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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Sweet crisis: Thailand races to rescue record longan harvest
Thailand’s mountains of sweet, golden longans are about to become a blessing and a headache all at once. Agriculture Minister Atthakorn Sirilattayakorn has ordered an all-hands-on-deck operation to tackle a record-breaking longan crop that’s expected to flood markets and risk crashing prices in the coming months. Speaking after chairing the first Policy Committee on Quality Longan Production Management meeting of…
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Online date vanishes with Thai man’s pickup after resort stay
A Thai man lost his pickup to a woman he met online after they arranged to meet at a resort in the Isaan province of Chaiyaphum on Monday, July 7. The 56 year old victim, Pramuan, filed a complaint with officers at Mueang Chaiyaphum Police Station after the theft. He was unable to identify the suspect beyond knowing her as Ead,…
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Major drug network dismantled in Thonburi by police operation
The Metropolitan Police Division 8 conducted a successful operation to arrest a major drug network operator and her associates in the Thonburi area. Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, along with senior officers, yesterday, July 8, ordered the arrest of 49 year old Phakhamon, also know as Joy, 45 year old drug transporter Pathomporn, known…
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Fermented fury: Barefoot pensioner splashes Hun Sen portrait
Bangkok commuters were treated to a bizarre spectacle on Monday, July 7, when a barefoot pensioner splashed fermented fish sauce over a portrait of Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, earning himself a small fine and a lot of attention. Retired tennis coach 69 year old Thewa Sritawan set out from his home in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi province, before dawn, carrying…
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Thailand’s quiet bond with South Sudan takes off
Thailand has been quietly deepening its ties with Africa’s youngest nation, South Sudan, blending trade, peacekeeping, and even a dash of royal philosophy. Although diplomatic relations between the two countries remain limited—largely because South Sudan only gained independence in 2011—recent developments show that Thailand sees real opportunity in this far-flung relationship. The first formal step came on December 5, 2013,…
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Thai police shut down ketamine beverage site in Samut Prakan
Thai police, in collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), recently dismantled a ketamine beverage production site in Samut Prakan. The operation uncovered 13 new flavours mixed with sweet syrup, leading to the confiscation of over 2,000 bottles valued at more than 250,000 baht. At 4pm yesterday, July 8, Police Colonel Weerapong Khlaitong, head of Division 4 of the…
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Close shave: Phuket cops rescue woman after scarf snags (video)
A routine patrol turned into a dramatic roadside rescue in Phuket after a woman narrowly escaped serious injury when her scarf tangled in her motorcycle wheel. Today, July 9, at 8.30am Police Senior Sergeant Major Thanakrit Kodi and Police Senior Sergeant Major Nattawich Kaewprom, squad leaders from the Riot Control Unit, Crime Suppression Division Region 8, were carrying out their…
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Chiang Rai man claims worms emerge from skin after forest visit
A Thai man in the northern province of Chiang Rai sought help after discovering unidentified insects, resembling worms, emerging from his skin. The 59 year old man in the Mae Chan district contacted rescuers from the Thap Yang Foundation, hoping they could assist him in finding a proper treatment for the strange symptoms he was experiencing. The man told rescuers…
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Cambodia blocks medicine transfer at Thai border amid tensions
Since the onset of the Thailand-Cambodia situation, the transfer of emergency patients through the Chong Chom checkpoint has been non-existent. Recently, Cambodia declined the receipt of medication for ongoing patients despite Thailand’s facilitation. Yesterday, July 8, at the permanent border crossing in Chong Chom, located in Mueang subdistrict, Kap Choeng district, Surin province, Lieutenant General Anuphap Sirimanon, Deputy Chief of…
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Boozy brawl: Drunk lovers trash Pattaya flat and attack cops
A wild late-night brawl between a pair of drunken lovers erupted into chaos in Pattaya, leaving shattered glass, bloody floors and even bruised police in its wake. At 1.39am yesterday, July 8, Pattaya City Police Radio Centre received a frantic call about a violent altercation inside an apartment building on Soi Kopai 4 in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province. Patrol…
