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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Rain check: 32 provinces braced for a soaking as storms roll in
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) today issued a weather warning, forecasting heavy rain across 32 provinces in Thailand, with 60% of the areas expected to experience significant rainfall. Residents in Bueng Kan, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Chanthaburi, and Trat are advised to remain cautious of the potential hazards from heavy rain, including flash floods and forest run-off, especially in…
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Hair today, conned tomorrow: Bald man scammed in Pattaya
A bald man was left fuming after coughing up more than a grand for soap and coconut juice sold as a miracle hair tonic in a herbal remedy shop in Pattaya. Pattaya Tourist Police swooped on a herbal huckster’s shop on July 7 after a furious Indian holidaymaker said he’d been duped into shelling out 51,000 baht (£1,100) for bogus…
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Thailand’s blind elephant becomes loving sanctuary grandma (video)
A once-reclusive elephant who spent years shunning contact has undergone a heart-melting transformation, capturing hearts around the world. Jokia, a blind elephant who survived Thailand’s brutal logging trade, had long preferred her own company, traumatised by a past she couldn’t forget. Rescued by the Save Elephant Foundation, she spent years wandering alone, too wary to bond with her kind. “She…
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Bangkok unveils 47km canal walkway for safer commuting
Bangkok is stepping up its game with an ambitious plan to reinvent urban commuting—a sprawling 47.5-kilometre walkway and cycle path project that promises to make getting around safer, greener, and more enjoyable than ever before. Yesterday, July 7, Deputy Governor Wisanu Subsompon showcased the Saen Saeb Canal footpath and bike lane extension during a media tour, underlining the city’s drive…
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Ratchaburi residents slam officials over 32 inconvenient speed bumps
Locals in the central province of Ratchaburi questioned provincial officials about the purpose of 32 speed bumps that caused significant inconvenience to motorists rather than improving safety. Residents of Nakhon Chum sub-district in Ban Pong district shared video footage of a main road dotted with speed bumps to the Social Hunter 2022 Facebook page. The page then published the footage…
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Monkey business banned: Thai coconuts go cruelty-free
Thailand’s coconut industry is finally cracking down on a controversial practice that has tarnished its reputation worldwide: using monkeys to harvest coconuts. In a landmark move to rescue its image and secure farmers’ livelihoods, the Thai Coconut Industry Group has joined forces with the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) to ban monkey labour once and for all. The country’s coconut…
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Thai human rights lawyer hit with 29 years for lese majeste
Thailand’s most prominent human rights lawyer has been slapped with yet another prison sentence, adding to his already staggering time behind bars for challenging the monarchy. Today, July 8, Bangkok’s Criminal Court sentenced Arnon Nampa to an additional two years and four months for royal defamation and sedition over a fiery speech he delivered at a protest in November 2020.…
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Udon Thani students injured in accidental dormitory shooting
Two vocational students in Udon Thani sought medical assistance after sustaining gunshot wounds, leading to a police investigation. Initially, they reported being ambushed by an acquaintance known as Zen but later admitted to accidentally discharging a firearm while in a dormitory room. Yesterday, July 7, at 11.30am, Police Lieutenant Colonel Thanaowat Suangsiri, Deputy Inspector of the Mueang Udon Thani Police…
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Arsenic contamination in Chiang Mai children linked to river fish
An alarming discovery was made in Mae Ai district, Chiang Mai province, where arsenic levels in two young children were found to exceed normal standards. This was believed to be linked to fish consumption from the Kok River, which flows from Shan State, Myanmar, into Thailand. The Chiang Mai Provincial Public Health Office conducted tests yesterday, July 7, on four…
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Nature’s surprise: Rare panda crab spotted in Thai national park
A rare panda crab, known locally as the Sirindhorn Crab, has been spotted crawling across a remote waterfall in the Panoen Thung area at Kaeng Krachan National Park, showcasing the extraordinary biodiversity thriving in Thailand’s western forests. The discovery, shared on the park’s Facebook page on Sunday, July 6, delighted conservationists and nature lovers. The park’s post featured stunning photos…
