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.
-
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?...
-
Randy Russian couple make waves with x-rated Pattaya Beach romp
Pattaya Beach this morning turned into porn movie setting as a Russian couple engaged in sex in the sea cheered on by a crowd of over 50 people. The Russian couple were caught having full-blown sex in the sea on Pattaya Beach at around 3.06am, today, April 4 while crowd of voyeurs looked on. Locals and tourists alike gathered round…
-
Pattaya brawl: Chinese tourists and taxi riders clash over urination
A wild altercation broke out in the heart of Pattaya involving local motorcycle taxi drivers and a group of Chinese tourists. The fracas unfolded in Soi Liap Hat Pattaya 6, Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri province, when tempers flared over a dispute that escalated into punches being thrown. According to Police Lieutenant Santhaya Khanthap, Deputy Chief of…
-
Another mishap on Rama II road: crane and truck fall on pickup
A crane and a six wheel truck on an overpass above Rama II Road fell onto a pickup in the early hours of this morning, injuring one person. A witness at around 3am today, April 4, shared a livestreamed video of the incident, which occurred in the early hours of the morning, on his Facebook account, Ant Bangping. In the…
-
Brits told to log on or bog off as Thailand rolls out digital arrival card
British travellers planning a Thailand getaway next month are being told to fire up the laptop before packing their flipflops because from May 1, every foreign visitor must register online before setting foot in the Land of Smiles. The UK government issued a fresh travel warning to Brits heading to Thailand: don’t get caught out by the country’s new Thailand…
-
Baht to the future: Thai currency takes a pounding as US tariffs bite
The Thai baht has taken a serious beating, diving to its weakest level in two and a half months, and it’s only set to sink further, after the US threw a financial curveball with a whopping 37% reciprocal tariff on Thai imports. The baht slipped to 34.38 to the dollar yesterday, April 3, with intraday lows hitting 34.44, a rate…
-
Summer storm: Heavy rain and heat to hit 27 provinces in Thailand
Thailand is bracing for heavy rain across 27 provinces, with 12 provinces in the south mainly affected. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts rising temperatures, reaching up to 40°C. A weakened high-pressure system over the northeast and the South China Sea is causing temperatures to rise across upper Thailand, leading to generally hot weather. Meanwhile, winds from the south and…
-
Mercedes-Benz red light joyride ends in smash and dash in Pattaya
A flashy Mercedes-Benz was left in tatters and a streetlight snapped in two after a dramatic early-morning smash in Pattaya. The driver did a runner faster immediately after the crash. The chaos unfolded at precisely 6.23am, today, April 4, near the Sukhumvit intersection, en route to Highway 7 in Na Jomtien, Sattahip, Chon Buri. Witnesses say the high-end Merc jumped…
-
Cash for quakes: Homeowners in Thailand eligible for repair aid
Good news for homeowners rattled by last week’s powerful quake—financial relief is on the way. Thai residents whose properties were damaged by the 8.2-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar on March 28 can now apply for government compensation of up to 49,500 baht to cover repair costs. Bangkok MP Suphanat Minchaiynunt announced the support package in a Facebook post today, confirming that…
-
Thai PM tours Chang Circuit amid MotoGP, political tensions
In a political and sporting crossover, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra took a tour of the Chang International Circuit in Buriram today, led by none other than Newin Chidchob, president of the race track and political heavyweight of the Bhumjaithai Party. While the track hosts Thailand’s MotoGP races, it was political tensions and contract concerns that stole the spotlight. The 38…
-
Thai construction materials price index hits 112.8 in March
The March 2025 construction materials price index, as reported by Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, Director of the Office of Trade Policy and Strategy under the Ministry of Commerce, rose to 112.8. This marks a 0.5% increase compared to March 2024, continuing a 10-month growth trend. The increase is attributed to accelerated government budget disbursements in the first quarter, driving demand for construction…
-
Poo-litical escape: Drug suspect tries to smear way out of arrest
A drug suspect on Tuesday attempted to smear faeces on police officers in an attempt to escape arrest at a condominium in Bangkok. Officers from Huay Kwang Police Station were called to a condominium on Pracha Uthit Road on Tuesday, April 1, to mediate a dispute between a Thai man and the condo staff. The workers reported that the man, identified…
-
Pattaya gamble: Entertainment complex bets big on tourism boom
Pattaya is on the brink of a major transformation as plans to introduce a sprawling entertainment complex gain traction, promising a bold boost to tourism and the local economy but not without stirring debate among residents. Yesterday, April 2, Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet revealed that the proposed law for the entertainment complex has already passed Cabinet review and is now…
-
Police dogs bring paws of comfort after SAO building collapse
Police dogs were introduced to provide emotional support to families affected by the Office of the Auditor General’s building collapse on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road, opposite Chatuchak Market. Yesterday, April 2, at 3pm, Alongkot Chukaew, deputy director of the National Rescue Dog Organisation, known as K9 USAR Thailand, instructed handlers to prepare their dogs for the mission upon receiving signals…
-
Narathiwat Airport terminal construction faces major delay
The construction of a new passenger terminal at Narathiwat Airport, overseen by a major Chinese firm, has reportedly fallen more than 60% behind schedule. The project, valued at 639 million baht (US$18.6 million), is facing significant delays, as revealed by Deputy Transport Minister Monporn Charoensri. The contract, awarded to China Railway Number 10, initially covered the period from March 15,…
-
GSB launches savings campaign with 100 million baht prize pool
In celebration of the Government Savings Bank (GSB)’s anniversary on April 1, the bank introduced the Save a Hundred, Win a Hundred Million campaign. Customers can participate by purchasing a one-year special savings bond with a minimum deposit of 100 baht. GSB chief Witai Rattanakorn announced the initiative, which offers a total prize pool of 100 million baht. The highlight…
