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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Bolt operating licence expires in May, amid DLT investigations
Thailand’s Department of Land Transport (DLT) announced yesterday, April 29, that it may refuse to renew Bolt’s licence after finding 2,193 legal cases linked to the ride-hailing platform since the start of the year. Department director-general Sorapong Paitoonpong issued the warning during a press conference on measures to regulate ride-hailing platforms. The move follows a case in Bangkok on April…
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Phatthalung police accused of deceiving mentally ill man into gambling
Parents accused a police officer in Phatthalung of deceiving their mentally ill son into gambling, leading to losses of around 120,000 baht. The parents, 46 year old Yupaporn and 53 year old Thanasak, sought help from a local journalist, claiming their 20 year old son Peerasak was targeted by a police senior sergeant major identified as Suea, who serves under…
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Udon Thani condo staff finds rented room buried in rubbish
Condo staff in Udon Thani found a room with mountains of rubbish on April 28 after tracing a burst water pipe that had leaked down to the lower floor and caused a strong smell throughout the building. The room was reportedly rented by a 48 year old man from Udon Thani, who lived there with his seven year old son.…
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Foreign passenger flees safely after 2 taxi riders fight on Bangkok road
A foreign passenger narrowly escaped injury during a fight between two motorcycle taxi riders after app-based riders clashed with a knife on a road in Bang Bon district of Bangkok on Tuesday, April 28. Footage of the incident circulated on Thai social media yesterday, April 29, showing two motorcycle taxi riders arguing and fighting in the middle of a busy…
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South Korean man sentenced over unauthorised surgery consultations
A South Korean man was sentenced to six months in jail and fined 20,000 baht for illegal medical practice in Thailand after offering cosmetic surgery consultations to Thai clients at a hotel in Bangkok. The case was disclosed by Department of Health Service Support director Phuwadate Surakhot yesterday, April 29, following a complaint about unauthorised medical services being promoted online.…
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Thailand News | Bolt faces licence renewal consideration after driver screening dispute, Thai TikToker turns dead mosquitoes into viral keychain business
In the news today, Bolt gets zapped! Officials have decided NOT to renew the ride-sharing apps license, then, did police in Phuket refuse to arrest streaking tourists because they were enjoying the show? Also, Thailand’s foreign minister voices his frustration over the costs of America’s war effort on the Thai economy, speaking of which there are new efforts to reduce…
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Chiang Mai woman seeks help after Chinese scammers force access to her bank
Two Chinese nationals and a Thai woman were arrested in Chiang Mai yesterday, April 29, after forcing a housemaid to provide her bank account for a mule account by holding her two children. Police identified the suspects as 31 year old Chinese nationals Ji and Penhyu, along with Ji’s Thai girlfriend Apinya. The arrests followed a report from the victim, who…
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Thaksin to return home under probation after parole set for May 11
Former Prime Minister (PM) Thaksin Shinawatra is set to be released on parole on May 11, with authorities requiring him to complete a four-month probation period before his full release in September. The 23rd PM of Thailand, Thaksin, entered Khlong Prem Central Prison on September 9 last year to serve a one-year sentence linked to his stay at Police General…
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Swedish man arrested for stealing data from Pattaya hotel for scam operation
A Swedish man was arrested yesterday, April 29, for stealing data from a hotel in Pattaya and using it in a scam that caused losses exceeding 100,000 baht among 35 victims. The hotel in Pattaya reported the case to Cyber Police, stating that several guests were targeted by fraudulent messages sent to them via email with a fake hotel domain.…
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Taiwanese woman caught with 30 tortoises on body at airport
A 19 year old Taiwanese woman was arrested yesterday, April 29, at Suvarnabhumi International Airport for wildlife smuggling after officers found 30 Indian star tortoises hidden on her body before a flight to Taipei. Wildlife officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport worked with customs officers and police from the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division to arrest the woman at the…
