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 Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...
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Purr-fect comeback: Tiger spotted in Kui Buri after a decade
A significant milestone in wildlife conservation has been achieved at Kui Buri National Park, Prachuap Khiri Khan, as a tiger has been captured on camera returning to the area for the first time in over 10 years. Park officials successfully captured images of the tiger using wildlife camera traps set up near Khao Khan Hok and Khao Sam Chan, close…
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Spanish tourist’s dream trip turns deadly at Thai elephant care centre
In a heart-wrenching incident, a 22 year old Spanish tourist tragically lost her life after being attacked by an elephant she was bathing in Thailand. The shocking event unfolded at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre in the picturesque Phang Nga province’s Koh Yao district. During what was supposed to be a serene bathing session, things took a horrific turn…
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Blue Suzuki Swift’s shocking turn leaves Bangkok in the dark
Bangkok was thrown into chaos yesterday after a blue Suzuki Swift crash led to a major power outage. The scene of destruction unfolded early yesterday morning, as 12 power poles came crashing down like dominoes. The spectacle began at around 8am, January 5, at the notorious Wee Liam bend on Kanchanaphisek Road, right in the heart of the Bang Khae…
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Couple arrested smuggling 24 Myanmar immigrants in 22-wheel truck
Police apprehended a couple driving a 22-wheel truck carrying 24 illegal immigrants from Myanmar, who were attempting to enter Thailand unlawfully. The pair confessed to picking up the immigrants from the roadside near the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in Mae Sot. The incident unfolded when officers from the Narasuan Task Force, together with local police, conducted a routine vehicle check at…
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Pattaya nightclub raid finds drug use, breaks curfew
Police in Pattaya conducted a significant raid on a nightclub located on the bustling Walking Street early this morning, January 5. The operation targeted Club Panda, which was operating beyond its legal hours, revealing traces of drug abuse among patrons. At approximately 3.30am, a contingent of 100 police and administrative officials descended upon the club, discovering over 300 patrons, both…
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Police fatally shoot patient wielding axe at Surin Hospital
A tragic incident unfolded at Surin Hospital where a 27 year old patient, recovering from surgery, was shot and killed by police after brandishing a weapon. Local police reported the unfortunate event took place within a patient ward on the hospital’s fourth floor. The patient, identified only as Apichai, had recently undergone an appendectomy. During his recovery, he inexplicably armed…
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Bang Yai nightclub accused of misusing patron ID card photos
A significant controversy has emerged around a popular nightclub in Bang Yai, Nonthaburi, after reports surfaced about the venue allegedly taking photographs of patrons’ identification cards, sparking concerns over data misuse linked to online gambling invitations. The issue came to light when a prominent social media page revealed that the nightclub was operating until 4am and allegedly distributing customer ID…
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Drunken police officer attacks leader’s son in Uthai Thani party brawl
A drunken altercation at a new year party took a shocking turn when an inebriated police officer assaulted the son of a local administrative leader in Uthai Thani. The incident, which quickly escalated, left several individuals, including the man’s wife and daughter, shaken. A report was lodged today, January 5, by 49 year old Ornuma, an official at the Nong…
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Thailand police seize 121 cars linked to illegal gambling network
Police officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) have seized 121 vehicles linked to a significant online gambling network dismantled two years ago. This operation, which took place yesterday, January 4. Officers, equipped with warrants from the Nonthaburi provincial court, conducted searches at a residence and a car showroom in Nonthaburi’s Pak Kret district. Their investigation led to the…
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Thailand abolishes public school uniform hairstyle rules
The Ministry of Education in Thailand has officially abolished the uniform hairstyle regulation for students in public schools. This change allows individual schools to determine their guidelines for student hairstyles as they see fit. Siripong Angkasakulkiat, speaking on behalf of the ministry, stated that the revocation was announced in the Royal Gazette last year. Schools across the country have since…
