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 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Uzbek man nabbed at Phuket Airport for overstaying visa
A 21 year old Uzbek national found himself in hot water after being arrested at Phuket International Airport for overstaying his visa by six days. The arrest took place on Wednesday morning, January 29 at around 10.30am, as immigration officers and local police swooped in on the suspect at the international passenger terminal. The operation was led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Akkaraphon Kaewkiattiyot of the Suppression…
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Fire fight: Minister braves flames to back Chiang Mai wildfire battle
The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Doctor Chalermchai Sri-on, yesterday made a daring visit to the smoky frontlines of Thailand’s forest fire battle in a show of support. Accompanied by Jatuporn Buruspat, the ministry’s permanent secretary, Chalermchai rallied the troops at Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai, bolstering the morale of fire-fighting personnel and community networks dedicated to…
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Drunk Thai woman crashes pickup into 11 parked vehicles in Pattaya
A drunk Thai woman crashed her pickup into 11 parked vehicles on Pattaya Sai Sam Road in the early hours of this morning. Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident. Officers from Mueang Pattaya Police Station were alerted to the incident at 3.20am today, January 31, and rushed to the scene. They encountered a sedan with a damaged rear…
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Thailand gears up for Chinese tourist surge amid charter flight push
Thailand is ramping up efforts to boost Chinese tourist arrivals by increasing charter flights from secondary cities in China while launching a major domestic travel subsidy in June. Chuwit Sirivejkul, regional marketing director for East Asia at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), revealed that Thailand welcomed an average of 22,000 to 24,000 Chinese tourists daily in January. The numbers peaked…
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Israeli man arrested for trying to exchange fake dollars in Pattaya
Police arrested an Israeli man after he tried to exchange fake US dollars at an exchange shop in Soi Bua Khao, Pattaya, yesterday, January 30. Staff at a currency exchange shop filed a complaint with Pattaya Tourist Police, reporting that the Israeli man, later identified as 56 year old Rami Ayash, had visited the shop to exchange US dollars for…
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Thai seafood exports to US unaffected by fishing gear concerns
The Department of Fisheries aims to reassure the public that recent changes to Section 66 of a Fisheries Executive Decree will not impact seafood exports to the United States. There are concerns that the US might ban Thai seafood caught using fishing gear harmful to certain marine mammals. Bancha Sookkaew, Director General of the Department of Fisheries, responded to a…
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Grim discovery: Elderly couple finds neighbour dead in Sisaket
An elderly couple stumbled upon the dead body of their neighbour outside their home in the serene Sisaket province. The unsettling scene unfolded in Moo 8, Nong Chiang Thun subdistrict, Prang Ku district, where a 77 year old man and his 75 year old wife discovered their 45 year old neighbour, Vachakorn, near a phone top-up machine, bearing a gruesome…
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Investors to pump 40 billion baht into Pattaya’s tourism sector
Investors are set to inject 40 billion baht into Pattaya, focusing on new hotels and attractions to enhance tourism. On Wednesday, January 29, Wallaya Traisorat, CEO and President of Asset World Corporation (AWC) announced the opening of Meliá Pattaya Hotel, a 234-room property with an investment exceeding 2 billion baht. This hotel targets workcation travellers, digital nomads, meetings, incentives, conferences…
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Thai lawyer Sittra charged in 111m baht fraud case
The Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) has charged prominent lawyer Sittra Biabungkerd, known as Lawyer Tam, and six others in a fraud case involving Jatuporn Ubonlert, also known as Madame Oy. The court ordered them to repay 111 million baht. This sum includes 72 million baht from a fraudulent online lottery investment scheme and 39 million baht from scams related…
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Burning rubber: Blazing inferno engulfs Bangkok car plant
In the early hours of this morning, chaos descended upon a renowned car assembly company in Lat Krabang, Bangkok, as a ferocious fire lit up the capital’s sky. Police Lieutenant Jirayu Wongsingh, an investigator from Chok Chai Noi Police Station, was jolted into action with reports of a blaze ripping through the company premises on Luang Phaeng Road, Thap Yao…
