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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Fatal collision claims young man’s life in Chachoengsao province
A tragic accident occurred when a young man, on his way home after work, collided with a parked truck and was subsequently run over by a pickup truck, leading to his death. The incident took place at 6pm yesterday, February 18, on Suwinthawong Road, heading towards Mueang Chachoengsao, in Sala Daeng subdistrict, Bang Nam Priao district, Chachoengsao province. Police Lieutenant…
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Thai Union hosts PM in Songkhla to boost seafood industry
Executives from the Thai Union Group Public Company Limited, a global leader in the seafood industry, hosted Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and her Cabinet yesterday, February 18. The visit took place at the Thai Union Seafood Company’s frozen seafood processing plant in Songkhla province. The aim was to understand challenges and explore strategies to enhance the competitiveness of Thailand’s fisheries…
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Customs seizes over 46 million baht in counterfeit goods
The Department of Customs, led by Theerach Atthanavanich, has successfully seized 602,600 items in violation of customs, intellectual property, and related laws. The confiscated goods, which include cigarettes, e-cigarettes, counterfeit branded products, and other illicit items, are valued at over 46 million baht. The legal processes have concluded, and these items are now the property of the state. The Ministry…
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Fire destroys Phatthalung home, residents escape unscathed
A fire engulfed the home of an 83 year old former forestry official late at night in the Phatthalung area. The blaze destroyed the wooden house, though fortunately, all five residents escaped unharmed. The fire is suspected to have been caused by an electrical short circuit. Police Captain Sorawit Rakjui, duty officer at Mueang Phatthalung Police Station, received a report…
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Intoxicated man jumps into temple pond to cool off, drowns
A 36 year old man drowned in a temple pond in Chachoengsao after reportedly jumping into the water to cool off while intoxicated. The incident occurred at Ban Noen Sawang temple’s pond in the Sanam Chai Khet district today, February 18, when residents had warned him of the dangers but were unable to prevent the tragedy. Village headman Thanachok Prakongsuk…
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Mother and daughter arrested in Buriram for online prostitution
Police in Buriram province arrested a mother and her 17 year old daughter for allegedly engaging in online prostitution. The police set up a sting operation to apprehend the pair, despite the daughter claiming her actions were consensual. Yesterday, February 18, the investigative team from Buriram Provincial Police was alerted to online posts advertising sexual services via an application. Reports…
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Heavy rain leads to over 50 accidents in one hour in Loei
Loei province was thrown into chaos as the season’s first heavy rainfall triggered a catastrophic wave of accidents, leaving over 50 vehicles wrecked in just one hour. The sudden downpour turned the roads into slippery hazards, catching drivers off guard and resulting in a series of crashes across multiple districts. Yesterday, February 17, intense rainfall lashed several areas, including Phu…
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Thai transwoman nabbed after Indian gold heist goes off-chain
Police arrested a Thai transwoman and her friend for physically assaulting an Indian man and stealing his gold necklace, valued at 120,000 baht, at a hotel in the southern province of Songkhla. The incident occurred after the victim refused her sexual services, claiming she looked different from her online profile. The 41 year old Indian victim filed a complaint at…
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Thailand prisoner rights debate scrapped amid backlash
A heated debate over equal healthcare rights for prisoners was abruptly shut down in Thailand’s Senate yesterday after Senator Angkhana Neelapaijit withdrew her motion, sparking backlash from fellow lawmakers. The motion aimed to highlight discrepancies in medical treatment between prisoners and high-profile figures like former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who spent six months in a VIP hospital ward instead of…
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Border patrol seizes 700kg of crystal meth after smugglers flee
Border patrol officers seized over 700 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine following a clash with a smuggling gang, who abandoned their vehicle and fled. The increased drug flow has prompted heightened police vigilance as the price of crystal meth dropped significantly to 10,000 baht per kilogramme. At 4.30pm, yesterday, February 18, Police Colonel Worapat Boonma, commander of the Border Patrol Police…
