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 Top 10 reasons for expats to get a comprehensive health insurance in Thailand
Moving to Thailand offers a prospect full of excitement and adventure, but in the same vein, if any injuries were to occur (and god forbid it does), the local healthcare system can be confusing at first glance for many expats...
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6-time Thai lottery winner from Loei seeks luck in Ayutthaya
The hermitage of Rishi Naen That Phutthakun in Pho Taeng subdistrict, Bang Sai district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province, teemed with worshippers and lottery enthusiasts yesterday, eager to boost their luck ahead of tomorrow’s draw. Hundreds of visitors flocked to pay respects and ask for blessings from revered figures believed to hold supernatural power. Among the most popular were the…
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Gother’s travel takeover: Thai platform rockets 300% in 7 months
Thailand’s newest travel sensation is taking off at lightning speed. In just seven months, Gother has exploded with 300% business growth, setting its sights on becoming the country’s ultimate travel booking powerhouse. Gother, the rising star of Thailand’s travel tech scene, is making waves with astonishing momentum since its launch in early 2024. Operated by Search Engine Optimisation Co., Ltd.,…
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Rare wildlife captured in Kaeng Krachan National Park
Kaeng Krachan National Park shared captivating images and videos of rare and endangered wildlife captured by strategically placed cameras and park staff surveys. The visuals, yesterday, July 14, highlight the park’s biodiversity, showcasing various wildlife, including some on the brink of extinction. Among the endangered species spotted were the clouded leopard mother and cub, seen foraging at night, and the…
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Cambodian beggars in Thailand caught gambling online
Two Cambodian beggars in Thailand, one of whom was caught gambling online, were apprehended by Thai police. Despite previous arrests, the serial beggars repeatedly re-entered the country illegally. The first beggar has five children and earns 1,000 baht (US$30) daily, sending 6,000 baht (US$185) monthly back to Cambodia. This person had been apprehended five times but continued to return due…
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Punters spin web of hope at Ang Thong temple tarantula tip-off
Villagers and lottery enthusiasts flocked to Bot Ratsattha temple in Bang Rakam, Pho Thong district, Ang Thong province yesterday evening, hoping to glean a lucky tip from the temple’s resident tarantula. Armed with flower trays, incense sticks, candles, and three sets of numbered papers marked from one to 10, dozens gathered behind the temple to conduct a ritual steeped in…
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Kuwaiti biker’s wipeout sparks heated rescue drama in Pattaya
A Kuwaiti biker’s motorbike crash turned into late-night chaos in Pattaya after a gang of overzealous friends swarmed an ambulance, sparking a heated rescue drama. The crash happened just after midnight today, July 15, in Soi VC, South Pattaya. Emergency responders from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Unit were dispatched at 12.06am after reports of a single-vehicle accident. On arrival,…
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Teen motorcycle racers arrested in Buriram amid public chaos
Over 30 teenagers have been apprehended in Buriram after causing public disturbances by racing motorcycles and carrying weapons. The group engaged in altercations, gunfire, and explosions over three consecutive nights, alarming residents and prompting a swift response from local police. The disturbances were linked to a viral video showing the teenagers, between 14 and 19 years old, challenging law enforcement…
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Fiscal 2025 revenue set to miss target amid economic slowdown
Revenue collection for the government’s fiscal year 2025 is anticipated to fall short of its target due to an economic slowdown, according to Finance Permanent Secretary Lavaron Sangsnit. From October 2024 to May 2025, net revenue amounted to 1.7 trillion baht, which is 12.7 billion baht, or 0.7%, below the target, though it is 1.7% higher compared to the same…
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Pheu Thai hits back: Thaksin no puppet master, just an adviser
The Pheu Thai Party firmly rejected accusations that Thaksin Shinawatra is exerting improper influence over the government, branding the claims as baseless and politically driven. Wisut Chainarun, a Pheu Thai list-MP and chief government whip, defended the former prime minister’s involvement, stressing that seeking his counsel does not amount to taking orders. “Thaksin is a knowledgeable and capable individual who…
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Security guard arrested for stealing 2,000 baht from student’s bike
