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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Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...
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30 homes in Samut Sakhon listed for sale due to structural issues
Following widespread concerns, a village in Tha Sai subdistrict, Mueang district, Samut Sakhon province, saw 30 houses being listed for sale due to numerous structural issues. The project identified reasons for the damage and pledged to address the situation promptly, explaining delays in resolution. Today, May 7, the Samut Sakhon provincial governor, Narit Niramaiwong, convened a meeting at the provincial…
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Thai F-16s scramble as Myanmar fighter sparks panic
A Myanmar fighter jet triggered a tense military response this week after flying close to Thai airspace in Kanchanaburi province, prompting the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) to deploy two F-16 fighter jets to intercept what was initially classified as an unidentified aircraft. But according to Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, the drama never truly crossed the line, literally. “The aircraft…
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Bangkok building collapse: 13 still missing, search continues
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) continues its search and recovery operations for the 13 people still missing after the collapse of the newly constructed State Audit Office building. Suriyachai Rawiwan, the Director of the BMA’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, announced on Monday that rescue teams can now access the entire basement area, measuring 40×40 metres. As of that day,…
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Burmese worker busted in Phuket for 1.1 million baht cash heist
A 23 year old Burmese worker has been arrested for stealing over 1.1 million baht from his employer’s home in Phuket. The Myanmar national, Nye Bo Thet, was arrested as part of a Cherng Talay Police crime suppression campaign running from May 1 to May 7. Police tracked the suspect down and nabbed him outside Building 92 of the Baan…
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Million-baht bounty: EC offers big cash for election snitching
With municipal elections looming, Thailand’s Election Commission announced it will offer cash rewards of up to 1 million baht for tip-offs leading to proof of election fraud. The move comes amid mounting concerns over vote-buying and irregularities in the lead-up to the May 11 polls, which will see mayoral and council seats contested in 76 provinces. The payouts are part…
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Teen arrested after shooting incident over personal dispute
A teen suspect was arrested following a shooting incident involving 15 rounds, reportedly due to a personal dispute. The 19 year old suspect claimed self-defence, stating, “If we didn’t act, they would have,” following several previous altercations. The incident occurred when two people on a red PCX motorcycle, with an unidentified license plate, stopped and fired approximately 15 shots at the…
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Lèse majesté: US academic fights Thai university sacking
A US academic is challenging his dismissal from a Thai university after being sacked following a dropped lèse majesté charge. The American national claims the termination was unlawful, lacked due process, and violated university regulations. The case has sparked debate over academic freedom and the treatment of foreign scholars in Thailand. Chambers, a former lecturer in the Faculty of Social…
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3.0 earthquake hits Nakhon Si Thammarat, prompts evacuations
An earthquake measuring 3.0 on the Richter scale struck Nakhon Si Thammarat at 5.31am today, May 7. Residents in several subdistricts reported feeling tremors, and some areas heard loud noises. Hospitals swiftly evacuated buildings while assessing potential damage. The Earthquake Observation Division of the Thai Meteorological Department detailed that the quake occurred at a depth of 1 kilometre in Sai…
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Another brawl on Soi Bangla: Drunk tourists throw punches
In yet another chaotic display of tourist mayhem, a video of a drunken street fight between foreign visitors on the notorious Soi Bangla has gone viral, raising fresh concerns over alcohol-fuelled violence in Thailand’s party capital. The footage, posted by Facebook user Kim Wan today, May 7, captures a short but intense scuffle between intoxicated tourists in the early hours…
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Illegal cigarette network dismantled, 42 million baht fines issued
