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 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?...
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Wildfire reignites, threatening homes and resorts in Korat
A wildfire reignited at Khao Loi in Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima, at 10am on Thursday, January 9, after previously being contained on January 8. Northeast Forest Fire Control Center 3 dispatched 35 personnel to the scene, collaborating with five agencies, including Khao Yai National Park and the Phayayen Subdistrict Administrative Organisation, to combat the blaze. Firebreaks were established to…
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Bangkok raid uncovers SMS scam targeting 30,000 phone users
Thailand’s Cyber Crime Suppression Division conducted a raid on Thursday, January 9 in the Bueng Kum district of Bangkok, uncovering an elaborate SMS scam. The operation involved a False Base Station device and led to the arrest of two Chinese nationals, 49 year old Li Chuyuan and 47 year old Zhu Xiangwu. Officers seized several items, including the False Base…
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Russian tourist found dead by hanging in Na Jomtien apartment
A Russian tourist was found dead by hanging in an apartment in Na Jomtien, Sattahip. Na Jomtien police received a report at 11pm on Wednesday, January 8, about the incident involving a foreign national in the Sattahip district of Chon Buri province. Police officers and rescue workers from the Sawang Rojanatham Foundation responded promptly to the scene. The body of…
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Caught red-handed: 6 arrested at illegal gold mining site in Phitchit
Forestry police apprehended a Vietnamese man and five Thai nationals at an unauthorised gold mining site on Panompa Mountain in the northern province of Phichit yesterday, January 10. This action followed a report alleging that a Vietnamese investor had entered the site on the mountain in Nong Phra subdistrict, Wang Sai Phun district, to excavate gold. The Vietnamese individual was…
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Ex-inmate arrested in Phuket for 22 million baht crypto scam
An ex-inmate has been apprehended in Phuket for impersonating a well-known politician to entice a woman into investing in a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme, resulting in a loss of 22 million baht. The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) police arrested 36 year old Pratya at a residence in Koh Kaew, Mueang district. He faces charges of public fraud and inputting false…
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Thailand braces for chilly weather and strong winds
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a weather forecast indicating cold to cool conditions across Thailand, with a significant temperature drop and strong winds expected today. Eight provinces are named as areas where heavy rains and strong monsoons will hit, with sea waves reaching up to 4 metres in height, prompting safety warnings. The latest forecast for the next…
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Bangkok braces for coldest days in 40 years amid fierce winds
Bundle up, Bangkok! Meteorologists predict that the capital will experience its chilliest weather in nearly four decades this Sunday (January 12) and Monday (January 13), with temperatures set to plummet to a frosty 16°C. Meanwhile, the northern and north-eastern regions are forecasted to hit lows of 12°C, marking an unseasonably cold spell for mid-January. Seree Supharathit, director of the Centre…
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Fun, food, and fancy drills: Thailand gears up for Children’s Day
This year’s National Children’s Day is shaping up to be an unforgettable experience, with exciting events planned in Nong Pla Lai and Sattahip, Chon Buri. From bike giveaways to thrilling naval demonstrations, families are in for a treat. In Nong Pla Lai, Mayor Pinyo Homklan has announced a fun-filled celebration at the municipality building, starting with registration at 8.30am tomorrow,…
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Minister launches emergency plan as deadly dust chokes Thailand
Thailand Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin issued an urgent response to soaring PM 2.5 air pollution levels, which have breached safety thresholds in 14 provinces, threatening public health. Chairing an emergency meeting yesterday, January 9, Somsak revealed a series of measures to combat the crisis, which has affected 53 provinces since October last year and is expected to persist until…
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Thai police deliver justice… and noodles to drunken diner
Two officers from Mueang Suphan Buri Police Station in central Thailand brought smiles to Thai TikTok users after a video of them acting as food delivery riders and buying food for a drunk man went viral. The video was shared yesterday, January 9, on the TikTok account of one of the officers, @phatara_2_66. The caption read, “No driving while drunk, so…
