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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Foreign man exposes himself to Thai woman in Phuket car park
A Thai woman exposed a foreign man after he exposed his genitals in front of her in the Kamala area of Phuket yesterday, January 11. The woman shared photos of the foreign suspect with the Phuket Times Facebook page. In the images, the man was seen wearing a light blue Hawaiian shirt left unbuttoned and white shorts. He was standing…
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Thailand’s THEOS-2A satellite launch fails after rocket malfunction in India
Thailand’s mission to expand its space capabilities suffered a major setback today, January 12, after the high-resolution Earth observation satellite THEOS-2A failed to reach its intended orbit. The launch took place at 11.47am Thai time from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, using the Indian PSLV-DL (PSLV-C62) rocket. However, around 380 seconds after liftoff, an anomaly was detected during…
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Italian man slammed for insulting Thai taxi driver comparing him to dog
Thai and international netizens condemned an Italian man after he posted a video insulting a Thai taxi driver for eating from a plastic bag, allegedly comparing the driver to a dog. The Italian tourist shared the video on his Facebook account yesterday, Saturday, January 11, along with a caption written in Italian. The caption was later translated as, “Enjoy travelling…
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Uzbek man detained after alleged assault on teenage girl in Phuket
An Uzbek national was taken into custody in Phuket last night, January 11, after allegedly assaulting a teenage girl inside a restaurant in the Mai Khao area. The incident reportedly occurred around 10.20pm at the Golden Cat Restaurant on Soi Mai Khao 5 in Moo 4 of Mai Khao Subdistrict. Police from Tha Chatchai Police Station confirmed that the suspect,…
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British man arrested for traffic island stunt, indecency, and Yaba use
Phuket police arrested a British national after a viral video showed him driving on a traffic island, using methamphetamine (Yaba), and urinating on road. The 24 year old British national, Lee Terry Obrien, was arrested yesterday, Sunday, January 11, after footage of the incident circulated widely on social media. The video, originally shared by local news outlet Newshawk Phuket, showed the…
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Three power poles down after pickup veers off road in Pattaya
A late-night pickup crash in Pattaya on January 11 toppled three high-voltage power poles across Soi Paniad Chang, leaving live wires on the road and forcing police to shut down the area. The incident occurred at 10.36pm on Soi Paniad Chang in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri. Police and rescue teams were called to the scene after receiving reports that…
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Thai police strangled in Bangkok traffic dispute, suspect still at large
A Thai man remains at large after strangling a police officer during a road rage incident in the Don Mueang area of Bangkok on Thursday, January 8. The injured officer, Police Sergeant Satawat Seirattanapong, shared CCTV footage and details of the incident on his Facebook page on Friday, January 9, one day after the altercation. The confrontation reportedly occurred on…
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Filipina slams English skill in Thailand, Thai teacher responds
A Thai English teacher responded yesterday, January 11, to a Filipina tourist’s rant about English not being understood in Thailand, saying respect and cultural understanding matter more than language fluency. The tourist posted a blunt complaint saying… “I’m Filipina. Of course my English is good but when I arrive in Thailand it’s f***ing useless. Even if I speak…
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Orange cat’s meows lead to bridge pillar rescue in Samut Prakan
An orange cat stuck more than 10 metres above ground on a concrete bridge pillar in Samut Prakan was safely rescued last night, January 11, after locals heard it meowing for two days. At around 7pm, the Dan Samrong Subdistrict Municipality deployed a cherry picker truck to rescue the cat from a pillar beneath the Si Thepha overpass along Srinagarindra…
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Thailand video news | Southern Thailand petrol stations suffer multiple attacks, Children’s day military exhibitions draw big crowds across Thailand
In Thailand video news, Alex and Jay cover the news stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. The stories include a string of arson attacks at 11 petrol stations in the south of Thailand, Elon Musk’s Grok being blocked in multiple countries over sexually explicit deepfake concerns, and a little later serious issues warning to tourists over rabid monkey attacks.…