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PM urges fast-track completion of Songkhla-Malaysia border road
Thailand’s long-delayed new border crossing in Songkhla is finally set to open, with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra ordering urgent action to complete the missing road link to Malaysia. During a mobile Cabinet meeting in Songkhla yesterday, February 18, PM Paetongtarn inspected several development projects and was shocked to learn that the 2nd Sadao Border Checkpoint, built in 2019, remains closed…
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Hiss-teria: Family of pythons slithers into Kamphaeng Phet home
Residents of a Kamphaeng Phet house were startled when a family of pythons was discovered in their home. Yesterday, February 18, rescue workers from the Sawang Kamphaeng Phet Unit in Khlong Lan were called to assist 62 year old Tui Suwanbang. He reported numerous snakes at his residence, located at house number 20, Moo 6, Ban Pang Nuea, Pang Tawai…
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Ang Thong ice cream vendor scammed with fake 1,000 baht note
An ice cream vendor in Ang Thong province was deceived by a fraudster who posed as a customer ordering ice cream for construction workers. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, February 16 around 12.20pm, involved a counterfeit banknote trick. The fraudster altered a 100 baht note to resemble a 1,000 baht note by adding a zero with a blue marker.…
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Elderly woman found dead in Nakhon Si Thammarat canal
A 66 year old woman was found dead in a rubber plantation canal in Mueang district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province, after being missing from home for several hours. Initial autopsy results indicated she had been dead for at least six hours before her body was discovered yesterday, February 18. Police Colonel Kittichai Kairnara, along with investigators, a doctor from Maharaj Nakhon…
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Thailand battles flu season as cases soar and fever pitch rises
Thailand is facing a major influenza outbreak, with 107,570 cases recorded this year and nine deaths, the Public Health Ministry confirmed yesterday, February 18. Flu infections are surging at 15,000 new cases per week, a sharp rise from the 10,000 per week reported in early 2024. Dr Jurai Wongsawat, spokesperson for the Department of Disease Control (DDC), stated that children…
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Tragic hunting accident in Doi Phu Kha National Park Nan
Two men were involved in a tragic hunting incident in Doi Phu Kha National Park, Nan province, resulting in a fatality. Mistaking his companion for a wild boar, one man accidentally shot and killed him. The incident was reported by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation on Facebook. The shooting occurred on February 17 at 11.38am in the…
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10 suspects arrested for money laundering linked to call centre scam
Police arrested 10 out of 32 suspects from eight provinces in Thailand for operating a money laundering scheme worth over 2 billion baht for a call centre scam gang. Officers from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) held a press conference yesterday, February 18, to disclose details of the money laundering crackdown. The operation, conducted throughout February, targeted 32 suspects involved…
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Wife’s dream predicts husband’s end in wall collapse tragedy
A tragic accident occurred in Nakhon Phanom when a wall collapsed, killing a man wearing the exact clothes his wife dreamt about. A man was crushed under a bathroom wall at his home yesterday February 18, despite scepticism about his wife’s premonition. At the residence located at 94 Ban Phon Ngam, Mueang district, relatives, including 64 year old Tula Phokapanit…
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Elderly French tourist’s journey cut short in tragic Rayong road crash
A tragic accident occurred yesterday when a 78 year old French tourist was fatally struck by a 10-wheeler truck while cycling in Mueang district, Rayong province. The incident took place yesterday, February 18, at a red light junction in Rai subdistrict, as the French victim, Guillaume was en route to a restaurant before his planned return to France. Police Lieutenant Thanakorn…
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Electrician dies after being ran over by lorry in Samut Prakan
A 50 year old electrician in Samut Prakan was hit by an unidentified vehicle, causing him to fall and be fatally run over by a lorry. The incident was witnessed by a taxi driver who promptly alerted the lorry driver. Police Lieutenant Isara Saengsawang, Deputy Inspector of Phra Samut Chedi Police Station in Samut Prakan, received a report yesterday, February…
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Thailand exempts five groups from SIM registration update
