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 How to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in Thailand?
Managing medical expenses in Thailand is important as healthcare costs continue to rise. The country’s healthcare system includes both public and private options, but even with the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for citizens, many still face high out-of-pocket medical expenses....
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Robinhood takes over as Foodpanda bows out of Thailand
Thailand’s food delivery game just got a major shake-up — and it’s Robinhood taking the wheel. Yesterday, May 20, Thai-born delivery platform Robinhood announced a strategic redirection agreement with Foodpanda Thailand, as the international giant prepares to exit the country after 13 years of operations. The move, effective immediately, allows Foodpanda customers, restaurant partners, and delivery riders to transition smoothly…
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Motorcyclist driving wrong way in Phuket kills woman
A heavily intoxicated 32 year old man drove his motorcycle against the flow of traffic, resulting in a tragic accident that claimed the life of a woman. Police confirmed the suspect had high blood alcohol level in his system after he admitted to consuming alcohol before the incident. Police Colonel Yutthaphon Wathaseth, an investigating officer from the Thalang District Police Station,…
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MGM Resorts urges Thailand to adopt competitive casino tax rate
MGM Resorts International suggests Thailand should adopt a casino tax rate competitive with Singapore and permit a significant number of locals to visit casino complexes to foster tourism and economic growth. The company is exploring a potential investment of US$3-5 billion in a casino facility in Bangkok. Ed Bowers, President of Global Development at MGM Resorts, stated that emerging markets…
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Thai police intercept 100kg of crystal meth at border
The Border Patrol Police Unit 327 intercepted a drug trafficking operation based on intelligence reports, uncovering 100 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine (ice) hidden in a modified vehicle crossing the border. Yesterday, May 20, at approximately 9am, Police Major Ananwat Rattanawichai, commander of Unit 327, along with Police Lieutenant Colonel Somchai Soisaeng, deputy commander, and Police Lieutenant Colonel Parin Worachokkunakorn, commander…
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Man found dead on hammock in Chai Nat province
A 49 year old man was found dead on a hammock yesterday at the Kiatisak Rice Seed Store in Chai Nat province. The police, along with a doctor from Chai Nat Hospital and Ruamkatanyu Foundation volunteers, attended the scene. The deceased, Wasan, was discovered lying on his back with foam at his mouth and vomit on the ground beneath him.…
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Visa villains nabbed in Phuket immigration crackdown
Phuket’s Immigration officers are cracking down hard on visa overstays, hauling in four foreign nationals in a high-profile sweep as part of a nationwide effort to stamp out illegal immigration. In an operation launched on Monday, May 19, Phuket Immigration, in coordination with local agencies, arrested four men who had overstayed their legal permission to remain in Thailand. The arrests…
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Lightning strike kills man seeking shelter in Buriram field
A lightning strike tragically claimed the life of a 34 year old man while he sought shelter from the rain in a field hut in the Khok Khao Phatthana village, Buriram province, on May 20. Police were alerted to the incident by locals and proceeded to the scene, accompanied by investigators and a rescue team. The hut, located approximately 2…
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Monorail mania: Thailand’s Pink Line to operate free trial run
Bangkok commuters have a new reason to celebrate — the long-awaited Pink Line monorail extension to Muang Thong Thani officially opened yesterday, May 20, promising to ease traffic headaches and ramp up convenience for eventgoers. Even better? It’s completely free to ride until June 16. The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), which owns the project, along with operator…
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Ex-British air hostess claims she’s been ‘suitcased’ in drug bust
A former British air hostess claims she’s been stitched up in a £1.5 million (66.5 million baht) drug bust in Sri Lanka, insisting she had no clue 46 kilogrammes of cannabis was stuffed in her suitcase. Charlotte May Lee is facing years behind bars in a notorious Sri Lankan prison after being arrested in Colombo with a suitcase stuffed with…
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Thailand video news | UK teen faces life in Georgian prison over cannabis smuggling, Cambodia marks 50 years since Khmer Rouge’s rise