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5 Frenchmen arrested for running police checkpoint in Phuket
Police arrested five Frenchmen for running a police checkpoint while riding their motorcycles on the Kamala-Patong Road in Phuket at 1.15am on Sunday, January 26. A Thai motorist, Yuttaphon Naluck, shared dashcam footage of the incident on his Facebook account on January 27, showing the foreign motorcyclists ignoring the checkpoint and speeding away in front of Thai police. He captioned…
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Thailand to modernise railway with 184 new diesel railcars by 2030
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) plans to replace its ageing fleet by procuring 184 air-conditioned diesel railcars, along with spare parts, at a cost of 24.1 billion baht. These new railcars aim to modernise the current fleet, which has been in service for three decades. SRT chief Veeris Ammarapala stated that the new railcars will replace 10 existing long-distance…
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Businessman assaults delivery rider at gunpoint in Bangkok
A prominent property businessman has been arrested and charged after allegedly forcing a delivery rider into his home at gunpoint and assaulting him. The rider was subsequently rescued. The suspect, 46 year old Sirianont Srikureja, president and CEO of a real estate firm, is being held at Hua Mak Police Station following his arrest on Wednesday for assaulting 46 year…
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Cool front chills North Thailand while the south gets stormy
Hold onto your hats, Thailand, as a chill is set to sweep across the north of the country while the south braces for some electrifying thunderstorms. Weather boffins at the Meteorological Department of Thailand (TMD) forecast a frosty turn with mornings cloaked in fog. But that’s not all, expect a dust-up as particles hang heavy in the air. As of…
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Thai PhD student goes missing in Japan amid exam stress
A Thai PhD student went missing in Miyazaki Prefecture on Kyushu Island, Japan. She was last seen at a town centre bus stop near the University of Miyazaki International House at around 10am on Thursday, January 23. The news Facebook page กิ๊ฟจังนั่งเล่า (Gift Chan News), which focuses on Japanese news, shared a missing person poster for the 30 year old…
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Elite vs DTV: Is Thailand’s ‘privilege’ visa losing its edge?
Thailand’s Elite visa programme is facing growing competition from cheaper long-term visa alternatives, with the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) emerging as a serious contender. Manatase Annawat, President of Thai Privilege Card (TPC), admitted that rival visa schemes are cutting into their market, particularly DTV, which costs a fraction of the Elite price but lacks its luxury perks. Manatase recently suggested…
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4 suspects surrender after violent attacks over FiveM game conflicts
Four leading members of a criminal gang, known as the Oreo Gang, turned themselves in after they and other 20 members allegedly carried out violent attacks on multiple victims over conflicts stemming from the action-adventure online game FiveMod, commonly referred to as FiveM. FiveM allows players to create their own servers and communities, each with unique rules, displays, and membership…
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Rabies panic: Khon Kaen officials say cooked beef is safe
Health officials in Sam Sung district, Khon Kaen moved to calm public fears after reports of rabies-infected beef sparked concerns about food safety. While a cow infected with rabies was slaughtered and consumed earlier this month, officials have clarified that properly cooked beef remains safe to eat. The outbreak began on January 23, when a dog infected with rabies entered…
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British drug dealer busted and back in cuffs after Thailand trip
A notorious drug dealer, who made a run for it to Thailand while his gang mates were being slammed with a 44-year sentence back in the UK, has found himself back behind British bars. Luke Atkin now faces a decade in jail after being nabbed by Thai police and sent packing back home. The 37 year old drug dealer, a…
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Booze and bloodshed: Kamnan Nok gets life over police murder
A Thai ex-official known for his lavish lifestyle and political connections has been sentenced to life in prison for ordering the cold-blooded murder of a police officer at a boozy dinner party. The Criminal Court handed down the sentence to 37 year old Praween Chankhlai, alias Kamnan Nok, after finding him guilty of ordering the execution of Police Major Sivakorn…
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Thai suspects surrender on brutal attack on Chinese businessman