The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) has outlined five groups exempt from updating their SIM registration names to match mobile banking names as part of measures to prevent online crime. The aim is to curb mule accounts. This measure began on February 1. The first group includes mobile numbers registered under government agencies, such as the Office of…
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Thai entertainment complex bill targets tourists, limits local gambling
Council of State Secretary General Pakorn Nilprapunt stated that the controversial Entertainment Complex Bill is primarily aimed at foreign tourism, with stringent measures proposed to minimise the involvement of most Thai citizens due to concerns about gambling. Pakorn recently shared an update on the amendments to the draft bill, noting that it is currently under its second review. The draft…
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Russian tour guide arrested in Pattaya crackdown
A Russian man working illegally as a tour guide in Pattaya was caught red-handed during an early morning police sting. The Tourist Police Bureau’s Investigation Team swooped in on Sunday, February 16, arresting the suspect at Bali Hai Pier in South Pattaya. Police received reports of a foreign national illegally conducting tours, prompting Police Colonel Songwut Chueaplakit, Superintendent of Investigation,…
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Cobra Gold 2025: US-Thailand military exercise set for February
The Cobra Gold joint military exercise is set to take place in Thailand from February 25 to March 7, featuring the participation of 3,200 US personnel. The opening ceremony is scheduled at 9am on February 25 at Suranaree Camp in Mueang district, Nakhon Ratchasima. The event stands as the largest joint and combined exercise in the Indo-Pacific, symbolising the robust…
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Gold thief busted after high-profile heist in Sattahip
A wanted fugitive has been captured after leading police on a month-long chase following a high-profile gold heist. The seasoned thief, notorious for his criminal exploits, was arrested at dawn yesterday, February 18, in Ban Chang, Rayong, after officers raided his hideout. The sting operation, spearheaded by Police Colonel Khomsan Khamtunkaew of Supphaluang Police Station and his deputy, Pol. Lt.…
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2 men filmed engaging in sexual activity on Bangkok footpath
A Thai Bolt motorcycle rider shared a video on a Facebook group showing two men engaging in sexual activity on a footpath in Bangkok‘s Bang Khen district, prompting widespread criticism. The Facebook account, พชรดนัย ฯ., posted the explicit dashcam footage yesterday, February 18, in the group Bolt Drivers Thailand. The post was captioned, “Stabbing incident in Bang Khen area…” The…
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Over 100 foreigners arrested in Phuket police blitz
Phuket police sent a strong message to law-breaking foreigners after arresting over 100 people and issuing 1,625 traffic citations in a sweeping week-long crackdown. The operation, running from February 10 to 16, targeted illegal businesses, visa violations, drug offences, and reckless driving, according to Phuket Provincial Police Commander Police Major General Sinlert Sukhum. The coordinated effort, involving Phuket Immigration and…
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Illegal bitcoin mining operation busted in Pathum Thani housing project
Police in Pathum Thani dismantled an illegal bitcoin mining operation set up in a housing project, seizing 18 mining devices. The operation had reportedly been using electricity illicitly with an annual cost exceeding 3 million baht. Yesterday, February 18, Sutthiporn Siwawetphikun, district chief of Nong Suea, Police Colonel Teerayut Sereinonchai, and Yutthana Srisombat, a deputy district official for security, along…
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Thai nationals arrested for trafficking methamphetamine worth 3 million baht
Two Thai nationals were apprehended in Amnat Charoen province for their involvement in trafficking methamphetamine, known as frung fring pills, mixed with crystal meth. Police Colonel Nipon Boonkert and the relevant officials arrested 39 year old Suriyan Wongchaiya and 21 year old Akkaraphon Saengphet as they attempted to deliver the drugs at designated locations. Police confiscated 106,000 pills, valued at…
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Bangkok-Pattaya bus overturns in Chon Buri, 40 injured
A bus accident occurred in Chon Buri yesterday, resulting in injuries to 40 people. The incident happened at 2pm yesterday, February 18, on the bypass road, Route 36, inbound to Pattaya, when the bus overturned after swerving to avoid a vehicle emerging from a gas station. Rescue services from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation responded promptly to the accident in…
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