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Four Thai fishermen still held in Myanmar after mass prisoner release
Four Thai fishing vessel crew members remain detained in Myanmar, despite the release of 151 Thai prisoners. These individuals were apprehended in late November by Myanmar soldiers, accused of trespassing into Myanmar waters. The group of 151 Thai nationals, repatriated yesterday, January 4, via the second Thai-Myanmar friendship bridge in Chiang Rai, were part of a larger amnesty granted by…
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Bangkok intensifies efforts to combat severe dust pollution
Bangkok‘s ongoing struggle with dust pollution has prompted the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to intensify its efforts to tackle the issue. The capital is set to endure high dust levels, with relief not expected until next month. Chadchart Sittipunt, Bangkok’s governor, revealed that discussions took place at the Hua Hin Royal Rainmaking Centre earlier this week, focusing on strategies to…
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Thai man finds brother dead in Chai Nat, suspected murder
A shocking discovery unfolded when a man found his brother dead under suspicious circumstances in Chai Nat province, leading him to believe that his brother was murdered. The deceased, 62 year old Sukasem, was found in a single-storey concrete house in Sapphaya district, Chai Nat province. Police were alerted to the scene following reports of a suicide, but evidence at…
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Elderly driver crashes into oil tanker in Lampang, 2 dead
An elderly driver lost control of a pickup truck, crashing into the rear of an oil tanker, resulting in significant damage and the death of two individuals, with two more sustaining injuries. The incident occurred yesterday, January 3 on Phaholyothin Road, in the Mae Kua area, Sop Prap district, Lampang province. Police, as well as the Lampang Rescue Association, the…
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Mistaken identity: Teens attacked outside Udon Thani police station
A tragic incident unfolded outside Ban Dung Police Station in Udon Thani province as a group of teenagers allegedly attacked an 18 year old and his 16 year old friend, leaving them with severe injuries. The altercation, which occurred at 3.13am yesterday, January 3, resulted in the older teenager suffering a brain haemorrhage. The motive behind the assault remains unclear,…
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Tourists get intimate on tuk tuk despite driver’s warnings (video)
A video involving tourists engaging in intimate behaviour on a tuk tuk has sparked widespread online criticism. Despite being cautioned by the driver to stop, the tourists continued, leading the driver to let the incident unfold. The incident was shared on social media yesterday, January 3, by a Facebook user named Somnuck Chanagune who posted a 34-second clip with the caption,…
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Satun police crack down on illegal street racing, 206 arrested
Police in Satun have launched a major crackdown on illegal street racing, arresting 206 individuals and seizing a significant haul of modified motorcycles, custom exhaust pipes, and firearms. Officers have vowed to destroy the confiscated items, which are valued at over 300,000 baht, and intend to prosecute the guardians of any juvenile offenders involved. At the forefront of this operation…
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Ayutthaya: Hotel worker killed in crash riding bike in wrong direction
A 50 year old hotel employee riding a motorcycle in the wrong direction was fatally struck by a pickup truck. The incident took place yesterday, January 3, on the outbound Asian Highway near kilometre marker 33 in Bang Pahan district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province. Piyapong Sirijanyatham, a police officer from Bang Pahan Police Station, received the report of the…
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Officer down: Cop shot dead outside Bangkok barbershop
A tragic event unfolded when a police officer was fatally shot outside a barbershop in Saimai, Bangkok, following a heated altercation with another individual. The incident occurred yesterday, January 3 at around 8pm on Chalerm Phong Road in the Saimai district. The victim, Burang Kasapon, a Deputy Inspector at Saimai Police Station, was shot multiple times and was in critical…
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Heart-stopping error: Patient sent to the wrong hospital by volunteer
The National Institute for Emergency Medicine (NIEM) is investigating a recent incident involving a red uniform volunteer who allegedly delayed critical heart treatment by transporting a patient to the wrong hospital. The issue arose after the patient’s relatives reported an emergency on December 28 through the 1669 hotline, expecting advanced ambulance care due to the severity of the situation. However,…
