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.
-
Sponsored 9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand
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...
-
Chiang Mai tops world’s most polluted cities
Chiang Mai province in northern Thailand has been blanketed by worsening haze, catapulting it to the top of the list of the world’s ten most polluted cities. The thick smog is a direct consequence of forest fires that have been burning unabated for approximately two weeks. The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) detected 1,420 hotspots on Monday alone.…
-
Bangkok’s eastern and central bus terminals set for relocation
Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit announced plans yesterday to move the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai) and the Bangkok Bus Terminal (Mo Chit 2) to the Krung Thep Abhiwat Central Terminal. The intention behind the move is to offer more convenience to travellers as the Central Terminal can be easily reached using the MRT electronic rail system. In the proposed new location,…
-
Heatwave alert in Thailand with temperatures hitting 39 degrees Celsius
Thailand’s Meteorological Department (TMD) issued a weather warning forecasting sweltering conditions across the country today, with peak temperatures expected to soar between 37 and 39 degrees Celsius. Despite the heat, there is a possibility of isolated thunderstorms during the afternoon, with some regions experiencing light rainfall. The TMD’s 24-hour forecast indicates that a low-pressure area resulting from intense heat is…
-
New Zealand Embassy introduces increased visa fees for Thailand
The Royal Thai Embassy in Wellington announced an increase in visa fees for individuals from New Zealand intending to visit Thailand. The new fees will be effective from March 19 onwards. The announcement has caused concern among netizens on social media that there could be a possible visa fee increase for other nationalities. The embassy announced on its official website…
-
Steamy side of Internet in Thailand: Adult sites climb charts
The latest report from We Are Social reveals the top 20 most-visited websites by Thais, showing a notable presence of adult content sites in the rankings. Despite the wide range of content available online, it appears that websites with adult material continue to garner significant traffic in Thailand. The recent findings by We Are Social, covering the period from December…
-
Chiang Mai charm reigns: Panida crowned Miss Thailand 2024
The latest holder of the illustrious Miss Thailand title is Panida Khueanjinda, a proud native of Chiang Mai. She outshone 34 other participants in the contest that took place at The Mall Ngamwongwan’s MCC Hall. Panida is not a stranger to such accolades, having previously won the Miss Grand Nakhon Phanom 2022 title. A graduate of the Faculty of Fine…
-
Former MP professes innocence in Thai extortion case
Yoswarit Chuklom, affectionately known as Jeng Dokjik, met with the authorities from the Anti-Corruption Division (ACD) of the police force today, asserting his innocence in a high-profile extortion case. He was accompanied by Pimnatta Jiraputthiphak, a former parliamentary candidate from the Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party, and their lawyer, Traisak Thongswai. Jeng arrived with a cheerful demeanour, showing no signs…
-
Thai man arrested for cross-border sperm cell smuggling
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) officers arrested a Thai man at his home in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok for illegally smuggling sperm cells across the border into Laos and Cambodia for surrogacy. CIB police arrested the suspect, 33 year old Teerapong at his home in Nonthaburi province on February 24. Teerapong was found smuggling to Thailand’s neighbouring countries. Teerapon faced…
-
Finnish national found self-harming in Pattaya, Thailand
A disturbing incident unfolded in the early hours of this morning in Pattaya, when a Finnish national was discovered in a state of severe agitation, inflicting knife wounds on himself. The man, identified as Eeuoskari Kontiainen, from Finland, was eventually subdued and rushed to the hospital. The event took place in an apartment building located in Soi Bua Khao, within…
-
Family rep collects remains of woman in Bangkok property feud
A family dispatched representatives to retrieve the body of a young woman entangled in a heated property dispute concerning a residence in Agu, a Bangkok home contested by multiple parties. Today, at 12.55pm, at the Forensic Medicine Institute of the Police General Hospital, Panumas’s family, one of five individuals sued over the intrusion into the Agu house, authorised a non-family…
