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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Bangkok to raise BTS Green Line extension fares from November 1
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will increase fares for the BTS Green Line train extensions starting from November 1. The change will affect three routes: Mo Chit–Khu Khot, Bang Chak–Samut Prakan, and Pho Nimit–Bang Wa. The official Facebook page of the BMA published a statement from Deputy Bangkok Governor, Wisanu Subsompon, yesterday, October 22. Wisanu explained that the fare increase…
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British woman wakes from stroke speaking in Thai accent
A British woman who suffered a stroke during a holiday in Turkey got the shock of her life when she woke up sounding like her Thai mum. The woman, 29 year old Cathy Warren, who is half Thai and half British, was on holiday with friends in Fethiye, Turkey, in September last year to celebrate her 28th birthday when disaster…
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Patong Hill landslide shuts road as Phuket hit by flash floods
Phuket was battered by torrential rain yesterday, triggering flash floods, flight chaos and a landslide that has shut a major road for days. The island was lashed by uninterrupted downpours from the early hours of yesterday morning, October 22, causing widespread flooding across Cherng Talay, Kathu, and Mueang districts. The rain finally eased around 7am but not before wreaking havoc…
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Finance minister of Thailand resigns after 33 days amid scam allegations
The finance minister resigned from his position yesterday, October 22, after 33 days of working due to an accusation of involvement in the call centre scam network based in Cambodia. The Minister of Finance, Vorapak Tanyawong, who is the former president of Krung Thai Bank, recently joined the government under the lead of the Prime Minister (PM) Anutin Charnvirakul on…
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Storm threat looms as southern Thailand braces for floods
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has issued a warning for residents across South Thailand, urging them to brace for heavy to very heavy rainfall and possible flash floods, particularly in low-lying areas and near waterways. With widespread storms forecast across both eastern and western coastal provinces, people have been advised to avoid travelling through flood-prone areas. Tropical Storm Fengshen is…
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Thai artist faces criticism for painting with dinosaur fossil pigment
A Thai artist and social media influencer was recently criticised online for using colours made from dinosaur fossil fragments in her paintings. The artwork by Thai artist Darisa “Pahn” Karnpoj, better known as Reity, drew widespread attention online following a post by X user @TMtheEQplusNerd. The user shared screenshots from a YouTube video on Pahn’s channel with the caption… “Oh…
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Bangkok ramps up safety checks ahead of Loy Krathong Festival
Bangkok’s governor has ordered safety checks at piers across the city ahead of Loy Krathong, urging residents to use eco-friendly floats for the festival. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has ordered safety inspections at all piers and floating platforms across the capital ahead of this year’s Loy Krathong Festival on November 5. The move is aimed at ensuring public safety and…
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Suvarnabhumi Airport officials accused of corruption after seized belonging sold online
A Thai woman accused officials at Suvarnabhumi International Airport of corruption after finding that her pocket knife, which was confiscated on August 25, was sold on Facebook. Chongpriang Tainangam took to her Facebook account, demanding clarification from Suvarnabhumi Airport and the Airports of Thailand (AOT) regarding the sale of her seized knife. She discovered the item being sold on the Leatherman…
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Breath of life: Chiang Mai’s ‘frozen’ escalator revived after decades
Chiang Mai’s Warorot Market has brought its long-idle escalator back into operation, delighting locals and vendors after decades of remaining unused. The century-old market, better known as Kad Luang, has witnessed the revival of a long-dormant symbol of modernity: its only escalator, which moved last week for the first time in over 50 years. Once a futuristic addition to the…
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Thailand gears up for busy winter with 250 plus airline services
Thailand will welcome over 250 airlines this winter season, as aviation officials allocate flight slots and charter flights surge to boost tourism. Thailand is preparing for a surge in international arrivals this High Season, with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) confirming that 255 airlines have been allocated flight slots for the winter 2025 schedule. The season, running from…