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Prachin Buri: Bull elephant successfully returned to natural habitat
Efforts to address the growing issue of wild elephants encroaching on communities in Prachin Buri province have yielded positive results, as officials successfully returned a notorious bull elephant to its natural habitat. The operation, which took place recently, involved more than 200 individuals, including veterinarians and animal husbandry officers, all working under the guidance of Atthapol Charoenchansa, director-general of the Department…
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Toppled tree: 9 tourists injured in Kanchanaburi bus accident
A group of European tourists encountered an unexpected incident in Kanchanaburi province when a tree, believed to have been illegally cut, toppled onto their bus. This incident unfolded yesterday morning, January 3, on Highway 3199 in Tha Manao Village, Mueang district. Police have since apprehended a suspect believed to be involved in illegal logging, seizing a chainsaw and pruning saw…
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Drunk motorcyclist crashes into Honda bike in Pattaya, 2 injured
A collision involving two motorcycles in the early hours of the morning in Pattaya resulted in injuries to two individuals. The Nong Prue Police Station was alerted to the incident at 1am yesterday, January 3, which took place on Soi Khao Talo 10 in Bang Lamung district. The police, in collaboration with the Sawang Boriboon Rescue Foundation, promptly responded to…
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Same-sex marriage to gain legal status in Thailand
Thailand’s Interior Ministry is set to enforce the Marriage Equality Bill, expected to become law later this month, according to a statement from ministry spokesperson Traisulee Taisaranakul. The Department of Provincial Administration (DoPA) has aligned its regulations with the new law and established guidelines to streamline the registration process. The department has also upgraded its computer systems and marriage registration…
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Thai teenagers attack couple with knife at Pathum Thani mall
Police in Pathum Thani pledged to bring three teenagers to justice after they conspired to attack a couple with a knife at a shopping mall on December 31, last year. The story came to public attention when the Facebook page Social Hunter 2022 posted images of the injured couple and the altercation on January 2. The victims later recounted the…
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Burmese man stabs Thai colleague to death in wage dispute
A Burmese man stabbed a Thai colleague to death and fled the scene in the central province of Nakhon Pathom allegedly over a wage dispute. On New Year’s Day, January 1, an owner of a rented property in the Sam Khwai Phuak district of Nakhon Pathom alerted rescue services to assist a 43 year old Thai tenant, Ekkaluck. The man sustained…
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Lucky day: Man celebrates 6 million baht lottery win in Nong Khai
A wave of excitement swept through a household in Nong Khai province when a young woman shared the news of her uncle’s lottery win. The Thai government announced the results of the national lottery yesterday, January 2, revealing the winning number 730209 for the first prize. A resident of Nong Khai province, identified only through her Facebook account Mod Modtanoi,…
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Phuket boosts marine safety with smart pier inspection
Phuket Vice Governor Ronnarong Tipsiri spearheaded an inspection at Ao Por Pier in Pa Khlok yesterday, January 2, as part of efforts to enhance marine safety and instil confidence among tourists during the busy new year season. Joining him were officials from both government and private sectors, who evaluated the safety protocols and the ongoing transformation of the pier into…
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Concert ends on sour note in Sakon Nakhon, 1 critically injured
A violent altercation occurred at a concert in Sakon Nakhon province, resulting in one person being severely injured and five others suffering minor injuries. The suspect was taken into custody following the incident. The suspect, identified only by his nickname Tum, was apprehended after he allegedly attacked concert-goers near the stage, leaving behind a trail of injuries. The arrest took…
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Good fortune: PM Paetongtarn’s assets exceed 13 billion baht
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has disclosed a detailed account of the assets and liabilities of Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, marking her ascension into office. The report reveals that the 38 year old PM holds assets worth over 13 billion baht, alongside liabilities amounting to more than 4 billion baht. The asset declaration includes a wide array of personal…
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