-
Thai man shot by hidden animal trap while urinating in forest
A Thai man sustained gunshot wounds to his hand and leg after stumbling upon an animal trap while entering a forest to urinate in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima. Officers from Pak Chong Police Station were alerted to the injury of 24 year old Thai man, Warawut, at 8.30am yesterday, April 2. Warawut suffered injuries to his left hand…
-
Woman convicted of keeping Thai women as sex slaves in Australia
In a chilling case of modern slavery, a 63 year old Sydney woman has been found guilty of keeping two Thai women as sex slaves, forcing them into brothels and stripping them of their freedom. Rungnapha Kanbut, herself a Thai national, stood trial last month at the Downing Centre Court on six serious charges, including exercising ownership over a slave…
-
Driver surrenders to police after fatal Pathum Thani collision
The driver of a grey Honda City yesterday turned himself in at Khlong Luang Police Station in Pathum Thani province following a collision with a motorcycle. The incident, which took place on, April 1 at approximately 2.30am, resulted in the death of 16 year old called Surachart from Bang Krasan, Bang Pa-in district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province, and injuries…
-
Sea tragedy: Dead dolphin found near Phuket sparks investigation
Locals were left shocked after a dead dolphin was discovered floating just off Koh Sirey, east of Phuket Town, late last night prompting marine biologists to launch an urgent investigation into the cause of death. At around 11pm, yesterday, April 2, rescue workers from the Phuket Kusoldharm Foundation were alerted to the scene near Haad Silaphan by residents who spotted…
-
Sing Buri U-turn crash: Van hits trailer, six injured
A collision at a U-turn in Sing Buri province involved a passenger van crashing into a trailer truck, resulting in six injuries. Passengers reported unusual brake behaviour before the incident. The accident occurred yesterday, April 2, at 8.30pm, along kilometre marker 70 on the southbound Asia Highway in Ban Mo subdistrict, Phrom Buri district. Police Lieutenant Chaiwat Phanon, an investigator…
-
Thai man caught sexually abusing boy in mall bathroom
Security guards at a shopping mall in the Thapha area of Bangkok caught a Thai man and handed him over to the police after he lured a young boy into a bathroom and sexually abused him. Officers from Bukkhalo Police Station escorted the 56 year old suspect, Koson, from the shopping mall to the police station for questioning at 2.30pm…
-
High tide floods Samut Prakan, ONWR warns Bangkok
Thailand’s coastal defences were put to the test this morning as high tides sent floodwaters pouring into parts of Samut Prakan, submerging roads and triggering an urgent warning for Bangkok and four other provinces to brace for more. Flooding struck early along Soi Krathing Daeng in Phra Samut Chedi and in front of a local police station in Ban Khlong…
-
Man attacks ex-girlfriend’s new partner in knife altercation (video)
A man, upset over his ex-girlfriend dating someone new less than a month after their breakup, reportedly attacked her new partner with a knife on the street. This incident occurred yesterday, April 2. A Facebook user, เต้ย โพธิ์สุข, posted a video of two men involved in a knife fight, with a woman trying to intervene. The post read, “What made…
-
Toxic smog chokes 42 provinces in Thailand, public warned
Thailand is gasping for breath as hazardous levels of PM2.5 dust grip 42 provinces nationwide, sparking serious health warnings and calls to avoid outdoor activities. From Bangkok to the northern highlands, the country is blanketed in smog with levels far above safe standards. At 7am today, April 3, the Air Pollution Resolution Communication Centre reported alarming data from nationwide monitoring…
-
Police arrest two men with drugs worth thousands of baht
Police from the Metropolitan Bureau arrested two men involved in drug trafficking after they parked a car containing illicit substances and returned to deliver them to clients. A large quantity of drugs, including methamphetamine pills, ecstasy, ketamine, and heroin, was seized. At 8.30pm on March 31, Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom, along with several other officials, led the operation resulting…
-
DSI uncovers evidence to disqualify 30 senators in voting scandal
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is moving forward with a shocking probe that could lead to the disqualification of 30 senators. The DSI has gathered what it claims to be irrefutable evidence pointing to voter collusion during last year’s senatorial elections, including security camera footage showing suspicious peer voting patterns. If the Election Commission (EC) agrees with the DSI’s…
-
Thai man and Laotian girlfriend arrested for motorcycle theft
A Thai man and his Laotian girlfriend were apprehended for allegedly stealing a delivery rider’s motorcycle after the rider left the keys in the ignition while collecting an order in the Sukhaphiban 5 area. The suspects confessed to similar previous offences, with one previously stolen motorcycle already sold. On April 1, Deputy Inspector Kittikarn Sinprakhop and a team from the…
-
Phetchabun council candidate jailed for drink driving
A local election candidate in Phetchabun province has found himself at the centre of a scandal after reportedly being involved in a shocking five-vehicle collision while allegedly drunk. Chaiwat, a former municipal council member and current candidate for the Bueng Sam Phan subdistrict municipal council election, was arrested after the incident, where he was found to be over the legal…
-
Bangkok building collapse sets records, raises safety concerns
Thailand has made world headlines for all the wrong reasons as experts reveal the collapse of the new State Audit Office (SAO) building in Bangkok has set two disconcerting world records: it is the tallest building to collapse in an earthquake and the furthest building from an epicentre to suffer such a fate. The tragedy occurred following the March 28…
-
Great wall of trouble: 6 Chinese nationals busted for illegal work in Phuket
Police arrested six Chinese nationals on Tuesday for working illegally at a construction site in Phuket. A Thai employer was also arrested at the scene. Officers from Patong Police Station reported their successful operation to the public yesterday, April 2. In this case, officers arrested six Chinese workers at a construction site on Phra Metta Road in the Kathu district…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.