The Economic Crime Suppression Division, in collaboration with the Excise Department, dismantled a major international illegal cigarette trafficking network. Two Cambodian nationals, 35 year old Chiva Chuoy and 35 year old Nak Khoeun, were apprehended with 50,000 packs of illegal cigarettes, facing fines of up to 42 million baht (US$1.28 million). Yesterday, May 6, at 1.30pm, Police Major General Thasaphum…
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Hotpot horror: Beer glass brawl erupts in Pattaya restaurant
What started as a sizzling night out at a popular Pattaya hotpot spot boiled over into a glass-shattering fight that sent three people to the hospital and left diners in shock. Earlier this week, a heated row at a well-known hot pot restaurant in Central Pattaya exploded into violence between a transgender woman, a woman, and the woman’s brother, turning…
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Motorway crash in Chon Buri leaves three trapped in wreckage
A collision on a motorway resulted in a pickup truck crashing into the rear of a trailer truck, leaving three people trapped in the wreckage. Rescue teams were called to the scene, using hydraulic equipment to extricate the victims and transport them to the hospital. The incident occurred at 10.30pm yesterday, May 6, along the inbound lane of the motorway…
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Law student hailed for saving child from drowning at Thai beach
A law student is being praised for saving a five year old girl from drowning at Had Kudeua beach in Mueang Ubon Ratchathani district. She expressed her joy in applying her training knowledge to save a life. Yesterday, May 6, at 1.30pm, Ubon Ratchathani’s emergency response centre received a report about a child drowning at the beach. The rescue team…
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Pet cat shot with airsoft gun by neighbour amid noise dispute
A Thai woman is seeking justice for her pet cat after a neighbour nearly killed the animal by shooting it with an airsoft gun, allegedly in anger over her loud motorcycle engine. Officers from Mueang Udon Thani Police Station visited a house in the Sam Phrao sub-district, Mueang district, Udon Thani province, in the Isaan region, following a report of…
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Thai cops injured chasing rogue bike in Pattaya
A routine patrol turned into a street-side disaster in Pattaya after two police officers were injured during a high-speed chase of a suspicious motorcycle. The drama unfolded around sunset on Monday, May 5, in Soi Nern Plub Wan, when officers from Nong Prue Police Station attempted to stop a modified motorbike drawing attention with its blaring exhaust and missing licence…
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Troops foil vehicle smuggling at Tak province border
Troops from the Ratchamanu Task Force detained a vehicle smuggling operation at Tak province, as the suspects attempted to drive a stolen vehicle across the Moei River yesterday, May 6. Soldiers from the 433rd Company, part of the Ratchamanu Task Force, were conducting patrols and monitoring natural routes in Baan Muen Rue Chai, Phop Phra district, Tak province, when they…
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Hash and grab: Russian busted after smuggling drugs in condom
A dopey Russian drug peddler has been busted on the party island of Koh Pha Ngan after cops uncovered a stash of narcotics, including hashish he smuggled into Thailand by swallowing it in condoms. The Russian suspect, Denis Bichuk, was caught red-handed outside a convenience store in the Maduawan area yesterday, May 6, looking nervous, sweaty and downright dodgy. When…
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Thai man fatally stabs wife after discovering she was a prostitute
A Thai man fatally stabbed his wife on a road in the central province of Chai Nat, after discovering that she was offering sex services. Rescuers from the Ruam Katanyu Foundation rushed to assist the 39 year old Thai woman, Phatcharin, after receiving a report of the stabbing at around 8.30am today, May 7. She was found lying on the…
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Man shoots nephew over debt dispute in Thailand tragedy
A 65 year old man shot and killed his nephew following a long-standing dispute over a debt of several hundred thousand baht. The conflict escalated when the nephew allegedly insulted him over loud motorcycle noise outside his home. Yesterday, May 6, Police Colonel Teerapat Piyataworat from Sikao Police Station received a report from Police Major Sataphon Chongko, an investigator at…
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Transport Ministry plans mixed-use development at Bangkok port
The Ministry of Transport will embark on a development project for the Khlong Toei port area, with plans for a mixed-use development on a 520-rai plot. The initiative, discussed in a meeting chaired by Deputy Transport Minister Monporn Charoensri yesterday, May 6, aims to maximise the utility of the Bangkok port area. Four subcommittees have made progress in various areas,…
