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.
-
E-cigarette users in Thailand rise 11-fold in three years despite ban
A network of e-cigarette users has urged Thailand’s new government to review the country’s e-cigarette ban, citing official data showing use has risen sharply despite more than a decade of prohibition. The group cited figures from the National Statistical Office, saying the number of e-cigarette users increased from 78,742 in 2021 to about 900,000 in 2024, an increase of more…
-
Police criticised for shooting 14 year old boy on Lampang road
Lampang police come under criticism after a patrol officer shot a 14 year old motorcycle rider in the arm on a road in Mueang Lampang district on Tuesday, March 24. Rescuers were called to Wicharawut Road in Mueang Lampang district to provide first aid to the 14 year old Thai boy before taking him to the hospital. He reportedly suffered…
-
Study trip or tourism? Thai govt spending on overseas trips tops 2.5bn baht
The Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand (ACT) says Thai government state agencies spent at least 2.5 billion baht on overseas study trips over the past 10 years, money it says could have funded more than 100 million school lunches. Secretary-General of ACT, Mana Nimitmongkol, raised the issue in a Facebook post titled Stop overseas study trips disguised as tourism. He said…
-
Thailand video news | Fuel station owners hunt pair after Diesel dash in Songkhla, Thailand tightens ride-hailing rules with new checks starting March 31
In Thailand video news, Alex and Jay cover the latest stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Headlines include a night out in Pattaya that turned violent, with a Thai man claiming he was attacked by more than 20 people; a British tourist left seriously injured after falling from a balcony in Pattaya; and stricter regulations set to be enforced…
-
Senator proposes law requiring public to stand during royal anthem
During a March 24 Senate session, a senator proposed amending the law to require people to stand in respect when the royal anthem is played, arguing that the Thai national anthem is protected by law, while the royal anthem is not. The proposal was raised by Senator Alongkot Worakee, who updated the chamber on the work of a special committee…
-
Thai truck driver found dead after alleged 10-hour refuelling queue
A Thai truck driver was found dead inside his vehicle at a petrol station in Prachuap Khiri Khan yesterday, March 25, allegedly after he had been waiting in a refuelling queue for more than 10 hours. The driver, 51 year old Phut Nutchabut, was reported missing after the owner of his trucking company was unable to contact him by phone.…
-
Long queues form at Pattaya stations as fuel price hike takes effect
Retail fuel prices in Thailand are set to rise by 6 baht per litre from today, March 26, after the State Oil Fund Administration Committee approved a cut to subsidy rates for both diesel and petrol, according to reports yesterday, March 25. The change affects all fuel types and follows rising global oil prices linked to tensions in the Middle…
-
Minister to drop lawsuit over berry picker bribery claims
A former labour minister said he will withdraw defamation lawsuits filed against a local news editor over reporting linked to allegations of bribery connected to Thai berry pickers sent to work in Finland and Sweden. The current Natural Resources and Environment Minister, Suchart Chomklin, who previously served as labour minister, said he would withdraw the cases against The Isaan Record…
-
Thai snake rescuer shares safety warning after cobra escapes inside car
A Thai snake rescuer and YouTuber shared a video of a cobra emerging inside a moving car, saying he and a friend avoided injury after the snake escaped from a fertiliser bag during transport. Nirut “Nick” Chom-ngam, better known online as Nick Wildlife, posted the clip on Facebook on March 23 and wrote in the caption, “A snake out in…
-
Actor files complaint after AI porn clip posing as him is sold online
A Thai film actor, along with a well-known director, filed a police complaint today, March 25, after the actor’s face and personal information were used in a fake pornographic clip scam that was promoted and sold across social media. The complaint was lodged at the Central Investigation Bureau’s reporting centre by 25 year old actor Khunnapat Pichetworawut, accompanied by film…
-
Thai woman accuses Mukdahan monk of abortion pressure
A Thai woman accused a monk in Mukdahan province, with whom she has a relationship, of being unfaithful and pressuring her to have an abortion. The woman posted on Facebook in recent days to express her anger against the monk. She shared photos showing them holding hands and kissing on the forehead, and also included an ultrasound image taken at…
-
25 Indians arrested for turning Pattaya villa into online gambling base
Police arrested 25 Indian nationals after conducting a raid on a villa in Pattaya that was converted into an operational base for three online gambling websites, with more than 700 million baht circulated through the platforms. Officers from Immigration Division 3 raided the villa in Soi Nong Mai Kaen 19 yesterday, March 24, following a tip-off that the property was…
-
Pickup driver and companion flee with 100 litres of diesel
A pickup truck driver and a companion stole 100 litres of diesel worth 3,081 baht from a PTT petrol station in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province, with the station owner urging the suspects to return and pay before a police complaint is filed. The owner of the PTT station, Jiraporn Khunnam, posted CCTV footage of the incident on her Facebook…
-
Czech influencer and MMA fighter killed in Koh Samui crash
A Czech influencer and MMA fighter died on March 17 after her scooter was hit by a lorry on Koh Samui, Surat Thani, while she was on her way to a Muay Thai training session in Thailand. The woman was identified as 23 year old Dominika Elischerova, who was known online as Mina. She was taken to hospital with serious…
-
Buriram man finds 7-centimetre needle near heart after chest injury
A Thai man in Buriram province is in a critical condition after doctors found a seven-centimetre needle lodged in his chest, almost piercing his heart. Rescue workers were called to a house in Krasang district yesterday, March 24, to assist Boonlert Sattaram, who reported pain in his chest. He reportedly tried drinking water to ease the symptoms, but it did…
-