-
Former RTP boss and 7 others sued for reducing Red Bull heir’s sentences
The Office of the Attorney General (AGO) filed a lawsuit against former Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP) Somyot Poompanmoung, and seven other relevant political or judicial figures for allegedly reducing the sentences of hit-and-run suspect Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, better known as the Red Bull heir. This year marks the 12th anniversary since the Red Bull heir, Boss, successfully evaded…
-
8 million meth pills seized in Chiang Mai drug courier arrest
A 24 year old drug courier named Jiraphat, hailing from the Phrao district of Chiang Mai, was apprehended by drug suppression police. The arrest took place at an intersection in Chiang Dao district. Approximately 8 million methamphetamine pills were confiscated from the pickup truck driven by Jiraphat. The seizure was made on Monday, with the methamphetamine pills found stashed in…
-
Burned skeleton: Thai woman arrested for death of girlfriend (video)
Police arrested a Thai woman for the death of her girlfriend after her burned skeleton was discovered at a landfill in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen. The suspect admitted to setting her girlfriend on fire but denied the murder, claiming that her girlfriend died of a congenital illness. The burned skeleton of a woman was discovered at a dump site…
-
Ex-politician cleared of murder plot in Thai political feud
The Criminal Court acquitted a former local politician of orchestrating a murder plot on a current local political figure due to insufficient evidence, sparking intentions to appeal the verdict. The case stems from local political rivalries and allegations of corruption. Yesterday at 9.45am, the Criminal Court in Ratchadapisek Road, Bangkok, delivered its verdict on the high-profile case of attempted murder…
-
Thailand gold prices stable at 35,050 baht with steady market
Gold prices in Thailand remained stable, with no increase or decrease compared to the previous closing figures yesterday The Gold Traders Association (GTA) listed the selling price for gold ornaments surpassing the 35,000 baht mark today in the Western calendar. The latest figures from the association’s website, recorded at 9.02am, indicated that the selling price for gold ornaments was 35,050…
-
Sweeping fires devastate 30,000 rai of forest in Chiang Mai
Sweeping fires engulfed an estimated 30,000 rai (approximately 4,800 hectares) of forest across three districts in the province of Chiang Mai, reported local authorities. The flames, which sparked roughly a week ago, primarily ravaged the Ob Luang National Park. The districts of Hot, Chomg Thong, and Mae Cham are the most severely impacted, with the fires still ablaze and uncontained.…
-
Bangkok’s air quality improves as PM2.5 levels drop
Bangkok’s populace can anticipate a breath of fresh air in the forthcoming week as the levels of PM2.5 pollutants are projected to undergo a downswing. AirBKK, the Air Quality Monitoring Centre of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), confirmed on a Sunday morning that the PM2.5 concentrations in the capital city were well below the 24-hour safe exposure threshold, which is…
-
Bangkok students protest against historical campus relocation
A protest rallied by students and alumni of the Uthenthawai campus of the Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok (RMUTTO) unfolded today. The demonstration was against the proposed move of their historical campus, nestled in Bangkok’s Pathumwan district for 68 years. The protesters, who started their march from the campus on Phayathai Road at 9.39am, first descended on the Chulalongkorn University…
-
Nakhon Ratchasima tackles water scarcity amid El Niño
The province of Nakhon Ratchasima is facing a water management challenge due to the impact of the El Niño phenomenon, which has led to a critical decrease in water levels across 27 reservoirs. These water sources now contain less than half of their capacity, prompting local authorities to adopt stringent water management strategies. In contrast, the Huai Chorakhe reservoir, almost…
-
Tak province battles spreading wildfires across nine districts
Wildfires in the province of Tak have intensified, expanding across nine districts and prompting coordinated emergency responses to combat the flames and prevent hazardous smog, including the dangerous PM2.5 particles. The province’s governor Somchai Kitcharoenrungroj has mobilised all units for swift action to contain the wildfires within a limited area to minimize damage and reduce smoke haze. Since January 1,…
-
