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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More than 3,000 Thai govt buildings damaged in earthquake
The powerful 8.2-magnitude earthquake near Mandalay, Myanmar, on March 28 has left a trail of destruction across Thailand, with over 3,000 government buildings affected, according to the Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning (DPT). As of today, April 2, the DPT reported that 3,375 government buildings had been inspected following the quake, with 34 deemed severely damaged…
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Protesters rally against entertainment complex and gambling bills
Demonstrators gathered outside the prime minister’s residence yesterday to protest against the government’s proposed entertainment complex bill and the online gambling bill, which was under Cabinet review the same day. A few hundred people converged at the Phitsanulok Mansion residence yesterday, April 1, intensifying their opposition to the draft bills, which they argued would destroy the country by undermining societal…
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Crime doesn’t pray: American nabbed nicking from Pattaya donation box
A shocking robbery unfolded early this morning in Pattaya, when a 62 year old American man was caught stealing from a donation box outside the local police station. The bizarre crime was driven by the man’s claim of desperation after losing his ATM card and being unable to buy food. At around 2.30am today, April 2, Pattaya police received an…
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Thailand to refurbish Japanese diesel trains for suburban services
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) plans to introduce 20 second-hand Japanese KiHa diesel trains for suburban passenger services. A systems test is set for June, before the refurbishment of the KiHa 40 and KiHa 48 trains, with six trains expected to be operational by the end of the year. SRT chief Veeris Ammarapala mentioned that these diesel trains were…
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Chiang Mai struggles with severe air pollution from wildfires
Chiang Mai is currently grappling with severe air pollution due to ongoing wildfires across various districts, with over 150 hotspots identified. Yesterday, April 1, wildfires persisted in mountainous regions of the northern province, with 150 active hotspots reported in 15 districts. The most affected areas include Hot with 34 hotspots, Chiang Dao with 26, and Phrao with 23. Thick smoke…
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Chinese embassy pledges cooperation in SAO building probe
The Chinese Embassy in Thailand issued a statement addressing media concerns regarding the involvement of China Railway No.10 Engineering Group in the construction of the Office of the Auditor-General (SAO) building, which tragically collapsed during the March 28 earthquake. In a statement released late yesterday, April 1, the embassy expressed its commitment to fully cooperate with the Thai authorities and…
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Thai man found dead after leaving home to work in Taiwan
A Thai man told his mother he was going to work in Taiwan but committed suicide instead in the middle of a rice field in the Isaan province of Roi Et. The deceased’s mother was shocked after a relative informed her of the death of her 30 year old son, Pongsakorn Saenkla, yesterday, April 1. Pongsakorn was found hanging from…
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Truck collision on Kanchanaphisek Expressway causes fatality, traffic chaos
A collision between two trucks on the Kanchanaphisek Expressway in Bangkok led to a 10-kilometre traffic jam, resulting in one fatality and one injury. The incident occurred at 5.20am today, April 2, when a trailer truck crashed into the back of a 10-wheel truck, causing severe damage and scattering soybean waste across the road. Officers from Phra Pradaeng Police Station…
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Trailer and pickup clash sparks heated dispute in Nonthaburi
A heated argument erupted following a collision between a trailer and a pickup truck in Nonthaburi, resulting in both parties filing complaints with the police. The incident occurred yesterday, April 1, and has led to accusations and physical altercations between the involved parties. Today, it was reported that Chaowarat, a 58 year old bamboo shop owner, filed a complaint with…
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Baiyoke Tower heir drops legal action over false claim on Facebook
The heir of Baiyoke Tower in Bangkok has decided to resolve a false Facebook post claiming that the Baiyoke Tower was tilting and cracking following an earthquake. The post, which was misinformation, caused public concern, prompting the heir, Beer Baiyoke, also know as Piyalert Baiyoke, to reach out to the poster to discuss the false claims. However, the poster responded…