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Kuwaiti man arrested in Phuket for crystal meth possession and overstay
Police arrested a Kuwaiti man for possession of crystal meth and overstaying his visa in Patong, Phuket, on Monday, October 20. Officers from Patong Police Station reported the arrest of the 36 year old Kuwaiti national, whose name has not been disclosed, via the Phuket Info Centre Facebook page yesterday, October 21. The arrest took place a day earlier at…
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Phuket Vegetarian Festival processions light up the streets
Devotees from local shrines took part in vibrant street processions across Phuket as part of a major annual festival aimed at promoting spiritual cleansing. Phuket erupted in colour, firecrackers and ritual yesterday, October 21, as the island launched the second day of its annual Vegetarian Festival with sacred street processions, despite rain. Devotees from 39 Chinese shrines are participating in…
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Russian car rental network dismantled in Koh Pha Ngan crackdown
Tourist police launched a joint operation on Koh Pha Ngan to crack down on an illegal car rental and hotel business run by foreign nationals, seizing hundreds of vehicles. The operation, carried out yesterday, October 21, was led by Police Major General Krits Warit, in line with the Tourist Police Bureau’s policy to suppress transnational crime. The joint task force…
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Skeletal Thai man rescued after alleged kratom addiction
A Thai volunteer rescuer issued a warning after being called to assist a man who became severely emaciated, allegedly due to his kratom addiction. The rescuer, Jirasak Prayonghom, shared a photograph of the man he had helped on his Facebook account yesterday, October 21. In part of his caption, Jirasak wrote… “#Warning This 23 year old man was weak and skeletal,…
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Soi Buakhao traffic revamp sees fresh signs and markings
Pattaya City has launched a traffic upgrade project on Soi Buakhao to improve safety and traffic flow, with over 40% of the work now complete. Yesterday, October 21, Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet assigned Anuwat Thongkham, Director of the Sanitation Engineering Bureau, to lead a progress review meeting at Pattaya City Hall. The session included department heads, city officials, and representatives…
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Poolside tragedy: Worker electrocuted at Phuket hotel
A construction worker was fatally electrocuted while using a jackhammer near a hotel pool in Karon, Phuket, prompting an ongoing police investigation. The 46 year old victim, identified as Kwanchai Phonsari from Udon Thani province, was working on concrete removal around the pool area when the fatal incident occurred at approximately 10.45am on Sunday, October 19. Witnesses told police they…
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Chinese flying taxis take off in Thailand’s urban skies
A Chinese drone firm has launched Thailand’s first flying taxi trials in partnership with local regulators to test autonomous aircraft for urban transport. Aviation giant EHang has launched Thailand’s first Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Sandbox Initiative, marking a major milestone in the race to bring flying taxis to Southeast Asia. Unveiled in Bangkok, the initiative was created in partnership with…
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Thailand scraps poker permits in major anti-gambling push
The Ministry of Interior has issued a sweeping order banning all poker and card games across Thailand, in line with the government’s strict anti-gambling policy. Signed by Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the order No. 3179/2568 was made public today, October 22, and takes immediate effect. It fully revokes a previous order from July and suspends all existing…
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Bolt rider and passenger killed in motorcycle crash after phone distraction
A Thai Bolt rider crashed into an electricity pole on a road in Bang Na, Bangkok, yesterday, October 21, after focusing on a map on his mobile phone, leading to the deaths of himself and his passenger. Officers from Bang Na Police Station received a report of a fatal motorcycle accident near the entrance of Soi Bang Na-Trat 16 on…
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UHC CEO killer claims attack by Thai ladyboys before shooting
A man accused of killing a top US healthcare executive had earlier claimed he was assaulted by transgender women while travelling in Thailand, reports reveal. According to The New York Times, 27 year old Luigi Mangione sent WhatsApp messages to friends while backpacking across Asia, describing his raucous escapades. In one message, he claimed he had been “beaten up by…