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Bangkok housing projects plummet, campus condos rise this year
LWS, a subsidiary of L.P.N. Development, reported a significant decline in new housing projects in Bangkok and its surrounding areas during the first quarter of 2025. The number of new projects and their value dropped by more than 50%. In contrast, campus condominiums have seen growth. The company hopes government measures to reduce fees will stimulate the market in the…
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Thai man wanted for rape of stepdaughter in Bangkok
A debauched Thai man is on the run after raping his stepdaughter and physically assaulting the girl when she refused to engage in a threesome with him and her biological mother. The 19 year old victim and her mother met social media influencer Guntouch “Gun” Pongpaiboonwet yesterday, May 6, to seek assistance. The woman stated that her daughter had been…
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Paetongtarn hits back over Thaksin hospital scandal
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra came out swinging yesterday, defending her father, ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, amid growing backlash over his controversial hospital stay. Thaksin, now 75, was sentenced to eight years in prison (later reduced to one via royal pardon) after returning from 15 years in self-imposed exile, but instead of doing time behind bars, he was transferred directly to a…
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Drunk driver leaves Phetchabun woman bedridden and bankrupt
A 40 year old woman in Phetchabun has been bedridden for four months following a car accident caused by a drunk driver, with no progress in her legal case. She has exhausted her savings on medical expenses and now faces financial hardships. The incident occurred on January 18 in Bueng Sam Phan district, Phetchabun province, when 40 year old Namphueng…
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Leaky billion-baht Thai Parliament building sparks repair scandal
Thailand’s glitzy new Parliament building may be one of the most expensive in the country’s history but five years after opening, it’s already falling apart, and taxpayers are footing the bill – again. The Thai Parliament Complex, officially named Sappaya-Saphasathan, has cost an eye-watering 22.987 billion baht so far but the spending spree isn’t over. Repair budgets totalling nearly 2 billion…
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Shell shock: Aussie man caught with a grenade at Phuket Airport
An Aussie man has landed himself in hot water after allegedly trying to board a domestic flight in Thailand with grenade launcher ammo and bomb parts stuffed in his suitcase. The Thai police swooped on 61 year old Peter Davison at Phuket International Airport after stunned baggage staff uncovered a suspicious stash of military-grade weapon components hidden in his luggage.…
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Drunk officer crashes police pickup into woman and flees scene
An alleged drunk officer crashed a police pickup into a woman and her sidecar motorcycle in the central province of Chachoengsao on Monday, May 5, and failed to stop and assist the victim. CCTV footage of the incident circulated widely on Thai social media platforms, drawing criticism of the officer responsible for the collision. The crash occurred on the Ban…
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Chumphon highway crash leaves many injured amid roadwork confusion
A collision between a pickup truck and a passenger van on Asia Highway 41 in Chumphon resulted in significant damage and multiple injuries. The incident, which occurred due to a lack of warning lights during road repairs, is the latest in a series of accidents at this site. At 2am today, May 7, Police Lieutenant Vimol Kaewchu, deputy inspector of…
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Major deception: Ex-British Army officer nicked over wife’s death
A retired British Army major has been sensationally charged with murdering his wife during a kayaking trip in Australia, four years after her shock death was initially ruled a tragic accident. Graeme Davidson was arrested this week in Brisbane while visiting from Thailand, where he relocated months after his wife Jacqueline, drowned in Lake Samsonvale, north of Brisbane, in November…
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Bangkok drug gang busted: Major arrest and drug seizure
A significant drug gang member has been apprehended following months of investigation. Police seized nearly 500,000 methamphetamine pills, 1 kilogramme of ice, and 1 kg of ketamine. The arrest of the suspect, nicknamed Boonyaraksa, took place at 6am today, May 7, in the Khlong Sam Wa district, Bangkok. Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom, Major General Nopasilp Punsawat, and Major General…
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