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Not in Pattaya: Police deny viral video of dangerous motorcycle riding
Police insisted that the viral video of a couple riding a motorcycle dangerously on a public road did not take place in Pattaya, contrary to rumours. The viral video, which surfaced on Thai social media platforms this week, garnered attention and drew criticism towards officers at Mueang Pattaya Police Station. In the footage, a man, reported to be a Thai…
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Laotian man arrested for illegal motorcycle taxi work in Bangkok
Thai police apprehended a 32 year old Laotian man for illegally working as a motorcycle taxi driver in the Huai Khwang district of Bangkok. The suspect, Leklai, was caught after police devised a plan to have him take them to a police station, where he was then arrested. The arrest followed a tip-off from an informant who reported seeing a foreign-looking…
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Unexpected flooding hits Phatthalung despite no rain
In Phatthalung province, 13 families were astounded when there were awoken during the middle of the night with water flooding through their homes despite no rain in the area. The incident took place today, April 2, when locals were caught off guard by rising waters in Mueang 6, Makok Nuea subdistrict, Khuan Khanun district, prompting a hurried evacuation of belongings…
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Miracle escape: Electrician survives Khon Kaen earthquake
A young man has shared his terrifying experience of narrowly escaping a collapsed building during a deadly earthquake, recounting how he fled from the 27th floor with his employer’s daughter. The dramatic escape involved breaking through a corrugated iron fence to safety. Yesterday, April 1, reporters visited the home of 62 year old Seng Mo Wiang and 56 year old…
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Man arrested for indecency and deceiving job seekers in Bangkok
A 29 year old man has been arrested for allegedly deceiving job seekers before committing acts of indecency against four victims in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district. Police tracked the suspect using CCTV footage, leading to his arrest while he was using the same motorcycle. At 12.30am today, April 2, Phinyoh Wiangkum, Deputy Inspector of Investigation at Chokchai Police Station, along…
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Chinese construction firm raises safety fears at Songkhla Hospital
Concerns have emerged over the safety of a new outpatient building being constructed at Songkhla Hospital, with fears exacerbated by the involvement of a Chinese company previously linked to a collapsed building. The 426 million baht project, managed by China Railway No. 10, is under scrutiny after the firm’s involvement in a tragic incident at the Office of the Auditor…
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Udon Thani mother’s plea for missing son after earthquake tragedy
In the village of Na Si Nuan, Talanlian subdistrict, Kudjab district, Udon Thani province, a 59 year old mother is waiting anxiously for news of her son, who is among those missing following the collapse of a building under construction. The incident occurred after an earthquake in Chanthaburi province. Anekpong Kongsa-ya, a 23 year old electrician, was last seen running…
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Drunk caught sexually assaulting Bangkok quake victim’s relative
A Thai social media influencer condemned a drunk Thai man for sexually assaulting a relative of an earthquake victim at a shelter in Bangkok today. Following the effects of the earthquake in Myanmar on an under-construction building in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, 15 construction workers at the site were killed, and at least 72 remain missing. The victims’ relatives gathered…
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Potato’s winning lotto prediction leaves fans mashed with elation
Fans of the popular Thai rock band Potato are celebrating after the band’s lottery prediction came true in the latest draw yesterday, April 1. The Government Lottery Office announced the winning numbers, with the first prize going to ticket number 669687. However, it was the two-digit prize, number 36, that caught everyone’s attention because it matched exactly with a number…
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Pregnant woman dies in tragic Ayutthaya motorcycle accident
A tragic road accident occurred yesterday in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province when a pregnant woman died after her motorcycle collided with another motorcycle. The victim, 28 year old Watcharaporn Meesang, was three months pregnant with her first child with her partner of ten years, 27 year old Witthun Thakhamson. At 4pm, yesterday, April 1, Police Lieutenant Thawon Saengsai of…
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Hungarian man causes ruckus at quake-hit audit office in Bangkok
