยวจัดให้ รีเทริน์ part 6,” has raised questions about the monk’s involvement in the domestic conflict. According to the account, the woman’s mother had been staying at a monastic centre in…
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Woman reclaims missing car after spotting it on road (video)
A woman unexpectedly encountered her missing car being driven on the road, prompting her to leap off a motorbike taxi and reclaim it. The incident, which occurred on May 17 in Huai Khwang, gained significant attention on social media. Yesterday, May 18, 30 year old Namfon, the car owner, revealed that the situation stemmed from a year-long ordeal involving a…
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Elderly woman fatally hit by car while crossing road in Samut Songkhram
This morning, May 19, an elderly woman was fatally hit by a car while crossing the road to buy groceries in Samut Songkhram province. The woman previously received warnings from family members, who urged her to rely on them instead of purchasing groceries by herself. Today, Police Lieutenant Chanathip Ongkluab, deputy inspector at Mueang Samut Songkhram Police Station, responded to…
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Body found in barrel at reservoir near three Thai provinces
A man’s body was discovered concealed in a barrel and dumped in a reservoir bordering three provinces. The 50 year old unidentified man was found with a gunshot wound to the left chest and skull injuries by a local fisherman yesterday, May 18, at 4pm. Police from Takhro Police Station, Nakhon Sawan province, were informed by a local that a…
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