A security guard at a prominent shopping centre in Khon Kaen was arrested after stealing 2,000 baht from a university student’s motorcycle storage compartment. The incident occurred on Sunday, July 13 at 5.30pm, when a student accidentally left her wallet behind. CCTV footage captured the security guard, identified as 32 year old Kasidit “Mark” Klongyut, while patrolling the motorcycle parking…
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NHSO to hire 18,000 caregivers for dependent patients in Thailand
Thailand is set to unleash an 18,000-strong battalion of caregivers to rescue frail pensioners and dependent patients nationwide, in a record-breaking health push fuelled by a multi-billion baht stimulus plan. The board of the National Health Security Office (NHSO) has approved the recruitment of 18,000 caregivers to support more than 100,000 dependent people across the country. The ambitious initiative is…
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Two longtail boats collide on Prachin Buri River, one missing
A collision between two longtail boats on the Prachin Buri River resulted in one person missing and another slightly injured. The incident occurred today, July 15, at a river bend near the bridge in front of Wat Wang Bua Thong, Mueang Haad Nang Kaew, Kabin Buri district, Prachin Buri province. The missing person, identified as 50 year old Yothin Sarai,…
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Wrong fuel refill on minivan leads to garage fire in Chon Buri
Investigating officers reported that a minivan, refuelled with the wrong type of fuel by a petrol station attendant, was behind the fire at a garage in Chon Buri on Sunday, July 13. Residents living near the garage on Porn Prapa Nimit Road in Bang Lamung district were alarmed when the blaze broke out at around 3pm. Five fire engines rushed to…
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Bark and spite: Drunk Thai man kicks autistic boy after row with dog
A drunk Thai man was arrested after kicking a seven-year-old special needs boy and his aunt outside a Chiang Mai shopping mall, claiming a barking dog sent him over the edge. The shocking incident unfolded in the Bo Sang area of San Kamphaeng district at 4am on July 13, and the autistic child’s devastated family filed a complaint the following…
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Myanmar earthquake shakes multiple districts in Chiang Rai
An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale rocked large parts of Chiang Rai, with tremors strong enough to jolt desks, rattle ceiling tiles and set computer screens quivering. Natthawut Dandee, Deputy Director General of the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD), confirmed the quake struck at 3.06pm yesterday, July 14, originating 10 kilometres underground in neighbouring Myanmar. The epicentre was located…
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2 Chinese men arrested in murder of fellow countryman in Chiang Mai
Police yesterday, July 14, arrested two Chinese men in connection with the murder of a fellow countryman in Chiang Mai province. Two other suspects remain at large. A Chinese woman filed a complaint at Chiang Saen Police Station on July 8, stating that her younger brother, Yang, had been kidnapped for ransom. The criminal gang demanded 3 million baht from her,…
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Finance minister reveals final contenders to lead Bank of Thailand
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira confirmed yesterday that he has officially signed off on his nominee to lead the Bank of Thailand (BoT) and submitted the selection to the Cabinet for consideration today. Speaking to reporters, Pichai made it clear he had no reservations about collaborating with whichever candidate ultimately gets the nod. “Whoever is selected, I’ll…
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Highway: Foreign tourist tries to pay Pattaya taxi fare with marijuana
A foreign tourist tried to pay his 2,000-baht taxi fare from Bangkok to Pattaya with a giant bag of marijuana, leaving the stunned cabbie out of pocket and steaming mad. The bizarre incident unfolded in the early hours of today, July 15, when 54 year old veteran driver Prachuap, picked up the man at Suvarnabhumi International Airport for a trip…
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Cambodian mother suspects school bullying in daughter’s suicide
A Cambodian mother believed her daughter committed suicide at a school in Nonthaburi province, near Bangkok, yesterday, July 14, after allegedly being bullied due to ongoing tensions between Thailand and Cambodia. A Thai man, Wanlop Yimdee, was the first person to discover the body of the 15 year old Cambodian girl, Jittinan Suksawat. She was found lying lifeless on a…
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Transgender Thais win free hormone therapy in gold card revolution