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Khon Kaen council member accused of assaulting two young girls
A recently elected municipal council member in Khon Kaen has been accused of sexually assaulting two eight year old girls in a local village. The incident, which occurred on July 6, has caused significant concern in the community. According to reports, the two victims, referred to as Girl A and Girl B, went to play at a friend’s house in…
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Tangmo’s mother greenlights Netflix documentary on mysterious death
The mother of the late actress Nida “Tangmo” Patcharaveerapong expressed her approval for Netflix to produce a documentary about her daughter’s case. The cause of Tangmo’s death remains a subject of controversy, and her mother, Panida Siriyudthayothin, continues to pursue justice. The legal action was brought against the friends who were present during the fatal boat trip, including: Idsarin “Gatick”…
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Wrong toon: Taxi driver snaps after 6-hour cartoon caper to Pattaya
A Thai woman’s ride from Kanchanaburi to Pattaya turned into a six-hour highway horror after her taxi driver watched cartoons at the wheel, argued with her repeatedly, and then tried to throw her out of the moving vehicle. TikTok user @alin_6236 posted a dramatic video yesterday, July 8, capturing part of the meltdown, including the moment the driver screamed, stopped…
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Rainy horror: Phuket-bound tour bus topples in ‘killer curve’ crash
A late-night bus journey turned into a terrifying ordeal after a Phuket-bound tour bus flipped over on a notorious bend, injuring 11 people and stranding dozens more in the pouring rain. At 8.30pm yesterday, July 8, Police Lieutenant Sunantha Rotphet of Phetchaburi City Police Station received reports of the accident on the southbound stretch of Phetkasem Road at kilometre 151…
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Thai forces disrupt cross-border motorcycle smuggling operation
Military personnel, alongside paramilitary forces, disrupted a motorcycle smuggling operation along the Thai-Cambodia border, arresting one person while seven others evaded capture. Eight motorcycles, popular in Cambodia, were seized yesterday, July 8. Police had received intelligence regarding the smuggling of stolen and untaxed motorcycles destined for Cambodia. Security forces lie in wait along agricultural routes in the risky border area…
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Thailand’s short-haul bookings dip, long-haul travel remains strong
Airlines reported that forward bookings for short-haul markets for the remainder of the year are weak, contrasting with the long-haul segment, while some carriers have shown interest in the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) stimulus campaign. Deputy Governor of International Marketing for Asia and South Pacific at TAT, Pattaraanong Na Chiangmai, said that tourism in the second half of the…
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Thailand flexes soft power with food and film frenzy
Suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra declared Thailand’s creative soft power the key to global influence at a major Bangkok forum. Speaking yesterday, July 8, at the second annual SPLASH – Soft Power Forum 2025, held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, Paetongtarn pulled no punches about the government’s ambitions to elevate Thailand’s soft power to dazzling new heights. “Creative culture…
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Drug suspects in Phuket: 1 pill, 1 gun, 1 boat shop of trouble
It was an early wake-up call with handcuffs for three drug suspects in Phuket after a series of dawn raids uncovered meth pills, crystal ice, and a stash of illegal firearms, including a boat mechanic armed to the teeth. The dramatic swoops kicked off at 3am yesterday, July 8, in Srisoonthorn and Koh Kaew, led by narcotics chief Chaiporn Yangchin…
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Thailand Video News | Trump targets Thai imports with 36% tariff in escalating trade push, Thailand bans monkey labour in coconut industry amid global backlash
Tensions are flaring across Southeast Asia and beyond, with new U.S. tariffs on Thai and Cambodian goods reigniting global trade battles, a leading Thai human rights lawyer sentenced to 29 years sparking international concern, and major crackdowns on crime and policy shifts sweeping the region. From animal welfare reforms and storm disasters to shifting diplomatic dynamics. Phuket Bars Permitted to…
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Teen stabs 12 year old in Pattaya over social media feud
A 16 year old boy engaged in a physical altercation with a 12 year old student in Pattaya, Chon Buri, resulting in the younger boy being stabbed. The incident, which took place at 5pm on July 5 at an old market parking lot, was reportedly triggered by a social media post about a girl. The victim, 12 year old Chef,…