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Plastic waste import banned in Thailand in fight against pollution
Thailand has officially banned the import of plastic waste as of January 1, marking a major step in its fight against toxic pollution. The decision positions Thailand alongside other Southeast Asian nations like Malaysia and Vietnam, which have already closed their borders to foreign plastic waste following China’s groundbreaking 2018 National Sword initiative. This regulation, issued by the Department of…
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Miss Universe’s world up in flames as home burns in Los Angeles
Heartbreak has struck former Miss Universe Porntip Nakhirunkanok as her cherished Malibu home, where she raised her family, was completely destroyed in the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. For more than 25 years, this house was more than just bricks and mortar, it was a treasure trove of memories. In a poignant Instagram post under her handle @bui.simon, the 56 year…
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Narcotics suspect arrested at Thai-Lao border after fleeing
A suspect involved in a narcotics gang was apprehended after fleeing to a neighbouring country. The 35 year old was arrested following a warrant issued by the Min Buri Criminal Court on December 16 last year. He faces charges related to possession with intent to distribute a class 1 narcotic, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, attempted murder of an…
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Thai woman seeks help after brutal assault by boyfriend over instant noodles
A 24 year old Thai woman sought protection from non-profit organisation Saimai Survive after 10-months of physical abuse by her boyfriend. The boyfriend’s latest assault came after she refused to cook instant noodles for him. The victim, 24 year old Puttikarn, told the organisation that she had been dating her 27 year old boyfriend, Singha, for 10 months and that…
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Call centre scammer poses as police to defraud Nonthaburi family
A family in Nonthaburi province has fallen victim to a call centre scam, losing over 300,000 baht. On January 10, a 21 year old woman and her parents reported the incident to the police at Mueang Nonthaburi Police Station. The daughter had been coerced by scammers posing as police and Anti-Money Laundering Organisation (AMLO) officers, who claimed she was involved…
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Miracle man helps veteran charcoal burner cheat fiery death
An 86 year old charcoal burner in Buriram province narrowly escaped a fiery fate, thanks to an unlikely hero, a courageous mentally ill man whose timely intervention made all the difference. The dramatic sequence that unfolded today, January 10, has left the village of Ban Nong Bua Thai buzzing. Suk, a stalwart in the charcoal trade with over 60 years…
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Copper thieves takes power supply from Buriram residents
Residents of Baan Jok Tia in Buriram province were left puzzled when a series of power outages occurred, suspecting the electricity authority had removed their meters due to unpaid bills. However, it was discovered that someone had cut the main power lines to homes and a local temple, possibly to sell the copper wiring. Residents from Baan Jok Tia, Mueang…
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Gender affirmation surgery leaves Thai transwoman pooping through belly
A Thai transwoman is seeking justice after a gender affirmation surgery left her needing to poop through her belly. She is demanding 700,000 baht compensation from the doctor for re-surgery with a new physician. The 30 year old transwoman, Aoom Aim, filed a complaint against the doctor at a small hospital in the Rat Burana neighbourhood of Bangkok today, January…
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Young man found dead in Patong home in suspected suicide
Patong police are investigating the death of a 29 year old man found unresponsive in his home on Pisit Gorani Road early this morning. The grim discovery was made by the victim’s mother, leaving a community in shock. Officers arrived at the scene around 7.30am, today, January 10, to find the man, identified as Ritthakiat Petchploy, lying shirtless on his…
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Moo Deng turns 6 months, sparks ID card and auction frenzy
Thailand’s favourite pygmy hippo, Moo Deng, just turned six months old, and she’s stealing the spotlight with her very own ID card. The bouncing bundle of joy from Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chon Buri has captured hearts worldwide, but it’s her latest milestone that’s sending netizens into a frenzy. The zoo’s playful superstar celebrated her half-year birthday in style…
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Thai woman defends drunk foreign boyfriend in Pattaya crash