Thailand’s Board of the National Health Security Office (NHSO) has approved a sweeping plan to make hormone therapy for gender affirmation an official health benefit under the country’s Universal Health Coverage, known as the Gold Card system. The move, green-lit with a budget exceeding 145 million baht for fiscal year 2025, aims to promote equality and improve the well-being of…
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Brollies up as Bangkok and 38 provinces brace for floods
Get ready to be drenched, the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) warned that Bangkok and 38 provinces are in for a lashing, with heavy rain, flash floods and forest runoffs on the cards. The TMD have sounded the alarm, urging residents, especially those in low-lying areas or near rivers and canals, to stay on high alert as the downpours roll in. The…
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Helmet-wielding lunatic causes chaos in Pattaya fast food joint
A helmet-wielding lunatic sparked panic on a busy Pattaya street after attacking innocent bystanders in a bizarre bid to make headlines, so his estranged wife would notice him. Police scrambled to Soi Nern Plab Wan at 11.06pm, yesterday, July 14 after reports of a deranged man lashing out with a safety helmet outside a fast-food joint. The scene was already…
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Thai hard: Pompey mad fan builds shrine to blues, from Thailand
A Portsmouth-mad football fan from deep in southern Thailand has built an astonishing collection of Pompey memorabilia, despite never having stepped foot in the UK. Kai Sichomphu, a music video director from Yala province, has followed Pompey religiously since 2004. Over the past two decades, the 32 year old has amassed a jaw-dropping haul of 90 match shirts, 60 scarves…
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CCTV captures foreign men taking Thai man’s cat in Phuket
A Thai man urged two foreign men to return his pet cat after they were caught on CCTV taking the animal from outside his restaurant in Phuket. The cat’s owner, Win Mungkon, took to social media yesterday, July 13, to search for his missing pet, whose name was not revealed. He asked Newshawk Phuket to help publicise the incident in…
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Thief caught sleeping in Udon Thani home but escapes before arrest
Homeowners in the Isaan province of Udon Thani encountered a thief sleeping inside their house after a burglary, but were unable to catch the suspect due to safety concerns. The homeowner, 50 year old Kiattisak, called officers from Mueang Udon Thani Police Station to investigate after his two sons, 16 year old Por and 15 year old Per, discovered the…
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Boot and run: Thug kicks young Thai woman in Pattaya bar assault
A 21 year old woman was left traumatised and housebound after being viciously kicked in the head by a stranger during a shocking unprovoked attack at a Pattaya bar, all because someone allegedly thought she was “staring.” The victim, known only as Piano, had been enjoying a night out with two friends in the Nong Prue area of the resort…
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Wat Arun added to UNESCO’s tentative World Heritage list
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced that UNESCO has added the Phra Prang of Wat Arun to its Tentative List for World Heritage status. This initial listing marks a significant step towards achieving full World Heritage status in the future. The currently suspended prime minister, and minister of culture, shared the news on her Ing Shinawatra page, highlighting the inclusion of…
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Baht’s life: Monsoon gloom rains on Phuket’s holiday parade
Phuket raked in nearly 3 billion baht during the four-day religious holiday but tourist numbers have taken a worrying dip, with Chinese arrivals more than halved and Middle Eastern travellers staying away. The Khao Phansa Buddhist holiday on July 10–11 gave locals a golden excuse for a long weekend, sending thousands of Thai tourists flocking to the island. Foreigners, meanwhile,…
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Ruff justice: Phuket MP bites back over ‘mafia dog’ slur
A Phuket MP has filed a police complaint after being branded a “servant dog of the Chinese mafia” in a vicious online smear campaign that he says was designed to destroy his reputation. Chalermpong Saengdee, Member of Parliament for Constituency 2 in Phuket, marched into Phuket City Police Station at 10am, yesterday, July 14, with his lawyer in tow, demanding…
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Two women arrested for stealing phone from elderly monk
Two women were arrested for allegedly stealing a mobile phone from an 80 year old monk at his residence. The police apprehended the suspects in a rented room following their confession and are proceeding with legal action. On July 11, Manun, the 29 year old nephew of a monk, Thong Suk, at Bang Mod Sothonaram Temple, sought media assistance to…
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