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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Sponsored Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Phuket’s fiery pursuit: Officials strive to spark safety but no fireworks fouls found yet ahead of Vegetarian Festival
In their continuous push to secure safety measures in Phuket fireworks stores, officials have not yet identified any businesses operating breaches of critical safety regulations. The investigations, which sparked on July 30, are the aftermath of a tragic explosion at a firework warehouse in Narathiwat. The devastating event resulted in 12 deaths and left 121 people injured. Read more about…
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Wave-riding rebels: Phuket probe targets speedboat drivers who ignored safety notice
An investigation is currently underway concerning two speedboat drivers who allegedly flouted a safety notice issued by the Phuket Marine Office. This unfolded on Tuesday, August 1 when the captains reportedly displayed reckless behaviour by navigating their boats precariously in large waves and powerful winds whilst making their way back from Phi Phi Island. The probe into the conduct of these…
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Chinese influencer praises Thailand’s VIP experience on elite visa, starting at 600,000 baht
A viral video is currently making waves online, featuring a high-society Chinese woman reviewing her VIP experience while travelling to Thailand using the Thailand Elite Visa. Shared on TikTok via her account @taifei5, she documented a journey where luxury and personal care started as soon as she stepped off the plane. @taifei5 วีซ่าเข้าประเทศไทย#วีซ่า #ชีวิตในประเทศไทย #ประเทศไทย🇹🇭 #สนามบิน #海外生活 #种草 ♬ 原聲…
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Crime-cracking capers: ECD raids warehouse, nabs Chinese owner, seizes 100,000 tax avoided treasures in Bangkok
Police officers from the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) raided a warehouse in Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok, resulting in the arrest of its Chinese owner and the seizure of over 100,000 items of tax-avoided goods worth more than 10 million baht. The ECD received a tip-off regarding the importation of tax-avoided and pirated goods from abroad, specifically stored in…
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Boozy pickup crash: 56 year old drunk’s collision with 18-wheel lorry in central Thailand
A heavy-drinking 56 year old man lost control of his pickup truck and crashed into an 18-wheel lorry parked on the side of the road in Chachoengsao Province, central Thailand. The truck was heavily damaged, and officials quickly responded, providing emergency assistance and transportation to the hospital. Somprasong Sai-in, an investigative officer at Bang Pakong Police Station, today revealed that…
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MFP calls out Pheu Thai Party’s lies on lese majeste law revision
The Move Forward (MFP) yesterday accused the Pheu Thai Party of lying. The MFP insist the Pheu Thai Party never requested them to withdraw their plan to revise the lese majeste law. The Pheu Thai Party yesterday announced an official split from the MFP and six other aligned parties, which had earlier agreed to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding…
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Pouring woes: Heavy rainfall unleashes havoc, claiming one life with landslides and flash floods in northern Thailand
Continuous heavy rainfall has triggered devastating landslides and flash floods, resulting in one death in the Sop Moei district, located in the province of Mae Hong Son, northern Thailand. According to the district chief, Pongphipat Mebenjamat, today’s report confirms that 12 residential structures have suffered severe damage, and tragically, one resident has lost their life. The heart of Sop Moei,…
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Indian man steals money from Thai vendors near Bangkok
A cunning serial thief stole 950 baht from a Thai vendor in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok. The Indian man in question reportedly stole money from many other shops using the same smoke and mirror trick. The victim, Kanticha, revealed to the media that the incident occurred on July 31 at her noodles shop in the Bang Bua Thong district of…
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New flower species discovered in Thai wildlife sanctuary by researchers
In the lush Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary, situated in the Betong district of Yala province, researchers have made a remarkable discovery, two new species of flowers, belonging to the Annonaceae family – which hosts the well-known custard apple – have been identified by a team from Prince of Songkla University (PSU). The finding was announced this week by Charan Leeratiwong,…
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Thai military seize 1.2 million cannabis-tinged meth pills worth 100 million baht
A major drug bust occurred yesterday, when a joint task force of Thai military and law enforcement officials seized over 1.2 million meth pills, with a new formula containing cannabis, from a transit point along the Mekong River, Nakhon Phanom. Some of this haul was contained in sophisticated dehumidifying packaging featuring unique stamps. Sources speculate the drugs were intended for the…