A drunk foreign man crashed his sedan into a som tam vendor in Pattaya in the early hours of today. However, the foreigner’s Thai girlfriend refused to accept the blame, accusing the victim of faking his injuries, and having connections with a top police chief. The Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Foundation was alerted to the incident, which occurred at the entrance of…
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Pattaya cracks down on illegal construction in tourist hotspot
Pattaya officials slammed the brakes on a rogue construction project in Soi 10, Pattaya Second Road, following a wave of complaints about unbearable dust and noise disrupting locals and tourists. Deputy Mayor Wutthisak Rermkijakarn and Marut Uthaivattananon, acting Head of the Building Control Division, led a team of municipal officers to inspect the site yesterday, January 9. Residents and visitors…
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Vapes on a plane: Tourists nabbed for vape on Nok Air flight (video)
Three unruly tourists caused quite a stir aboard a Nok Air flight when they audaciously started vaping mid-flight, leaving fellow passengers astounded. The high-altitude hijinks happened on Sunday, January 5 on flight DD-532, winging its way from Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport to Phuket. One passenger’s quick-thinking video capture shows the offbeat antics, with one man brazenly puffing away and…
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Gang leader nabbed in mother-daughter ATM robbery in Bangkok
Police in Bangkok apprehended a 41 year old man suspected of leading a gang involved in the abduction and robbery of a mother and her daughter. The gang leader allegedly forced the victims to withdraw cash from an ATM before releasing them under the Bhumibol Bridge. The arrest took place yesterday, January 9, near a medical clinic in Khlong Toei,…
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Thai father brutally assaulted over 10,000 baht debt of son’s girlfriend
A Thai man suffered injuries from a brutal assault by a group of men outside his home in the Si Racha district of Chon Buri province. Among the man’s attackers was the father-in-law of his son’s wife, who reportedly owed 10,000 baht to her ex-husband. The Thai couple, Aujcharee and Decha, sought help from the non-profit organisation Saimai Survive after…
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Thailand video news | Bangkok’s PM2.5 pollution lands politician’s father in ICU, Thai police seek arrest of suspected killer of former Cambodian lawmaker
In today’s Thailand video news, Alex and Jay deliver gripping stories from across Thailand and Asia. Highlights include the mysterious death of a British tourist in Phuket, a heroic balcony rescue during a Pattaya fire, and a massive drug bust on the Thai-Lao border. Viewers will also learn about Bangkok’s worsening pollution crisis, a South Korean game show scandal involving…
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Pattaya: Swiss dad collapses on the way to pick up his son
A 57 year old Swiss man died after collapsing while riding his motorcycle to pick up his young son from school in South Pattaya on Monday. The heartbreaking incident unfolded Monday afternoon, January 6, in Soi Bua Khao as the Swiss father was en route to Wat Chai Mongkol Kindergarten. Eyewitnesses reported the man suddenly losing consciousness, causing his motorcycle…
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Casino kingpins eye Thailand: Melco’s big gamble on Bangkok
Macau gambling giant Melco Resorts & Entertainment is rolling the dice on Thailand, as they devise plans to dive headfirst into the country’s booming tourism scene and cultural tapestry. With whispers of legalised gambling on the horizon, this move could be a jackpot for the casino giants. At the helm, Lawrence Ho, Melco Chairman and CEO, is singing the praises…
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Thai driver cites health issue after killing 6 year old boy in Bangkok
A Thai man blamed a health issue after crashing his SUV into a motorcycle carrying a man and his six year old son, resulting in the boy’s death yesterday, January 9, on a road in the Saimai area of Bangkok. A motorcyclist riding behind the black Mitsubishi Pajero SUV managed to capture the fatal accident on a livestream video. The…
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Buriram: Elderly man falls critically ill after eating raw pork salad
A 73 year old man from the Nang Rong district in Buriram province was hospitalised after consuming raw pork salad with fresh blood. He experienced vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, and extreme weakness. A concerned relative discovered him and contacted emergency services yesterday, January 9 for immediate medical attention. His condition remains critical at Nang Rong Hospital as doctors await detailed diagnostic…
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