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Thai couple allegedly kills man after swindling his money using AI generated profile
A Thai couple allegedly operated a romance scam using artificial intelligence (AI) to create a social media profile, and murdered a victim in Surat Thani after their criminal action was caught. The victim, 61 year old Wichit Chompong, was found with more than 10 gunshot wounds in a roadside plantation in Son Sak district. His mobile phone was damaged and…
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Thai TikToker goes viral for turning dead mosquitoes into keychains
A Thai TikTok user gained attention online after sharing that she earns more than 10,000 baht per month by creating and selling keychains made from dead mosquitoes. The creator, identified only as Lee, posted about her business on her TikTok account @leesaeslip last week. In the video caption, Lee wrote, “My name is Lee. I earn ten thousand baht from…
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Lop Buri locals question authenticity of Yaba advertising sign on road
A sign advertising Yaba for sale at a road intersection in Lop Buri province circulated on Thai social media, prompting calls for police to investigate. The sign, reportedly placed on a traffic island near Ananda Mahidol Hospital, included a contact name and phone number, raising concerns among residents. Images shared by Facebook users showed a white board attached to a…
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Thailand could face severe drought in 2027, agencies warn
The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) and the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) warned yesterday, April 28, that El Niño could bring prolonged drought to Thailand for at least two to three years, with conditions expected to worsen in 2027. The ONWR said El Niño, a periodic warming of the Pacific Ocean that disrupts global weather…
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Thai man steals from coin-operated washing machines and allegedly fakes disabilities
A disabled bakery vendor known on social media was arrested for stealing coins from coin-operated washing machines in Bangkok on April 21. He was also accused of faking his disabilities to increase the sales. The owner of the machines, 23 year old Thanatchai, filed a complaint with Phetkasem Police Station after two suspects were seen in a CCTV footage taking…
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Thailand to save energy by cutting or reducing street lights on rural roads
Thailand’s Department of Rural Roads announced it will shut down or reduce street lighting on selected rural highways nationwide from May 1 as part of an energy-saving measure linked to ongoing tensions in the Middle East. The Director-General of the Rural Roads Department, Pichit Hoonsiri, confirmed on April 25 that the Thailand street light reduction plan aims to manage national…
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Thai FM expresses frustration with US over war fallout
Thailand’s foreign minister has voiced frustration with the US, saying Washington offered no direct help to its long-standing treaty ally as rising fuel, fertiliser, and shipping costs from the US-Israel war against Iran continue to plague Thailand. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told The Washington Post that the Trump administration appeared aware of the damage but…
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Police face backlash for letting 2 foreigners walk naked on Phuket road
Two foreign tourists were seen walking naked along a road in the Kata-Laemsai area of Phuket yesterday, April 28, prompting criticism of local police and officials over their response to the incident. Images of the naked tourists in Phuket were shared by the Phuket Times Facebook page, showing the pair without clothing while standing roadside with a group of friends.…
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Thailand News | Chinese tourists admit gold shop robbery after travel funds run dry, CP Group and SEGA sign MOU to explore ASEAN Entertainment growth
Today we’ll be talking about a couple of Chinese simps willing to do high crimes for the objects of their infatuation, then, an oil tanker overturn spilling thousands of liters of onto a busy road, also, a teen girl has been rescued after an alleged assault and clinging to a moving pickup truck for dear life in Pattaya, in ASEAN…
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14 year old boy caught sexually assaulting 8 year old girl in Pathum Thani
An eight year old girl was sexually assaulted by a teenage boy in Thanyaburi district, Pathum Thani, on April 26. The suspect was released from a juvenile detention centre only four days earlier. The girl’s mother, 42 year old Noi, filed a complaint with Pratunam Chulalongkorn Police Station and said she would pursue legal action against the suspect, identified as…