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Thai netizens back kidnapped Chinese influencer’s emotional hunt for real family
Thai netizens are expressing their support for a Chinese influencer after she shared her heartbreaking story of being kidnapped as a child and her ongoing search for her biological family. The 20 year old influencer, Auyoya Yich, is widely known among Thai netizens as Aurora or Tao Hoo (meaning tofu). She is currently an exchange student at Rangsit University in…
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Thailand plans ‘Buddhist bank’ as temple scandals explode
Thailand’s temples are facing their biggest credibility crisis in decades, with lurid scandals and financial misconduct battering public faith. Now, a senior minister has unveiled a bold plan to clean up the mess — by setting up a Buddhist bank to keep temples’ money in check. Speaking on his first day in office yesterday, July 7, Suchart Tancharoen, minister attached…
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Casino chaos: Thailand scraps gambling bill amid turmoil
Thailand’s rollercoaster ride to legalise casinos has come to a screeching halt, as the government announced it will withdraw the hotly debated Entertainment Complex Bill following fierce public backlash and a fresh wave of political upheaval. Yesterday, July 7, Chief Government Whip Visuth Chainaroon confirmed that a motion to pull the bill from the current parliamentary session will be raised…
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Tragic collision claims lives of porridge vendor and cyclist
A tragic accident occurred when a 19 year old porridge vendor was riding his motorcycle back home and collided with a bicycle ridden by a 72 year old man. Both people died in the incident. This unfortunate event took place at 7pm yesterday, July 7, in Bang Kon Tee district, Samut Songkhram province. Police Lieutenant Ruengwut Imm-em, Deputy Inspector of Bang…
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Surat Thani train station horror: Guards beat man over nap
A family dinner ended in shocking violence for one Surat Thani man, who was brutally beaten by security guards at a train station simply for lying down to rest as he waited for his train home. The 57 year old man, identified only as Yutthaphon, was left with severe bruising across his face and body and a gaping head wound…
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Police raid reveals illegal kratom and e-cigarette operation in Loei
Police in Loei province, under the direction of Police Major General Weeradech Lekhawarakul and other senior officers, conducted a raid on a residence in Ban Khon Daeng, Mueang Loei district suspected of illegal activities. The operation yesterday, July 7, was in collaboration with pharmacists from the Loei Provincial Public Health Office. The rented house had been identified as a production…
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Man in Suphan Buri kills neighbour under meth influence
A tragic incident occurred yesterday in Mueang district, Suphan Buri province, when a 36 year old man, Anucha, reportedly under the influence of methamphetamine, allegedly attacked and fatally injured his bedridden 63 year old neighbour, Suthep, by forcing him into a drainage pipe. Rescue workers yesterday, July 7, were unable to save Suthep’s life despite their efforts. Police Colonel Wanchai…
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Thai influencer and transwomen clash over South Korean bar host
A Thai social media influencer and a group of transwomen clashed at an entertainment venue in Bangkok, allegedly over a South Korean bar host. The altercation came to light after one of the transwomen, Mona, shared the story on her social media account. She accused the influencer, Duangporn “Yingaon” Chaiyarungyos, of making transphobic remarks during the confrontation. Mona alleged that…
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Bacon backlash: Cheap US pork threatens Thai farmers
Thailand’s pig farmers are squealing in protest, warning the government that a flood of cheap American pork could cripple the nation’s entire agricultural sector and push thousands into poverty overnight. Yesterday, July 7, the National Swine Raisers Association (NSRA) issued a fiery statement urging officials to abandon any plans to open Thailand’s market to pork, offal and related products from…
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British dad dies chasing fight dream as wife gives birth back home
A British mum gave birth to her third child yesterday, just days after her beloved husband died alone in Thailand while chasing his lifelong dream of becoming a Thai boxing fighter. Ryan O’Connor, from Rossendale, Lancashire, collapsed in a hotel bathroom in Thailand after falling severely ill during a once-in-a-lifetime trip to train at a Muay Thai academy. The father-of-three…
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50 attackers storm security base in Narathiwat, injuring two officers