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Thai industries call for new govt to revitalise flagging exports
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) declared the urgent need for Thailand to form a new government and establish fresh policies aimed at tackling lacklustre export performance. Data revealed a 7.4% decline to US$28 billion in the nation’s exports to its largest market, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), during the period running from January to May. The FTI’s…
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Notorious bike theft gang behind 10 million baht of stolen Honda motorcycles nabbed by Thai police
In a relentless pursuit, the law enforcement authorities of Region 4 Crime Suppression Division apprehended the key suspect of a notorious motorcycle theft syndicate. The gang mainly targeted the popular Honda PCX model, smuggling over 60 of these stolen bikes to neighbouring countries and amassing over 10 million baht. The capture took place yesterday, when police officers, led by Captain…
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Thief caught stealing to finance motorcycle payments in Ratchaburi housing scheme
Residents of a housing development caught a thief who had been stealing electrical cables and water pumps to fund payments for his newly purchased motorcycle. The man was detained yesterday around 4pm at the Thungpo housing project in Mueang Ratchaburi, western Thailand. Attending the scene were police led by Police Colonel Worrasak Khlongngam, Deputy Investigative Officer of Mueang Ratchaburi Police.…
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Shocking ink-ident: Famous tattoo artist’s alleged misconduct rattles Thailand
The tale of a famous tattoo artist allegedly crossing the line with female customers has shocked the city of Nakhon Sawan in central Thailand. The account of a tattoo artist overstepping professional boundaries emerged from an online post shared on July 2, by a TikTok user identified as @3310qqq. The claims prompted wide debate and raised awareness about personal safety…
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Caught in the drama: Foreign Thai soap opera fan’s secret kissing clip leads to blackmail attempt
An unnamed foreign Thai soap opera fan tried to blackmail two actors after secretly filming them kissing in one of their apartments, believed to be in Bangkok, Thailand. The two Thai soap opera stars caught in the embrace were Sarocha “Freen” Chankimha and Wichai “Seng” Saefarn. Both actors star in the television series GAP The Series, which is popular among…
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Sisaket Hospital probes alleged sabotage of patient data to sell backup software for 3 million baht
The Director of the Sisaket Hospital has ordered the formation of a committee to investigate claims that patient data was deleted, causing the entire Hospital Information System (HIS) to crash in northeastern Thailand. Allegedly, this sabotage was part of a reckless attempt to sell backup software for 3 million baht (US$87,387). If proven true, it signifies alarming corruption within the…
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Fire sale with a twist: Man sells ex girlfriend’s clothes for 100 baht each
A young man‘s hilarious viral post offering his ex-girlfriend’s clothes for sale set social media on fire. Selling each garment for just 100 baht (US$3), the man confirmed that he has personally tried on all the items for comfort and found them to be of high quality. He revealed he felt no regret in selling them as he hopes to…
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Tragic twist: High-ranking officer’s fatal collision with tree leaves Sisaket mourning
A tragic accident took the life of a high-ranking Nam Kliang Police Station officer when his vehicle collided with a tree resulting in fatal injuries in Sisaket province in northeastern Thailand. The driver of the car survived but suffered severe injuries and was rushed for medical treatment. In the early hours of 3.30am today, local police received an alert about…
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Move forward, lese divide: Thai election winner MFP sparks coalition clash over lese majeste law revision
Thai General Election winner the Move Forward Party (MFP) is refusing to abandon its ideology, insisting it will revise the lese majeste law, leading to a division among the Pheu Thai Party and the eight coalition parties. As a consequence, the Pheu Thai Party insisted that they cannot work with the MFP and announced they will form a government with…
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Warning waves: Portuguese Man o’ War sighted at Lanta Island raises alarm in Krabi
An alarm has been raised over a hazardous marine creature, a Portuguese Man o’ War, spotted at Lanta Island in Krabi. Holiday-goers to the sea are advised against using bare hands to touch the creature where they stumble upon it. A tourist from Bangkok came across the creature during her recent vacation to Lanta Island’s hotel located in Moo 2,…