Chiang Mai tram bidding set for 2027, services targeted to begin in 2032
The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) plans to open bidding for the Chiang Mai tram project in 2027, with construction expected to start in 2028 and the service targeted to open in 2032. The Chiang Mai light rail or tram project was first raised in 2017 and later approved by the Cabinet in 2018. Previous reports put the…
-
Chiang Mai buffet diner refuses 259-baht bill, argues for an hour
A buffet dispute has drawn attention online after a Chiang Mai restaurant owner posted on Facebook yesterday, March 24, about a Chinese customer who allegedly refused to pay after eating, prompting the shop to call the police to mediate. The post was shared by a Facebook user who identified themself as the owner of a Shabu buffet restaurant in Chiang…
-
Canadian accused of dodging motorcycle repair bill and stealing 20,000 baht
A Canadian man allegedly refused to pay for repairs to a damaged rented motorcycle and stole 20,000 baht in cash from a rental shop in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok. The owner of a motorcycle rental business in Soi Dan Samrong 60 contacted media outlets after receiving no updates from police on legal proceedings against the Canadian suspect, identified as…
-
Thai vessel passes Strait of Hormuz safely, second ship also permitted
A Thai-flagged Bangchak vessel has passed through the Strait of Hormuz safely amid unrest in the area, according to updates yesterday, March 24, from the Iranian Embassy in Bangkok and Bangchak Corporation Plc. A second Thai ship was also reportedly cleared to transit the strait. In a Facebook post on the “IR Iran Embassy in Bangkok Thailand” page, the Embassy…
-
Foreign couple breaks into Phuket restaurant to swim and smoke cannabis
A restaurant owner in the Rawai area of Phuket reported a foreign couple to police after they were filmed entering the property without permission, using the swimming pool and consuming cannabis on-site. The owner of Grills Nai-Harn shared a video online showing an employee confronting the couple and asking them to leave. In her post, she asked for help identifying them…
-
CAAT cuts Songkran air fares by 15% to 30% to ease travel costs
Air fares on selected domestic routes will be cut by 15 to 30% over the Songkran holiday period, Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAT) has said, as it works with six major airlines to ease travel costs during one of the year’s busiest travel peaks. CAAT said it has been closely monitoring aviation conditions after conflict in the Middle East disrupted…
-
Thai athlete treated for heatstroke during HYROX Bangkok 2026
A Thai female athlete required emergency medical treatment during HYROX Bangkok 2026 in Bangkok after she collapsed with heatstroke symptoms while competing, according to a Facebook post today, March 24. HYROX Bangkok 2026, a global fitness race event, was held at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC) from March 20 to 22, marking the event’s second year in…
-
Visa-free stay cut will not affect tourism, Thai foreign minister says
Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Puangketkaew said today, March 24, that a proposal to cut the visa-free stay for tourists from 60 days to 30 days will not affect tourism, saying the change is intended to address misuse of the visa-free period. Sihasak spoke ahead of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ annual 2026 seminar for consular officials worldwide, where he also…
-
Injured Australian tourist found outside venue in Pattaya
Pattaya Tourist Police were called to an entertainment venue late yesterday, March 23, after an injured Australian tourist was found outside the premises, following an incident that reportedly began inside the venue. Officers stationed at the tourist safety point on Pattaya Walking Street received the report at about 11pm and went to the venue in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district,…
-
French man reports assault, 30,000 baht bill at Chiang Mai karaoke
Police in Mueang Chiang Mai are investigating a complaint filed yesterday, March 23, after a Frenchman reported an assault and a 30,000 baht drinks bill at a karaoke venue in Chiang Mai. The tourist gave a statement identifying himself as 35 year old Kevin, a French national who has been living in Chon Buri province for around two years. According…
-
American stays inside Suvarnabhumi for ten days, cites airfare rise
An American man who posted videos claiming he had been staying inside Suvarnabhumi International Airport for ten days has drawn widespread attention online, after saying higher airfares linked to war left him unable to travel onward. According to the Instagram account @rastagraphy, the man had been staying at the airport for ten days. He documented his routine at the airport…
-
Foreign man searches for Thai wife and son with letter and photos from 1966
A foreign man is searching for his Thai wife and their son after receiving an old letter and photographs from the woman about 60 years ago. A Facebook user, Bubba Homes, posted an old letter and photos in the group ที่นี่..”ขอนแก่น” (This is Khon Kaen) today, March 23. In the caption, the user said a man named Abel wanted to…
-
Foreigner attacked and robbed by 3 men at Phuket ATM
Phuket police are yet to issue a statement after a foreigner was attacked and robbed by three men in front of an ATM in Patong. The incident was captured on CCTV. The footage was shared by several news outlets last week. A timestamp on the video indicates the incident took place at about 5am on March 19. KhaoSod English reported…
-
Russian man charged after cash withdrawals linked to call centre scam
Police in Chon Buri arrested a Russian man while he was withdrawing cash linked to a call centre scam operation from an ATM in Chon Buri on March 19. Chon Buri Provincial Police said officers launched a crackdown on a call centre scam gang after noticing suspicious behaviour involving foreign nationals withdrawing money from multiple ATMs across the Na Jomtien…
-
Chinese man injured after falling from pickup transporting fridge in Rayong
A Chinese man was injured after falling from the back of a pickup truck carrying a refrigerator that was reportedly travelling at high speed on a road in Rayong province. Rescuers were called to an incident at the Marp Toei–Khu River intersection on Road 3191 in Pluak Daeng district at about 5pm on Saturday, March 21. At the scene, they…
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.