Following Chon Buri police’s crackdown yesterday, five Thai men linked to a notorious Chinese gang have surrendered to police after allegedly brutally assaulting a Chinese businessman in Pattaya last year in a violent bid to take over his pub. The attack took place on September 14, when Chen Jing, a Chinese businessman and part-owner of a popular Pattaya pub, was…
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Motorbikes flout Pattaya’s one-way rule, locals demand action
Traffic in Pattaya’s bustling Buakhao area is turning into a dangerous free-for-all, as motorbikes continue to ignore one-way restrictions on Soi Honey and Soi Diana, raising serious safety concerns among residents and business owners. Despite clear one-way street designations, riders are brazenly driving against the flow of traffic, creating chaos and near-miss collisions in the heart of Pattaya’s nightlife district.…
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Bangkok seeks air pollution control status amid rising PM2.5 levels
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) plans to request the government’s declaration of Bangkok as an air pollution control area due to anticipated rises in PM2.5 levels over the coming week. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt announced yesterday, January 29, that he will present the proposal to the Cabinet next week. Declaring Bangkok a pollution control area would empower the BMA to…
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Pattaya tragedy: Tourist killed, wife critical after speeding bike crash
A romantic evening turned into a nightmare for a Russian couple in Pattaya when a speeding motorcycle ploughed into them as they crossed the street hand in hand. The foreign rider struck them at high speed, killing the husband instantly and leaving his wife in critical condition. The accident happened just before midnight yesterday, January 29 on Jomtien Second Road,…
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Phuket’s booming job market: Officials report 99% employment rate
Phuket’s job market is thriving, with 99.15% of registered residents employed, according to the latest report from the Phuket Subcommittee on Labour Development and Provincial Vocational Training Coordination (SVTC). The figures were unveiled during a meeting chaired by Deputy Governor Ronnarong Thipsiri at the Phuket Skill Development Institute 21 yesterday, January 29, where officials reviewed the province’s labour situation and…
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Little worm: Thai teen attacks classmate over penis size insult
A 14 year old boy in the Isaan province of Kalasin organised a gang attack on a classmate he suspected of leaking a video of him masturbating. The video reportedly prompted classmates to mock his penis size, calling him “little worm.” The non-profit organisation, Saimai Survive, shared the victim’s story on its official Facebook page yesterday, January 29. Their post…
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Man confesses to stealing and killing buffalo in Phetchabun
A man confessed to stealing and killing a buffalo for its meat in Phetchabun province. The buffalo, cherished by its owner, was intended for breeding purposes. The theft and killing occurred on Saturday, January 25. Pian, a 49 year old resident of Ban Tio subdistrict in Lom Sak district, reported the theft to local police, stating that her buffalo, which…
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Illegal work hub: 17 foreigners arrested in island raids
Police in Surat Thani have swooped on illegal foreign workers across three of Thailand’s most popular tourist islands, arresting 17 foreign nationals and one Thai citizen in a sweeping immigration raid this week. Led by Surat Thani immigration officers, police, and local officials, the raids targeted Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan, and Ko Tao, following reports of foreigners running unregistered…
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Fisherman finds human remains under Pathum Thani overpass
A man searching for fish in Pathum Thani stumbled upon human remains instead, finding a hip, a thigh, and a jawbone under an overpass, along with a pair of jeans. Police Lieutenant Udomkiat Majaeng, yesterday, January 29, was notified by residents about the discovery beneath the Wat Phraifa Ring Road overpass in Bang Duea subdistrict, Mueang district, Pathum Thani province.…
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Body of Thai crewman found floating near Phuket
Police yesterday launched an investigation after the body of a 31 year old Thai crewman was discovered floating near Ao Por, Pa Khlok. The man, identified as Thanyawit Thahanthai, was last seen the night before, staying overnight on the tour boat where he worked—but by morning, he had vanished. Locals spotted the body offshore around midday, yesterday, January 29, and quickly…
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