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Drug suspect escapes after police officer grants ‘farewell’ release
A police officer in Nakhon Si Thammarat was dismissed from government service after releasing his friend, a detained drug suspect, who later escaped from custody. The officer claimed the suspect deceived him by saying he wanted to say goodbye to his family before imprisonment. The suspect, Ekkaluck Datepalit, was arrested on Saturday, January 10, for possession of a Category 1…
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Narathiwat imposes curfew after attacks at 11 petrol stations in Deep South
Narathiwat province is under a nightly curfew following a series of bombings and fires at petrol stations across three Deep South provinces on Saturday, January 10. Explosions and fires were reported at 11 petrol stations in the provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat late on Saturday night. All of the affected petrol stations belong to the same operator, PTT. According…
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Lost British cyclist safely rescued from Chiang Mai forest
Thai rescue teams yesterday, January 12, successfully located a British cyclist who became lost in a forest while cycling towards Chiang Mai city centre. The Chiang Mai Provincial Police Office coordinated with the Phrao Wang Hin Rescue Foundation after the cyclist, 63 year old British national Gordon Dewar, contacted authorities to request assistance. Rescue teams quickly mobilised volunteer motocross riders,…
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Buffalo bolts from slaughterhouse into Chiang Mai snooker shop
A buffalo escaped from a slaughterhouse yesterday morning, January 11, causing chaos as it smashed through the glass entrance of a snooker shop, sending customers and staff fleeing. The incident occurred around 9.30am when police from Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station received reports that a buffalo had broken loose and was running wild on the streets. Witnesses said the animal…
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Russian teen killed after speedboat hits fishing boat in Krabi
A Russian tourist lost her life and at least 11 others were injured after a speedboat collided with a fishing boat in the sea off Krabi yesterday, January 11. Authorities later found methamphetamine (Yaba), cannabis, and kratom aboard the speedboat, and the driver tested positive for drugs. Officers from the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre were alerted to the collision…
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British-Australian man found dead on yacht off Phuket coast
A man holding both British and Australian citizenship was found dead aboard his private yacht anchored off Khao Khad beach in Phuket yesterday, January 11, with the cause of death still under investigation. The discovery was made around 12.30pm when a German friend, 54 year old Matthias Lepke, who had been moored nearby, became concerned after not seeing the man…
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Pheu Thai aims to transform Chiang Mai into inclusive growth model city
Pheu Thai has introduced policies to transform Chiang Mai into a model city for inclusive growth, integrating creative industries, cluster tourism, diversity, and educational reform. Prime ministerial candidates Yodchanan Wongsawat and Suriya Jungrungreangkit from the Pheu Thai Party visited Chiang Mai on Saturday. They conducted a public forum to gather opinions from the LGBTQIA+ community, creative workers, cultural professionals, and…
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Concerns raised over election accessibility for disabled voters in Thailand
Local disability organisations have raised concerns that the upcoming general election may not provide an equal voting experience for people with disabilities. They cite issues such as inadequate access to policy information, insufficient voting aids, and potential confusion over the proposed use of colour-coded ballot papers. Representatives highlighted the added challenge posed by the February 8 elections coinciding with a…
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Bombings and arson hit 11 petrol stations in southern Thailand
In the early hours of January 11, a series of bombings and arson attacks targeted 11 petrol stations across the southern border provinces of Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat. These incidents are believed by security forces to be orchestrated by insurgent groups to create unrest in the region. Reports indicate that an explosion and subsequent fire at one petrol station caused…
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Thailand mourns public health pioneer Dr Prawase Wasi’s passing at 93
Thailand mourns the loss of Dr Prawase Wasi, a distinguished public health scholar and civil society leader, who passed away peacefully at his Bangkok residence on Saturday night at the age of 93. His passing was confirmed at 8.53pm. Dr Prawase, an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Thailand, was revered as a senior figure in Thai civil society.…