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Pad Thai sales break world record at LA Songkran event
A Guinness World Record was set during the Songkran Festival in Los Angeles on April 26 after more than 1,300 Pad Thai dishes were sold within one hour. The “2026 Thai New Year: Songkran Festival” took place along a three-kilometre stretch of Hollywood Boulevard, which was closed to host the event. The organisers described it as the largest Thai festival…
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40,000-litre tanker overturns in Nan, spills 5,000 litres of oil
A 40,000-litre oil tanker overturned on a curve in Nan yesterday, April 27, spilling around 5,000 litres of fuel onto the road before officials contained the leak and resumed traffic. The Nan Provincial Public Relations Facebook page said the Provincial Energy Office was alerted to the crash at around 10.30am on the Thung Chang to Chaloem Phra Kiat road in…
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Condom-covered eggplant, sexual items found on Pathum Thani bridge
Community leaders inspected a pedestrian bridge in Pathum Thani today, April 28, after complaints that it was being used for sexual activity, filming adult content, and other illegal activites. Chukiat Phochan, village chief of Moo 4, visited the bridge in Chiang Rak Yai, Sam Khok district, on the Udon Ratthaya Expressway road with assistant village chiefs and reporters after receiving…
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Thai man abandons girl after alleged sex abuse, leaving her clinging to his pickup
A 17 year old girl was rescued after clinging to a moving pickup truck and falling onto a road in Pattaya on Sunday, April 26, following an alleged sexual abuse by the driver. The incident occurred at around 8.45pm on a road along Mab Prachan Reservoir in Bang Lamung district. A 23 year old motorcyclist, identified only as Mix, witnessed…
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Thai, Chinese workers brawl at Rayong construction site
Police and district officials are investigating a brawl between Chinese and Thai construction workers in Map Kha, Nikhom Phatthana district, Rayong, which left several people with minor injuries on April 26. The incident involved several of workers at a construction site, where a verbal dispute reportedly escalated into a physical confrontation. Video footage showed workers wearing reflective vests and safety…
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Unlicensed BMW driver kills Phuket transwoman while retrieving dropped phone
A BMW driver crashed into and killed a Thai transwoman on April 25 while the victim was retrieving a dropped mobile phone on a road in Phuket. The incident occurred at around 2.30am on Pathak Road outside an entertainment venue in Chalong subdistrict, according to Khao Phuket. The victim, Auttachai Deeprom, sustained serious injuries and later died in hospital. CCTV…
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Youth Olympic Games 2030 bid brings IOC team to Thailand
In a pivotal opportunity to boost its sports industry, Thailand is preparing to present Bangkok and Chon Buri as proposed host areas for the Youth Olympic Games 2030 during an official International Olympic Committee (IOC) assessment visit from April 28 to 30. IOC member Danka Hrbékova, who chairs the Youth Olympic Games 2030 working group, arrived in Bangkok yesterday, April 27,…
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Foreign man steals from Krabi cannabis shop while staff sleeps
A foreign man was caught on CCTV stealing cannabis products from a shop in Krabi, yesterday, April 27, while a staff member was asleep. The incident occurred at a cannabis shop in Ao Nang subdistrict. The shop owner shared footage of the theft with media and warned other local businesses. The suspect’s face was captured on the shop’s security camera.…
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Sri Lankan monks’ Thailand trip goes up in smoke after cannabis bust
Twenty-two Sri Lankan Buddhist monks who had just returned from Thailand were arrested on April 25 at an airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka, after customs officers allegedly found cannabis hidden in their luggage. BBC reported yesterday, April 27, that the monks were detained after officers found 110 kilogrammes of cannabis concealed in secret compartments inside their suitcases. Sri Lankan customs…
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Foreign tourists take turn showing their private parts on Phuket tuk tuk
A group of foreign tourists were criticised after exposing themselves to motorists while travelling in a tuk tuk in Patong, Phuket. Images posted by the Phuket Times Facebook page yesterday, April 27, showed several foreigners standing in the vehicle, turning towards traffic behind them and pulling down their trousers. The page stated in the caption… “Bottoms show in Patong. Foreign…
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