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MFP MP blames corrupt cops for firework warehouse explosion in southern Thailand
Move Forward Party (MFP) MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn accused corrupt cops for the explosion of a firework warehouse in the southern province of Narathiwas. As a result of the ongoing investigation, four police officers have been transferred. The explosion at the firework warehouse in Muno Market in the Sungai Kolok district of Narathiwas province occurred on Saturday, July 29. The warehouse…
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Tisco ESU advises focus shift to debt instruments amid market instability
Amid global stock market turbulence, financial analysts at Tisco’s Economic Strategy Unit (Tisco ESU) are advocating that investors pivot their focus towards debt instruments for potential high-yield returns. The ongoing pressures from elevated bond yields, coupled with the weakening economies in the US and Europe, are some of the contributing factors exerting pressure on the financial markets. The ongoing macroeconomic…
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Blue pee surprise: Thai Highway Police bust narcotics ring in Bangkok
The Thai Highway Police today busted a narcotics ring and its leader who produced blue pee after taking a urine drug test in Bangkok. The gang employed an unconventional smuggling tactic to transport a massive haul of 400,000 methamphetamine pills. Their plan involved transporting the illicit drugs from Bangkok to Surat Thani. The police successfully carried out the operation, culminating in…
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Maya Bay closed until September 30 for nature restoration and tourist safety
Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Koh Phi Phi Nationa Park authorities, located in the southern province of Krabi, announced they will close Maya Bay and Loh Sama Bay from August 1 to September 30. The move aims to preserve nature and prioritise tourist safety during the monsoon season. Ratchanok Parenoi, the national park director, pointed out that Thailand experiences the monsoon season…
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Beach beating: Thai transwomen assault foreigners in Pattaya
In the early hours of this morning, a gang of twenty Thai transwomen unleashed a physical assault on three foreigners along Beach Road in Pattaya, raising concerns due to their previous involvement in violent acts in the area. The Pattaya Tourist Police swiftly responded to a distress call and arrived at the scene to aid the victims, comprising two Saudi…
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Water shortages: Thai govt mulls halting Central Plains rice farming amid anticipated drought
In a bid to counteract the effects of a potential drought, the central government of Thailand is contemplating the suspension of rice cultivation in the Central Plains region. This proposal comes alongside the potential establishment of a command centre to combat reduced rainfall and water shortages. The Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) initiated this conversation, citing apprehensions about…
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Drunk shoots neighbour in ongoing feud in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand
A severe case of neighbourhood conflict escalated drastically yesterday when a drunk man shot his neighbour with a shotgun in northern Thailand. Local police dashed to the scene to investigate the incident with an emergency rescue unit in Chiang Mai. The perpetrator was arrested and charged. The 66 year old offender, Manu, was found in a severe state of inebriation…
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Bangkok cleanup: State railway clear rubbish on future elevated train line site
An assertive Bangkok cleanup approach has been taken by both the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) in conjunction with the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), to clear mounting rubbish clustered along the rail tracks in proximity to Phaya Thai. This follows a poignant post by a Japanese Twitter user which displayed the deplorable conditions encircling a Kiha-183 train, generously donated to…
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Tissue dreams ahead: Kuma Thailand to build dedicated factory in five years
Kuma (Thailand) Co, the parent firm of the Kuma tissue brand, is setting its sights on augmenting its production capabilities by developing a dedicated factory within the next five years. The goal of this ambitious project is to bolster the company’s capacity and pave the way for future product expansion in the consumer goods sphere. The director at the helm,…
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Flash flood scare at Bueng Kan’s Phuwua Sanctuary prompts quick evacuation of tourists
The renowned tourist attraction of Phuwua Wildlife Sanctuary was the recent setting of a narrow escape for visitors in Bueng Kan, northeast Thailand. Sudden heavy rainfall resulted in water flooding down from the Phuwua mountains, leading tourists, who were enjoying a day at the Tham Phra Waterfall, to flee for higher ground. As reported at 4pm yesterday, amidst a vibrant atmosphere,…
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