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Thai woman alleges forced labour after scam led her to Cambodia
A Thai woman has reported to police that she was deceived into travelling to Cambodia, where she was detained, forced to work for a scam operation, and later released after her bank accounts were frozen. The account was given on January 10, 2026, at 6.22pm, when the woman, identified as Ms. Aim, 35, met officers at the Technology Crime Reporting…
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Border traders delay investment amid fears of renewed clashes
Border traders and farmers in areas near the Thai-Cambodian border are delaying investment and selling produce early amid fears of a renewed military clash, according to reports from local communities in Buriram and Ubon Ratchathani provinces. Residents in Ban Kruat district, Buriram province, said uncertainty remains high despite a ceasefire agreement signed between Thailand and Cambodia. Villagers described ongoing concern…
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Children’s Day military displays draw crowds nationwide
On January 10, 2026, Children’s Day events across Thailand featured large-scale military displays organised by the armed forces, drawing families to army camps and air force bases to view equipment demonstrations and aircraft flyovers. At 3.21pm, crowds gathered at the football field of the 6th Infantry Division at Somdej Phra Phutthayodfa Chulalok Maharaj Camp in Si Somdet district, Roi Et…
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Professor arrested after meth use and illegal firearms found in abandoned house
A university lecturer from a well-known college in Chanthaburi Province has been arrested after police discovered him using methamphetamine inside an abandoned house in Khon Kaen Province, with two firearms also recovered during the operation. The arrest took place on January 10, 2026, following a report from local residents in Sila Subdistrict, Mueang Khon Kaen District, who alerted authorities to…
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Retail tycoon dies after Mercedes crashes and caused blackout
A retail business owner died at the scene after losing control of his Mercedes-Benz and crashing into multiple power poles in Bueng Kan province, triggering a city-wide power outage in the early hours of Friday. Police from Seka Police Station said the crash occurred at about 3.00am on January 10 on Highway 2026, the Seka–Bueng Khong Long road, near Ban…
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Police arrest 15 motorcycle gang members in Surin crackdown
Police in Surin Province have arrested 15 members of a motorcycle gang following a coordinated crackdown on illegal street racing, seizing 14 motorcycles and securing prison sentences without suspension for several offenders. The operation took place on January 10, 2026, after repeated complaints from residents about large groups of motorcycles racing through central areas of Mueang Surin District. The activity…
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Motorcycle theft suspect arrested within one hour after CCTV tracking
A 25-year-old man was arrested within an hour of stealing a motorcycle that had been left with its key in the ignition, after police traced the vehicle using closed-circuit television footage across central Bangkok. The incident occurred on the evening of January 9, 2026. At 10.44pm, a motorcycle owner reported the theft to Pathumwan Police Station, stating that the vehicle…
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Brother arrested after bridge death video reveals homicide
A case initially believed to be an accidental fall has shifted to a homicide investigation after video evidence revealed a fatal assault by a family member in Udon Thani Province. Police from Saeng Khom Police Station confirmed that a 52-year-old man, identified as Jaroon, was found dead beneath a bridge in Saeng Khom District on the morning of January 8,…
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NocNoc to shut down platform in Thailand by May 2026
Thai home services platform NocNoc announced today, January 9, that it will permanently shut down operations and stop accepting orders from February 9, citing economic challenges and a highly competitive market. The announcement was made via NocNoc’s official Facebook page, where the company confirmed that it would halt all orders for goods and services starting at midnight on February 9,…
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Russian extortion suspect caught relaxing at Koh Samui luxury hotel
Police arrested a Russian man on the resort island of Koh Samui in Surat Thani yesterday, January 8, for extorting 1 million rubles, or nearly 400,000 baht, from a car dealership chief executive in Russia. The arrest followed a request for cooperation from the Russian Embassy in Thailand, which asked Thai authorities to help locate and detain the suspect, identified…
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