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Bangkok taxi rider fights foreign passenger over drop-off spot dispute
A physical altercation broke out between a Thai motorcycle taxi rider and a foreign passenger outside a shopping mall in Bangkok, reportedly due to a dispute over a drop-off point. A TikTok user, @buti.39, shared a video of the fight on Monday, October 20, with the caption, “A motorcycle taxi rider at Siam Paragon who takes boxing as inspiration for…
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Thailand video news | Thailand’s three-airport high-speed rail project hits a major contract impasse, Weak tourist inflows cloud Thai baht’s end-of-year rally
In Thailand Video News Today, Alex and Jay bring you stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Today’s lineup includes a Thai doctor’s warning about excessive online content, a stalled mega rail project, and some quirky museums worth visiting. Excessive pornography consumption may impair sexual health, warns Thai specialist A Thai forensic medicine specialist warns that heavy pornography use can…
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Thai House passes Clean Air Bill in sweeping 308–0 vote
Thailand’s House of Representatives has unanimously passed a new Clean Air Bill, aiming to crack down on pollution and protect public health nationwide. All 308 MPs present, from both coalition and opposition parties, voted in favour after three days of heated debate. The bill, which passed its third reading yesterday, October 21, will now move to the Senate for further…
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German man injured by faulty manhole cover in Pattaya
A German man sustained a leg injury after stepping on a faulty manhole cover in Pattaya earlier yesterday, October 21. Rescue workers from the Sawang Boriboon Foundation in Pattaya were alerted to the accident, which occurred near Soi Pattaya 14 in Central Pattaya at around 4.30am. The injured man was later identified as a German national, 28 year old Christoph. According…
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Curtain call: Paetongtarn quits Pheu Thai ahead of party shake-up
Former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is expected to formally resign as leader of the Pheu Thai Party this week, with senior figures set to meet at the party’s Bangkok headquarters this morning to confirm her departure. According to party sources, the meeting was scheduled to begin with a gathering of MPs at 8.30am today, October 22, followed by a session…
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3 Japanese tourists fined for lifting skirt of Pattaya hairdresser
Three Japanese men face a fine for sexually harassing a Thai hairdresser in Pattaya on Saturday, October 19, by lifting her skirt. The Thai online community called for harsher penalties to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. The owner of K.K Hairstyles @ Pattaya Barbers & Salon in Pattaya, 33 year old Kanokkarn, shared CCTV footage of the…
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Chilly weather: Thailand braces for deluge, winter season nears
Thailand is on high alert as a severe tropical storm brews offshore, while a high-pressure system from China brings cooler air and strong winds to the upper regions. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) reports that a moderate high-pressure system is affecting northern and northeastern Thailand. Morning temperatures are cooler, with strong winds and a slight temperature drop expected. The weather…
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Thai construction giant denies links to call centre scam after MPs’ claims
One of Thailand’s leading construction companies, Sino-Thai Engineering & Construction Public Company Limited (STECON), filed a complaint against two Members of Parliament (MPs) from the People’s Party, claiming both accused the company of involvement in a call centre scam network. The United States and United Kingdom recently accused the Prince Holding Group, owned by 32 year old Chinese-born Chen Zhi,…
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Northeast Thailand loan sharks steal rabbit in debt dispute
Two men were arrested in Northeast Thailand after allegedly damaging a woman’s home and stealing her pet rabbit over an unpaid loan of just 4,000 baht. Police say 24 year old Sitthikorn Kerdsiri and 22 year old Charoensak Piawwong were detained last night, October 20, in Mueang district after weeks on the run. Both were wanted on arrest warrants for…
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Foreign man caught on CCTV stealing liquor from Phuket restaurant
A CCTV camera captured a foreign man stealing a bottle of liquor from a restaurant in the Patong area of Phuket on Sunday, October 19. Footage of the theft was shared by the Phuket Times Facebook page today, October 21. In the video, the foreign suspect is seen wearing black shorts and a red shirt covered with a black jacket.…
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