Bangkok was already reeling from chaos after the Myanmar earthquake triggered the collapse of the State Audit Office in the capital city but things took a bizarre turn yesterday when a Hungarian man stormed the site, claiming his friends were trapped in the rubble. Flying straight from Hungary to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport, the man splurged 4,000 baht on a…
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Ancient Buddha statue found in Phayao coconut grove
A homeowner in Phayao province was surprised to discover an ancient Buddha statue while hiring a backhoe to level land in a coconut grove. Believed to be a Pra Singha 1 in the Mara Vichai posture, the statue could be over 1,000 years old. Residents of Pa Sang village, located in Dok Kham Tai district, reported the find, which occurred…
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Buriram man wins 6 million baht lottery with nephew’s help
A 56 year old local government official from Buriram province has become an overnight millionaire after his infant nephew picked a winning lottery ticket. Kanthar Sirisamran, from Mueang subdistrict in Krasang district, Surin province, claimed a massive 6 million baht prize following the lottery draw yesterday, April 1. The lucky number, 669687, was announced by the Government Lottery Office, sparking…
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Thai rescuer hospitalised after 4-metre python wraps around neck
A Thai rescuer attempted to remove a 4-metre long python from a house in Bangkok but blundered, allowing the snake to wrap around his neck until he lost consciousness. A local homeowner, Oh, called the Por Teck Tung Foundation rescuers to her home at 10.12pm yesterday, April 1, to help a rescuer who had lost consciousness inside her house in…
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Thailand video news | Substandard steel blamed for Bangkok tower collapse, Pregnant woman rescued from Myanmar quake rubble
In Thailand video news, Alex and Jay report on major developments across the region. Investigations into the Bangkok tower collapse reveal substandard steel from a Chinese-owned factory, raising safety concerns. Meanwhile, PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra reassures the public that the incident was isolated, with authorities conducting thousands of building inspections. In Phuket, a speedboat explosion injures six, sparking calls for stricter…
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Suspect caught attempting theft of housing project gate in Chon Buri
Police in Phanat Nikhom district apprehended a suspect involved in the attempted theft of a housing project gate. The 35 year old suspect, known as Nu, was caught after CCTV footage captured him and an accomplice trying to steal the gate by placing it on the back of a motorcycle. The attempted theft occurred at the Ban Sued housing project,…
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Optimus Prime statue brings a lotto luck to Nonthaburi cafe patrons
Following the announcement of the lottery results for yesterday, April 1, the winning lottery number was 669687. The three-digit front numbers were 635 and 760, while the three-digit end numbers were 180 and 666. The two-digit end number was 36. In a recent viral social media post, a metal robot resembling Optimus Prime in Nonthaburi was adorned with a garland,…
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4 year old Thai girl accidentally shoots herself with pen gun
A four year old girl accidentally shot herself in the right leg with her father’s pen gun at a house in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok. The child’s 16 year old cousin, Parinya Sittijun, called Phra Samut Chedi Police Station, and Por Teck Tung Foundation rescuers, for help at about 11am yesterday, April 1. Officers arrived at the scene and found…
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All aboard: Songkhla sets sail for cruise boom with new port plan
In a bold bid to transform Songkhla into a cruise hotspot, the local Chamber of Commerce has proposed the development of a dedicated cruise port to woo affluent Western tourists, while still charming traditional visitors from Malaysia and Singapore. During an eventful visit by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra in February, Songphon Changsiriwattanathamrong, president of the Chamber of Commerce, pitched the…
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Thai Cabinet approves 721m baht for Islamic teachers’ salary boost
To enhance peace-building efforts in Thailand’s Deep South, the Cabinet has approved a hefty 721 million baht to boost the salaries of Islamic school teachers. The decision aims to support educators in the southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, and Satun, along with specific districts in Songkhla. Deputy Government Spokesperson Anukul Prueksanusak announced the funding allocation yesterday, April 1, revealing…
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