In today’s Thailand video news, Alex and Jay report on a series of gripping and impactful stories from across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Headlines include a missing UK teen found in a Georgian prison on drug smuggling charges, a former British air hostess caught with £1.5 million worth of cannabis in Sri Lanka, and an Australian man arrested in Bangkok…
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Buriram man caught stealing motorcycle with pickup truck
A 36 year old man was apprehended by police in Buriram province for stealing a motorcycle using his four-door pickup truck. He admitted to the crime, stating that although his family is not poor, he found the unattended motorcycle with keys left in the ignition tempting. Yesterday, May 20, Police Colonel Adisak Chansorn, the superintendent of Nong Hong Police Station,…
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Sink or spend? Thailand nears decision on submarine deal
Thailand’s long-delayed and controversy-laden submarine deal is finally approaching crunch time — and it’s sink or spend for the Defence Ministry. Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai confirmed that a final decision on the 13.5 billion baht submarine procurement project could be made by the end of this month or in early June. The high-stakes verdict follows consultations with the Royal Thai…
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Thailand rolls out new payout rules for flight delays
Travellers in Thailand can now breathe a sigh of relief — airlines are officially on the hook if they mess up your travel plans. New regulations designed to protect airline passengers from the misery of flight delays and cancellations came into force yesterday, May 20. Under the sweeping changes introduced by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), passengers now…
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Missing durian vendor reappears safely, declines to go home
A Thai female durian vendor from the southern province of Surat Thani, who was reported missing on Saturday, May 17, appeared at a police station to confirm her safety and revealed that she simply needed a peaceful getaway. The 43 year old vendor, Sujittra, also known as Jay Kaew, was last seen around 8pm on Saturday, after finishing work at…
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Motorcycle gunfire attack on Honda Jazz shocks Chon Buri residents
A dramatic incident unfolded in Chon Buri’s Ban Bueng district as a motorcycle chased and fired shots at a Honda Jazz. Police were called to the scene along a route in the Nong Sam Sak area today, May 21, at 1.30am, after reports of gunfire. They discovered a white Honda Jazz bumper and a black mobile phone, along with 17…
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SRT approves delayed Lat Krabang container depot overhaul
After years of frustrating delays, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is finally pushing forward with a 40 billion baht upgrade of Bangkok’s Inland Container Depot in Lat Krabang and the green light couldn’t come soon enough. The SRT board last Thursday, May 15, approved a long-awaited study into the project’s future, identifying a public-private partnership (PPP) under a net…
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Super spreader Covid variant rips through Thailand
A new Covid-19 variant is sweeping through Thailand at breakneck speed, with infections skyrocketing and vulnerable groups most at risk. Health authorities are on high alert as the XEC variant, a descendant of Omicron, spreads nearly seven times faster than seasonal influenza. Since January 1, the Public Health Ministry has recorded 108,891 infections and 27 fatalities linked to the strain,…
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Van fire on Bangkok bridge disrupts traffic, no injuries
A fire engulfed a van on a bridge over the Ramintra intersection at kilometre 8, causing extensive damage to the vehicle. The incident, reported today, May 21, required intervention by fire and rescue teams. An electrical short circuit is suspected to have started the blaze. Police from Khan Na Yao station received a report of a vehicle fire on the…
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17 Irrawaddy dolphins left in Songkhla Lake amid extinction crisis
In Songkhla Lake, the critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphin population has dwindled to only 17, leading the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) to intensify efforts to preserve the species and rejuvenate the lake’s delicate ecosystem. Minister Chalermchai Sri-on visited the lake on Monday, May 19, highlighting the importance of balancing conservation with the development of the Songkhla Lake bridge…
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Stark raving nude: Naked men run riot on Pattaya streets