Approximately 50 assailants, armed with 24 firearms and pipe bombs, launched an attack on a security base in the Mueang district of Narathiwat province on June 28. Two officers, 45 year old Aphisit Srianurak and 36 year old Waehumran Waesamoh, were injured in the incident. Investigations revealed that 702 bullet casings were used during this attack, which have been linked…
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FDA cracks down on illegal cannabis products in Thailand
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is intensifying efforts to eliminate illegal cannabis products across Thailand. Emphasising the importance of checking labels, they are prosecuting imported goods with THC levels exceeding legal limits. This move follows an incident where a two year old girl accidentally consumed cannabis-infused jelly, necessitating hospital treatment. Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin instructed the FDA and provincial…
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Phuket woman escapes car crash at roadside stall with minor injury
A Thai woman narrowly escaped serious injury after a car crashed into her roadside beverage stall in Phuket on Sunday, July 6. The driver later accepted full responsibility for the incident. The vendor, Naruemon Thorthip, shared CCTV footage of the crash on Facebook the same day. According to the timestamp in the video, the incident occurred at around 2pm near…
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Cambodia-Thailand scam empire busted in mega police raid
A notorious crime boss running a luxury scam empire from Cambodia is on the run after Thai police swooped on 19 locations in an explosive crackdown on a sprawling transnational syndicate. Officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) stormed properties across Bangkok, Samut Prakan and Chon Buri today, July 8, in coordinated raids aimed at dismantling the network behind…
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Aussie tourist found dead after late-night massage on Koh Samui
A barefoot Aussie holidaymaker was found dead in a Koh Samui massage parlour, hours after staff assumed he’d simply nodded off following a midnight rubdown. The 43 year old man, identified only as Christopher from Brisbane, was discovered lifeless in the early hours of Sunday, July 7, at a massage shop in Bo Phut, on the Thai holiday island. Police…
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Thai Lion Air’s Kolkata-Bangkok flight aborted over mid-taxi scare
Holiday plans were thrown into chaos in the early hours of today when a Thai Lion Air flight bound for Bangkok was forced to abort take-off and return to its parking bay after a technical snag triggered a mid-taxi scare at Kolkata Airport. Flight TLM243, scheduled to whisk 130 passengers and seven crew members back to Thailand, had only just…
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Senator accused of attempted rape by former news anchor
A former news anchor and advisor to a Senate subcommittee accused a senator of attempting to rape her at a condominium in the Bang Sue area of Bangkok. The ex-anchor, Natthasinee “Kwan” Pinyopiyavid, took to her Facebook account to invite journalists to attend a press conference at Parliament today, July 8, where she said she would speak out about the…
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South Korean man plunges to death in mystery Pattaya hotel fall
A South Korean man plunged to his death from a Pattaya hotel rooftop in a late-night mystery, just two days before a young Chinese man fell fatally from another building in the city. It’s unsure whether it was an accident or whether he is another victim of the insensitively titled Pattaya Flying Club. Emergency crews from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan…
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Man electrocuted, another injured in Udon Thani tree accident
A 49 year old man died, and a 58 year old man was seriously injured while cutting eucalyptus trees for sale yesterday, July 7, in the Udon Thani province. The accident occurred when the tree’s branches came into contact with high-voltage power lines. Police Colonel Fasatan Laosen from Sangkhome District Police Station, Udon Thani, received a report of the incident,…
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Thailand Video News | Thai government withdraws casino bill amid political crisis and public pushback, Thailand sees 34% drop in Chinese tourists, forcing revised outlook
In Thailand, cannabis advocates are protesting potential recriminalization, fearing economic fallout for small businesses, while the government simultaneously retreats from a controversial casino bill amid political upheaval. The country is also reeling from a sharp drop in Chinese tourists, viral concerns over road safety, and heated conversations around marketing ethics, all while launching new efforts—like Phuket’s night market—to revive local…
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