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Cambodian monk arrested for illegal stay in Thailand
Immigration police in Sisaket province apprehended a Cambodian monk residing illegally in Thailand after locals became suspicious of his unusually fluent Thai but a lack of a passport. The arrest, which took place yesterday, July 8, was directed by Police Major General Waritsiri Leelasiri, commander of Immigration Division 4, and Police Colonel Manuwat Kosanan, deputy commander of the same division.…
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Hit-and-run: Pattaya bartender bruised as red-light rat does runner
A young Pattaya bartender was left bruised and battered after a reckless motorist ran a red light and smashed into his motorbike, before speeding off without a word. Thanakrit Sanamphon, better known to friends as Jay, was riding home in the early hours when the white Honda City sedan cut him off at the Naklua traffic lights on Sukhumvit Road,…
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Disaster at sea: RTN drills for shipwreck chaos off Phuket
Phuket is gearing up to tackle maritime catastrophes head-on, staging an elaborate simulation of a passenger ship disaster that could save lives when real tragedy strikes. The Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre Region 3 (Thai-MECC 3), based at the Royal Thai Navy (RTN)’s Third Naval Area Command at Cape Panwa, spearheaded the operation yesterday, July 8, in Phuket Town as…
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Man caught with 2.75 million meth pills in Bangkok
A man was apprehended with 2.75 million methamphetamine pills in the back of a black Mitsubishi Pajero, intended for distribution in Bangkok. The suspect, a 36 year old named Samrit, claimed it was only his second time transporting drugs, earning 30,000 baht per trip. Yesterday, July 8, Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom, commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, alongside several…
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Former drug dealer shot dead at Nakhon Si Thammarat fruit shop
Two gunmen escaped after fatally shooting a former drug dealer in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. A torn gold necklace was found in the victim’s hand, allegedly placed there to mislead police about the true motive for the murder. Officers from Tha Sala Police Station were called to a house in Mokhalan sub-district, Tha Sala district, at around…
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Thailand nominates traditional dress for UNESCO heritage status
The Ministry of Culture has formally proposed the traditional Thai costume, Chud Thai, as an intangible cultural heritage item for consideration by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The proposal is set to be reviewed in 2026. The ministry has dismissed as “baseless” the social media rumours suggesting that Cambodia‘s nomination for its traditional weddings would include…
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Building collapse in Chiang Rai traps people, rescue underway
A building collapse in the Wiang Pa Pao district has left people trapped beneath the debris, prompting an urgent rescue operation. The incident, involving a structure approximately two stories high, occurred at 4.14pm yesterday, July 8. Initial reports came through emergency hotline 1669, indicating that around three people were trapped and others were injured, though the exact number of injuries…
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Rare Asiatic golden cat filmed in South Thailand national park (video)
A camera trap hidden deep in Khao Luang National Park in Nakhon Si Thammarat captured rare footage of the endangered Asiatic golden cat striding through its natural habitat. Park Chief Haritchai Ritchooay revealed yesterday, July 8, that the scientific team and Patrol Unit 2 were behind the remarkable discovery. The image offers a glimpse into the rich biodiversity thriving in…
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Singaporean drug kingpin busted in Bangkok hideout
A suspected Singaporean drug kingpin facing the death penalty in his home country has been busted in Bangkok, along with an Indonesian couple believed to be part of his international narcotics network. The 50 year old alleged drug trafficker, Tan Leng Chong, was busted on Saturday, July 5, along with an Indonesian couple believed to be part of a cross-border…
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Chinese man busted for flaunting guns in Pattaya mansion
A Chinese man’s craving for social media fame has landed him in hot water after he brazenly posed with firearms in a luxury Pattaya mansion, triggering a full-scale police raid. Officers from the Tourist Police Division swooped on the high-end residence on Thepprasit Road early yesterday morning, July 8, armed with a court warrant. The operation followed reports that 47…
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