Pattaya locals were left gobsmacked this week after not one, but two stark-naked men caused chaos on the streets, one reportedly defecating near schools, the other hurling furniture at cops in a midnight meltdown. Concerned residents in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, are calling for urgent action after a homeless man, believed to be around 50, was repeatedly spotted wandering…
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Weather chaos set to slam 46 Thai provinces
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) sounded the alarm for a whopping 46 provinces, with the heavens set to open up over 60% of the land. And yes, Bangkok is in for a soaking too. As the calendar flips to May 21, residents are urgently advised to brace themselves for torrential downpours and all the pesky hazards that come with them.…
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Pattaya waitresses battered by foreigner in beach bar bust-up
Two Pattaya waitresses were left bloodied and bruised after a polite request to “keep it down” sparked a violent seaside scrap, with beer bottles flying and tourists looking on in horror. The two waitresses have gone public with shocking claims of a violent attack that broke out after they asked a rowdy group to lower their voices during a quiet…
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UK teen faces possible life sentence for cannabis smuggling
A missing UK teen feared lost in Thailand has turned up 4,000 miles away—in handcuffs, facing a possible life sentence for allegedly smuggling cannabis into Georgia. Bella Culley, 18, from Billingham, County Durham, was reported missing on Tuesday, May 13, after family members lost contact with her during what they believed was a solo trip through Thailand. She had previously…
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Thai woman accuses monk and his family of physically assaulting her
A Thai woman is seeking justice after a monk and his family members allegedly manipulated her mother and physically assaulted her at their family home in the central province of Nakhon Sawan. The woman took to social media to share a video of the alleged assault by the monk and his elderly family members, which occurred on May 17. She…
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Krungsri delays new credit lines amid US tariff uncertainty
Companies are delaying the utilisation of new credit lines due to waiting for further clarification on US tariffs following the recent announcement of a 90-day suspension period, as reported by a Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri) executive. Prakob Phiencharoen, who leads Krungsri’s corporate and investment banking group, stated that the bank is maintaining vigilance over corporate loan demand for the rest…
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Vietjet transfers 50 Boeing planes to Thai arm in regional shake-up
Vietjet and Boeing have inked a landmark agreement to transfer up to 50 Boeing 737 aircraft to Vietjet Thailand, boosting Thailand’s presence on the regional air travel map. The signing took place with plenty of diplomatic fanfare, witnessed by Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was in Hanoi for her first official visit to Vietnam in over a decade. “This agreement…
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Missing durian vendor believed safe after CCTV footage emerges
Police assure that a female durian seller, who went missing in the southern province of Surat Thani, is safe, despite her family’s growing concern. The family of 43 year old missing durian vendor Sujittra, also known as Jay Kaew, filed a complaint with Mueang Surat Thani Police Station after she failed to return home at her usual time on May…
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Pattaya cracks top 10 safest cities in ASEAN
In a surprising twist that’s turning heads across Southeast Asia, Pattaya, long known for its wild nightlife, has been named one of the Top 10 Safest Cities in ASEAN for 2025. The ranking, released by Numbeo, a global database that tracks cost of living and quality of life, placed Pattaya at 9th with a Safety Index score of 53.9. The…
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Chiang Rai water contamination raises public health alarm
A toxic tide is rising in northern Thailand. Dangerous levels of arsenic and lead have been found in the Sai River and parts of the Kok River in Chiang Rai, triggering serious concerns over public health, the environment, and local food sources. According to a damning new report from the Office of Environmental and Pollution Control Region 1 in Chiang…
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Buriram bank employee accused of embezzling 700,000 baht from restaurant owner
A 32 year old restaurant owner filed a complaint against a bank employee in Buriram for allegedly embezzling nearly 700,000 baht. The victim, Patchara, claims she was deceived into taking out a loan under the pretence of helping the employee meet commission targets. The incident was reported to lawyer Weerayut Sirirueangprapa in Krasang district, Buriram province. Patchara revealed that the…
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