Thailand gripped by lottery fever as March draw nears
The lottery scene in Thailand is abuzz with anticipation as the latest round of lucky numbers has been released ahead of the draw on Friday, March 1. Lottery enthusiasts and fortune seekers are poring over various sources, from mystical water bowls used in sermons to the prime minister’s car registration, in the hope of finding the winning digits. As the…
-
Thailand Video News | PM surprise airport inspection doesn’t go well, Bangkok breathes easier with PM 2.5 reduction
Stay up to date on the latest news in Thailand as Alex and Jay present news from across the country. The nation experiences a notable decrease in harmful PM2.5 air pollutants, governmental concerns over airport inefficiencies, the harrowing tale of a teenage mother’s abusive behavior towards her child, and HBO’s ‘White Lotus’ puts Thailand in the spotlight. Bangkok can breathe…
-
Phuket taxi rider denies sexually assault of German woman
A German woman filed a complaint against a Thai motorcycle taxi rider in Phuket, accusing him of sexual assault. The suspect denied the allegation, claiming that the foreign woman hugged him throughout the ride. The victim, a 37 year old German woman, reported the sexual assault to the Mueang Phuket Police Station yesterday, February 26. The foreign victim said the incident…
-
Thailand braces for heat and storms across 27 provinces
Today’s weather forecast in Thailand is demanding attention due to an expected combination of extreme heat and significant thunderstorms. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) warns that 27 provinces, including Bangkok, should brace for stormy conditions. The southern region is anticipated to experience heavy rainfall, affecting 20% of the area, with high waves predicted on Tuesday, February 27. A low-pressure system…
-
5 suspects flee Bangkok for Cambodia after killing Taiwanese man
Five suspects fled Thailand for Cambodia after killing a Taiwanese man and leaving his body in an abandoned restaurant near Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok. The dead body of the Taiwanese man, 44 year old Shih Mou Chiang, was discovered in the abandoned restaurant on Suvarnabhumi 4 Road in the Bang Phli district of Samut Prakarn on…
-
Thai police chief advocates for mental health after officer’s outburst
Thailand’s national police chief issued a directive emphasising the importance of mental healthcare and monitoring within the police force, in light of a recent tragic incident involving an officer. On February 24, a police officer, reportedly suffering from depression, went on a rampage, kicking a civilian’s motorbike and then fatally stabbing one person and severely injuring another. The Chief of…
-
Thailand’s State Audit Office to streamline large-scale govt projects
In a recent development, the State Audit Office (SAO) of Thailand announced the inauguration of a new section dedicated solely to auditing large-scale government projects. This new initiative will come into effect from April 1, as per the announcement made by the State Audit Commission in the Royal Gazette last month. The SAO Auditor-General, Prajuck Boonyoung, highlighted the necessity of…
-
Thai-Chinese high-speed train project faces delay and extra costs
The Thai-Chinese high-speed train project is set to experience a delay of approximately two years, alongside an additional funding requirement of around 4 billion baht (US$111 million). This arises from a proposed track modification in Nakhon Ratchasima, according to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). The State Railway of Thailand Governor, Nirut Maneephan, disclosed that this change involves contracts numbered…
-
Pour decisions: Thailand to splash health warnings on booze bottles
The Thai government is in the process of developing a new regulation, requiring producers of alcoholic beverages to feature large, graphic health warnings on their products, much akin to those found on cigarette packaging. This move, orchestrated by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee and the Department of Disease Control, has sparked criticism from alcohol producers and the tourism industry, who…
-
Thai police officer fatally stabs man outside education centre
In a tragic turn of events, police officer Chawanil Jindamanee, stationed at Cha-uat Police Station in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, committed a heinous crime using a knife to fatally wound 51 year old Wichitra, and seriously injured 69 year old Prapha. The incident took place outside of a non-formal education centre in Cha-uat district on February 24. Following the attack,…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.